Financial Report – Financial statements of
Zehnder Group AG

Notes to the financial statements of Zehnder Group AG

PwC Schweiz PwC Switzerland

General comments

As Zehnder Group AG has a pure holding company function, the point must be made that the income development of this company in no way reflects the present or future profitability of the Zehnder Group. Hence the development of the Group as set out in the consolidated financial statements – and not the individual financial statements of Zehnder Group AG – is decisive for the Board of Directors for their dividend proposal. The aim of the dividend policy laid down by the Board of Directors is to pay out some 30–50% of the consolidated net profit of the Zehnder Group to its shareholders.

1. Other short-term receivables

1. Other short-term receivables 

CHF million

31.12.2022

31.12.2021

Accounts receivable from third parties

0.2

0.4

Accounts receivable from Group companies

4.5

2.1

Total

4.8

2.5

2. Financial assets

2. Financial assets 

CHF million

31.12.2022

31.12.2021

Loans to Group companies

59.4

102.6

Total

59.4

102.6

3. Participations

3. Participations

The directly or indirectly held majority interests which are material are included in the Overview of companies table set out in the consolidated financial statements in this Financial Report.

4. Short-term interest-bearing liabilities

4. Short-term interest-bearing liabilities 

CHF million

31.12.2022

31.12.2021

Loans from Group companies

1.9

18.9

Total

1.9

18.9

5. Other short-term liabilities

5. Other short-term liabilities 

CHF million

31.12.2022

31.12.2021

Other short-term liabilities to third parties

0.5

0.1

Total

0.5

0.1

6. Share capital

6. Share capital 

 

Registered shares A units 2022

Registered shares B units 2022

Nominal value CHF 2022

Registered shares A units 2021

Registered shares B units 2021

Nominal value CHF 2021

Total registered shares A as of 1.1.

9,756,000

 

487,800

9,756,000

 

487,800

Total registered shares B as of 1.1.

 

9,900,000

99,000

 

9,900,000

99,000

Total at 31.12.

9,756,000

9,900,000

586,800

9,756,000

9,900,000

586,800

As in the previous year, total share capital amounted to CHF 0.6 million, corresponding to EUR 0.4 million at the exchange rate of 1 January 2003. It is made up of 9,756,000 registered shares A with a par value of CHF 0.05 each and 9,900,000 registered shares B with a par value of CHF 0.01 each.

The unlisted registered shares B (CHF 0.01 nominal value) are all directly or indirectly held by members of the Zehnder family or by persons closely associated with the family. The great majority of the registered shares B are owned by Graneco AG (CH). On the balance sheet date, Graneco AG and its shareholders held 51.8% of the company’s registered shares and voting rights.

7. Own shares

7. Own shares 

The development of this item can be seen in the table below.

 

Registered shares A units 2022

Value per share CHF 2022

Value CHF 2022

Registered shares A units 2021

Value per share CHF 2021

Value CHF 2021

Own shares at 1.1., trading portfolio

126,276

64.50

8,145,093

104,429

42.45

4,433,210

Shares sold

–41,960

66.00

–2,769,333

–57,453

67.10

–3,855,096

Gain/(loss) from sale

 

 

926,122

 

 

1,488,309

Shares bought

317,632

70.36

22,349,351

79,300

76.65

6,078,670

Own shares at 31.12., trading portfolio

401,948

71.28

28,651,233

126,276

64.50

8,145,093

The own shares allocated to members of the Board of Directors are shown in item 5.1 Compensation to the Board of Directors in the business year 2022 in the Compensation Report.

8. Number of full-time positions

8. Number of full-time positions

The holding company has no employees.

9. Contingent liabilities

9. Contingent liabilities

The company has guarantee obligations and pledged assets in favour of subsidiaries in the amount of CHF 58.0 million (previous year: CHF 60.0 million).

In connection with the acquisition of the 51% stake in Zhongshan Fortuneway Environmental Technology Co., Ltd. there is a contingent liability due to the granting of a put option on a further 25% stake in Zhongshan Fortuneway Environmental Technology Co., Ltd.

The company belongs to a VAT group which comprises all the Swiss companies in the Zehnder Group and is thus jointly and severally liable vis-à-vis the Swiss Federal Tax Administration for any VAT debts of this VAT group.

10. Disclosure of ownership structure

10. Disclosure of ownership structure 

According to the information available to the Board of Directors, the following shareholders held more than 3% of the share capital of Zehnder Group AG as at the balance sheet date:

  • Graneco AG, Gränichen (CH): 9,480 registered shares A and 9,811,200 registered shares B, corresponding to 50.0% of the votes (previous year: 49.8%); together with the other registered shares of the company held by the shareholders of Graneco AG, this group holds 51.8% of the voting rights.

For notification of disclosure of significant shareholdings, please refer to the website of SIX Swiss Exchange: www.ser-ag.com/en/resources/notifications-market-participants/significant-shareholders.html?companyId=ZEHNDER.

As at the balance sheet date, the members of the Board of Directors and of the Group Executive Committee, including persons closely associated with them, owned the following shares and options:

Board of Directors and Group Executive Committee

Registered shares A units 1 2022

Registered shares A units 1 2021

Registered shares B units 2 2022

Registered shares B units 2 2021

Dr Hans-Peter Zehnder 4

220,883

215,692

26,666

26,666

Chairman of the Board

1.1% 3

1.1% 3

0.1% 3

0.1% 3

Jörg Walther

11,132

10,134

Vice Chairman of the Board

0.1% 3

0.1% 3

 

 

Dr Urs Buchmann

21,175

20,621

Member of the Board

0.1% 3

0.1% 3

 

 

Riet Cadonau

12,141

11,587

Member of the Board

0.1% 3

0.1% 3

 

 

Sandra Emme

Member of the Board since 7 April 2022

 

 

 

 

Milva Inderbitzin-Zehnder 5

8,437

7,445

Member of the Board

 

 

 

 

Ivo Wechsler

3,578

3,024

Member of the Board

 

 

 

 

Matthias Huenerwadel

27,868

15,099

Chairman of the Group Executive Committee, CEO

0.1% 3

0.1% 3

 

 

René Grieder

28,670

20,664

CFO

0.1% 3

0.1% 3

 

 

Johannes Bollmann

5,271

4,621

COO Ventilation EMEA

 

 

 

 

Jörg Metzger

2,958

1,638

COO Radiators EMEA

 

 

 

 

Cyril Peysson

50,318

48,680

CCO EMEA

0.3% 3

0.2% 3

 

 

1 Provided they were acquired under the employee share ownership programme, some of these shares may be subject to a restriction period (see Compensation Report).

2 Registered shares B are not listed.

3 Share of total votes in % (only if ≥0.1%)

4 Excluding Graneco AG, in which Dr Hans-Peter Zehnder holds a 57.8% stake.

5 Excluding Graneco AG, in which Milva Inderbitzin-Zehnder indirectly holds 0.6%.

11. Events after the balance sheet date

11. Events after the balance sheet date

There were no extraordinary pending transactions, risks or events after the balance sheet date which would require disclosure in the financial statements.

To the top