In 1998, we granted the Preference Share Option to the Foundation. This option was amended and extended in 2003 and 2007. A third amendment to the option agreement between the Foundation and ASML became effective on January 1, 2009, to clarify the procedure for the repurchase and cancellation of the preference shares when issued.
The nominal value of the cumulative preference shares amounts to EUR 0.09 and the number of cumulative preference shares included in the authorized share capital is 700,000,000. A cumulative preference share entitles the holder thereof to cast nine votes in the General Meeting of Shareholders.
The Foundation may exercise the Preference Share Option in situations where, in the opinion of the Board of Directors of the Foundation, ASML's interests, ASML's business or the interests of ASML's stakeholders are at stake. This may be the case if a public bid for ASML's shares has been announced or has been made, or the justified expectation exists that such a bid will be made without any agreement having been reached in relation to such a bid with ASML. The same may apply if one shareholder, or more shareholders acting in concert, hold a substantial percentage of ASML's issued ordinary shares without making an offer or if, in the opinion of the Board of Directors of the Foundation, the (attempted) exercise of the voting rights by one shareholder or more shareholders, acting in concert, is materially in conflict with ASML's interests, ASML's business or ASML's stakeholders.
The objectives of the Foundation are to look after the interests of ASML and of the enterprises maintained by ASML and of the companies which are affiliated in a group with ASML, in such a way that the interests of ASML, of those enterprises and of all parties concerned are safeguarded in the best possible way, and influences in conflict with these interests which might affect the independence or the identity of ASML and those companies are deterred to the best of the Foundation’s ability, and everything related to the above or possibly conducive thereto. The Foundation seeks to realize its objects by the acquiring and holding of cumulative preference shares in the capital of ASML and by exercising the rights attached to these shares, particularly the voting rights attached to these shares.
The Preference Share Option gives the Foundation the right to acquire a number of cumulative preference shares as the Foundation will require, provided that the aggregate nominal value of such number of cumulative preference shares shall not exceed the aggregate nominal value of the ordinary shares that have been issued at the time of exercise of the Preference Share Option for a subscription price equal to their nominal value. Only one-fourth of the subscription price is payable at the time of initial issuance of the cumulative preference shares, with the other three-fourths of the nominal value only being payable when we call up this amount. Exercise of the preference share option could effectively dilute the voting power of the outstanding ordinary shares by one-half.
Cancellation and repayment of the issued cumulative preference shares by ASML requires the authorization by the General Meeting of Shareholders of a proposal to do so by the BoM approved by the Supervisory Board. If the Preference Share Option is exercised and as a result cumulative preference shares are issued, ASML, at the request of the Foundation, will initiate the repurchase or cancellation of all cumulative preference shares held by the Foundation. In that case ASML is obliged to effect the repurchase and cancellation respectively as soon as possible. A cancellation will have as a result a repayment of the amount paid and exemption from the obligation to pay up on the cumulative preference shares. A repurchase of the cumulative preference shares can only take place when such shares are fully paid up.
If the Foundation does not request ASML to repurchase or cancel all cumulative preference shares held by the Foundation within 20 months after issuance of these shares, we will be obliged to convene a General Meeting of Shareholders in order to decide on a repurchase or cancellation of these shares.
The Foundation is independent of ASML. The Board of Directors of the Foundation comprises four independent members from the Dutch business and academic communities. The members of the Board of Directors of the Foundation are: Mr. H. Bodt, Mr. M.W. den Boogert, Mr. J.M. de Jong and Mr. A.H. Lundqvist.
