Q. What type of securities does AXA Asia Pacific Holdings Limited (AXA) have on issue?
A. Ordinary shares.
Q. What stock exchanges is AXA APH listed on?
A. The Australian Stock Exchange (ASX), trading under the code ‘AXA’.
Q. What is Issuer Sponsorship?
A. Issuer Sponsorship replaced share certificates in 1997. Issuer Sponsorship enables shareholders to hold their securities in “paperless” form (like the Clearing House Electronic Subregister System (CHESS) of the Australian Stock Exchange), but without being tied to a particular broker. However, unlike CHESS, shareholders cannot hold securities in different companies under the one identifying holder number. Your SRN typically begins with the letter “I” (which may look like the numeral “1” in some fonts).
Instead of receiving share certificates, holders receive holding statements (again, like CHESS) which show all details and movements (purchases, sales and other transactions). Statements are issued when you first become a holder and are dispatched within 5 business days of the end of any month in which transactions occur.
One of the important things to remember about Issuer Sponsorship is that your security holder reference number (SRN) should be treated like a bank account PIN and not disclosed to third parties (except when authorised by you for a particular purpose – eg. trading, etc.). Please quote your SRN in any correspondence with the Company’s Share Registrar. This will enable the Share Registrar to correctly identify you and fulfil your requests.
Q. What is Broker Sponsorship?
A. Broker Sponsorship enables holders who are regular traders with a particular broker to have all of their holdings in different companies recorded under the one holder identification number (HIN). Again, it is extremely important that the confidentiality of your HIN is maintained. Your HIN begins with the letter “X”.
Broker sponsored holdings are maintained on ASX’s CHESS system. Your broker can explain this to you in more detail.
Another very important thing to know about Broker Sponsorship is that nearly all changes (changes of address, etc.) must be made through your sponsoring broker (this is to ensure that his/her records about you are completely correct).
Q. How many shares do I hold?
A. You can determine the number of shares you hold through the following link
Q. How do I buy or sell AXA shares?
AXA shares can be purchased or sold through a registered stockbroker. The ASX operates a stockbroker referral service and can be contacted on 1300 300 279 or their web site www.asx.com.au.
Q. How can I transfer my shares to a family member or other person?
A. If you wish to transfer your shares to another person, otherwise than through selling your shares on the stock exchange (ie. in an off-market transfer), you will need to complete a transfer of ownership form quoting your SRN. Click here to download a form.
Q. What happens if the holder dies?
A. If the holding is in the sole name of the deceased, the solicitor or representative of the estate should notify the share registry of the death and whether or not probate is being applied for. The registrar will then advise the procedures for dealing with the holding. If the deceased is a joint holder, you should forward a certified copy of the death certificate with a request that the holding be registered in the name of the survivor. The request should include the holding’s SRN. Click here for the share registry
Q. I sold some of my shares during the financial year. Can I have a history of my holding?
A. Please contact the AXA APH share registry.
Q. I want to sell, but my broker needs my SRN/HIN – where do I find this?
A. Your SRN/HIN is in the top right area of your relevant holding statement.
Q. I can’t locate my SRN / HIN. Can you give it to me over the phone or internet?
A. For security reasons we cannot give you your SRN/HIN over the telephone or via the internet. We can send you a replacement holding statement to your registered address. This statement will contain the number. Click here for the share registry details.
Q. What happens if my SRN or holding statement has been stolen?
A. Notify the Share Registry immediately, either by phone, mail or fax. A lock will be placed on the holding to prevent any unauthorised trading. A statement will then be issued advising you of your new SRN/HIN.
Q. How do I amalgamate several holdings of AXA shares?
A1. For Issuer Sponsored Shareholders
If the names, addresses and banking instructions are identical, and they are Issuer Sponsored, the holdings can be amalgamated. Simply write, fax or e-mail the Share Registry, quoting each SRN and requesting that they be amalgamated.
Where the names, addresses or banking instructions are not identical, please contact the Share Registry for specific instructions.
A2. For Broker Sponsored Shareholders
If one or more of your holdings is broker sponsored, you will need to contact your broker to arrange for the amalgamation. The Share Registrar is not permitted to make changes to broker sponsored holdings.
Q: I have received an offer to buy my shares in AXA Asia Pacific Holdings Ltd. Is this offer from AXA? What should I do?
A: AXA Asia Pacific Holdings Limited is aware that from time to time, some of its shareholders have received unsolicited offers to purchase their shares from companies such as Direct Share Purchasing Pty Limited, National Exchange Pty Limited or Australian and New Zealand Exchange Pty Limited. These offers tend to be either:
offers above market value, but paid out over a number of years; or
offers below market value.
AXA Asia Pacific does not endorse any unsolicited offers from these or any other company and strongly recommends that shareholders seek their own independent advice before making a decision whether to accept an unsolicited offer to acquire AXA Asia Pacific shares.
AGM, results and dividends
Q. When is the 2010 Annual General Meeting being held?
A.The 2010 AGM will be held on 18 May 2010.
Q. When can I expect to receive the 2010 Notice of Meeting?
A. If you are a shareholder, you can expect to receive your Notice of Meeting by mid April 2010. If you have elected to receive your Notice of Meeting electronically, you will receive an email notifying you of the release of the Notice of the Meeting.
