Securities and Shareholder and Investor Relations

Securities

Shares

PJSC Rostelecom’s charter capital is RUB 6.96 million divided into 2,574,914,954 ordinary and 209,565,147 preference shares. A total of 45.04% is owned by the Russian Federation represented by the Federal Agency for State Property Management (Rosimushchestvo), with 38,98% of the charter capital in free float. As at 31 December 2018, the total number of Rostelecom shareholders was 153.3 thousand: 700 legal entities and 152.6 thousand individuals.Excluding disclosure of shareholders whose shares are held by nominee shareholders.

PJSC Rostelecom ordinary and preference shares (tickers RTKM and RTKMP) are admitted to the Level One quotation list of the Moscow Exchange and to the non-quotation section of Saint Petersburg Exchange’s list. PJSC Rostelecom shares are also included in the FTSE Emerging Markets and MVIS indices.

Share capital structure
Key performance highlights of PJSC Rostelecom shares on the Moscow ExchangeSource: Bloomberg
Item Ordinary shares, RUB Preference shares, RUB
Price as at 29 December 2017 63.9 55.95
Annual low (2018) 63.6 55.8
Annual high (2018) 74.9 66
Price as at 28 December 2018 72.33 60.45

Ordinary and preference share trading volume totalled RUB 55,476 million and RUB 4,472 millionSource: Bloomberg., respectively, in 2018. The bulk of trade in PJSC Rostelecom shares was on the Moscow Exchange.

Analyst recommendations for ordinary shares of PJSC Rostelecom, %
PJSC Rostelecom ordinary and preference share price and MOEX Russia Index performance
Source: Bloomberg

Depositary receipts

PJSC Rostelecom launched an American Depositary Receipt (ADR) programme for its ordinary shares in February 1998.For more details on the depositary and custodian see Appendix 11 Additional Information on PJSC Rostelecom to this Annual Report. One ADR stands for six ordinary shares. Currently, the ADRs are traded on the OTCQX trading platform, as well as on London, Frankfurt, and other foreign stock exchanges under unlisted trading privileges. As at 31 December 2018, 19.7 million ADRs were issued, or 4.6% of its total outstanding shares.

Bonds

In 2018, Rostelecom issued 10-year exchange-traded bonds for a total of RUB 10 billion, with a six-year put option, at 7.15% p.a. The proceeds were used to refinance the Company’s existing debt and did not change its overall leverage.

As at 31 December 2018, the total value of the Company’s outstanding bonds amounted to RUB 45.9 billion, or 22.47% of its debt portfolio.

Outstanding bonds as at 31 December 2018
Series Placement date Issue size, RUB Number of outstanding bonds Maturity date
Bonds
БО-01 29 May 2015 5,000,000,000 862,810 16 May 2025
001P-01R 22 September 2016 15,000,000,000 15,000,000 10 September 2026
001P-02R 26 April 2017 10,000,000,000 10,000,000 14.04.2027
001P-03R 21 November 2017 10,000,000,000 10,000,000 9 November 2027
001P-04R 16 March 2018 10,000,000,000 10,000,000 3 March 2028
Dividends

In March 2018, the Board of Directors approved the Company’s Dividend PolicyApproved by PJSC Rostelecom’s Board of Directors on 14 March 2018; Minutes No. 17 dated 14 March 2018. The full text of the document is available at https://www.company.rt.ru/en/ir/dividends/Rostelecom_Dividend_Policy_for_2018-2020.pdf. which governs dividend payments for 2018–2020.

The Dividend Policy stipulates that the Company will seek to:

  • allocate to dividend payouts on ordinary and preference shares for 2019–2020 at least 75% of its free cash flow in each reporting year
  • ensure that the annual dividend per ordinary share is at least RUB 5
  • ensure that the amount of dividend payouts on ordinary and preference shares does not exceed 100% of the IFRS net profit for the reporting year, but in no case be less than the amount recommended by Rosimushchestvo and the Government of the Russian Federation for partly state-owned companies if such requirement is applicable to the Company.

In 2018, the Company paid dividends in line with Regulations on the Dividend Policy of PJSC RostelecomApproved by PJSC Rostelecom’s Board of Directors on 4 December 2015; Minutes No. 13 dated 4 December 2015. The full text of the document is available at https://www.company.rt.ru/ir/corporate_governance/docs/Dividend_Policy_2015_ENG_NEW_Final.pdf. which govern dividend payments for 2015–2017. The Company aimed to allocate to dividend payouts on ordinary and preference shares for 2015–2017 at least 75% of its free cash flowFree cash flow (FCF) means the net cash from operating activities, (1) net of cash paid for purchased property, plant, and equipment and intangible assets, (2) plus proceeds from disposals of property, plant, and equipment and intangible assets. FCF is calculated on the basis of the consolidated statement of cash flows of the Company’s consolidated financial statements prepared under the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). in each reporting year, but no less than RUB 45 billion in total for the three years.

According to the Charter, the annual per share dividend on Class A preference shares is equal to 10% of the Company’s RAS net profit divided by 25% of the total number of outstanding shares (both ordinary and preference shares), but no less than the dividend on ordinary shares.

