Disclosures pursuant to § 315a Section 1 and § 289a Section 1 of the German Commercial Code and Explanatory Report
Composition of subscribed capital
The nominal capital of adidas AG amounts to € 180,000,000 (as at December 31, 2023) and is divided into the same number of registered no-par-value shares with a notional pro rata amount in the nominal capital of € 1 each. The nominal capital and the number of shares did not change in the 2023 financial year. The shares are fully paid in. Any claim on the part of the shareholders to the issuance of individual share certificates is generally excluded pursuant to § 4 section 7 of the Articles of Association unless such issuance is required in accordance with the regulations valid at a stock exchange at which the shares are admitted. Pursuant to § 67 section 2 German Stock Corporation Act (Aktiengesetz – AktG), in relation to adidas AG, only a person who is registered accordingly in the share register shall be deemed a shareholder. Each share grants one vote at the Annual General Meeting and determines the shareholders’ share in the company’s profit. All shares carry the same rights and obligations. The shareholders’ individual rights and obligations follow from the provisions of the German Stock Corporation Act, in particular from §§ 12, 53a et seq., 118 et seq., and 186 AktG. As at December 31, 2023, adidas AG held in total 1,450,916 treasury shares, which do not confer any rights to the company in accordance with § 71b AktG. SEE NOTE 25
In the USA, adidas AG has issued American Depositary Receipts (ADRs). ADRs are deposit certificates of non-US shares that are traded instead of the original shares on US stock exchanges. Two ADRs equal one adidas AG share. SEE OUR SHARE
Restrictions on voting rights or transfer of shares
The company is not aware of any contractual agreements with adidas AG or other agreements restricting voting rights or the transfer of shares. However, based on the Code of Conduct and internal guidelines of adidas AG and based on Article 19 section 11 of the Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 (Market Abuse Regulation), particular trade prohibitions do exist for members of the Supervisory Board and the Executive Board as well as employees with regard to the purchase and sale of adidas AG shares in connection with the (time of) publication of quarterly results as well as half-year and full-year financial reports.
In addition, restrictions of voting rights may exist pursuant to, inter alia, § 136 AktG or for treasury shares pursuant to § 71b AktG as well as due to capital market regulations, in particular pursuant to §§ 33 et seq. German Securities Trading Act (Wertpapierhandelsgesetz – WpHG).
The shares that were issued to employees of adidas AG in the context of the employee stock purchase plan and to employees of subsidiaries participating in the employee stock purchase plan are not subject to any lock-up periods, unless such a lock-up period is stipulated in locally applicable regulations. Employees who hold the shares which they purchased themselves (investment shares) for at least one year will subsequently receive one share for every six investment shares without having to pay for such share (matching share) if they are still adidas employees at that point in time. If employees transfer, pledge, or hypothecate investment shares in any way during the one-year vesting period, the right to receive matching shares ceases.
Shareholdings in share capital exceeding 10% of voting rights
The company has not been notified of, and is not aware of, any direct or indirect shareholdings in the share capital of adidas AG reaching or exceeding 10% of the voting rights.
Shares with special rights
There are no shares bearing special rights. In particular, there are no shares with rights conferring powers of control.
Voting right control if employees have a share in the capital
Like other shareholders, employees who hold adidas AG shares can exercise their control rights in accordance with statutory provisions and the Articles of Association. This also applies to the shares acquired by a service provider as part of the employee stock purchase plan. Employees may exercise their voting rights from these shares directly or indirectly.
Executive Board appointment and dismissal
Pursuant to § 6 of the Articles of Association and § 84 AktG, the Supervisory Board is responsible for determining the exact number of members of the Executive Board, for their appointment and dismissal as well as for the appointment of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The adidas AG Executive Board, which, as a basic principle, comprises at least two members, consists of the CEO and three further members as at the balance sheet date. Executive Board members may be appointed for a maximum period of five years. Such appointments may be renewed and the terms of office may be extended, provided that no term exceeds five years. SEE EXECUTIVE BOARD
The Supervisory Board may revoke the appointment as a member of the Executive Board or CEO for good cause such as gross negligence of duties or a vote of no confidence by the Annual General Meeting.
