Loyalty shares

I.R. Spain, Spanish economy 24th November 2020

The So-Called Loyalty Shares: An Unnecessary Mistake (Albeit An Avoidable One)

José Carlos González Vázquez (Professor in Commercial Law (UCM). Partner at MA Law Firm) | On September 7, the Official Gazette of the Spanish Parliament published the bill which will modify the consolidated text of the Capital Companies Act. This bill is basically a transposition of Directive (EU) 2017/828 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 May 2017 amending Directive 2007/36/EC as regards the encouragement of long-term shareholder engagement. However, some other proposals, not present in the European Directive, have been introduced. Among the most controversial ones is this dealing with the so-called loyalty shares: shareholders of listed companies are given double voting rights if they hold on to their shares for an uninterrupted period of two consecutive years. This means breaking away from the sacrosanct principle enshrined in our Company Law of “one share, one vote” .

Spanish economy 3rd March 2020

Spain will Finally Regulate Loyalty Shares

According to the newspaper Cinco Días, the vice-president of Economic Affairs, Nadia Calviño, continues her efforts to transfer the EU directives that have been on the shelf for months to the Spanish legislature. Tomorrow the Council of Ministers will approve a bill that should have come into force on June 10th. The most important new element is the possibility of giving double voting rights to long-term shareholders, which will eliminate the obligation, almost exclusive to Spain, of publishing the results of the first and third quarters.

Interviews 19th February 2020

“Loyalty Shares May Make A Takeover Bid More Difficult And A Company Less Attractive”

Mari Pinardo | “Loyalty shares, which confer additional voting rights to investors who have held shares for two years, strengthen the position of majority shareholders and produce a gap between their economic commitment and their voting power. They can make a takeover bid more difficult, reduce liquidity and the value of a company less attractive,” says Maria Rotondo, co-director of the IE executive sustainability program.