Danone has acquired call options representing around 1.02% of its share capital to cover part of its obligations under former stock-option plans and thus limit future dilution of its capital.
The FINANCIAL — In October 2009, Danone ended its allocation of stock options, replacing them with performance shares. At 30 September 2011, stock-option plans still in effect represented 12.6 million unexercised options or 1.94% of its capital.
To meet its legal obligations, Danone currently holds treasury shares for the express purpose of covering these stock-options programs. To date, the treasury shares had been earmarked for gradual release into circulation on the market as beneficiaries of stock-option plans exercised their options, with the last plans set to expire in October 2017.
To limit the impact of dilution that would result from such exercises, Danone has decided to cover part of these stock options by acquiring call options from a financial institution. While continuing to fully cover the company's obligations under the plans, this transaction will enable Danone to reassign the 6.6 million treasury shares held for this purpose to cancellation.
The financial institution may trade in Danone shares on the market as part of its own hedging management.
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