Novartis shareholders vote yes on all proposals: 29th dividend raise and capital reduction approved

Basel, March 6, 2026 – Novartis shareholders convened for the company's Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Basel, where they formally approved all resolutions put forth by the Board of Directors. The meeting recorded the presence of 1,554 shareholders, collectively representing approximately 59.15% of Novartis's total issued shares.

Among the key decisions, shareholders endorsed a 5.7% increase in the dividend, raising it to CHF 3.70 per share. This marks the 29th consecutive year of dividend growth for the company, resulting in a dividend yield of 3.0%. The payment of the 2025 dividend is scheduled to commence on March 12, 2026.

Regarding Board appointments, Giovanni Caforio was re-elected as both a member of the Board of Directors and the Board Chair. Charles Swanton was newly elected to the Board, while Daniel Hochstrasser did not seek re-election. All other incumbent Board members were also re-elected. These elections and re-elections grant terms lasting until the conclusion of the subsequent AGM.

Shareholders also re-elected all current members of the Compensation Committee and elected Elizabeth McNally as a new member, with terms extending until the next AGM. Following his re-election, Simon Moroney will continue to serve as the committee's Chair, a designation affirmed by the Board of Directors.

A proposal for share capital reduction was also approved. This involves the cancellation of 77,602,358 shares, leading to a corresponding reduction in share capital by CHF 38,025,155.42. This adjustment will lower the total share capital from CHF 1,035,086,714.83 to CHF 997,061,559.41.

In separate binding votes, shareholders approved the maximum aggregate compensation amounts for the Board of Directors, covering the period from the 2026 AGM to the 2027 AGM, and for the Executive Committee for the 2027 financial year. Additionally, the 2025 Compensation Report received advisory approval from shareholders. For a comprehensive listing of all resolutions from the 2026 AGM, further details are available on the company's website at novartis.com/agm.

This announcement contains forward-looking statements as defined by the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements, often identified by terms like "will," "future," or "proposed," reflect management's current beliefs and expectations regarding future events, including Novartis's commercial performance, future capital adjustments, and the outcomes of leadership elections and compensation votes. Readers are advised not to place undue reliance on these projections, as they are subject to significant known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Should any of these risks materialize or underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may differ substantially from the forward-looking statements. There is no guarantee regarding the ultimate outcome of the matters discussed or their potential impact on Novartis. Specifically, expectations could be influenced by factors such as global healthcare cost containment, the success of key products, strategic priorities, research and development progress, intellectual property protection, the realization of benefits from external business opportunities, technological advancements including artificial intelligence, potential cybersecurity breaches, and major macroeconomic and geopolitical developments, including tariffs or international conflicts. Additional risks are elaborated in Novartis AG's most recent Form 20-F filing and subsequent reports submitted to the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Novartis is providing this information as of the current date and does not commit to updating any forward-looking statements based on new information or future events.

Novartis positions itself as an innovative medicines company dedicated to reimagining medicine to improve and extend human lives. The company's mission is to empower patients, healthcare professionals, and societies in confronting serious diseases, with its pharmaceutical products reaching over 300 million people globally. Further information can be found at novartis.com.

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