As adidas AG is subject to the regulations of the German Co-Determination Act (Mitbestimmungsgesetz – MitbestG), the appointment of Executive Board members and also their dismissal require a majority of at least two thirds of the Supervisory Board members (§ 31 MitbestG). If such a majority is not established in the first vote by the Supervisory Board, the Mediation Committee has to present a proposal which, however, does not exclude other proposals. The appointment or dismissal is then made in a second vote with a simple majority of the votes cast by the Supervisory Board members. Should the required majority not be established in this case either, a third vote, again requiring a simple majority, must be held in which the Chair of the Supervisory Board has two votes.
If the Executive Board does not have the required number of members, the competent court must, in urgent cases, make the necessary appointment upon application (§ 85 section 1 AktG).
Amendments to the Articles of Association
Pursuant to §§ 119 section 1 number 6, 179 section 1 sentence 1 AktG, the Articles of Association of adidas AG can, in principle, only be amended by a resolution of the Annual General Meeting. Pursuant to § 21 section 3 of the Articles of Association in conjunction with § 179 section 2 sentence 2 AktG, the Annual General Meeting of adidas AG principally resolves upon amendments to the Articles of Association with a simple majority of the votes cast and with a simple majority of the nominal capital represented when passing the resolution. If mandatory legal provisions stipulate a larger majority of voting rights or capital, this majority is applicable. When it comes to amendments solely relating to the wording, the Supervisory Board is authorized to make these modifications in accordance with § 179 section 1 sentence 2 AktG in conjunction with § 10 section 1 sentence 2 of the Articles of Association.
Authorizations of the Executive Board
The authorizations of the Executive Board are regulated by §§ 76 et seq. AktG in conjunction with §§ 7 and 8 of the Articles of Association. The Executive Board is responsible, in particular, for managing the company and represents the company judicially and extra-judicially.
Authorization of the Executive Board to issue shares
The authorization of the Executive Board to issue shares is regulated by § 4 of the Articles of Association and by statutory provisions:
Authorized Capital
- Until August 6, 2026, the Executive Board is authorized to increase the nominal capital, subject to Supervisory Board approval, by issuing new shares against contributions in cash once or several times by no more than € 50,000,000 altogether (Authorized Capital 2021/I). The Executive Board may, subject to Supervisory Board approval, exclude residual amounts from shareholders’ subscription rights.
- Until August 6, 2026, the Executive Board is also authorized to increase the nominal capital, subject to Supervisory Board approval, by issuing new shares against contributions in kind and/or cash once or several times by no more than € 20,000,000 altogether (Authorized Capital 2021/II). The Executive Board is authorized, subject to Supervisory Board approval, to exclude residual amounts from shareholders’ subscription rights and to wholly or partly exclude shareholders’ subscription rights when issuing shares against contributions in kind. Additionally, the Executive Board may, subject to Supervisory Board approval, exclude shareholders’ subscription rights if the new shares against contributions in kind are issued at a price not significantly below the stock market price of the company’s shares already quoted on the stock exchange at the point in time when the issue price is ultimately determined, which should be as close as possible to the placement of the shares; this exclusion of subscription rights can also be associated with the listing of the company’s shares on a foreign stock exchange. The authorization to exclude subscription rights under this authorization, however, may only be used to the extent that the pro-rata amount of the new shares in the nominal capital together with the pro-rata amount in the nominal capital of other shares which have been issued by the company since May 12, 2021, subject to the exclusion of subscription rights, on the basis of an authorized capital or following a repurchase or for which subscription or conversion rights or subscription or conversion obligations have been granted through the issuance of convertible bonds and/or bonds with warrants while excluding subscription rights, does not exceed 10% of the nominal capital existing on the date of the entry of this authorization with the Commercial Register or – if this amount is lower – as of the respective date on which the resolution on the utilization of the authorization is adopted. The previous sentence does not apply to the exclusion of subscription rights for residual amounts. The Authorized Capital 2021/II must not be used to issue shares within the scope of compensation or participation programs for Executive Board members or employees or for members of the management bodies or employees of affiliated companies. SEE NOTE 25
Contingent Capital
