In the 17th resolution you are asked, as every year, to authorize the Board of Directors to cancel any or all of the shares purchased in the share buyback program and reduce share capital under certain conditions, particularly in order to fully offset, where necessary, any potential dilution resulting from capital increases relating to employee shareholding transactions.
The difference between the carrying amount of the canceled shares and their nominal amount will be allocated to reserve or additional paid-in capital accounts.
This authorization granted to the Board of Directors will be for a period of 24 months.
(Authorization granted to the Board of Directors for a period of 24 months to reduce the share capital by cancellation of treasury shares)
The General Meeting, deliberating according to the quorum and majority required for Extraordinary General Meetings, having noted the Board of Directors’ Report and the Statutory Auditors’ Special Report, authorizes the Board of Directors to cancel, via its decisions alone, on one or more occasions, and within the limit of 10% of the Company’s share capital per 24-month period, any or all of the shares bought back by the Company within the scope of the authorization adopted by this Ordinary General Meeting in its fourth resolution and of those shares bought back within the scope of the authorization adopted by the Ordinary General Meeting of May 3, 2023, and to reduce the share capital by this amount.
The difference between the carrying amount of the canceled shares and their nominal amount will be allocated to any reserve or additional paid-in capital accounts.
This authorization is granted for a period of 24 months starting from the date of this Meeting. It supersedes the authorization granted by the Extraordinary General Meeting of May 3, 2023, in its eighteenth resolution with respect to the non-utilized portion of such authorization.
Full powers are granted to the Board of Directors, with the possibility of sub-delegation under the conditions set by law, to implement this authorization, deduct the difference between the carrying amount of the shares canceled and their nominal amount from all reserve and additional paid-in capital accounts and to carry out the necessary formalities to implement the reduction in capital which shall be decided in accordance with this resolution and amend the articles of association accordingly.
The Combined General Meeting of May 4, 2022 authorized the Board of Directors, for a period of 26 months, to increase the share capital, on one or more occasions, through the incorporation of additional paid-in capital, reserves, profits or other amounts, including with a view to free shares attributions for Shareholders.
This authorization was partially used in 2022: the Company allocated one free share for 10 existing shares following a capital increase by incorporation of a sum of 268 million euros deducted from the “Issue premiums” item, thus creating 48,905,499 new shares (amount including the 10% increase, i.e. one additional free share for every 100 existing shares held in registered form for more than two full calendar years).
The aim of the 18th resolution is to renew this authorization up to a maximum of 320 million euros. As in 2022, in order to provide Shareholders with the right to express an opinion on such a capital increase during periods of takeover bids, it is proposed that this delegation of authority be suspended during periods of takeover bids. On the basis of this resolution, an allocation of free shares at the rate of one free share for 10 shares held, as well as the application of a loyalty bonus, are planned for 2024.
(Delegation of authority granted to the Board of Directors for a period of 26 months to increase the share capital through the incorporation of additional paid-in capital, reserves, profits or any other amounts, for a maximum amount of 320 million euros)
The Shareholders, deliberating according to the quorum and majority required for Ordinary General Meetings, having noted the Board of Directors’ Report and pursuant to the provisions of articles L. 225- 129-2, L. 225-130 and L. 22-10-50 of the French Commercial Code: