HSBC 2009 Annual Report Download - page 334

HSBC HOLDINGS PLC
Report of the Directors: Governance (continued)
Dividends, shareholders and meetings > 2010 / Communications / Notifiable interests / Dealings / AGM
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to be determined on 26 April 2010, with a scrip
dividend alternative. As the fourth interim dividend
for 2009 was declared after the balance sheet date it
has not been included as a creditor at 31 December
2009. The reserves available for distribution at
31 December 2009 were US$34,460 million.
A quarterly dividend of US$15.50 per 6.20 per
cent non-cumulative US dollar preference share,
Series A (‘Series A dollar preference share’),
equivalent to a dividend of US$0.3875 per Series A
American Depositary Share, each of which
represents one-fortieth of a Series A dollar
preference share, was paid on 16 March, 15 June,
15 September and 15 December 2009.
Dividends for 2010
The proposed timetable for interim dividends in
respect of 2010 on the ordinary shares of US$0.50 is
set out in the Shareholder Information section on
page 473.
A quarterly dividend of US$15.50 per Series A
dollar preference share (equivalent to a dividend of
US$0.3875 per Series A American Depositary Share,
each of which represents one-fortieth of a Series A
dollar preference share) was declared on 10 February
2010 for payment on 15 March 2010.
Communication with shareholders
Communication with shareholders is given high
priority. Extensive information about HSBC’s
activities is provided in the Annual Report and
Accounts, Annual Review and the Interim Report to
shareholders which are available on www.hsbc.com.
There is regular dialogue with institutional investors
and enquiries from individuals on matters relating to
their shareholdings and the business of HSBC are
welcomed and are dealt with in an informative and
timely manner. All shareholders are encouraged to
attend the Annual General Meeting or the informal
meeting of shareholders held in Hong Kong to
discuss the progress of HSBC.
Notifiable interests in share capital
At 31 December 2009, the following disclosures of
major holdings of voting rights had been received
by the Company (and have not been subsequently
amended or withdrawn) pursuant to the requirements
of the Financial Services Authority Disclosure and
Transparency Rule 5:
• Barclays PLC gave notice on 17 April 2007 that
it had an indirect interest on 16 April 2007 in
518,233,657 HSBC Holdings ordinary shares,
representing 4.47 per cent of the ordinary shares
in issue at that date.
• Legal & General Group Plc gave notice on
18 April 2008 that it had a direct interest on
16 April 2008 in 593,425,216 HSBC Holdings
ordinary shares, representing 5.00 per cent of
the ordinary shares in issue at that date and gave
notice on 21 April 2008 that on 18 April 2008
its holding of HSBC ordinary shares fell below
5.00 per cent of the ordinary shares in issue at
that date.
As at 31 December 2009, according to the
register maintained by HSBC Holdings pursuant to
section 336 of the Securities and Futures Ordinance
of Hong Kong, JPMorgan Chase & Co. had given
notice that on 30 December 2009 it had a long
position of 1,024,160,585 HSBC Holdings ordinary
shares, representing 5.88 per cent of the ordinary
shares in issue, a short position of 63,293,272 HSBC
Holdings ordinary shares, representing 0.36 per cent
of the ordinary shares in issue and a lending pool
of 771,012,503 HSBC Holdings ordinary shares,
representing 4.43 per cent of the ordinary shares
in issue. Since 31 December 2009, and following
interim notifications on 26 and 27 January 2010 and
5 February 2010, JPMorgan Chase & Co. gave
notice that on 9 February 2010 it had a long position
of 1,044,033,679 HSBC Holdings ordinary shares,
representing 5.99 per cent of the ordinary shares in
issue, a short position of 57,605,424 HSBC Holdings
ordinary shares, representing 0.33 per cent of the
ordinary shares in issue and a lending pool of
769,997,063 HSBC Holdings ordinary shares,
representing 4.42 per cent of the ordinary shares in
issue.
In compliance with the Rules Governing the
Listing of Securities on The Stock Exchange of
Hong Kong Limited at least 25 per cent of the total
issued share capital of HSBC Holdings has been held
by the public at all times during 2009 and up to the
date of this Report.
Dealings in HSBC Holdings shares
Except for dealings as intermediaries by HSBC
Bank, HSBC Financial Products (France) and The
Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation,
which are members of a European Economic
Area exchange, neither HSBC Holdings nor any
subsidiary has bought, sold or redeemed any
securities of HSBC Holdings during the year
ended 31 December 2009.