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Henkel

henky · OTC Consumer Defensive
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Industry Household & Personal Products
Employees 10,000+
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FY2019 Annual Report · Henkel
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H e n k e l   A n n u a l   R e p o r t   2 0 1 9

1

Contents

The Company
  2 
  7 
  11  
  18 

Fiscal 2019 at a glance
Foreword
Report of the Supervisory Board
Our Management Board

  19 

Shares and bonds

  26 

Corporate governance

 Combined management report
  76 
  82 
 116 

Fundamental principles of the Group
Economic report
 Henkel AG & Co. KGaA (condensed version 
according to the German Commercial Code 
[HGB])
Risks and opportunities report
Forecast

 120 
132 

 Consolidated financial statements
 136 
 138  
 139  

Consolidated statement of financial position
 Consolidated statement of income
 Consolidated statement of  
comprehensive income
 Consolidated statement of changes in equity
Consolidated statement of cash flows
 Notes to the consolidated financial statements
Subsequent events
 Recommendation for the approval of the annual 
financial statements and the appropriation of 
the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA
 Corporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA

 140 
 141  
 143 
 243 
 244 

 245 

Further information
 249 
 256 

 Independent Auditor’s Report
 Responsibility statement by the Personally 
 Liable Partner
Quarterly breakdown of key financials

 257 
 259  Multi-year summary
 261 
 265 
 267 
 268 
 268 

Index of tables and graphs
Glossary
Credits
Contacts
Financial calendar

Henkel Annual Report 2019Fiscal 2019 at a glance

Key financials 

in million euros

Sales

Operating profit (EBIT)

Adjusted 1 operating profit (EBIT)

Return on sales (EBIT)

Adjusted 1 return on sales (EBIT)

Net income

Attributable to non-controlling interests

Attributable to shareholders of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA

Earnings per preferred share 

Adjusted 1 earnings per preferred share 

Return on capital employed (ROCE)

Dividend per ordinary share  

Dividend per preferred share  

pp = percentage points

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

18,089

18,714

20,029

19,899

20,114

2,645

2,923

2,775

3,172

3,055

3,461

3,116

3,496

2,899

3,220

14.6 %

16.2 %

14.8 %

16.9 %

15.3 %

17.3 %

15.7 %

17.6 %

14.4 %

16.0 %

1,968

47

1,921

2,093

40

2,053

2,541

22

2,519

2,330

16 2

2,314 2

2,103

18

2,085

in euros

in euros

in euros

in euros

4.44

4.88

18.2 %

1.45 

1.47

4.74

5.36

17.5 %

1.60 

1.62

5.81

5.85

16.3 %

1.77

1.79

5.34 2

6.01

4.81

5.43

15.5 %

13.5 %

– 2.0 pp

1.83

1.85

1.83 3 

1.85 3

0.0 %

0.0 %

1

+/– 
2018 – 2019

1.1 %

– 7.0 %

– 7.9 %

– 1.3 pp

– 1.6 pp

– 9.7 %

12.5 %

– 9.9 %

– 9.9 %

– 9.7 %

2

Sales

0.0 %

organic sales growth.

EBIT

16.0 %

adjusted 1 return on sales 
(EBIT): down 1.6 percentage 
points.

EPS

5.43 €

adjusted 1 earnings per  
preferred share (EPS):  
down 9.7 percent.

Sales by business unit 2019 

2

Sales by region 2019 

Beauty Care 

19 %

Corporate 4 

1 %

 Japan / Australia /  
New Zealand 

3 %

Laundry &  
Home Care 

33 %

North America 

26 %

Adhesive  
Technologies 

47 %

Western Europe 

30 %

1  Adjusted for one-time charges / gains and restructuring expenses.
2 Prior-year figures amended (please refer to the notes on pages 154 to 157). 
3 Proposal to shareholders for the Annual General Meeting on April 20, 2020.
4 Sales and services not assignable to the individual business units.
5 Eastern Europe, Africa / Middle East, Latin America, Asia (excluding Japan).

3

EPS development

Corporate 

1%

Emerging  
markets 5 

40 %

– 10.1 %

at constant exchange rates.

Dividend

1.85 €

dividend per preferred share 3.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyFiscal 2019 at a glanceForewordReport of the Supervisory BoardOur Management BoardShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther information 
 
3

Our business units
Adhesive Technologies

Key financials 1 

in million euros

Sales

Proportion of Henkel sales

Operating profit (EBIT)

Adjusted 2 operating profit (EBIT)

Return on sales (EBIT)

Adjusted 2 return on sales (EBIT)

Return on capital employed (ROCE)

Economic Value Added (EVA®)

1  Calculated on the basis of units of 1,000 euros; figures commercially rounded. 
2 Adjusted for one-time charges / gains and restructuring expenses.
pp = percentage points

Our top brands

2018

2019

9,403

9,461

47 %

47 %

1,669

1,761

1,631

1,712

17.7 %

18.7 %

19.3 %

17.2 %

18.1 %

17.2 %

4

+/–

0.6 %

–

– 2.3 %

– 2.8 %

– 0.5 pp

– 0.6 pp

– 2.1 pp

762

685

– 10.2 %

Sales Adhesive Technologies 
in million euros

5  

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

8,992

8,961

9,387

9,403

9,461

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

Sales

– 1.5 %

organic sales growth.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyFiscal 2019 at a glanceForewordReport of the Supervisory BoardOur Management BoardShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther information4

Our top brands

2018

2019

3,950

3,877

20 %

589

675

14.9 %

17.1 %

14.8 %

230

19 %

418

519

10.8 %

13.4 %

10.1 %

88

6

+/–

– 1.8 %

–

– 29.0 %

– 23.1 %

– 4.1 pp

– 3.7 pp

– 4.7 pp

– 61.9 %

7  

Beauty Care

Key financials 1 

in million euros

Sales

Proportion of Henkel sales

Operating profit (EBIT)

Adjusted 2 operating profit (EBIT)

Return on sales (EBIT)

Adjusted 2 return on sales (EBIT)

Return on capital employed (ROCE)

Economic Value Added (EVA®)

1  Calculated on the basis of units of 1,000 euros; figures commercially rounded. 
2 Adjusted for one-time charges / gains and restructuring expenses.
pp = percentage points

Sales Beauty Care 
in million euros

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

3,833

3,838

3,868

3,950

3,877

Sales

– 2.1 %

organic sales growth.

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyFiscal 2019 at a glanceForewordReport of the Supervisory BoardOur Management BoardShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther information5

Laundry & Home Care

Key financials 1 

in million euros

Sales

Proportion of Henkel sales

Operating profit (EBIT)

Adjusted 2 operating profit (EBIT)

Return on sales (EBIT)

Adjusted 2 return on sales (EBIT)

Return on capital employed (ROCE)

Economic Value Added (EVA®)

1  Calculated on the basis of units of 1,000 euros; figures commercially rounded. 
2 Adjusted for one-time charges / gains and restructuring expenses.
pp = percentage points

Our top brands

2018

2019

6,419

6,656

32 %

33 %

970

1,162

973

1,096

15.1 %

18.1 %

13.1 %

14.6 %

16.5 %

12.6 %

306

356

8

+/–

3.7 %

–

0.3 %

– 5.7 %

– 0.5 pp

– 1.6 pp

– 0.5 pp

16.2 %

Sales Laundry & Home Care 
in million euros

9  

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

5,137

5,795

6,651

6,419

6,656

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

Sales

+ 3.7 %

organic sales growth.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyFiscal 2019 at a glanceForewordReport of the Supervisory BoardOur Management BoardShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther information6

What drives us

Our purpose

Our values

Creating sustainable value.

Our vision

Leading with our innovations,  
brands and technologies.

We put our customers and consumers  
at the center of what we do.

We value, challenge and reward our 
 people.

We drive excellent sustainable financial 
performance.

We are committed to leadership  
in sustainability.

We shape our future with a strong 
 entrepreneurial spirit based on our  
family business tradition.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyFiscal 2019 at a glanceForewordReport of the Supervisory BoardOur Management BoardShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther information7

The Company

Fiscal 2019 at a glance

Foreword

Report of the Supervisory Board

Our Management Board

Shares and bonds

Corporate governance

Combined management report

Consolidated financial statements

Further information

At the beginning of this year, I took over as Chairman of the 
Management Board after serving eight years as Chief Financial 
Officer. It is an honor and privilege to lead this outstanding 
company together with my colleagues on the Management Board. 
I am proud to serve a company with a strong tradition as a family 
business, a unique set of values, a distinct corporate culture 
and an outstanding global team of more than 52,000 dedicated 
employees.

As one of my first tasks, I want to report to you about our per-
formance and key developments at Henkel in 2019. I would 
also like to reconfirm to you the unwavering commitment of 
the Management Board and everyone at Henkel to creating 
sustainable value for all our stakeholders. This is our shared 
purpose. We are convinced that Henkel has the potential to 
deliver lasting, superior returns to our shareholders, bring 
unique benefits through our brands, innovations and technol-
ogies to customers and consumers around the world, attract 
and retain talented and dedicated employees, drive progress in 
sustainable business practices and contribute to society as a 
responsible company.

Mixed business performance in 2019
In 2019, our business performance was impacted by different 
developments. The year was characterized by decelerating growth 
in almost all major economies, increasing trade tensions 
between the USA and China, rising tariffs and trade barriers, 
geopolitical conflicts in different regions as well as uncertainty 
about the consequences of a potential “no deal” Brexit in Europe.

“What really makes the  
difference is having the  
right strategy, the right team  
and the right culture.”

C A R S T E N   K N O B E L
C H A I R M A N   O F   T H E   MA N AG E M E N T   B OA R D

Henkel Annual Report 20198

The Company

Fiscal 2019 at a glance

Foreword

Report of the Supervisory Board

Our Management Board

Shares and bonds

Corporate governance

Combined management report

Consolidated financial statements

Further information

This impacted our Adhesive Technologies business, which 
serves mostly industrial customers. Here, we faced a marked 
slowdown in key customer segments, in particular the auto-
motive industry as well as the electronics industry. Other 
 segments, however, like our aircraft and aerospace solutions 
delivered very strong growth. Organically, excluding the impact 
from currencies as well as acquisitions and divestments, 
Adhesive Technologies closed the year with sales below the 
prior year. 

At the same time, our consumer businesses, Laundry & Home 
Care and Beauty Care, faced intense competition and continued 
pressure on pricing in many markets. Laundry & Home Care 
recorded strong organic growth thanks to the successful launch 
of innovations, for example under its flagship brand Persil, 
and a very strong performance in its Home Care business. 
Beauty Care reported a negative organic sales development. 
This was mainly due to its retail business, especially our 
 businesses in Western Europe and Asia. In contrast, the Hair 
Salon business continued to deliver good growth momentum.

In total, Henkel Group sales in 2019 amounted to 20.1 billion 
euros. This is an increase of 1.1 percent in nominal terms, 
while sales were organically stable compared to the prior year.

At the beginning of 2019, we announced that we will increase 
growth investments by around 300 million euros annually 
from 2019 onward to strengthen our brands, technologies and 
innovations as well as to accelerate the digital transformation 
of Henkel. These increased expenditures impacted, however, 
the outlook for our earnings and EBIT margin for 2019.

In the course of the year, we gradually stepped up our invest-
ments in innovation and marketing as well as in digitalization 
across the company. Thanks to our continued focus on cost 
management, higher efficiency of our processes and the 
adaptation of structures, we were able to partially mitigate 
the impact on earnings and profitability.

We also continued to invest in the expansion and upgrading 
of manufacturing sites and innovation centers. In addition, 
we further strengthened our different businesses through 
 targeted acquisitions and partnerships with a total volume 
of more than 500 million euros.

For the full year, adjusted 1 earnings before interest and taxes 
(EBIT) decreased by 7.9 percent to 3.2 billion euros. Adjusted 1 
return on sales (EBIT margin) was at 16 percent compared to 
17.6 percent in the prior year. Adjusted 1 earnings per preferred 
share (EPS) were at 5.43 euros. This is a decrease of 9.7 percent 
or 10.1 percent at constant exchange rates. Free cash flow 
climbed to a new high of 2.5 billion euros compared to 1.9 billion 
euros in the prior year. Our net financial position further 
improved to – 2.0 billion euros compared to – 2.9 billion in 2018.

At the end of 2019, we published our outlook for 2020. We 
announced that we continue to expect a challenging market 
environment, particularly with regard to global industrial 
demand, and that we will further increase our growth  
investments.

1  Adjusted for one-time charges / gains and  restructuring expenses.

Henkel Annual Report 20199

The Company

Fiscal 2019 at a glance

Foreword

Report of the Supervisory Board

Our Management Board

Shares and bonds

Corporate governance

Combined management report

Consolidated financial statements

Further information

Mainly as a consequence of an overall mixed business perfor-
mance in 2019 and our outlook for 2020, Henkel preferred 
shares closed the year 3.4 percent below the prior-year level. In 
comparison, the DAX over the same period rose by 25.5 percent.

At our Annual General Meeting on April 20, 2020, we will 
propose to our shareholders a stable dividend payment of 
1.85 euros per preferred share and of 1.83 euros per ordinary 
share, well within the range of our increased dividend payout 
ratio of 30 to 40 percent.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all Henkel 
employees around the world for their strong commitment, 
relentless efforts and dedication in a challenging environment.

We know that they make the difference in highly competitive 
and volatile markets. To succeed, we need a strong culture, 
shared values and a clear framework for how we collaborate 
as one team. For this reason, we introduced new Leadership 
Commitments to all our employees globally in 2019. These 
Commitments will further strengthen customer focus, entre-
preneurial spirit, teamwork as well as people development 
across all levels of our company.

Addressing global challenges 
For us at Henkel, sustainability has been at the core of every-
thing we do for decades. Our commitment to leadership in 
sustainability is part of our corporate culture and values. Our 
employees worldwide have been trained as Sustainability 
Ambassadors over the past years. They pioneer more sustainable 
ways of doing business, demonstrate their commitment toward 
our customers and actively engage in their communities.

Driving sustainability is not limited to our own operations. 
We also pursue continuous progress in sustainability along 
the entire value chain – from our sourcing to production and 
logistics up to the use phase by customers and consumers 
and, finally, recycling.

In 2019, we made further progress in sustainability and 
 continued to improve our resource efficiency. Compared to 
the base year 2010, we have become 56 percent more efficient 
in how we use energy, water and other precious resources 
in relation to the value we create with our products. 

In the course of the year, two topics moved to the center of the 
public debate: How can we protect our climate, and how do 
we avoid plastic waste, especially in our oceans? Addressing 
these global challenges is an integral part of our sustainability 
strategy – with ambitious goals, concrete actions and transpar-
ent reporting on our progress. We strive to become a climate- 
positive company by 2040 and, as a first step, to reduce the 
carbon footprint of our production by 75 percent by 2030. 
Regarding packaging, we focus on using sustainable materials, 
developing smart packaging solutions, and establishing a 
 circular economy. By 2025, we want all packaging in our con-
sumer businesses to be recyclable or reusable.

You will find more details and concrete examples in our 
extensive Sustainability Report, which is published online 
at the same time as this Annual Report.

Henkel Annual Report 201910

The Company

Fiscal 2019 at a glance

Foreword

Report of the Supervisory Board

Our Management Board

Shares and bonds

Corporate governance

Combined management report

Consolidated financial statements

Further information

Shaping our future
To be very clear: The overall development of our company – 
as reflected in our financial results and our share price perfor-
mance – is not in line with our ambitions. We understand that 
you, our shareholders, expect that we take concrete action to 
improve our business performance.

We know we can do better. And we will do better. Together, 
with my colleagues on the Management Board and everyone 
at Henkel, we will do what it takes to reinvigorate sustainable 
growth, drive improved results and deliver superior performance.

To achieve this, we need to take an unbiased look at our strate-
gic priorities, our implementation and the results we have 
delivered to date – also in comparison to our competition. I 
am sure that we have to constantly challenge our convictions, 
rethink our approaches and evaluate new ways to shape our 
business for long-term success.

As we currently go through this process to evolve our strategic 
framework for the coming years, I am convinced that we have 
a rock-solid foundation and strong assets to shape our future: 
our brands and technologies, our global presence and leading 
market positions as well as our healthy balance sheet. But 
what really makes the difference is having the right strategy, 
the right team and the right culture. 

Committed to creating sustainable value
On behalf of the Management Board, I would like to thank our 
supervisory bodies for their support as well as their valuable 
advice over the last year. On a personal note, I am deeply grate-
ful for the trust they have put in me through the appointment 
as Chairman of the Management Board. I would also like to 
take this opportunity to thank my predecessor as Chairman 
of the Management Board, Hans Van Bylen, for 35 years of 
 dedicated service to our company.

We would also like to thank our customers and consumers as 
well as our business partners around the world for their trust 
in our company, our brands and technologies. 

In particular, I would like to express our gratitude to you, our 
shareholders, for your continued confidence in our company 
and our future also in challenging times. 

At Henkel, we are fully committed to creating sustainable 
value for you and all our stakeholders in 2020 and in the years 
to come. This is our purpose guiding us in everything we do.

Düsseldorf, January 30, 2020

Carsten Knobel 
Chairman of the Management Board

Henkel Annual Report 2019The Company

Fiscal 2019 at a glance

Foreword

Report of the Supervisory Board

Our Management Board

Shares and bonds

Corporate governance

Combined management report

Consolidated financial statements

Further information

11

“We are preparing for new 
 challenges and will resolutely 
tackle the changes they bring.”

D R .  S I MO N E   B AG E L-T R A H
C H A I RWOMA N   O F   T H E   S H A R E H O L D E R S ’  COMM I T T E E
A N D   T H E   S U P E RV I S O RY   B OA R D

In the past year, Henkel’s business performance was affected 
by an increasingly difficult market environment. Not only did 
industrial demand decline noticeably overall, while uncertainty 
about the further development of the economy as a whole 
persisted; price and promotional pressure in the markets for 
consumer goods also continued unabated. In spite of these 
difficult conditions, sales in fiscal 2019 again topped the 
20 billion euros mark. We also launched numerous initiatives 
to further strengthen the ability of our businesses to compete.

On behalf of the Supervisory Board, I would like to thank all 
employees at Henkel for their dedicated commitment over the 
past year. My thanks are equally due to the members of the Man-
agement Board who have steered the company through a diffi-
cult market environment. I am also grateful to our employees’ 
representatives and the members of the works council for their 
unwavering, constructive support in growing Henkel. 

To you, our shareholders, I extend my special thanks for your 
continued confidence in our company, its management and 
employees, and our brands and technologies over the past year.

Ongoing dialog with the Management Board 
We continued to diligently discharge our Supervisory Board 
duties in fiscal 2019 in accordance with the legal statutes, 
 Articles of Association and rules of procedure governing our 
actions. We consistently monitored the work of the Manage-
ment Board, advising and supporting it in its stewardship and 
in the strategic development of the corporation, and discussing 
with it business matters of major importance. In doing so, we 
were able to ascertain that the Management Board’s performance 
of its duties was legally compliant, fit for purpose, and proper 
at all times. 

Henkel Annual Report 201912

The Company

Fiscal 2019 at a glance

Foreword

Report of the Supervisory Board

Our Management Board

Shares and bonds

Corporate governance

Combined management report

Consolidated financial statements

Further information

The Management Board and Supervisory Board continued to 
cooperate in 2019 through extensive dialog founded on mutual 
trust and confidence. The Management Board kept us regularly 
and extensively informed of all major issues affecting the 
 corporation’s business and our Group companies with prompt 
written and oral reports. Specifically, the Management Board 
reported on the business situation, operational development, 
business policy, profitability issues, our short-term and long-
term corporate, financial and personnel planning, as well as 
capital expenditures and organizational measures. We also 
discussed the risk situation and dealt with compliance issues. 
Financial reports focused on the sales and profits of the Henkel 
Group as a whole, with further analysis by business unit and 
region. All members of the Supervisory Board and the Audit 
Committee consistently had sufficient opportunity to critically 
review and address the issues raised by each of these reports 
and explanations, and to provide their individual guidance. 

Outside of Supervisory Board meetings, the Chairman of the 
Audit Committee and I, as Chairwoman of the Supervisory 
Board, remained in regular contact with individual members 
of the Management Board or with the Management Board as 
a whole. This procedure ensured that we were constantly 
aware of current business developments and significant events. 
The other members were informed of major issues no later than 
by the next Supervisory Board or committee meeting.

There were no indications of conflicts of interest involving 
Management Board or Supervisory Board members that might 
have required immediate disclosure to the Supervisory Board 
and reporting to the Annual General Meeting.

Supervisory Board meetings 
The Supervisory Board held one extraordinary meeting in the 
form of a telephone conference in the year under review. Both 
the Supervisory Board and the Audit Committee each held four 
regular meetings in the reporting year. Attendance at the meet-
ings of the Supervisory Board and the Audit Committee was 

97 percent. For details of individual Supervisory Board members’ 
attendance at meetings, please refer to the remuneration 
report. No member of the Supervisory Board attended just 
half or less of the Supervisory Board meetings or relevant 
 committee meetings. 

In each of our meetings, we discussed the reports submitted 
by the Management Board, conferring with it on the develop-
ment of the corporation and on strategic issues. We also dis-
cussed the overall economic situation and Henkel’s business 
performance. 

As already mentioned in our last Annual Report, we discussed 
our balance sheet and financial planning for fiscal 2019 in 
detail in a telephone conference on January 18, 2019. 

In our meeting on February 18, 2019, we discussed the annual 
and consolidated financial statements for 2018, including the 
combined management report for Henkel AG & Co. KGaA and 
the Group, together with the risk report, corporate governance 
report and separate combined non-financial statement for 
Henkel AG & Co. KGaA and the Group, which was issued in the 
form of the sustainability report. We also approved both the 
2019 Declaration of Compliance and our proposals for resolu-
tion by the 2019 Annual General Meeting. The development 
and strategy of our retail businesses in Beauty Care and 
 Laundry & Home Care in North America were discussed in 
detail, as were our innovation priorities and growth initiatives 
of our business units for 2019.

As well as dealing with market and competitive conditions 
and the performance of our business units over the first few 
months of the fiscal year, our meeting on April 8, 2019 focused 
specifically on the position occupied by our Adhesive Technol-
ogies business unit in its competitive environment. We also 
discussed the development of Henkel CareFlex, our company’s 
nursing insurance scheme.

Henkel Annual Report 201913

The Company

Fiscal 2019 at a glance

Foreword

Report of the Supervisory Board

Our Management Board

Shares and bonds

Corporate governance

Combined management report

Consolidated financial statements

Further information

Areas of particular focus at our meeting on September 30, 2019 
included the performance of our business units over the first 
eight months of the year and the status of implementation of 
our strategic priorities. Particular attention was paid to our 
strategic priority “drive growth” in light of the challenges in 
the consumer goods business.

Our meeting on December 6, 2019 focused on the expected 
results for 2019 and our balance sheet and financial planning 
for fiscal 2020. We also discussed in detail the extensively 
documented underlying budgets of our business units. 

Supervisory Board committees 
In order to enable us to efficiently comply with the duties 
incumbent upon us according to legal statute and our Articles 
of Association, we have established an Audit Committee and a 
Nominations Committee. Prof. Dr. Theo Siegert, who chaired 
the Audit Committee in the year under review, complies with 
the statutory requirements of impartiality and expertise in the 
fields of accounting or auditing and brings experience in the 
application of accounting principles and internal control 
procedures. For more details on the responsibilities and com-
position of the committees, please refer to the corporate gov-
ernance statement (on pages 30 to 46 of this Annual Report) 
and the membership lists on page 246 of this Annual Report. 

Committee activities
Following the appointment of the external auditor by the 2019 
Annual General Meeting, it was mandated by the Audit Com-
mittee to audit the annual financial statements and the con-
solidated financial statements, including the combined man-
agement report for Henkel AG & Co. KGaA and the Group, and 
to review the preparation and content of the interim financial 
reports for 2019. The audit fee and focus areas of the audit were 
also established. Agreement was reached that the auditor will 
notify the Supervisory Board immediately of any findings or 
incidents discovered or occurring during the audit that are 
material to the performance of the Supervisory Board’s duties; 

a cap on the provision of non-audit-related services as permitted 
in the relevant EU regulations was specified. The Audit Com-
mittee again obtained the necessary validation of auditor 
independence for the performance of these tasks. The auditor 
has informed the Audit Committee that there are no circum-
stances that might give rise to a conflict of interest in the 
execution of its duties. The Audit Committee also engaged the 
external auditor to review the content of the separate, combined 
non-financial statement for Henkel AG & Co. KGaA and the 
Group, which is compiled as a separate non-financial report 
and made available in the public domain through publication 
on our website. 

The Audit Committee held four meetings during the year under 
review. The Chairman of the Audit Committee also remained 
in regular contact with the auditor outside of the meetings. 
The meetings and resolutions were prepared through the pro-
vision of reports and other information by the Management 
Board. The heads of the relevant Group functions also reported 
on individual agenda items and were available to answer 
questions. The Chair of the Committee reported promptly and 
in full to the plenary Supervisory Board on the content and 
results of each of the Committee meetings.

The company and Group accounts, including the interim 
financial reports (quarterly statements and financial report 
for the half year) were scrutinized at all Audit Committee 
meetings and duly discussed with the Management Board. 
The three meetings at which we discussed and approved the 
interim financial reports were attended by the auditor. The 
 latter reported on the results of the relevant review activities 
and on the main issues and occurrences relevant to the work 
of the Audit Committee. There were no objections raised in 
response to these reports.

The Audit Committee also focused in great detail on the 
accounting process and the efficacy and further development 
of the Group-wide internal control and risk management 

Henkel Annual Report 201914

The Company

Fiscal 2019 at a glance

Foreword

Report of the Supervisory Board

Our Management Board

Shares and bonds

Corporate governance

Combined management report

Consolidated financial statements

Further information

 systems. The efficiency of the risk management system was 
reviewed, based on the risk reports of previous years. The 
report given by the General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer 
on material legal disputes and compliance within the Group 
was also discussed, as was the status report submitted by 
Internal Audit: The audit plan submitted by Internal Audit 
focusing on audits of the functional reliability and effectiveness 
of the internal control system and the compliance organization 
was approved. The Audit Committee likewise discussed treasury 
risks, their management, and the EMIR mandatory audit 
 pursuant to Section 32 of the Securities Trading Act [WpHG]. 
It also monitored the provision of non-audit-related services 
by the auditor and adherence to the cap specified for same.

As one particular area of focus, the Audit Committee commis-
sioned an audit per German audit standard IDW PS 980 of 
Henkel’s data protection management system to examine 
compliance with the EU General Data Protection Regulation. 
KPMG certified without qualification that the processes are 
appropriate and effective.

A further key item for discussion was the mandatory rotation 
of auditors, which required engagement of a different auditor 
to conduct the audit of the financial statements from fiscal 
2020 onward. In a multi-stage selection process, an assessment 
of potential candidates was performed on the basis of the 
Audit Committee’s definition and weighting of evaluation 
 criteria. This selection process commenced back in 2017 with 
a bidding procedure and concluded in the Audit Committee 
meeting on November 6, 2019, with a final recommendation 
of two candidates to the Supervisory Board, with indication 
of which candidate was preferred. The Audit Committee made 
sure the candidates possessed the requisite independence.

At its meeting on March 2, 2020, attended by the auditor, the 
Audit Committee discussed the annual and consolidated 
financial statements, together with the combined management 
report for Henkel AG & Co. KGaA and the Group, and also the 
separate, combined non-financial report for Henkel AG & Co. 
KGaA and the Group for fiscal 2019, as well as the audit reports 
and auditor’s notes, the associated proposal for appropriation 
of profit, and the risk report, and prepared the corresponding 
resolutions for the Supervisory Board. As in previous years, 
other members of the Supervisory Board took part as guests 
in this specifically accounting-related meeting of the Audit 
Committee.

The Nominations Committee submitted a recommendation 
regarding the election of new shareholder representatives in 
preparation for the Supervisory Board’s proposals for resolution 
by the Annual General Meeting 2020.

Efficiency audit 
At regular intervals, the Supervisory Board and the Audit Com-
mittee hold an internal review to determine the efficiency 
with which they carry out their duties. A comprehensive, 
 company-specific checklist forms the basis for the audit and 
covers important aspects – such as meeting preparation and 
procedure, the scope and content of documents and informa-
tion particularly with respect to financial reports, compliance 
and auditing, as well as financial control and risk management. 
Such a survey took place in the reporting year. The findings 
and assessments were discussed in detail at the meetings of 
the Audit Committee on March 2, 2020 and of the Supervisory 
Board on March 3, 2020. Corporate governance issues and 
 suggestions for improvement were also examined. The effi-
ciency with which the Supervisory Board and Audit Committee 
carry out their duties, and the required independence of their 
members, were duly confirmed.

Henkel Annual Report 201915

The Company

Fiscal 2019 at a glance

Foreword

Report of the Supervisory Board

Our Management Board

Shares and bonds

Corporate governance

Combined management report

Consolidated financial statements

Further information

Corporate governance and declaration of compliance
The Supervisory Board again dealt with questions of corporate 
governance in the reporting year. Our meeting on December 6, 
2019 focused in particular on reviewing and updating our 
objectives with regard to Supervisory Board composition to 
reflect the government commission’s amendments to the 
 German Corporate Governance Code (GCGC). Details of this 
and of Henkel’s corporate governance can be found in the cor-
porate governance statement (pages 30 to 46 of this Annual 
Report), with which we duly acquiesce. 

At our meeting on March 3, 2020, we discussed and approved 
the joint declaration of compliance for 2020 to be submitted 
by the Management Board, Shareholders’ Committee and 
Supervisory Board, as specified in the German Corporate 
 Governance Code. The full wording of the current and previous 
declarations of compliance can be found on the company 
 website.

Annual and consolidated financial statements / Audit
In its capacity as auditor appointed for 2019 by the Annual 
General Meeting, KPMG examined the annual financial state-
ments prepared by the Management Board, and the consoli-
dated financial statements, together with the consolidated 
management report, which has been combined with the man-
agement report for Henkel AG & Co. KGaA for fiscal 2019. The 
annual financial statements and the combined management 
report were prepared in accordance with German statutory 
provisions. The consolidated financial statements were pre-
pared in accordance with International Financial Reporting 
Standards (IFRSs) as endorsed by the EU, and in accordance 
with the supplementary German statutory provisions pursu-
ant to Section 315e (1) German Commercial Code [HGB]. 
The  consolidated financial statements in their present form 
exempt us from the requirement to prepare consolidated 
financial statements in accordance with German law.

KPMG conducted its audits in accordance with Section 317 HGB 
and German generally accepted standards for the audit of 
financial statements promulgated by the Institute of Public 
Auditors in Germany [Institut der Wirtschaftsprüfer, IDW]. 
Unqualified audit opinions were issued for the annual and the 
consolidated financial statements, and also for the combined 
management report. 

KPMG also reviewed the separate, combined non-financial 
statement for Henkel AG & Co. KGaA and the Group for fiscal 
2019 as compiled by the Management Board to ensure its con-
tent included the disclosures required by law. The review was 
based on the International Standard on Assurance Engagements 
(ISAE) 3000 (Revised): “Assurance Engagements other than 
Audits or Reviews of Historical Financial Information” as pub-
lished by the International Auditing and Assurance Standards 
Board (IAASB) for the purpose of obtaining limited assurance. 
Based on its review and the evidence obtained, the auditor is 
not aware of any circumstances that might prompt it to 
believe that the disclosures in the separate, combined non- 
financial report for Henkel AG & Co. KGaA and the Group for 
fiscal 2019 have not been prepared in compliance with all 
material aspects of commercial law provisions.

The annual financial statements, consolidated financial state-
ments, combined management report, and separate, combined 
non-financial report for fiscal 2019 were presented in good 
time to all members of the Supervisory Board, together with 
the corresponding audit reports and relevant auditor’s notes 
and the recommendations by the Management Board for the 
appropriation of the profit made by Henkel AG & Co. KGaA. 
We examined these documents and discussed them at our 
meeting on March 3, 2020, in the presence of the auditor, 
which reported on its main audit findings. We received and 
approved the audit reports. The Chairman of the Audit Com-
mittee provided the plenary session of the Supervisory Board 

Henkel Annual Report 201916

The Company

Fiscal 2019 at a glance

Foreword

Report of the Supervisory Board

Our Management Board

Shares and bonds

Corporate governance

Combined management report

Consolidated financial statements

Further information

with a detailed account of the treatment of the annual finan-
cial statements, the consolidated financial statements, the 
combined management report and the separate, combined 
non-financial report by the Audit Committee. Having received 
the final results of the review conducted by the Audit Committee 
and concluded our own examination, we see no reason for 
objection to the aforementioned documents. We confirm the 
results of KPMG’s audits. The assessment by the Management 
Board of the position of the company and the Group coincides 
with our own appraisal. At our meeting on March 3, 2020, we 
concurred with the recommendations of the Audit Committee 
and therefore approved the annual financial statements, the 
consolidated financial statements, the combined management 
report and the separate, combined non-financial report as 
prepared by the Management Board.

Additionally, we discussed and approved the proposal by the 
Management Board to pay out of the unappropriated profit of 
Henkel AG & Co. KGaA a dividend of 1.83 euros per ordinary 
share and of 1.85 euros per preferred share, and to carry the 
remainder and the amount attributable to the treasury shares 
held by the corporation at the time of the Annual General 
Meeting forward to the following year. This proposal takes into 
account the financial and earnings position of the corporation, 
its medium-term financial and investment planning, and the 
interests of our shareholders.

We also approved our proposals for resolution at the Annual 
General Meeting at our meetings on December 6, 2019 and 
March 3, 2020. Following the recommendation of the Audit 
Committee, the Supervisory Board proposes the engagement 
of PricewaterhouseCoopers GmbH Wirtschaftsprüfungs-
gesellschaft, Düsseldorf, to audit the annual and consolidated 
financial statements and to review the half-year financial 
report for fiscal 2020.

Pursuant to Art. 16 (2) Regulation (EU) No. 537 / 2014 of the 
European Parliament and of the Council of April 16, 2014 
on specific requirements regarding the statutory audit of 
 public-interest entities and on repealing Commission Decision 
2005 / 909 / EC (EU Audit Regulation), the Audit Committee 
 recommended PricewaterhouseCoopers GmbH Wirtschafts-
prüfungsgesellschaft, Düsseldorf, and Deloitte GmbH 
Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft, Frankfurt am Main, to the 
Supervisory Board for performance of the aforementioned 
audit services, indicating its preference for Pricewaterhouse-
Coopers GmbH Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft, Düsseldorf.

Neither the recommendation by the Audit Committee to the 
Supervisory Board nor the Supervisory Board’s proposal were 
unduly influenced by any third party. Equally, no rules as 
defined in Art. 16 (6) EU Audit Regulation restricted the choice 
of auditors.

Risk management
Risk management issues were examined by both the Audit 
Committee and the plenary Supervisory Board, with emphasis 
on the risk management system in place at Henkel and any 
major individual risks of which we needed to be notified; there 
were no identifiable risks that might jeopardize the continued 
existence of the corporation as a going concern. The structure 
and function of the risk early warning system were also integral 
to the audit performed by KPMG, which found no cause for 
reservation. It is also our considered opinion that the risk 
management system corresponds to the statutory requirements 
and is fit for the purpose of early identification of developments 
that could endanger the continuation of the corporation as a 
going concern.

Henkel Annual Report 201917

The Company

Fiscal 2019 at a glance

Foreword

Report of the Supervisory Board

Our Management Board

Shares and bonds

Corporate governance

Combined management report

Consolidated financial statements

Further information

Changes in the Supervisory Board and Management Board
There were no changes in the Supervisory Board in 2019.

As already reported last year, Kathrin Menges left the Manage-
ment Board by mutual agreement at the end of April 8, 2019. 
She was replaced by Sylvie Nicol, effective April 9, 2019, as 
Management Board member responsible for Human Resources 
(HR) and Infrastructure Services.

The appointment of Hans Van Bylen as Chairman and member 
of the Management Board was terminated by mutual agreement, 
effective December 31, 2019. After around 35 years with the 
company, of which he spent around 15 years on the Management 
Board, four of them as Chair, Hans Van Bylen was not available 
for another term of office for personal reasons. Under Hans 
Van Bylen’s leadership, all business units were further strength-
ened through acquisitions and partnerships. I would like to 
thank Hans Van Bylen on behalf of all our corporate bodies 
for his major course-setting influence during his time as 
Chairman of the Management Board and for his commitment 
to our company over those 35 years.

Carsten Knobel was appointed new Chairman of the Manage-
ment Board, effective January 1, 2020. I am delighted that we 
have been able to appoint Carsten Knobel from the ranks of 
our Management Board as our successor in the role of Chairman 
of the Management Board. I am confident his leadership will 
help to drive the sustained, successful growth of Henkel. 
Carsten Knobel began his career at Henkel in 1995 as assistant 
to the Management Board member responsible for research 
and development. He then moved to the Beauty Care busi-
ness unit where he occupied various positions with increasing 
responsibility in financial control, M&A and day-to-day 
 operations. Having headed up the Group strategy and financial 
control functions and assumed the role of Financial Director 
for the Beauty Care business unit, he was appointed Chief 
Financial Officer in 2012.

Marco Swoboda was appointed to succeed Carsten Knobel as 
Chief Financial Officer, also effective January 1, 2020. Marco 
Swoboda began his career at Henkel back in 1997. After occupy-
ing various managerial positions in financial control, includ-
ing at Cognis, he took on the additional responsibility for the 
Group’s corporate planning activities. Between 2011 and 2014, 
he headed up our financial organization in the Asia-Pacific 
region, based in Shanghai. He then returned to head office in 
Düsseldorf to take charge of the global financial organization 
and responsibility for corporate accounting, subsidiary 
 controlling, and corporate finance / treasury.

We wish both Carsten Knobel and Marco Swoboda every success 
in their new roles. 

The coming year will pose new challenges for both our 
employees and the company’s management. We are preparing 
for these, and will resolutely tackle the changes they bring. 
We believe that Henkel is well equipped for the future and are 
confident that we will be able to move the company further 
forward.

We thank you for your ongoing trust and support.

Düsseldorf, March 3, 2020

On behalf of the Supervisory Board

Dr. Simone Bagel-Trah 
(Chair)

Henkel Annual Report 2019 
The Company

Fiscal 2019 at a glance

Foreword

Report of the Supervisory Board

Our Management Board

Shares and bonds

Corporate governance

Combined management report

Consolidated financial statements

Further information

Our Management Board

Carsten Knobel

Chairman of the  
Management Board 

Born in Marburg / Lahn,  
Germany,  
on January 11, 1969;  
with Henkel since 1995.

Jan-Dirk Auris

Executive Vice President 
Adhesive Technologies 

Born in Cologne,  
Germany,  
on February 1, 1968;  
with Henkel since 1984.

Marco Swoboda

Executive Vice President 
Finance (CFO) / Purchasing / 
Integrated Business Solutions 

Born in Velbert,  
Germany, 
on September 23, 1971; 
with Henkel since 1997.

Jens-Martin 
Schwärzler

Executive Vice President 
Beauty Care 

Born in Ravensburg,  
Germany,  
on August 23, 1963;  
with Henkel since 1992.

18

Sylvie Nicol

Executive Vice President 
Human Resources / 
Infrastructure Services 

Born in Paris,  
France, 
on February 28, 1973; 
with Henkel since 1996.

Bruno Piacenza

Executive Vice President 
Laundry & Home Care

Born in Paris,  
France, 
on December 22, 1965; 
with Henkel since 1990.

Henkel Annual Report 2019 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
19

10

Key data on Henkel shares 2015 to 2019 

in euros

Earnings per share

Ordinary share

Preferred share

Share price at year-end 2

Ordinary share

Preferred share

High for the year 2

Ordinary share

Preferred share

Low for the year 2

Ordinary share

Preferred share

Dividend

Ordinary share

Preferred share

Market capitalization 2

Ordinary shares 

Preferred shares 

in bn euros

in bn euros

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

4.42

4.44

4.72

4.74

5.79

5.81

5.32 1

5.34 1

88.62

103.20

98.98

113.25

100.00

110.35

85.75

95.40

99.26

115.20

105.45

122.90

113.70

128.90

104.70

115.05

76.32

87.75

1.45

1.47

41.4

23.0

18.4

77.00

88.95

1.60

1.62

45.9

25.7

20.2

96.15

110.10

1.77

1.79

45.6

26.0

19.6

83.30

93.46

1.83

1.85

39.3

22.3

17.0

4.79

4.81

84.00

92.20

89.55

97.02

76.20

81.78

1.83 3

1.85 3

38.2

21.8

16.4

1  Prior-year figures amended (please refer to the notes on pages 154 to 157).
2  Closing share prices, Xetra trading system.
3  Proposal to shareholders for the Annual General Meeting on April 20, 2020.

Shares and bonds

Overall, the performance of Henkel’s shares declined slightly 
in 2019. The share price initially fell sharply following the 
announcement at the start of the reporting year of increased 
investments in brands, technologies, innovations and digitali-
zation, prompting reduced earnings expectations. As the year 
progressed, Henkel share performance followed more or less 
the pattern of the DAX and EURO STOXX® Consumer Goods 
benchmarks, although only benefiting from the stock market 
upswing to a limited degree. In an overall challenging market 
environment and with corporate news – including our revised 
full-year outlook issued in mid-August – receiving a partially 
subdued response, Henkel shares were characterized by vola-
tile sideways movement in the course of the year. The publica-
tion of our guidance for fiscal 2020 in December caused a 
 further decline in the share price. As a result, Henkel shares 
closed the year slightly below their prior-year prices. 

Henkel preferred shares closed the year at 92.20 euros, down 
– 3.4 percent year on year, while the ordinary shares closed 
– 2.0 percent down at 84.00 euros. Assuming reinvestment of 
the dividend (before tax deduction) in the shares at the time 
of  payment, the preferred and ordinary shares generated a 
total return of – 1.3 and plus 0.2 percent respectively. As such, 
Henkel shares significantly underperformed their bench-
marks, the DAX and EURO STOXX® Consumer Goods Index. 
Henkel preferred shares traded at an average premium of 
8.2 percent over the ordinary shares in 2019. The trading vol-
ume (Xetra) of preferred shares increased in 2019 versus 2018. 
Each trading day saw an average of around 657,000 preferred 
shares changing hands (2018: 624,000). The average trading 
volume of our ordinary shares increased to a greater extent, to 
around 117,000 shares (2018: 98,000). The market capitaliza-
tion of our ordinary and preferred shares totaled 38.2 billion 
euros as of year-end 2019.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther informationHenkel shares have proven to be a good investment for long-
term investors. Over the last five and ten years, the Henkel 
 preferred share has shown an average yield of 2.2 percent and 
11.4 percent per year respectively (assuming reinvestment of 
the dividend before tax deduction). In the same periods, 
the DAX posted an average annual return of 5.8 percent and 
8.3 percent respectively. Shareholders who invested the 

 equivalent of 1,000 euros when Henkel preferred shares were 
issued in 1985, and reinvested the dividends received (before 
tax deduction) in the stock, had a portfolio value of 32,607 
euros at the end of 2019. This represents an increase in value 
of 3,161 percent or an average yield of 10.7 percent per year. 
Over the same period, the DAX provided an annual return of 
7.4 percent.

