REG-Royal Dutch Shell: RDS Q4 2015 Dividend Announcement <Origin Href="QuoteRef">RDSa.L</Origin>
04/02/2016 07:40
ROYAL DUTCH SHELL PLC FOURTH QUARTER 2015 INTERIM DIVIDEND
The Board of Royal Dutch Shell plc ("RDS") today announced an interim dividend
in respect of the fourth quarter of 2015 of US$0.47 per A ordinary share ("A
Share") and B ordinary share ("B Share"), equal to the US dollar dividend for
the same quarter last year.
The Board expects that the first quarter 2016 interim dividend will be US$0.47,
equal to the US dollar dividend for the same quarter in the previous year. The
first quarter 2016 interim dividend is scheduled to be announced on May 4,
2016.
RDS provides eligible shareholders with a choice to receive dividends in cash
or in shares via a Scrip Dividend Programme ("the Programme"). For further
details please see below.
Details relating to the fourth quarter 2015 interim dividend
It is expected that cash dividends on the B Shares will be paid via the
Dividend Access Mechanism from UK-sourced income of the Shell Group.
Per ordinary share Q4 2015
RDS A Shares (US$) 0.47
RDS B Shares (US$) 0.47
Cash dividends on A Shares will be paid, by default, in euro, although holders
of A Shares will be able to elect to receive dividends in pounds sterling.
Cash dividends on B Shares will be paid, by default, in pounds sterling,
although holders of B Shares will be able to elect to receive dividends in
euro.
The pounds sterling and euro equivalent dividend payments will be announced on
March 11, 2016.
Per ADS Q4 2015
RDS A ADSs (US$) 0.94
RDS B ADSs (US$) 0.94
Cash dividends on American Depository Shares ("ADSs") will be paid, by default,
in US dollars.
ADS stands for an American Depositary Share. ADR stands for an American
Depositary Receipt. An ADR is a certificate that evidences ADSs. ADSs are
listed on the NYSE under the symbols RDS.A and RDS.B. Each ADS represents two
ordinary shares, two A Shares in the case of RDS.A or two B Shares in the case
of RDS.B. In many cases the terms ADR and ADS are used interchangeably.
Scrip Dividend Programme
RDS provides shareholders with a choice to receive dividends in cash or in
shares via the Programme.
Under the Programme shareholders can increase their shareholding in RDS by
choosing to receive new shares instead of cash dividends, if approved by the
Board. Only new A Shares will be issued under the Programme, including to
shareholders who currently hold B Shares.
Joining the Programme may offer a tax advantage in some countries compared with
receiving cash dividends. In particular, dividends paid out as shares will not
be subject to Dutch dividend withholding tax (currently 15 per cent) and will
not generally be taxed on receipt by a UK shareholder or a Dutch shareholder.
Shareholders who elect to join the Programme will increase the number of shares
held in RDS without having to buy existing shares in the market, thereby
avoiding associated dealing costs.
Shareholders who do not join the Programme will continue to receive in cash any
dividends approved by the Board.
Shareholders who held only B Shares and joined the Programme are reminded they
will need to make a Scrip Dividend Election in respect of their new A Shares if
they wish to join the Programme in respect of such new shares. However, this
is only necessary if the shareholder has not previously made a Scrip Dividend
Election in respect of any new A Shares issued.
For further information on the Programme, including how to join if you are
eligible, please refer to the appropriate publication available on
www.shell.com/scrip.
Dividend timetable for the fourth quarter 2015 interim dividend
Announcement
date February
4, 2016
Ex-dividend date RDS A and RDS B ADS February
17, 2016
Ex-dividend date RDS A and RDS B shares February
18, 2016
Record
date
February 19, 2016
Scrip reference share price announcement date February 25,
2016
Closing of scrip election and currency election (See Note) March
4, 2016
Pounds sterling and euro equivalents announcement date March 11,
2016
Payment
date
March 29, 2016
Note
A different scrip election date may apply to registered and non-registered ADS
holders.
Registered ADS holders can contact The Bank of New York Mellon for the election
deadline that applies. Non-registered ADS holders can contact their broker,
financial intermediary, bank or financial institution for the election deadline
that applies.
Both a different scrip and currency election date may apply to shareholders
holding shares in a securities account with a bank or financial institution
ultimately holding through Euroclear Nederland. This may also apply to other
shareholders who do not hold their shares either directly on the Register of
Members or in the corporate sponsored nominee arrangement. Such shareholders
can contact their broker, financial intermediary, bank or financial institution
for the election deadline that applies.
Taxation cash dividends
Cash dividends on A Shares will be subject to the deduction of Netherlands
dividend withholding tax at the rate of 15%, which may be reduced in certain
circumstances. Provided certain conditions are met, shareholders in receipt of
A Share cash dividends may also be entitled to a non-payable dividend tax
credit in the United Kingdom.
