Our shares
Ahold’s authorized share capital as of December 28, 2008 was comprised of the following:
- 1,700,000,000 common shares at EUR 0.30 par value each;
- 477,580,949 cumulative preferred financing shares at EUR 0.30 par value each;
- 1,250,000 cumulative preferred shares at EUR 500 par value each.
For additional information about Ahold’s share capital, see Notes 19 and 21 to the consolidated financial statements. Ahold is a public limited liability company registered in the Netherlands with a listing of shares (symbol: AH) on Euronext’s Amsterdam Stock Exchange (AEX). The common shares trade in the United States on the over-the-counter (OTC) market through www.pinksheets.com (symbol: AHONY) in the form of American Depositary Shares (ADS) and are evidenced by American Depositary Receipts (ADRs).
Ahold’s Depository for its American Depositary Shares is The Bank of New York. Each ADS evidences the holder to receive one common share deposited under an agreement between Ahold and the Depository dated January 20, 1998, as amended and restated as of January 29, 2004, and as further amended and restated as of October 29, 2007. Ahold has been informed by the Depositary that as of December 28, 2008, there were 66,212,085 American Depositary Shares outstanding and 35,000 record owners in the United States, compared with 88,019,197 American Depositary Shares outstanding and 39,500 record owners in the United States at the end of the 2007 fiscal year.
Share ownership
Associates Stock Purchase Plan
Ahold’s United States employees can purchase Ahold’s American Depositary Shares through the Associates Stock Purchase Plan (the “ASPP”). This plan gives them the choice of buying ADSs through voluntary payroll deductions. During 2008, 140,927 ADSs were purchased by Ahold’s United States employees through the ASPP.
For more background and financial information go to Ahold's investor relations section on www.ahold.com
Annual Information Update
Pursuant to article 5:24 Financial Markets Supervision Act (Wet op het Financieel Toezicht), Ahold has issued an Annual Information Update (“AIU”) (jaarlijks document) that covers the period from March 6, 2008 through February 27, 2009. The AIU contains references to public disclosures made by Ahold over the period referred to above, under applicable laws and regulations relating to securities, issuers and security markets. The AIU is available on Ahold’s public website (www.ahold.com).