WEST PALM BEACH, FL (HEDGECO.NET) – Dow Jones Indexes, a leading global index provider, today announced the launch of the Dow Jones Europe Country Select Dividend Indexes for France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden and the U.K. These indexes further complement the widely successful Dow Jones and Dow Jones STOXX Select Dividend index family.
The Dow Jones France Select Dividend 20, Dow Jones Germany Select Dividend 20, Dow Jones Italy Select Dividend 20 and Dow Jones U.K. Select Dividend 20 indexes track the 20 highest yielding stocks of the respective country. The Dow Jones Netherlands Select Dividend 15 and Dow Jones Sweden Select Dividend 15 indexes include the 15 highest yielding stocks of both countries.
“The European country select dividend index series now cover all major developed investment markets in Europe. The indexes follow the unique concept of our select dividend indexes, in which components are weighted according to dividend yield instead of market capitalization,” said Lars Hamich, managing director of STOXX Ltd., the joint venture which is responsible for Dow Jones Indexes’ business development in Europe and Asia. “The new Dow Jones Europe Country Select Dividend Indexes give investors further alternatives to diversify their portfolios with returns from leading dividend-paying companies domiciled in France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden and the U.K..”
To be eligible for inclusion in the Dow Jones Europe Country Select Dividend Indexes, a component must have a positive, historical, five-year dividend-per-share growth rate and a dividend-to-earnings-per-share ratio of less than or equal to 80% in the current year, or be a previous component.
Each company’s weight in the Dow Jones Europe Country Select Dividend Indexes is based on its indicated annual dividend yield. The indicated annual dividend yields for all components are totaled, and each component’s weight is equal to its dividend yield contribution. The weight of individual components in the Dow Jones Select Dividend Indexes for France, Germany, Italy and the U.K. is restricted to 15%, whereas the weight of the individual components in the Dow Jones Select Dividend Indexes for the Netherlands and Sweden is restricted to 20%. Such restrictions are implemented quarterly.
The Dow Jones Europe Country Select Dividend Indexes are reviewed on an annual basis in March. Price and total return indexes are calculated in U.S. dollars and in the respective local currency, namely the Euro, Swedish Krona and British Pound.
Daily historical data are available back to Dec. 31, 1998, with a base value set at 100. Components and weightings are available at www.djindexes.com.
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