The dividend of €0.70 per share remains constant compared to the previous year. This is primarily due to the substantial free cash flow of €156.9 million in the 2024 fiscal year, which provides sufficient scope to keep the dividend payout constant. The total dividend payout remains unchanged at €48.4 million, corresponding to 47.4% of earnings after tax (2023: 44.0%). This puts the payout ratio above the range of 30% to 40% of the after-tax result, which is generally provided for in the company’s dividend policy.
“We are thus remaining true to the principle of enabling our shareholders to participate in the company’s success, as appropriate,” said Dr. Jochen Weyrauch, CEO of Dürr AG. He also thanked all employees worldwide, emphasizing the high level of commitment shown by the entire workforce in economically challenging times.
In his speech to around 400 shareholders, Group CEO Weyrauch first reviewed the previous fiscal year before focusing on the company’s new strategic guiding theme: “Our goal is to become a lean Group under the 'Sustainable Automation’ motto. We want to be regarded as the first port of call for highly automated and sustainable production processes in our markets but also among investors. In doing so, we are addressing two of the most important trends for our customers: on the one hand, the transformation to energy-efficient and largely decarbonized production and, on the other, optimal automation in order to produce top quality in large series and independently of labor shortages and location.”
Election to the Supervisory Board — Gerhard Federer reappointed as Chairman
With 76% of the share capital present, the annual general meeting ratified the actions of the Board of Management by 99% and the Supervisory Board by 93% of the votes. In the rotational election of Supervisory Board members on the shareholders’ side, all existing members — Dr. Rolf Breidenbach, Prof. Dr. Dr. Alexandra Dürr, Gerhard Federer, Dr. Markus Kerber, Dr. Anja Schuler, and Arnd Zinnhardt — were confirmed in office for a term of four years. All other proposed resolutions on the agenda were also approved by a large majority.
At the constituent meeting following the annual general meeting, the Supervisory Board re-elected Gerhard Federer as its Chairman. The graduate industrial engineer has been a member of Dürr AG’s Supervisory Board since 2016 and was elected Chairman of the Supervisory Board for the first time in 2020.
The English version of the voting results will be available on our website on Monday.