By resolution of the Annual General Shareholders’ Meeting, the total amount of dividends on Rostelecom shares for FY2017 was RUB 14.05 billion; dividends on ordinary shares and Class A preference shares amounted to RUB 5.05The unrounded per share dividend was RUB 5.045825249373. per share. The dividends were paid out of the net profit for FY2017 (RUB 8.89 billion) and retained earnings of past years (RUB 5.16 billion).

By resolution of the Extraordinary General Shareholders’ Meeting dated 24 December 2018, the Company’s interim dividends for 9M 2018 was RUB 6.96 billion. Dividends on ordinary share and Class A preference shares amounted to RUB 2.5 per share.

Dividend history
Dividends for Type of shares Total accrued, RUB thousand Total paid during 2018, RUB thousand Total paid prior to 2018, RUB thousand Total paid as at 31 December 2018, %

9M 2018Dividends for 9M 2018 were paid out in January and February 2019.

Ordinary shares 6,437,287
Preference shares 523,913

FY2017

Ordinary shares 12,992,571 12,899,850 99.29
Preference shares 1,057,429 1,044,443 98.77

FY2016

Ordinary shares 13,871,072 8,925 13,762,659 99.28
Preference shares 1,128,928 1,683 1,112,546 98.70

FY2015

Ordinary shares 15,231,824 6,634 15,124,567 99.34
Preference shares 1,239,676 789 1,224,299 98.82

FY2014

Ordinary shares 8,602,904 837 8,546,455 99.35
Preference shares 848,730 176 839,083 98.88
Dividend per share, RUB

Total FY2017 dividends on Class A preference shares amounted to 11.90% of the RAS net profit and 7.22% of the IFRS net profit for 2017. Dividends on ordinary shares amounted to 146.16% of the RAS net profit and 92.47% of the IFRS net profit for 2017.

RUB 6,328,421,000 out of net profit generated in 2017 was paid to the federal budget. The Company has no outstanding dividends payable to the federal budget.

Credit ratings

According to international rating agencies, Rostelecom’s credit rating was in line with Russia’s sovereign credit rating at the time the ratings were assigned. Rostelecom’s ratings did not change during 2018, and the outlook remained stable.

PJSC Rostelecom’s credit ratings as at 31 December 2018
Fitch Ratings ВBВ– Outlook Stable Affirmed on 28 November 2018
Standard & Poor’s ВВ+ Outlook Stable Affirmed on 3 July 2018
Analytical Credit Rating Agency (ACRA) AA(RU) Outlook Stable Affirmed on 22 June 2018
Shareholder and investor relations
Key shareholder and investor relations tools

Rostelecom is committed to building strong relations with the investment community, promptly providing information on its operations to stakeholders, and quickly responding to requests from investors and other target audiences. The Company maintains an ongoing dialogue with investment bank analysts and holds regular meetings with existing shareholders and potential investors.

In its interactions with investors, the Company primarily aims to:

  • promote Rostelecom’s investment case
  • manage expectations
  • participate in analysing strategic decisions on the Company’s growth, including their impact on market capitalisation
  • expand and diversify Rostelecom’s investor base, focusing on long-term investment funds
  • reduce borrowing costs.

In March 2018, the Company held an Investor Day in Moscow to present its updated Strategy 2022.

During the year, Rostelecom took part in six investment conferences and held two non-deal roadshows.

Also, the Company’s senior management and IR team participated in approximately 80 one-on-one meetings and conference calls with about 130 investors.

IR calendar
Date Events Format
7 February 2018 Russian Day in Stockholm One-on-one and small group meetings
6 March 2018 Announcement of Q4 2017 and FY2017 IFRS results Publication of a press release, presentation, statements, and other materials for the reporting period. Holding of a press conference and a management conference call with investors
21 March 2018 Investor Day in Moscow In-person meeting with investors
9–10 April 2018 Raiffeisen Institutional Investors Conference, Zürs, Austria One-on-one and small group meetings
10–11 April 2018 Renaissance Capital’s 22nd Annual Russia Investor Conference (one-on-one), Moscow, Russia One-on-one and small group meetings with management
15 May 2018 Announcement of Q1 2018 IFRS results Publication of a press release, presentation, financial statements, and other materials for the reporting period. Holding of a press conference and a management conference call with investors
23 May 2018 Sberbank CIB’s Russia: The Inside Track, a one-on-one conference One-on-one and small group meetings with management
31 May 2018 NDR, London One-on-one meetings
18 June 2018 AGM Management presentation to shareholders
8 July 2018 FY 2017 dividend record date
2 August 2018 Announcement of Q2 2018 IFRS results Publication of a press release, presentation, financial statements, and other materials for the reporting period. Holding of a press conference and a management conference call with investors
1 November 2018 Announcement of Q3 2018 IFRS results Publication of a press release, presentation, financial statements, and other materials for the reporting period. Holding of a press conference and a management conference call with investors
13–14 November 2018 NDR, London and Stockholm One-on-one meetings with management
28–30 November 2018 VTB Capital’s RUSSIA CALLING! Investment Forum One-on-one and small group meetings with management
4 December 2018 WOOD’s Winter Emerging Europe Conference, Prague, Czech Republic One-on-one and small group meetings with management
24 December 2018 EGM Management presentation to shareholders
13 January 2019 9M 2018 dividend record date
The Company is engaged in an active dialogue with analysts from banks and rating agencies. The full list of analysts is available on the Company’s website.