Ericsson wird demokratisch

Der Sax-Index fiel im zweiwöchigen Berichtszeitraum 2,7% auf 184,68. Die Rendite der zehnjährigen Staatsanleihen sank 23 Basispunkte auf 4,86%. Laut Medienberichten zeichnet sich beim Telecomkonzern Ericsson (–7,6% auf 11.90 sKr.) eine Lösung für die Veränderung der Stimmrechtsverhältnisse zwischen A- und B-Aktien ab. Für die Umstellung von 1000:1 auf 10:1 soll es für die A-Aktionäre keine direkte finanzielle Kompensation geben. Stattdessen sollen sie börsengehandelte Tauschrechte für den Wechsel von B- in A-Papiere erhalten. Gemäss Ericsson-Chairman Michael Treschow ist ein Entscheid noch nicht getroffen. Noch prüfe man die steuerlichen Konsequenzen der verschiedenen Modelle.

STOCKHOLM (AFX) - LM Ericsson AB downplayed as "speculation" a Financial
Times report that leading shareholders are discussing reducing the relative
voting rights of the company's A to B shares to 10-1 from 1000-1.
   Brokers noted that trade in the B share was heavy this morning.
   "This is mainly a question for the (share) owners, but this is speculation
... There is a working group (on the issue), and we will probably see a lot more
of these kind of speculative articles before it reports," said comopany
spokeswoman Ase Lindskog.
   The spokeswoman could not comment on when the working group, which was set
up in 2002, will publish its findings.
   No one at Ericsson shareholders Investor AB, Handelsbanken AB or
Industrivaerden AB was immediately available for comment.
   The current voting system has allowed two power blocs, based round the
Wallenberg family empire and Handelsbanken, to control Ericsson. They hold 80
pct of the votes in the company, even though they own only 5 pct of the capital.
   According to the FT, under the proposal being discussed, A shareholders who
own B shares would have the right to convert them to A shares on a one-for-one
basis, the newspaper added.
   At 11.20 am Ericsson B was flat at 11.90 skr bid on turnover of 441 mln skr.
   Meanwhile Ericsson A was down 0.72 pct at 13.80 on turnover of just 139,000
skr while the Stockholmsboersen index was down 0.08 pct at 185.02.
   stockholm@afxnews

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