Performance of Henkel shares versus market 
January through December 2019 

in euros

20

11

Dec. 31, 2018:
95.40 euros

Dec. 31, 2019:
92.20 euros

130

125

120

115

110

105

100

95

90

85

80

January

February

March 

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

  Henkel preferred share
  Henkel ordinary share (indexed)
  EURO STOXX® Consumer Goods Index (indexed)
  DAX (indexed)

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther information21

12

Dec. 31, 2019:
92.20 euros

Performance of Henkel shares versus market 
2010 through 2019 

in euros

Dec. 31, 2009:
36.43 euros

140

120

100

80

60

40

20

0

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

  Henkel preferred share
  Henkel ordinary share (indexed)
  EURO STOXX® Consumer Goods Index (indexed)
  DAX (indexed)

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther information22

Henkel represented in all  
major indices

Henkel shares are traded on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, 
 predominantly on the Xetra electronic trading platform. Henkel 
is also listed on all regional stock exchanges in Germany. In 
the USA, investors are able to invest in Henkel preferred and 
ordinary shares by way of stock ownership certificates obtained 
through the Sponsored Level I ADR (American Depositary 
Receipt) program. In January 2019, BNY  Mellon, which acts as 
the depositary bank on Henkel’s behalf, announced a change in 
the ratio of shares to ADRs, which has served to significantly 
enhance the appeal of the program. Since January 15, 2019, one 
share has been equivalent to four ADRs (previously 1 share = 
1 ADR). This change was among the reasons for the significant 
increase in the number of ADRs outstanding for ordinary and 
preferred shares to approximately 10.3 million at year-end 
(2018: 1.7 million). 

The international importance of Henkel preferred shares 
derives not least from their inclusion in many leading indices 
that serve as important indicators for capital markets and as 
benchmarks for fund managers. Particularly noteworthy in 
this respect are the MSCI World, STOXX® Europe 600, and FTSE 
World Europe indices. Henkel’s inclusion in the Dow Jones 
Titans 30 Personal & Household Goods Index makes it one of 
the most important corporations in the personal and household 

goods sector worldwide. As a DAX stock, Henkel is one of the 
30 most significant exchange-listed companies in Germany.

At year-end 2019, Henkel continued to rank 19th in terms of the 
market capitalization with the preferred shares included in 
the DAX index and 26th in terms of average trading volume 
(2018: 25th). Our DAX weighting decreased to 1.53 percent (2018: 
1.90 percent).

Once again our advances in sustainable management earned 
recognition from external experts in 2019. Our performance 
with respect to non-financial indicators (environmental, social 
and governance themes) was reflected in regular positive 
assessments by various national and international rating 
agencies, from which – among other things – sustainability 
indices are derived.

Henkel has been represented in the ethics index FTSE4Good 
since 2001, and in the STOXX® Global ESG Leaders index family 
since its launch by Deutsche Börse in 2011. Our inclusion in the 
Ethibel Pioneer Investment Register and the sustainability 
indices Euronext Vigeo World 120, Europe 120 and Eurozone 120 
was also confirmed, as was our membership in the MSCI Global 
 Sustainability Index series. Henkel is, moreover, one of only 
50 companies worldwide to be included in the Global 
 Challenges Index.

Share data 

Security code No.

ISIN code

Stock exch. symbol

Number of shares

13

ADR data 

14

Preferred shares

Ordinary shares

604843

604840

CUSIP

Preferred shares

Ordinary shares

42550U208

42550U109

DE0006048432

DE0006048408

ISIN code

US42550U2087

US42550U1097

HEN3.ETR

178,162,875

HEN.ETR

ADR symbol

259,795,875

Ratio

HENOY

HENKY

1 share : 4 ADRs

1 share : 4 ADRs

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther information23

61.20 %

of voting rights are  
held by members of the 
Henkel family share- 
pooling agreement.

International shareholder structure

Employee share plan

Compared to the ordinary shares, our preferred shares are the 
significantly more liquid class of Henkel stock. Apart from the 
treasury shares amounting to 2.07 percent, they are entirely in 
free float. A large majority are owned by institutional investors 
whose portfolios are, in most cases, broadly distributed inter-
nationally.

According to notices received by the corporation, members of 
the Henkel family share-pooling agreement own a majority of 
the ordinary shares amounting to 61.20 percent as of October 
12, 2018. We have received no other notices indicating that a 
shareholder holds more than 3 percent of the voting rights 
(notifiable ownership). As of December 31, 2019, treasury stock 
amounted to 3.7 million preferred shares.

Shareholder structure: 
Institutional investors holding Henkel shares 

15

Since 2001, Henkel has offered an employee share plan (ESP). 
For each euro invested in 2019 by an employee (limited to 
4 percent of salary up to a maximum of 4,992 euros per year), 
Henkel added 33 eurocents. Around 12,500 employees in 
58 countries purchased Henkel preferred shares under this 
program in 2019. At year-end, some 16,000 employees held a 
total of around 2.5 million shares in the ESP securities accounts, 
representing 1.4 percent of total preferred shares outstand-
ing. The lock-up period for newly acquired ESP shares is three 
years.

Investing in Henkel shares through participation in our ESP 
has proven to be very beneficial for our employees in the past. 
Employees who invested 100 euros each month in Henkel 
shares since the program was first launched held portfolios 
valued at 84,756 euros at the end of 2019 (assuming  reinvestment 
of the dividend before tax deduction). This  represents an 
increase in value of around 292 percent or an average yield of 
around 9.5 percent per year.

France 

Germany 

8 %

9 %

Rest of world 

11 %

UK 

29 %

Rest of Europe 

15 %

USA 

28 %

At November 30, 2019 
Source: Nasdaq.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther informationHenkel bonds

In 2019, Henkel successfully placed in the capital market two 
bonds with a total volume of 750 million British pounds. 
One bond was issued with a volume of 400 million British 
pounds and a term of three years and another bond with a 
 volume of 350 million British pounds and a term of seven 
years. The proceeds were used to redeem some of the Group’s 
commercial paper liabilities. 

Issued in 2016, a further bond with a volume of 700 million 
euros and a term of five years and a 300 million British pound 
bond with a term of six years remain outstanding. Henkel also 
placed a 600 million US dollar bond with a term of three years 
in the eurodollar market in June 2017. Further information can 
be found on the website: 

  www.henkel.com/creditor-relations

24

Pro-active capital market  
communication

An active and open information policy ensuring prompt and 
continuous communication is a major component of the  
value-based management approach at Henkel. Hence, share-
holders, shareholder associations, participants in the capital 
market, financial analysts, the media and the public at large 
are kept informed of the current situation and major business 
changes relating to the company. All stakeholders are treated 
equally in this respect.

Up-to-date information is likewise incorporated in the regular 
financial reporting undertaken by the company. The dates 
of the major recurring publications, and also the dates for 
the press conference on the preceding fiscal year and the 
Annual General Meeting, are published together with all 
 relevant information on the internet at 
This also serves as the portal for the live broadcast of 

  www.henkel.com/ir. 

16

Bond data 

Currency

Volume

Coupon

Maturity

Issue price

Issue yield

Interest calculation

Denomination

Sec. code No.

ISIN

Listing

2016

EUR

700 million

0.00 % p.a.

9/13/2021

100.00 %

0.00 % p.a.

GBP

300 million

0.875 % p.a.

9/13/2022

99.59 %

0.95 % p.a.

2017

USD

600 million

2.00 % p.a.

6/12/2020

99.78 %

2.08 % p.a.

2019

GBP

400 million

1.00 % p.a.

9/30/2022

100.00 %

1.00 % p.a.

GBP

350 million

1.25 % p.a.

9/30/2026

99.99 %

1.25 % p.a.

Act / Act (ICMA)

Act / Act (ICMA)

30 / 360 (ICMA)

Act / Act (ICMA)

Act / Act (ICMA)

1,000 EUR

A2BPAX

1,000 GBP

A2BPAZ

2,000 USD

A2E4FR

100,000 GBP

100,000 GBP

A2YN22

A2YN23

XS1488418960

XS1488419935

XS1626039819

XS2057835717

XS2057835808

Regulated Market of the Luxembourg Stock Exchange

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther information25

 telephone conferences and parts of the Annual General Meet-
ing (AGM). The AGM offers all shareholders the opportunity 
to obtain extensive information about the company directly.

Shareholders, the media and the general public are provided 
with regular and comprehensive information through press 
releases and at events, while occurrences with the potential 
to materially affect the price of Henkel shares are communi-
cated in the form of ad hoc announcements. The company’s 
advancements and targets in relation to the environment, 
safety, health and social responsibility continue to be published 
annually in our Sustainability Report. 

Henkel is covered by numerous financial analysts at an inter-
national level. More than 25 equity analysts regularly publish 
reports and commentaries on the current performance of the 
company.

Henkel places great importance on dialog with investors and 
analysts. At 30 capital market conferences and roadshows 
held in Europe and North America, institutional investors 
and financial analysts had an opportunity to engage with rep-
resentatives of the company and, in many instances, directly 
with senior management. In total, we exchanged views with 
more than 700 different institutional investors and financial 
analysts around the globe in individual or group meetings 
and telephone conferences.

One highlight of our Investor Relations activities last year was 
our Investor and Analyst Day for the Adhesive Technologies 
business unit, held in Düsseldorf on July 2, 2019. Under the 
banner “Shape. Accelerate. Outperform.,” the Adhesive Tech-
nologies management team presented its strategy, the busi-
ness performance and digital transformation of the business 
unit and our responses to the megatrends of mobility, connec-
tivity and sustainability. An interactive tour covering the latest 
innovations and technologies connected with these key 
trends of the future was provided under the banner “Discover 
Henkel Adhesive Technologies.”

Analyst recommendations 

17

Hold 

82 %

Buy 

Sell 

7 %

11 %

At December 31, 2019 
Basis: 27 equity analysts.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther information26

Corporate governance  
at Henkel AG & Co. KGaA

The following takeover-relevant information as required in 
Sections 289a (1), 315a (1) of the German Commercial Code 
[HGB] and the corporate governance statement in compliance 
with Sections 289f, 315d HGB, together with the relevant expla-
nations, form part of the externally audited and certified 
 combined management report for Henkel AG & Co. KGaA and 
the Group. It should be noted that Section 317 (2) sentence 6 
HGB stipulates that the audit of the disclosures pursuant to 
Sections 289f (2), 315d HGB is limited to the question as to 
whether the requisite information has been disclosed.

Takeover-relevant information
(Disclosures required per Sections 289a (1), 315a (1) HGB 
and explanations)

Composition of issued capital / Shareholders’ rights
The capital stock of the corporation amounts to 437,958,750 
euros. It is divided into a total of 437,958,750 bearer shares (of 
no par value), with each share representing a nominal propor-
tion of the capital stock of 1 euro. Of this total, 259,795,875 are 
ordinary shares (total nominal proportion of capital stock: 
259,795,875 euros, representing 59.3 percent) and 178,162,875 
are preferred shares without voting rights (total nominal 
 proportion of capital stock: 178,162,875 euros, representing 
40.7 percent). All shares are fully paid in. Multiple share certif-
icates for shares may be issued. In accordance with Art. 6 (4) 
of the Articles of Association, there is no right to individual 
share certificates. 

Each ordinary share grants to its holder one vote (Art. 21 (1) of 
the Articles of Association). The preferred shares grant to their 
holders all shareholder rights apart from the right to vote (Sec-
tions 139 (1) and 140 (1) German Stock Corporation Act [AktG] 
in conjunction with Art. 6 (1) of the Articles of Association). 
The preferred shares carry the following preferential right in 
the distribution of profit (Section 139 (1) AktG in conjunction 
with Art. 35 (2) of the Articles of Association) unless otherwise 
resolved by the Annual General Meeting:
•  The holders of preferred shares receive a preferred dividend 
in the amount of 0.04 euros per preferred share. If the profit 
to be distributed in a fiscal year is insufficient for payment 
of a preferred dividend of 0.04 euros per preferred share, 
the arrears are paid without interest from the profit of the 
following years, with older arrears to be paid in full before 
more recent arrears and the preferred dividend from the 
profit of a particular fiscal year paid only after the clearance 
of all arrears. The holders of ordinary shares then receive a 
preliminary dividend from the remaining unappropriated 
profit of 0.02 euros per ordinary share, with the residual 
amount being distributed to the holders of ordinary and pre-
ferred shares in accordance with the proportion of the capi-
tal stock attributable to them. 

•  If the preferred dividend is not paid out either in part or in 
whole in a year, and the arrears are not paid off in the fol-
lowing year together with the full preferred share dividend 
for that second year, the holders of preferred shares are 
accorded voting rights until such arrears are paid (Section 
140 (2) AktG). Cancellation or limitation of this preferred 
dividend requires the consent of the holders of preferred 
shares (Section 141 (1) AktG).

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther information27

The shareholders exercise their rights in the Annual General 
Meeting as per the relevant statutory provisions (especially 
Sections 118 ff, 186 AktG) and the corporation’s Articles of 
Association (especially Art. 18 ff). In particular, those holding 
shares with voting rights may exercise their right to vote either 
personally, by postal vote, through a legal representative or 
through a proxyholder nominated by the corporation (Section 
134 (3) and (4) AktG in conjunction with Art. 21 (2) and (3) of 
the Articles of Association) and are also entitled to submit 
motions on the resolution proposals of management, speak 
on agenda items, and raise pertinent questions and propose 
motions (Sections 126 (1) and 131 AktG in conjunction with 
Art. 23 (2) of the Articles of Association). The ordinary Annual 
General Meeting usually takes place within the first four 
months of the fiscal year.

Shareholders whose shares jointly represent at least one twen-
tieth of the capital stock – corresponding to 21,897,938 ordinary 
and / or preferred shares or a combination of both – may request 
that a general meeting of shareholders be called. If their 
 proportionate amount of the capital stock jointly reaches 
500,000 euros – corresponding to 500,000 ordinary and / or 
preferred shares or a combination of both – they may request 
that items be placed on the agenda and published (Section 122 
(1) and (2) AktG). In addition, shareholders whose combined 
share of the capital stock amounts to 100,000 euros or more 
may, subject to certain conditions, request that a special 
auditor be appointed by the court to examine certain matters 
(Section 142 (2) AktG).

Through the use of electronic communications, particularly 
the internet, the corporation makes it easy for shareholders 
to participate in the Annual General Meeting. It also enables 
them to be represented by proxyholders for exercising their 
voting rights. The reports, documents and information required 
by law for the Annual General Meeting, including the financial 
statements and annual reports, are made available on the 
internet, as are the agenda for the Annual General Meeting and 

any countermotions or nominations for election by sharehold-
ers that require publication.

Restrictions with respect to voting rights or the transfer 
of shares
Generally, preferred shares do not convey any voting rights 
(Sections 139 (1), 140 (1) AktG; please refer to the remarks above 
for further details). Voting rights attached to treasury shares 
held by the corporation (Section 71b AktG) and to ordinary 
shares for which the statutory notification requirement has 
not been met (Section 44 sentence 1 German Securities Trading 
Act [WpHG]) may not be exercised. The voting rights attached 
to ordinary shares are also excluded by law in the cases cited 
in Section 136 AktG (conflicts of interest concerning ordinary 
shares held by members of the Management Board, Supervisory 
Board or Shareholders’ Committee).

A share-pooling agreement has been concluded between 
members of the families of the descendants of company founder 
Fritz Henkel, pursuant to which the members agree on how to 
exercise the voting rights conveyed by their relevant ordinary 
shares in Henkel AG & Co. KGaA and ensure their voting rights 
are exercised consistently. The agreement also contains 
restrictions with respect to transfers of the ordinary shares 
covered (Art. 7 of the Articles of Association). 

Henkel preferred shares acquired by employees through the 
employee share plan, including bonus shares acquired with-
out additional payment, are subject to a company-imposed 
contractual lock-up period of three years, which begins on the 
first day of the respective participation period. The shares 
may not be sold before expiration of this lock-up period. If 
employee shares are sold during the lock-up period, the bonus 
shares are forfeited. Henkel preferred shares acquired by 
employees through the Long Term Incentive (LTI) Plan 2020+ 
are also subject to a company-imposed contractual lock-up 
period and may not be sold before expiration of the four-year 
term of each tranche.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther information28

Contractual agreements also exist with members of the Man-
agement Board governing lock-up periods for Henkel preferred 
shares which they purchase out of their variable annual cash 
remuneration (for additional information, please see the 
remuneration report on pages 47 to 74).

Major shareholders
According to notifications received by the corporation, as of 
October 12, 2018, a total of 61.20 percent of the voting rights 
are held by members of the Henkel family share-pooling 
agreement (for additional information on notifiable share-
holdings as specified in Section 160 (1) No. 8 AktG, please see 
the disclosures provided in the notes to the consolidated 
financial statements under Note 42 on page 240). No other 
direct or indirect investment in capital stock exceeding 
10 percent of the voting rights has been reported to us or is 
known to us.

Shares with special rights
There are no shares carrying multiple voting rights, preference 
voting rights, maximum voting rights or other special con-
trolling rights.

Statutory requirements and provisions in the Articles of 
Association governing the appointment and dismissal 
of members of the Management Board and amendment 
of the Articles of Association
Decisions regarding the appointment and dismissal of person-
ally liable partners are taken by the Shareholders’ Committee 
of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA and not by the Annual General 
Meeting (Art. 26 of the Articles of Association). Henkel Man-
agement AG is the sole Personally Liable Partner of the corpo-
ration (Art. 8 (1) of the Articles of Association).

The Supervisory Board of Henkel Management AG is responsi-
ble for the appointment and dismissal of members of the 
 Management Board of Henkel Management AG (Management 

Board). The appointments are for a maximum tenure of five 
years, although initial appointments tend to be for a period of 
three years, in accordance with the recommendations of the 
German Corporate Governance Code (GCGC). A reappointment 
or extension of tenure is permitted for a maximum period of 
five years in each case (Section 84 (1) AktG). The Supervisory 
Board may revoke the appointment as member of the Manage-
ment Board for good cause or reason, which may, in particular, 
consist of gross dereliction of management board duties or 
inability to properly manage the company’s affairs (Section 
84 (3) AktG). The Supervisory Board exercises due discretion 
when appointing and revoking appointments.

The Management Board is composed of at least two members 
in accordance with Art. 7 (1) of the Articles of Association of 
Henkel Management AG. The Supervisory Board of Henkel 
Management AG is also responsible for determining the num-
ber of members on the Management Board. The Supervisory 
Board can appoint a member of the Management Board as 
Chairperson. 

Unless otherwise mandated by statute or the Articles of Associa-
tion, the resolutions of the Annual General Meeting of Henkel 
AG & Co. KGaA are adopted by simple majority of the votes cast. 
If a majority of capital is required by statute, resolutions are 
adopted by simple majority of the voting capital represented 
(Art. 24 of the Articles of Association). This also applies to 
changes in the Articles of Association. However, modifications 
to the object of the corporation require a three-quarters’ major-
ity (Section 179 (2) AktG). The Supervisory Board and Sharehold-
ers’ Committee have the authority to resolve purely formal 
modifications of and amendments to the Articles of Association 
(Art. 34 of the Articles of Association). By resolution of the 
Annual General Meeting, the Supervisory Board is also autho-
rized to amend Art. 5 and 6 of the Articles of Association with 
respect to each use of the authorized capital and upon expira-
tion of the term of the authorization.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther information29

Authorization of the Management Board to issue or buy 
back shares 
According to Art. 6 (5) of the Articles of Association, there is 
an authorized capital. The Personally Liable Partner is autho-
rized, with the approval of the Shareholders’ Committee and 
of the Supervisory Board, to increase the capital stock of the 
corporation until April 12, 2020, by up to a nominal total 
of 43,795,875 euros through the issuance of up to 43,795,875 new 
preferred shares with no voting rights against cash and / or 
payment in kind. The authorization may be utilized to the full 
extent allowed or in one or several installments. The propor-
tion of capital stock represented by shares issued against 
payment in kind on the basis of this authorization must not 
exceed a total of 10 percent of the capital stock existing at 
the time the authorization takes effect. 

The Personally Liable Partner is authorized, with the approval 
of the Shareholders’ Committee and of the Supervisory Board, 
to set aside the pre-emptive rights of shareholders in the case 
of a capital increase against payment in kind, particularly for 
the purpose of business combinations or the (direct or indirect) 
acquisition of entities, operations, parts of businesses, equity 
interests or other assets, including claims against the corpora-
tion or companies dependent upon it within the meaning of 
Section 17 AktG.

If capital is increased against payment in cash, all sharehold-
ers are essentially assigned pre-emptive rights. However, these 
may be set aside in three cases, subject to the approval of the 
Shareholders’ Committee and of the Supervisory Board: (1) in 
order to dispose of fractional amounts; (2) to grant to creditors /  
holders of bonds with warrants or conversion rights or a conver-
sion obligation issued by the corporation or one of the compa-
nies dependent upon it, pre-emptive rights corresponding 
to those that would accrue to such creditors / bondholders fol-
lowing exercise of their warrant or conversion rights or on ful-
fillment of their conversion obligations; or (3) if the issue price 

of the new shares is not significantly below the quoted market 
price at the time of issue price fixing.

In addition, the Personally Liable Partner is authorized to pur-
chase ordinary and / or preferred shares of the corporation at 
any time until April 7, 2024, up to a maximum proportion of 
10 percent of the capital stock existing at the time the resolu-
tion is adopted by the Annual General Meeting or at the time 
the authorization is exercised, whichever is lower. Equity 
derivatives (put and / or call options and / or forward contracts 
or a combination of such derivatives) can also be used for 
such purchase. The volume of all shares purchased using such 
derivatives must not exceed 5 percent of the capital stock 
existing at the time the resolution is adopted by the Annual 
General Meeting or at the time the authorization is exercised, 
whichever is lower. The term of the derivatives must not exceed 
18 months in each case. The choice of derivative must ensure 
that the purchase of the preferred shares acquired through exer-
cising the derivative is not possible after April 7, 2024.

This authorization to purchase treasury shares can be exercised 
for any legal purpose. To the exclusion of the pre-emptive 
rights of existing shareholders, treasury shares may, in partic-
ular, be transferred to third parties for the purpose of acquiring 
entities or participating interests in entities. Treasury shares 
may also be sold to third parties against payment in cash, 
provided that the selling price is not significantly below the 
quoted market price at the time of share disposal. Treasury 
shares may also be offered for purchase or transferred to 
employees of the corporation and employees and members 
of corporate bodies of affiliated companies, in particular in 
connection with share-based payment schemes, including the 
Long Term Incentive Plan 2020+. The shares may likewise be 
used to satisfy warrants or conversion rights granted by the 
corporation. The Personally Liable Partner is also authorized, 
with the approval of the Shareholders’ Committee and of the 
Supervisory Board, to cancel treasury shares without the need 
for further resolution by the General Meeting.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther information30

Insofar as shares are issued or used to the exclusion of pre- 
emptive rights, the proportion of capital stock represented by 
such shares shall not exceed 10 percent. 

Concerning the number of treasury shares and their use, please 
refer to the disclosures provided in the notes to the financial 
statements of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, Note 10, on pages 13 and 
14, and in the notes to the consolidated financial statements, 
Note 10, on pages 176 to 178. 

Material agreements governed by a change of control, and 
compensation agreements in the event of a takeover bid
The corporation has not entered into any material agreements 
governed by a change of control in the wake of a takeover 
bid, nor any compensation agreements with members of the 
 Management Board or individual employees in the event of 
a takeover bid.

Corporate governance statement
(Disclosures required under Sections 289f, 315d HGB  
and explanations)

The following statement takes into account the relevant rec-
ommendations of the German Corporate Governance Code 
(GCGC) and contains all disclosures and explanations required 
according to Sections 289f and 315d (corporate governance 
statement) of the German Commercial Code [HGB].

The Management Board, the Shareholders’ Committee and the 
Supervisory Board are committed to ensuring that the manage-
ment and stewardship of the corporation are conducted in a 
responsible and transparent manner aligned to achieving a 
long-term increase in shareholder value. With this in mind, 
they have pledged allegiance to the following three principles:

•  Value creation as the foundation of our management 

approach.

•  Sustainability achieved through the application of socially 

responsible management principles.

•  Transparency supported by an active and open information 

policy. 

The German Corporate Governance Code (GCGC) was intro-
duced in order to promote confidence among investors, 
 customers, the workforce and the general public in the man-
agement and oversight of listed German corporations. 

The aim of the GCGC is to make the German corporate gover-
nance system with its institutional segregation of manage-
ment (Management Board) and oversight (Supervisory Board) 
transparent and comprehensible. The Code offers recommen-
dations and suggestions with regard to the management 
and oversight of German listed companies that are recognized 
nationally and internationally as standards of good and 
responsible corporate governance.

How Henkel applies the GCGC
The GCGC is substantially aligned to the statutory provisions 
applicable to a German joint stock corporation (“Aktiengesell-
schaft” [AG]). It is applied analogously by Henkel AG & Co. KGaA 
(the corporation). A description is provided below to enable a 
better understanding of the principles underlying the manage-
ment and control structure of the corporation and the special 
features distinguishing us from an AG which derive from our 
specific legal form and our Articles of Association. The primary 
rights of shareholders of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA are likewise 
explained. The following statement takes into account the 
 relevant recommendations of the GCGC and contains all dis-
closures and explanations required according to Sections 289f 
and 315d (corporate governance statement) of the German 
Commercial Code [HGB].

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther information31

Legal form / Special statutory features of  
Henkel AG & Co. KGaA
Henkel is a “Kommanditgesellschaft auf Aktien” [KGaA]. A 
KGaA is a company with a legal identity (legal entity) in which 
at least one partner has unlimited liability with respect to 
the company’s creditors (personally liable partner). The other 
partners’ liability is limited to their shares in the capital 
stock and they are thus not personally liable for the company’s 
debts  (limited partners per Section 278 (1) German Stock 
 Corporation Act [AktG]).

In terms of its legal structure, a KGaA is a mixture of a joint 
stock corporation [AG] and a limited partnership [KG], with a 
leaning toward stock corporation law. The differences with 
respect to an AG are primarily as follows: The duties of the 
executive board of an AG are performed at the corporation by 
Henkel Management AG – acting through its Management 
Board – as the sole Personally Liable Partner (Sections 278 (2) 
and 283 AktG in conjunction with Art. 11 of our Articles of 
Association). The corporation is the sole shareholder of 
Henkel Management AG.

The rights and duties of the Supervisory Board of a KGaA are 
more limited compared to those of the Supervisory Board of an 
AG. Specifically, the Supervisory Board is not authorized to 
appoint personally liable partners, preside over the partners’ 
contractual arrangements, impose procedural rules on the 
Management Board, or rule on business transactions. These 
duties are performed for the corporation by the Shareholders’ 
Committee and by the Supervisory Board of Henkel Manage-
ment AG respectively. A KGaA is not required to appoint a 
director of labor affairs, even if, like Henkel, the company is 
bound to abide by Germany’s Codetermination Act of 1976.

The general meeting of a KGaA essentially has the same rights 
as the shareholders’ meeting of an AG. For example, it votes on 
the appropriation of earnings, elects members of the Supervisory 
Board (shareholder representatives), and formally approves the 

Supervisory Board’s actions. It appoints the auditor and also 
votes on amendments to the articles of association and measures 
that change the company’s capital, which are implemented by 
the Management Board. Additionally, as stipulated by the 
legal form, it also votes on the adoption of the annual financial 
statements of the company, formally approves the actions 
of the personally liable partner, and elects and approves the 
actions of the members of the shareholders’ committee as 
established under the articles of association. Resolutions 
passed in general meeting require the approval of the person-
ally liable partner where they involve matters which, in the 
case of a limited partnership, require the authorization of the 
personally liable partners and also that of the limited partners 
(Section 285 (2) AktG) or relate to the adoption of annual 
financial statements (Section 286 (1) AktG).

According to our Articles of Association, in addition to the 
Supervisory Board, Henkel also has a standing Shareholders’ 
Committee comprising a minimum of five and a maximum of 
ten members, all of whom are elected by the General Meeting 
(Art. 27 of the Articles of Association). The Shareholders’ 
 Committee is required in particular to perform the following 
functions (Section 278 (2) AktG in conjunction with Sections 114 
and 161 HGB, and Art. 8, 9 and 26 of the Articles of Association): 
•  It acts in place of the General Meeting in guiding the busi-

ness activities of the corporation.

•  It decides on the appointment and dismissal of the Person-

ally Liable Partners.

•  It holds both the power of representation and executive 

powers over the legal relationships prevailing between the 
corporation and Henkel Management AG, the Personally 
 Liable Partner.

•  It exercises the voting rights of the corporation in the Annual 
General Meeting of Henkel Management AG, thereby choos-
ing its three-member Supervisory Board which, in turn, 
appoints and dismisses the members of the Management Board. 

•  It issues rules of procedure incumbent upon Henkel 

 Management AG.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther information32

There were no changes in the Group management and 
 supervisory structure in the year under review. The following 
chart illustrates the structure of the corporation.

Structure of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA 

18

elects members

Annual General Meeting
Ordinary shares / Preferred shares

elects shareholder representatives

Henkel AG & Co. KGaA

Shareholders’ Committee
10 members

Supervisory Board
16 members

appoints, supervises, 
participates in 
management of the business 

elects

Henkel Management AG
All shares held by Henkel AG & Co. KGaA

Supervisory Board

appoints

supervises

Management Board

advises and 
 supervises

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther information33

Application of the German Corporate Governance Code 
(GCGC)
Where the GCGC offers recommendations concerning the 
duties and responsibilities of a Supervisory Board that are per-
formed by the corporation’s Shareholders’ Committee or the 
Supervisory Board of Henkel Management AG in compliance 
with the Articles of Association, those recommendations have 
been adopted accordingly for the Shareholders’ Committee 
and the Supervisory Board of Henkel Management AG respec-
tively. Such recommendations by the GCGC relate to the 
 composition of the Management Board, succession planning, 
the length of first terms in office and specification of an age 
limit, definition of a remuneration system and of total remu-
neration, specification of the amount of variable remuneration 
to be paid to the Management Board and of the monetary 
arrangements upon termination of a contract.

Taking into account the special features arising from its legal 
form and Articles of Association, the corporation complies 
with all recommendations (“shall” provisions) of the GCGC as 
amended on February 7, 2017 (GCGC 2017) and as adopted by 
the government commission on December 16, 2019 (GCGC 
2019), with the following exceptions: 
•  According to Section 4.2.3 (2) sentence 8 GCGC 2017 and 

 Recommendation G.8 GCGC 2019, any subsequent change in 
performance targets or the comparison parameters should 
be precluded in the case of variable remuneration compo-
nents. Following modifications to the Management Board 
remuneration in 2019 with regard to the Long Term Incen-
tive (LTI) tranches issued in 2017 and 2018 – of which the 
three-year performance periods end on December 31, 2019 
and December 31, 2020 respectively – the method of perfor-
mance measurement derogates from this recommendation 
insofar as the related performance parameters are deter-
mined pro rata temporis in accordance with the previously 
valid conditions for the period up to December 31, 2018, and 
for the period from January 1, 2019 in accordance with the 
conditions effective from 2019. This will ensure a cogent 

and  consistent incentive system of Management Board com-
pensation.  

•  According to Recommendation G.10 GCGC 2019, the amounts 
corresponding to the variable components of remuneration 
awarded to the members of the Management Board should be 
predominantly invested by them in corporation shares, 
or be awarded in appropriately share-based form. Long-term 
variable remuneration awards to Management Board 
 members should be subject to a four-year lock-up period.  

In derogation from this recommendation, the portion of 
the personal investment in Henkel preferred shares (share 
deferral) to be made under the Short Term Incentive (STI) 
scheme in relation to the at-target remuneration (target 
achievement, functional factor 1) amounts to around 25 per-
cent of the total variable remuneration (comprising the STI 
and the LTI) and around 47 percent of the total long-term 
remuneration (comprising the share deferral and the Long 
Term Incentive).  

The lock-up period for the Henkel preferred shares expires 
in each case on December 31 of the fourth year following 
the remuneration year. This share deferral ensures that the 
members of the Management Board are required to accumu-
late a significant share portfolio representing a multiple of 
their basic remuneration during the rolling lock-up period, 
and that they participate in the long-term performance of 
the corporation, whether this be positive or negative. This 
share portfolio continues to grow due to the fact that shares 
are sold, if at all, only in exceptional instances once the 
respective lock-up period has expired. 

The performance period for the Long Term Incentive is three 
years. The LTI is paid in cash once the corporation’s annual 
financial statements for the final year in the performance 
period have been approved by the Annual General Meeting.  

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther information 
 
 
34

•  In keeping with the objectives of the Management Board 
remuneration policy, this structure of the STI and LTI not 
only rewards sustainably profitable growth and thus sup-
ports the long-term development of Henkel but also aligns 
the Management Board remuneration to the interests of the 
corporation’s shareholders. 1

•  In derogation from Recommendation D.8 GCGC 2019, indi-

vidual meeting attendance by Supervisory Board members 
is disclosed together with individual meeting attendance 
by the members of the Shareholders’ Committee in the 
remuneration report and not in the report of the Supervisory 
Board.

•  In derogation from Section 4.2.3 GCGC 2017 and Recommen-
dation G.12 GCGC 2019 to refrain from premature payment 
of variable remuneration components in the event of termi-
nation of a Management Board contract, all lock-up periods 
relating to investments in Henkel preferred shares that are 
financed by the recipients (share deferral) end if said recipi-
ent dies. By the same token, LTI entitlements with regard 
to outstanding tranches are settled on the basis of budget 
figures and paid to the heirs. 

The suggestion in Section 2.3.3 GCGC 2017 to enable shareholders 
to follow general meetings online has been adopted to the extent 
that the Annual General Meeting is broadcast publicly on the 
internet up to the conclusion of the address by the Chair of the 
Management Board. The subsequent discussion of the agenda is 
not broadcast, in keeping with the character of a general meeting 
as an event that people attend in person.

Notwithstanding the aforementioned exception and the special 
features arising from its legal form, the corporation has adopted 
the discretionary suggestions of GCGC 2017 and GCGC 2019 
respectively. 

In fiscal 2019, Dr. Simone Bagel-Trah again held meetings with 
investors in selected cases.

1   For details of Management Board compensation, please refer to the  

remuneration report starting on page 47.

The corresponding declarations of compliance together with 
the reasons for deviations from recommendations can be found 
on our website: 

  www.henkel.com/ir.

Managers’ transactions
In accordance with Article 19 (1) of Regulation (EU) No. 596 / 2014 
of the European Parliament and of the Council on Market Abuse 
(Market Abuse Regulation), members of the Management 
Board, the Supervisory Board and the Shareholders’ Committee, 
and parties related to same, are obliged by law to disclose noti-
fiable transactions involving shares in Henkel AG & Co. KGaA 
or their derivative financial instruments where the value of 
such transactions by the member, or a party related to the 
member, attains or exceeds 5,000 euros in a calendar year. 
The transactions reported to the corporation in the past fiscal 
year were properly disclosed and can be seen on the website: 

  www.henkel.com/ir.

Principles of corporate governance / Compliance
The members of the Management Board conduct the corpora-
tion’s business with the care of a prudent and conscientious 
business director in accordance with legal requirements, the 
Articles of Association of Henkel Management AG and the 
Articles of Association of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, the rules of 
procedure governing the actions of the Management Board, 
the provisions contained in the individual contracts of 
employment of its members, and also the compliance guide-
lines and resolutions adopted by and within the Management 
Board. 

Corporate management principles which go beyond the statu-
tory requirements are derived from our purpose, our vision, 
our mission and our values. For our corporation to be success-
ful, it is essential that we share a common approach to entre-
preneurship. We have defined a clear strategic framework with 
a long-term horizon. It guides us in making the right decisions 
and helps us to concentrate on our strategic priorities and 
focus resolutely on our ambition for the future.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther information35

We want to create value – for our customers and our consumers, 
for our people, for our shareholders, as well as for the wider 
society and communities in which we operate.

Our purpose:
•  Creating sustainable value. 

Our vision: 
•  Leading with our innovations, brands and technologies. 

Our mission: 
•  Serving our customers and consumers worldwide as the 

most trusted partner with leading positions in all relevant 
markets and categories – as a passionate team united by 
shared values. 

Our values:
•  We put our customers and consumers at the center of what 

we do.

•  We value, challenge and reward our people. 
•  We drive excellent sustainable financial performance.
•  We are committed to leadership in sustainability.
•  We shape our future with a strong entrepreneurial spirit 

based on our family business tradition. 

The corporate bodies of Henkel and our employees worldwide 
are guided by this purpose, this vision, this mission, and these 
values. They reaffirm our ambition to meet the highest ethical 
standards in everything we do. And they guide our employees 
in all the day-to-day decisions they make, providing a compass 
for their conduct and actions.

Henkel is committed to ensuring that all business transactions 
are conducted in an ethically irreproachable, legal fashion. 
Consequently, Henkel expects all our employees not only to 
respect the corporation’s internal rules and all relevant laws, 
but also to avoid conflicts of interest, to protect Henkel’s assets 
and to respect the social values of the countries and cultural 

environments in which Henkel does business. The Management 
Board has therefore issued a series of Group-wide codes and 
standards with precepts that are binding worldwide. These 
regulatory instruments are not static, but are periodically 
reviewed and amended as appropriate, evolving in step with 
the changing legal and commercial conditions that affect 
Henkel as a globally active corporation. The Code of Conduct 
supports our employees in ethical and legal issues. The Lead-
ership Commitments define the principles of management 
conduct. The Code of Corporate Sustainability describes the 
principles that drive our sustainable, socially responsible 
approach to business. This code also enables Henkel to meet 
the commitments derived from the United Nations Global 
Compact.

Ensuring compliance with laws and regulations is an integral 
component of our business processes. Henkel has established 
a Group-wide compliance organization with locally and region-
ally responsible compliance officers led by a globally responsible 
General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer (CCO). The General 
Counsel & CCO, supported by the Corporate Compliance Office 
and the interdisciplinary Compliance & Risk Committee, 
manages and controls compliance-related activities under-
taken at the corporate level, coordinates training courses, 
oversees fulfillment of both internal and external regula-
tions, and takes appropriate action in the event of compliance 
violations. 

The local and regional compliance officers are responsible for 
organizing and overseeing the training activities and imple-
mentation measures tailored to the specific local and regional 
requirements. They report to the Corporate Compliance Office. 
The General Counsel & CCO reports regularly to the Manage-
ment Board and to the Audit Committee of the Supervisory 
Board on identified compliance violations.

The issue of compliance is also a permanent item in the target 
agreements signed by all managerial staff of Henkel. Due to 

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther information36

their position, it is particularly incumbent on them to set the 
right example for their subordinates, to effectively communi-
cate the compliance rules and to ensure through the imple-
mentation of suitable organizational measures that these are 
obeyed. 

The procedures to be followed in the event of complaints or 
suspicion of malpractice also constitute an important element 
of the compliance policy. In addition to our internal reporting 
system and complaint registration channels, employees and 
third parties may also, for the purpose of reporting serious vio-
lations to the Corporate Compliance Office, anonymously use 
a compliance hotline operated by an external service provider. 
The Head of the Corporate Compliance Office is mandated to 
initiate the necessary follow-up procedures.

Our corporate compliance activities are focused on antitrust 
law and the fight against corruption. In our Code of Conduct, 
the corporate guidelines based upon it, and in other publica-
tions, the Management Board clearly expresses its rejection of 
all infringements of the principles of compliance, particularly 
antitrust violations and corruption. We do not tolerate such 
violations in any way. For Henkel, bribery, anticompetitive 
agreements, or any other violations of laws are no way to initi-
ate or conduct business.

A further compliance-relevant area relates to capital market 
law. Supplementing the legal provisions, internal codes of 
conduct have been put in place to regulate the treatment of 
issues and information that have the potential to materially 
affect share prices. The corporation has an Ad Hoc Committee 
comprised of representatives from various departments. In 
order to ensure that potential insider information is handled 
as required by law, this Committee reviews occurrences for 
their possible effect on share prices, determining the need to 
issue reports to the capital markets on an ad hoc basis. The 
ultimate authority to decide how to handle potential insider 
information lies with the Management Board. There are also 

rules that go beyond the legal requirements, governing the 
behavior of the members of the Management Board, the Super-
visory Board and the Shareholders’ Committee, and also 
employees of the corporation who, due to their function or 
involvement in projects, have access to potential insider infor-
mation. 

Management and control structure 

Management Board
The Management Board is composed of at least two members 
in accordance with Art. 7 (1) of the Articles of Association of 
Henkel Management AG. The Supervisory Board of Henkel 
Management AG is also responsible for determining the num-
ber of members on the Management Board; it can appoint a 
member of the Management Board as Chairperson. 

The members of the Management Board are segregated from 
both the Supervisory Board and the Shareholders’ Committee 
of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA and from the Supervisory Board of 
Henkel Management AG; no member of the Management 
Board may also sit on either of the aforementioned Supervi-
sory Boards nor the Shareholders’ Committee.

As the executive body of the Group, the Management Board is 
bound to uphold the interests of the corporation and is 
responsible for ensuring a sustainable increase in shareholder 
value. The members of the Management Board are responsible 
for managing Henkel’s business operations in their entirety. 
The individual Management Board members are assigned, in 
accordance with a business distribution plan, areas of compe-
tence for which they bear lead responsibility. The members 
of the Management Board cooperate closely as colleagues, 
informing one another of all major occurrences within their 
areas of competence and conferring on all actions that may 
affect several such areas. Further details relating to coopera-
tion and the division of operational responsibilities within the 

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther information37

Management Board are regulated by the rules of procedure 
issued by the Supervisory Board of Henkel Management AG.

