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Share ownership

I own shares in Hays. What does this mean?

As you own shares in Hays plc you are a shareholder of the Company, which means you own a portion of the Company. As a shareholder, you have the right to attend and vote at shareholder meetings and a right to receive any shareholder communications from the Company and any dividends that are paid.

How can I check how many shares I own?

To find out how many shares you own please contact Equiniti.

Alternatively, if you register on Equiniti’s website you will have online access to a range of information and services regarding your Hays shareholding, including:

  • checking your share balances and receiving an indicative value of your investment;
  • viewing recent movements in your shareholding;
  • changing your address online;
  • making arrangements to have your dividend paid directly into your bank or building society account;
  • expressing a preference to receive company mailings electronically;
  • accessing a comprehensive range of shareholder related information; and
  • accessing information of your holdings in the Hays Equiniti Investment Account ISA

To register for this service please visit www.shareview.co.uk and follow the simple on-screen registration instructions.

Do I need a share certificate?

Yes, unless you choose to hold your shares in a nominee account or electronically through a CREST account, when you buy shares you will be sent a share certificate representing the number of shares that you have purchased in the Company. This is evidence of your ownership of the shares and should be kept in a safe place.

When you first buy shares in Hays plc you are given a unique account number which is shown in the top left-hand corner of the share certificate. This account number should be quoted in all correspondence with the Registrar. 

We recommend that you keep a separate record of your account number, certificate numbers and the number of shares each certificate covers in case of loss or damage.

How do I change the name on my shareholding?

To change the names on your shareholding you will need to send a copy of your marriage certificate or change of name deed, together with your share certificate(s) to Equiniti. They will then change the name on the share register and will send you a new share certificate.

How do I change my address?

To change your address on the share register you should complete a change of address form and send this to Equiniti.

My share certificate is lost / has been stolen. How do I get a replacement?

Equiniti maintain a record of all the shareholders of the company. If you are a shareholder this will include your name, address and the number of shares you own in the Company.

Your share certificate is evidence of your ownership of the shares. If you have lost this or it has been stolen, you should inform Equiniti immediately, quoting your account number if possible. You will need to tell them about any certificates you still hold so that they can identify which share certificate is missing.

Equiniti will arrange for you to complete an indemnity covering the Company for any loss arising from use of the lost/stolen share certificate, for which a fee may be payable.

How do I transfer some or all of my shares to someone else?

If you want to give or sell some or all of your shares to someone that you know, you will need to complete a stock transfer form which can be downloaded from the Download Forms section or obtained by contacting Equiniti. The stock transfer form should be completed and sent with your share certificate to Equiniti, who will process the transfer and issue the appropriate share certificate(s). Equiniti will be able to help you with any questions you may have about completing the stock transfer form.

How do I register the death of a shareholder?

If the shares were held solely in the name of the deceased Equiniti will require a copy of the death certificate and either the probate or letter of administration. If you are unsure of what you need to send, please contact Equiniti who will be able to assist you.

The legal personal representative will be named on the share register. The shares can then be sold by the personal representative or they can use a stock transfer form to have the shares registered in the name of the deceased's beneficiary.

If the shares were held jointly, Equiniti will remove the deceased's name from the share register on receipt of a copy of the death certificate. The shares will then be registered in the names of the surviving holder(s) and the relevant share certificates can be amended to reflect the change.

For further information, please contact Equiniti and they will assist you with the documentation and make the process as straightforward as possible for you.

How can I sell my shares or buy more shares?

Details on how to sell your shares or buy more shares can be found in the Share Dealing section. When you sell any of your Hays shares, you may have to pay Capital Gains Tax if they are sold at a profit. The rules can be complex and it may be worth seeking professional financial advice before you sell your shares.

Annual report

How can I make sure I receive a paper version of the Annual Report and Financial Statements?

You can elect to receive the Annual Report and Financial Statements in paper form at any time by contacting Equiniti. Following your request, Equiniti will ensure you receive a hard copy every year.

Why have I received more than one set of documentation?

If you have more than one account on the share register you will be sent a set of documentation for each account. To arrange for your share accounts to be amalgamated please contact Equiniti.

I hold my shares in a nominee account, how can I ensure I receive a copy of shareholder communications?

You will need to contact the nominee that your shares are held with and request that you receive a copy of the shareholder communications.

AGM

What is the Annual General Meeting (“AGM”)?

