STOCKHOLM, Sweden, April 26, 2002 (PRIMEZONE) -- At the Annual General Meeting of Axfood AB on 25 April 2002, the proposed shareholder dividend of SEK 2.50 per share was approved. The record date for payment of the dividend was set at 30 April 2002. Dividends are expected to be paid out via VPC on 6 May 2002.
The Annual General Meeting re-elected directors Goran Ennerfelt, Antonia Ax:son Johnson, Marcus Storch, Gosta Tornroth, Peggy Bruzelius, Nils- Erik Johansson, Annika Ahnberg, Hans Jarvmarker and Mats Jansson.
At the statutory board meeting directly following the Annual General Meeting, Goran Ennerfelt was elected as Chairman and Marcus Storch as Vice Chairman.
Authorized Public Accountants Caj Nackstad and Per Bergman were elected as auditors by the Annual General Meeting in 2000 for terms extending through the end of the 2004 Annual General Meeting.
The Annual General Meeting decided to allocate SEK 1,500,000 for directors' fees, to be apportioned among the directors elected by the Annual General Meeting who are not employees of the Company, and that the auditors' fees would be paid as invoiced.
All decisions by the Meeting were unanimous.
Financial calendar for Axfood AB in 2002: Interim report for the six months ended 30 June 2002: 1 August Interim report for the nine months ended 30 September 2002: 23 October For further information, please contact: Goran Ennerfelt, Chairman, Axfood AB, tel. +46-8-701 6100 Mats Jansson, President and CEO, Axfood AB, tel. +46-8-552 998 00 Kenneth Wall, Press Manager, Axfood AB, tel. +46-8-553 998 20, or +46- 703-124 122
Axfood AB is one of the largest listed food wholesale are retail companies in the Nordic market. The company conducts wholesale and retail trading under a number of brand names such a Hemkop, Willy's, Willy's Hemma, Spar, Vivo and Tempo. Consolidated annual sales are estimated at approximately SEK 30 billion, with approximately 8,500 full- year employees. The Axfood Group has approximately 700 stores in Sweden, of which 250 are wholly or partly owned. The remainder are run by independent merchants tied to the company through agreements. Axfood has some 300 stores in Finland, of which 80 are wholly owned and the remainder operated by independent merchants. The market share is nearly 20 per cent in Sweden and approximately 10 per cent in Finland. Axfood AB is listed on the A-list of the Stockholm Stock Exchange. Axel Johnson AB is the principal owner, with approximately 45 per cent of the shares.
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