The Henkel preferred shares were first listed on October 2, 1985 on the eight  regional German stock exchanges Berlin, Bremen, Duesseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Hannover, Munich and Stuttgart. The shares were issued at EUR 145.72 (equals DM 285) and first traded on October 11, 1985, at  EUR 199.4 (equals DM 390).

In 1996 the par value of Henkel shares was reduced to a tenth from DM 50 to DM 5 each.

In 2007 the shares were split 1:3. The new par value is 1€.

In 1996 all holders of preferred shares were given the opportunity to convert 10 percent of their preferred shares into ordinary shares. Next all ordinary shares were admitted to trading on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt and Duesseldorf, and in Switzerland on July 2, 1996. In conjunction with the conversion, the par value of Henkel shares was reduced to a tenth from DM 50 to DM 5 each.

In 2007 the shares were split 1:3. The new par value is 1€.

Today Henkel shares are traded on the following stock exchanges: 

• Xetra
• Hannover
• Frankfurt am Main
• Hamburg
• Stuttgart
• Munich
• Duesseldorf
• Berlin-Bremen

(as of December 31, 2008)

Henkel as a DAX stock counts among the 30 most important listed corporations in Germany. Furthermore, the Henkel preferred shares are also included in major international indices. These include the MSCI Europe, the Dow Jones Stoxx 600, the Dow Jones Titans 30 Personal & Household Goods, the FTSE World Europe, FTSE4Good and sustainability indices such as the European Dow Jones Sustainability Index.

A list with the major stock indices can be found here.

A list with the major sustainability indices can be found here.

The preferred shares are widely owned internationally and are 100% in free float.

52.57% of the ordinary shares are held by members of the Henkel family.

Preferred shares carry the same rights as ordinary shares, with the exception of the generally excluded voting right. To compensate for the restriction in voting rights, preferred shares take precedence in the distribution of profit, usually reflected in a higher dividend payout.

In the event that this “preferential dividend” is not paid, or is not fully paid in a year, followed by failure to pay the balance in addition to the full preferential dividend for the following year, the latent voting rights of the preferred shares are revived.

Information about the historical and current share price can be found here.

Personally liable managing partners were authorized by the Annual General Meeting to purchase ordinary or preferred shares.

Please read the next FAQ for further information or click on the following link.

Henkel has been authorized by the Annual General Meeting to buy back ordinary or preferred shares provided that the shares bought on grounds of this authorization along with other shares that the company has already purchased or that are assigned to the company do not exceed 10% of the subscribed capital.

The shares can be utilized for the following purposes:

1. To offer and transfer treasury stock to management under the current terms of the "Stock Incentive Plan of the Henkel Group".
2. To sell or otherwise transfer treasury stock to third parties for the purpose of acquiring businesses, parts of businesses or participating interests in businesses, or for forming business combinations.
3. To sell treasury stock to third parties against payment in cash if the price paid is not significantly less than the quoted market price of the shares on the date of the sale.

Treasury stock held by the Company at December 31, 2008 amounted to 4,834,770 preferred shares.

A “Sponsored Level I ADR (American Depositary Receipt) Program” was introduced in 1996 for the preferred and ordinary shares. American Depositary Receipts are certificates of ownership of shares in a non-US company, which are placed and traded instead of shares in the USA.

For further information on our ADR program please click here.

Since 2001, Henkel has provided its employees with the opportunity of acquiring Henkel preferred shares within the framework of its Employee Share Program (ESP), thus enabling them to participate in the fortunes of the corporation.

Henkel tops up the investment with a share bonus (limited to a maximum of 4% of salary or a maximum of 4,000 euros per year resp.). The Henkel management decides on the level of bonus on a year-by-year basis. In the case of 2005 for example, the bonus amounted to one third of the employees’ investment. The holding period for these shares is three years.

As at December 31, 2008, some 12,000 employees in 54 countries  held a total of 3.7 million shares within the ESP, or around 2.1 percent of Henkel’s preferred shares outstanding.

Further information about the employee share program can be found here.

Please contact your depository bank for any information regarding physical share certificates.

Henkel does not keep or offer canceled or ancient shares as collectibles.

The transfer agent for the Dial shares is Computershare/Citybank. Please call the following number for further information +1-877-360-7251 (toll-free within the US).