- Serono International SA ‘B’ Shares (Switzerland, SEDOL 5981070, GICS: Health Care, GICS Code: 35201010) will replace Aventis SA (France, SEDOL 4736817) in the S&P Europe 350 and S&P Plus indices after the close of trading on Thursday, August 19, 2004. Aventis S.A. is being removed from the S&P Europe 350, S&P Euro Plus and S&P Euro Indices following the company’s acquisition by fellow index constituent Sanofi-Synthelabo SA in a cash and share deal.
Serono International SA is a leading international biotechnology company that develops and manufactures pharmaceutical products. The number of shares outstanding is 11,735,180 and the Investable Weight Factor will be 0.545. The company, headquartered in Geneva, will be added to the S&P Europe 350 GICS (Global Industry Classification Standard) Biotechnology sub-industry.
- Sanofi-Synthelabo, (France, SEDOL 5671735, GICS: Health Care, GICS Code: 35202010), a member of the S&P Europe 350, S&P Euro Plus and S&P Euro Indices, shares will increase by 643,008,711 to 1,374,450,457 and the IWF will be altered to 0.7. Consequently the company is going to change its name to Sanofi-Aventis. The change is the result of the acquisition of Aventis S.A.
| S&P Europe 350 S&P Euro Plus, S&P Euro – close of trading Aug. 19, 2004 | |||
| COMPANY | GICS ECONOMIC SECTOR | GICS SUB-INDUSTRY | |
| ADDED | Serono International | Health Care | Biotechnology |
| DELETED | Aventis | Health Care | Pharmaceuticals |
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