Since the issue of Henkel’s preferred share in 1985, investors who reinvested the dividends received (before tax deduction) in the stock would, by end of 2024, have achieved an average return of 9.4 percent per year. Over the same period, the DAX provided an annual return of 7.5 percent.
Shares
Henkel preferred shares have been publicly listed since 1985, the ordinary shares since 1996. Both share classes are traded on all eight German stock exchanges.
The international importance of Henkel preferred shares derives not least from their inclusion in many leading indices that serve as important indicators for capital markets, and as benchmarks for fund managers. Particularly noteworthy in this respect are the STOXX® Europe 600, MSCI World and FTSE World Europe indices. Henkel’s inclusion in the Dow Jones Titans 30 Personal & Household Goods Index also makes it one of the most important corporations in the personal and household goods sector worldwide. As a DAX stock, Henkel is one of the 40 most significant exchange-listed companies in Germany.
In the USA, investors are able to acquire Henkel ordinary and preferred shares by the way of stock ownership certificates obtained through the Sponsored Level I ADR (American Depositary Receipt) program. On January 3, 2019 BNY Mellon, as Depositary, at the direction of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, announced a ratio change on the Depositary Receipt program from 1 ADR representing 1 share to the new ratio of 4 ADRs representing 1 share effective from January 15, 2019.
Abbreviation for “Kommanditgesellschaft auf Aktien.” A KGaA is a company with a legal identity (legal entity) in which at least one partner has unlimited liability with respect to the company’s creditors (personally liable partner, aka general partner), while the liability for such debts of the other partners participating in the share-based capital stock is limited to their share capital (limited shareholders).
Financial Glossary Schließen
Share Data
Preferred shares | Ordinary shares | |
|---|---|---|
| Security code | 604843 | 604840 |
| ISIN code | DE0006048432 | DE0006048408 |
| Stock exchange symbol | HEN3.ETR | HEN.ETR |
| Reuters | HNKGPR | HNKG |
| Bloomberg | HEN3 | HEN |
| SEDOL | 5076705 | 5002465 |
| Number of shares | 178,162,875 | 259,795,875 |
| Treasury shares | 15,297,643 | 3,290,703 |
| Number of shares in circulation | 162,865,232 | 256,505,172 |
Preferred shares were issued with a par value of 50 DM each for the initial public offering. Because of the change of par value from 50 DM to 5 DM on July 2,1996, the conversion into no-par value shares on May 3,1999, and a share split in the ratio of 1:3 on June 18, 2007, this currently corresponds to 30 shares.
Shareholder Structure
61.85 percent of our ordinary shares (as of March 19, 2025) are held by members of the Henkel family share-pooling agreement. In addition, Henkel holds 3,290,703 ordinary shares (as of March 31, 2025) as treasury stock; this corresponds to around 1.27 percent of the ordinary shares and around 0.75 percent of the total capital stock. In addition, BlackRock, Inc. last notified us on July 3, 2025 that its total share of voting rights – related to ordinary and preferred shares – was 3.1 percent as of July 1, 2025. Compared to the ordinary shares, our preferred shares are the significantly more liquid class of Henkel stock. Apart from the 15,297,643 treasury shares (as of March 31, 2025) – corresponding to around 8.59 percent of the preferred shares and around 3.50 percent of total capital stock – they are entirely in free float. A large majority is owned by institutional investors whose portfolios are usually broadly distributed internationally.
Information on the share buyback program Henkel completed on March 31, 2023 is available here.
American Depositary Receipts (ADRs)
| Preferred ADRs (preferred share ownership certificates) | Ordinary ADRs (ordinary share ownership certificates) | |
|---|---|---|
| ADR symbol | HENOY | HENKY |
| CUSIP | 42550U208 | 42550U109 |
| ISIN | US42550U2087 | US42550U1097 |
| Ratio | 1 share : 4 ADRs | 1 share : 4 ADRs |