The nominal capital of the company is conditionally increased by up to € 12,500,000 (Contingent Capital 2022). The Contingent Capital serves the purpose of granting holders or creditors of bonds that were issued based on the resolution of the Annual General Meeting on May 12, 2022, option or conversion rights relating to not more than a total of 12,500,000 shares in compliance with the corresponding conditions of the bonds. Based on the authorization granted by the Annual General Meeting on May 12, 2022, the Executive Board is authorized to issue bonds with warrants and/or convertible bonds (together ‘bonds’) in an aggregate nominal value of up to € 4,000,000,000 with or without a limited term against contributions in cash once or several times until May 11, 2027, and to guarantee bonds issued by subordinated Group companies. The Executive Board is also authorized, subject to Supervisory Board approval, to exclude shareholders’ subscription rights for bonds insofar as this is required for residual amounts, and to also exclude shareholders’ subscription rights insofar as and to the extent that this is necessary for granting subscription rights to which holders or creditors of previously issued bonds are entitled. Finally, the Executive Board is authorized, subject to Supervisory Board approval, to also exclude shareholders’ subscription rights insofar as the bonds are issued against contributions in cash and the issue price of the bonds is not significantly below the hypothetical market value of these bonds and the number of shares to be issued do not exceed 10% of the nominal capital. Shares which are issued or sold in accordance with § 186 section 3 sentence 4 AktG during the term of this authorization until its utilization, as well as shares to be issued or granted during the term of this authorization on the basis of bonds issued with the exclusion of subscription rights in accordance with this provision utilizing another authorization, shall be attributed to the aforementioned limit of 10%. The total number of shares to be issued under bonds which are issued with the exclusion of subscription rights based on the authorization and of shares which are issued from an authorized capital with the exclusion of subscription rights during the term of the authorization may not exceed a pro-rata amount of the nominal capital of 10% on the date of the entry of this authorization with the Commercial Register. Notwithstanding the Supervisory Board’s right to determine further approval requirements, the Executive Board requires the Supervisory Board’s approval for the issuance of bonds based on the resolution of the Annual General Meeting on May 12, 2022, with the exclusion of shareholders’ subscription rights.
The Executive Board has so far not utilized the authorization to issue bonds granted by the Annual General Meeting on May 12, 2022.
Authorization of the Executive Board to repurchase shares
The authorizations of the Executive Board to repurchase adidas AG shares arise from §§ 71 et seq. AktG and, as at the balance sheet date, from the authorization granted by the Annual General Meeting on May 11, 2023.
Until May 10, 2028, the Executive Board is authorized to repurchase adidas AG shares in an amount totaling up to 10% of the nominal capital at the date of the resolution (or, as the case may be, a lower amount of nominal capital at the date of utilization of the authorization) for any lawful purpose and within the legal framework. The authorization may be used by the company but also by its subordinated Group companies or by third parties on account of the company or its subordinated Group companies or third parties assigned by the company or one of its subordinated Group companies.
The repurchase can be carried out via the stock exchange, through a public invitation to submit sale offers, through a public repurchase offer, or through granting tender rights to shareholders. The authorization furthermore sets out the lowest and highest nominal value that may be granted in each case.
The purposes for which treasury shares repurchased based on this authorization may be used are set out in the resolution on Item 8 of the Agenda for the Annual General Meeting held on May 11, 2023. The shares may, in particular, be used as follows:
- They may be sold on the stock exchange or through a public offer to all shareholders in relation to their shareholding quota; in case of an offer to all shareholders, subscription rights for residual amounts are excluded. The shares may also be sold differently, provided the shares are sold in exchange for a cash payment and at a price that, at the time of the sale, is not significantly below the stock market price of the company’s shares with the same features; the prorated amount of the nominal capital which is attributable to the aggregate number of shares sold under this authorization may not exceed 10% of the company’s nominal capital. The prorated amount of the nominal capital attributable to new shares which may be issued between May 11, 2023, and the sale of the shares based on an authorized capital while excluding shareholders subscription rights pursuant to §§ 203 section 1, 186 section 3 sentence 4 AktG is attributed to the limit of 10%. Likewise, the prorated amount of the nominal capital that is attributable to shares which may be issued due to bonds with warrants and/or convertible bonds which are linked to subscription or conversion rights or obligations or the company’s right to delivery of shares, provided these bonds are issued on the basis of authorizations pursuant to §§ 221 section 4, 186 section 3 sentence 4 AktG between May 11, 2023, and the sale of the shares, shall also be attributed to the limit of 10%.
