Döpfner distributes Springer shares to employees
Springer Verlag is doing well: Springer CEO Mathias Döpfner announced a large-scale share program for employees at the annual general meeting. Up to 8,000 Springer employees will each receive four shares as a gift. In view of the record figures for 2008, the Executive Board and Supervisory Board proposed a record dividend of 4.40 euros per share.
Springer Verlag is doing well: Springer CEO Mathias Döpfner announced a large-scale share program for employees at the annual general meeting. Up to 8,000 Springer employees will each receive four shares as a gift. In view of the record figures for 2008, the Executive Board and Supervisory Board proposed a record dividend of 4.40 euros per share.
Döpfner himself and publisher's widow Friede Springer benefit from this. Both own large blocks of shares. Those of the eligible employees who invest their entire annual bonus in shares receive an additional 30 percent from the Group. Those who request half of their bonus in shares receive an additional 15 percent. The four free shares per employee alone cost the Group around 1.8 million euros with 8,000 entitled employees and currently around 58 euros per share.
Döpfner also proudly presented the previously announced Group figures for 2008, which he said had been the best year in the company's history. Profits had risen to 571 million euros and turnover to 2.7 billion euros. The Bild Group achieved its sixth record result in a row, not least thanks to another price increase, and the Welt Group was also able to increase its profits once again.
According to Döpfner, 14 percent of Axel Springer's revenue already comes from digital business. In ten years at the latest, it should be at least 50 percent. He repeated his announcement that he intends to make anti-cyclical acquisitions in the near future. Both online investments and acquisitions of newspapers are possible.
Prior to the annual general meeting, Döpfner had already described the Bild newspaper, Springer Verlag's mainstay, as a winner in the crisis.
Döpfner himself and publisher's widow Friede Springer benefit from this. Both own large blocks of shares. Those of the eligible employees who invest their entire annual bonus in shares receive an additional 30 percent from the Group. Those who request half of their bonus in shares receive an additional 15 percent. The four free shares per employee alone cost the Group around 1.8 million euros with 8,000 entitled employees and currently around 58 euros per share.
Döpfner also proudly presented the previously announced Group figures for 2008, which he said had been the best year in the company's history. Profits had risen to 571 million euros and turnover to 2.7 billion euros. The Bild Group achieved its sixth record result in a row, not least thanks to another price increase, and the Welt Group was also able to increase its profits once again.
According to Döpfner, 14 percent of Axel Springer's revenue already comes from digital business. In ten years at the latest, it should be at least 50 percent. He repeated his announcement that he intends to make anti-cyclical acquisitions in the near future. Both online investments and acquisitions of newspapers are possible.
Prior to the annual general meeting, Döpfner had already described the Bild newspaper, Springer Verlag's mainstay, as a winner in the crisis.