Supervisory Board and Shareholders’ Committee;  
(sub)committees 

It is the duty of the Management Board to prepare the annual 
financial statements of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, the consoli-
dated financial statements and combined management reports 
for Henkel AG & Co. KGaA and the Group, and the interim 
financial reports. The Management Board is responsible for 
management of the overall business including planning, 
coordination, allocation of resources, control and risk man-
agement. It must also ensure compliance with legal provisions, 
regulatory requirements and internal company guidelines, 
and take steps to ensure that Group companies also observe 
them. To this end, the Management Board has put a compre-
hensive compliance management system in place that also 
enables confidential whistleblowing.

Composition, duties
The corporation’s Supervisory Board is composed of equal 
numbers of shareholder and employee representatives as 
specified in the 1976 Codetermination Act, and is made up of 
16 members. In keeping with the 1976 Codetermination Act 
and the relevant voting procedures, the eight employee repre-
sentatives are elected by the workforce and the eight share-
holder representatives by the General Meeting. All members of 
the Supervisory Board are bound in equal measure to protect 
the interests of the corporation. Members are appointed for 
five-year terms unless otherwise specified at election. At the 
last election of the shareholder representatives by the Annual 
General Meeting 2016, their term of office was set at four years.

The Management Board adopts its resolutions in meetings 
held at regular intervals or by written procedure. Decisions by 
the Management Board are taken on the basis of detailed infor-
mation submitted by the business units and central functions 
and – to the extent deemed necessary – by external consultants. 
Wherever possible, Management Board resolutions are adopted 
unanimously. In the absence of a unanimous vote, the major-
ity decides; in the event of a tie, the Chair of the Management 
Board has a casting vote. If outvoted, the Chair has a veto 
right. Exercising the veto right prompts renewed debate of 
the resolution by the Management Board. If the veto right is 
exercised again in response to the proposed adoption of a 
 resolution, the matter is forwarded to the Shareholders’ Com-
mittee for a final decision.

It is the responsibility of the Supervisory Board to advise and 
supervise the Management Board in the performance of its 
business management duties. The Supervisory Board regularly 
discusses business performance and planning with the Man-
agement Board. It reviews the annual financial statements of 
Henkel AG & Co. KGaA and the Group’s consolidated financial 
statements together with the associated combined manage-
ment reports and the non-financial statement, taking into 
account the reviews and audit reports submitted by the auditor. 
It also votes on the proposal of the Management Board regard-
ing the appropriation of profit and submits to the Annual 
 General Meeting a proposal for the appointment of the exter-
nal auditor. 

As a general rule, the Supervisory Board meets four times per 
year. If deemed necessary, the Management Board does not 
participate in such meetings. The Supervisory Board reaches 
its decisions by a simple majority of the votes cast. In the 
event of a tie, the Chairperson has the casting vote. The Super-
visory Board has established an Audit Committee and a Nomi-
nations Committee. 

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther information38

The Audit Committee is made up of three shareholder and 
three employee representative members of the Supervisory 
Board. Each member is elected by the Supervisory Board based 
on nominations of their fellow shareholder or fellow employee 
representatives on the Board. The Chair of the Audit Commit-
tee is elected based on a proposal of the shareholder represen-
tative members. As of December 31, 2019, the following were 
members of the Audit Committee: Prof. Dr. Theo Siegert 
(Chair), Prof. Dr. Michael Kaschke (Vice Chair) and Dr. Simone 
Bagel-Trah as shareholder representatives, and Birgit Helten- 
Kindlein, Edgar Topsch and Michael Vassiliadis as employee 
representatives. It is a statutory requirement that at least one 
independent member of the Supervisory Board has expertise 
in the fields of accounting or auditing. The Chair of the Audit 
Committee in 2019, Prof. Dr. Theo Siegert, who is not the Chair 
of the Supervisory Board nor a present or former member of 
the Management Board, satisfies these requirements. In com-
pliance with Recommendation C.9 GCGC 2019, Prof. Dr. Theo 
Siegert is, moreover, not dependent on the controlling share-
holder in that he is not nor ever was a party to the Henkel 
 family share-pooling agreement. 

As a general rule, the Audit Committee meets four times per 
year. It prepares the proceedings and resolutions of the Super-
visory Board relating to the adoption of the annual financial 
statements and the consolidated financial statements, the 
review of the non-financial statement and also the auditor 
appointment proposal to be made to the Annual General Meet-
ing. It issues audit mandates to the auditor and defines the 
focal areas of the audit, as well as deciding on the fee for the 
audit and other advisory services provided by the auditor. The 
Audit Committee specifies a cap on the provision of other 
advisory services, i.e., non-audit-related services as permitted 
in the relevant EU regulations, and oversees adherence to 
same. It also monitors the independence and qualifications of 
the auditor, requiring the latter to submit a declaration of 
independence which it then evaluates. Furthermore, the Audit 

Committee monitors the accounts and the accounting process 
and assesses the effectiveness of the Internal Control System, 
the Risk Management System and the Internal Auditing and 
Review System. It is likewise involved in compliance issues. 
The Group’s Internal Audit function reports regularly to the 
Audit Committee. Prior to publication, it discusses the quar-
terly statements and the financial report for the half year with 
the Management Board in a meeting that is also attended by 
the external auditor. 

The Nominations Committee comprises the Chairperson of 
the Supervisory Board and two further shareholder representa-
tives elected by the Supervisory Board based on nominations 
of the shareholders’ representatives. The Chairperson of the 
Supervisory Board is also Chairperson of the Nominations 
Committee. The Nominations Committee prepares the resolu-
tions of the Supervisory Board on election proposals to be 
 presented to the Annual General Meeting for the election of 
members to the Supervisory Board (shareholder representa-
tives). As of December 31, 2019, the following were members of 
the Nominations Committee: Dr. Simone Bagel-Trah (Chair), 
Dr. Kaspar von Braun and Prof. Dr. Theo Siegert.

According to our Articles of Association, in addition to the 
Supervisory Board, Henkel also has a standing Shareholders’ 
Committee comprising a minimum of five and a maximum of 
ten members, all of whom are elected by the Annual General 
Meeting (Art. 27 of the Articles of Association). Members are 
appointed for five-year terms unless otherwise specified at 
election. At the last election by the Annual General Meeting of 
2016, the term of office was set at four years. The Shareholders’ 
Committee comprised ten members in the year under review. 

As a general rule, the Shareholders’ Committee meets six times 
per year. If deemed necessary, the Management Board does not 
participate in such meetings. It also holds a joint conference 
with the Management Board lasting several days. The Share-

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther information39

holders’ Committee reaches its decisions by a simple majority 
of the votes cast. It has established Finance and Human 
Resources subcommittees that likewise meet six times per 
year, as a general rule. Each subcommittee comprises five of 
the members of the Shareholders’ Committee. 

The Finance Subcommittee deals primarily with financial 
matters, questions of financial strategy, financial position and 
structure, taxation and accounting policy, as well as risk man-
agement within the corporation. It also performs the necessary 
preparatory work for decisions to be made by the Shareholders’ 
Committee in matters for which decision authority has not 
been delegated to it. As of December 31, 2019, the following 
were members of the Finance Subcommittee: Dr. Christoph 
Henkel (Chair), Stefan Hamelmann (Vice Chair), Prof. Dr. Paul 
Achleitner, Prof. Dr. Ulrich Lehner and Dr. Dr. Norbert Reithofer.

The Human Resources Subcommittee deals primarily with 
personnel matters relating to members of the Management 
Board, with issues pertaining to human resources strategy, and 
with remuneration. It performs the necessary preparatory 
work for decisions to be made by the Shareholders’ Committee 
in matters for which decision authority has not been delegated 
to it. The subcommittee also addresses issues concerned with 
succession planning and management potential within the 
individual business units, taking into account relevant diversity 
aspects. The following are members of the Human Resources 
Subcommittee: Dr. Simone Bagel-Trah (Chair), Konstantin von 
Unger (Vice Chair), Johann-Christoph Frey, Jean-François van 
Boxmeer and Werner Wenning.

Conflicts of interest must be disclosed in an appropriate man-
ner to the Supervisory Board or Shareholders’ Committee, 
 particularly those that may arise as the result of a consultancy 
or committee function performed in the service of customers, 
suppliers, lenders or other business partners. Members 
encountering material conflicts of interest that are not of a 
merely temporary nature are required to resign their mandate.

In an onboarding procedure, newly elected members of the 
Supervisory Board and Shareholders’ Committee are familiar-
ized with our corporate values, applicable codes and stan-
dards, the basic organizational structure and strategy of the 
corporation together with the main initiatives, the corpora-
tion’s operational performance, and members’ rights and obli-
gations, taking into account the special features arising from 
our legal form and Articles of Association. Some members of 
the Supervisory Board and of the Shareholders’ Committee are 
or were in past years holders of senior managerial positions in 
other companies. If and when Henkel pursues business activi-
ties with these companies, the same arm’s length principles 
apply as those applicable to transactions with and between 
unrelated third parties. In our view, such transactions do not 
affect the impartiality of the members in question. 

Activities of the Supervisory Board and Shareholders’ 
 Committee in the year under review 
For details of the activities of the Supervisory Board and its 
committees in fiscal 2019, please refer to the Report of the 
Supervisory Board (pages 11 to 17 of this Annual Report). 

The Shareholders’ Committee continued to discharge its 
duties diligently in fiscal 2019 in accordance with the legal 
statutes and Articles of Association. In compliance with the 
Articles of Association, the Shareholders’ Committee engaged 
in the management of the corporation and carefully and regu-
larly monitored the work of the Management Board, advising 
and supporting it in its stewardship and in the strategic 
development of the corporation. It also discussed and ruled 
on those transactions that required its approval.

Six scheduled meetings took place in the year under review, 
together with three extraordinary meetings / telephone confer-
ences and a conference with the Management Board of several 
days’ duration. Likewise, the Human Resources and Finance 
subcommittees each met six times. Attendance at the meet-

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther information40

ings of the Shareholders’ Committee and its subcommittees 
was 93 percent. For details of individual members’ attendance 
at meetings, please refer to the remuneration report (page 74).

Management Board, financial control and risk management 
systems, requests for information, collaboration with the 
auditor, corporate governance matters and improvement 
opportunities. 

At all meetings, the reports submitted by the Management 
Board were discussed, and the general development of the cor-
poration, the status of acquisitions and divestments, and other 
matters of strategic importance were analyzed together with 
the Management Board. The overall economic situation and 
Henkel’s business performance were also discussed. Areas of 
particular focus included financial reporting, the strategic 
direction of both the corporation and the business units, 
overall performance by the business units and in the regions, 
investments and innovations, sustainability, and the short- 
and mid-term plans of both the Group and the individual 
business units.

Business transactions requiring the approval of the Sharehold-
ers’ Committee were discussed in detail together with the 
Management Board and appropriate resolutions adopted, 
some of which required preliminary consultation with the 
relevant subcommittees. The issues involved focused mainly 
on strategy and financial planning, major capital expenditures, 
acquisitions and divestments, fundamental HR issues and 
Henkel’s funding and financing strategy. The Shareholders’ 
Committee and the Human Resources Subcommittee also 
submitted appropriate recommendations with regard to Man-
agement Board matters to the Supervisory Board of Henkel 
Management AG. 

Efficiency audit
Every two years, the Supervisory Board and the Shareholders’ 
Committee hold an internal review to determine the efficiency 
with which they and their committees / subcommittees carry 
out their duties. This self-assessment is performed on the 
basis of an extensive checklist focusing on meeting frequency, 
duration, preparation and organization, minutes, committee 
work and information disclosure, reports submitted by the 

A corresponding efficiency audit performed in the year 
under review confirmed both the efficiency of the activities 
of the Supervisory Board and Shareholders’ Committee and 
their respective (sub)committees, and the impartiality of their 
members.

Interaction between Management Board, Supervisory Board 
and Shareholders’ Committee
The Management Board, Supervisory Board and Shareholders’ 
Committee work in close cooperation for the benefit of the 
corporation.

The Management Board agrees the strategic direction of the 
corporation with the Shareholders’ Committee and discusses 
with it the status of strategy implementation at regular intervals.

In keeping with the precepts of good corporate governance, the 
Management Board informs the Supervisory Board and the 
Shareholders’ Committee regularly, and in a timely and com-
prehensive fashion, of all relevant issues concerning business 
policy, corporate planning, profitability, the business develop-
ment of the corporation and major affiliated companies, and 
also matters relating to risk exposure and risk management.

For transactions of fundamental significance, the Sharehold-
ers’ Committee has established a right of veto in the proce-
dural rules governing the actions of Henkel Management AG in 
its function as sole Personally Liable Partner (Art. 26 of the 
Articles of Association). This covers, in particular, decisions 
or measures that materially change the net assets, financial 
position or results of operations of the corporation. The Man-
agement Board complies with these rights of consent of the 

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther information41

•   by the Shareholders’ Committee which, in doing so, exer-
cises the powers of the corporation’s shareholders, and
•   by the Supervisory Board at KGaA level in accordance with 

laws governing joint stock corporations. 

Targets for the proportion of women on the Management 
Board and in the first two management levels below the 
Management Board 
In accordance with Sections 76 (4) and 111 (5) AktG, targets 
must be set for the proportion of women on the Management 
Board and in the first two management levels below the Man-
agement Board. If the proportion of women is below 30 per-
cent at the time the targets are set, the targets may not be 
below the proportion already achieved. Deadlines for achieve-
ment of the targets must be established at the same time and 
must not be longer than five years in each case.

Proportion of women on the Management Board
As part of its responsibility for Management Board composi-
tion, the Supervisory Board of Henkel Management AG has 
established a target, as recommended by the Shareholders’ 
Committee and its Human Resources Subcommittee, for the 
proportion of women on the Management Board of 17 percent, 
taking into account the current composition and an appropri-
ate Management Board size for the corporation. This propor-
tion will apply, and the target will be met, in the period 
through to December 31, 2021.

The proportion of women on the Management Board at 
December 31, 2019 was 17 percent. 

Shareholders’ Committee and also duly submits to the deci-
sion authority of the corporation’s Annual General Meeting. 

Our Vision and Values, Code of Conduct, Code of Corporate 
Sustainability and other codes and policies governing our 
stewardship of the corporation can be found on our website: 

  www.henkel.com.

Supervisory Board of Henkel Management AG
The corporation holds all shares in Henkel Management AG. 
The voting rights to which the corporation is entitled at the 
general meetings of Henkel Management AG are exercised by 
the Shareholders’ Committee, which therefore also elects the 
members of the Supervisory Board of Henkel Management AG. 
Members are appointed for five-year terms unless otherwise 
specified at election. At the last election by the Annual General 
Meeting 2016, the term of office was set at four years.

The Supervisory Board of Henkel Management AG consists of 
three members who are also members of the Shareholders’ 
Committee. At December 31, 2019, the following were members 
of the Supervisory Board: Dr. Simone Bagel-Trah (Chair), 
 Konstantin von Unger (Vice Chair) and Werner Wenning. 
Electing certain members to both corporate bodies ensures 
that the Shareholders’ Committee not only appoints Henkel 
Management AG as the Personally Liable Partner, but also 
(through the members of the Supervisory Board of Henkel 
Management AG) appoints its Management Board and there-
fore the individuals who are responsible for managing the 
corporation. Effective control of management – i.e. of the 
Management Board of Henkel Management AG – is therefore 
also assured:
•  The Supervisory Board of Henkel Management AG can over-
see and monitor the Management Board in accordance with 
laws governing joint stock corporations;

•  Henkel Management AG as the Personally Liable Partner and 
therefore (also) its Management Board can also be overseen 
and monitored

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther information42

Proportion of women in the management levels below the 
Management Board
Based on the current personnel mix, the Management Board 
has established the following targets for the first two levels of 
management below the Management Board. These targets are 
expected to be achieved by December 31, 2021:
•  First management level: Proportion of women 25 percent.
•  Second management level: Proportion of women 30 percent. 

In accordance with the legal requirements, the point of refer-
ence for the definition of the management levels was based 
exclusively on Henkel AG & Co. KGaA and not the Henkel 
Group – regardless of Henkel’s globally aligned management 
organization. As a result, the figures include only employees 
of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA with management responsibility 
who report directly to the Management Board (management 
level 1) and those who report to management level 1 (manage-
ment level 2). 

Separately from the targets for the first two levels of manage-
ment below the Management Board of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA – 
and mindful of our globally aligned management organiza-
tion – it is our goal to increase our ratio of women at all levels 
of management at Henkel in the long term. In 2019, we were 
again able to raise the proportion of women in management 
worldwide – to 35.7 percent at December 31, 2019.

Statutory gender quota for Supervisory Board composition
Given Henkel’s position as a listed corporation subject to Ger-
many’s Codetermination Act of 1976, the Supervisory Board of 
Henkel AG & Co. KGaA must consist of at least 30 percent 
women and at least 30 percent men (Section 96 (2) AktG). 

Throughout the entire year under review, the statutory mini-
mum quota of both women and men was represented among 
both the shareholder representatives and the employee repre-
sentatives. 

Diversity considerations governing Management Board 
composition / Succession planning
Notwithstanding the key requirements of qualification, compe-
tence and professional excellence for the relevant areas of 
responsibility on the Management Board, the Supervisory Board 
of Henkel Management AG has specified the following criteria – 
after consultation in the Shareholders’ Committee and its 
Human Resources Subcommittee – that must be considered 
when making Management Board appointments to ensure as 
broad a spectrum as possible of knowledge, skills and profes-
sional experience (diversity) on the Management Board:
•  Education / career experience 

Overall, the members of the Management Board must 
demonstrate knowledge, skills and professional experience 
in the following areas in particular: 
•   Management / leadership experience: Experience with 
managing globally operating entities, involvement of 
employee representative bodies, leading and motivating 
employees, succession planning.

•   Business acumen: Knowledge of / experience in indus-

trial / consumer business areas and key markets in which 
Henkel operates, including awareness of the social envi-
ronment, as well as knowledge of / experience in the fields 
of marketing, selling and distribution, digitalization /  
eCommerce, research and development, production /  
engineering and sustainable management.

•   Strategic expertise: Ability to develop and implement 

prospects and strategies for the future.

•   Financial expertise: Experience in accounting, auditing 
financial statements, issues surrounding funding and 
capital markets.

•   Financial control / risk management: Experience in the 

fields of internal control and risk management systems, 
as well as internal auditing systems.

•   Governance / compliance / ethics: Experience with interac-
tion among corporate bodies (governance) and in compli-
ance with statutory / in-house requirements; modern under-
standing of corporate ethics and how to implement them.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther information43

•  Internationality  

The international activities of the corporation in both mature 
and emerging markets should be appropriately reflected in 
the composition of the Management Board. Henkel there-
fore strives to ensure that several members of different 
nationalities or with international backgrounds (who have 
spent several years working abroad or supervising foreign 
business activities, for example) are included on the 
 Management Board. 

•  Gender 

A reasonable proportion of women shall be represented in the 
Management Board. Henkel therefore strives to ensure that 
at least one woman is a member of the Management Board.

•  Seniority 

Change and continuity are two issues that must be taken 
into reasonable account when composing the Management 
Board. Henkel therefore aims to include members with 
 different levels of seniority on the Management Board. Irre-
spective of this requirement, members of the Management 
Board should generally not be older than 63. 

Implementation progress
We believe that these aforementioned requirements were met 
in full in the reporting period. 

Overall, the Management Board, which includes one woman, 
has the knowledge, skills and professional experience needed to 
properly and effectively perform its duties. Several members of 
the Management Board have international business experience 
with both emerging and mature markets. No individual on the 
Management Board exceeds the specified maximum age.

Succession planning
Together with the Management Board, the Shareholders’ Com-
mittee and the Supervisory Board of Henkel Management AG 
ensure the long-term succession planning with regard to Man-
agement Board composition. Although both in-house and 

external candidates are considered for future appointment, 
every effort is made to select candidates from within the orga-
nization who have proven their aptitude for such duties.

Long-term succession planning takes account of the corporate 
strategy and the aforementioned diversity considerations. Key 
elements of the systematic management development process 
include:
•  Early identification of suitable candidates.
•  Systematic development of managers by giving them tasks 

involving increasing levels of responsibility and in different 
areas of the corporation, regions and functions, where possible.

•  Proven ambition to successfully shape strategy and opera-

tions; strong leadership skills.

•  Role model in implementing our corporate values. 

Each year, the members of the first management level below 
the Management Board undergo corresponding assessment, 
during which the issue of potentially taking on Management 
Board responsibility and measures to secure succession are 
also discussed. Management potential within the individual 
business units is also discussed.

Diversity considerations / Objectives governing 
 Supervisory Board composition
Bearing in mind the recommendations of GCGC 2019, and taking 
into account the specific situation and global reach of the cor-
poration’s activities in both industrial and consumer business 
areas, the Supervisory Board reviewed the objectives governing 
its composition at its meeting in December 2019, and updated 
them as described below. When proposing candidates to the 
Annual General Meeting for both routine re-election and 
replacement election, the Supervisory Board considers these 
objectives, whereby the particular regulations of the 1976 
Codetermination Act must be observed with regard to the 
employee representative candidates.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther information44

•  Education / Career experience 

Overall, the Supervisory Board must demonstrate knowledge, 
skills and professional experience in the following areas in 
particular: 
•   Management / leadership experience: Experience with 
managing globally operating corporations / companies 
and with employee management.

•    Business acumen: Knowledge of / experience in the fields 
of research and development, production / engineering, 
marketing, selling and distribution, digitalization /  
eCommerce, as well as knowledge of / experience in 
industrial / consumer business areas, in the key markets 
in which Henkel operates, and in sustainable manage-
ment.

More than half the shareholder representatives should be 
independent from the corporation and the Management 
Board. Supervisory Board members are considered indepen-
dent from the corporation and its Management Board if they 
have no personal or business relationship with the corpora-
tion or its Management Board that may cause a material – 
and not merely temporary – conflict of interest. 

Assessing the independence of shareholder representatives 
from the company and its Management Board requires par-
ticular consideration of whether the respective Supervisory 
Board member or a close family member
•   was a member of the company’s Management Board in the 

two years prior to appointment,

•   Financial expertise: Experience in the fields of account-

•   was in the past three years or is a partner of or in the 

ing / accounting processes or with auditing financial state-
ments, knowledge of financial instruments and funding 
strategies. 

employ of the present or previous external auditors of the 
corporation,

•   receives or has received over the past three years not 

•   Financial control / risk management: Experience in the 

fields of internal control and risk management systems, 
as well as internal auditing systems.

•   Governance / compliance: Experience with interaction 
among corporate bodies (governance) and in ensuring 
compliance with statutory / in-house requirements.

•  Impartiality, integrity  

To ensure the impartiality of its counseling activities and 
supervision of the Management Board, the shareholder 
 representatives on the Supervisory Board must include what 
they believe to be a reasonable number of independent 
members, bearing in mind the corporation’s ownership structure. 

According to Recommendations C.6 and C.7 of GCGC 2019, a 
member of a Supervisory Board is considered independent if 
they are independent from the corporation and its manage-
ment board and independent from a controlling shareholder.  

inconsiderable remuneration of any nature from Henkel 
AG & Co. KGaA or one of its affiliates (excluding remuner-
ation for Supervisory Board or Shareholders’ Committee 
membership),

•   is currently maintaining or has maintained in the year 

prior to appointment by Henkel AG & Co. KGaA or one of 
its affiliates a material business relationship – either 
directly or indirectly – as a partner, shareholder, member 
of management or in a leading position of the entity 
maintaining the business relationship (e.g. as customer, 
supplier, lender or advisor),

•   is a close family member of a member of the Management 

Board or

•   has been a member of the Supervisory Board for more 

than 12 years. 

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45

If one or more of the aforementioned indicators apply and 
the Supervisory Board member concerned is still consid-
ered independent, the reasons for this assessment must 
be given in the corporate governance statement. 

Members of the Supervisory Board should, moreover, be 
capable of duly upholding Henkel’s reputation in the public 
domain.

•  Availability 

When proposing new candidates to the Annual General 
Meeting for election to the Supervisory Board, the Supervisory 
Board must make sure that the relevant candidates can devote 
the anticipated time to the task.

•  Internationality 

The international activities of the corporation should be 
appropriately reflected in the composition of the Supervisory 
Board. Henkel therefore strives to ensure that several mem-
bers with international backgrounds (who have spent several 
years working abroad or supervising foreign business activi-
ties, for example) are included on the Supervisory Board. 

•  Gender 

A reasonable proportion of women shall be appointed to the 
Supervisory Board. The statutory minimum requirement of 
30 percent is deemed to be reasonable. Henkel strives to 
increase the proportion of women when new or replacement 
members are elected.

•  Age 

The Supervisory Board should include representatives from 
different generations / age groups. Henkel therefore aims to 
include members from different generations / age groups on 
the Supervisory Board. Irrespective of the aforementioned, 
nobody should, as a rule, be proposed to the Annual General 
Meeting for election to the Supervisory Board who, at the 
time of the election, has already reached their 70th birthday. 

In keeping with the ownership structure and the corpora-
tion’s tradition as an open family business to which the 
Henkel family has been committed ever since the company 
was founded in 1876, possession of a controlling interest 
or attribution of a controlling interest due to membership 
in the Henkel family share-pooling agreement is not 
viewed as a circumstance that creates a substantial and 
not merely temporary conflict of interest as indicated in 
the GCGC recommendations. Membership of the Share-
holders’ Committee or of the Supervisory Board of Henkel 
Management AG is compatible with Supervisory Board 
membership. As a rule, however, three, but at least two, of 
the shareholder representatives on the Supervisory Board 
or close members of their families should be neither 
members of the share-pooling agreement nor members of 
the Shareholders’ Committee nor members of the Supervi-
sory Board of Henkel Management AG, and they must be 
named accordingly in the corporate governance statement. 

Moreover, no more than two former members of the Management 
Board should be elected to the Supervisory Board, nor people
•  who – if not members of a management board of a listed 
company – exercise more than five supervisory board 
mandates in total for non-Group listed companies or for 
non-Group companies with similar requirements (chairing 
a supervisory board counts twice),

•  who – if members of a management board of a listed com-

pany – exercise more than two supervisory board mandates 
in total for non-Group listed companies or for non-Group 
companies with similar requirements, or chair the supervisory 
board of a non-Group listed company,

•  who perform management or advisory tasks for material 

competitors.

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46

Four of the eight shareholder representatives – Barbara Kux, 
Timotheus Höttges, Prof. Dr. Michael Kaschke and Prof. Dr. 
Theo Siegert – are not party to the Henkel family share-pooling 
agreement; under GCGC 2019, they are therefore also consid-
ered independent from the controlling shareholder. Apart 
from Dr. Simone Bagel-Trah, none of the shareholder represen-
tatives in office is a member of the Shareholders’ Committee 
or the Supervisory Board of Henkel Management AG.

Accordingly, the Supervisory Board considers a reasonable 
number of its members to be independent.

For more details on the composition of the Management 
Board, Supervisory Board and the Shareholders’ Committee or 
the (sub)committees established by the Supervisory Board and 
Shareholders’ Committee, please refer to pages 245 to 248. 
Members’ vitae can be found on the website: 
Details of the compensation of the Management Board, the 
Supervisory Board and the Shareholders’ Committee can be 
found in the remuneration report that follows.

  www.henkel.com. 

Implementation progress
In addition to the statutory minimum quota, the Supervisory 
Board believes that these aforementioned requirements were 
met in full in the reporting period. 

Among the 16 members of the Supervisory Board are ten men 
and six women. Shareholder representatives consist of six 
men and two women, while the employee representatives con-
sist of four men and four women. This represents an overall 
ratio on the Supervisory Board of around 62 percent men and 
38 percent women. 

Overall, the Supervisory Board believes it has the knowledge, 
skills and professional experience needed to properly and 
effectively perform its duties. In addition, several shareholder 
representatives on the Supervisory Board offer international 
business experience or other international expertise. No 
shareholder representative exceeded the specified maximum 
age at the time of their election.

None of the shareholder representatives nor close family 
members of a shareholder representative is a former Manage-
ment Board member, or performs board or committee func-
tions or acts as a consultant for major competitors, and none 
are persons whose business or personal relationship with the 
corporation or members of the Management Board could give 
rise to material conflicts of interest that are not of a merely 
temporary nature. None of the shareholder representatives 
had been on the Supervisory Board for more than twelve years 
in the year under review. According to the precepts of the 
GCGC, therefore, the shareholder representatives are indepen-
dent from the corporation and the Management Board:

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther information47

Remuneration report

This remuneration report provides an outline of the objectives, 
principles and fundamental structure of the compensation 
system for the Management Board, the Supervisory Board and 
the Shareholders’ Committee of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, and 
for Henkel Management AG as the Personally Liable Partner 
and its own supervisory board; it also explains the level and 
structure of the remuneration paid.

The report takes into account the recommendations of the 
German Corporate Governance Code (GCGC) as amended on 
February 7, 2017 (GCGC 2017) and as adopted by the government 
commission on December 16, 2019 (GCGC 2019), and contains 
all disclosures and explanations pursuant to the provisions of 
the German Commercial Code [HGB] and the appropriate prin-
ciples of German Accounting Standard No. 17 [DRS 17], and 
as required by International Financial Reporting Standards 
(IFRSs). In some parts of the report, the requirements of the 
German Act implementing the Second Shareholders’ Rights 
Directive [Gesetz zur Umsetzung der zweiten Aktionärsrech-
terichtlinie, ARUG II] have already been taken into account. The 
remuneration report forms part of the combined management 
report for Henkel AG & Co. KGaA and the Group, which has been 
audited by the external auditor; the associated information has 
not been additionally disclosed in the notes to the consolidated 
financial statements (Sections 289a (2), 315a (2) HGB).

1.  General objectives and principles of the remuneration 

systems

Henkel is committed to corporate governance that is responsi-
ble, transparent and aligned to the sustainable and long-term 
development of the corporation. We want to create sustainable 
value – for our customers and consumers, for our people, for 
our shareholders, as well as for the communities in which we 
operate.

Accordingly the remuneration system that Henkel has put in 
place for the Management Board, Supervisory Board and 
Shareholders’ Committee takes account of the relevant duties 
and responsibilities, and is designed to drive implementation 
of our corporate strategy and to offer incentives for successful 
and sustainable business performance over the long term. The 
following principles play a key role in the definition of the 
specific relevant remuneration:

General:
•  Remuneration and its individual elements must be consis-

tent with regulatory / statutory requirements and the princi-
ples of good corporate governance.

•  Remuneration must be consistent with market levels, com-
petitive, and commensurate with the size and international 
nature of the corporation’s business, its economic and finan-
cial position, its success, and its prospects for the future.  

Management Board:
•  Total remuneration is aligned to sustainable long-term busi-
ness performance and corresponding stakeholder targets.
•  Remuneration consists of non-performance-related compo-
nents and a substantial portion of variable, performance- 
related components.

•  A large portion of the variable, performance-related remu-

neration is tied to future performance spanning several years. 
•  For the variable, performance-related components of remu-
neration, challenging financial performance indicators 
reflecting the corporation’s strategy and objectives exist 
alongside non-financial individual targets. The financial 
performance indicators are weighted more heavily, and are 
based on quantitative criteria. 

•  Reasonable account is taken of the remuneration and 
employment policy applied to the corporation’s staff.

•  Individual performance is rewarded appropriately.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther information48

•  Overall remuneration is appropriate; reasonable caps on 
variable components of remuneration and maximum 
 remuneration payable to a Management Board member have 
been defined.

•  The members of the Management Board invest a substantial 

portion of their remuneration in Henkel shares (Share 
 Ownership Guideline). 

•  Determining the extent to which financial targets have been 
met each year and quantifying annual and multi-year variable, 
performance-related remuneration.

•  Approving the assumption of voluntary duties or supervisory 
board, advisory board or similar mandates in other companies, 
as well as other ancillary activities.

•  Approving loans and advances. 

Supervisory Board / Shareholders’ Committee:
•  The remuneration strengthens the impartiality of the mem-

bers of these corporate bodies.

•  The remuneration is appropriate for the relevant duties of 

the bodies.

•  Reasonable account is taken of the roles and functions 
 performed by the relevant members on the respective 
 corporate bodies and their (sub)committees. 

2.  Remuneration system for members  

of the Management Board 

Regulation, structure and amounts
The legal form of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA as a “Kommanditge-
sellschaft auf Aktien” with Henkel Management AG as its sole 
Personally Liable Partner means that, unlike “normal” joint 
stock corporations, the Supervisory Board of Henkel Manage-
ment AG is responsible for appointing and dismissing members 
of the Management Board, the drafting of their contracts, assign-
ment of their business duties, and their remuneration. Regard-
ing Management Board remuneration, the Supervisory Board of 
Henkel Management AG is responsible, in particular, for:

•  Determining and reviewing remuneration policy.
•  Specifying the non-performance-related and variable 
 performance-related components of remuneration.
•  Defining individual targets each year, and measuring 

 performance with regard to same.

Corresponding resolutions are adopted by the Supervisory 
Board of Henkel Management AG, which is comprised of three 
members of the Shareholders’ Committee, after prior consulta-
tion in the Shareholders’ Committee’s Human Resources 
 Subcommittee. If deemed necessary, members of the Manage-
ment Board do not participate in such consultations and reso-
lutions to avoid conflicts of interest. The Supervisory Board of 
Henkel Management AG is responsible for engaging external 
remuneration experts to either develop or modify the remu-
neration system or to assess whether Management Board 
remuneration is appropriate. In doing so, it ensures the inde-
pendence of remuneration experts from both the Management 
Board and the corporation at large.

The structure and amounts of Management Board remunera-
tion are aligned to the size and international activities of the 
corporation, its economic and financial position, its perfor-
mance and future prospects, the normal levels of remuneration 
encountered in comparable companies, and also the general 
compensation structure within the corporation. The remuner-
ation paid to Management Board members of companies listed 
in the Deutscher Aktienindex (DAX 30 share index) substantially 
represents the external benchmark used to assess whether the 
remuneration structure is commonplace and whether the target 
and maximum remuneration levels applied are appropriate. 
In addition, the Supervisory Board of Henkel Management AG 
considers the ratio of Management Board remuneration to 
the compensation paid to senior management (management 
 levels 0 and 1) and to the workforce in Germany, in terms of 
both total remuneration and progress over time. 

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther information49

The compensation package is further determined on the basis 
of the functions, responsibilities and personal performance of 
the individual officers, and the performance of the Manage-
ment Board as a whole. The following factors play a key role in 
measuring individual performance:
•  Achievement of the relevant separate targets agreed with 

each individual.

•  The absolute and relative performance of the business unit 
for which each officer is responsible compared to market /
competition performance.

•  And their individual contribution to general Henkel objectives. 

The variable annual remuneration components have been 
devised such that they take into account both positive and 
negative developments. The overall remuneration is designed 
to be internationally competitive while also providing an 
incentive for sustainable business development and a sustain-
able increase in shareholder value in a dynamic environment. 

The Supervisory Board of Henkel Management AG regularly 
reviews the compensation system as well as the appropriateness 
of the remuneration, based on the aforementioned criteria. The 
remuneration policy is submitted to the Annual General Meet-
ing of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA for approval, as are any substantial 
amendments to the remuneration system. 

Members of the Management Board receive non-performance- 
related components and variable, performance-related compo-
nents consisting of the following three elements: fixed basic 
remuneration, variable annual cash remuneration (Short Term 
Incentive, STI), and variable cash remuneration based on the 
long-term success of the company (Long Term Incentive, LTI). 
65 percent of the STI is short-term variable cash remuneration 
and 35 percent is long-term variable cash remuneration in the 
form of an investment financed by the recipient in Henkel 
 preferred shares (Share Ownership Guideline, share deferral). 
Accordingly, the performance-related, long-term, variable 
components are made up of the share deferral and the LTI. 
Fringe benefits (other emoluments) are also paid, as are con-
tributions to the company pension scheme. The Supervisory 
Board of Henkel Management AG has capped the maximum 
amounts payable both as individual variable components of 
remuneration and as the total compensation payable in any 
fiscal year – taking into account the other emoluments and 
pension contributions.

The Supervisory Board is authorized to apply reasonable caps 
to the variable components of remuneration in exceptional 
circumstances, such caps to then also apply to ongoing 
tranches. In addition, in specific circumstances it may with-
hold some or all of the variable remuneration or demand the 
repayment, within specific limits, of variable remuneration 
that has already been paid (malus and clawback regulations).

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Overall, the remuneration system is structured as follows:

Remuneration system overview 

19

Non-performance-related 
components

Basic remuneration
•  Chairman of the Management Board: 1,200,000 euros p.a.
•  Other Management Board members: 750,000 euros p.a.

Other emoluments
•  Insurance, reimbursement of accommodation / relocation costs, provision of a company car, use of a car service, other in-kind 

benefits; amounts vary dependent on personal needs

•  Caps: 

•  Chairman of the Management Board: 250,000 euros p.a.
•  Other Management Board members: 175,000 euros p.a.

Performance-related 
 components

Variable annual cash remuneration (Short Term Incentive, STI)
•  Target remuneration at 100-percent target achievement:

•  Chairman of the Management Board: 3,500,000 euros
•  Other Management Board members: 1,800,000 to 2,200,000 euros

•  One-year performance period: Amount dependent on achievements in the fiscal year (“remuneration year”) regarding:

•  Business performance (financial targets, bonus): organic sales growth (OSG), adjusted earnings per preferred share (EPS) at 

constant exchange rates versus prior year (actual-to-actual comparison); each weighted 50 percent 

•  Individual performance: Individual multiplier ranging from 0.8 to 1.2, multiplier applied to the bonus amount

•  Cap: 150 percent of the respective target amount
•  65 percent freely disposable (short-term component), 35 percent invested in Henkel preferred shares (long-term component; 

Share Ownership Guideline, share deferral)

Variable long-term cash remuneration (Long Term Incentive, LTI)
•  Target remuneration at 100-percent target achievement:

•  Chairman of the Management Board: 1,400,000 euros
•  Other Management Board members: 720,000 to 880,000 euros

•  Three-year prospective performance period: The criterion is the average target achievement of the adjusted return on capital 

employed (ROCE) in a three-year performance period (remuneration year and the two subsequent fiscal years); target value is set 
for each year (three yearly tranches)

•  Cap: 150 percent of the respective target amount

Functional factors
•  General functional factors as multipliers for the STI and LTI payment amounts based on target achievement

TABLE CONT’D

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Remuneration system overview 

19

Pension commitments

Defined contribution pension scheme
•  Superannuation lump sum comprised of the total annual contributions. Annual contribution (lump-sum contribution):

•  Chairman of the Management Board: 750,000 euros (62.5 percent of basic remuneration)
•  Other Management Board members: 450,000 euros (60.0 percent of basic remuneration)

Other regulations governing 
remuneration

Malus and clawback regulation
•  Authorization of the Supervisory Board of Henkel Management AG – in specific circumstances – to wholly or partially withhold vari-
able remuneration (STI, LTI) or to demand repayment, within specific limits, of variable remuneration that has already been paid

Remuneration cap
•  Caps on all variable components of remuneration and on total remuneration (including other emoluments and pension 

 commitments)

•  Chairman of the Management Board: 9,550,000 euros
•  Other Management Board members: 5,155,000 to 5,995,000 euros

Severance pay cap
•  Payment limited to maximum two years’ compensation but no more than due for the remaining term of the contract

Post-contractual non-competition clause
•  Two-year term; discretionary payment totaling 50 percent of the annual compensation, payable in 24 monthly installments

The target remuneration for members of the Management 
Board (remuneration excluding other emoluments and pension 
 benefits) with a functional factor of 1 and subject to 100- percent 
target achievement is 3,550,000 euros each year. Of this figure, 
750,000 euros is attributable to basic remuneration (around 
21 percent of target remuneration), 2,000,000 euros to the STI 
including share deferral (around 56 percent of target remuner-
ation) and 800,000 euros to the LTI (around 23 percent of target 
remuneration). Accordingly, some 79 percent of the target 
remuneration (= 2,800,000 euros) is therefore variable. Of this 
total, short-term variable target remuneration (STI without share 
deferral) accounts for around 46 percent (= 1,300,000 euros) and 
long-term variable target remuneration (share deferral and LTI) 
for around 54 percent (= 1,500,000 euros). The annual target 
remuneration for the Chairman of the Management Board 
totals 6,100,000 euros: 1,200,000 euros basic remuneration 
(around 20 percent of target remuneration), 3,500,000 euros 
STI including share deferral (around 57 percent of target remu-
neration) and 1,400,000 euros LTI (around 23 percent of target 
remuneration).

Other emoluments are paid to members of the Management 
Board up to a maximum of 175,000 euros per year, together 
with annual pension contributions of 450,000 euros. Bearing 
in mind these amounts, and based on a functional factor of 1 and 
100-percent target achievement, members of the Management 
Board receive total annual remuneration of up to 4,175,000 
euros, of which around 71 percent is variable (= 2,975,000 
euros: other emoluments, STI and LTI). Other emoluments are 
paid to the Chairman of the Management Board up to a maxi-
mum of 250,000 euros per year, together with annual pen-
sion contributions of 750,000 euros. Bearing in mind these 
amounts, and based on 100-percent target achievement, the 
Chairman of the Management Board receives total annual 
remuneration of up to 7,100,000 euros, of which around 73 per-
cent is variable (= 5,150,000 euros: other emoluments, STI and 
LTI).

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Remuneration structure (without other emoluments, pension benefits) 

Target remuneration

Long Term Incentive (LTI)
Proportion of target remuneration: around 23 %
Cap: max. 150 % of the target amount

Long-term variable cash remuneration

20

Type of remuneration

Variable annual cash remuneration (STI)
Proportion of target remuneration: around 56 %
Cap: max. 150 % of the target amount

Share deferral (35 % STI)

Short-term variable cash  
remuneration (65 % STI)

Basic remuneration

Basic salary

 Non-performance-related 
components

 Performance-related  
components, short-term

  Performance-related 
components, long-term

Non-performance-related components

Basic remuneration
The basic remuneration reflects market conditions and serves 
as a basic salary. It is paid out in monthly installments and 
amounts to 1,200,000 euros per year for the Chairman of the 
Management Board and 750,000 euros per year for the other 
Management Board members. The basic remuneration is regu-
larly reviewed and adjusted where appropriate.

Other emoluments
The members of the Management Board also receive other 
emoluments, primarily in the form of costs associated with, or 
the cash value of, in-kind benefits and other fringe benefits 
such as standard commercial insurance policies, reimburse-

ment of accommodation / relocation costs, provision of a com-
pany car that they may also use for private purposes or use of 
a car service, including any taxes on same, and the costs of 
 precautionary medical examinations. All members of the 
 Management Board are entitled, in principle, to the same 
emoluments, whereby the amounts vary depending on personal 
situation. These emoluments are recognized at cost or the 
equivalent cash value in the case of benefits in kind.

