Today, Aegon N.V. has published the agenda for its Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (AGM) on Friday, May 15, 2020. Furthermore, Aegon announces that it will comply with the call of DNB to postpone paying dividends.
On April 2, 2020, the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority and DNB, Aegon’s principal regulator, published statements urging insurers to temporarily postpone all dividend distributions. Aegon will comply with this request, as a result of which the company will forego its 2019 final dividend of EUR 0.16 per common share. Taking into account the interim dividend paid in September 2019, this results in a total dividend for the financial year 2019 of EUR 0.15 per common share. Aegon will review opportunities for returning capital to its shareholders as soon as appropriate.
Since the start of the COVID-19 crisis, Aegon and its subsidiaries have maintained strong capital positions. Given the current extraordinary circumstances, Aegon plans to provide an update on May 12, 2020 of its business performance over the first quarter of 2020 and its capital position.
The Dutch government has imposed various COVID-19 related restrictions with respect to public gatherings. In organizing the AGM, Aegon will comply with these restrictions and will, in connection with the COVID-19 outbreak, observe a duty of care towards its shareholders, business partners and employees. Aegon may take measures with respect to the location of the AGM and the admittance of persons to the physical meeting, if any.
Aegon urges its shareholders not to attend the meeting in person, but, instead, to make use of the other means to participate in the AGM. A webcast of the AGM will be available at www.aegon.com. Shareholders who have registered to attend the AGM can vote through an e-voting system of ABN AMRO which entails a voting instruction to a (deputy) civil law notary of Allen & Overy LLP. Shareholders will also be able to grant a proxy with or without voting instruction to the company secretary and submit written questions relating to the agenda items. Aegon advises its shareholders to regularly check its website www.aegon.com for any updates.
The agenda includes a proposal to adopt the Annual Accounts 2019. All documents relating to Aegon's AGM, including the convocation notice and the agenda, are available on the company’s website. The website also provides more information for shareholders on how to exercise voting rights and how to submit written questions in advance of the meeting.