107th BKW General Shareholders' Meeting: Market position strengthened - focus on future energy security
Berne (ots)
Shareholders of BKW FMB Energy Ltd were presented with robust revenue figures for fiscal 2009 at the 107th General Shareholders' Meeting in Berne. The General Meeting approved the 2009 annual and consolidated financial statements and voted in favour of a dividend payment of CHF 2.50 per share (2009: CHF 2.30). Shareholders also elected Urs Gasche to the Board of Directors for the remaining term of office until 2011.
The BKW Group posted good revenue growth in 2009 despite a difficult market environment. At CHF 298.5 million, net profit was 115.2% higher year-on-year. Consolidated operating revenue improved by 2.8% to CHF 3,592.6 million. This favourable result reflects the Group's undiminished ability to generate strong operating income as well as the consolidation of the BKW Group's market positioning. Stabilisation on the financial markets also had a positive impact on the results.
Ensuring energy security - well into the future
The BKW Group remains committed to its key priorities of energy security for customers in Switzerland and abroad, and implementation of the strategy for long-term carbon-neutral electricity production. These overarching objectives are to be achieved by means of the projects launched in recent years, as well as further consolidation of the Group's market position. In this context the focus is on expansion of production capacities in the field of new renewable energies and large power plants, upgrading grid facilities, and further development of partnerships.
Shareholders and election to the Board of Directors
In 2009 BKW saw further growth in its shareholder base, with the number of shareholders rising from 7,200 to around 9,000. Shareholders elected Urs Gasche to the Board of Directors for the remainder of the current term of office, i.e until the 2011 General Shareholders' Meeting. Born in 1955, Urs Gasche is a member of the Executive Council of the Canton of Berne and will hold this office until the end of May 2010. In this capacity he has been a member of the BKW Board of Directors since the beginning of 2002, as cantonal delegate. The Board of Directors intends to elect Urs Gasche as its Chairman with effect from the beginning of June 2010. He will succeed Fritz Kilchenmann, who is retiring as Chairman and standing down from the Board.
The 2009 annual report and financial report can be downloaded from:
www.bkw-fmb.ch/annualreport09
www.bkw-fmb.ch/financialreport09
Videos of the addresses given at the General Shareholders' Meeting are available in German at www.bkw-fmb.ch/generalversammlung from 18:00.
The statements contained in this press release constitute expectations and forward-looking statements. Because these statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual future results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by the expectations and statements. This press release is issued in German, French, English and Italian. The German version is authoritative.
Contact:
Antonio Sommavilla
Tel.: +41/31/330'51'07
E-Mail: antonio.sommavilla@bkw-fmb.ch