Q. When can I expect to receive the 2009 Annual Report?
A.If you are a shareholder, you can expect to receive by the end of March either a notice of the availability of the Annual Report on our website via email, if you have registered to receive electronic communications, or our Annual Report if you have elected to receive your Annual Report in the mail.
Q. How will I receive the Annual Report? A. Due to a change in legislation, the default option for receiving your Annual Report is via our website. You will receive online Annual Reports unless you notify the Share Registry that you wish to receive a printed copy of the Annual Report.
Q. What dividends have been declared on AXA ordinary shares?
A. View the Dividend payment history page for more information.
Q. How can I receive my dividend payment?
A. AXA usually pays dividends in March & September. AXA will pay your dividend directly into your Australia or New Zealand nominated financial institution account.
Q. Why does AXA not issue dividend cheques to shareholders?
A. AXA pays its dividends directly into a nominated financial institution account. Dividends cannot be paid by any other method. Payment by direct credit is convenient, secure and cost effective.
Direct credit payment provides you with a number of benefits:
Making dividend payments by direct credit also provides considerable savings to the company that benefit all shareholders.
Q. How will I know that I have been paid a dividend?
A. You will receive a dividend statement setting out the date of payment, the dividend rate, amount of dividend, franked and unfranked amounts and franking credit. The statement will also tell you where the funds were deposited.
You can also access your dividend payment history from the AXA Share Registry website at Computershare
Q. What happens if I change my account details?
A. Your dividends will be paid according to the payment information held by the AXA Share Registry managed by Computershare at the record date.
You can change your payment instructions at any time, either by calling 1300 367 373 (Australia) or 61 3 9415 4000 (outside Australia) to obtain a form, or by obtaining a form from Computershare
Q. What if I do not have an account or do not wish to open one?
A. AXA accepts payment instructions to a third party account. This means that you can nominate any financial institution account (apart from a credit card account), not just an account in your name. AXA will pay your dividends into the nominated account and will continue to do so unless you provide different payment instructions. If you do not nominate an account, see the next question.
Q. What happens if I do not wish to provide my bank details?
A. Should you not provide the AXA Share Registry with your bank account details, AXA will not be able to pay you your dividend. Your dividends will be paid into an unclaimed monies account with Computershare. Computershare will hold those dividends for a period of time, after which the monies will be paid to the Registrar of Unclaimed Moneys, and you will then have to claim your dividend direct from the Registrar by proving your entitlement.
Q. How certain can I be that my bank details will be kept private?
A. AXA is bound by the Privacy Act 1988. Your payment information will be held by the AXA Share Registry and will only be used for the purposes of paying dividends or other payments relating to your shareholding. Your privacy will be maintained in the same way as our registry treats shareholder Tax File Numbers.
Q. What is the dividend policy?
A. Our dividend policy aims to achieve a dividend payout ratio of 60% of profits after tax and before non-recurring items over the longer term and to achieve a steady growth in dividends over time.
The two key components to profit after tax and before non-recurring items are:
- Operating Earnings which measure the key underlying performance of the business
- Investment Earnings which reflect the investment returns on shareholder capital which is invested predominantly to support our regulatory capital requirements
Tax information
Q. What is the cost base of shares acquired from the demutualisation?
A. The cost base of the shares issued to policyholders as part of the demutualisation and listing was $1.14. The acquisition date for capital gains tax purposes is September 1996.
Q. Should I provide my Tax File Number (TFN) or Australian Business Number (ABN)?
A. You are not required to quote your TFN or ABN. However, if you choose not to provide your TFN, ABN or exemption category, and you are an Australian resident for taxation purposes, we are required to deduct tax at the highest tax rate, plus the medicare levy, from any unfranked portion of your dividend. Collection of TFNs is strictly regulated by taxation laws. If you wish to quote your TFN or ABN or exemption category please contact the share registry on 1300 367 373 (Australia) or 61 3 9415 4000 (outside Australia) or download a form. If you are unsure as to whether you fall within an exemption category, the exemption category number which is relevant to you or whether you require a TFN or ABN, you should contact the Australian Taxation Office.
Q. How do I provide my TFN?
A. If you are an Australian resident for taxation purposes, your TFN can be supplied via mail, facsimile or telephone. Click here to contact the share registry.
Change of name / address
Q. How do I advise the share registry of a change of address?
A. You may advise the share registry by calling 1300 367 373 (Australia) or 61 3 9415 4000 (outside Australia) or in writing, and include your SRN. Click here to download a Change of Address form. You will need to forward this form by mail to the AXA Share Registry.
This advice needs to be signed by the shareholder(s). If you have a joint shareholding, all joint shareholders need to sign the Change of Address form.
If your holding is broker sponsored in CHESS you must notify any change of address to your sponsoring broker.
Q. Can I correct the spelling of my name?
A. To have the spelling of your name corrected you must complete a Name Correction Request and Indemnity form and send it to the share registry. There can be no change of beneficial interest in making a correction in this manner. If your holding is broker sponsored in CHESS you must ask your broker to make the correction for you. Click here for the share registry.
Q. Can I have my holding changed to my married name?
To enable your shares to be registered in your married name you must write to the share registry requesting the change, quoting your SRN and enclosing a copy of your marriage certificate. If your holding is broker sponsored in CHESS you must ask your broker to make the change for you. Please Click here to contact the share registry.
Contact information
Q. If you have any more questions
A. Please click here to contact the share registry if you have any further questions regarding your shareholding