A cap has been set on other emoluments, amounting to 
250,000 euros per year for the Chairman of the Management 
Board and 175,000 euros per year for the other Management 
Board members.

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Performance-related components

Variable annual cash remuneration (Short Term Incentive, STI)

Overview STI 

Components

Basis for assessment / Parameters

Weighting

Lower threshold 

100 % target achievement

Upper threshold

53

21

Financial targets (bonus)

Organic sales growth 1 (OSG)

Individual multiplier

Adjusted earnings per preferred share 
(EPS) 2 

•  Individually agreed targets
•  Absolute and relative performance 
compared to market / competition
•  Personal contribution to general 

Henkel goals

50 %

50 %

Minimum OSG
(50 % OSG target amount)

OSG target 
(100 % OSG target amount)

Maximum OSG
(150 % OSG target amount)

80 % of the prior-year figure
(50 % EPS target amount)

100 % of the prior-year figure 
(100 % EPS target amount)

120 % of the prior-year figure 
(150 % EPS target amount)

Multiplier ranging from 0.8 to 1.2

Performance period

Fiscal year (remuneration year)

Cap 3

150 % of the STI target amount (= 3,000,000 euros 4)

1  Figures derived from financial ambitions.
2 At constant exchange rates, versus prior year (actual-to-actual comparison).
3 Including individual multiplier.
4 Remuneration paid to a Management Board member, given a functional factor of 1.

The performance parameters for the annual variable cash 
remuneration (STI) are the achieved financial targets for each 
fiscal year (“remuneration year”) – the so-called bonus – and 
the individual performance of each Management Board mem-
ber, to which a multiplier ranging from 0.8 to 1.2 is applied. 

Bonuses are determined on the basis of achievement of the 
following additively linked financial targets in the respective 
remuneration year, each with a 50-percent weighting: organic 
sales growth (OSG) (i.e. sales growth adjusted for foreign 
exchange and acquisitions / divestments) and earnings per 
preferred share (EPS) adjusted for one-time charges / gains, 
restructuring expenses and foreign exchange.

The OSG target is derived from our financial ambitions. EPS 
performance is measured on the basis of actual-to-actual com-
parison, i.e. the EPS at constant exchange rates in the year of 
payment is compared to the EPS from the previous year. 

An appropriate remuneration scale has been established for 
both key financials. Thresholds have also been defined; 
 payment is withheld if the minimum targets are not met, 
and capped if they are exceeded. If adjusted EPS at constant 
exchange rates in the year of payment is more than 20 percent 
above or below the comparable prior-year figure as a result of 
extraordinary events, the Supervisory Board of Henkel Man-
agement AG may, at its discretion and after due consideration, 
decide to adjust the target, or may determine a new reference 
value for measuring performance in the following year. 

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther information 
54

The key financials OSG and EPS are derived from the figures in 
the consolidated financial statements for the relevant fiscal 
year as audited without qualification and approved in each case.

Individual target achievement by each member of the Manage-
ment Board is reflected in the STI using an individual multi-
plier applied to the total bonus amount assigned in respect of 
the overall achievement of all financial targets. This individual 
multiplier ranges from 0.8 to 1.2. STI caps may not, however, 
be exceeded when applying said multiplier. If the bonus already 
equals the capped STI amount, any multiplier greater than 1 
will have no further effect on the remuneration total.

Measurement of individual performance includes the follow-
ing factors in particular: achievement of the relevant separate 
targets agreed with each individual (including sustainability 
targets) and – as general criteria – the absolute and relative 
performance of the business unit for which they are responsi-
ble compared to market / competition performance, plus their 
individual contribution to general Henkel goals.

The following benchmark group is used to measure the indi-
vidual performance of the relevant business unit compared to 
the market / competition:

Benchmark group 

22

Adhesive Technologies

Beauty Care 

Laundry & Home Care

•  Sika
•  H.B. Fuller
•  RPM
•  3M

•  P&G (Fabric & Home 

Care)

•  Reckitt Benckiser 
(Hygiene Home)

•  Unilever (Home Care)

•  P&G (Beauty)
•  Beiersdorf (Consumer)
•  Colgate-Palmolive 
(Oral, Personal and 
Home Care)
•  L’Oréal (Group)
•  KAO (Cosmetics, Skin 
Care and Hair Care)
•  Unilever (Beauty & 

Personal Care)

•  Coty (Group)

In the event of major changes among the relevant competitors, 
the Supervisory Board will appropriately reconsider the com-
position of the benchmark group and / or the definition of the 
relevant competitor parameters.

At the end of a fiscal year, both the achievement of the finan-
cial targets and the respective individual performance based 
on appropriate target agreements will be decided by the Super-
visory Board of Henkel Management AG after prior consulta-
tion with the Human Resources Subcommittee of the Share-
holders’ Committee. Here it also decides whether and to what 
extent adjustments of the key financials to reflect exceptional 
items are to be taken into consideration when determining 
the bonus. In determining the STI, the Supervisory Board of 
Henkel Management AG also gives due consideration to the 
degree to which financial success and Management Board per-
formance are sustainable beyond the end of a fiscal year.

The total payable STI amount (bonus times individual multi-
plier) is capped at 150 percent of the target amount, bearing in 
mind the respective functional factor.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther informationShare Ownership Guideline / Short-term and long-term com-
ponents of the variable annual cash remuneration
The full amount of the STI is paid in cash once the corpora-
tion’s annual financial statements for the remuneration year 
have been approved by the Annual General Meeting. 

The obligation to purchase and hold shares (Share Ownership 
Guideline) is a key element of Management Board remunera-
tion policy as it ensures that Management Board members 
invest a multiple of their basic remuneration in Henkel pre-
ferred shares over a period of four years which they continue 
to hold during their period in office. Accordingly, recipients 
may only dispose of around 65 percent of this payment as they 
wish (short-term variable cash remuneration). The members 
of the Management Board must invest the remainder of the 
relevant payment amount, corresponding to around 35 per-
cent, in Henkel preferred shares (share deferral). These shares 
are placed in a blocked custody account with a drawing restric-
tion. The company transfers the relevant investment amount 
of each individual directly to the bank responsible for settling 
the investment transactions and managing the blocked cus-
tody account. On the first trading day of the month following 
payout, this bank invests the relevant amount on behalf and 
for the account of the member of the Management Board in 

Variable long-term cash remuneration (Long Term Incentive, LTI)

Overview LTI 

Henkel preferred shares at the price prevailing at the time of 
purchase on the stock exchange, and credits the acquired 
shares to the blocked custody account. The lock-up period in 
each case expires on December 31 of the fourth year following 
the year of payment. This share deferral ensures that, for the 
duration of their appointment, the members of the Manage-
ment Board must accumulate and hold a significant share 
portfolio during each (rolling) lock-up period of four years, 
through which they participate in the long-term performance 
of the corporation, whether this be positive or negative. 
Assuming the target for the STI is met, the total amount to be 
invested under the STI program in shares over a four-year 
period is 2,450,000 euros for the Chairman of the Manage-
ment Board and 1,400,000 euros for another Management 
Board member with a functional factor of 1. As such, the 
amounts constitute a multiple of about 4 and 3.7 respectively 
of the annual (net) basic remuneration. This share portfolio 
continues to grow due to the fact that shares are sold, if at all, 
only in exceptional instances once the respective four-year 
lock-up period has expired. This share deferral (in addition to 
the LTI) complies with German company law (AktG) and GCGC 
precepts requiring a remuneration policy that focuses on sus-
tainable business development.

Basis for assessment / Parameters

Lower threshold

100 % target achievement 1

Upper threshold

Adjusted return on capital employed (ROCE), average 
target achievement over the performance period 
(3 yearly tranches)

Average target achievement 80 %  
(50 % target amount)

Average target achievement 100 %  
(100 % target amount)

Average target achievement 120 %  
(150 % target amount)

Performance period

Cap

Three-year period (remuneration year plus two subsequent fiscal years)

150 % of the target amount (= 1,200,000 euros) 2

1  Respective 100 % target derived from the budget.
2 Remuneration paid to a Management Board member, given a functional factor of 1.

55

23

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther information56

The LTI represents variable cash remuneration, the amount of 
which is based on the long-term future performance of the 
corporation and derived from the average return on capital 
employed (ROCE) adjusted for one-time charges / gains and 
restructuring expenses over a period of three years (perfor-
mance period). The LTI is a rolling program. As such, a new LTI 
tranche with a three-year performance period is issued every 
year. For each LTI tranche, the adjusted ROCE is measured in 
the relevant remuneration year and the two subsequent years 
(three yearly tranches). 

The ROCE targets are derived from our budget and are set for 
each year of each three-year performance period by the Super-
visory Board of Henkel Management AG. At the end of the 
respective year, target achievement for the year in question 
is analyzed. The average target achievement for the relevant 
performance period is then calculated on the basis of the three 
measurements of relevance for the respective LTI tranche. 

Target achievement with regard to adjusted ROCE figures is 
determined on the basis of the audited and approved consoli-
dated financial statements for the relevant fiscal years.

with the previously valid conditions for the periods up to 
December 31, 2018, while for the periods from January 1, 2019, 
they will be determined in accordance with the conditions that 
become effective as of 2019.

Functional factors governing variable remuneration
In order to ensure consideration of the differing requirements 
of the relevant areas of Management Board responsibility and 
of the differing levels of complexity and importance of the 
respective business units, the following general functional 
factors were defined, starting in fiscal 2019, as multipliers for 
the STI and LTI payment amounts based on target achievement: 

Functional factors 

24

Area of responsibility / Business unit

STI / LTI factor

CEO

Finance

HR / Infrastructure Services

Adhesive Technologies 

Beauty Care

Laundry & Home Care

1.75

1.10

0.90

1.10

0.90

1.00

The LTI is paid in cash once the corporation’s annual financial 
statements for the final year in the performance period have 
been approved by the Annual General Meeting.

A marginally lower factor may be set for newly appointed 
 Management Board members in their first year of office.

These functional factors are regularly reviewed and adjusted, 
if necessary.

A remuneration scale has been established for the LTI, together 
with a threshold below which payments are withheld. The 
total payable LTI amount is capped at 150 percent of the target 
amount, bearing in mind the respective functional factor. 

To ensure cogent and consistent incentivization and efficacy 
in the structure of Management Board remuneration, the per-
formance values governing the Long Term Incentive tranches 
issued in 2017 and 2018, whose three-year performance peri-
ods do not end until December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2020 
respectively, were determined pro rata temporis in accordance 

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther information57

Overall, the STI and LTI are calculated as follows:

Calculation of STI and LTI 

25

STI:

LTI:

Bonus (key financials)

50 %
target achievement
Organic
sales growth

+

50 % target achievement
Development of adjusted
earnings per preferred share 
at constant exchange rates

x

Multiplier for
individual
performance
0.8 to 1.2

Average ROCE 1 target achievement over three years

Target achievement
Year 1

+

Target achievement
Year 2

+

Target achievement
Year 3

:

3

x

x

Functional
factor
0.9 to 1.75

Functional
factor
0.9 to 1.75

=

=

Payout
65 % cash, 
35 % purchase
of preferred shares

Payout
in cash

1  Adjusted return on capital employed.

In keeping with the objectives of the Management Board 
remuneration policy, this structure of the STI and LTI not only 
rewards profitable growth and thus supports the long-term 
development of Henkel but also ensures that Management 
Board remuneration is aligned to the interests of shareholders.

duties or material misstatements in financial reports. This 
 regulation is without prejudice to the right to assert further 
claims on grounds of personal misconduct by a member of the 
Management Board, and especially to claim damages under 
Section 93 AktG.

Special payments / bonuses
No authorization exists to allow the Supervisory Board of 
Henkel Management AG to exercise its discretionary judgment 
to award special payments for outstanding performance 
(known as the “Mannesmann” clause).

Malus and clawback regulations
Malus and clawback regulations have been in place since Janu-
ary 1, 2019. They give the Supervisory Board of Henkel Manage-
ment AG the authorization – in specific circumstances and, 
after due consideration, at its discretion – to wholly or partially 
withhold the variable remuneration (STI, LTI) or to demand 
the repayment, within specific limits, of variable remuneration 
that has already been paid. Such circumstances include, in 
particular, severe breaches of a Management Board member’s 

Pursuant to Section 87 (2) AktG, the Supervisory Board can also 
reduce future remuneration to a reasonable level and / or 
entirely alter the structure of remuneration and the nature of 
the components of remuneration in order to ensure appropri-
ate remuneration. In doing so, it must consider the situation 
of the corporation and its affiliated companies (Group).

Ancillary activities 
After consultation with the Supervisory Board of Henkel Man-
agement AG, members of the Management Board may accept 
supervisory board mandates and similar offices in companies 
in which Henkel AG & Co. KGaA holds a direct or indirect par-
ticipating interest, or may engage in activities in associations 
and similar organizations to which Henkel AG & Co. KGaA 
belongs by virtue of its business activities. Any other paid or 

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther informationunpaid ancillary activities must be approved in advance by 
the Supervisory Board. For details of memberships in statutory 
supervisory boards and comparable oversight bodies in 
 Germany and abroad, please refer to the list on page 248.

Pension benefits  
(retirement pensions and survivors’ benefits)
The corporation has been operating a purely defined contribu-
tion system since January 1, 2015. Accordingly, members of the 
Management Board now receive a superannuation lump-sum 
payment comprised of the total annual contributions to the 
plan during their time in office. The annual contributions – 
based on a full fiscal year – are 750,000 euros for the Chairman 
and 450,000 euros each for the other members of the Manage-
ment Board.

An entitlement to pension benefits arises on retirement upon 
reaching the age of 63, on termination of the employment rela-
tionship on or after attainment of the statutory retirement age, 
in the event of death, or in the event of permanent complete 
incapacity for work. If a member of the Management Board has 
received no pension benefits prior to their death, the super-
annuation lump sum accumulated up to time of death is paid 
 out to the surviving spouse or surviving children if they are 
eligible for orphan benefits.

Caps on total remuneration
After allowing for the aforementioned functional factors and 
caps for the variable, performance-related components of 
remuneration as well as for other emoluments and pension 
benefits (lump-sum contribution), the Supervisory Board of 
Henkel Management AG has specified the following caps on 
total remuneration for a full fiscal year:

Caps on annual total remuneration 

58

26

in euros

Chairman of the Management Board 
(Functional factor STI / LTI 1.75)

Ordinary member of the Management 
Board (Functional factor STI / LTI 0.9)

Ordinary member of the Management 
Board (Functional factor STI / LTI 1.0)

Ordinary member of the Management 
Board (Functional factor STI / LTI 1.1)

Basic  
remuneration 

Other  
emoluments

Short-term 
variable annual 
cash remunera-
tion

Long-term 
variable  
annual cash 
remuneration 
(share deferral)

Conditional  
entitlement to 
Long Term  
Incentive 

Pension  
lump-sum  
contribution

Minimum total 
remuneration

Maximum total 
remuneration

1,200,000

0 to 250,000

0 to 3,412,500

0 to 1,837,500

0 to 2,100,000

750,000

1,950,000

9,550,000

750,000

0 to 175,000

0 to 1,755,000

0 to 945,000

0 to 1,080,000

450,000

1,200,000

5,155,000

750,000

0 to 175,000

0 to 1,950,000

0 to 1,050,000

0 to 1,200,000

450,000

1,200,000

5,575,000

750,000

0 to 175,000

0 to 2,145,000

0 to 1,155,000

0 to 1,320,000

450,000

1,200,000

5,995,000

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther information59

Provisions governing termination of position  
on the Management Board

No entitlements exist in the event of premature termination of 
executive duties resulting from a change in control.

Continued payment of basic remuneration
If an active member of the Management Board who was first 
appointed prior to 2009 retires, or dies while still in office, 
payment of their basic remuneration continues for a further 
six months, but not beyond their 65th birthday. In the event of 
death in service, the payments are made to the surviving 
spouse or entitled descendants. 

Compensation payment
In the event that a member’s position on the Management 
Board is terminated prematurely without cause and by mutual 
agreement, the executive contract provides for a compensation 
settlement amounting to the remuneration for the remaining 
contractual term (basic remuneration plus variable annual 
remuneration for single and multiple years). This compensa-
tion is limited to a maximum of two years’ remuneration 
(“severance payment cap”) and may not extend over a period 
that exceeds the residual term of the executive contract. 
Members of the Management Board are not entitled to com-
pensation if an executive contract is terminated by mutual 
agreement at the request of the individual or because that 
executive has been dismissed by the corporation for good 
cause or reason. 

In the event that the sphere of responsibility / executive func-
tion is altered or restricted to such an extent that it is no longer 
comparable to the position prior to the change or restriction, 
the affected members of the Management Board are entitled to 
resign from office and request premature termination of their 
contract. In such cases, members are entitled to compensation 
payments amounting to not more than two years’ remuneration.

Payment / forfeiture of variable components of remuneration
Upon an executive’s departure from the Management Board, 
the STI is calculated pro rata and paid out. Unless otherwise 
agreed individually, LTI entitlements are calculated at the end 
of the relevant performance period and paid out. However, 
entitlements from any tranche whose performance period has 
not yet ended at the date of departure are forfeited without 
replacement if the departure is based on good cause or reason 
that would have justified revocation of the appointment or 
 termination of the employment contract. All lock-up periods 
relating to investments in Henkel preferred shares that are 
financed by the recipients (share deferral) end if said recipient 
dies. By the same token, LTI entitlements with regard to out-
standing tranches are settled on the basis of budget figures 
and paid to the heirs.

Post-contractual non-competition clause
Management Board contracts include a post-contractual 
non-competition clause with a term of two years. Members of 
the Management Board are entitled to a discretionary payment 
totaling 50 percent of the annual remuneration, which is 
 payable in 24 monthly installments unless the Supervisory 
Board of Henkel Management AG waives the non-competition 
clause. Any compensation payments and any earnings from 
new extra-contractual activities during the non-competition 
period are offset against this discretionary payment. 

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther information 
60

Miscellaneous
The corporation maintains directors and officers insurance 
(D&O insurance) for directors and officers of the Henkel 
Group. For members of the Management Board there is a 
deductible amounting to 10 percent per loss event, subject to 
a maximum for the fiscal year of one and a half times their 
annual basic remuneration.

The company does not grant any loans or advances to members 
of the Management Board.

Overall, this remuneration system for members of the Manage-
ment Board reflects internationally and nationally recognized 
standards of good and responsible corporate governance, as 
well as complying with GCGC regulations (for details of GCGC 
compliance, please refer to page 33 ff.) and all German company 
law (AktG) requirements. The financial performance indicators 
used to determine the variable, performance-related compo-
nents of remuneration and the non-financial personal targets 
agreed with each individual are consistent with our corporate 
strategy and objectives; as such, the remuneration policy 
 supports both the strategy and the sustainable and long-term 
development of the corporation.

3.  Remuneration of members of the Management Board 

for fiscal 2019 

Excluding pension commitments, the total remuneration paid 
to members of the Management Board serving in 2019 for the 
performance of their duties for and on behalf of Henkel AG & 
Co. KGaA and its subsidiaries during the year under review 
amounted to 17,247,891 euros (previous year: 21,111,180 euros). 
Basic remuneration accounted for 4,950,000 euros (previous 
year: 4,950,000 euros), other emoluments for 431,024 euros 
(previous year: 362,365 euros), short-term variable cash remu-
neration for 6,993,808 euros (previous year: 8,393,942 euros), 
long-term variable cash remuneration – share deferral – for 
2,043,252 euros (previous year: 4,519,817 euros), and the 2017 
LTI tranche for which the plan term of three years ended at the 
end of the relevant fiscal year for 2,829,807 euros (previous 
year: 2016 LTI tranche, 2,885,056 euros). In addition, members 
of the Management Board serving in 2019 were granted an 
LTI tranche for 2019 (term: 1/1/2019 – 12/31/2021) that will be 
paid out after the plan term of three years in 2022, subject to 
achievement of certain performance targets.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther information61

The basis for assessment / parameters and the target achieve-
ment / remuneration for the 2019 STI and the 2019 LTI tranches 
are listed in the following tables:

Calculation of target achievement / STI remuneration 2019 

27

Target  
parameter

Financial  
targets (bonus)

Organic sales 
growth (OSG)

Adjusted earnings 
per preferred 
share (EPS) 3

Weighting

100 % target

Actual 2019

Target achievement 1 Bonus amount 2

50 %

50 %

3.0 %

0.0 %

50.0 %

5.87 euros 4

5.40 euros

79.9 %

1,299,830 euros

Personal 
targets

Focus topics 2019:
•  Process standardization
•  Strategy updates for the business units / Shared Service Centers /  

Personal target achievement / Bonus 
 multiplier 5:
Range: 0.90 –  0.95

supply chain

•  Financial management, net working capital
•  Advancements in digitalization
•  Growth initiatives, innovation pipeline
•  Sustainability
•  Succession planning, talent development, leadership commitments, 

 agility, diversity

1  Percentage of the relevant bonus target amount.
2 Bonus amount, given a personal multiplier and functional factor of 1 in each case.
3 At constant exchange rates versus prior year (actual-to-actual comparison).
4 Remuneration-relevant figure.
5 Target achievement for Kathrin Menges and Hans Van Bylen paid as a lump sum prior to departure.

STI target parameters (bonus)
The organic sales growth figure representing 100-percent tar-
get achievement was 3.0 percent in 2019. The lower and upper 
thresholds were 0.0 percent and 4.0 percent respectively.

The adjusted EPS figure that is of relevance for the actual- to-
actual comparison for remuneration purposes and which rep-
resents 100-percent target achievement was 5.87 euros in 2019. 
The lower and upper thresholds were 4.70 euros and 7.04 euros 
respectively.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther information62

Calculation of target achievement / LTI remuneration 

28

LTI tranche

Performance year 100 % target 

Adjusted ROCE

Actual  
Adjusted ROCE 

Target achievement

LTI tranche 
2019

1. (2019)

2. (2020)

3. (2021)

16.9 %

–

–

15.0 %

–

–

88.9 %

–

–

1  Remuneration paid to a Management Board member, given a functional factor of 1.

Average target 
achievement over 
three-year perfor-
mance period

Remuneration  
for LTI tranche 1

–

–

LTI target parameters
The adjusted ROCE targets are derived from our budget and are 
set for each year of each three-year performance period by the 
Supervisory Board of Henkel Management AG. Target achieve-
ment is analyzed at the end of the relevant year. The average 
target achievement for the respective performance period is 
then calculated on the basis of the three measurements of 
 relevance for the respective LTI tranche. 

The adjusted ROCE figure representing 100-percent target 
achievement was 16.9 percent in 2019. The resulting target 
achievement for the yearly tranche 2019 is 88.9 percent.

Caps
The cap on the amount of the variable components of remu-
neration and, after consideration of other emoluments and 
pension benefits (lump-sum contribution), the cap on total 
remuneration payable to the respective members of the Man-
agement Board were observed. 

The amounts in these and the following tables are rounded up 
or down to full euros. As a result, rounded figures in some of 
the lines in the tables may not add up to the indicated total. 
The same applies for percentage figures.

Remuneration per HGB / DRS 17 for the reporting period 
granted to members of the Management Board serving in 2019, 
separated into the above-mentioned components, is shown in 
the following table. In compliance with the recommendations 
of GCGC 2017, the table also lists the remuneration figures 
applicable to fiscal 2019, which is why a further “actual inflow” 
table listing the awarded amounts as recommended in GCGC 
2017 has been omitted.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther informationRemuneration of Management Board members who served in 2019 

63

29

1. Basic  
remuneration  1

2. Other  
emoluments 1

3. Short-term 
variable cash 
remuneration 2

Single-year 
remuneration 
(Total of 1 to 3)

4. Long-term 
variable cash 
remuneration 
(share deferral) 2

5. Long Term 
Incentive 3

Multi-year 
remuneration 
(Total of 4  
and 5)

Total  
remuneration 
(Total of 1 to 5)

6. Service cost 
(per IFRS)

Total  
remuneration 
(Total of 1 to 6)

2019

1,200,000

58,639

2,599,200

3,857,839

0

841,727

841,727

4,699,566

761,893

5,461,459

22.0 %

1.1 %

47.6 %

70.6 %

0.0 %

15.4 %

15.4 %

86.0 %

14.0 %

100.0 %

2018

1,200,000

71,457

2,242,538

3,513,995

1,207,521

721,264

1,928,785

5,442,780

770,220

6,213,000

19.3 %

1.2 %

36.1 %

56.6 %

19.4 %

11.6 %

31.0 %

87.6 %

12.4 %

100.0 %

2019

750,000

55,317

882,909

1,688,226

475,413

480,987

956,400

2,644,626

457,722

3,102,348

24.2 %

1.8 %

28.5 %

54.4 %

15.3 %

15.5 %

30.8 %

85.2 %

14.8 %

100.0 %

2018

750,000

56,369

1,373,626

2,179,995

739,645

540,948

1,280,593

3,460,588

462,865

3,923,453

Carsten Knobel 
(Finance)

Board member 
since 7/1/2012

2019

2018

19.1 %

750,000

23.4 %

750,000

19.2 %

1.4 %

35.0 %

55.6 %

18.9 %

13.8 %

32.6 %

88.2 %

158,666

882,909

1,791,575

475,413

480,987

956,400

2,747,975

4.9 %

27.5 %

55.9 %

14.8 %

15.0 %

29.8 %

85.7 %

66,265

1,357,376

2,173,641

730,895

540,948

1,271,843

3,445,484

34.7 %

55.6 %

18.7 %

13.8 %

32.5 %

88.2 %

11.8 %

458,206

14.3 %

463,029

11.8 %

100.0 %

3,206,181

100.0 %

3,908,513

100.0 %

2019

204,545

600,000

819,766

0

480,987

480,987

1,300,753

157,038

1,457,791

1.7 %

15,221

14.0 %

1.0 %

41.2 %

56.2 %

0.0 %

33.0 %

33.0 %

89.2 %

10.8 %

100.0 %

2018

750,000

45,027

1,240,376

2,035,403

667,895

540,948

1,208,843

3,244,246

461,099

3,705,345

20.2 %

1.2 %

33.5 %

54.9 %

18.0 %

14.6 %

32.6 %

87.6 %

12.4 %

100.0 %

2019

545,455

2018

30.6 %

–

–

33,613

1.9 %

–

–

541,785

1,120,853

30.4 %

62.9 %

–

–

–

–

291,731

16.4 %

–

–

0

0.0 %

–

–

291,731

1,412,584

369,748

1,782,332

16.4 %

79.3 %

20.7 %

100.0 %

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

2019

750,000

49,707

802,645

1,602,352

432,193

480,987

913,180

2,515,532

456,090

2,971,622

25.2 %

1.7 %

27.0 %

53.9 %

14.5 %

16.2 %

30.7 %

84.7 %

15.3 %

100.0 %

2018

750,000

49,842

1,211,126

2,010,968

652,145

540,948

1,193,093

3,204,061

458,721

3,662,782

20.5 %

1.4 %

33.1 %

54.9 %

17.8 %

14.8 %

32.6 %

87.5 %

12.5 %

100.0 %

in euros

Hans Van Bylen  
(Chairman of 
the Manage-
ment Board)

Board member 
from 7/1/2005 
to 12/31/2019

Jan-Dirk Auris 
(Adhesive  
Technologies)

Board member 
since 1/1/2011

Kathrin Menges 
(Human 
Resources)

Board member 
from 10/1/2011 
to 4/8/2019

Sylvie Nicol 
(Human 
Resources)

Board member 
since 4/9/2019

Bruno Piacenza 
(Laundry & 
Home Care)

Board member 
since 1/1/2011

TABLE CONT’D

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther information 
 
Remuneration of Management Board members who served in 2019 

64

29

in euros

Jens-Martin 
Schwärzler 
(Beauty Care)

Board member 
since 11/1/2017

1. Basic  
remuneration  1

2. Other  
emoluments 1

3. Short-term 
variable cash 
remuneration 2

Single-year 
remuneration 
(Total of 1 to 3)

4. Long-term 
variable cash 
remuneration 
(share deferral) 2

5. Long Term 
Incentive 3

Multi-year 
remuneration 
(Total of 4  
and 5)

Total  
remuneration 
(Total of 1 to 5)

6. Service cost 
(per IFRS)

Total  
remuneration 
(Total of 1 to 6)

2019

750,000

59,861

684,360

1,494,221

368,502

64,132

432,634

1,926,855

465,040

2,391,895

31.4 %

2.5 %

28.6 %

62.5 %

15.4 %

2.7 %

18.1 %

80.6 %

19.4 %

100.0 %

2018

750,000

73,405

968,900

1,792,305

521,716

0

521,716

2,314,021

467,400

2,781,421

27.0 %

2.6 %

34.8 %

64.4 %

18.8 %

0.0 %

18.8 %

83.2 %

16.8 %

100.0 %

Total

2019

4,950,000

431,024

6,993,808

12,374,832

2,043,252

2,829,807

4,873,059

17,247,891

3,125,737

20,373,628

24.3 %

2.1 %

34.3 %

60.7 %

10.0 %

13.9 %

23.9 %

84.7 %

15.3 %

100.0 %

2018

4,950,000

362,365

8,393,942

13,706,307

4,519,817

2,885,056

7,404,873

21,111,180

3,083,334

24,194,514

20.5 %

1.5 %

34.7 %

56.7 %

18.7 %

11.9 %

30.6 %

87.3 %

12.7 %

100.0 %

1   Payout in the relevant fiscal year.
2  Payout in the relevant following fiscal year.
3  Amount paid at relevant fiscal year-end for LTI tranches upon expiry of their respective three-year terms; term of LTI tranche 2017: 1/1/2017 – 12/31/2019;  

term of LTI tranche 2016: 1/1/2016 – 12/31/2018, payout in the relevant following fiscal year.

Arrangements in connection with termination of position 
on the Management Board
Kathrin Menges left the corporation by mutual consent at the 
end of April 8, 2019. A gross amount of 1,305,000 euros was 
paid to Kathrin Menges in settlement of her contractual entitle-
ment to remuneration (without LTI) for the original remaining 
term of her contract (September 30, 2019). Her entitlement to 
LTI tranches for fiscal years 2017 onward based on the original 
remaining term of her contract will be calculated and paid out 
at the end of the relevant three-year performance period. The 
2017 LTI tranche was valued at 480,987 euros and is due for pay-
ment in April 2020.

Hans Van Bylen left the corporation by mutual consent at the 
end of December 31, 2019. A gross amount of 4,700,000 euros 
was paid to Hans Van Bylen in settlement of his contractual 
entitlement to remuneration (without LTI) for the original 
remaining term of his contract (December 31, 2020). Based on 
the original remaining term of his contract, Hans Van Bylen 
also received a special payment into the company pension 
scheme of 750,000 euros gross. His entitlement to LTI tranches 
for fiscal years 2017 onward based on the original remaining 
term of his contract will be calculated and paid out at the end 
of the relevant three-year performance period. The 2017 LTI 
tranche was valued at 841,727 euros and is due for payment in 
April 2020. In addition, Hans Van Bylen is bound by a post- 
contractual non-competition clause with a term of two years, 
which entitles him to discretionary compensation of 116,000 
euros gross per month for the remaining period not already 
covered by the  settlement amount; other earnings shall be 
 offset against this discretionary compensation. 

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther information65

Share Ownership Guideline / Own investment under the STI 
2019 program (share deferral) 
The net amounts to be invested by the members of the Manage-
ment Board in office at December 31, 2019, in Henkel preferred 
shares under the STI 2019 program (Share Ownership Guide-
line; share deferral) are shown in the following table, together 
with the Henkel preferred shares already held as of December 
31, 2019, which were acquired under share deferral programs in 
earlier years.

Shareholdings and own investments / Share deferral under STI 

30

Management Board member

Jan-Dirk Auris

Carsten Knobel

Sylvie Nicol

Bruno Piacenza 

Jens-Martin Schwärzler 

Number of shares 
already purchased as of 
Dec. 31, 2019

Total value of existing 
share portfolio 1

Amount invested under 
STI 2019 2

43,789

32,704

–

43,705

3,366

4,037,345.80 euros

3,015,308.80 euros

–

4,029,601.00 euros

310,345.20 euros

237,706.35 euros

237,706.35 euros

145,865.26 euros

216,096.68 euros

184,250.85 euros

1 92.20 euros per share, Xetra closing price on December 30, 2019.
2 Net amounts.

In the year under review, no member of the Management 
Board was granted non-standard benefits by the company in 
connection with premature termination of their tenure, nor 
were any such entitlements or arrangements modified. No 
member of the Management Board was pledged payments 
from third parties in respect of their duties as executives of 
the corporation, nor were any such payments granted in the 
reporting period. No use was made of the option to demand 
repayment of variable components of remuneration (clawback).

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther information66

Pension benefits 
The figures calculated in accordance with the German Com-
mercial Code [HGB] and International Accounting Standard 
(IAS) 19 for service cost for total benefit entitlements acquired 
in the reporting year and the present value of total pension 
benefits accruing to the end of the fiscal year are shown in the 
following table:

For pension obligations to former members of the Manage-
ment Board and the management of Henkel KGaA, as well as 
the former management of its legal predecessor and surviving 
dependents, 105,312,747 euros (previous year: 100,940,669 euros) 
is deferred. Amounts paid to such recipients during the year 
under review totaled 7,286,431 euros (previous year: 
7,205,023 euros).

Service cost / Present value of pension benefits 

in euros

Hans Van Bylen 1 
(until 12/31/2019)

Jan-Dirk Auris

Carsten Knobel

Kathrin Menges 
(until 4/8/2019)

Sylvie Nicol 
(since 4/9/2019)

Bruno Piacenza

Jens-Martin Schwärzler  

Total

2019

2018

2019

2018

2019

2018

2019

2018

2019

2018

2019

2018

2019

2018

2019

2018

HGB

Service cost for  
pension benefits in  
the reporting year

761,865

770,183

457,428

462,270

457,468

461,558

156,740

460,602

369,748

–

456,047

460,013

461,791

462,459

3,121,087

3,077,085

Present value of  
pension benefits  
as of December 31

10,530,915

8,051,409

5,062,931

4,083,439

4,312,944

3,415,383

4,068,298

3,480,289

669,355

–

4,347,510

3,449,136

2,263,214

1,589,793

31,255,167

24,069,449

IAS

Service cost for  
pension benefits in  
the reporting year

761,893

770,220

457,722

462,865

458,206

463,029

157,038

461,099

369,748

–

456,090

460,072

465,040

467,400

3,125,737

3,084,685

31

Present value of  
pension benefits  
as of December 31

10,950,472

8,439,095

5,180,131

4,187,786

4,420,293

3,510,588

4,131,839

3,537,289

671,517

–

4,352,193

3,453,241

2,364,673

1,680,637

32,071,118

24,808,636

1   Based on the original remaining term of his contract, Hans Van Bylen was awarded an additional payment of 750,000 euros (gross) into the company pension 

scheme.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther informationAdditional disclosures in accordance with the German 
Corporate Governance Code (GCGC) 
The following table complies with the recommendations of 
GCGC 2017 and lists the benefits granted for fiscal 2019. 
According to GCGC 2017, variable remuneration must be quan-
tified as the amount that would be payable upon 100-percent 
target achievement rather than the payout amount, together 
with the maximum / minimum potential amounts for variable 
remuneration components. 

For details of payments made in fiscal 2019, pursuant to the 
recommendations of GCGC 2017, please refer to the table 
 entitled “Remuneration of Management Board members who 
served in 2019” on pages 63 and 64.

Pursuant to GCGC, payments / benefits granted for the reporting year to members of the Management Board serving in 2019 

1. Basic remu-
neration 1

2. Other emol-
uments 1

Total (1 and 2)

3. Short-term 
variable cash 
remuneration 2

4. Long-term 
variable cash 
remuneration 
(share 
 deferral) 2

5. Long Term 
Incentive 2

Total (1 to 5) 6. Service cost 
(per IFRS)  

2019

1,200,000

2019 (min)

1,200,000

2019 (max)

2018

2019

2019 (min)

2019 (max)

2018

2019

2019 (min)

2019 (max)

2018

2019

2019 (min)

2019 (max)

2018

1,200,000

1,200,000

750,000

750,000

750,000

750,000

750,000

750,000

750,000

750,000

204,545

204,545

204,545

750,000

58,639

58,639

58,639

71,457

55,317

55,317

55,317

56,369

158,666

158,666

158,666

66,265

15,221

15,221

15,221

45,027

1,258,639

2,275,000

1,225,000

1,400,000

6,158,639

1,258,639

1,258,639

1,271,457

0

0

0

1,258,639

3,412,500

2,290,882

1,837,500

1,233,552

2,100,000

700,000

8,608,639

5,495,891

805,317

805,317

805,317

806,369

908,666

908,666

908,666

816,265

219,766

219,766

219,766

795,027

1,430,000

770,000

880,000

3,885,317

0

0

0

805,317

1,155,000

1,320,000

2,145,000

1,347,578

1,430,000

0

2,145,000

1,347,578

390,000

0

585,000

1,347,578

725,619

770,000

0

725,619

210,000

0

315,000

725,619

0

908,666

5,425,317

3,279,566

3,988,666

5,528,666

3,289,462

1,059,766

400,000

880,000

400,000

240,000

0

219,766

360,000

400,000

1,479,766

3,268,224

1,155,000

1,320,000

761,893

761,893

761,893

770,220

457,722

457,722

457,722

462,865

458,206

458,206

458,206

463,029

157,038

157,038

157,038

461,099

in euros

Hans Van Bylen  
(Chairman) 3 
(since 5/1/2016)

Board member from 
7/1/2005 to 
12/31/2019

Jan-Dirk Auris 
(Adhesive Technologies)

Board member since 
1/1/2011

Carsten Knobel 
(Finance)

Board member since 
7/1/2012

Kathrin Menges 
(Human Resources) 3

Board member from 
10/1/2011 to 4/8/2019

TABLE CONT’D

67

32

Total  
remuneration 
pursuant to 
GCGC  
(Total 1 to 6)

6,920,532

2,020,532

9,370,532

6,266,111

4,343,039

1,263,039

5,883,039

3,742,431

4,446,872

1,366,872

5,986,872

3,752,491

1,216,804

376,804

1,636,804

3,729,323

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther informationPursuant to GCGC, payments / benefits granted for the reporting year to members of the Management Board serving in 2019 

in euros

Sylvie Nicol 
(Human Resources)

Board member since 
4/9/2019

Bruno Piacenza 
(Laundry & Home Care)

Board member since 
1/1/2011

Jens-Martin Schwärzler 
(Beauty Care)

Board member since 
11/1/2017

2019

2019 (min)

2019 (max)

2018

2019

2019 (min)

2019 (max)

2018

2019

2019 (min)

2019 (max)

2018

1. Basic remu-
neration 1

2. Other emol-
uments 1

Total (1 and 2)

3. Short-term 
variable cash 
remuneration 2

4. Long-term 
variable cash 
remuneration 
(share 
 deferral) 2

5. Long Term 
Incentive 2

Total (1 to 5) 6. Service cost 
(per IFRS)  

545,455

545,455

545,455

–

750,000

750,000

750,000

750,000

750,000

750,000

750,000

750,000

33,613

33,613

33,613

–

49,707

49,707

49,707

49,842

59,861

59,861

59,861

73,405

579,068

579,068

579,068

–

799,707

799,707

799,707

799,842

809,861

809,861

809,861

823,405

877,500

472,500

540,000

2,469,068

0

0

0

579,068

1,316,250

708,750

810,000

3,414,068

–

–

–

–

1,300,000

700,000

800,000

3,599,707

0

0

0

799,707

1,050,000

1,200,000

1,950,000

1,347,578

1,170,000

0

1,755,000

1,078,062

725,619

630,000

0

945,000

580,495

400,000

720,000

4,999,707

3,273,039

3,329,861

0

809,861

1,080,000

320,000

4,589,861

2,801,962

369,748

369,748

369,748

–

456,090

456,090

456,090

460,072

465,040

465,040

465,040

467,400

68

32

Total  
remuneration 
pursuant to 
GCGC  
(Total 1 to 6)

2,838,816

948,816

3,783,816

–

4,055,797

1,255,797

5,455,797

3,733,111

3,794,901

1,274,901

5,054,901

3,269,362

1  Payout in the relevant fiscal year.
2  Figures for 2019 reflect the target amounts payable upon 100-percent target achievement / LTI tranche 2019: payout in 2022; LTI tranche 2018: payout in 2021. Target amount applies to yearly 

tranches from 2019 onward.

3   For details of the benefits paid upon departure from the Management Board, please refer to page 64.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther information69

4.   Remuneration policy for members of the Supervisory 
Board and of the Shareholders’ Committee of Henkel 
AG & Co. KGaA

Regulation, structure and amounts
The Annual General Meeting has defined the remuneration for 
the Supervisory Board and the Shareholders’ Committee in 
provisions contained in Art. 17 and 33 of the Articles of Associ-
ation. 

Remuneration is of a purely fixed nature to strengthen impar-
tiality and to avoid conflicts of interest for corporate body 
members performing their supervisory function. In accordance 
with GCGC recommendations, remuneration is increased or 
additional remuneration paid to take account of the responsi-
bility and scope of duties associated with being Chair, Vice 
Chair or member of a (sub)committee. 

The components in detail:

Each member of the Supervisory Board and of the Share-
holders’ Committee receives a fixed fee of 70,000 euros and 
100,000 euros per year respectively. The Chair of the Supervi-
sory Board and the Shareholders’ Committee receives double 
this amount, and the Vice Chair in each case one and a half 
times the aforementioned amounts.

Members of the Supervisory Board who are also members of 
one or more committees each receive additional remuneration 
of 35,000 euros; if they chair one or more committees, they 
receive 70,000 euros. Activity in the Nominations Committee 
is not remunerated separately. 

Members of the Shareholders’ Committee who are also members 
of one or more subcommittees of the Shareholders’ Committee 
each receive additional remuneration of 100,000 euros; if they 
chair one or more subcommittees, they receive 200,000 euros.

The higher remuneration allocated to the members of the 
Shareholders’ Committee as compared to the Supervisory 
Board reflects the fact that, under the Articles of Association, 
the Shareholders’ Committee participates in the management 
of the corporation.

Miscellaneous
The members of the Supervisory Board or a committee receive 
an attendance fee amounting to 1,000 euros for each meeting 
in which they participate. If several meetings take place on one 
day, the attendance fee is only paid once. In addition, the 
members of the Supervisory Board and of the Shareholders’ 
Committee are reimbursed expenses incurred in connection 
with their positions. The members of the Supervisory Board 
are also reimbursed the value-added tax (VAT) payable on their 
total remunerations and reimbursed expenses.