- The shares may be offered and assigned as consideration for the direct or indirect acquisition of companies, parts of companies or participations in companies or other business assets, especially real estate and rights to real estate, or receivables (also from the company) or within the scope of company mergers.
- They may be offered and sold as consideration for the acquisition of industrial property rights or intangible property rights or for the acquisition of licenses relating to such rights, also through subordinated Group companies.
- They may be used for purposes of meeting the subscription or conversion rights or obligations or the company’s right to delivery of shares arising from bonds with warrants and/or convertible bonds issued by the company or its subordinated Group companies.
- In connection with employee stock purchase plans, the shares may be used in favor of (current and former) employees of the company and its affiliated companies as well as in favor of (current and former) members of management bodies of the company’s affiliated companies, whereas the amount of shares must not exceed 5% of the nominal capital neither at the point in time when this authorization becomes effective nor at the point in time when the shares are used. Shares assigned to members of the Executive Board as compensation in the form of a share bonus based on this authorization are to be attributed to this limit.
- They may be canceled without such cancelation requiring an additional resolution of the Annual General Meeting.
Furthermore, the shares may be assigned to members of the Executive Board as compensation in the form of a share bonus subject to the provision that resale by the Executive Board members shall only be permitted following a lock-up period of at least four years. Responsibility in this case lies with the Supervisory Board. The amount of shares which may be used for such purposes must not exceed 5% of the nominal capital, neither at the point in time when this authorization becomes effective nor at the point in time when the shares are used or promised. Shares used for employee stock purchase plans based on this authorization shall be attributed to this limit.
The rights of shareholders to subscribe treasury shares shall be excluded to the extent that such shares are used pursuant to the aforementioned authorization. The Supervisory Board may determine that transactions based on this authorization may only be carried out subject to the approval of the Supervisory Board or one of its committees.
Within the scope of the authorization resolved upon by the Annual General Meeting on May 11, 2023, the Executive Board is furthermore authorized to conduct the share buyback also by using equity derivatives which are arranged with a credit institution or financial services institution in close conformity with market conditions or by using a multilateral trading facility within the meaning of § 2 section 6 Stock Exchange Act (Börsengesetz). adidas AG is authorized to acquire options which entitle the company to purchase shares of the company upon the exercise of the options (call options) and/or to sell options which require the company to purchase shares of the company upon the exercise of the options (put options) or to use a combination of call and put options or other equity derivatives if the option conditions ensure that the shares delivered for these equity derivatives were purchased in compliance with the principle of equal treatment. All share purchases using the aforementioned equity derivatives are limited to a maximum value of 5% of the nominal capital existing at the date on which the resolution was adopted by the Annual General Meeting (or, as the case may be, a lower amount of nominal capital at the date of exercising the authorization). The term of the equity derivatives may not exceed 18 months and must furthermore be chosen in such a way that the shares are purchased upon the exercise of the equity derivatives no later than May 10, 2028. The authorization to purchase adidas AG shares while using equity derivatives or via multilateral trading facilities also contains specifications on the highest and lowest amount of consideration per share which may be granted in each case.
For the use, the exclusion of subscription rights and the cancelation of shares purchased using equity derivatives or a multilateral trading facility, the general provisions adopted by the Annual General Meeting (as set out earlier) apply accordingly.
In the 2023 financial year, the Executive Board did not use the authorization to purchase adidas AG shares.
Change of control / compensation agreements
The essential agreements that provide for regulations in the case of a change of control are the material financing agreements of adidas AG. In the case of a change of control, these agreements, as is customary in the market, entitle the creditor/bondholder to termination and early calling-in.
No compensation agreements were entered into with members of the Executive Board or employees relating to the event of a takeover bid.