NEW YORK, April 24, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- Dow Jones Indexes, a leading global index provider, today announced the launch of the Dow Jones Europe Country Select Dividend Indexes for France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden and the U.K. These indexes further complement the widely successful Dow Jones and Dow Jones STOXX Select Dividend index family.
The Dow Jones France Select Dividend 20, Dow Jones Germany Select Dividend 20, Dow Jones Italy Select Dividend 20 and Dow Jones U.K. Select Dividend 20 indexes track the 20 highest yielding stocks of the respective country. The Dow Jones Netherlands Select Dividend 15 and Dow Jones Sweden Select Dividend 15 indexes include the 15 highest yielding stocks of both countries.
"The European country select dividend index series now covers all major developed investment markets in Europe. The indexes follow the unique concept of our select dividend indexes, in which components are weighted according to dividend yield instead of market capitalization," said Lars Hamich, managing director of STOXX Ltd., the joint venture which is responsible for Dow Jones Indexes' business development in Europe and Asia. "The new Dow Jones Europe Country Select Dividend Indexes give investors further alternatives to diversify their portfolios with returns from leading dividend-paying companies domiciled in France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden and the U.K."
To be eligible for inclusion in the Dow Jones Europe Country Select Dividend Indexes, a component must have a positive, historical, five-year dividend-per-share growth rate and a dividend-to-earnings-per-share ratio of less than or equal to 80% in the current year, or be a previous component.
Each company's weight in the Dow Jones Europe Country Select Dividend Indexes is based on its indicated annual dividend yield. The indicated annual dividend yields for all components are totaled, and each component's weight is equal to its dividend yield contribution. The weight of individual components in the Dow Jones Select Dividend Indexes for France, Germany, Italy and the U.K. is restricted to 15%, whereas the weight of the individual components in the Dow Jones Select Dividend Indexes for the Netherlands and Sweden is restricted to 20%. Such restrictions are implemented quarterly.
The Dow Jones Europe Country Select Dividend Indexes are reviewed on an annual basis in March. Price and total return indexes are calculated in U.S. dollars and in the respective local currency, namely the Euro, Swedish Krona and British Pound.
Daily historical data are available back to Dec. 31, 1998, with a base value set at 100. Components and weightings are available at www.djindexes.com
The Dow Jones Europe Country Select Dividend indexes further complement the Dow Jones and Dow Jones STOXX Select Dividend Indexes series consisting of the Dow Jones U.S. Select Dividend Index, the Dow Jones STOXX Select Dividend 30 Index, the Dow Jones EURO STOXX Select Dividend 30 Index, the Dow Jones Spain Select Dividend 20 Index, the Dow Jones SWX Switzerland Select Dividend 20 Index, the Dow Jones Asia/Pacific Select Dividend 30 Index, the Dow Jones Asia Select Dividend 30 Index and Dow Jones Japan Select Dividend 30 Index.
Journalists may e-mail questions regarding this press release to: PR-Indexes@dowjones.com or contact one of the Dow Jones Indexes/STOXX press offices:
Frankfurt: +49-69-29-725-290 New York: +1-212-597-5720
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About Dow Jones Indexes
Dow Jones Indexes is part of Dow Jones & Company, which publishes the world's most vital business and financial news and information. Dow Jones Indexes is a premier global provider of investable indexes, including the Dow Jones Averages and the Dow Jones Global, Regional, Country and Sector Titans Indexes and is co-owner of the Pan-European Dow Jones STOXX Indexes. Together with Wilshire Associates, Dow Jones Indexes markets and licenses the Dow Jones Wilshire index family, which includes the Dow Jones Wilshire 5000 and its size, style, and sector indexes. Dow Jones Indexes also offers a number of specialty indexes including hedge fund, commodity and credit derivative indexes.
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