Osborne Clarke advises Mensch und Maschine Software SE at this year's Annual General Meeting

Osborne Clarke has advised Mensch und Maschine Software SE, a leading developer of technical software and digitalisation solutions in the fields of CAD/CAM/CAE/PDM and BIM, on the successful conduct of this year's ordinary Annual General Meeting in a virtual format, including the offering of a stock dividend.

This year, the company once again provided its shareholders with the option to receive the dividend resolved by the Annual General Meeting either entirely in cash or partially in cash and partially in the form of shares of Mensch und Maschine Software SE. For the financial year 2024, the total amount of the dividend was EUR 30,672,263.70, which corresponds to EUR 1.85 per dividend-entitled share.

The stock dividend (scrip dividend) as an alternative to cash distribution is widespread internationally, but has so far been rather rare in Germany, although there is increasing interest from issuers. It is characterised by the fact that the company, instead of distributing the dividend in cash, provides the shareholders – at their choice – at least partially with shares of the company, and generally represents a win-win situation: The existing shareholders of the company can increase their respective shareholding in the company, while the company can strengthen its capital reserves.

The Mensch und Maschine Software SE, advised by us, is one of the few companies in this country that has been offering its shareholders the option to choose shares instead of a cash payout for many years. Such a stock dividend is possible by presenting a so-called prospectus-exempt document, which explains the details of the stock dividend.

The company was advised by an Osborne Clarke team consisting of Dr Alexander Thomas and Christina König (both Corporate), who have been accompanying the Annual General Meeting of Mensch und Maschine Software SE for several years in close collaboration with Markus Pech, CFO of Mensch und Maschine Software SE.