February 7, 2019

DSM celebrates 30 years as listed company

 

Global science-based company Royal DSM recently celebrated that its 30 years as a organisation listed on the Amsterdam Stock Exchange (currently Euronext Amsterdam).

At the time, the comnpany's IPO was the biggest introduction in the history of the Amsterdam Stock Exchange.

On February 6, 1989, the Dutch state sold around one third of its stake in DSM, followed by another third in September 1989 with the remaining stake following 7 years later, bringing to finalisation the privatisation of the company.

DSM's ordinary shares were listed at EUR8.17 (US$9.29) (corrected for stock splits). Since the stock market listing, the DSM share (including dividend) has shown a tenfold increase, while the AEX increased more than four times. Including dividend, DSM's CAGR over the period was 13% per year compared to 8% for the AEX index; this means more than 50% better long-term annual returns.

Since DSM's listing, the company has undergone another successful transformation, selling almost all of its commodity and bulk chemicals activities and becoming a purpose-led, science-based company in nutrition, health and sustainable living.

DSM also became an intrinsically innovative company and a true global company with a diverse workforce. In 1989, around 15% of DSM's sales and 7% of its employees were outside Europe, compared to 65% and 60%, respectively, today.

In the past 30 years, DSM has also made great strides in sustainability, which has not only become a core value and key responsibility but also increasingly becoming an important business driver that is fully engrained in the company's strategy, business and operations.

DSM was also one of the first companies to introduce integrated reporting and to incorporate its Sustainable Development Goals in its strategy, contributing to these with its science-based solutions to create better lives for current and future generations, the company said.

- DSM