Mercedes 2010 Annual Report Download - page 26

22
Daimler Shares
Daimler’s share price profited in 2010 from the very positive development of the Group’s business
operations and developed significantly better than the DAX. We provide analysts and investors
with information in the context of comprehensive investor relations activities. Board of Management
and Supervisory Board propose dividend payment of €1.85 per share.
Unsettled developments on global stock exchanges. Stock
markets worldwide continued their volatile and varied develop-
ment in 2010. Against the backdrop of a debate about public-sector
debt and the high budget deficits of some countries in the euro
zone, investors at first adopted a wait-and-see approach and inter-
national stock markets moved sideways. In view of increasing
fears of a possible return to recession or a double dip, especially
of the US economy, share prices fell to their lowest levels for
the year in the summer months. Following the publication of com-
panies’ half-year figures and good economic data, sentiment
on international stock exchanges started to improve and the most
important indices began to climb again in the second half
of 2010. Share prices also benefited from the announcement of
another program of quantitative easing in the United States
and the gradually decreasing risk of a renewed economic slump.
Development of Daimler’s share price and major indices
End of 2010 End of 2009 10/09
% change
Daimler’s share price (in euros) 50.73 37.23 +36
DAX 30 6,914 5,957 +16
Dow Jones Euro STOXX 50 2,793 2,966 -6
Dow Jones Industrial Average 11, 57 8 10,428 +11
Nikkei 10,229 10,546 -3
Dow Jones STOXX Auto Index 341 236 +44
Key figures per share
2010 2009 10/09
In euros % change
Net profit/loss (basic) 4.28 -2.63 .
Net profit/loss (diluted) 4.28 -2.63 .
Dividend 1.85 0.00 .
Equity (December 31) 35.62 29.99 +19
Xetra share price: year-end 1 50.73 37.23 +36
Highest 1 54.87 37.65 +46
Lowest 1 30.35 17.44 +74
1 Closing prices
Widely differing economic developments in various regions were
reflected in share-price movements during the year. The index of
the most important stocks in the euro zone, the Dow Jones Euro
STOXX 50, fell by 6% over 2010 as a whole. But Germany’s main
index, the DAX, developed very positively with a plus of 16%. In
addition to the robust German economy, this reflected the fact
that companies with major operations outside Europe were prof-
iting from the weakness of the euro. After US share prices were
at first depressed by concerns about a possible double-dip of the
economy, there was a distinct upward trend in the second half
of the year, so the Dow Jones also gained 11% in 2010. In Japan,
share-price gains in the last two months of the year were not
sufficient to give the Nikkei index an overall gain for the year (-3%).
Daimler shares gain substantial value during 2010 (+36%).
Daimler’s share price started the year 2010 at a price of approxi-
mately €37. Prices of cyclical stocks such as Daimler’s suffered
in the first two months of the year from investors’ caution follow-
ing the announcement of a more restrictive monetary policy
by the Chinese central bank and the debt crisis in Greece. As a
result of increased selling after the announcement that no divi-
dend would be paid for the year 2009, Daimler’s share price fell
to its low for the year of €30.35 on February 25.