Shareholders resident in the United Kingdom, receiving cash dividends on B
Shares through the Dividend Access Mechanism, are entitled to a tax credit.
This tax credit is not repayable. Non-residents may also be entitled to a tax
credit, if double tax arrangements between the United Kingdom and their country
of residence so provide, or if they are eligible for relief given to
non-residents with certain special connections with the United Kingdom or to
nationals of states in the European Economic Area.
The amount of tax credit is 10/90ths of the cash dividend, the tax credit
referable to the fourth quarter 2015 interim dividend of US$0.47 is US$0.05 per
ordinary share and the dividend and tax credit together amount to US$0.52. The
pounds sterling and euro equivalents will be announced on March 11, 2016.
Royal Dutch Shell plc
The Hague, February 4, 2016
Contacts:
- Investor Relations: Europe + 31 (0) 70 377 4540; North America +1 832 337
2034
- Media: International +44 (0) 207 934 5550; Americas +1 713 241 4544
CAUTIONARY NOTE:
The companies in which Royal Dutch Shell plc directly and indirectly owns
investments are separate entities. In this release "Shell", "Shell group" and
"Royal Dutch Shell" are sometimes used for convenience where references are
made to Royal Dutch Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general. Likewise, the
words "we", "us" and "our" are also used to refer to subsidiaries in general or
to those who work for them. These expressions are also used where no useful
purpose is served by identifying the particular company or companies.
''Subsidiaries'', "Shell subsidiaries" and "Shell companies" as used in this
release refer to companies over which Royal Dutch Shell plc either directly or
indirectly has control. Companies over which Shell has joint control are
generally referred to as "joint ventures" and companies over which Shell has
significant influence but neither control nor joint control are referred to as
"associates". In this release, joint ventures and associates may also be
referred to as "equity-accounted investments". The term "Shell interest" is
used for convenience to indicate the direct and/or indirect ownership interest
held by Shell in a venture, partnership or company, after exclusion of all
third-party interest.
This release contains forward-looking statements concerning the financial
condition, results of operations and businesses of Royal Dutch Shell. All
statements other than statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to
be, forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements of
future expectations that are based on management's current expectations and
assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could
cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those
expressed or implied in these statements. Forward-looking statements include,
among other things, statements concerning the potential exposure of Royal Dutch
Shell to market risks and statements expressing management's expectations,
beliefs, estimates, forecasts, projections and assumptions. These
forward-looking statements are identified by their use of terms and phrases
such as ''anticipate'', ''believe'', ''could'', ''estimate'', ''expect'',
''goals'', ''intend'', ''may'', ''objectives'', ''outlook'', ''plan'',
''probably'', ''project'', ''risks'', "schedule", ''seek'', ''should'',
''target'', ''will'' and similar terms and phrases. There are a number of
factors that could affect the future operations of Royal Dutch Shell and could
cause those results to differ materially from those expressed in the
forward-looking statements included in this release, including (without
limitation): (a) price fluctuations in crude oil and natural gas; (b) changes
in demand for Shell's products; (c) currency fluctuations; (d) drilling and
production results; (e) reserves estimates; (f) loss of market share and
industry competition; (g) environmental and physical risks; (h) risks
associated with the identification of suitable potential acquisition properties
and targets, and successful negotiation and completion of such transactions;
(i) the risk of doing business in developing countries and countries subject to
international sanctions; (j) legislative, fiscal and regulatory developments
including regulatory measures addressing climate change; (k) economic and
financial market conditions in various countries and regions; (l) political
risks, including the risks of expropriation and renegotiation of the terms of
contracts with governmental entities, delays or advancements in the approval of
projects and delays in the reimbursement for shared costs; and (m) changes in
trading conditions. All forward-looking statements contained in this release
are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements
contained or referred to in this section. Readers should not place undue
reliance on forward-looking statements. Additional risk factors that may affect
future results are contained in Royal Dutch Shell's 20-F for the year ended
December 31, 2014 (available at www.shell.com/investor and www.sec.gov ). These
risk factors also expressly qualify all forward looking statements contained in
this release and should be considered by the reader. Each forward-looking
statement speaks only as of the date of this release, February 4, 2016. Neither
Royal Dutch Shell plc nor any of its subsidiaries undertake any obligation to
publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new
information, future events or other information. In light of these risks,
results could differ materially from those stated, implied or inferred from the
forward-looking statements contained in this release.
We may have used certain terms, such as resources, in this release that United
States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) strictly prohibits us from
including in our filings with the SEC. U.S. Investors are urged to consider
closely the disclosure in our Form 20-F, File No 1-32575, available on the SEC
website www.sec.gov.
END
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