SHARE CAPITAL
As of December 31, 2021, our Articles provide that our share capital may not be less than SEK 6,000,000,000 nor more than SEK 24,000,000,000, and that the number of shares in Ericsson shall amount to no less than 3,000,000,000 and no more than 12,000,000,000. All of our outstanding shares are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, and are not redeemable and do not have any preemptive rights other than under the Swedish Companies Act and our Articles, as described below. In accordance with our Articles, Ericsson’s shares are divided into three classes of shares, denoted as Class A shares, Class B Shares and Class C shares; however, as of December 31, 2021, no Class C shares were outstanding.
ADDITIONAL SHARE ISSUANCES; PREEMPTIVE RIGHTS
Under the Swedish Companies Act, shareholders must approve each issue of additional shares either by deciding on the share issue at a shareholders’ meeting, or by a shareholders’ approval of a decision on a share issue by our Board of Directors (the “Board”), or by giving an authorization to the Board to decide about a share issue. If we decide to issue new Class A, Class B or Class C shares by means of a cash issue, or an issue against payment through set-off of claims, Class A, Class B and Class C shareholders (except for Ericsson and its subsidiaries, in the event they hold shares in Ericsson) have a primary preferential right to subscribe for new shares of the same type in relation to the number of shares previously held by them. Shares not subscribed for through a preferential right shall be offered to all shareholders for subscription on a pro rata basis. If we decide to issue new shares of only one series by means of a cash issue or an issue against payment through set-off of claims, all shareholders, regardless of whether their shares are Class A, Class B or Class C, are entitled to a preferential right to subscribe for new shares in proportion to the number of shares previously held by them. Shareholders may vote to waive shareholders’ preferential rights at a general meeting of shareholders.
If we decide to issue warrants or convertibles through a cash issue or an issue against payment through set-off of claims, the shareholders have preferential rights to subscribe to warrants as if the issue were of the shares that may be subscribed to pursuant to the warrant and, respectively, preferential rights to subscribe to convertibles as if the issue were of the shares that the convertibles may be converted to.
The above does not constitute any restriction to waive the shareholders’ preferential rights when deciding on either an issue of shares, warrants or convertibles by means of a cash issue or an issue against payment through set-off of claims.
DIVIDENDS AND OTHER DISTRIBUTIONS
Our Class A and Class B shareholders have the same right to dividends. Class C shareholders do not have any right to dividends, as described in article 6 of our Articles. No Class C shares are currently outstanding.
Under Swedish law, only a general meeting of shareholders may decide on payment of dividends, which may not exceed the amount proposed by the Board (except in certain limited circumstances), and may only be paid from funds legally available for that purpose. Under Swedish law, no interim dividends may be paid in respect of any fiscal period for which audited financial statements of the company have not yet been adopted by the annual general meeting of shareholders. The market practice in Sweden is most often for dividends to be paid annually. Under the Swedish Companies Act, dividends to shareholders and other transfers of value from a company—such as purchases of its own shares (see below)—may only be made in case the company’s restricted equity remains fully covered after the transfer of value has been made. The calculation shall be based upon the most recently adopted balance sheet, and any changes in the restricted equity that has occurred after the balance sheet date shall be taken into account. In addition, dividends to shareholders and other transfers of value from the company may only be made if this is justifiable taking into account the type of business activities of the company, the scope and risks related thereto and the company’s need for financial resources, its liquidity and financial position. In respect of parent companies, also the business activities of the group, their scope and risks related thereto and the group’s need for financial resources, its liquidity and financial position shall be taken into account.
The Company’s shares are registered in the computerized book-entry share registration system administered by Euroclear Sweden AB (“Euroclear”). The rights attached to shares eligible for dividends accrue to those persons whose names are recorded in the register of shareholders on the record day. The dividends are then sent to a specified account as directed by the person registered with Euroclear. The relevant record day must, in most circumstances, be specified in the resolution declaring a dividend or resolving upon a capital increase or any similar matter in which shareholders have preferential rights, or the Board must be authorized to determine the relevant record day.
Where the registered holder is a nominee, the nominee receives, for the account of the beneficial owner, dividends and, on issues of shares with preferential rights for the shareholders, shares, as well as rights. Dividends are remitted in a single payment to the