Free Float: US Share Ownership Increases

Based on our shareholder analysis1 (Dec. 31, 2014), the number of shareholders in the USA increased further during the year. In December 2013, the level of US-held shares was 24 percent. A year later, it was 35 percent. Thus, our strongest increase in shareholders was in the USA. Share ownership in Germany rose to 18 percent (2013: 15 percent). The number of Canadian shareholders was practically steady at 11 percent. Conversely, British and Swiss share ownership declined to 13 percent (2013: 23 percent) and 5 percent (2013: 7 percent), respectively, whereas other European share ownership (excluding Germany, Switzerland and the UK) remained the same.

1 Shareholder structure analysis, based on the free float of 28.75% (= 100%)