Business Context and Reporting Period
This Form 6-K filing by Royal Dutch Shell plc, dated August 11, 2016, reports a notification of a major interest in shares pursuant to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16. The filing discloses a change in the voting rights held by BlackRock, Inc. and its controlled undertakings.
Key Financial Metrics
The filing text does not provide financial performance data such as revenue, profit, cash flow, margins, debt, or liquidity. The document focuses exclusively on shareholding and voting rights.
Material Changes Versus Prior Period
The primary material change is a reduction in BlackRock, Inc.'s direct voting rights attached to Shell shares, causing the threshold to fall below 5%.
- Transaction Date: August 9, 2016.
- Previous Situation: BlackRock held 245,434,132 voting rights in Class GB00B03MLX29 and 244,837,260 voting rights in Class GB00B03MM408.
- Resulting Situation (Direct Shares): Voting rights decreased to 246,478,606 (3.05%) for Class GB00B03MLX29 and 109,739,107 (1.35%) for Class GB00B03MM408.
- Total Voting Rights: Including qualifying financial instruments and instruments with similar economic effects, the total voting rights held by BlackRock and its affiliates stand at 504,038,108, representing 6.24% of the total.
Guidance, Outlook, and Risks
The filing contains no management commentary, financial guidance, outlook, or discussion of operational risks. It is a regulatory disclosure regarding the composition of a major shareholder's position, including direct shares, securities lending, American Depository Receipts, and Contracts for Difference (CFDs).
Important Facts for Investor Verification
- BlackRock, Inc.'s direct shareholding in Royal Dutch Shell plc has dropped below the 5% notifiable threshold for direct voting rights.
- Despite the drop in direct holdings, BlackRock's total economic interest (including financial instruments) remains at 6.24%.
- The transaction occurred on August 9, 2016, and the issuer was notified on August 10, 2016.
- The filing details a complex chain of controlled undertakings through which BlackRock holds these rights.