The performance of WACKER stock reduced its year-end market capitalization from €6.5 billion to €3.1 billion (total stock without treasury shares). WACKER’s MDAX market capitalization based on the free float, including treasury shares, was €932 million. WACKER thus had an MDAX weighting of 1.38 percent, and it is currently ranked 30th of the 50 companies in the index.
WACKER’s GEX weighting was 10.08 percent. Deutsche Börse’s GEX mid-cap index (introduced in January 2005) comprises owner-dominated companies listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (Prime Standard) for no more than ten years. In 2011, WACKER continued to rank second in that index.
WACKER in Close Dialog with Capital Markets
Our company’s strategic focus on growth and sustainably high margins is reinforced by continual and open communications with institutional and private investors and with analysts. In 2011, we increasingly approached national and international investors and analysts to explain our business strategy, key financial indicators and future outlook. On many occasions, Executive Board members attended in person to answer questions from capital-market participants.
There were 21 roadshows with a total of 32 roadshow days in Germany, Europe, the USA and – for the first time – Asia. We also held about 550 meetings both in person and via telephone, as well as some 25 group discussions, and we participated in various international conferences.
WACKER gave presentations at, for example:
- DB Advisors Investment Conference in Frankfurt
- HSBC Small- and Midcap SRI Conference in Frankfurt
- Jefferies 11th Global Clean Technology Conference in New York
- UBS Global Renewable Energy Conference in London
- AXA Investment Conference in Dresden
- HSBC 2nd Luxembourg Event in Luxembourg
- Deutsche Bank: German & Austrian Corporate Conference 2011 in Frankfurt
- Intersolar: Solar Trade Fair in Munich
- PVSEC in Hamburg
- UBS Best of Germany Conference in New York
- Barclays Capital Global Renewables and Clean Technology Conference in Zürich
- UniCredit: German Investment Conference in Munich
- Credit Suisse Alternative Energy Day in Frankfurt
- 4th Macquarie Alternative Energy Conference in London
- Morgan Stanley Global Chemicals Conference in New York
On May 31, 2011, WACKER held its Capital Markets Day in London. More than 40 analysts and investors from a total of 37 banks and investment firms took part and were able to gain an up-to-date overview of WACKER and the Group’s strategies, technologies, products and innovations.
Wacker Chemie AG maintained its dialog with private investors last year, presenting the Group and its markets at various events. For example, we attended the shareholder forums organized by the DSW (German association of small investors) in Bonn, Leipzig, Bremen, Cologne and Munich, as well as the corporate presentations held by the SdK shareholder association in Bremerhaven.
Based on our latest shareholder analysis (December 31, 2011), the number of American shareholders continued to fall. The level of US-held shares dropped from 24 percent in December 2010 to just 19 percent in December 2011. The number of shareholders in Switzerland remained unchanged, at about 7 percent in both 2010 and 2011. Share ownership rose slightly in both Germany – accounting for about 23 percent (2010: 22 percent) – and the UK – making up 26 percent (2010: 25 percent). Share ownership in Canada and Europe (excluding Germany, Switzerland and the UK) rose from 20 percent in 2010 to 23 percent in 2011.
Wacker Chemie AG’s largest shareholder is still Dr. Alexander Wacker Familiengesellschaft mbH, Munich. It holds over 50 percent of the voting shares in Wacker Chemie AG (2010: over 50 percent).
In 2011, Blue Elephant Holding GmbH (Pöcking, Germany) once again did not have any voting-share changes to report, which means it still holds over 10 percent (2010: over 10 percent) of Wacker Chemie AG.
Pursuant to a voting-rights notification in December 2011, BlackRock, Inc., New York, USA, holds just over 3 percent of the voting shares in Wacker Chemie AG.