BIC - 2020 Universal Registration Document

INFORMATION ABOUT THE ISSUER

Investor relations

If the Shareholders’ Meeting of May 19, 2021 approves the above-mentioned resolution, the Board of Directors will be authorized to buy back shares representing a maximum of 10% of the share capital on the date of the decision to buy back the shares (as of March 1, 2021 and for information purposes: 4,539,585 shares), for a maximum amount of 1.36 billion euros and in order to: provide liquidity and stimulate the market of the shares of the ● Company through an investment service provider acting pursuant to a liquidity agreement compliant with professional ethics standards recognized by the French Financial Markets Authority; hold them in order to subsequently remit them as payment, as ● exchange or otherwise, within the scope of potential external growth operations in accordance with the market practices approved by the French Financial Markets Authority; remit them at the moment of the exercise of rights attached to ● securities giving access to the Company’s share capital by redemption, conversion, exchange, presentation of a warrant or by any other means; allocate them to employees and officers, notably within the ● scope of sharing in the Company’s success, employee profit-sharing schemes, the stock option program, the free share plan or through an employee savings scheme; cancel them entirely or partly, in accordance with the ● conditions provided by the regulations in force, within the limit of 10% of the capital existing on the cancellation date, per period of 24 months; The Investor Relations Department answers all inquiries from individual and institutional investors alike. All information regarding shareholders and general financial and economic information regarding SOCIÉTÉ BIC are available on the Company’s website: http://www.bicworld.com/ or by addressing an email to investors.info@bicworld.com (or by sending a written letter to BIC Group – Investor Relations Department, 14 rue Jeanne d’Asnières, 92611 Clichy Cedex, France). BIC regularly holds meetings with analysts and institutional investors during roadshows and brokers’ conferences in the major financial marketplaces such as Paris, London and New York City. BIC also holds meetings with dedicated SRI (Socially Responsible Investment) investors. In 2020, roadshows, as well as conferences, were held virtually, given the restrictions around the Covid-19 outbreak. In this context, a special effort was made by BIC’s Investor Relations on its financial communication to investors, in order to adapt as quickly as possible to the new constraints of the pandemic. BIC continued to participate in conferences virtually and replaced one-to-one or physical group meetings with virtual meetings. BIC carried out several roadshows on a virtual basis throughout the year and made sure to keep the market informed on the evolution of INVESTOR RELATIONS 7.5.

deliver them in a payment, exchange or contribution ● transaction carried out in connection with an external growth transaction, merger, demerger or asset contribution, within the limits specified in the applicable regulations; implement all market practices that may be authorized by the ● French Financial Markets Authority. If some shares are bought back in order to hold them and to subsequently remit them as payment or exchange within the scope of a merger, demerger or contribution operation, the above-mentioned limits shall be decreased to 5% of the share capital on the date of the decision to buy back the shares (as of March 1, 2021 and for information purposes: 2,269,792 shares) and to a maximum amount of 681 million euros. The Company will not at any time hold more than 10% of the total number of its own shares forming the share capital. The purchase price may not be higher than 300 euros per share. The authorization so given by the Shareholders’ Meeting would be valid for a period of 18 months starting fromMay 19, 2021. It could be used during public offers on the Company’s shares in accordance with the legislation in force. The purchase of shares of the Company carried out pursuant to this authorization shall also comply with the rules enacted by the French Financial Markets Authority regarding the conditions and the periods of intervention on financial market.

the pandemic’s impact on the Group’s business through specific press releases: March 20: BIC issued a press release announcing the ● implementation of five actions to improve its short-term resilience in the context of the Covid-19 crisis and to strengthen its transformation plan “BIC 2022 – Invent the Future” to accelerate long-term growth. March 23: BIC issued a press release on the update of ● Covid-19 impacts on its activities; March 27: BIC issued a press release on the evolution of the ● Group’s capital allocation in 2020; On May 20, 2020, BIC held its Annual Shareholders’ Meeting behind closed doors. Press releases specific to the event were published prior to the meeting. The Shareholders’ Meeting was held virtually and broadcasted live via webcast on BIC’s website. All documents and the transcript of the event were posted on the Group’s website within 24 hours of the event. BIC also continued its proactive communication policy with individual shareholders, issuing its Shareholders’ newsletters four times a year. A free information hotline is also available to the individual shareholders at +33 (0)800 10 12 14 (toll-free number for France).

305

• BIC GROUP - 2020 UNIVERSAL REGISTRATION DOCUMENT •

Made with FlippingBook Annual report