The corporation maintains directors and officers insurance for 
members of the corporate bodies of the Henkel Group. For 
members of the Supervisory Board and Shareholders’ Commit-
tee there is a deductible amounting to 10 percent per loss 
event, subject to a maximum for the fiscal year of one and a 
half times their annual fixed remuneration.

The Chairwoman of the Supervisory Board and of the Share-
holders’ Committee is provided with an office and secretarial 
support to enable her to perform these duties.

The corporation does not grant any loans or advances to mem-
bers of the Supervisory Board or the Shareholders’ Committee.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther information70

In the year under review, no compensation or benefits were 
paid or granted for personally performed services, including in 
particular advisory, brokerage or (inter)mediation services.

The remuneration of the individual members of the Super-
visory Board and of the Shareholders’ Committee, broken down 
according to the above-mentioned components, is presented 
in the tables on the following pages.

5.  Remuneration of members of the Supervisory Board 
and of the Shareholders’ Committee for fiscal 2019
Total remuneration paid to the members of the Supervisory 
Board for the year under review (fixed fee, attendance fee, remu-
neration for committee activity) amounted to 1,565,000 euros 
plus VAT (previous year: 1,559,000 euros plus VAT). Of this 
amount, fixed fees accounted for 1,225,000 euros, attendance 
fees for 95,000 euros, and remuneration for committee activity 
(including associated attendance fees) for 245,000 euros.

Total remuneration paid to the members of the Shareholders’ 
Committee for the year under review (fixed fee and remunera-
tion for subcommittee activity) amounted to 2,350,000 euros 
(previous year: 2,295,206 euros). Of this amount, fixed fees 
were 1,150,000 euros and remuneration for subcommittee 
activity 1,200,000 euros. 

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther informationSupervisory Board remuneration 

71

33

Fixed remuneration
(Share of total remuneration in %)

Components of total remuneration

Remuneration for  
Audit Committee membership
(Share of total remuneration in %)

Attendance fee
(Share of total remuneration in %)

Total remuneration 1

in euros

2018

in %

2019

in %

2018

in %

2019

in %

2018

in %

2019

in %

2018

2019

Dr. Simone Bagel-Trah 2,  
Chair

Birgit Helten-Kindlein 2, 
Vice Chair

Winfried Zander 2, 
Vice Chair  
(until 4/9/2018)

Jutta Bernicke

Dr. Kaspar von Braun

Peter Emmerich
(since 4/9/2018)

Johann-Christoph Frey 
(until 4/9/2018)

Peter Hausmann 2 
(until 4/9/2018)

Benedikt-Richard  
Freiherr von Herman

Timotheus Höttges

Prof. Dr. Michael Kaschke 2

Angelika Keller 
(until 4/9/2018)

Barbara Kux

Andrea Pichottka

Philipp Scholz
(since 4/9/2018)

Dr. Martina Seiler

Prof. Dr. Theo Siegert 2

Dirk Thiede
(since 4/9/2018)

Edgar Topsch 2

Michael Vassiliadis 2
(since 4/9/2018)

140,000

77

140,000

95,507

69

105,000

28,479

70,000

70,000

51,014

18,986

18,986

70,000

70,000

70,000

18,986

70,000

70,000

51,014

70,000

70,000

51,014

70,000

51,014

71

93

93

96

90

62

95

96

64

90

93

95

94

93

47

94

68

62

70,000

70,000

70,000

70,000

70,000

70,000

70,000

70,000

70,000

70,000

70,000

70,000

70,000

70,000

Total

1,225,000

79 1,225,000

77

71

93

93

93

93

93

63

93

93

93

93

47

95

62

63

78

35,000

35,000

19

24

35,000

35,000

9,493

19

25

24

9,493

31

35,000

32

35,000

31

70,000

47

70,000

47

25,507

25,507

245,000

25

31

16

35,000

35,000

245,000

31

31

16

1  Figures do not include VAT.
2 Member of the Audit Committee. Audit Committee Chair: Prof. Dr. Theo Siegert.

7,000

8,000

2,000

5,000

5,000

2,000

4

6

5

7

7

4

2,000

10

2,000

4,000

3,000

5,000

2,000

5,000

4,000

3,000

5,000

8,000

3,000

8,000

6,000

89,000

7

5

4

5

10

7

5

6

7

5

6

8

7

5

8,000

8,000

5,000

5,000

5,000

5,000

5,000

7,000

5,000

5,000

5,000

5,000

8,000

4,000

8,000

7,000

95,000

4

5

7

7

7

7

7

6

7

7

7

7

5

5

7

6

6

182,000

183,000

138,507

148,000

39,972

75,000

75,000

75,000

75,000

53,014

75,000

20,986

30,479

74,000

73,000

75,000

75,000

110,000

112,000

20,986

75,000

74,000

54,014

75,000

75,000

75,000

75,000

75,000

148,000

148,000

54,014

74,000

103,507

113,000

82,521

112,000

1,559,000

1,565,000

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther information 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
72

Individual meeting attendance Supervisory Board 2019 

34

Supervisory Board  
member

Dr. Simone Bagel-Trah  
Chair

Birgit Helten-Kindlein  
Vice Chair

Jutta Bernicke

Dr. Kaspar von Braun

Peter Emmerich 

Benedikt-Richard  
Freiherr von Herman

Timotheus Höttges

Prof. Dr. Michael Kaschke 

Barbara Kux

Andrea Pichottka

Philipp Scholz

Dr. Martina Seiler

Prof. Dr. Theo Siegert

Dirk Thiede 

Edgar Topsch 

Michael Vassiliadis 

Attendance

Presence

Supervisory 
Board and 
committee 
meetings 1

9

9

5

5

5

5

5

9

5

5

5

5

9

5

9

9

9

9

5

5

5

5

5

8

5

5

5

5

9

4

9

8

100 %

100 %

100 %

100 %

100 %

100 %

100 %

89 %

100 %

100 %

100 %

100 %

100 %

80 %

100 %

89 %

1  Number of meetings of relevance for the respective member.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther informationShareholders’ Committee remuneration 2019 

73

35

in euros

Dr. Simone Bagel-Trah, 
Chair (Chair Human Resources Subcommittee)

Components of total remuneration

Fixed remuneration 
(Share of total remuneration in %)

Fee for subcommittee activity 
(Share of total remuneration in %)

Total remuneration

2018

in %

2019

in %

2018

in %

2019

in %

2018

2019

200,000

50

200,000

50

200,000

50

200,000

50

400,000

400,000

Dr. Christoph Henkel,  
Vice Chair  
(Chair Finance Subcommittee)

Prof. Dr. Paul Achleitner 
(Member Finance Subcommittee)

Johann-Christoph Frey 
(since 4/9/2018) 
(Member HR Subcommittee)

Stefan Hamelmann 
(Vice Chair Finance Subcommittee)

Prof. Dr. Ulrich Lehner 
(Member Finance Subcommittee)

Dr. Dr. Norbert Reithofer 
(Member Finance Subcommittee)

Konstantin von Unger  
(Vice Chair HR Subcommittee)

Jean-François van Boxmeer 
(Member HR Subcommittee)

Werner Wenning 
(Member HR Subcommittee)

Total

150,000

100,000

72,603

100,000

100,000

100,000

100,000

100,000

100,000

1,122,603

43

50

50

50

50

50

50

50

50

49

150,000

100,000

100,000

100,000

100,000

100,000

100,000

100,000

100,000

1,150,000

43

50

50

50

50

50

50

50

50

49

200,000

100,000

72,603

100,000

100,000

100,000

100,000

100,000

100,000

1,172,603

57

50

50

50

50

50

50

50

50

51

200,000

100,000

100,000

100,000

100,000

100,000

100,000

100,000

100,000

1,200,000

57

50

50

50

50

50

50

50

50

51

350,000

350,000

200,000

200,000

145,206

200,000

200,000

200,000

200,000

200,000

200,000

200,000

200,000

200,000

200,000

200,000

200,000

200,000

2,295,206

2,350,000

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther informationIndividual meeting attendance  
Shareholders’ Committee 2019 

7.  Remuneration of the members of the Supervisory Board 

36

of Henkel Management AG

74

According to Art. 14 of the Articles of Association of Henkel 
Management AG, the members of the Supervisory Board of 
Henkel Management AG are each entitled to receive annual 
remuneration of 10,000 euros. However, those members of 
said Supervisory Board who are also and simultaneously mem-
bers of the Supervisory Board or the Shareholders’ Committee 
of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA do not receive this remuneration. 
As the Supervisory Board of Henkel Management AG is only 
 comprised of members who also belong to the Shareholders’ 
Committee, no remuneration was paid in respect of this Super-
visory Board in the year under review.

Attendance

Presence

Member of Shareholders’ 
Committee

Meetings of the 
Shareholders’ 
Committee and 
of the Finance 
and Human 
Resources  
Subcommittees 1 

Dr. Simone Bagel-Trah, 
Chair

Dr. Christoph Henkel,  
Vice Chair

Prof. Dr. Paul Achleitner

Johann-Christoph Frey 

Stefan Hamelmann

Prof. Dr. Ulrich Lehner

Dr. Dr. Norbert Reithofer

Konstantin von Unger 

Jean-François van Boxmeer

Werner Wenning

16

16

16

16

16

16

16

16

16

16

16

16

16

16

16

16

13

16

12

14

100 %

100 %

100 %

100 %

100 %

100 %

81 %

100 %

75 %

88 %

1  Number of meetings of relevance for the respective member.

6.  Remuneration of Henkel Management AG for 

 assumption of personal liability, and reimbursement 
of expenses to same

For assumption of personal liability and management responsi-
bility, Henkel Management AG in its function as Personally Lia-
ble Partner receives an annual payment of 50,000 euros (= 5 per-
cent of its capital stock) plus any value-added tax (VAT) due, said 
fee being payable irrespective of any profit or loss made.

Henkel Management AG may also claim reimbursement from 
or payment by the corporation of all expenses incurred in 
 connection with the management of the corporation’s business, 
including the remuneration and pensions paid to its corporate 
bodies.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther informationH e n k e l   A n n u a l   R e p o r t   2 0 1 9

75

Combined 
 management report

  76 
  76 

  78 

  79 
  80 
  81 
  81 

  81 

Fundamental principles of the Group
Operational activities
Overview
76 
76 
Organization and business units
Our ambitions and strategic priorities
 Our ambitions 
78 
Progress in fiscal 2019
79 
79 
Future direction
Sustainability strategy
 Management system and performance indicators
Cost of capital
 Takeover-relevant information, corporate 
 governance statement, remuneration report
Separate non-financial report

Economic report

  82 
  82  Macroeconomic development
Development by sector
  83 
Review of overall business performance
  83 
Results of operations of the Group
  84 
84 
86 
86 
87 
87 
87 
88 
88 
88 
88 

Sales
Operating profit
Expense items
Other operating income and expenses
Financial result
 Net income and earnings per share (EPS)
Dividend
Return on capital employed (ROCE)
Economic Value Added (EVA®)
 Comparison between actual business 
performance and guidance

  90 

  96 

Adhesive Technologies
Beauty Care
Laundry & Home Care

Acquisitions and divestments
Capital expenditures
Right-of-use assets
Net assets
Financial position

Results of operations of the business units
90 
92 
94 
Net assets and financial position
96 
96 
97 
97 
99 
100  Financing and capital management
101  Key financial ratios
Employees
 102 
Procurement
 105 
Production
 107 
 109 
Research and development
 113  Marketing and distribution

 116 

 Henkel AG & Co. KGaA  
(condensed version according to the  
German Commercial Code [HGB])

Risks and opportunities report
Risks and opportunities
Risk management system

 120 
 120 
 120 
 123  Major risk categories
 130  Major opportunity categories
 131 

Risks and opportunities in summary

Forecast

 132 
 132  Macroeconomic development
Development by sector
 132 
Outlook for the Henkel Group in 2020
 133 

Henkel Annual Report 2019 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
76

Fundamental principles of the Group

Operational activities

Overview
Henkel was founded in 1876. Therefore, the year under review 
marks the 143rd in our corporate history. At the end of 2019, 
Henkel’s workforce worldwide numbered around 52,450. We 
occupy globally leading market positions in our consumer and 
industrial businesses. 

Henkel is organized into three operational business units: 
 Adhesive Technologies, Beauty Care and Laundry & Home Care. 
The Adhesive Technologies business unit leads the global market 
in the field of adhesives. In our Beauty Care and Laundry & 
Home Care consumer businesses, we also hold top positions in 
numerous markets and categories.

1876

year of foundation.

Our purpose is to create sustainable value – for our custom-
ers and consumers, for our people and for our shareholders, 
as well as for the wider society and communities in which 
 we operate.

Adhesive Technologies offers a broad and globally leading 
portfolio of high-impact solutions in adhesives,  sealants and 
functional coatings for both its Industry and its Consumers, 
Craftsmen and Building businesses.

Organization and business units
Henkel AG & Co. KGaA is operationally active as well as being the 
parent company of the Henkel Group. As such, it is responsible 
for defining and pursuing Henkel’s corporate objectives and 
also for the management, control and monitoring of Group-
wide activities, including risk management and the allocation 
of resources. Henkel AG & Co. KGaA performs its tasks within 
the legal scope afforded to it as part of the Henkel Group, 
with the affiliated companies otherwise operating as legally 
independent entities.

Operational management and control is the responsibility of 
the Management Board of Henkel Management AG in its func-
tion as sole Personally Liable Partner. The Management Board 
is supported in this by the central, corporate functions.

Our Industry business encompasses four areas. In the Packaging 
and Consumer Goods Adhesives business area, we work with 
major brand manufacturers and international customers to 
develop innovative and sustainable solutions for food  packaging, 
timber construction and furniture, as well as numerous con-
sumer goods. In the Transport and Metal  business area, we 
provide our customers in the automotive, aircraft and aero-
space, and metal processing industries with advanced system 
solutions along the entire value chain, together with an exten-
sive technology portfolio and specialized technical services. 
In the General Industry business area, we offer a comprehensive 
range of products for the manufacture, development, optimiza-
tion, maintenance, repair and overhaul of durable goods, com-
plemented by innovative 3D printing solutions. Our custom-
ers range from manufacturers of  industrial equipment and 

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportFundamental principles  of the GroupEconomic reportHenkel AG & Co. KGaA (condensed version according to the German  Commercial Code [HGB])Risks and opportunities reportForecastConsolidated financial statementsFurther informationhousehold appliances through to operators of large-scale 
industrial facilities, and service  specialists operating in all 
branches of industry. Our Electronics business area offers cus-
tomers a specialized portfolio of innovative high-technology 
adhesives and materials for the manufacture of microchips 
and electronic assemblies. Our product solutions are also used 
to expand digital infrastructure and in the automotive sector.

Our Adhesives for Consumers, Craftsmen and Building business 
area markets an extensive range of sustainable brand-name 
products for private, trade and construction users.

The Beauty Care business unit is globally active in the Branded 
Consumer Goods business area with Hair Cosmetics, Body Care, 
Skin Care and Oral Care, as well as in the professional Hair Salon 
business. In both business areas, we hold top positions in 
numerous markets and categories. Both our Branded Consumer 
Goods and Hair Salon businesses offer focused brand portfolios 
featuring consumer-relevant innovations that create added 
value for our customers and consumers. Our products are sold 
both in brick-and-mortar stores and online.

The Laundry & Home Care business unit occupies leading 
market positions in both its Laundry Care and Home Care 
business areas. Our strong brands and consumer-relevant 
innovations – such as our Persil 4-in-1 Discs – play a key role 
in the everyday lives of our consumers. Our product portfolio 
ranges from heavy-duty and specialty detergents, laundry 
additives, dishwashing products, hard surface and WC clean-
ers, to air fresheners and insect control products. Our products 
are sold mainly in brick-and-mortar stores, but also increas-
ingly via TV-based and online retailing.

Henkel around the world: Regional Centers 

77

37

Düsseldorf, Germany 
Global Headquarters

Vienna, Austria
Regional Center

Shanghai, China 
Regional Center

Stamford,  
Connecticut, USA  
Regional Center

Rocky Hill, 
Connecticut, USA 
Regional Center

Dubai, United
Arab Emirates 
Regional Center

Mexico City, Mexico
Regional Center

São Paulo, Brazil
Regional Center

The business activities of our three business units are 
 supported by the central functions of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, 
our Shared Service Centers, and our Global Supply Chain organi-
zation in order to ensure optimum utilization of corporate 
 network synergies. 

Implementation of the business activities at the country and 
regional level is the responsibility of the national affiliated 
companies whose operations are supported and coordinated 
by Regional Centers. The executive bodies of these national 
affiliates manage their businesses in line with the relevant 
statutory regulations, supplemented by their own articles of 
association, internal procedural rules and the principles 
incorporated in our globally applicable management stan-
dards, codes and guidelines.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportFundamental principles  of the GroupEconomic reportHenkel AG & Co. KGaA (condensed version according to the German  Commercial Code [HGB])Risks and opportunities reportForecastConsolidated financial statementsFurther information78

Our ambitions and strategic 
 priorities

Our ambitions
In a volatile market environment characterized by increasing 
globalization, accelerating digitalization, rapidly changing mar-
kets, increasing resource scarcity and the growing relevance of 
social responsibility, we have defined our ambitions as follows.

We want to become more customer- and consumer-focused and 
make the company even more innovative, agile and digital, in 
both our internal processes and our customer-facing activities. 
In addition, we are further promoting sustainability in all our 
business activities. 

Henkel’s continued commitment to generate sustainable prof-
itable growth and attractive returns is underpinned by our mid- 
to long-term financial ambitions:

•  We are aiming to achieve organic sales growth of  

2 to 4 percent.

•  For adjusted earnings per preferred share at constant 

exchange rates we are targeting growth in the mid- to high 
 single-digit  percentage range.

•  We are aiming to further expand our free cash flow. 

We also want to pursue compelling growth opportunities 
while maintaining our focus on strict cost discipline and 
 margin development. 

Alongside organic growth, acquisitions will continue to be an 
integral part of our strategy. Our assessment of potential 
acquisitions is based on whether the targets are available, fit 
Henkel’s strategy, and are financially attractive. The focus in 
the Adhesive Technologies business unit is on expanding tech-
nology leadership, whereas in the Beauty Care and Laundry & 
Home Care business units, we are striving to strengthen our 
categories in the relevant countries.

Acquisitions in fiscal 2019 

Business

Key countries

Contract 
signed on

Completion on

Annual sales in 
million euros 1

Purchase price 
in million euros

38

For further 
information, 
see pages

96, 111, 147–149

96, 147–149

4/26/2019

5/1/2019

7/2/2019

8/5/2019

~10

~30

19

90

11/8/2019

12/6/2019

~85

457

96, 112, 147–149

Molecule Corp.,
3D printing and industrial inkjet solutions

eSalon.com LLC  
(acquisition of 51 percent of the shares), 
personalized hair colorants

Deva Parent Holdings, Inc., 
premium professional hair care

1  Proforma sales 2019.

USA

USA

USA

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportFundamental principles  of the GroupEconomic reportHenkel AG & Co. KGaA (condensed version according to the German  Commercial Code [HGB])Risks and opportunities reportForecastConsolidated financial statementsFurther information79

Progress in fiscal 2019
At the end of 2016, we presented our four strategic priorities: 
drive growth, accelerate digitalization, increase agility and 
fund growth. We consistently drove the implementation of 
these priorities in fiscal 2019.

To drive growth, we forged ahead with the increased invest-
ments of 300 million euros in brands, technologies, innova-
tions and digitalization that we announced at the beginning of 
2019. Targeted product and service innovations have enabled 
us to acquire new customers and consumer target groups. 
Nevertheless, this additional funding was not fully utilized 
in the year under review. In 2019, we also continued our ven-
ture capital activities, through which we strengthened our dig-
ital and technological expertise and further expanded our net-
work. Business was, moreover, further strengthened in the 
year under review by acquisitions in our consumer and indus-
trial businesses (see table on page 78). Integration of our 
acquired businesses is proceeding successfully. 

The digital transformation of the company continues to make 
good progress, as demonstrated by our decision in 2019 to 
bring together the activities of Integrated Business Solutions 
and digital technologies under a newly created role of Chief 
Digital & Information Officer. Also we launched the first global 
Digital Upskilling initiative for all employees, offering person-
alized digital-specific training sessions that are proving to be 
very popular. 

To strengthen our leadership culture, we introduced new 
Leadership Commitments in 2019 that apply to all employees 
within the Group. Building on Henkel’s values, they fortify our 
leadership standards. To put the concept into action, we con-
ducted workshops with more than 30,000 employees during 

the first year. To foster the feedback culture we also introduced 
digital pulse checks, an employee survey method that reaches 
a large number of employees within a short space of time.

We aim to fund growth. For this, we have optimized resource 
allocation, strengthened our focus on Net Revenue Manage-
ment, further increased efficiency in our structures, and con-
tinued to expand our Global Supply Chain organization. We 
continued to drive the implementation of our “Fund growth” 
initiatives in 2019 to good effect.

Future direction
At the time of publication of this Annual Report 2019 on  
March 5, 2020, we will also provide information on Henkel’s 
future direction. It is not part of this Annual Report, since final 
approval was still pending as of January 30, 2020, the date 
of adoption of the combined management report. The details 
on our future direction are available at 

  www.henkel.com.

Sustainability strategy

Sustainability as one of our corporate values
Our commitment to leadership in sustainability is anchored in 
our corporate values. We want to create more value – for our 
customers and consumers, for the communities we operate in, 
and for our company – while, at the same time, reducing our 
environmental footprint. We aim to pioneer new solutions for 
sustainable development while continuing to shape our busi-
ness responsibly and increasing our economic success. Our sus-
tainability strategy provides a clear framework for this aim and 
reflects the high expectations of our stakeholders. 

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportFundamental principles  of the GroupEconomic reportHenkel AG & Co. KGaA (condensed version according to the German  Commercial Code [HGB])Risks and opportunities reportForecastConsolidated financial statementsFurther informationOur focal areas
We are concentrating our activities on six focal areas that 
reflect the key challenges of sustainable development as they 
relate to our operations. Three of them describe how we want 
to add value – for our customers and consumers, our share-
holders and our company – for example, by enhancing occupa-
tional health and safety, and encouraging social progress. The 
three other focal areas describe the ways in which we want to 
reduce our environmental footprint, for instance through 
reduced water and energy use and less waste.

Implementation along the value chain
We are convinced that our focus on sustainability is more 
important than ever before, and that it supports our growth, 
improves our cost efficiency and reduces risks. We already 
have a strong foundation on which to build, and can demon-
strate a successful track record. In response to the growing 
importance of sustainability for our stakeholders and for our 
long-term commercial success, we have defined strategies and 
objectives in our focal areas along the value chain, where we 
intend to add value and reduce our environmental footprint.  

More details and background reading on the subject of 
 sustainability can be found in our Sustainability Report: 

  www.henkel.com/sustainabilityreport

Management system and 
 performance indicators

Our management system and key performance indicators 
are derived from our ambition to generate sustainable profit-
able growth. The key performance indicators are organic 
sales growth, development of adjusted return on sales, and 
growth in adjusted earnings per preferred share at constant 
exchange rates.

Medium to long term, Henkel is aiming to achieve organic 
sales growth of 2 to 4 percent. For adjusted earnings per pre-
ferred share at constant exchange rates, Henkel is targeting 
growth in the mid- to high single-digit percentage range.

The key performance indicators are represented in both our 
year and our medium-term plans. A regular comparison of 
these plans with current developments and the regular report-
ing of expected figures enables focused management of the 
company based on the described performance indicators.

Moreover, we report further key performance indicators, such 
as adjusted earnings per preferred share, net working capital 
as a percentage of sales, return on capital employed (ROCE), 
and free cash flow, which we are aiming to further expand, as 
described in our mid- to long-term financial ambitions.

80

   www.henkel.com/ 
sustainabilityreport

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportFundamental principles  of the GroupEconomic reportHenkel AG & Co. KGaA (condensed version according to the German  Commercial Code [HGB])Risks and opportunities reportForecastConsolidated financial statementsFurther information 
81

Cost of capital

The cost of capital is calculated as a weighted average of the 
cost of equity and debt capital (WACC). 

We regularly review our cost of capital in order to reflect chang-
ing market conditions. In addition, we apply different WACC 
rates depending on the business unit involved. These are 
based on business-unit-specific beta factors determined from 
a peer group benchmark.

Takeover-relevant information, 
 corporate governance statement, 
remuneration report

With regard to the disclosures and explanations
•  pursuant to Sections 289a (1) and 315a (1) German 

 Commercial Code [HGB] – takeover-relevant information – 
please refer to pages 26 to 30,

•  pursuant to Sections 289f and 315d HGB – corporate 

 governance statement – please refer to pages 30 to 46, and

The following two tables indicate the WACC rates before and 
after tax for the Henkel Group and each business unit. 

•  pursuant to Sections 289a (2) and 315a (2) HGB – 

 Remuneration report – please refer to pages 47 to 74, 

WACC before tax by business unit 

in percent

Adhesive Technologies

Beauty Care

Laundry & Home Care

Henkel Group

WACC after tax by business unit 

in percent

Adhesive Technologies

Beauty Care

Laundry & Home Care

Henkel Group

2019

10.00

8.00

8.00

7.75

2019

7.25

6.00

6.00

5.75

39

2020

9.00

7.25

7.25

7.25

40

2020

6.75

5.25

5.25

5.25

which duly constitute integral parts of the combined manage-
ment report. 

Pursuant to Section 317 (2) sentence 6 HGB, any audit of the 
disclosures pursuant to Sections 289f and 315d HGB –  Corporate 
governance statement – is limited to the auditor ensuring the 
relevant information has actually been disclosed.

Separate non-financial report

With regard to the explanations pursuant to Sections 289b 
and 315b German Commercial Code [HGB], please refer to our 
Sustainability Report 2019. This constitutes the separate, 
combined non-financial corporate report for the Henkel 
Group and Henkel AG & Co. KGaA for fiscal 2019 as required 
in Sections 315b and 315c HGB in conjunction with Sections 
289b to 289e HGB, and is made publicly available through 
publication on the website:  

  www.henkel.com/sustainabilityreport

7.75 %

Group WACC before tax in 
fiscal 2019.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportFundamental principles  of the GroupEconomic reportHenkel AG & Co. KGaA (condensed version according to the German  Commercial Code [HGB])Risks and opportunities reportForecastConsolidated financial statementsFurther information82

Economic report

Macroeconomic development

The general economic conditions described in this section are 
based on data published by IHS Markit.

Overview:
Slowdown of the global economy 
2019 marked a slowdown in the pace of global economic 
growth. Gross domestic product increased by approximately 
2.5 percent worldwide, which was below the rate of the previ-
ous year. The mature markets grew by  approximately 1.5 per-
cent, while the emerging markets saw an increase of approxi-
mately 4 percent.

For the year as a whole, economic growth was around 2 per-
cent in North America and approximately 1 percent in West-
ern Europe. The Japanese economy also expanded by approxi-
mately 1 percent. Economic growth in Asia (excluding Japan) 
was approximately 5 percent, with China coming in slightly 
above this level at approximately 6 percent. The Africa / Middle 
East region recorded an increase of approximately 1 percent. 
Eastern Europe posted growth of around 2 percent, with Russia 
lagging slightly behind with growth of approximately 1 percent. 
Growth in Latin America was around 1 percent during the period 
under review.

Unemployment:
Slight decline globally
Global unemployment was slightly down year on year at approx-
imately 6.5 percent. The unemployment rates in both North 
America and Western Europe were unchanged at approximately 
4 percent and around 7 percent respectively year on year. Unem-
ployment also remained unchanged at approximately 9 percent 
in Latin America. The unemployment rate was approximately 

6 percent in Eastern Europe and approximately 5.5 percent in 
Asia (excluding Japan). At around 9 percent, unemployment in 
Africa / Middle East was down year on year.

Inflation:
Moderate rise in global price levels
Global inflation was approximately 2.5 percent and thus slightly 
lower year on year. The inflation rate in the mature markets 
increased by approximately 1.5 percent. The inflation rates in 
Western Europe, North America and Japan were all lower year 
on year. In emerging markets, the inflation rate was about 
4 percent. The inflation rate was higher year on year in Latin 
America, and below the prior-year level in Africa / Middle East. 
Inflation was approximately on a par with the prior-year level 
in Eastern Europe and Asia (excluding Japan).

Direct materials: 
Moderately higher than prior-year level
As expected, prices for direct materials (raw materials, pack-
aging, and purchased goods and services) increased in the 
low single-digit percentage range in 2019 compared to the 
level of the previous year. This development resulted from 
price increases both for specialty raw materials and in certain 
emerging markets.

Currencies: 
Mainly positive trend in currencies
Apart from the Turkish lira, most of the currencies in the 
emerging markets of relevance to Henkel appreciated as an 
average over the year.

The US dollar closed at 1.12 US dollars to the euro at year-end. 
Averaged out over the year, the US dollar appreciated versus 
the euro. 

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportFundamental principles  of the GroupEconomic reportHenkel AG & Co. KGaA (condensed version according to the German  Commercial Code [HGB])Risks and opportunities reportForecastConsolidated financial statementsFurther information83

0.0 %

organic sales growth.

Changes in the average exchange rates of the currencies of 
 relevance to Henkel are indicated in the following table:

Review of overall business 
 performance

Average rates of exchange versus the euro 

Chinese yuan

Mexican peso

Polish zloty

Russian ruble

Turkish lira 

US dollar

2018

7.81

22.71

4.26

74.04

5.71

1.18

41

2019

7.74

21.56

4.30

72.48

6.36

1.12

Source: ECB daily foreign exchange reference rates.

Development by sector

Moderate rise in global consumption
Private consumer spending across all segments grew moder-
ately at a rate of approximately 2.5 percent. Consumer spend-
ing in mature markets increased by approximately 2 percent 
year on year. Consumers in North America increased their 
spending by approximately 2.5 percent. In Western Europe, 
consumer spending grew by approximately 1 percent com-
pared to the previous year. Consumers in emerging markets 
spent approximately 4 percent more.

Slowdown in industrial production
At approximately 1 percent globally, the industrial production 
index (IPX) was significantly lower than in the previous year. 
Growth in the mature markets was flat, while the emerging 
markets grew at a moderate rate of approximately 2 percent.

1   Adjusted for one-time charges / gains and restructuring expenses.

2019 proved to be a challenging year for Henkel. Business 
 performance varied in an increasingly difficult economic 
environment. 

Sales totaled 20.1 billion euros in the year under review. Organic 
sales growth was flat at 0.0 percent. The emerging markets 
achieved good organic sales growth of 2.5 percent, while the 
organic sales development of our businesses in the mature 
markets was negative at – 1.6 percent.

Year on year, adjusted 1 gross margin decreased by – 0.2 per-
centage points to 46.3 percent. Ongoing measures to reduce 
costs and enhance production and supply chain efficiency, 
together with selective price increases, enabled us to offset 
much of the impact exerted by higher prices for direct materials 
(raw materials, packaging, and purchased goods and services), 
declining volumes and negative mix effects.

The profitability of the Group was negatively impacted both 
by the increased investments in brands, technologies, innova-
tions and digitalization announced at the start of 2019, and 
by declining volumes. Our continued focus on cost manage-
ment, strict implementation of our “Fund growth” initiatives, 
and the adjustment of our structures to our markets and 
 customers, served to only partially offset the negative factors 
encountered. Adjusted 1 return on sales in the year under 
review decreased by – 1.6 percentage points year on year to 
16.0 percent (2018: 17.6 percent).

Adjusted 1 earnings per preferred share declined to 5.43 euros, 
equivalent to a decrease of – 9.7 percent versus 2018 (6.01 euros). 
At constant exchange rates, adjusted earnings per preferred 
share decreased by – 10.1 percent. Net working capital as a 
 percentage of sales improved to 3.9 percentage points, down 
– 1.2 percent compared to the previous year. Free cash flow 

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportFundamental principles  of the GroupEconomic reportHenkel AG & Co. KGaA (condensed version according to the German  Commercial Code [HGB])Risks and opportunities reportForecastConsolidated financial statementsFurther information84

43  

Sales

0.0 %

organic sales growth.

EBIT

16.0 %

adjusted 1 return on sales 
(EBIT): down 1.6 percentage 
points.

Sales 
in million euros

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

18,089

18,714

20,029

19,899

20,114

climbed to a new high of 2,471 million euros. Our net financial 
position came in at – 2,045 million euros (December 31, 2018: 
– 2,895 million euros).

Results of operations of the Group

Sales
Sales in fiscal 2019 increased nominally by 1.1 percent to 
20,114 million euros. Foreign exchange developments had a 
positive effect on sales of 0.6 percent. Adjusted for these for-
eign exchange effects, sales grew by 0.5 percent. Acquisitions /  
divestments accounted for 0.5 percent of the increase in sales. 

Organic sales growth, i.e. adjusted for foreign exchange and 
acquisitions / divestments, was flat at 0.0 percent. We were 
able to raise prices by 1.8 percent, while volumes declined to 
the same extent. Organic sales development was – 1.5 percent 
in the Adhesive Technologies business unit and decreased by 
– 2.1 percent in the Beauty Care business unit compared to 2018.

The Laundry & Home Care business unit generated organic 
sales growth of 3.7 percent.

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

Price and volume effects 

44

in percent

Adhesive Technologies

Beauty Care

Laundry & Home Care

Henkel Group

Organic sales 
growth

of which price of which volume

EPS

– 1.5

– 2.1

3.7

0.0

1.8

– 0.6

3.2

1.8

– 3.3

– 1.5

0.5

– 1.8

5.43 €

adjusted 1 earnings per  
preferred share (EPS):  
down 9.7 percent.

Sales development 1 

in percent

Change versus previous year

Foreign exchange 

Adjusted for foreign exchange

Acquisitions / divestments

Organic

of which price 

of which volume

1  Calculated on the basis of units of 1,000 euros.

In a persistently competitive market environment, sales in the 
Western Europe region decreased to 6,017 million euros. Organic 
sales development was slightly negative at – 1.2 percent. At 
30 percent, the share of sales from the region was slightly below 
the prior-year level.

In the Eastern Europe region, we achieved sales of 2,999 million 
euros. Organically, sales grew by 6.5 percent. The share of sales 
from the region increased slightly to 15 percent.

42

2019

1.1

0.6

0.5

0.5

0.0

1.8

– 1.8

EPS development

– 10.1 %

at constant  
exchange rates.

Dividend

1.85 €

1   Adjusted for one-time charges / gains and restructuring expenses.
2  Proposal to shareholders for the Annual General Meeting on April 20, 2020.

dividend per preferred share 2.

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45

Our sales in the Africa / Middle East region increased to 
1,302 million euros. Sales grew organically by 13.3 percent. 
At 7 percent, the share of sales from the region increased 
slightly year on year.

Sales in the Asia-Pacific region were down year on year at 
3,105 million euros. Organic sales development in the region 
was negative at – 6.5 percent. The share of sales from the 
Asia-Pacific region decreased slightly to 15 percent. 

Sales in the North America region increased to 5,276 million 
euros. Organic sales development was negative at – 2.3 per-
cent. The share of sales from the region increased slightly to 
26 percent compared to 2018.

In the Latin America region, we achieved sales of 1,295 million 
euros. Organic sales growth was 4.9 percent. The share of sales 
from the region remained unchanged at 6 percent.

Sales in the emerging markets of Eastern Europe, Africa /  Middle 
East, Latin America and Asia (excluding Japan) were slightly 
higher year on year at 8,133 million euros. Organic sales growth 
was 2.5 percent. Our emerging markets were thus the main 
 drivers of organic sales development. At 40 percent, the share 
of sales from emerging markets was unchanged year on year.

Key financials by region 1 

in million euros

Sales 2 2019

Sales 2 2018

Change from previous year

Organic

Proportion of Group sales 2019

Proportion of Group sales 2018

Operating profit (EBIT) 2019

Operating profit (EBIT) 2018

Change from previous year

Adjusted for foreign exchange

Return on sales (EBIT) 2019

Return on sales (EBIT) 2018

1  Calculated on the basis of units of 1,000 euros.
2 By location of company.

Western 
Europe

Eastern 
Europe

Africa / 
Middle East

North America 

Latin America

Asia-Pacific

Total Regions

Corporate

Henkel Group

6,017

6,107

2,999

2,843

1,302

1,286

5,276

5,040

1,295

1,181

3,105

3,314

19,994

19,771

– 1.5 %

– 1.2 %

30 %

31 %

1,725

1,810

– 4.7 %

– 4.8 %

28.7 %

29.6 %

5.5 %

6.5 %

15 %

14 %

278

280

– 0.6 %

– 0.1 %

9.3 %

9.8 %

1.2 %

13.3 %

7 %

6 %

106

35

200.3 %

260.7 %

8.1 %

2.7 %

4.7 %

– 2.3 %

26 %

25 %

337

406

– 16.8 %

– 25.1 %

6.4 %

8.0 %

9.6 %

4.9 %

6 %

6 %

145

136

6.6 %

9.9 %

11.2 %

11.5 %

– 6.3 %

– 6.5 %

15 %

17 %

431

561

– 23.1 %

– 25.6 %

13.9 %

16.9 %

1.1 %

0.0 %

99 %

99 %

3,022

3,228

– 6.4 %

– 7.0 %

15.1 %

16.3 %

121

128

–

–

1 %

1 %

– 123

– 112

–

–

–

–

20,114

19,899

1.1 %

0.0 %

100 %

100 %

2,899

3,116

– 7.0 %

– 7.8 %

14.4 %

15.7 %

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16.0 %

adjusted return on sales: 
down 1.6 percentage points.

Operating profit
The following explanations relate to results adjusted for 
 one-time charges / gains and restructuring expenses so as to 
present operational performance before exceptional items.

Adjusted operating profit (EBIT) 

in million euros

EBIT (as reported)

One-time gains

One-time charges 

Restructuring expenses

Adjusted EBIT

46

+/–

– 7.0 %

2018

3,116

– 11

129

262

2019

2,899

– 7

34

294

3,496

3,220

– 7.9 %

In order to adapt our structures to our markets and customers, 
we spent 294 million euros on restructuring (previous year: 
262 million euros). A significant portion of this amount is 
attributable to the optimization of our sales, administration 
and production structures. Please refer to page 228 for more 
details on our restructuring expenses and an explanation of 
the one-time charges and gains.

The profitability of the Group was negatively impacted both 
by the increased investments in brands, technologies, innova-
tions and digitalization announced at the start of 2019, and by 
declining volumes. Our continued focus on cost management, 
strict implementation of our “Fund growth” initiatives, and 
the adjustment of our structures to our markets and customers, 
served to only partially offset the negative factors encountered.

Adjusted operating profit (adjusted EBIT) totaled 3,220 million 
euros, a decrease of – 7.9 percent compared to the prior-year 
figure of 3,496 million euros. Adjusted return on sales 
(adjusted EBIT margin) for the Group was – 1.6 percentage 
points down year on year at 16.0 percent.

Adjusted return on sales for the Adhesive Technologies busi-
ness unit decreased to 18.1 percent (previous year: 18.7 per-
cent). Adjusted return on sales for the Beauty Care business 
unit also declined year on year to 13.4 percent. Adjusted return 
on sales for the Laundry & Home Care business unit likewise 
decreased year on year, from 18.1 percent to 16.5 percent.

First-time application of IFRS 16 Leases did not have any major 
impact on the results of operations of the Group, nor of the 
business units in fiscal 2019. 

Expense items
The following explanations relate to our operating expenses 
adjusted for one-time charges / gains and restructuring 
expenses. The reconciliation statement and the allocation of the 
restructuring expenses between the various expense items of 
the consolidated statement of income can be found on page 228.

Cost of sales was 1.6 percent higher year on year at 10,811 mil-
lion euros. Gross profit increased by 0.5 percent to 9,303 million 
euros. Adjusted gross margin decreased by – 0.2 percentage 
points to 46.3 percent. Ongoing measures to reduce costs and 
enhance production and supply chain efficiency, together with 
selective price increases, enabled us to offset much of the 
impact exerted by higher prices for direct materials (raw 
 materials, packaging, and purchased goods and services), 
declining volumes and negative mix effects.

At 4,793 million euros, marketing, selling and distribution 
expenses were above the prior-year figure of 4,513 million 
euros. Compared to fiscal 2018, the ratio to sales increased by 
1.3 percentage points to 23.9 percent. We spent a total of 
487 million euros for research and development. The ratio to 
sales, at 2.4 percent, was on a par with the prior year. Adminis-
trative expenses totaled 895 million euros – up from 875 million 
euros in the previous year. At 4.4 percent, administrative 
expenses as a percentage of sales were stable year on year.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportFundamental principles  of the GroupEconomic reportHenkel AG & Co. KGaA (condensed version according to the German  Commercial Code [HGB])Risks and opportunities reportForecastConsolidated financial statementsFurther information87

Reconciliation from sales to adjusted operating profit 

in million euros

Sales

Cost of sales

Gross profit

Marketing, selling and distribution expenses

Research and development expenses

Administrative expenses

Other operating income / expenses

Adjusted operating profit (EBIT)

2018

19,899

– 10,641

9,258

– 4,513

– 471

– 875

97

3,496

%

100.0

– 53.5

46.5

– 22.6

– 2.4

– 4.4

0.5

17.6

2019

20,114

– 10,811

9,303

– 4,793

– 487

– 895

92

3,220

%

100.0

– 53.7

46.3

– 23.9

– 2.4

– 4.4

0.4

16.0

47

Change

1.1 %

1.6 %

0.5 %

6.2 %

3.4 %

2.3 %

–

– 7.9 %

Other operating income and expenses
At 92 million euros, the balance of adjusted other operating 
income and expenses decreased year on year (2018: 97 mil-
lion euros). 

Financial result
The financial result decreased from – 65 million euros in 2018 
to – 88 million euros in the reporting year, due mainly to 
the increased interest expense from lease commitments of 
– 16 million euros  following first-time application of IFRS 16 
as of January 1, 2019. At the same time, EBIT improved due to 
said first-time application by 16 million euros. The financial 
result was also impacted by higher financing costs for acqui-
sitions.

Net income and earnings per share (EPS)
Income before tax decreased from 3,051 million euros in 2018 
to 2,811 million euros. Taxes on income amounted to 708 mil-
lion euros. At 25.2 percent, the tax rate was above the level of 
the previous year (2018: 23.6 percent). The adjusted tax rate 
increased year on year by 0.8 percentage points to 24.3 percent. 
Net income declined by – 9.7 percent from 2,330 million euros 
to 2,103 million euros. After allowing for 18 million euros 
attributable to non-controlling interests, net income attribut-
able to shareholders of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA amounted to 
2,085 million euros, – 9.9 percent lower than the prior-year 
figure (2018: 2,314 million euros 1). Adjusted net income after 
deducting non-controlling interests was 2,353 million euros 
compared to 2,603 million euros in fiscal 2018. A condensed 
version of the annual financial statements of the parent com-
pany of the Henkel Group – Henkel AG & Co. KGaA – can be 
found on pages 116 to 119.

