Shareholders’ equity is shown as a separate component of the financial statement in accordance with IAS 1 “Presentation of Financial Statements” and subject to IAS 32 “Financial Instruments: Disclosure and Presentation” in conjunction with IAS 39 “Financial Instruments: Recognition and Measurement”. The change in shareholders’ equity comprises not only the net income deriving from the statement of income but also the changes in the value of asset and liability items not recognised in the statement of income.

The common shares (share capital of Hannover Rück SE) amount to EUR 120,597,134.00. They are divided into 120,597,134 voting and dividend-bearing registered ordinary shares in the form of no-par-value shares. The shares are paid in full. Each share carries an equal voting right and an equal dividend entitlement.

Conditional capital of up to EUR 60,299 thousand is available. It can be used to grant shares to holders of convertible bonds and bonds with warrants as well as to holders of participating bonds with conversion rights and warrants and has a time limit of 2 May 2016.

The Executive Board is authorised, with the consent of the Supervisory Board, to acquire treasury shares – including through the use of derivatives – up to an amount of 10% of the share capital. The authorisation has a time limit of 5 May 2020.

The Annual General Meeting of Hannover Rück SE resolved on 6 May 2015 that a gross dividend of EUR 4.25 per share should be paid for the 2014 financial year. This corresponds to a total distribution of EUR 512.5 million (EUR 361.8 million). The distribution consists of a dividend of EUR 3.00 per share and a special dividend of EUR 1.25 per share.

The decrease in the other reserves arising out of currency translation, which is recognised in equity, was attributable in an amount of EUR 11.9 million (increase recognised in equity of EUR 33.0 million) to the translation of long-term debt or loans with no maturity date extended to Group companies and branches abroad.

For the disclosures arising out of IAS 1 “Presentation of Financial Statements” with regard to the management of capital, the reader is referred to the “Financial position” section on page 55 et seq. of the management report.

Treasury shares

IAS 1 requires separate disclosure of treasury shares in shareholders’ equity. As part of this year’s employee share option plan Hannover Rück SE acquired altogether 12,922 (21,608) treasury shares during the second quarter of 2015 and delivered them to eligible employees at preferential conditions. These shares are blocked until 31 May 2019. This transaction resulted in an expense of EUR 0.3 million (EUR 0.4 million), which was recognised under personnel expenditure, as well as a negligible increase in retained earnings recognised in equity. The company was no longer in possession of treasury shares as at the balance sheet date.