Result of AGM

RNS Number : 9995Y
WH Smith PLC
19 January 2022
 

19 January 2022

 

 

WH SMITH PLC

Result of Annual General Meeting

All resolutions approved

 

WH Smith PLC held its Annual General Meeting for shareholders at 11.30am today, 19 January 2022.  The following table shows the results of the poll on all 18 resolutions:

 

Resolution

Votes

For

%

Votes Against

%

Votes Total

% of ISC Voted

Votes Withheld

1

To receive the reports and accounts

109 , 734 , 659

99 . 99 %

6 , 611

0 . 01 %

109 , 741 , 270

83 . 83 %

2,998,707

2

To approve the remuneration report

52 , 332 , 420

54 . 40 %

43 , 861 , 419

45 . 60 %

96 , 193 , 839

73 . 48 %

16,546,138

3

To approve the remuneration policy

99 , 470 , 149

88 . 36 %

13 , 100 , 796

11 . 64 %

112 , 570 , 945

85 . 99 %

169,032

4

To elect Kal Atwal

 

112 , 125 , 417

99 . 59 %

466 , 586

0 . 41 %

112 , 592 , 003

86 . 01 %

147,974

5

To re-elect Carl Cowling

 

106 , 486 , 091

94 . 58 %

6 , 106 , 398

5 . 42 %

112 , 592 , 489

86 . 01 %

147,488

6

To re-elect Nicky Dulieu

 

111 , 106 , 840

98 . 68 %

1 , 487 , 201

1 . 32 %

112 , 594 , 041

86 . 01 %

145,936

7

To re-elect Simon Emeny

112 , 051 , 313

99 . 52 %

542 , 992

0 . 48 %

112 , 594 , 305

86 . 01 %

145,672

8

To re-elect Robert Moorhead

109 , 698 , 595

97 . 63 %

2 , 657 , 925

2 . 37 %

112 , 356 , 520

85 . 83 %

383,457

9

To re-elect Henry Staunton

103 , 686 , 736

92 . 09 %

8 , 906 , 927

7 . 91 %

112 , 593 , 663

86 . 01 %

146,314

10

To re-elect Maurice Thompson

44 , 070 , 497

78 . 20 %

12 , 286 , 760

21 . 80 %

56 , 357 , 257

43 . 05 %

56,382,720

11

To re-appoint PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as auditors

112 , 052 , 885

99 . 52 %

541 , 821

0 . 48 %

112 , 594 , 706

86 . 01 %

145,271

12

To authorise the Audit Committee of the Board to determine the auditors' remuneration

112 , 260 , 672

99 . 70 %

336 , 346

0 . 30 %

112 , 597 , 018

86 . 01 %

142,959

13

Authority to make political donations

109 , 367 , 256

97 . 66 %

2 , 622 , 201

2 . 34 %

111 , 989 , 457

85 . 55 %

750,328

14

Authority to allot shares

108 , 183 , 782

96 . 10 %

4 , 394 , 052

3 . 90 %

112 , 577 , 834

86 . 00 %

162,143

15

Authority to disapply pre-emption rights

109 , 380 , 042

99 . 66 %

371 , 224

0 . 34 %

109 , 751 , 266

83 . 84 %

2,988,711

16

Authority to disapply pre-emption rights up to a further 5 per cent for acquisitions or specified capital investments

100 , 256 , 399

91 . 34 %

9 , 502 , 932

8 . 66 %

109 , 759 , 331

83 . 84 %

2,980,646

17

Authority to make market purchases of ordinary shares

111 , 422 , 764

99 . 60 %

443 , 067

0 . 40 %

111 , 865 , 831

85 . 45 %

874,146

18

Authority to call general meetings on 14 clear days' notice

110 , 629 , 109

98 . 25 %

1 , 969 , 016

1 . 75 %

112 , 598 , 125

86 . 01 %

141,852

 

Notes

1.  Votes "for" and "against" are expressed as a percentage of votes received.

 

2.  A "vote withheld" is not a vote in law and is not counted in the calculation of the proportion of the votes "for" and "against" a resolution.

 

3.  At the date of the AGM the issued share capital of the Company is 130,909,807 ordinary shares.

 

 

 

Resolution 2 - Advisory Vote on Directors' remuneration report

 

The Board notes the results of the advisory vote on the Directors' Remuneration Report, which has been supported by the majority of the Company's shareholders.  The Remuneration Committee has already conducted an extensive consultation with the Company's largest shareholders regarding the Remuneration Report and the Company's new Remuneration Policy.  The new Chair of the Remuneration Committee, Marion Sears, looks forward to continuing the Company's constructive discussions with shareholders, following her appointment, over the coming months.

 

The Board will report on any actions resulting from those discussions in due course.

 

Resolution 10 - re-election of Maurice Thompson as a director of the Company

 

The Board notes that Maurice Thompson's re-election to the Board was supported by the majority of the Company's shareholders.  The Board has already engaged with a number of the Company's largest shareholders with regard to Maurice Thompson's position as a director of the Company.  The Board will continue its ongoing dialogue with shareholders and consult as appropriate to fully understand any additional concerns in relation to this resolution.

 

Board changes

 

As previously announced, Annemarie Durbin did not stand for re-election at the AGM.  As announced on 28 October 2021, Marion Sears will join the Board as a non-executive director and Chair of the Remuneration Committee with effect from 1 February 2022.

 

In accordance with paragraph 9.6.2 of the Listing Rules, a copy of the resolutions passed as special business at the AGM have been submitted to the National Storage Mechanism at https://data.fca.org.uk/#/nsm/nationalstoragemechanism .

 

I Houghton

 

 

 

 

Company Secretary

 

 

-Ends-

 

Enquiries:

 

WH Smith PLC

Mark Boyle   Investor Relations  07879 897687

Nicola Hillman  Media Relations  01793 563354

 

Brunswick 

Tim Danaher         020 7404 5959

 

 

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