Earnings per preferred share (EPS) decreased from 5.34 euros 1 
to 4.81 euros. Earnings per ordinary share decreased from 
5.32 euros 1 to 4.79 euros.

€ 2,103 m 

net income.

1   Prior-year figures amended (please refer to the notes on pages 154 to 157).

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Adjusted earnings per preferred share decreased by – 9.7 per-
cent to 5.43 euros (previous year: 6.01 euros). At constant 
exchange rates, adjusted earnings per preferred share decreased 
by – 10.1 percent. In calculating adjusted earnings per preferred 
share, figures are adjusted for one-time charges / gains and 
restructuring expenses.

Adjusted earnings per preferred share 
in euros

48  

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

4.88

5.36

5.85

6.01

5.43

0.0

1.5

3.0

4.5

6.0

Dividend
According to our dividend policy, dividend payouts of 
Henkel AG & Co. KGaA shall, depending on the company’s 
asset and profit positions and its financial requirements, be 
in the range of 30 to 40 percent of net income – adjusted for 
exceptional items – after non-controlling interests. We will 
propose to the Annual General Meeting the same dividend as 
in the previous year, namely 1.85 euros per preferred share 
and 1.83 euros per ordinary share. The payout ratio would 
then be 34.2 percent.

Preferred share dividend 
in euros

49  

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

1.47

1.62

1.79

1.85

1.85 1

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

1  Proposal to shareholders for the Annual General Meeting on April 20, 2020.

Return on capital employed (ROCE) 
At 13.5 percent, return on capital employed (ROCE) was below 
the prior-year figure of 15.5 percent.

Economic Value Added (EVA®)
Economic Value Added (EVA®) decreased from 1,510 million 
euros to 1,236 million euros.

Comparison between actual business performance  
and guidance 
In August 2019, we updated our guidance for the Henkel Group 
and our business units for fiscal 2019:

We expected the Henkel Group to generate organic sales growth 
of 0 to 2 percent. For the Adhesive Technologies business unit, 
we expected organic sales development of – 1 to 1 percent. For 
the Beauty Care business unit, we anticipated organic sales 
development in the range of – 2 to 0 percent. For the Laundry & 
Home Care business unit, we expected growth in the range of 
2 to 4 percent.

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We forecasted adjusted return on sales (EBIT) for the Henkel 
Group of 16 to 17 percent in fiscal 2019. We expected adjusted 
return on sales (EBIT) of between 18 and 19 percent for the 
Adhesive Technologies business unit. We anticipated adjusted 
return on sales (EBIT) of between 13 and 14 percent for the 
Beauty Care business unit and between 16.5 and 17.5 percent 
for the Laundry & Home Care business unit.

Adjusted return on sales (EBIT) for the Henkel Group decreased 
by – 1.6 percentage points to 16.0 percent, which was at the 
lower end of the  forecast range. Adjusted return on sales (EBIT) 
was also at the lower end of the expected bandwidth for the 
Adhesive Technologies business unit. Beauty Care came in at 
the mid-range and Laundry & Home Care at the lower end of 
its forecast range.

We predicted adjusted earnings per preferred share at constant 
exchange rates in the mid- to high single-digit percentage range 
below prior year.

Adjusted earnings per preferred share at constant exchange 
rates declined by – 10.1 percent and was therefore slightly 
below our guidance.

At 0.0 percent, organic sales development was at the lower 
end of the guidance range of 0 to 2 percent for the Henkel 
Group. Sales development in the Adhesive Technologies and 
Beauty Care business units was just below the guidance 
ranges in each case. By contrast, organic sales growth in the 
Laundry & Home Care business unit was in the upper range 
of the indicated bandwidth.

In November 2019, we revised our expected restructuring 
expenses to between 250 million and 300 million euros, and 
cash outflows from investments in property, plant and equip-
ment and intangible assets to between 650 million and 700 
million euros. Both figures were within the forecast range, 
with restructuring expenses of 294 million euros and cash 
outflows from investments in property, plant and equipment 
and intangible assets of 662 million euros.

Guidance versus performance 2019 

50

Organic sales growth

Henkel Group: 2 to 4 percent

Henkel Group: 0 to 2 percent

Henkel Group: 0.0 percent

Guidance for 2019

Updated guidance for 2019 1

Performance in 2019

All business units within this range

Adhesive Technologies: – 1 to 1 percent
Beauty Care: – 2 to 0 percent
Laundry & Home Care: 2 to 4 percent

Adhesive Technologies: – 1.5 percent 
Beauty Care: – 2.1 percent
Laundry & Home Care: 3.7 percent

Adjusted 2 return on sales (EBIT)

Henkel Group: 16 to 17 percent

Henkel Group: 16 to 17 percent

Henkel Group: 16.0 percent

Development in adjusted 2  
earnings per preferred share  
at constant exchange rates

Adhesive Technologies: 18 to 19 percent
Beauty Care: 15 to 16 percent
Laundry & Home Care: 16.5 to 17.5 percent

Adhesive Technologies: 18 to 19 percent 
Beauty Care: 13 to 14 percent 
Laundry & Home Care: 16.5 to 17.5 percent

Adhesive Technologies: 18.1 percent 
Beauty Care: 13.4 percent
Laundry & Home Care: 16.5 percent

Mid-single-digit percentage range below  
prior year

Mid- to high single-digit percentage range 
below prior year

– 10.1 percent

1  Updated on August 13, 2019.
2 Adjusted for one-time charges / gains and restructuring expenses.

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Results of operations of the business units
Adhesive Technologies

Overview
The economic environment of the Adhesive Technologies 
business unit was characterized by persisting economic and 
geopolitical risks and, as a consequence, a decline – in some 
cases significant – in global demand from major industries. 
Although the global industrial production index (IPX) was 
marginally up overall, the rate of increase was significantly 
lower year on year. 

Within these challenging economic conditions, the organic 
sales performance and the adjusted return on sales of the 
Adhesive Technologies business unit declined.

Sales
Sales generated by the Adhesive Technologies business unit 
rose nominally by 0.6 percent to 9,461 million euros in the year 
under review. Foreign exchange effects increased sales growth 
by 1.5 percent. Acquisitions / divestments accounted for 
0.6 percent of the growth.

Sales growth

– 1.5 %

organic sales growth.

Organically (i.e. adjusted for foreign exchange and acquisitions /  
divestments), sales decreased by – 1.5 percent. Price increases 
implemented were unable to fully offset lower sales volumes.

In the following, we comment on our organic sales performance 
in the regions. Sales in the emerging markets were flat. This was 
particularly due to very strong sales growth in Eastern Europe 
and Latin America, while sales development was negative in 
the Africa / Middle East and Asia (excluding Japan) regions.

Adjusted 1  
operating profit

€ 1,712 m

adjusted 1 operating profit 
(EBIT): down 2.8 percent.

Key financials 2 

in million euros

Sales

51

Sales development 3 

2018

2019

+/–

in percent

9,403

9,461

Proportion of Henkel sales

47 %

47 %

Operating profit (EBIT)

Adjusted operating profit (EBIT)

1,669

1,761

1,631

1,712

Return on sales (EBIT)

Adjusted return on sales (EBIT)

Return on capital employed (ROCE)

17.7 %

18.7 %

19.3 %

17.2 %

18.1 %

17.2 %

0.6 %

–

– 2.3 %

– 2.8 %

– 0.5 pp

– 0.6 pp

– 2.1 pp

Change versus previous year

Foreign exchange

Adjusted for foreign exchange

Acquisitions / divestments

Organic

of which price 

of which volume

Economic Value Added (EVA®)

762

685

– 10.2 %

1   Adjusted for one-time charges / gains and restructuring expenses.
2 Calculated on the basis of units of 1,000 euros; figures commercially rounded.
3 Calculated on the basis of units of 1,000 euros.
pp = percentage points

52

2019

0.6

1.5

– 0.9

0.6

– 1.5

1.8

– 3.3

Adjusted 1  
return on sales

18.1 %

adjusted 1 return on sales 
(EBIT): down 0.6 percentage 
points.

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In North America, Western Europe and the mature markets of 
the Asia-Pacific region, sales declined. Overall, therefore, 
sales in the mature markets were lower year on year.

In 2019, we generated more than 80 percent of all sales with our 
five technology-based brand clusters in the industrial business 
and our four strong brands in the consumer business. The pro-
portion of sales from products successfully launched onto the 
market in the last five years was unchanged at around 30 percent.

Operating profit
Adjusted operating profit was down year on year at 1,712 mil-
lion euros. Adjusted return on sales came in at 18.1 percent, 
adversely affected by declining volumes. Gross margin was 
above the prior-year level. By raising prices and continuing our 
ongoing measures to reduce costs and enhance production 
and supply chain efficiency, we were able to more than offset 
the effects of declining volumes.

At 11.5 percent, net working capital as a percentage of sales was 
down compared to the prior year. Return on capital employed 
(ROCE) was lower year on year at 17.2 percent. At 685 million 
euros, Economic Value Added (EVA®) decreased year on year.

Business areas
In the following, we comment on the organic sales performance 
of our business areas. For details of the activities of the individ-
ual business areas, please refer to pages 76 and 77.

Top brands

Industrial business
Sales in the Packaging and Consumer Goods Adhesives busi-
ness area were flat versus the previous year. The robust perfor-
mance was substantially driven by our growing portfolio of 
safe and sustainable packaging solutions as used predomi-
nantly in the food and beverage sectors. In the Transport and 
Metal business area, sales were down year on year, due mainly 
to the decline in global automotive production. The growth of 
our businesses with innovative and sustainable aircraft and 
aerospace solutions and our metal packaging businesses only 
partially offset this decline. Sales decreased in the General 
Industry business area. Subdued global economic develop-
ment in key manufacturing industry segments had a negative 
impact on demand. By contrast, the performance of our auto-
motive maintenance, repair and overhaul solutions was flat. 
Sales in the Electronics business area were lower versus prior 
year. Innovative solutions to meet the infrastructure require-
ments for implementation of the future 5G mobile communi-
cations standard were only able to partially offset declining 
demand from the global electronics industry.

Sales Adhesive Technologies 
in million euros

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

8,992

8,961

9,387

9,403

9,461

53  

Adhesives for Consumers, Craftsmen and Building
Sales development in the Adhesives for Consumers, Craftsmen 
and Building business area was positive. Drivers of this perfor-
mance included our innovations for the construction industry 
and our high-impact and sustainable brand-name products for 
private users and craftsmen.

0

2,500

5,000

7,500

10,000

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Beauty Care

Overview
The global cosmetics markets and categories of relevance for 
the Beauty Care business unit recorded further growth in 2019. 
Apart from the global Styling category, market growth was, at 
least, positive in most of the relevant categories.

In Beauty Care’s Branded Consumer Goods business, perfor-
mance in the mature markets was positive overall, although 
market development was negative in some categories. The 
North America region registered good market growth. Growth 
in the Western European market was positive, despite persistent 
promotional activity and severe price and trade pressures. 
Market growth was very strong in Eastern Europe and strong in 
Latin America. The Asia-Pacific region recorded double-digit 
market growth. 

Global growth in the professional hair salon market was due 
particularly to growth in the North America and Asia-Pacific 

regions, while the hair salon market in Western Europe con-
tinued to be characterized by intense competition.

Overall, organic sales development was negative in the Beauty 
Care business unit in 2019. Organic sales development in our 
Branded Consumer Goods business area was negative. In our 
Hair Salon business, organic growth was strong. Adjusted 
return on sales in the Beauty Care business unit was lower year 
on year.

Sales
Sales generated by the Beauty Care business unit decreased 
nominally by – 1.8 percent to 3,877 million euros in the year 
under review. Acquisitions / divestments increased sales by 
0.3 percent while foreign exchange effects overall had a neu-
tral impact on sales. 

Sales growth

– 2.1 %

organic sales growth.

Adjusted 1  
operating profit

€ 519 m

adjusted 1 operating profit 
(EBIT): down 23.1 percent.

Key financials 2   

in million euros

Sales

Proportion of Henkel sales

Operating profit (EBIT)

Adjusted operating profit (EBIT)

Return on sales (EBIT)

Adjusted return on sales (EBIT)

Return on capital employed (ROCE)

54

Sales development 3  

2018

2019

+/–

in percent

3,950

3,877

20 %

589

675

14.9 %

17.1 %

14.8 %

19 %

418

519

10.8 %

13.4 %

10.1 %

88

– 1.8 %

–

– 29.0 %

– 23.1 %

– 4.1 pp

– 3.7 pp

– 4.7 pp

– 61.9 %

Change versus previous year

Foreign exchange

Adjusted for foreign exchange

Acquisitions / divestments

Organic

of which price 

of which volume

Economic Value Added (EVA®)

230

1   Adjusted for one-time charges / gains and restructuring expenses.
2 Calculated on the basis of units of 1,000 euros; figures commercially rounded.
3 Calculated on the basis of units of 1,000 euros.
pp = percentage points

55

2019

– 1.8

0.0

– 1.8

0.3

– 2.1

– 0.6

– 1.5

Adjusted 1  
return on sales

13.4 %

adjusted 1 return on sales 
(EBIT): down 3.7 percentage 
points.

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Top brands

Organically (i.e. adjusted for foreign exchange and acquisitions /  
divestments), sales development was negative at – 2.1 percent, 
mainly due to lower volumes.

In the following, we comment on our organic sales perfor-
mance in the regions. From a regional perspective, business 
performance was negative in the emerging markets, mainly 
as a result of negative organic sales development in Asia 
(excluding Japan). By contrast, the business unit achieved very 
strong organic sales growth in the Eastern Europe and Latin 
America regions. Sales declined slightly in the Africa / Middle 
East region. Organic sales development was also slightly neg-
ative in the mature  markets. Sales development was negative 
in the Western Europe region but strong in the mature markets 
of the Asia-Pacific region. Sales development in the North 
America region was slightly negative.

In 2019, we generated around 85 percent of our sales with our 
top 10 brands. The proportion of sales from products success-
fully launched onto the market in the last three years was 
around 45 percent.

Operating profit
Adjusted operating profit came in at 519 million euros, down 
– 23.1 percent versus prior year. Adjusted return on sales 
decreased year on year to 13.4 percent, due mainly to a declining 
gross margin and increased investments in brands, technologies, 
innovations and digitalization. Our  ongoing measures to 
reduce costs and enhance production and supply chain effi-
ciency enabled us to partially offset the negative effects on 
gross margin exerted by higher prices for direct materials, 
declining volumes and persistently high promotional intensity.

At 1.9 percent, net working capital as a percentage of sales 
was significantly lower versus prior year. Return on capital 
employed (ROCE) was lower year on year at 10.1 percent. At 
88 million euros, Economic Value Added (EVA®) declined.

Business areas
In the following, we comment on the organic sales perfor-
mance of our two business areas. For details of the activities 
of the individual business areas, please refer to page 77.

Sales Beauty Care 
in million euros

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

3,833

3,838

3,868

3,950

3,877

Branded Consumer Goods
Sales development in our Branded Consumer Goods business 
area was negative overall in 2019, mainly as a result of the 
performance of our businesses in Western Europe and Asia 
(excluding Japan). By contrast, our global brands got2b and 
 Palette, and our nature brands Nature Box and N.A.E. all made 
a positive con tribution.

56  

Hair Salon business
Our Hair Salon business continued its strong widespread 
growth in 2019, supported by our Schwarzkopf Professional 
brand with innovations in the Igora and BlondMe lines, by 
our new brands Authentic Beauty Concept and tbh, and by 
our North American brand Joico.

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportFundamental principles  of the GroupEconomic reportHenkel AG & Co. KGaA (condensed version according to the German  Commercial Code [HGB])Risks and opportunities reportForecastConsolidated financial statementsFurther informationThe CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportFundamental principles  of the GroupEconomic reportHenkel AG & Co. KGaA (condensed version according to the German  Commercial Code [HGB])Risks and opportunities reportForecastConsolidated financial statementsFurther information9494

Laundry & Home Care

Overview
In 2019, growth in the relevant world market for laundry and 
home care products was good.

Market development in the mature markets was good, with 
corresponding performance in the relevant market for laundry 
detergents and household cleaners in North America. Market 
growth in Western Europe and in the mature markets of the 
Asia-Pacific region was positive and good respectively.

The emerging markets recorded very strong growth, with the 
market in Africa / Middle East achieving double-digit growth. 
Growth was very strong in the relevant Eastern European 
and Latin American markets, and slightly negative in Asia 
(excluding Japan).

Although our relevant markets continued to be characterized 
by intense price and promotional competition, we were able 

to generate further growth in 2019. Both the sustained success 
of our strong brands and the successful introduction of 
our innovations contributed to this good performance. 
Adjusted return on sales was lower year on year, due mainly 
to increased investments in brands, technologies, innovations 
and digitalization.

Sales growth

+ 3.7 %

organic sales growth.

Sales
Sales generated by the Laundry & Home Care business unit 
increased nominally by 3.7 percent to 6,656 million euros in 
the year under review. Foreign exchange effects reduced sales 
growth by – 0.3 percent. Acquisitions / divestments contributed 
0.3 percent to sales development.

Organically (i.e. adjusted for foreign exchange and acquisitions /  
divestments), sales increased by 3.7 percent. Sales growth was 
mainly price-driven.

Adjusted 1  
operating profit

€ 1,096 m

adjusted 1 operating profit 
(EBIT): down 5.7 percent.

Key financials 2 

in million euros

Sales

57

Sales development 3 

2018

2019

+/–

in percent

6,419

6,656

Proportion of Henkel sales

32 %

33 %

Operating profit (EBIT)

Adjusted operating profit (EBIT)

970

1,162

973

1,096

Return on sales (EBIT)

Adjusted return on sales (EBIT)

Return on capital employed (ROCE)

15.1 %

18.1 %

13.1 %

14.6 %

16.5 %

12.6 %

Economic Value Added (EVA®)

306

356

3.7 %

–

0.3 %

– 5.7 %

– 0.5 pp

– 1.6 pp

– 0.5 pp

16.2 %

Change versus previous year

Foreign exchange

Adjusted for foreign exchange

Acquisitions / divestments

Organic

of which price 

of which volume

1   Adjusted for one-time charges / gains and restructuring expenses.
2 Calculated on the basis of units of 1,000 euros; figures commercially rounded.
3 Calculated on the basis of units of 1,000 euros.
pp = percentage points

58

2019

3.7

– 0.3

4.0

0.3

3.7

3.2

0.5

Adjusted 1 
return on sales

16.5 %

adjusted 1 return on sales 
(EBIT): down 1.6 percentage 
points.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportFundamental principles  of the GroupEconomic reportHenkel AG & Co. KGaA (condensed version according to the German  Commercial Code [HGB])Risks and opportunities reportForecastConsolidated financial statementsFurther informationThe CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportFundamental principles  of the GroupEconomic reportHenkel AG & Co. KGaA (condensed version according to the German  Commercial Code [HGB])Risks and opportunities reportForecastConsolidated financial statementsFurther information9595

Top brands

In the following, we comment on our organic sales perfor-
mance in the regions. The emerging markets registered a 
double- digit increase in sales and were once again the pri-
mary driver of organic growth in Laundry & Home Care. The 
Africa / Middle East region also contributed to this growth with 
a double-digit increase in sales. Sales growth in the Eastern 
Europe and Latin America regions was significant and very 
strong respectively, but lower year on year in the Asia (exclud-
ing Japan) region. The mature markets were characterized by 
slightly declining organic sales development. This was due to 
the North America region, which declined in particular as a 
consequence of ongoing price and promotional competition. 
Sales development was flat in both the Western Europe region 
and the mature markets of the Asia-Pacific region.

In 2019, we generated around 65 percent of our sales with our 
top 10 brand clusters. A brand cluster comprises individual 
global and local brands that share a common brand position-
ing internationally. The proportion of sales from products 
successfully launched onto the market in the last three years 
was around 45 percent.

Operating profit
Adjusted operating profit was down year on year at 1,096 mil-
lion euros. Adjusted return on sales in the Laundry & Home 
Care business unit declined to 16.5 percent, due mainly to 
increased investments in brands, technologies, innovations 
and digitalization. Gross margin remained at the prior- year 
level. Our ongoing measures to reduce costs and enhance pro-
duction and supply chain efficiency, together with selective 
price increases, enabled us to offset the negative effects on gross 
margin exerted by higher prices for direct materials and per-
sistently high promotional intensity.

At – 5.3 percent, net working capital as a percentage of sales 
was significantly lower versus prior year. Return on capital 
employed (ROCE) was lower year on year at 12.6 percent. At 
356 million euros, Economic Value Added (EVA®) was signifi-
cantly above the prior-year level.

Business areas
In the following, we comment on the organic sales perfor-
mance of our two business areas, Laundry Care and Home 
Care. For details of the activities of the individual business 
areas, please refer to page 77.

Sales Laundry & Home Care 
in million euros

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

5,137

5,795

6,651

6,419

6,656

59  

Laundry Care
Sales performance in our Laundry Care business area was 
good, supported in particular by the introduction of successful 
innovations such as our Persil 4-in-1 Discs. Our core brand 
Persil and our specialty detergents business were the primary 
 contributors to growth.

Home Care
Sales growth in the Home Care business area was very strong 
in fiscal 2019. Hand dishwashing products and WC products 
were the biggest drivers of growth.

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportFundamental principles  of the GroupEconomic reportHenkel AG & Co. KGaA (condensed version according to the German  Commercial Code [HGB])Risks and opportunities reportForecastConsolidated financial statementsFurther informationThe CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportFundamental principles  of the GroupEconomic reportHenkel AG & Co. KGaA (condensed version according to the German  Commercial Code [HGB])Risks and opportunities reportForecastConsolidated financial statementsFurther information9696

€ 662 m

investments in property, 
plant and equipment and 
intangible assets.

Net assets and financial position

Acquisitions and divestments
Effective May 1, 2019, Henkel completed the acquisition of all 
shares in Molecule Corp. based in Concord, USA. The acquisi-
tion complements and strengthens the Adhesive Technologies 
business unit’s technology portfolio in the fields of 3D printing 
and industrial inkjet solutions.

In fiscal 2019, the Henkel Group also acquired 51 percent of the 
shares in eSalon.com LLC, Los Angeles, USA, effective August 5, 
2019. The acquisition strengthens the Beauty Care business 
unit’s leading Hair Colorants portfolio and expands its digital 
business. The acquisition is part of our strategy to further 
drive digitalization in our business units. 

Effective December 6, 2019, the Henkel Group completed the 
acquisition of all shares in Deva Parent Holdings, Inc., New 
York City, USA. This acquisition is part of our strategy to 
strengthen Henkel’s position in attractive markets and catego-
ries. The acquisition particularly expands Beauty Care’s Hair 
Salon business in the USA, which is the world’s largest single 
hairdressing market. 

Our long-term ratings remain at “A flat” (Standard & Poor’s) and 
“A2” (Moody’s). We intend to maintain a solid “A” rating to 
ensure our continued unrestricted access to the money and cap-
ital markets and to favorable financing terms and conditions.

Capital expenditures 
In the reporting period, capital expenditures (excluding acqui-
sitions) amounted to 662 million euros. Investments in prop-
erty, plant and equipment for existing operations totaled 
594 million euros, following 576 million euros in 2018. Capital 
expenditures on property, plant and equipment totaled 
277 million euros (previous year: 240 million euros) in the 
Adhesive Technologies business unit, 89 million euros (previ-
ous year: 74 million euros) in Beauty Care, and 217 million 
euros (previous year: 252 million euros) in Laundry & Home 
Care. We invested 68 million euros in intangible assets (previous 
year: 277 million euros).

Around two-thirds of these expenditures were channeled into 
expansion projects, innovations and streamlining measures, 
which for example included expanding our production 
capacity and our IT infrastructure, and also implementation 
of our innovation strategy.

Additional disclosures relating to our acquisitions and divest-
ments can be found on pages 147 to 149 of the notes to the 
consolidated financial statements. 

The major projects of 2019 were as follows:
•  Construction of an Innovation Center in Düsseldorf  

(Adhesive Technologies).

Neither the acquisitions and divestments nor other measures 
undertaken in the year under review resulted in any material 
changes in the business and organizational structure of the 
Henkel Group. For detailed information on our organization 
and business activities, please refer to the disclosures on 
pages 76 and 77.

•  Expansion of innovative detergent capsule production in 

the USA and Hungary (Laundry & Home Care).

•   Construction of a new production site for electronic adhesives 

in Seoul, South Korea (Adhesive Technologies).

•   Global optimization of our supply chain and consolidation 

and optimization of our IT system architecture for managing 
business processes.

•  Optimization of our production structure in Bowling Green, 

USA (Laundry & Home Care). 

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportFundamental principles  of the GroupEconomic reportHenkel AG & Co. KGaA (condensed version according to the German  Commercial Code [HGB])Risks and opportunities reportForecastConsolidated financial statementsFurther informationThe CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportFundamental principles  of the GroupEconomic reportHenkel AG & Co. KGaA (condensed version according to the German  Commercial Code [HGB])Risks and opportunities reportForecastConsolidated financial statementsFurther information9797

In regional terms, capital expenditures focused primarily on 
Western and Eastern Europe and North America.

The acquisitions resulted in additions to intangible assets and 
property, plant and equipment (including right-of-use assets) 
in the amount of 600 million euros. Details of these additions 
can be found on pages 162 to 171 of the notes to the consolidated 
financial statements.

Capital expenditures by business unit 1 

60

Right-of-use assets
In the course of its business operations, Henkel enters into 
various lease agreements as a lessee. In fiscal 2019, the 
Henkel Group recognized additions to right-of-use assets 
totaling 139 million euros under property, plant and equip-
ment in accordance with IFRS 16. Acquisitions added 15 mil-
lion euros. For further disclosures regarding IFRS 16 Leases, 
please refer to pages 158 to 160 and pages 162 to 171 in the 
notes to the consolidated financial statements.

Corporate 

2 %

Laundry &  
Home Care 

35 %

Beauty Care 

16 %

1  Existing operations.

Capital expenditures 2019 

in million euros

Intangible assets

Property, plant and equipment

Total

Existing 
operations

68

594

662

Adhesive  
Technologies 

47 %

Net assets
Compared to year-end 2018, total assets rose by 1.8 billion 
euros to 31.4 billion euros. 

Under non-current assets, intangible assets increased by 
710 million euros in total, mainly as a result of acquisitions 
and currency effects. Property, plant and equipment increased 
by 650 million euros. Investments of 594 million euros in 
property, plant and equipment and additions of 139 million 
euros in right-of-use assets (excluding acquisitions) were off-
set by scheduled depreciation of 717 million euros, of which 
133 million euros is attributable to right-of-use assets.

Current assets increased from 8.7 billion euros to 9.1 billion 
euros, due mainly to higher cash and cash equivalents, which 
increased by 0.4 billion euros.

61

Acquisitions

Total

576

24

600

644

618

1,262

Compared to year-end 2018, equity including non-controlling 
interests increased by 1.6 billion euros to 18.6 billion euros. 
The addition of net income amounting to 2,103 million euros 
had the effect of increasing equity, while the dividend distri-
bution of April 2019 in particular had the countervailing effect 
of reducing equity by 798 million euros. The individual 
 components influencing equity development are shown in 
the table on page 140. By year-end 2019, the equity ratio had 
increased by 1.8 percentage points to 59.3 percent.

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Financial structure 
in million euros

62  

Assets 
of which in %

Equity and liabilities 
of which in %

29,562 1

31,403

31,403

29,562 1

Non-current assets
thereof: Intangible assets  /  
property, plant and equipment

Current assets
thereof: Cash and  
cash equivalents

71

67

29

4

71

67

29

5

59

58

Equity

14
2
6

27
7

12
3
5

30
9

Non-current liabilities
thereof: Pension obligations
thereof: Borrowings

Current liabilities
thereof: Borrowings

1  Prior-year figures amended (please refer to the notes on pages 154 to 157).

2018

2019

2019

2018

Non-current liabilities increased by 742 million euros to 
4.3 billion euros, due to recognition of 423 million euros in 
respect of non-current lease liabilities under other financial 
liabilities upon first-time application of IFRS 16 as of 
December 31, 2019. Non-current borrowings also increased as 
a result of the issuance of two bonds with a total nominal 
 volume of 750 million British pounds, countervailed by the 
decrease resulting from reclassification of a bond with a nom-
inal volume of 600 million US dollars to current borrowings.

Current liabilities as of December 31, 2019 amounted to 
8.5 billion euros, a decrease of – 513 million euros compared to 
year-end 2018, due largely to the repayment of a bond with a 
nominal volume of 750 million US dollars. This was counter-
vailed by an increase in current borrowings on reclassification 
of a bond with a nominal volume of 600 million US dollars. 
In addition, other financial liabilities increased by 128 million 
euros following the recognition of current lease liabilities.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportFundamental principles  of the GroupEconomic reportHenkel AG & Co. KGaA (condensed version according to the German  Commercial Code [HGB])Risks and opportunities reportForecastConsolidated financial statementsFurther informationThe CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportFundamental principles  of the GroupEconomic reportHenkel AG & Co. KGaA (condensed version according to the German  Commercial Code [HGB])Risks and opportunities reportForecastConsolidated financial statementsFurther informationNet financial position 
in million euros

63  

– 2,895

2,471

– 817

– 50

– 603 1

– 151 2

– 2,045

9999

At  
December 31, 
2018

Free cash  
flow

Dividends  
paid

Allocations to 
pension funds

Payments for 
acquisitions

Miscellaneous

At  
December 31, 
2019

1  Including purchase of non-controlling interests with no change of existing control. 
2 Primarily foreign exchange effects.

Effective December 31, 2019, our net financial position 1 
amounted to – 2,045 million euros (December 31, 2018: 
– 2,895 million euros). The change compared to the end of the 
previous year was primarily due to the strong free cash flow.

Net financial position 2015 to 2019 

in million euros

2015

2016

2017 

2018

2019

64

335

– 2,301

– 3,222

– 2,895

– 2,045

Financial position
Cash flow from operating activities in fiscal 2019 came in at 
3,241 million euros, representing an increase versus the previ-
ous year (2,698 million euros). While operating profit decreased 
slightly year on year, amortization / depreciation was higher – 
mainly due to first-time application of IFRS 16. The development 
of inventories and trade accounts receivable had a positive 
effect on cash flow from operating activities in the year under 
review. In the previous year, the effect had been negative. 

Year on year, the ratio of net working capital ² to sales improved 
by 1.2 percentage points to 3.9 percent (prior-year level: 
5.1 percent).

€ – 2,045 m 

net financial position.

1    The net financial position is defined as cash and cash equivalents plus readily 

2  Inventories plus payments on account, receivables from suppliers and trade 

monetizable securities and time deposits and financial collateral provided, less 
borrowings, plus positive and minus negative fair values of derivative financial 
instruments.

accounts receivable, less trade accounts payable, liabilities to customers, and 
current sales provisions.

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The cash outflow in cash flow from investing activities 
(– 1,191 million euros) was slightly below the figure of the 
 prior-year period (– 1,208 million euros).

Cash outflow in cash flow from financing activities was 
– 1,665 million euros in the year under review and thus higher 
year on year (previous year: – 1,330 million euros). The figure 
for fiscal 2019 was substantially affected by interest payments 
and the repayment of lease liabilities in accordance with 
IFRS 16, as well as by money market investments. The previous 
year had been characterized by the premature repayment of 
our syndicated bank loan of 1.1 billion US dollars and by the 
expansion of our commercial paper program.

Cash and cash equivalents increased compared to Decem-
ber 31, 2018, by 399 million euros to 1,462 million euros.

Measures deployed in order to achieve these aims include 
optimization of our capital structure, adoption of an appropri-
ate dividend policy, equity management and debt reduction. 
Our capital needs and capital procurement activities are 
coordinated to ensure that requirements with respect to 
earnings, liquidity, security and independence are taken into 
account and properly balanced. 

In fiscal 2019, Henkel paid a higher dividend for both ordinary 
and preferred shares compared to 2018. Cash flows not 
required for capital expenditures, dividends and interest pay-
ments were used to reduce our net debt and to fund acquisi-
tions. We covered our short-term financing requirement pri-
marily through commercial paper. Our multi-currency com-
mercial paper program is additionally secured by a syndicated 
credit facility.

The increase in free cash flow from 1,917 million euros in the 
previous year to 2,471 million euros in 2019 resulted from 
higher cash flow from operating activities and lower capital 
expenditures on intangible assets and property, plant and 
equipment including payments on account. First-time appli-
cation of IFRS 16 did not have any effect on the amount of free 
cash flow. It merely resulted in a shift between cash flow from 
operating activities and cash flow from financing activities.

Our credit rating is regularly reviewed by the two rating agen-
cies Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s. As in previous years, our 
ratings remain within the “single A” target corridor, at A / A–1 
(Standard & Poor’s) and A2 / P1 (Moody’s). This is a good rating 
in the prime investment grade segment.

Credit ratings 

65

Standard & Poor’s

Moody’s

Financing and capital management
Financing of the Group is centrally managed by Henkel AG & 
Co. KGaA. Funds are, as a general rule, obtained centrally and 
distributed within the Group. Our financial management is 
based on the financial ratios defined in our financial strategy 
(see table of key financial ratios on the following page). We 
pursue a conservative and flexible investment and borrowings 
policy with a balanced investment and financing portfolio. 
The primary goals of our financial management are to secure 
the liquidity and creditworthiness of the Group, together with 
ensuring access at all times to the capital market, and to gener-
ate a sustainable increase in shareholder value. 

Long term

Outlook

Short term

A

Stable

A–1

At December 31, 2019

A2

Stable

P1

As of December 31, 2019, our borrowings totaled 3,958 million 
euros and mainly comprised bonds issued and commercial 
paper.

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Henkel’s financial risk management activities are explained in 
the risks and opportunities report on pages 120 to 131. Further 
detailed information on our financial instruments can be 
found in the financial instruments report on pages 195 to 220 
of the notes to the consolidated financial statements.

Key financial ratios
Our operating debt coverage in the reporting period was above 
the minimum of 50 percent, as it was at year-end 2018. Year on 
year, the interest coverage ratio decreased to 41.5, due in large 
measure to the higher interest expense from lease commit-
ments following first-time application of IFRS 16. As was also 
the case at year-end 2018, the interest coverage ratio is still 
above the minimum of 9. 

Key financial ratios 

Operating debt coverage 
(net income + amortization and depreciation, 
impairment and write-ups + interest element of 
pension obligations) / net borrowings and pension 
and lease obligations

Interest coverage ratio 
(EBITDA / interest result)

Equity ratio  
(equity / total assets)

66

2018 1

2019 2

79.0 %

88.6 %

56.0 

41.5 

57.5 %

59.3 %

1  Prior-year figures amended (please refer to the notes on pages 154 to 157).
2 IFRS 16 Leases included for the first time.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportFundamental principles  of the GroupEconomic reportHenkel AG & Co. KGaA (condensed version according to the German  Commercial Code [HGB])Risks and opportunities reportForecastConsolidated financial statementsFurther informationThe CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportFundamental principles  of the GroupEconomic reportHenkel AG & Co. KGaA (condensed version according to the German  Commercial Code [HGB])Risks and opportunities reportForecastConsolidated financial statementsFurther information102102

68

49 %

Adhesive  
Technologies 

Employees

Employees by organizational unit 

Functions 

15 %

Beauty Care 

18 %

Laundry &  
Home Care 

18 %

At December 31, 2019

Our employees shape our company through their commit-
ment, knowledge and skills. They are instrumental in driving 
our long-term success. We strive to foster a corporate culture 
that is agile, motivating and performance-driven, to enable us 
to drive our strategic priorities together. To achieve this goal, 
we create a modern and inspiring working environment where 
team spirit plays a key role – all of which builds on an open 
and appreciative leadership culture. We strengthen the loyalty 
of our employees through motivating and specific upskilling 
activities while also supporting them in their personal develop-
ment. To reinforce the importance of this leadership culture, 
we have further developed our Leadership Principles and 
 formulated new Leadership Commitments that apply to all 
Henkel employees, regardless of whether or not they lead a 
team. This new understanding of leadership culture forms the 
basis for collaboration both within the teams and at the level 
of each individual. We therefore place high expectations on 
our employees in terms of leadership behavior, agility and 
collaboration. At the same time, we are aware that this cultural 
change offers the opportunity to challenge and improve the 
status quo. The Leadership Commitments were introduced 
globally in January 2019. Leadership Activation Sessions 
have been ongoing since February 2019, aimed at involving 
all employees in active dialog relating to our Leadership 
 Commitments. To obtain a first impression of the impact and 
understanding of our Leadership Commitments, an employee 

survey was conducted on this topic in July, revealing an overall 
positive response. Our goal is to anchor the Leader ship Com-
mitments firmly in our world of work and to successfully align 
our actions to them.

What makes Henkel special
Everyone who works at Henkel moves in an environment 
characterized by its international nature and diversity. We are 
represented by around 52,450 employees (as at year-end 2019) 
with 120 different nationalities operating in 78 different 
countries. At December 31, 2019, the number of employees had 
thus decreased compared to around 53,000 as of year-end 2018. 
The slight decline was due to synergies resulting from our 
acquisitions and ongoing adjustments in all business units.

Payroll cost and average employee numbers 

67

Women in management 

Payroll cost in million euros

Average employee numbers

2018

3,128

2019

3,195

in percent

Henkel

53,450

52,650

Managers

Top managers 1

2015

33.6

33.1

21.1

2016

33.1

34.3

22.5

2017

34.3

34.5

23.2

2018

34.4

34.7

22.9

69

2019

35.5

35.7

24.3

1 Corporate Senior Vice Presidents, management circles I and IIa.

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As an international company with numerous sites and three 
business units in the industrial and consumer business sectors, 
we offer a wide variety of career opportunities. Job rotations 
that transcend departmental and country boundaries give 
our managers the chance to gain a wealth of experience, to 
strengthen their intercultural skills and to build a broad 
 network of contacts.

We value diversity in our workforce. Women account for 
35.7 percent of the managers in our company. The key to 
 diversity is to create the necessary framework conditions to 
enable our employees, male and female, to reconcile their 
careers with their personal lives. For years, the age structure of 
our employees has remained constant and well balanced. We 
equally promote all generations at Henkel and take into con-
sideration different life phases. For example, we actively help 
families to achieve a balance between career and home life by 
offering childcare facilities and social services. Three kinder-
gartens at our head office in Düsseldorf can accommodate 
240 children. In 2015, Henkel’s first kindergarten outside 
Germany opened in Bratislava, Slovakia. We want to actively 
shape demographic change at Henkel through the implemen-
tation of various partial retirement models. At the same time, 
we encourage the  targeted, cross-generational training of 
qualified newcomers by having their experienced colleagues 
coach them in direct preparation for a specific role. This ensures 
that we keep many years of knowledge passed on within Henkel 
and enhances the company’s future viability. We also offer 
events focusing on social law and psychosocial topics for all 
Henkel employees regardless of age. The formats differ, with 
Lunch & Learn  sessions, informative events,  seminars and 
workshops all part of the mix. We want the diversity in our 
workforce to reflect the diversity in our  customer structure.

Employees by activity 

70

Production and  
engineering 

54 %

Research and  
development 

5 %

Administration 

15 %

Marketing, selling  
and distribution 

26 %

At December 31, 2019

Energized and empowered teams
The great importance we attach to our employees is firmly 
anchored in Henkel’s strategic priorities and values. We hold 
regular assessment meetings and provide open feedback to 
specifically promote the development of our people. Our 
 globally standardized assessment process includes an annual 
evaluation of the potential of our employees and, independently 
of this, an appraisal of their performance against pre-agreed 
role expectations. In 2019, we separated the process stages 
governing performance and potential assessments for the first 
time. They had previously been combined into one step. We 
are convinced that this procedure helps us to specifically 
support the long-term career plans of our employees while 
building a workforce that is fit for the future and able to 
actively embrace challenges and changes going forward. Indi-
vidual training programs and potential career moves are also 
discussed. We support our line managers in these activities by 
providing digital HR systems that are also being increasingly 
enabled for mobile use.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportFundamental principles  of the GroupEconomic reportHenkel AG & Co. KGaA (condensed version according to the German  Commercial Code [HGB])Risks and opportunities reportForecastConsolidated financial statementsFurther informationThe CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportFundamental principles  of the GroupEconomic reportHenkel AG & Co. KGaA (condensed version according to the German  Commercial Code [HGB])Risks and opportunities reportForecastConsolidated financial statementsFurther information104104

Our employees also embrace the opportunities offered by 
 digitalization. As a means of highlighting and demystifying the 
changes and opportunities likely to be encountered, we have 
launched our first Digital Upskilling initiative for all employees 
around the globe, offering personalized digital training sessions. 
Digitalization is also increasingly enabling  flexible work 
models and simplifying daily work processes. In addition, we 
have created flexible office landscapes, enabling employees 
to select where they want to work when performing specific 
assignments.

Recruiting, developing and retaining talents
We constantly strive to recruit talents for Henkel that best fit 
our culture and objectives. Our local recruitment partners 
advise our departments and respond individually to all our 
applicants. We continue to focus particularly on actively 
addressing potential candidates and digital talents through 
targeted participation at trade fairs and through social networks. 
Our employees post aspects of their day-to-day work and share 
their experiences of working for Henkel on our social media 
channels under #MyStory@Henkel, #JobOfTheMonth and 
#FollowMeAround. Such posts offer even better insights into 
our company.

Employees by age group 

71

16–29 years 

15 %

30–39 years 

33 %

50–65 years 

25 %

At December 31, 2019

40–49 years 

27 %

We place great importance on in-house training and professional 
development, giving due consideration to locally different 
training paths. Henkel  provides 27 apprenticeship and dual-
track study programs in  Germany. In 2019, we welcomed 
158 new apprentices and  students as they embarked on the road 
toward a professional qualification at Henkel in Germany. In 
selected emerging  markets, we offer a range of trainee programs 
tailored specifically to the needs of the relevant country.

Employees 

(At December 31)

Western Europe

Eastern Europe

Africa / Middle East

North America

Latin America

Asia-Pacific

Total

2015

14,900

9,800

4,700

6,250

3,500

10,300

49,450

%

30.2

19.8

9.4

12.7

7.1

20.8

100.0

2016

14,450

9,500

5,250

8,300

3,550

10,300

51,350

Basis: permanent employees excluding apprentices; figures rounded.

