LONDON, Nov. 30, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Dow Jones Indexes announced that it has licensed the new Dow Jones Switzerland Select Dividend 15 Index to UBS to serve as the basis for a structured product, Open End PERLES, which was listed today on the SIX Swiss Exchange.
The Dow Jones Switzerland Select Dividend 15 Index, which launched today, is designed to measure the stock performance of high dividend-paying companies in Switzerland, and to be used as the basis for financial products in Switzerland and other European markets.
Dow Jones Indexes has been a leader in dividend indexing since its 2003 launch of the Dow Jones U.S. Select Dividend Index. Earlier in 2011, Dow Jones Indexes unveiled Europe and Eurozone dividend indexes, as well as distributing versions of its dividend indexes for Europe, Eurozone, Germany and France.
"Under the current market conditions, we've noticed an increasing interest for dividend-based indexes," said Michael A. Petronella, President, Dow Jones Indexes. "Our new gauge goes beyond merely basing stock selection on dividend yield. We've integrated other critical indicators of dividend quality and company health into this index's methodology."
The Dow Jones Switzerland Select Dividend 15 Index is the latest launch in a significant expansion of Dow Jones Indexes' suite of European offerings, underscoring the global index provider's revitalised commitment to the region. For Europe in 2011, Dow Jones Indexes has unveiled a European version of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, The Europe Dow; six dividend-focused and two real estate indexes; two volatility-control index series; and two blue-chip indexes.
The index universe for the new index is defined as all components of the Dow Jones Switzerland Index that pass the eligibility screens for dividend history, quality and liquidity. One of the criteria for the stock selection is a three-month average daily trading volume of more than USD 3 million. The top 15 stocks are then selected based on dividend yield, three-year dividend growth, three-year earnings-per-share growth and return on equity.
The index composition is reviewed annually in December. Component weightings are assigned based on dividend yield. The weights of individual securities are capped at 15% within the index.
As of September 30, 2011, the components of the index are: Zurich Financial Services AG, Roche Holding AG Part Cert., Swisscom AG, Banque Cantonale Vaudoise, Kaba Holding AG, Baloise Holding AG, Credit Suisse Group, Novartis AG, Nestle S.A., Partners Group Holding AG, Geberit AG, Syngenta AG, Sika AG, Schindler Holding AG Part.Cert., Galenica AG.
Calculation of the Dow Jones Switzerland Select Dividend 15 Index began on October 27, 2011. Real index history is available daily from this date forward. Back-tested historical data have been calculated daily back to December 31, 2006, the date at which the index value is set at 1000. Price return and total return versions of the index are available.
About Dow Jones Indexes
Dow Jones Indexes (www.djindexes.com) is a leading full-service index provider that develops, maintains and licenses indexes for use as benchmarks and as the basis of investment products. Best-known for the Dow Jones Industrial Average, Dow Jones Indexes offers more than 130,000 equity indexes as well as fixed-income and alternative indexes, including measures of hedge funds, commodities and real estate. Dow Jones Indexes employs clear, unbiased and systematic methodologies that are fully integrated within index families. Dow Jones Indexes is part of a joint venture company owned 90 percent by CME Group Inc. (www.cmegroup.com) and 10 percent by Dow Jones & Company, Inc. (www.dowjones.com), a News Corporation company (Nasdaq:NWS)(Nasdaq:NWSA) (ASX:NWS) (ASX:NWSLV) (www.newscorp.com).
The Dow Jones Switzerland Select Dividend 15 Index was first calculated on October 27, 2011. All estimated daily historical closing prices prior to that date are based on back-testing (i.e., calculations of how the index might have performed in the past if it had existed). Back-tested performance information is purely hypothetical and is solely for informational purposes. Back-tested performance does not represent actual performance, and past performance is not indicative of future results.
"Dow Jones®", "Dow Jones Indexes", "Dow Jones Switzerland Select Dividend 15 Index" and all other index names listed above are service marks of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC ("Dow Jones"), and have been licensed for use by CME Group Index Services LLC ("CME Indexes"). Investment products based on these indexes are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by Dow Jones, CME Indexes or their respective affiliates and none of Dow Jones, CME Indexes and their respective affiliates make any representation regarding the advisability of investing in such products. Inclusion of a company in any of these indexes does not in any way reflect an opinion of Dow Jones, CME Indexes or any of their respective affiliates on the investment merits of such company. None of Dow Jones, CME Indexes or any of their respective affiliates is providing investment advice in connection with these indexes.
The Dow Jones Indexes logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=1289