The Kobe Steel Group places high
priority on returning profits to shareholders, and strives to boost
the corporate value of the Group as a whole through fostering growth
over the medium- to-long term.
We aim to make prompt disclosure of appropriate information to all
stakeholders, including our shareholders and investors, and to increase
management transparency by making a wide range of information publicly
available.
Returns to Shareholders
Believing that medium-
to long-term growth of corporate value leads to shareholders' profits,
Kobe Steel believes in continuous, stable payment of dividends. It
decides its dividend on the basis of each period's results, the dividend
payout ratio and so on, as well as takes into overall consideration
the need for investment funds for future growth and the status of
the balance sheet. In distributing profits in accordance with business
results, we regard 15% to 25% of consolidated net profit as the yardstick
for the dividend payout ratio.
Based on this policy, the dividend for FY2005 was 6 yen per share,
representing an increase of 3 yen over the previous period. (dividend
payout ratio 23%)
Business Reports (in Japanese)
Information Disclosure
To maintain the trust
and support of shareholders and investors over the long term we take very
seriously our responsibility to provide information, and are working hard
to make timely and appropriate disclosures of corporate information and
financial data.
Information disclosure is made in strict observance of statutory disclosure
standards and based on stock exchange rules for the timing of disclosures.
It is our aim to have the company's business conditions and activities widely
understood for an accurate appraisal of corporate value, through the active,
prompt and ongoing issuing of disclosable information relevant to investment
decisions, even in cases where the timing rules do not apply.
Annual Reports (in English and Japanese)
Shareholdings
Shareholdings by Type of Ownership
Total
number of shares issued: 3,115,061,100
Communication with Shareholders
and Investors
Communication with Shareholders
Shareholders' meetings are seen
as the forum for direct communication with shareholders. To encourage
as many as possible to attend, the date is carefully chosen so as
not to conflict with other major shareholders' meetings and notification
is sent out well in advance. Since the June 2003 Shareholders' Meeting,
it has been possible for shareholders to exercise their vote via the
Internet.
Communication with Institutional Investors
Briefings on financial
results are given four times a year for institutional investors and
securities analysts in Japan, to give them a better understanding
of management policies, operating results and financial position.
For those overseas, a range of investor-relations (IR) activities
includes regular visits to institutional investors by management teams.
The company's IR staff work to maintain ongoing communication with
institutional investors and securities analysts by responding to requests
for information and by paying individual visits.
Announcement of medium-term business plan
to analysts
Communication with Individual Investors
For individual investors,
publications such as Business Reports (in Japanese) sent out to shareholders,
and a wide range of other information such as annual reports, financial
statements, and this Sustainability Report is available on the company's
website (http://www.kobelco.co.jp).
To increase public understanding of the company's activities, we have,
for example, made videos of messages from members of senior management
accessible on the Kobe Steel website and also on the websites of online
securities companies, and other portal sites since FY2005.
The Kobe Steel Group will continue to strive for greater information
disclosure and quality improvements in communication. By promoting
IR activities we hope to maintain the trust of shareholders and investors
for many years to come.
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