%

28.1

18.5

10.2

16.2

6.9

20.1

2017

14,750

9,950

4,750

9,050

5,500

9,700

%

27.5

18.5

8.8

16.9

10.2

18.1

2018

14,750

9,800

4,200

9,000

5,800

9,450

%

27.8

18.5

7.9

17.0

11.0

17.8

2019

14,750

9,800

3,900

8,950

5,900

9,150

72

%

28.1

18.7

7.4

17.1

11.3

17.4

100.0

53,700

100.0

53,000

100.0

52,450

100.0

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportFundamental principles  of the GroupEconomic reportHenkel AG & Co. KGaA (condensed version according to the German  Commercial Code [HGB])Risks and opportunities reportForecastConsolidated financial statementsFurther informationThe CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportFundamental principles  of the GroupEconomic reportHenkel AG & Co. KGaA (condensed version according to the German  Commercial Code [HGB])Risks and opportunities reportForecastConsolidated financial statementsFurther information105105

Procurement

We use externally sourced materials (raw materials, packaging 
and purchased goods) and services to produce our finished 
products. These items all fall under the general category of 
direct materials. Examples include washing-active substances 
(surfactants), adhesive components, cardboard boxes and 
external filling services.

Aside from supply and demand, the prices of direct materials 
are mainly determined by the prices of the input materials 
used to manufacture them.

Fiscal 2019 was characterized by the effects of continuing trade 
tensions together with weaker global economic growth and, 
as a result, slower demand on global procurement markets. 
Accordingly, prices for crude oil, petrochemicals, natural oils 
such as palm kernel oil, as well as corrugated paper and card-
board were lower on average year on year. As a consequence, 
commodity prices ranged from stable to lower, especially 
in the markets for standard materials. By contrast, prices for 
 specialty raw materials, and in certain emerging markets, 
increased – significantly in some cases. With these trends pre-
vailing, prices in 2019 for direct materials increased in the low 
single-digit percentage range overall versus the previous year. 

Direct material expenditures amounted to 8.4 billion euros, 
almost matching the prior-year level. Savings from our global 
procurement strategy and cost reduction measures  coupled 
with improvements in production and supply chain efficiency, 
as well as effects deriving from lower sales volumes, compen-
sated for both the higher material prices and the effects of 
acquisitions.

Our five most important categories of direct materials are 
washing-active substances (surfactants), raw materials for use 
in hotmelt adhesives, water- and acrylic-based adhesive raw 
materials, raw materials for polyurethane-based adhesives, 
and plastic packaging. These account for 35 percent of our total 
direct material expenditures. Our five largest suppliers repre-
sent 13 percent of purchasing volume in direct materials.

Within the category of indirect materials and services we 
procure items and inputs that are not directly used in the 
production of our finished products. Examples include main-
tenance materials, logistics, marketing and IT services. At 
5.4 billion euros, expenditure on indirect materials and services 
in 2019 was above the level of the previous year.

In order to improve efficiency and secure material supplies, 
we continuously optimize our value chain while ensuring that 
we maintain or improve our level of quality. In addition to 
negotiating new, competitive contract terms, our ongoing ini-
tiative to lower total procurement expenses is a major factor 
in the success of our global purchasing strategy. We enter into 
long-term business relationships with selected suppliers to 
foster the development of innovations, and to optimize manu-
facturing costs and logistics processes. At the same time, we 
ensure the risk of supply shortages is reduced. We also agree 

73

47 %

Adhesive  
Technologies 

Material expenditures by business unit 

Beauty Care 

16 %

Laundry &  
Home Care 

37 %

Fiscal 2019

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportFundamental principles  of the GroupEconomic reportHenkel AG & Co. KGaA (condensed version according to the German  Commercial Code [HGB])Risks and opportunities reportForecastConsolidated financial statementsFurther informationThe CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportFundamental principles  of the GroupEconomic reportHenkel AG & Co. KGaA (condensed version according to the German  Commercial Code [HGB])Risks and opportunities reportForecastConsolidated financial statementsFurther information106106

and implement individual targets with our strategic suppliers 
aimed at optimizing the supply of direct and indirect materi-
als. Given the importance we place on sustainability, we sub-
ject our strategic suppliers to regular assessment by EcoVadis, 
an external sustainability management platform.

We were able to once again increase the efficiency of our pur-
chasing activities by further standardizing, automating and 
centralizing our procurement processes. In addition to making 
use of eSourcing tools to support our purchasing operations, 
we have pooled large portions of our purchasing administration 
activities – such as order and invoice processing, price data 
maintenance and reporting activities – within our Shared 
Service Centers. We are also continuously progressing the 
 digitalization of our purchasing activities. Through our 
 communication platforms, we continuously optimize the 
cooperation with our strategic suppliers and increase trans-
parency along the value chain by means of new digital applica-
tions. In addition, we increasingly use new technologies such 
as robotics and artificial intelligence to further improve our 
processes. Furthermore, we continued to consolidate our 
 production, logistics and purchasing activities across all 
 divisions into a Global Supply Chain organization. This orga-
nization is managed from our headquarters in Amsterdam and 
a branch office in Singapore. 

Risk management is an important component of our purchas-
ing strategy, especially against the backdrop of uncertainties 
with regard to supply security on the procurement markets 
and movements in raw material prices. The emphasis here is 
on reducing price and supply risks while maintaining consis-
tently high quality. As part of our active price management 
approach, we employ a mix of strategies to safeguard prices 
over the longer term. These include both the use of contracts 
and, where appropriate and possible, financial hedging instru-
ments. In order to minimize the risk of supplier default, we 
perform detailed risk assessments of suppliers to determine 
their financial stability, and stipulate supplier default clauses. 
With the aid of an external, independent financial services 
provider, we continuously monitor important suppliers 
whose financial situation is regarded as critical. If a high risk 
of  supplier default is identified, we systematically prepare 
back-up plans in order to ensure uninterrupted supply.

Material expenditures by type 

74

Purchased goods  
and services 

18 %

Raw materials 

60 %

Packaging 

22 %

Fiscal 2019

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportFundamental principles  of the GroupEconomic reportHenkel AG & Co. KGaA (condensed version according to the German  Commercial Code [HGB])Risks and opportunities reportForecastConsolidated financial statementsFurther informationThe CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportFundamental principles  of the GroupEconomic reportHenkel AG & Co. KGaA (condensed version according to the German  Commercial Code [HGB])Risks and opportunities reportForecastConsolidated financial statementsFurther information107107

Production

In 2019, Henkel manufactured products at 184 sites in 56 coun-
tries. Our largest production facilities are located in Bowling 
Green, USA, and in Düsseldorf, Germany. We manufacture 
laundry detergents and household cleaners in Bowling Green. 
In Düsseldorf, we produce not only laundry detergents and 
household cleaners but also adhesives for consumers and 
craftsmen, and products for our industrial customers. 

Cooperation with toll manufacturers is an integral compo-
nent of our production strategy, enabling us to optimize 
our production and logistics structures when entering new 
 markets or where volumes are still small. We purchase 
around 10 percent in additional production tonnage from toll 
manufacturers each year.

Number of production sites 

Adhesive Technologies

Beauty Care

Laundry & Home Care

Total

2018

141

11

33

185

75

2019

138

13

33

184

The Adhesive Technologies business unit continued to opti-
mize its global production network in 2019, with manufactur-
ing shared between 138 production sites around the world 
(previous year: 141). In both emerging and mature markets, 
we invest in the continuous optimization of production and 
plants that are tailored to the needs of our customers. In addi-
tion to cutting-edge technologies and the leveraging of addi-
tional cost and quality advantages in the manufacture of our 
products, we are also focusing on the further development of 
our  production and warehousing network aligned to specific 
requirements.

Following successful implementation at our site in Shanghai, 
China, we are taking our multi-technology structure to other 
new production sites. Various manufacturing technologies 
are combined at one site to produce cost synergies. In 2019, 
we put such plants into service in India and Turkey to ensure 
 supply efficiency in our emerging markets. 

We are also focusing on the application of Industry 4.0 tech-
nologies and integrated sustainability concepts. Our new pro-
duction facility for aviation solutions in Montornès del Vallès, 
Spain, is equipped with state-of-the art systems that afford 
customers maximum transparency and traceability, while also 
facilitating a joint approach to development work. The exten-
sive use of renewable energy and intelligent equipment and 
infrastructure technology earned the plant a Gold Certificate 
from the German Sustainable Building Council [DGNB] – the 
first production building ever to receive the award in Spain. 
Our new plant for electronics solutions currently being built 
in Songdo, South Korea, is being strictly aligned to the needs 
of smart, networked production technologies in a design 
 concept that complies with high standards of sustainability.

We are also continuing to drive the digitalization of existing 
production facilities to further improve service quality and 
raise manufacturing efficiency. At various production sites, 
we have expanded the recording of operating parameters, 
enabling us to link important data for better control of the 
entire logistics and production process from supplier through 
to the customer.

The number of production sites in our Beauty Care business 
unit has increased to 13. To ensure long-term growth, we are 
investing in capacities and technologies – especially in emerg-
ing markets – based on our supply chain strategy. In Latin 
America and Russia, particularly, we have further expanded 
both our existing sites and facilities from acquisitions, thus 

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further increasing production capacity in all three key tech-
nologies – hair colorants, liquid products and aerosols. We 
have also specifically expanded our capacities in North America. 

Another focal point of the business unit is the further improve-
ment of our delivery service to customers in a volatile and 
innovative market environment. By integrating our planning 
processes along the entire supply chain – from suppliers to 
production to the interface with our customers – we have 
improved our ability to predict customer needs. The implemen-
tation of various Industry 4.0 initiatives has also further 
increased process transparency. Our ability to rapidly analyze 
big data has enabled us to both speed up the decision- making 
process and make it more efficient. Further focus has been 
placed on enhancing the agility of the supply chain in response 
to the requirements of new eBusiness sales channels and the 
demand for greater individualization. 

The production network in our Laundry & Home Care business 
encompassed 33 sites, with the number unchanged from the 
previous year. In 2019, we continued the successful integration 
of the production sites in North America acquired in previous 
years. We also continued to focus on raising efficiency. Targeted 
investments enabled us to expand production capacities for 
our growth categories, particularly in Eastern Europe and 
North America. This development was supported by our real-
time production parameter reporting system implemented 
worldwide in 2018.

In anticipation of increasingly growing customer and consumer 
requirements, we launched further programs aligned to 
 digitalizing our production and distribution processes as part 
of our Industry 4.0 initiative. In January 2020, Henkel was 
acknowledged as an Industry 4.0 pioneer. The World Economic 
Forum awarded our laundry detergent and household cleaners 
production in Düsseldorf the accolade “Advanced 4th Industrial 
Revolution Lighthouse.” In addition, all processes and structures 
along the entire supply chain are permanently monitored to 
ensure they are efficient and to achieve – through pro-active 
management – high levels of quality, agility and utilization of 
our production and warehouse capacities.

Pooling the purchasing, production and logistics activities of 
all business units in one Global Supply Chain organization 
enables us to develop our global processes more quickly.

For all business units, we have the environmental management 
systems at numerous sites externally certified. By the end of 
2019, around 80 percent of our production volume was from 
sites certified to ISO 14001, the internationally recognized 
standard for environmental management systems.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportFundamental principles  of the GroupEconomic reportHenkel AG & Co. KGaA (condensed version according to the German  Commercial Code [HGB])Risks and opportunities reportForecastConsolidated financial statementsFurther informationThe CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportFundamental principles  of the GroupEconomic reportHenkel AG & Co. KGaA (condensed version according to the German  Commercial Code [HGB])Risks and opportunities reportForecastConsolidated financial statementsFurther information109109

77

57 %

Adhesive  
Technologies 

Research and development

R&D expenditures by business unit 

Beauty Care 

18 %

Laundry &  
Home Care 

25 %

Fiscal 2019

Expenditures by the Henkel Group for research and develop-
ment (R&D) in fiscal 2019 increased year on year from 484 mil-
lion euros to 499 million euros. The ratio of R&D expenses to 
sales amounted to 2.5 percent (previous year: 2.4 percent). 
Adjusted R&D expenditures totaled 487 million euros, follow-
ing 471 million euros the year before. The ratio of adjusted 
expenses to sales was 2.4 percent (previous year: 2.4 percent).

In 2019, internal personnel expenses accounted for around 
60 percent of total R&D spending. Our research and develop-
ment costs were fully expensed; no product- or technology- 
related development costs were capitalized in accordance 
with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs).

On an annual average, around 2,650 employees worked in 
research and development (2018: around 2,750). This corre-
sponds to approximately 5 percent of the total workforce. Our 
teams are composed of natural scientists – predominantly 
chemists – as well as material scientists, engineers and 
 technicians.

Together with the capabilities of our employees, our investments 
form the foundation on which the success of our R&D activities 
is built. We continue to focus on developing high-impact inno-
vations, while steadily reducing our resource consumption 
and  maintaining or improving performance. Our open innova-
tion approach ensures the successful integration of external 
 partners in our project delivery. We are also further expanding 
our corporate venture capital activities. A further focus lies 
on increasing the use of digitalization in research and devel-
opment.

R&D expenditures 1 
in million euros

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

478

463

476

484

499

76  

Key R&D figures 

78

R&D expenditures 1 
(in million euros)

R&D expenditures 1 
(in percent of sales)

Employees 2 
(annual average)

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

464

2.6

460

2.5

469

2.3

471

2.4

487

2.4

2,800

2,700

2,700

2,750

2,650

1  Adjusted for restructuring expenses. 
2 Figures rounded.

0

100

200

300

400

500

1   Including restructuring expenses of 14 million euros (2015), 3 million euros 

(2016), 7 million euros (2017), 13 million euros (2018), 12 million euros (2019).

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportFundamental principles  of the GroupEconomic reportHenkel AG & Co. KGaA (condensed version according to the German  Commercial Code [HGB])Risks and opportunities reportForecastConsolidated financial statementsFurther informationThe CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportFundamental principles  of the GroupEconomic reportHenkel AG & Co. KGaA (condensed version according to the German  Commercial Code [HGB])Risks and opportunities reportForecastConsolidated financial statementsFurther information110110

Strengthening research and development together
The research and development experts in the three business 
units align their project portfolios to the specific needs of their 
individual businesses. They work together on fundamental 
processes, basic innovations, evaluation of partners for inno-
vation, and on sustainability. The Research and Development 
Committee is responsible for Group-wide coordination.

The business units continually exchange on innovations in 
common areas of knowledge. As in the previous year, activities 
in 2019 focused on digitalization, especially digital methods 
for acceleration, improving efficiency and optimization 
within product development, and on specific applications of 
digitalization for leveraging product and service innovations.

Open innovation
As our innovations come from both internal and external 
sources, the concept of open innovation holds great significance 
for us. Accordingly, we continue to intensify our efforts to 
involve external partners such as universities, research insti-
tutes and suppliers in many of our development projects.

Corporate venture capital
Henkel is striving to gain access to strategically relevant new 
technologies, applications and business models by partnering 
with, and investing in, startups with digital or technological 
expertise.

In 2019, we further expanded our venture capital activities and 
strengthened our expertise by investing in startup companies.

Henkel is continuing to drive its efforts to establish a circular 
economy by investing in recycling startup Saperatec; this 
 company has developed a patented innovative technology 
that can separate and recycle flexible composite packaging 
containing disparate materials, including aluminum. We also 
further expanded our investment in the strategic growth area 
of laundry and dry cleaning services. We strengthened our 
technology portfolio for sustainable packaging concepts by 
investing in startup Truman’s. In addition, by investing in the 
startup companies Purish and Youtiful, we have strengthened 
our expertise in the areas of eCommerce and social selling 
in order to develop novel sales concepts and relevant digital 
skills.

Research and development worldwide
In addition to its central research laboratories, Henkel main-
tains research and development sites in all regions around the 
world as hubs for innovative problem-solving. Worldwide 
research and development activities are managed globally by 
the business units. Research-intensive base technologies are 
developed at a central location with optimal access to external 
resources. These basic technologies are then applied in the 
regional research and development sites in the creation of 
 customer- and market-specific innovations. At the same time, 
the research and development staff in the regional sites obtain 
information about specific problems for the next generation 
of innovations while working in close contact with customers 
and consumers. The new base technologies needed for the rel-
evant solutions are, in turn, developed centrally.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportFundamental principles  of the GroupEconomic reportHenkel AG & Co. KGaA (condensed version according to the German  Commercial Code [HGB])Risks and opportunities reportForecastConsolidated financial statementsFurther informationThe CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportFundamental principles  of the GroupEconomic reportHenkel AG & Co. KGaA (condensed version according to the German  Commercial Code [HGB])Risks and opportunities reportForecastConsolidated financial statementsFurther information111111

Selected research and development sites 

79

Madison Heights, USA 
Bridgewater, USA 
Stamford / Trumbull, USA 
Rocky Hill, USA 
Chanhassen, USA 
Toronto, Canada

Irvine, USA

Guadalajara, Mexico 
Toluca, Mexico

Bogotá, Colombia

Düsseldorf, Germany 
Hamburg, Germany 
Heidelberg, Germany

Moscow, 
Russia

Dublin, 
Ireland

Barcelona,  
Spain

Dubai, United 
Arab Emirates

São Paulo,  
Brazil

Johannesburg,  
South Africa

Shanghai, China 
Seoul, South Korea 
Tokyo, Japan

Pune, India

Sydney, Australia

The Adhesive Technologies business unit supports its cus-
tomers around the globe with customized solutions based on a 
comprehensive portfolio of products, applications and services. 
The success of Adhesive Technologies is founded in particular 
on its broad technology portfolio, the outstanding expertise of 
its global innovation team, and its proximity to its customers 
as the reward from years of working in close collaboration 
with them. In 2019, the business unit focused its innovation 
activities and resources on technology development and 
expanding its partnerships with companies engaging with 
the three key megatrends mobility, connectivity and sustain-
ability. In the field of mobility, Henkel and RLE International 
have formed “The Mobility Alliance” to pool their materials 
competence and engineering expertise in order to develop 
new lightweight construction concepts focusing on electro-
mobility for the automotive industry. In the area of connectiv-
ity, Henkel offers product innovations such as dual-cure 

 adhesive solutions for camera modules used in mobile com-
munication devices. In the area of sustainability, we launched 
Loctite Liofol RE, for example, a product based on renewable 
raw materials which has been developed for the market for 
flexible food packaging. The acquisition of startup Molecule 
Corp. has enabled Adhesive Technologies to strengthen its 
portfolio with innovative technologies for 3D printing and 
 inkjet applications and to expand its digital development 
capacities.

At its Competence Center in Europe, the Beauty Care business 
unit develops base technologies for product innovations in 
both its Hair Salon and Branded Consumer Goods businesses. 
These innovative formulation platforms are then adapted to 
local requirements and specific customer needs in regional 
test and development centers. Beauty Care operates such test 
and development centers in the USA, Mexico, Colombia, 

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportFundamental principles  of the GroupEconomic reportHenkel AG & Co. KGaA (condensed version according to the German  Commercial Code [HGB])Risks and opportunities reportForecastConsolidated financial statementsFurther informationThe CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportFundamental principles  of the GroupEconomic reportHenkel AG & Co. KGaA (condensed version according to the German  Commercial Code [HGB])Risks and opportunities reportForecastConsolidated financial statementsFurther information112112

China, Japan, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates with a 
view to taking the best possible advantage of regional growth 
opportunities. Proprietary innovation projects and targeted 
investments in startups enable the business unit to build tech-
nical expertise in the fields of personalized hair cosmetics and 
augmented reality. And through the acquisition of Deva Parent 
Holdings, Inc., our expertise in the research and development 
of hair care and styling products for curly and textured hair 
has been strengthened.

In the year under review, research and development activities 
in the global network of the Laundry & Home Care business 
unit focused on sustainable innovations in the fields of raw 
materials, formulations, packaging concepts and manufactur-
ing methods. In the Laundry Care business area, our new disc 
technology for dispensing pre-measured detergent in water- 
soluble film packages with four separate chambers was rolled 
out in the North American and European markets. The Home 
Care business area completed its development of a  protease 
with improved performance properties for use in automatic 
dishwashing detergents, which Henkel has earmarked for exclu-
sive integration within its premium products. The packaging 
development team has devised a new software tool, known as 
Easy D4R, which serves to quickly and reliably  determine 
the recyclability of new packaging. As part of our sustainable 
packaging strategy, we are making this evaluation tool avail-
able for use free of charge on our website. By the end of 2019, 
the tool had been requested more than 2,000 times. In addi-
tion, we have been working with supply chain partners to 
develop packaging made up to 100 percent from mechanically 
recycled plastic. Moreover, a pilot detergent bottle production 
project has succeeded in using chemically recycled plastic. 
Within the innovation process, increasingly agile  methods 
of collaboration are being used, such as design thinking, lean 
startup and scrum, which greatly promote cooperation among 
multifunctional teams from the Research and Development, 
Production, Marketing and New Businesses departments.

Contributing to sustainability
Worldwide, growth and quality of life need to be decoupled 
from resource use and emissions. Our contribution here lies 
in the development of innovative products and processes that 
consume ever less resources while offering the same or better 
performance. It is therefore our ambition to ensure that all 
new products contribute to sustainable development in at 
least one of our six defined focal areas. These are systemati-
cally integrated within our innovation process. Early on, our 
researchers must demonstrate the specific advantages of their 
project in regard to product performance, added value for 
our customers and consumers, resource efficiency, and social 
 criteria. We thus aim to combine product performance and 
quality with social and environmental responsibility. Our 
focus in this respect is on three goals: The first is to continuously 
improve, in collaboration with our suppliers, the sustainability 
profile of the raw materials we use. The second is to help our 
customers and consumers reduce their energy use and carbon 
dioxide emissions through our innovations. The third is to 
ensure that our packaging fulfills consumers’ performance 
expectations yet uses the least possible quantity of materials 
and the most sustainable solutions, and that it can be recycled 
once the product has been used.

Life cycle analyses, profiles of potential raw materials and 
packaging materials, and our many years of experience in 
sustainable development help us to identify and evaluate 
improvement opportunities right from the start of the product 
development process. A key tool in this respect is our Henkel 
Sustainability#Master®. This evaluation system centers around 
a matrix based on the individual steps in our value chain and 
on our six focal areas. It shows which areas are most relevant 
from a sustainability perspective, and allows a transparent 
and quantifiable comparison to be made between two products 
or processes.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportFundamental principles  of the GroupEconomic reportHenkel AG & Co. KGaA (condensed version according to the German  Commercial Code [HGB])Risks and opportunities reportForecastConsolidated financial statementsFurther informationThe CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportFundamental principles  of the GroupEconomic reportHenkel AG & Co. KGaA (condensed version according to the German  Commercial Code [HGB])Risks and opportunities reportForecastConsolidated financial statementsFurther information113113

Patents and registered designs
We hold a good 9,300 patents to protect our technologies 
around the world. Nearly 5,550 patents are currently pending. 
And we have registered nearly 1,350 design patents to protect 
our intellectual property.

Further information on our research and development activities 
can be found on our website: 

  www.henkel.com/brands-and-businesses

Marketing and distribution

We put our customers and consumers at the center of what 
we do. We offer them maximum benefit, quality and service, 
together with attractive innovations of our brands and tech-
nologies. With this we create sustainable value.

The Adhesive Technologies business unit holds global lead-
ership in the specialized markets for adhesives, sealants and 
functional coatings, offering a comprehensive portfolio fea-
turing groundbreaking innovations, tailor-made products and 
strong brands. Working in close partnership with our customers, 
we combine innovation and technology leadership to  create 
high-impact solutions that are essential components in innu-
merable industrial and consumer goods around the world.

We develop the marketing strategies for our brands and tech-
nologies at both the global and regional level. The measures 
derived from our planning are then implemented locally. 
Within our branding strategy, we consistently leverage our 
five global technology cluster brands in the industrial markets 
and our four strong brands in the consumer business.

Our customer base of around 130,000 direct industry and retail 
customers is managed primarily by our own sales teams, 
while our retail customers and distributors service the needs 
of  private users, craftsmen and smaller industrial customers.

Our team of more than 6,500 experts fosters the long-term 
relationships with our customers and partners from more 
than 800 manufacturing sectors. In the process, we gain an 
in-depth understanding of an exceptionally wide range of 
applications across all markets. Since many of our solutions 
and technologies are integrated into technically highly com-
plex processes and products, first-class technical customer 
service and thorough user training worldwide are of key 
importance. 

To further expand our innovation leadership, we are currently 
building a new global innovation center on the site of our 
corporate headquarters in Düsseldorf. From the end of 2020, 
more than 350 experts will be housed there, developing specific 
solutions together with our customers and bringing our entire 
range of technologies to life for customers and partners 
throughout the world. 

Not only in personal exchange but also in digital interaction, 
we aim to ensure a positive customer experience at all contact 
points around the globe. Our further developed website   

  henkel-adhesives.com is closely aligned to customer needs and 
is available in numerous languages. Customers in more than 
50 countries can now make use of our extensive digital order-
ing platform, the Henkel Adhesives e-Shop, which we are 
steadily expanding. We support our global sales experts with a 
networked customer relationship management (CRM) platform 
designed to ensure that plans, data and communication 
remain available around the clock. This enables us to 
respond even faster and more efficiently to our customers’ 
needs and to leverage synergies between our business areas.

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In addition to digital communications, we strive to optimize 
our approach to consumers and craftsmen through the contin-
ued use of classic advertising coupled with measures to attract 
target groups at the point of sale. Leveraging our close customer 
relationships and our comprehensive technical expertise, we 
continue to offer tailored solutions and innovative branded 
products that provide sustainable added value for our customers.

Within the Beauty Care business unit, our focused portfolio 
of brands with unique, distinct brand equities forms the basis 
for leading, consumer-relevant innovations in our Branded 
Consumer Goods and Hair Salon businesses. In future, we will 
increasingly develop our innovations and market launch strat-
egies in the regions for the regions, thus bringing us closer to 
consumers and customers. Digital consumer research tools, our 
Consumer Insight Center and joint developments with customers 
and consumers enable us to identify global and regional trends 
early on and to respond quickly and individually with innova-
tive products. At the same time, managing our businesses and 
brands globally allows us to leverage economies of scale.

Corporate venture capital investments and partnerships support 
our efforts in the innovation process to identify and develop 
new business models, marketing strategies and digital skills. 
By making use of new technologies, such as the Internet of 
Things or augmented reality, we are also driving the further 
development of our brands in the digital environment; one 
example is Choicify, our digital hair colorant consultant.

Advanced digitalization significantly increases media efficiency 
when interacting with consumers. With personalized 1:1 expe-
riences, we target the right consumer group with the right 
message in the right environment, while also accelerating effi-
cient re-targeting with customized content. We are capable of 
producing tailored digital content quickly in our own content 
factories and making it available to consumers in real time.

We not only specifically choose which consumers to commu-
nicate with and by what means, but also which sales channels 
are of strategic relevance for us. We leverage our category lead-
ership positions in brick-and-mortar retail, in eCommerce and 
through direct-to-consumer channels, also adding value for 
our online customers through our shopper expertise.

Having already hosted more than 450 visits in our Beauty Care 
Lighthouse, which opened in Düsseldorf in 2012, we have 
been able to consistently intensify our customer focus. The 
Lighthouse offers our trade partners from around the world 
an interactive experience of all our competences in the field 
of Beauty Care, with a growing focus on digitalization and 
sustainability.

We are also committed to close cooperation with our custom-
ers in our Hair Salon business. In our globally established 
Schwarzkopf Academies, we offer hairdressers value-adding 
services in the form of customer-focused seminars and 
 continuous professional upskilling programs. Our focus is on 
ensuring a positive experience for our customers, both person-
ally and when they engage digitally with us. Our efforts range 
from the further expansion of our B2B eShop to digital salon 
services, such as our SalonLab ecosystem.

In the Laundry & Home Care business unit, we develop global 
marketing strategies and product innovations for our strong 
laundry detergent and household cleaner brands. We then 
adapt these strategies and innovations to regional consumer 
needs and market conditions, and implement them at the 
local level. We thus ensure central, efficient management of 
our brands aimed at strengthening their core equities and 
responding to our consumers’ desire for both functional bene-
fits and emotional added value. We focus on an innovation 
process that enables us to systematically identify global con-
sumer trends early on especially through digital data analysis, 

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The Global Experience Centers – our customer centers – in 
Düsseldorf and Stamford help us to further deepen our rela-
tionships with customers both in brick-and-mortar retail and 
in the field of eCommerce. More than 320 customers have 
already visited the Centers, using all their senses to explore 
the latest trends, products and sustainability concepts in the 
field of Laundry & Home Care. 

The importance of sustainability in our relationships with 
customers and consumers continues to grow in all three 
business units. Our customers expect their suppliers – and 
that includes Henkel – to ensure compliance with global 
environmental, safety, and social standards. Our standards 
and management systems, our many years of experience in 
sustainability reporting, and excellent appraisals by external 
 rating agencies all help us to convince our audience of our 
 credentials in this domain. Moreover, the credible implemen-
tation of our sustainability strategy strengthens both our 
brands and the reputation of our company in the marketplace. 
With decades of experience in aligning our activities to sus-
tainable development, we are able to position ourselves as a 
leader in the field and as a partner that is capable of providing 
its customers with solutions that are fit for the future. Here 
again, we cooperate closely with our customers in trade and 
industry.

and to translate them quickly into new products. In the field 
of consumer research, for example, we use social media listen-
ing, a digital method for early identification of consumer 
needs in social media that forms the basis for developing new 
products and services.

Digitalization is also an issue of key importance in our other 
marketing processes, as reflected in the ongoing implementa-
tion of digital transformation measures in the business unit. 
One example of this is the growing use of new technologies 
such as the Internet of Things, or the integration of digitally 
supported services such as our Persil Service in the brand eco-
system. Further points of digital contact with our consumers 
are provided by the chatbots of our Persil brand, which provide 
consumers with extensive advice on stain removal, and our 
new consumer platform in Germany known as “Frag-Team-
Clean” or Ask the Clean Team. With these new technologies, 
we plan to drive the further development of our brands in the 
digital world and thus enhance the consumer benefit derived. 
Collaboration with startups forms part of our strategic approach 
in this regard. For example, in the year under review, we 
invested in Truman’s, a direct-to-consumer startup that 
offers household cleaners in reusable bottles and concentrate 
cartridges that help reduce plastic waste. 

Laundry & Home Care enters into strategic partnerships with 
its top customers with a view to delivering long-term and 
mutually profitable growth. The business unit focuses on six 
areas: innovation, shopper marketing, digitalization, eCom-
merce, sustainability, and supply chain. Surveys to examine 
digital shopping behaviors, for example, are one way of gain-
ing a better understanding of the various shopping channels 
and their interaction, and of helping our partners to create an 
active and seamless shopping experience. This then serves as 
the basis for developing customized solutions for the specific 
requirements of our partners, for identifying shared value- 
adding potential, and for advising our partners on the develop-
ment of strategies across all the various sales channels. 

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Henkel AG & Co. KGaA (condensed version  
according to the German Commercial Code [HGB]) *

The annual financial statements of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA have 
been prepared in accordance with the rules and regulations of 
the German Commercial Code [HGB] and the German Stock 
Corporation Act [AktG]. Deviations from the International 
Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs) applicable to the Group 
arise particularly with respect to the methods of recognition 
and measurement of intangible assets, financial instruments 
and provisions. 

The net assets, financial position and results of operations of 
Henkel AG & Co. KGaA are influenced both by its own operat-
ing activity and by the operating activity of its subsidiaries on 
the basis of their dividend distributions. Thus the financial 
situation of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA generally corresponds to 
that of the Group as a whole, which is discussed in the section 
“Review of overall business performance” on pages 83 and 84.

Operational activities 

Henkel AG & Co. KGaA is operationally active in the three busi-
ness units Adhesive Technologies, Beauty Care and Laundry & 
Home Care, as well as being the parent company of the Henkel 
Group. As such, it is responsible for defining and pursuing 
Henkel’s corporate objectives and also for the management, 
control and monitoring of Group-wide activities, including risk 
management and the allocation of resources. As of year-end 2019, 
some 8,400 people were employed at Henkel AG & Co. KGaA.

The operating business of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA represents 
only a portion of the business activity of the entire Henkel 
Group and is managed across the Group by the business units, 
particularly on the basis of the performance indicators: organic 
sales growth, development of adjusted return on sales (EBIT), 
and growth in adjusted earnings per preferred share at con-
stant exchange rates. Only the Group approach can provide 
complete insight into these key financials (see the discussion 
of the management system and performance indicators 
applicable to the Henkel Group on page 80).

Results of operations

Sales and profits
At 3,625 million euros, sales of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA in 2019 
were on a par with the previous year. This figure is consistent 
with our guidance for 2019. Factors including an improved 
financial result enabled Henkel AG & Co. KGaA to significantly 
increase unappropriated profit and thus to exceed its forecast 
of a flat result. The improved financial result was mainly 
 attributable to higher income generated with the plan assets 
funding our pension obligations.

The Adhesive Technologies business unit achieved sales of 
1,045 million euros in 2019, thus remaining constant versus 
prior year. The Industrial Adhesives business area benefited in 
2019 from the merger of a German subsidiary with Henkel AG & 
Co. KGaA.

*   The full financial statements of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA with the auditor’s unqualified opinion are filed with the commercial register and accessible on the internet at 

www.henkel.com/reports.

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Expense items

Compared to 2018, cost of sales increased by 46 million euros 
to 2,682 million euros. A major contributory factor in this 
regard were higher license fee expenses payable to affiliated 
companies. Gross margin decreased by 1.6 percentage points 
to 26.0 percent.

At 616 million euros, marketing, selling and distribution 
expenses were above the prior-year figure of 541 million euros. 
The proportion of sales was 17.0 percent, which was 2.2 per-
centage points up compared to the level of 2018. The increase 
was partly due to higher expenditures on IT projects, higher 
expenses for advertising campaigns, and increased restructur-
ing expenses.

80

2019

3,625

– 2,682

943

– 894

– 339

246

– 44

991

947

– 26

921

791

Condensed income statement in accordance with 
the  German Commercial Code [HGB] 

in million euros

Sales

Cost of sales 

Gross profit

Marketing, selling, distribution and 
administrative expenses

Research and development expenses

Other operating income / expenses

Operating profit

Financial result

Income before tax

Taxes on income

Net income 

Profit brought forward

Unappropriated profit

2018

3,641

– 2,636

1,005

– 793

– 336

210

86

903

989

– 64

925

664

1,589

1,712

Compared to 2018, administrative expenses increased by 
26 million euros to 278 million euros. Their ratio to sales 
increased by 0.8 percentage points to 7.7 percent.

Expenditures for research and development in the reporting 
period increased by 3 million euros to 339 million euros. The 
proportion of sales increased accordingly compared to 2018, 
by 0.2 percentage points to 9.4 percent.

Restructuring expenses of 53 million euros, included in the 
expense items mentioned, were higher compared to 2018 
(40 million euros). 

The Beauty Care business unit achieved sales of 498 million 
euros in 2019. The slight decrease year on year was due in par-
ticular to persistently high competitive and price pressures in 
its Branded Consumer Goods business.

The Laundry & Home Care business unit generated sales of 
972 million euros in 2019, which was on a par with the figure 
for 2018. The market remains highly competitive.

Sales in the Corporate segment decreased from 1,116 million 
euros in 2018 to 1,110 million euros in 2019, mainly due to 
declining license fee income from affiliated companies.

The operating profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA decreased year 
on year by 130 million euros to – 44 million euros. This 
decrease was mainly attributable to costs reimbursed to a 
foreign subsidiary and to higher expenditures in connection 
with digitalization and other IT projects. 

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Other operating income / expenses

Net income

At 246 million euros, the balance of other operating income 
and expenses (other operating result) was higher compared to 
the prior-year period (210 million euros).

Net income amounted to 921 million euros and was therefore 
slightly below the prior-year result of 925 million euros. The 
decrease was attributable to the lower operating profit in 2019.

Year on year, other operating income increased by 51 million 
euros to 348 million euros in 2019, mainly as a result of higher 
income generated from recharging costs to affiliated companies.

Condensed balance sheet in accordance with  
the German Commercial Code [HGB] 

81

in million euros

12/31/2018

12/31/2019

At 102 million euros, other operating expenses in 2019 were 
above the prior-year figure (87 million euros), due to a credit 
note to a foreign subsidiary that related to the prior year.

Financial result

The financial result increased from 903 million euros in 2018 
to 991 million euros in 2019. The increase is substantially 
attributable to higher securities prices and the resulting higher 
returns on financial investments held as plan assets.

Taxes on income

Taxes on income amounted to – 26 million euros in 2019, 
 compared to – 64 million euros in 2018.

Intangible assets and property, plant and 
equipment

Financial assets

Non-current assets

Inventories

Receivables and miscellaneous assets 

Marketable securities

Liquid funds

Current assets

Deferred income

Assets arising from the overfunding  
of pension obligations

Total assets

Equity

Special accounts with reserve element

Provisions

Liabilities / deferred charges

Total equity and liabilities

1,378

13,190

14,568

13

1,660

4

335

2,012

40

107

16,727

6,956

79

589

9,103

16,727

1,397

11,405

12,802

15

3,037

4

500

3,556

44

303

16,705

7,084

75

542

9,004

16,705

Net assets and financial position

As of December 31, 2019, the total assets of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA 
decreased compared to year-end 2018 by 22 million euros to 
16,705 million euros.

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Non-current assets decreased to 12,802 million euros, down 
1,766 million euros compared to 2018. The decline was due to 
changes in financial assets; these decreased mainly as a result 
of payment of a loan by a US-American subsidiary.

Current assets increased in 2019 from 2,012 million euros to 
3,556 million euros, mainly as a result of a loan to a US-American 
subsidiary.

At 303 million euros, overfunding from offsetting the plan 
assets against pension obligations was higher year on year. 
The increase was mainly due to the positive performance of 
the pension plan assets.

Risks and opportunities

The business performance of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA is essen-
tially subject to the same risks and opportunities as that of the 
Henkel Group. With respect to the risks affecting its subsidiaries, 
Henkel AG & Co. KGaA is generally exposed in proportion to its 
shareholding in each case. 

Due to the different discount rates for pension obligations 
under the German Commercial Code [HGB] and IFRS, the 
conclusion drawn from the risk assessment for the separate 
financial statements of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA differs from 
that of the Group. We assess the potential financial impact of 
this risk for Henkel AG & Co. KGaA as “major.”

Equity increased from 6,956 million euros to 7,084 million 
euros. Provisions decreased by 47 million euros to 542 million 
euros. The balance of pension obligations and plan assets is 
reported in assets due to overfunding.

Additional information regarding risks and opportunities and 
the risk management system can be found on the following 
pages 120 to 131.

For details of issued capital and treasury stock, please refer to 
the disclosures in the notes to the statutory financial state-
ments of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA.

Forecast

Year on year, liabilities and deferred charges decreased overall 
to 99 million euros in 2019, mainly due to the repayment of 
commercial paper and a US dollar-denominated bond. The 
issuance of two British pound-denominated bonds had a par-
tially countervailing effect.

For an overview of the financing and capital management of 
Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, please refer to the information relating 
to the Henkel Group on pages 100 and 101.

The performance of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA in its function as 
an operating holding company is influenced primarily by the 
development and dividend distributions of the companies in 
which it has shareholdings. We expect sales in 2020 to be on a 
par with the figure for 2019. The performance reported for the 
Group also impacts Henkel AG & Co. KGaA through dividend 
payments from subsidiaries. Assuming steady development 
of the financial result, we expect the unappropriated profit 
generated in 2020 by Henkel AG & Co. KGaA to be flat. This will 
enable our shareholders to participate to a reasonable extent 
in the Group’s net income, with retained earnings also avail-
able for utilization if necessary.

The forecast for the Henkel Group can be found on pages 132 
and 133.

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Risks and opportunities report

Risks and opportunities

Risk management system 

In the pursuit of our business activities, Henkel is exposed to 
multiple risks inherent in the global market economy. We 
deploy an array of effective monitoring and control systems 
aligned to identifying risks at an early stage, evaluating the 
exposure, and introducing effective countermeasures. We have 
incorporated these instruments within a risk management 
system as described below. 

Entrepreneurial activity also involves identifying and exploit-
ing opportunities as means of securing and extending the 
 corporation’s competitiveness. The reporting aspect of our risk 
management system, however, does not encompass entrepre-
neurial opportunities. Early and regular identification, analysis 
and exploitation of opportunities are performed at the Group 
level and within the individual business units. This is a funda-
mental component of our strategy. We perform in-depth 
analysis of the markets and our competitors, and study the 
relevant cost variables and key success factors. 

The risk management system at Henkel is integrated into the 
comprehensive planning, controlling, and reporting systems 
used in the subsidiaries, in the business units, and at Group 
level. Our early warning system and Internal Audit function 
are also important components of our risk management system. 
Within the corporate governance framework, our internal 
 control and compliance management systems support our risk 
management capability. The risk reporting system encompasses 
the systematic identification, evaluation, documentation 
and communication of risks. We have defined the principles, 
 processes and responsibilities relating to risk management in 
a corporate standard that is binding on the Henkel Group. With 
the continuous development of our corporate standards and 
systems, we take into account updated findings. 

Within our risk strategy framework, the assumption of calcu-
lated risk is an intrinsic part of our business. However, risks 
that endanger the existence of the corporation must be avoided. 
When it is not possible to avoid these critical risks, they must 
be reduced or transferred, for example through insurance. 
Risks are controlled and monitored at the level of the subsid-
iaries, the business units, and the Group. Risk management is 
thus performed with a holistic, integrative approach to the 
systematic handling of risks. 

We understand risks as potential future developments or 
events that could lead to negative deviations from our guidance. 
Risks with a probability of occurrence of over 50 percent are 
taken into account in our guidance and short-term planning. 
As a rule, we estimate risks for the one-year forecast period. 

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The annual risk reporting process begins with identifying 
material risks using checklists based on defined operating 
(for example procurement and production) and functional 
(for example information technology and human resources) 
risk categories. We evaluate the risks in a two-stage process 
according to the probability of occurrence and potential loss. 
Included in the risk report are risks with a loss potential of at 
least 1 million euros or 10 percent of the net external sales of 
a country, where the probability of occurrence is considered 
greater than zero. 

The first step entails determining gross risk to the extent that 
this is possible. We then calculate the net risk, taking counter-
measures into account. Initially, risks are compiled on a 
decentralized, per-country basis, with the assistance of regional 
coordinators. The locally collated risks are then analyzed by 
experts in the business units and corporate functions. In par-
ticular areas such as Corporate Treasury, risks are determined 
with the support of sensitivity analyses including value-at-risk 
computations. Risk analyses are then prepared for the respec-
tive executive committees of the business units and corporate 
functions, and finally assigned to an area-specific risk inven-
tory. The risk situation is subsequently reported to our Com-
pliance & Risk Committee, the Management Board and the 
 various oversight boards. Material unforeseen changes are 
reported immediately to the CFO and the Compliance & Risk 
Committee. Corporate Accounting is responsible for coordinating 
the overall process and analyzing the inventoried exposures. 

