Description of the shares

How shareholding works

The majority (around 72 %) of the Unilever NV ordinary shares and around 33% of the 7% cumulative preference shares are registered to an independent trust company. In Unilever's case, the trust company is called Stichting Administratiekantoor Unilever N.V. ("Foundation Unilever NV Trust Office").

All shares and depositary receipts thereof are listed on Euronext Amsterdam. The ordinary shares are also listed on the New York Stock Exchange as New York registry shares.

As part of its corporate objectives, Foundation Unilever NV Trust Office issues depositary receipts against the Unilever NV registered shares that it holds. These depositary receipts, or certificates, represent the vast majority of NV ordinary shares traded in Europe. (While not technically correct, the NV depositary receipts issued by Foundation Unilever NV Trust Office are often referred to as NV ordinary shares). NV depositary receipts are traded on Euronext Amsterdam.

If you hold depositary receipts issued by Foundation Unilever NV Trust Office you can attend or appoint a proxy at NV shareholders' meetings. Foundation NV Trust Office issues proxies in all circumstances and without limitation to the holder of the depositary receipts whom so request.

All holders of depositary receipts or their representatives who attend the meeting will automatically receive a proxy to vote in respect of the underlying shares. In so far as no proxy is granted, Foundation Unilever NV Trust Office exercises the voting rights attaching to the underlying shares, which it does in such a way as it deems to be in the interests of the holders of the depositary receipts. Foundation Unilever NV Trust Office is not controlled by Unilever in any way. As a holder of depositary receipts you can exchange your depositary receipts at any time for the underlying ordinary or preference shares (or vice versa).

While the majority of NV ordinary shares are registered to Foundation Unilever NV Trust Office, shares representing c. 20% of NV's ordinary share capital are traded on the New York Stock Exchange as NV New York registry shares with the register being maintained by Citibank, N.A. (Citibank). The shares have a direct 1:1 relationship with the depositary receipts traded in Amsterdam and can be easily converted through liaison with Citibank. Around 7% of NV's ordinary share capital is held in registered form in NV's Dutch share register. These shares cannot be easily traded without first converting into either of the share classes discussed above. Shares held in this form are typically owned by long-term retail shareholders for whom lower administration costs are more important than liquidity.

Finally, around 3% of Unilever NV ordinary shares are held through a bank or broker. While these shares are traded on Euronext Amsterdam, given both the small proportion of Unilever NV ordinary share capital held in this form and the cost and burden of trading, liquidity is limited.

Further information about the Foundation Unilever NV Trust Office can be found on their website. Please find the link to their website below in the related links section on this page.