• voestalpine, STRABAG and CA Immo triumph in the three categories of the Vienna Stock Exchange award 2017
• Finance Minister Schelling argues in favour of a strong capital market
• More than 300 high profile guests attend award ceremony at the Palais Niederösterreich 

Guests were invited to the 10th conferment of the Vienna Stock Exchange award by the Vienna Stock Exchange and its partners. A panel of experts from the Austrian Association for Financial Analysis and Asset Management (ÖVFA) assessed the performance of the listed companies in three categories before announcing the winners. First prize in the Corporate Bond category went to CA Immobilien Anlagen AG. More than 300 high profile guests attended the Palais Niederösterreich to witness the conferment of Austria’s most important award for listed companies.

The prize-winners in the ATX, Small & Mid Cap and Corporate Bond categories were chosen by a panel of experts from ÖVFA that was representative of the key market players. Fritz Mostböck, President of ÖVFA and Head of Group Research at Erste Group Bank AG, explained the criteria by which companies are assessed: “For the Corporate Bond award, the key considerations are the annual report, the policy of information and communications to analysts and the acquisition of a rating.” So how about the ATX, Small & Mid Cap award criteria? “Financial reporting, investor relations, strategy, corporate governance, long-term orientation and market-related factors such as price performance and liquidity were the main evaluation benchmarks,” explained Mostböck.

 “For a whole decade, the Vienna Stock Exchange has been rolling out the red carpet for its companies at the annual prizegiving ceremony, which honours outstanding performance and exemplary commitment," said stock exchange head Christoph Boschan. “Good communications and transparency also attract international attention, both to the performance of our companies and to our fully functioning capital market. These companies, figureheads of Austria abroad, are held in high esteem by investors around the globe,” he continued. “More than 80 percent of share turnover on the Vienna Stock Exchange is generated abroad. The Vienna Stock Exchange is capable of holding its own against international competition. It is the undisputed market leader for trading Austrian shares and the number one listing destination for Austrian companies.”

In his speech, Finance Minister Hans Jörg Schelling emphasised the role of listed companies. “Companies listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange are a driving force for the labour market, innovation and ultimately the country’s prosperity. We want to make it easier for employees to own shares in stock corporations so that they derive a direct benefit from the success of their organisation. In this way, staff members become co-owners and critical shareholders in a business,” Schelling believes.

About the Vienna Stock Exchange award
The Vienna Stock Exchange award is a joint initiative of the following players on the Austrian capital market: Aktienforum, APA-Finance, Cercle Investor Relations Austria (C.I.R.A.), Austrian National Bank (OeNB), Austrian Association for Financial Analysis and Asset Management (ÖVFA), Association of Austrian Investment Companies (VÖIG), Vienna Stock Exchange, Austrian Federal Economic Chamber (WKÖ) and Zertifikate Forum Austria.

Full list of prize-winners for 2017

ATX award 

1.: voestalpine AG

2.: Lenzing AG

3.: Schoeller-Bleckmann Oilfield Equipment AG  

Small & Mid Cap award 

1.: STRABAG SE

2.: Porr AG 

3.: Palfinger AG 

Corporate Bond award 

1.: CA Immobilien Anlagen AG 

2.: Buwog AG 

3.: Novomatic AG

Journalist´s award

1.: voestalpine AG 

2.: OMV AG  

3.: Erste Group Bank AG