B Shares

B Shares

B Shares

On 30 April 2004, we announced the completion of the sale of Shaw's, our US supermarket business to Albertson's, Inc. In relation to this sale around £680 million was returned to shareholders in the form of a tax-efficient 'B Share scheme'.

For every Sainsbury's share shareholders held at the close of business on 16 July 2004, they received one B Share, with each B Share entitling the shareholder to receive 35 pence in cash. On this date, the ordinary share capital was consolidated on the basis of seven new ordinary shares of 28 4/7 pence for every eight ordinary shares of 25 pence. The consolidation was linked to the return of capital.

Full details of the B Share scheme and the consolidation can be found in the following documents:

Period of dividend Record date Payment date Rate of dividend
on each B Share
19 July 2004 to 17 January 2005 31 December 2004 18 January 2005 0.656732 pence
18 January 2005 to 17 July 2005 30 June 2005 18 July 2005 0.636945 pence
18 July 2005 to 17 January 2006 31 December 2005 18 January 2006 0.603000 pence
18 January 2006 to 17 July 2006 30 June 2006 18 July 2006 0.596104 pence
18 July 2006 to 17 January 2007 31 December 2006 18 January 2007 0.636916 pence
18 January 2007 to 17 July 2007 30 June 2007 18 July 2007 0.746044 pence

J Sainsbury plc redeemed all outstanding B Shares on 18 July 2007.

If you have any additional queries regarding B Shares, please contact our registrars, Equiniti on 0333 207 6557 from the UK or +44(0) 121 415 0959 from overseas.