As a public limited company, Hays plc is required to hold an AGM at which decisions are taken on the Company's business. The 'ordinary' business of the AGM is repeated every year and includes receiving the company's report and financial statements for the year and approving the proportion of a company's profits that will be paid back to shareholders as a final dividend.

Whenever an AGM is held you will be contacted to let you know when and where the meeting will be held and the details of the business to be voted on.

If I am not able to attend the AGM can I still vote?

If you cannot attend the meeting yourself, you can appoint someone else, known as a proxy, to attend in your place. To do this, you must either complete the proxy card that is sent to you with the notice of meeting and return it to Equiniti in advance of the meeting or you can register your proxy at www.sharevote.co.uk. Your proxy will then be able to attend the meeting, speak on your behalf and cast your vote on your behalf. If you cannot appoint a proxy to attend the meeting in person, you can still send the proxy form to Equiniti and in the event of a poll on any resolution, the Chairman will cast your vote for you in accordance with the instructions you provide on the proxy form.

What other types of meetings are there?

The other type of shareholder meeting is a General Meeting which is held if there is urgent business requiring shareholder approval that cannot wait until the next Annual General Meeting.

Dividends

What is a dividend?

A dividend is a payment made to shareholders, the level of which is decided by the Board of the Company based upon the Group’s financial results.

Who is entitled to receive a dividend?

The dividend is paid to everyone who holds shares at a deadline date known as the record date, and the dividend paid is based on the number of shares held on the share register at the record date.

When do I receive dividends?

The Company currently pays dividends twice a year – the interim dividend is usually paid in April and the final dividend is usually paid in November after it has been approved by shareholders at the Annual General Meeting.

How can I receive my dividends?

You can choose to have your dividend paid in one of the following ways:

  • In the form of cash paid directly into your bank or building society account. By having your dividend paid directly into your bank or building society account it avoids the risk of your cheque being lost or intercepted in the post and means your dividend will be credited to your account on the dividend payment date.
  • In the form of shares under the Hays plc Dividend Re-investment Plan (“DRIP”). By joining the DRIP you will be able to build up your shareholding in the Company at a competitive dealing cost.
  • In the form of cash by cheque sent to your registered address.

At the time of each payment you will receive a tax voucher from Equiniti confirming the amount of the dividend paid and the amount of tax.

How do I arrange to have my dividend paid directly into my bank or building society account?

To have your dividend paid directly into a UK bank or building society account you will need to complete the dividend mandate form which can be downloaded from the Download Forms section or obtained by contacting Equiniti.

To have your dividend paid into an overseas bank account please contact Equiniti for the relevant form. Please note that you cannot use this service for dividend payments over £15,000 (£7,500 for Italy and San Marino) and that a payment charge will be deducted from each dividend payment before it is converted into your chosen currency.

Please note that you should inform Equiniti of any changes to your bank or building society account.

How can I join the DRIP and receive my dividend in the form of shares?

The Hays plc Dividend Re-investment Plan (“DRIP”) enables shareholders to re-invest their cash dividend in Hays plc shares on competitive dealing terms and is operated by Equiniti.

If you decide to join the DRIP, your cash dividend is used to buy additional Hays plc shares on the stock market. Equiniti then allocates the shares to you and will send you a share certificate and tax voucher. Any cash balance remaining after the purchase of shares will be retained and added to your next dividend.

If you wish to join the DRIP please contact Equiniti, who will send you a DRIP pack and application form.

The DRIP is not available to investors based in the USA or Canada as it is prohibited by local legislation.

I have not received or have lost my latest dividend cheque or tax voucher, what should I do?

If you think you have not received or have lost a dividend cheque, you should contact Equiniti as soon as possible, confirming which payment has not been received/lost. Equiniti will then arrange for the cheque to be stopped and will issue you with a duplicate. An administration fee is normally payable for this service.

If you have lost your tax voucher(s), you should notify Equiniti, confirming which tax voucher(s) has been lost and they will arrange to issue you with a duplicate(s).

I have found an out of date dividend cheque. What should I do?

Dividend cheques are normally valid for twelve months from the date of payment. After this time you should return any cheques that have not been cashed to Equiniti, who will then issue you with a replacement cheque.

Do I pay tax on my dividends?

Information on the taxation of dividends can be found at this link: https://www.gov.uk/tax-on-dividends