Annual report 2006
Ahold's investor relations department is committed in its communications to serving the interests of both private and institutional investors and of both equity and fixed income investors. Ahold's investor relations follows, to the extent reasonably practicable, the guidelines and principles set forth by the AFM and in Regulation FD promulgated by the SEC. More background and financial information can be found in Ahold's investor relations section at www.ahold.com. Contact information can be found at the end of this Annual Report.
Ahold's authorized share capital as of December 31, 2006 was composed of the following:
For additional information about Ahold's share capital, see Notes 23 and 27 to our consolidated financial statements included in this Annual Report. Ahold is a public limited liability company registered in the Netherlands with listings of shares (symbol: AH) on Euronext's Amsterdam Stock Exchange (AEX) and depositary shares (symbol: AHO) on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). Euronext Amsterdam is the principal trading market for Ahold's common shares. As of January 1, 2007, the register of holders of registered restricted shares contained the names of 25 holders having their registered address in the United States. The common shares trade in the United States on the NYSE in the form of ADSs and are evidenced by ADRs.
The Depositary for the ADSs is The Bank of New York. Each ADS evidences the right to receive one common share deposited under a deposit agreement for the ADSs between Ahold and the Depositary dated January 20, 1998. Ahold has been informed by the Depositary that in the United States, as of December 31, 2006, there were 124,494,812 ADSs outstanding and 41,088 record owners compared with 130,170,424 ADSs outstanding and 50,500 record owners at the end of fiscal year 2005.
The table below sets forth the high and low closing prices during the periods indicated for Ahold's common shares on Euronext Amsterdam and for the Company's ADSs on the NYSE. The quarters used are Ahold's financial quarters.
| Euronext Amsterdam (in EUR per common share) |
NYSE (in USD per ADS) |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High | Low | High | Low | |
| Calendar year 2006 | ||||
| First quarter | 7.23 | 6.27 | 8.80 | 7.59 |
| Second quarter | 6.82 | 6.13 | 8.66 | 7.83 |
| Third quarter | 8.50 | 6.60 | 10.84 | 8.26 |
| Fourth quarter | 8.38 | 7.32 | 10.78 | 9.79 |
| Calendar year 2005 | ||||
| First quarter | 7.02 | 5.94 | 9.14 | 7.83 |
| Second quarter | 7.19 | 5.82 | 8.65 | 7.46 |
| Third quarter | 7.45 | 6.15 | 9.24 | 7.47 |
| Fourth quarter | 6.59 | 5.69 | 7.86 | 6.76 |
| Calendar year 2004 | 7.40 | 5.04 | 9.14 | 6.21 |
| Calendar year 2003 | 13.60 | 2.47 | 14.33 | 2.95 |
| Calendar year 2002 | 32.25 | 10.32 | 29.16 | 10.09 |
| Euronext Amsterdam (in EUR per common share) |
NYSE (in USD per ADS) |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High | Low | High | Low | |
| September 2006 | 8.50 | 7.35 | 10.77 | 9.37 |
| October 2006 | 8.50 | 8.13 | 10.84 | 10.22 |
| November 2006 | 8.36 | 7.56 | 10.63 | 9.85 |
| December 2006 | 8.25 | 7.32 | 10.78 | 9.79 |
| January 2007 | 8.17 | 7.70 | 10.66 | 9.91 |
| February 2007 | 8.01 | 7.56 | 10.46 | 9.93 |
| Per share table | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Common shares at year-end | 1,555,677,562 | 1,555,312,608 | 1,554,262,947 | 1,552,603,293 | 931,106,897 |
| Closing common share price at year-end on Euronext (in EUR) | 8.06 | 6.33 | 5.70 | 5.83 | 11.65 |
| Average closing common share price on Euronext (in EUR) |
7.14 | 6.48 | 6.04 | 7.32 | 20.59 |
| High closing common share price on Euronext (in EUR) |
8.50 | 7.45 | 7.40 | 13.60 | 32.25 |
| Low closing common share price on Euronext (in EUR) |
6.13 | 5.69 | 5.04 | 2.47 | 10.32 |
| Share dividend option per common share | - | - | - | - | 1/100 |
| Cash dividend option per common share (in EUR) | - | - | - | - | 0.22 |
Ahold currently does not pay a dividend to common shareholders. The Company plans to pay dividends on the cumulative preferred financing shares in 2007 and paid an annual dividend on such shares in 2006, in each case as required by the terms of such shares. Any future determination relating to Ahold's dividend policy regarding common shares will be made at the discretion of the Corporate Executive Board and Supervisory Board and will reflect present performance, future outlook and balance sheet strength. The following table gives certain information relating to dividends declared in the years indicated.
Cash dividend option (EUR) |
Translated cash dividend option1 (USD) |
||
|---|---|---|---|
| Financial year 2001 | |||
| Interim | 0.22 | 0.20 | 1 common share per 100 owned |
| Final | 0.51 | 0.47 | 2 common shares per 100 owned |
| Total | 0.73 | 0.67 | |
| Financial year 2002 | |||
| Interim | 0.22 | 0.21 | 1 common share per 100 owned |
| Final | - | - | |
| Total | 0.22 | 0.21 | |
| Financial year 2003 - Financial year 2006: no dividend was paid to common shareholders. |
|||
| Total | - | - | |
On May 10,2006, the Supervisory Board of the AH Vaste Klanten Fonds ("AHVKF") decided that it would no longer be possible for participants in the fund to invest in the AHVKF and that the AHVKF would be liquidated. The assets of the AHVKF were sold and the proceeds were distributed to the participants in the AHVKF in 2006. The main reason for the liquidation is a change in compliance rules in the Netherlands that would have made a continuation of the AHVKF costly and inefficient. The AHVKF will continue to exist as long as necessary to receive the settlement payment it is due to receive under the Securities Class Action settlement. After receipt of that settlement amount, the net proceeds will be distributed to the participants in the AHVKF after which the AHVKF will cease to exist. As of year-end 2006, the AHVKF did not hold any common shares.
Ahold's U.S. employees are able to purchase the Company ADSs through the Associates Stock Purchase Plan (the "ASPP") in the United States. Through the ASPP, employees may choose to purchase ADSs through voluntary payroll deductions. During 2006, 471,842 ADSs were purchased by Ahold's U.S. employees pursuant to the ASPP.
Copies of this Annual Report, the documents referred to within this Annual Report and Ahold's Articles of Association as well as the Articles of Association of the SAPFAA and the trust conditions (Administratievoorwaarden) will be available for inspection upon request at Ahold's Corporate Center at Piet Heinkade 167-173, 1019 GM Amsterdam, the Netherlands (tel. +31 20 509 5100).
Copies of such materials may also be obtained from the principal office of the SEC at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549, United States at prescribed rates. The public may also obtain information from the operation of the SEC's Public Reference Room by calling +1 800 SEC 0330. Additionally, the SEC maintains a website at www.sec.gov that contains reports and other information that registrants file electronically with the SEC through the Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system ("EDGAR").