KARACHI, Jan 9: Awards were distributed by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Monday to Top-25 companies for the years 2004 and 2005.

The Karachi Stock Exchange notified its criteria for selection of top companies as follows:

(1) Prerequisites for selection of top companies: (a) a minimum distribution of 40 per cent (including at least 15 per cent cash dividend) for the year; (b) a minimum of 500 shareholders; (c) the company’s joining CDS after its securities had been declared eligible securities by the Central Depository Company and (d) the company should not have violated any of the listing regulations.

(2) The companies that qualify above prerequisites are selected on the basis of highest percentage marks obtained as per the following criteria: (a) 25 per cent for distribution: out of current year’s profit only. In case dividend/bonus is paid out of prior years earnings/reserves, the dividend/bonus would be adjusted proportionately (b) 25 per cent for return on equity: on the basis of before tax profit (c)10 per cent for turnover of shares: transactions that are executed on Karachi Automated Trading System (KATS); (d) five per cent for total number of shareholders; (e) 2.5 per cent for corporate social responsibilities (i) 2.5 per cent for monetary donations as percentage of after tax profit disclosed in the annual accounts (minimum one per cent of after tax profit quality for full marks); (ii) 2.5 per cent for other corporate social contributions confirmed by the company and (f) the remaining 30 percentage marks are allocated as follows: five per cent for announcement of half yearly results within one month; five per cent for holding of board meetings for consideration of accounts within one month of the close of the financial year; five per cent for holding of annual general meeting within three months of year end; five per cent for early despatch of dividends/bonus shares within 15 days instead of the requirement of 45 days and 10 per cent for compliance with Code of Corporate Governance and Disclosure in the annual report.

Based on the above criteria, the following companies were ranked among Top-25 for the year 2005:

Unilever Pakistan; Siemens (Pakistan) Engineering; Rafhan Maize Products; Shell Pakistan; Clariant Pakistan; Al-Ghazi Tractors; Engro Chemicals; Fauji Fertilizer; Arif Habib Securities; Pakistan State Oil; International Industries; Nestle Pakistan; Lakson Tobacco; Colgate-Palmolive; MCB Bank; Ferozsons Laboratories; Atlas Insurance; Century Paper and Board Mills; Dawood Hercules Chemicals; Pakistan Premier Fund; OGDC; Sanofi-Aventis; Clover Pakistan; Crescent Steel and Allied Products and Security Papers.

The following stood as Top-25 companies for the year 2004:

Siemens (Pakistan) Engineering; Arif Habib Securities; Javed Omer Vohra and Co; Rafhan Maize Products; International Industries; Al-Ghazi Tractors; Fauji Fertilizer Company; Unilever Pakistan; PSO; Shell Pakistan; Clariant Pakistan; Atlas Honda; Nestle Pakistan; OGDC; Colgate-Palmolive; First Equity Modaraba; Ferozsons Laboratories; PTCL; National Refinery; Engro Chemical; Century Paper and Board Mills; Security Papers; Sanofi-Aventis Pakistan; Lakson Tobacco Company and Pakistan Cables.