Unilever plc (LON:ULVR) today announced that, following the approval by the meeting of depositary receipt holders, the board of the NV Trust Office has resolved to terminate the depositary receipt structure of Unilever NV. This follows Unilever’s request, as announced on 1 May 2019, that the NV Trust Office consider initiating the termination. This represents a further step in Unilever’s commitment to be at the forefront of good corporate governance.
The depositary receipt structure will be terminated on Friday 28 June 2019 after close of trading on Euronext Amsterdam. As a result, the depositary receipts of Unilever NV ordinary shares (the “DRs”) will be cancelled and the DR holders will in return receive Unilever NV ordinary shares, which will become the primary Unilever NV listing. The process will be carried out in accordance with the timetable below. Holders of DRs do not need to take any action.
Friday 28 June 2019
· Last day of trading of DRs on Euronext Amsterdam (ISIN NL0000009355). The ticker symbol will temporarily change from UNA to UNAT. The ISIN code will remain unchanged on that day.
· Ticker symbol of the Unilever NV ordinary shares on Euronext Amsterdam (ISIN NL0000388619) will temporarily change from UNIA to UNIAT. The ISIN code will also remain unchanged on that day.
· After close of trading on the Euronext Amsterdam, the depositary receipt structure will be terminated.
Monday 1 July 2019
· On Euronext Amsterdam, the DRs (ISIN NL0000009355) will no longer be available and all trading will be in the Unilever NV ordinary shares (ISIN NL0000388619). The ticker symbol of the Unilever NV ordinary shares will permanently change to UNA.
From 1 July 2019, the NV Trust Office will not be able to exercise any voting rights, nor to issue depositary receipts for ordinary shares. Following the termination of the depositary receipt structure of Unilever NV, there remains an obligation for the NV Trust Office, until 27 June 2021, to facilitate the exchange of a limited number of bearer certificates into Unilever NV ordinary shares. After 27 June 2021, it is intended that the foundation NV Trust Office will liquidate.
These changes do not affect Unilever NV shares held in New York Registry form (CUSIP 904784709); nor do they affect Unilever PLC shares held in American Depositary Receipt form (CUSIP 904767704) or in registered form (ISIN GB00B10RZP78).
