A joint stock company (AS) is a public company whose shares may be the object of public circulation. The company is a legal entity.

• The minimum amount of share capital is EUR 25,000.
• The share capital and the nominal value of shares must be divisible by the smallest nominal value of the company’s shares without any remainder. The nominal value of a share may not be less than one cent.

A share may be a registered share, which is recorded in the shareholders’ register, or a dematerialised share, which is booked in the central securities depository. A company may have only one type of shares: either registered shares or dematerialised shares. The shareholders’ meeting may decide to convert dematerialised shares into registered shares and vice versa. When adopting a decision on the conversion of shares, the corresponding amendments to the articles of association must be made.