The risk reporting process is supported by internet-based soft-
ware which ensures transparent communication throughout 
the entire Group. Our Internal Audit function regularly reviews 
the quality and efficiency of our risk management system. 
Within the framework of the 2019 audit of our annual financial 
statements, our external auditor examined the structure and 
function of our risk early warning system in accordance with 
Section 317 (4) German Commercial Code [HGB], and confirmed 
its compliance.

The following describes the main features of the internal control 
and risk management system in relation to our accounting 
processes, in accordance with Section 315 (2) No. 5 HGB. Corre-
sponding with the definition of our risk management system, 
the objective of our accounting processes lies in the identifica-
tion, evaluation and management of all risks that jeopardize 
the regulatory preparation of our annual and consolidated 
financial statements. Accordingly, the internal control system’s 
function is to implement relevant principles, procedures and 
controls so as to ensure the financial statement closing process 
is regulatory compliant. Within the organization of the internal 
control system, the Management Board assumes overriding 
responsibility at Group level. The duly coordinated subsystems 
of the internal control system lie within the responsibility of 
the Corporate Accounting, Controlling, Corporate Treasury, 
Compliance and Regional Finance functions. Within these 
functions, there are a number of integrated monitoring and 
control levels. These are assessed by regular and comprehen-
sive effectiveness tests performed by our Internal Audit func-
tion. Of the multifaceted control processes incorporated into 
the accounting process, several are important to highlight. 

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The basis for all our accounting processes is provided by our 
corporate standard “Accounting,” which contains detailed 
accounting and reporting instructions covering all material 
circumstances, including clear procedures for inventory valua-
tion or how transfer prices applicable for intra-group transac-
tions should be determined. This corporate standard is bind-
ing on the entire Group and is regularly updated and approved 
by the CFO. The local Presidents and Heads of Finance of all 
consolidated subsidiaries must confirm their compliance with 
this corporate standard on an annual basis.

Further globally binding procedural instructions affecting our 
accounting practice are contained in our corporate standards 
“Treasury” and “Investments.” Through appropriate organiza-
tional measures in conjunction with restrictive access to our 
information systems, we ensure segregation of duties in our 
accounting systems between transaction entry on the one 
hand, and checking and approval on the other. Documentation 
relating to the operational accounting and closing processes 
ensures that important tasks – such as the reconciliation of 
receivables and payables on the basis of account balance 
 confirmations – are clearly assigned. Additionally, binding 
authorization regulations exist governing the approval of con-
tracts, credit notes and the like, with strict adherence to the 
principle of dual control as a mandatory requirement. This is 
also stipulated in our Group-wide corporate standards.

The significant risks for Henkel and the corresponding con-
trols with respect to the regulatory preparation of our annual 
and consolidated financial statements are collated in a central 
documentation pack. This documentation is reviewed and 
updated annually by the respective process owners. The estab-
lished systems are also regularly reviewed to determine their 
improvement and optimization potential. We consider these 
systems to be appropriate and effective. 

The accounting activities for subsidiaries included in the 
consolidated financial statements are performed either locally 
by the subsidiary or through a Shared Service Center, taking 
the aforementioned corporate standards into account. The 
individual subsidiaries’ financial statements are transferred to 
our central consolidation system and checked at corporate 
level for correctness. After all consolidation steps have been 
completed, the consolidated financial statements are prepared 
by Corporate Accounting in consultation with the specialist 
departments. Preparation of the combined management report 
is coordinated by Investor Relations in cooperation with each 
business unit and corporate function. The Management Board 
then compiles the consolidated financial statements and 
annual financial statements of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, and the 
combined management report for Henkel AG & Co. KGaA and 
the Group, and subsequently presents these documents to the 
Supervisory Board for approval.

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Major risk categories

Risks are presented from a net perspective, i.e. with their 
respective mitigation measures taken into account.

Overview of major risk categories 

Risk category

Operating risks

Procurement market risks

Production risks

Macroeconomic and sector-specific risks

Functional risks

Financial risks

Credit risk

Liquidity risk

Currency risk

Interest rate risk

Risks from pension obligations

Legal risks

IT and cyber risks 

Personnel risks

Risks in connection with the company’s reputa-
tion and its brands

Environmental and safety risks

Probability

Low

Moderate

High

Low

Low

Moderate

Moderate

Moderate

Low

Low

Low

Low

Low

Potential financial impact

82

Major

Major

Major

Major

Minor

Major

Minor

Minor

Major

Major

Minor

Major

Major

Business strategy risks

Moderate

Moderate

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportFundamental principles  of the GroupEconomic reportHenkel AG & Co. KGaA  (condensed version  according to the German  Commercial Code [HGB])Risks and opportunities reportForecastConsolidated financial statementsFurther information124

Measures: The measures taken include active supplier portfolio 
management through our globally engaged, cross-divisional 
sourcing capability, together with strategies aimed at securing 
price and volume both through contracts and, where appropri-
ate and possible, through financial hedging instruments (for 
more information about financial hedging instruments, please 
refer to the notes to the consolidated financial statements, 
page 220). Furthermore, we work in interdisciplinary teams 
within Research and Development, Supply Chain Management 
and Purchasing on devising alternative formulations and 
packaging forms so as to be able to respond flexibly to unfore-
seen fluctuations in raw material prices. We also avoid becom-
ing dependent on individual suppliers to better secure the 
constant supply of the goods and services that we require. 
Finally, close collaboration with our strategic suppliers plays 
an exceptionally important role in our risk management. 
 Further details regarding the assessment of supplier financial 
stability can be found in the section on “Procurement” on 
pages 105 and 106. The basis for our risk management approach 
is provided by a comprehensive procurement information 
 system aimed at ensuring permanent transparency with 
respect to our purchasing volumes.

Impact: Low probability rating, possible major impact on our 
earnings guidance.

Classification of risks in ascending order 

83

Probability

Low

Moderate

High

Potential financial impact

Minor

Moderate

Major

Operating risks 

1 – 9 %

10 – 24 %

≥ 25 %

1 – 49 million euros

50 – 99 million euros

≥ 100 million euros

Procurement market risks
Description of risk: We expect year-on-year price increases 
for direct materials in our procurement markets to be in a low 
 single-digit range in 2020. Due to geopolitical, global economic, 
and climatic uncertainties, we expect prices to fluctuate in the 
course of the year. This may lead to raw material price trends 
that are unfavorable for Henkel but cannot always be passed 
on in full. We therefore see risks arising beyond the forecasted 
increase in the low single-digit range in relation to important 
raw materials, packaging materials and purchased goods.

The segments in the industrial goods sector are affected to a 
greater extent by price risks inherent in the performance of the 
global raw materials markets than the individual segments in 
the consumer goods sector. Additional price and supply risks 
exist due to possible demand- or production-related shortages 
in the procurement markets. Furthermore, continued major 
volatility and uncertainty can be expected from global economic, 
geopolitical and climate risks, which could lead to  rising 
material prices and supply shortages. 

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportFundamental principles  of the GroupEconomic reportHenkel AG & Co. KGaA  (condensed version  according to the German  Commercial Code [HGB])Risks and opportunities reportForecastConsolidated financial statementsFurther information125

Production risks
Description of risk: Henkel faces production risks in the 
event of low capacity utilization due to volume decreases and 
unplanned operational interruptions, especially at our single- 
source sites. 

Measures: We can offset the negative effects of possible 
 production outages through flexible production control and, 
where economically viable, insurance policies. Such production 
risks are minimized by ensuring high employee qualification, 
clearly defined safety standards, and regular plant and equip-
ment maintenance. Capital expenditure decisions on property, 
plant and equipment are made in accordance with defined, 
differentiated responsibility procedures and approval pro-
cesses. They incorporate all relevant specialist functions and 
are regulated in an internal corporate standard. Investments 
are analyzed in advance on the basis of detailed risk aspects. 
Further audits accompanying projects provide the foundation 
for project management and risk reduction.

Impact: Moderate probability rating, possible major impact on 
our earnings guidance.

Macroeconomic and sector-specific risks
Description of risk: We remain exposed to macroeconomic 
risks emanating from the uncertainties of the current geopolit-
ical and economic environment. We currently see geopolitical 
risk arising in connection with a further increase in the num-
ber of conflict zones. The forthcoming departure of the United 
Kingdom from the European Union (Brexit) poses risks to our 
business, for example through a potential weakening of the 
economy. The impacts of the global trade conflicts are also 
jeopardizing the global economic climate. A decline in the 
macroeconomic environment poses a risk to the industrial 
sector in particular. A downturn in consumer spending is 
 relevant for the consumer goods segments. A further significant 
risk is posed by an increasingly competitive environment, as 

this could result in stronger price and promotional pressures 
in the consumer goods sector. As consolidation in the retail 
sector continues and private labels occupy a growing share of 
the market, crowding-out competition in the consumer goods 
sector could further intensify. The risk of product substitution 
inherent in this could, in principle, affect all business units. 
Technological change associated with digitalization may 
involve risks for the success of our products and processes. 

Measures: We focus on continuously strengthening our 
brands (see separate risk description on page 129) and consis-
tently developing further innovations. We consider innovative 
products and processes to be a significant success factor for 
our company, enabling us to differentiate ourselves from the 
competition. We also pursue specific marketing and sales ini-
tiatives, for example advertising and promotional activities. 
Here, again, driving digitalization is of key importance. One 
example of this is the specific marketing of our products on a 
dedicated eCommerce platform for our industry customers 
(further details can be found in the section on marketing and 
distribution on pages 113 to 115). In addition, we have the 
capability to react quickly to potential sales declines through 
flexible production control. Moreover, we have formed inter-
disciplinary task forces – in connection with Brexit, for 
example – to enable early identification and specific mitigation 
of the risks.

Impact: High probability rating, possible major impact on our 
sales and earnings guidance.

Functional risks 

Financial risks
Description of risk: Henkel is exposed to financial risks in 
the form of credit risks, liquidity risks, currency risks, interest 
rate risks, and risks arising from pension obligations.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportFundamental principles  of the GroupEconomic reportHenkel AG & Co. KGaA  (condensed version  according to the German  Commercial Code [HGB])Risks and opportunities reportForecastConsolidated financial statementsFurther information126

For the description of credit risk, liquidity risk, currency risk 
and interest rate risk, please refer to the notes to the consoli-
dated financial statements on pages 209 to 220. For the risks 
arising from our pension obligations, please see pages 187 to 190.

Measures: Risk-mitigating measures and the management of 
these risks are also described in the notes to the consolidated 
financial statements on the pages mentioned.

Impact: We classify financial risks as follows:
•   Credit risk with a low probability of a major impact on our 

earnings guidance.

•   Liquidity risk with a low probability of a minor impact on 

our earnings guidance.

•   Currency risk with a moderate probability of a major impact 

on our earnings guidance.

•   Interest rate risk with a moderate probability of a minor 

impact on our earnings guidance.

•   Risks arising from our pension obligations with a moderate 
probability of a minor impact on our earnings guidance, and 
with a moderate probability of a major impact on our equity. 

Legal and regulatory risks
Description of risk: As a globally active corporation we are 
exposed, in the course of our ordinary business activities, to a 
range of risks relating to litigations and other actions, includ-
ing government agency proceedings in which we are currently 
involved or may become involved in the future. These risks 
arise, in particular, in the fields of product liability, product 
deficiency, competition and cartel law, infringement of propri-
etary rights, patent law, tax law, environmental protection 
and legacy remediation. We cannot rule out the likelihood of 
negative rulings on current litigations and further litigations 
being initiated in the future. Legal uncertainty in some regions 
could also limit our ability to assert our rights. 

Our business is subject to various national rules and regula-
tions and – within the European Union (EU) – increasingly to 
harmonized laws applicable throughout the EU. In addition, 
some of our operations are subject to rules and regulations 
derived from approvals, licenses, certificates or permits. Our 
manufacturing operations are bound by rules and regulations 
with respect to the registration, evaluation, usage, storage, 
transportation and handling of certain substances and also in 
relation to emissions, wastewater, effluent and other waste. 
The construction and operation of production facilities and 
other plant and infrastructure are governed by framework 
rules and regulations, including those relating to legacy reme-
diation. Product-specific regulations of relevance to us relate 
in particular to ingredients and input materials, safety in 
manufacturing, the handling of products and their contents, 
and the packaging and marketing of these items. The control 
mechanisms include statutory material-related regulations, 
usage prohibitions or restrictions, procedural requirements 
(test and inspection, identification marking, provision of 
warning labels, etc.), and product liability law. Violation of 
such regulations may lead to legal proceedings or compromise 
our future business activities.

Amendments to the aforementioned regulations and further 
changes to the regulatory environment in our relevant markets 
could influence our business activities and thus adversely 
affect our assets, financial position and results of operations. 
Such changes might involve import and export controls, 
 customs or other trade regulations, or pricing and foreign 
exchange restrictions.

Equally, as a globally active company, we maintain business 
relations with customers in countries that are subject to export 
control legislation, embargoes, economic sanctions or other 
forms of trade restriction. Changes to these regulations, new 
or extended sanctions, or corresponding initiatives by institu-

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportFundamental principles  of the GroupEconomic reportHenkel AG & Co. KGaA  (condensed version  according to the German  Commercial Code [HGB])Risks and opportunities reportForecastConsolidated financial statementsFurther information127

tional investors or non-governmental organizations may 
result in restrictions being imposed on our business activities 
in these countries or, indirectly, in other countries, or may 
prevent us from acquiring or keeping customers and suppliers.

Measures: Our internal standards, guidelines, codes of con-
duct, and training measures are geared to ensuring compli-
ance with the aforementioned statutory requirements and, for 
example, safeguarding our manufacturing facilities and prod-
ucts. These requirements have also been incorporated into our 
management systems and are regularly audited. This includes 
the early monitoring and evaluation of relevant statutory and 
regulatory requirements and changes.

Ensuring compliance with laws and regulations is an integral 
component of our business processes. This includes the early 
monitoring and evaluation of relevant statutory and regulatory 
requirements and changes. Henkel has further established a 
Group-wide compliance organization with locally and region-
ally responsible compliance officers led by a globally responsi-
ble General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer (details can be 
found in the corporate governance section on pages 26 to 46). 
In addition, our corporate legal department maintains constant 
contact with local counsel. Current proceedings and potential 
risks are recorded in a separate reporting system. For certain 
legal risks, we have concluded insurance policies that are 
standard for the industry and that we consider to be appropriate. 
However, the outcome of proceedings is inherently difficult to 
foresee, especially in cases in which the claimant is seeking 
substantial or unspecified damages. In view of this, we are 
unable to predict what obligations may arise from such litiga-
tions. Consequently, major losses may result from litigations 
and proceedings that are not covered by our insurance policies 
or provisions. Potential damage to our reputation is not 
 covered by insurance, nor is there any guarantee that Henkel 
will acquire adequate insurance cover at reasonable terms and 
conditions in future.

Impact: Low probability rating, possible major impact on our 
earnings guidance. 

IT and cyber risks
Description of risk: Information technology (IT) has strategic 
significance for Henkel. Our business processes rely to a great 
extent on internal and external IT services, applications, net-
works, and infrastructure systems. The failure or disruption of 
key IT services and the manipulation or loss of data constitute 
material risks for Henkel. We analyze different potential in- 
house and external perpetrators and types of threat, such as 
intent, error or natural phenomena. The failure or disruption 
of important IT services can impair critical business processes. 
The loss of confidential data, for example formulations, cus-
tomer information or price lists, could put us at a disadvan-
tage with our competitors or give rise to legal consequences. 
Henkel’s reputation could also be damaged by such loss.

Measures: The technical and organizational safeguards for 
assuring information and cyber security at Henkel are based 
on the international standards ISO 27001 and 27002. Major 
components include the classification of information and IT 
applications with respect to confidentiality, availability, integ-
rity and data protection requirements, as well as commensu-
rate measures for mitigating risk. In addition, Henkel has put 
technical and organizational measures in place to prevent, 
 discover and defeat cyber attacks. Henkel maintains regular 
contact with other major corporations, associations and 
 specialized service providers to enable the early detection of 
threats and implementation of effective countermeasures.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportFundamental principles  of the GroupEconomic reportHenkel AG & Co. KGaA  (condensed version  according to the German  Commercial Code [HGB])Risks and opportunities reportForecastConsolidated financial statementsFurther information128

Our critical business processes operate through redundantly 
configured systems designed for high availability. Our data 
backup procedures reflect best engineering practice. We regu-
larly review our restore and disaster recovery processes.

Access to buildings and areas containing IT systems, as well as 
user authorizations for our information systems, are limited 
to the minimum level necessary. For critical business processes, 
the required segregation of duties is enforced by technological 
means.

Our IT services are protected against unauthorized external 
access and are consistently kept up to date. We develop our 
systems using proven project management and program mod-
ification procedures. 

We instruct and train our employees in the proper and secure 
use and operation of information systems as part of their 
 regular duties. We require our IT service providers to maintain 
a comparable level of IT and cyber security.

The implementation of our security measures is continually 
reviewed by our Internal Audit function, other internal depart-
ments, and independent third parties.

Impact: Low probability rating, possible major impact on our 
earnings guidance. 

Personnel risks
Description of risk: The motivation and the qualification of 
our employees are key drivers of Henkel’s business success. 
Therefore, it is strategically important to attract highly quali-
fied professionals and executives and ensure they stay with 
the company. In selecting and employing talents, we compete 
globally for qualified professionals and executives. In many of 
our markets, we see clear signs of increasingly tough competi-
tion for the most talented professionals and the impacts of 
demographic change. These developments expose us to the 
risk of losing valuable employees or of being unable to recruit 
relevant qualified professionals and executives.

Measures: We combat the risk of losing valuable employees 
through specifically devised personnel development programs 
and incentive systems. Supporting this is an established, thor-
ough annual review process from which we derive individu-
ally tailored and future-viable qualification programs as well 
as performance-related remuneration systems. Further areas 
of our HR management focus include a global health manage-
ment system and support for flexible work models to ensure 
better work-life flexibility.

We reduce the risk of not being able to recruit qualified profes-
sionals and executives by expanding our employer branding 
initiatives and through targeted cooperation with colleges 
and universities in all regions where we conduct business. Our 
attractiveness as an employer is reinforced by our focus on 
promoting talents and specialized development programs.

Further information relating to our employees can be found 
on pages 102 to 104.

Impact: Low probability rating, possible minor impact on our 
earnings guidance.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportFundamental principles  of the GroupEconomic reportHenkel AG & Co. KGaA  (condensed version  according to the German  Commercial Code [HGB])Risks and opportunities reportForecastConsolidated financial statementsFurther information129

Risks in connection with the company’s reputation  
and its brands
Description of risk: As a globally active corporation, Henkel 
is exposed to potential damage to the reputation of its corpo-
rate brand – Henkel – or of our product brands, particularly in 
the consumer goods sector, in the event of negative reports 
in the media, including social media. These could lead to 
a negative impact on sales.

Measures: We minimize these risks through the measures 
described under legal and regulatory risks (see pages 126 and 
127). These are designed to ensure that our production facilities 
and products are safe. We also pursue a policy of pro-active 
public relations management that serves to reinforce the repu-
tation of our corporate brand and individual product brands. 
These measures are supported by a global communication net-
work, and international and local crisis management systems 
with regular training sessions.

Impact: Low probability rating, possible major impact on our 
sales and earnings guidance.

Environmental and safety risks
Description of risk: Henkel is a global manufacturing corpo-
ration and is therefore exposed to risks pertaining to the envi-
ronment, safety, health, and social standards, manifesting in 
the form of personal injury, physical damage to goods, and 
reputational damage. Soil contamination and the associated 
remediation expense, as well as leakage or other technical 
failures, could give rise to direct costs for the corporation. 
Furthermore, indirect costs such as fines, claims for compen-
sation or reputational damage may also be incurred.

Measures: We minimize these risks through the measures 
described under legal and regulatory risks (see pages 126 and 
127), and through our auditing, advisory and training activi-
ties. We continually update these preventive measures in 
order to properly safeguard our facilities, assets and reputa-
tion. We ensure compliance with high technical standards, 
rules of conduct, and relevant statutory requirements as a 
further means of preserving our assets, and make sure that 
our corporate values – one of which is sustainability – are put 
into practice.

Impact: Low probability rating, possible major impact on our 
earnings guidance.

Business strategy risks
Description of risk: Business strategy risks can arise from our 
expectations for internal projects, acquisitions and strategic 
alliances failing to materialize. The associated capital expendi-
tures may not generate the originally anticipated value added 
due to internal or external influences. Individual projects 
could also be delayed or even halted by unforeseen events. 

Measures: We combat these risks through comprehensive 
project management. We limit exposure through financial via-
bility assessments in the review, decision, and implementation 
phases. These assessments are performed by specialist depart-
ments, assisted by external consultants where appropriate. 
Project transparency and control are supported by our man-
agement systems. 

Impact: Moderate probability rating, possible moderate 
impact on our earnings guidance.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportFundamental principles  of the GroupEconomic reportHenkel AG & Co. KGaA  (condensed version  according to the German  Commercial Code [HGB])Risks and opportunities reportForecastConsolidated financial statementsFurther information130

Major opportunity categories

Entrepreneurial opportunities are identified and evaluated 
at Group level and in the individual business units, and duly 
incorporated into the strategy and planning processes. We 
understand the opportunities presented in the following as 
potential future developments or events that could lead to a 
positive deviation from our guidance. We also assess the 
probabilities of price-related procurement market and financial 
opportunities.

Procurement market opportunities
Description of opportunities: Countervailing the procure-
ment market risks listed on page 124, opportunities may also 
arise in which the influencing factors described in this section 
develop in a direction that is advantageous to Henkel. 

Impact: Low probability rating, possible major impact on our 
earnings guidance.

Macroeconomic and sector-specific opportunities
Description of opportunities: Additional business opportu-
nities would arise if the uncertain geopolitical and macroeco-
nomic situation in some regions, or the economic conditions 
in individual sectors, develop substantially better than 
expected. 

Impact: The opportunities described could have a major 
impact on our sales and earnings guidance.

Financial opportunities
Description of opportunities: Countervailing the currency 
and interest rate risks indicated under financial risks, and the 
risks arising from pension obligations as described on pages 
125 and 126, opportunities may also arise in which the influ-
encing factors described in this section develop in a direction 
that is advantageous to Henkel. 

Impact: We classify financial opportunities as follows:
•   Currency opportunities with a moderate probability of a 

major impact on our earnings guidance.

•   Interest rate opportunities with a moderate probability of a 

minor impact on our earnings guidance.

•   Opportunities arising from our pension obligations with a low 
probability of a minor impact on our earnings guidance, and 
with a moderate probability of a major impact on our equity. 

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportFundamental principles  of the GroupEconomic reportHenkel AG & Co. KGaA  (condensed version  according to the German  Commercial Code [HGB])Risks and opportunities reportForecastConsolidated financial statementsFurther information131

Acquisition opportunities
Description of opportunities: Acquisitions are a key compo-
nent of our strategy. 

Impact: Large acquisitions could have a major impact on our 
earnings guidance. 

Research and development opportunities
Description of opportunities: Opportunities arising from our 
extensively continuous innovation process are a key component 
of our strategy and are already accounted for in our guidance. 
There are additional opportunities in the event of product 
introductions that exceed our expectations of market accep-
tance, and in the development of exceptional innovations 
that have not yet been taken into account.

Impact: Innovations arising from future research and devel-
opment could have a major impact on our sales and earnings 
guidance.

Risks and opportunities in summary

At the time this report was prepared, there were no identifiable 
risks related to future developments that could endanger the 
existence either of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, or a material sub-
sidiary included in the consolidation, or the Group, as a going 
concern. As we have no special-purpose vehicles, there is no 
risk that might originate from such a source.

Compared to the previous year, our expectation of the likeli-
hood and / or of the possible financial impact of individual risk 
and opportunity categories has changed slightly. Overall, 
however, the risk and opportunities situation has not altered 
to any significant degree. 

The system of risk categorization adopted by Henkel continues 
to indicate that the most significant exposure currently relates 
to the impact of macroeconomic and sector uncertainty 
together with financial risks, to which we are responding with 
the countermeasures described above. The Management Board 
remains confident that the earning power of the Group forms 
a solid foundation for future business development and pro-
vides the necessary resources to leverage our opportunities.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportFundamental principles  of the GroupEconomic reportHenkel AG & Co. KGaA  (condensed version  according to the German  Commercial Code [HGB])Risks and opportunities reportForecastConsolidated financial statementsFurther information132

The Company

Shares and bonds

Corporate governance

Combined management report

Fundamental principles  
of the Group

Economic report

Henkel AG & Co. KGaA  
(condensed version  
according to the German  
Commercial Code [HGB])

Risks and opportunities report

Forecast

Consolidated financial statements

Further information

Forecast

Macroeconomic development

The assessment of future world economic development is 
based on information provided by IHS Markit.

Overview: 
Weaker gross domestic product growth of  
approximately 2.5 percent
The forecast for 2020 is that world economic growth will 
remain subdued. IHS expects gross domestic product to rise 
moderately by approximately 2.5 percent, which is approxi-
mately on a par with the prior year.

The mature markets should grow by approximately 1.5 percent. 
The North American economy is expected to grow by approxi-
mately 2 percent, while the economies in Western Europe and 
Japan are forecasted to expand by around 1 percent in each case. 

The emerging markets are forecasted to achieve moderate eco-
nomic growth of approximately 4 percent in 2020, but devel-
opments are expected to vary between individual regions and 
countries. Asia (excluding Japan) is expected to increase its 
economic output by approximately 5 percent. An increase of 
around 2 percent is forecasted for both the Eastern Europe and 
Africa / Middle East regions, while the Latin America region is 
expected to grow by approximately 1 percent.

Inflation: 
Global inflation rate at prior-year level
Global inflation in 2020 is expected to be approximately 
2.5 percent, thus remaining more or less at the level of the 
previous year. IHS expects the mature markets to continue 
exhibiting a high degree of price stability, with inflation at 
approximately 1.5 percent. Inflation of approximately 4 percent 
on average is forecasted for the emerging markets.

Direct materials: 
Increase in price levels
We expect price increases for raw materials, packaging and 
purchased goods and services to be in the low single-digit 
 percentage range compared to the previous year.

Currencies: 
Higher currency volatility
We anticipate higher volatility in the currency markets. Some 
major currencies in the emerging markets could weaken on 
average in 2020 compared to 2019. We expect the US dollar to 
weaken slightly versus the euro.

Development by sector

Consumption and retail: 
Growth of approximately 3 percent
IHS expects global private consumption to increase by 
 approximately 3 percent in 2020. For the mature markets, 
IHS anticipates growth of approximately 2 percent. Private 
 spending in the emerging markets is forecasted to rise by 
approximately 4.5 percent.

Henkel Annual Report 2019133

The Company

Shares and bonds

Corporate governance

Combined management report

Fundamental principles  
of the Group

Economic report

Henkel AG & Co. KGaA  
(condensed version  
according to the German  
Commercial Code [HGB])

Risks and opportunities report

Forecast

Consolidated financial statements

Further information

Industrial production index: 
Growth of around 1 percent
IHS expects the industrial production index (IPX) to grow at 
around 1 percent worldwide. Industrial production is expected 
to remain at the prior-year level in the mature markets and to 
expand by approximately 3 percent in the emerging markets.

Technologies, between 12.5 and 13.5 percent for Beauty Care, 
and between 15 and 16 percent for Laundry & Home Care. 

Compared to prior year, we expect a decrease in adjusted earn-
ings per preferred share (EPS) at constant exchange rates in the 
mid- to high single-digit percentage range. 

Furthermore, we have the following expectations for 2020:
•  Restructuring expenses of 250 to 300 million euros.
•  Cash outflows from investments in property, plant and 
equipment and intangible assets of between 700 and 
800 million euros.

Dividend
In accordance with our dividend policy and depending on the 
company’s asset and profit positions as well as its financial 
requirements, we expect a dividend payout by Henkel AG & 
Co. KGaA in fiscal 2020 in the range of 30 to 40 percent of net 
income after non-controlling interests, and adjusted for 
exceptional items. 

Capital expenditures
In fiscal 2020, we plan cash outflows for investments in prop-
erty, plant and equipment and intangible assets in a range 
between 700 and 800 million euros. We plan to invest consid-
erable amounts in strengthening our innovation capabilities 
and in expanding and streamlining our production and logis-
tics. We also intend to drive the digitalization of Henkel 
through targeted IT investments.

Outlook for the Henkel Group in 2020

We expect the Henkel Group to generate organic sales growth 
of 0 to 2 percent in fiscal 2020. In our Adhesive Technologies 
business unit, we assume growth will be impacted by the 
uncertainty surrounding industrial demand and therefore 
expect organic sales development in a range between – 2 and 
1 percent. We expect organic sales growth in the range of 1 to 
3 percent for the Beauty Care business unit and in the range 
of 2 to 4 percent for the Laundry & Home Care business unit.

We expect the contribution to nominal sales growth of the 
Henkel Group from our acquisitions of 2019 to be in the low 
single-digit percentage range. The translation of sales in 
 foreign currencies is expected to have a negative effect in 
the low to mid-single-digit percentage range.

Henkel expects an adverse effect on its earnings performance 
in 2020, given the uncertainty prevailing in the industrial 
environment and the higher investments year on year in 
 marketing and advertising, as well as digitalization and IT, to 
 sustainably strengthen its businesses. At the same time, we 
will continue our strict cost discipline and persist with imple-
menting a host of measures aimed at improving our cost 
 structures. We expect the Henkel Group to generate adjusted 
return on sales (EBIT) of around 15 percent. Our expectations 
with regard to adjusted return on sales (EBIT) in our individual 
business units are between 17 and 18 percent for Adhesive 

Henkel Annual Report 2019 
H e n k e l   A n n u a l   R e p o r t   2 0 1 9

134134

Consolidated  
financial statements

136 

 Consolidated statement of financial 
 position

138 

 Consolidated statement of income

139 

140 

 Consolidated statement of comprehensive 
income

 Consolidated statement of changes  
in equity

141 

Consolidated statement of cash flows

143 

 Notes to the consolidated financial 
 statements – Group segment report by 
business unit

145  

 Notes to the consolidated financial 
 statements – Key financials by region

146  

 Notes to the consolidated financial 
 statements – Accounting principles and 
methods applied in preparation of the 
 consolidated financial statements

162 

163 
168 
172 
173 
173 
174 
175 
175 
175 
176 
178 
178 
178 
178 
178 
179 
190 
192 
193 
194 
194 
194 
195 

 Notes to the consolidated financial 
 statements – Notes to the consolidated 
 statement of financial position
Goodwill and other intangible assets
Property, plant and equipment
Other financial assets
Other assets
Deferred taxes
Inventories
 Trade accounts receivable
 Cash and cash equivalents
 Assets and liabilities held for sale
Issued capital
Capital reserve
Treasury shares
Retained earnings
Other components of equity
Non-controlling interests
 Provisions for pensions and similar obligations
 Other provisions
Borrowings
Other financial liabilities
Other liabilities
 Trade accounts payable
Income tax liabilities 
 Financial instruments report

H e n k e l   A n n u a l   R e p o r t   2 0 1 9

135135

240 
241 
241 
242 

242 
242 

Voting rights / Related party disclosures
Exercise of exemption options
Remuneration of the corporate bodies
 Declaration of compliance with the  
Corporate Governance Code (GCGC)
Subsidiaries and other investments
 Auditor’s fees and services

243  

 Notes to the consolidated financial 
 statements – Subsequent events

244 

 Recommendation for the approval  
of the annual financial statements  
and the appropriation of the profit  
of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA

245 

Corporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA

221 

 Notes to the consolidated financial 
statements – Notes to the consolidated 
 statement of income
 Sales and principles of income recognition
Cost of sales

221 
222 
222  Marketing, selling and distribution expenses
Research and development expenses
222 
Administrative expenses
223 
Other operating income
223 
Other operating expenses
223 
Financial result
223 
Taxes on income
224 
Non-controlling interests
227 

228  

228 
229 
229 
231 
235 
236 
239 
239 

 Notes to the consolidated financial 
 statements –  Other disclosures
Reconciliation of adjusted net income
Payroll cost and employee structure
Share-based payment plans
 Group segment report
 Earnings per share
Consolidated statement of cash flows
Contingent liabilities
 Lease commitments as per IAS 17 and other 
unrecognized financial commitments

136136

The Company

Shares and bonds

Corporate governance

Combined management report

Consolidated financial statements

Consolidated statement of 
financial position

Consolidated statement of income

Consolidated statement of 
comprehensive income

Consolidated statement of 
changes in equity

Consolidated statement of 
cash flows

Notes to the consolidated 
financial statements

Subsequent events

Recommendation for the approval 
of the annual financial statements 
and the appropriation of the profit 
of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA

Corporate bodies of Henkel AG & 
Co. KGaA

Further information

Consolidated statement of  
financial position

Assets 

in million euros

Goodwill

Other intangible assets

Property, plant and equipment

Other financial assets

Income tax refund claims

Other assets

Deferred tax assets

Non-current assets

Inventories

Trade accounts receivable

Other financial assets 

Income tax refund claims

Other assets

Cash and cash equivalents

Assets held for sale

Current assets 

Total assets 

1  Prior-year figures amended (please refer to the notes on pages 154 to 157).

Note

Dec. 31, 2018 1

%

Dec. 31, 2019

1

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

3

4

8

9

12,306

4,230

3,125

65

10

184

959

20,879

2,177

3,610

1,030

321

406

1,063

76

8,683

41.6

14.3

10.6

0.2

–

0.6

3.2

70.5

7.4

12.2

3.5

1.1

1.4

3.6

0.3

29.5

12,922

4,324

3,775

125

23

231

863

22,263

2,193

3,413

1,335

225

473

1,462

39

9,140

84

%

41.1

13.8

12.0

0.4

0.1

0.7

2.7

70.8

7.0

10.9

4.3

0.7

1.5

4.7

0.1

29.2

29,562

100.0

31,403

100.0

Henkel Annual Report 2019137137

The Company

Shares and bonds

Corporate governance

Combined management report

Consolidated financial statements

Consolidated statement of 
financial position

Consolidated statement of income

Consolidated statement of 
comprehensive income

Consolidated statement of 
changes in equity

Consolidated statement of 
cash flows

Notes to the consolidated 
financial statements

Subsequent events

Recommendation for the approval 
of the annual financial statements 
and the appropriation of the profit 
of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA

Corporate bodies of Henkel AG & 
Co. KGaA

Further information

Consolidated statement of  
financial position

Equity and liabilities 

in million euros

Issued capital

Capital reserve

Treasury shares

Retained earnings 

Other components of equity

Equity attributable to shareholders of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA

Non-controlling interests

Equity

Provisions for pensions and similar obligations

Other provisions

Borrowings

Other financial liabilities 

Other liabilities 

Deferred tax liabilities 

Non-current liabilities

Other provisions

Borrowings

Trade accounts payable

Other financial liabilities 

Other liabilities 

Income tax liabilities

Current liabilities

Note

Dec. 31, 2018 1

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

5

17

18

21

19

20

438

652

– 91

17,288

– 1,372

16,915

84

16,999

794

285

1,556

69

18

807

3,529

1,769

2,619

3,713

145

318

470

9,034

%

1.5

2.2

– 0.3

58.4

– 4.6 

57.2

0.3

57.5

2.7

1.0

5.3

0.2

0.1

2.7

12.0

6.0

8.9

12.6

0.4

1.0

1.6

30.5

Dec. 31, 2019

438

652

– 91

18,659

– 1,135

18,523

88

18,611

635

307

1,932

568

14

815

4,271

1,634

2,026

3,819

292

333

417

8,521

85

%

1.4

2.1

– 0.3

59.4

– 3.6 

59.0

0.3

59.3

2.0

1.0

6.2

1.8

–

2.6

13.6

5.2

6.5

12.2

0.9

1.0

1.3

27.1

Total equity and liabilities

29,562

100.0

31,403

100.0

1  Prior-year figures amended (please refer to the notes on pages 154 to 157).

Henkel Annual Report 2019Consolidated statement of income

138138

The Company

Shares and bonds

Corporate governance

Combined management report

Consolidated financial statements

in million euros

Sales

Cost of sales 

Gross profit

Consolidated statement of 
financial position

Marketing, selling and distribution expenses 

Research and development expenses 

Consolidated statement of income

Consolidated statement of 
comprehensive income

Consolidated statement of 
changes in equity

Consolidated statement of 
cash flows

Notes to the consolidated 
financial statements

Subsequent events

Recommendation for the approval 
of the annual financial statements 
and the appropriation of the profit 
of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA

Corporate bodies of Henkel AG & 
Co. KGaA

Further information

Administrative expenses 

Other operating income

Other operating expenses

Operating profit (EBIT)

Interest income

Interest expense

Other financial result

Investment result

Financial result

Income before tax

Taxes on income 

Tax rate 

Net income 

in %

Attributable to non-controlling interests

Attributable to shareholders of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA

Earnings per ordinary share – basic and diluted 

Earnings per preferred share – basic and diluted 

in euros

in euros

1  Prior-year figures amended (please refer to the notes on pages 154 to 157).

Note

2018 1

%

2019

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

32

19,899

– 10,743

9,156

– 4,638

– 484

– 991

154

– 81

3,116

10

– 71

– 5

1

– 65

3,051

– 721

23.6 

2,330

16

2,314

5.32

5.34

100.0

20,114

– 54.0 – 10,883

46.0

9,231

– 23.3

– 4,942

– 2.4

– 5.0

0.8

– 0.4

15.7

0.1

– 0.5

– 

–

– 0.4

15.3

– 3.6

11.7

0.1

11.6

– 499

– 969

162

– 84

2,899

13

– 88

– 13

–

– 88

2,811

– 708

25.2

2,103

18

2,085

4.79

4.81

%

100.0

– 54.1

45.9

– 24.6

– 2.5

– 4.8

0.8

– 0.4

14.4

0.1

– 0.4

– 0.1 

–

– 0.4

14.0

– 3.5

10.5

0.1

10.4

86

+/–

1.1 %

1.3 %

0.8 %

6.6 %

3.1 %

– 2.2 %

5.2 %

3.7 %

– 7.0 %

30.0 %

23.9 %

160.0 %

–

35.4 %

– 7.9 %

– 1.8 %

– 9.7 %

12.5 %

– 9.9 %

– 10.0 %

– 9.9 %

Henkel Annual Report 2019 
139139

Consolidated statement  
of comprehensive income

See Notes 16 and 23 for further explanatory information

in million euros

Net income

Results subject to possible future reclassification:

Exchange differences on translation of foreign operations

Gains / losses from derivative financial instruments (Hedge reserve)

Gains / losses from debt instruments

Results not subject to future reclassification:

Gains / losses from equity instruments 

Remeasurement of net liability from defined benefit pension plans (net of taxes)

Other comprehensive income (net of taxes)

Total comprehensive income for the period

Attributable to non-controlling interests

Attributable to shareholders of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA 

1  Prior-year figures amended (please refer to the notes on pages 154 to 157).

2018 1

2,330

142

– 1

– 1

1

– 134

7

2,337

16

2,321

87

2019

2,103

245

– 5

1

– 7

203

437

2,540

15

2,525

The Company

Shares and bonds

Corporate governance

Combined management report

Consolidated financial statements

Consolidated statement of 
financial position

Consolidated statement of income

Consolidated statement of 
comprehensive income

Consolidated statement of 
changes in equity

Consolidated statement of 
cash flows

Notes to the consolidated 
financial statements

Subsequent events

Recommendation for the approval 
of the annual financial statements 
and the appropriation of the profit 
of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA

Corporate bodies of Henkel AG & 
Co. KGaA

Further information

Henkel Annual Report 2019 
The Company

Shares and bonds

Corporate governance

Combined management report

Consolidated financial statements

Consolidated statement of 
financial position

Consolidated statement of income

Consolidated statement of 
comprehensive income

Consolidated statement of 
changes in equity

Consolidated statement of 
cash flows

Notes to the consolidated 
financial statements

Subsequent events

Recommendation for the approval 
of the annual financial statements 
and the appropriation of the profit 
of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA

Corporate bodies of Henkel AG & 
Co. KGaA

Further information

Consolidated statement of changes in equity

See Notes 10 to 15 for further explanatory information

in million euros

At January 1, 2018 1

Net income 1

Other comprehensive income 1

Total comprehensive income 
for the period 1

Dividends

Share-based payments

Other changes in equity

Equity transactions with shareholders

At Dec. 31, 2018 / Jan. 1, 2019 1

Effect of first-time application of IFRS 16

At January 1, 2019 (amended)

Net income

Other comprehensive income

Total comprehensive income 
for the period

Dividends

Share-based payments

Changes in ownership interest 
with no change in control

Capital increase of a subsidiary 
with non-controlling interests

Acquisition of a subsidiary 
with non-controlling interests

Other changes in equity

Equity transactions with shareholders

At December 31, 2019

Issued capital

Other components of equity

Ordinary 
shares

Preferred 
shares

Capital 
reserve

Treasury 
shares

Retained 
earnings

Currency 
translation

Hedge 
reserve

Reserve for 
equity and 
debt instru-
ments

Share-
holders of 
Henkel AG 
& Co. KGaA

Non- 
controlling 
interests

260

178

652

– 91

15,928

– 1,318

– 198

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

260

–

260

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

178

–

178

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

652

–

652

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

– 91

–

– 91

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

2,314

– 134

2,180

– 772

– 45

– 3

– 820

17,288

– 34

– 

142

142

–

–

– 

–

– 1,176

–

17,254

– 1,176

2,085

203

2,288

– 798

11

8

–

–

– 104

– 883

– 

248

248

–

–

–

–

–

– 

–

–

– 1

– 1

–

–

– 

–

– 199

–

– 199

–

– 5

– 5

–

–

–

–

–

– 

–

3

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

3

–

3

–

– 6

– 6

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

15,414

2,314

7

2,321

– 772

– 45 

– 3

– 820

16,915

– 34

16,881

2,085

440

2,525

– 798

11 

8 

–

–

– 104

– 883

260

178

652

– 91

18,659

– 928

– 204

– 3

18,523

84

16

–

16

– 16

– 

–

– 16

84

–

84

18

– 3

15

– 19

– 

– 8 

8

12

– 4

– 11

88

1  Prior-year figures amended (please refer to the notes on pages 154 to 157).

140140

88

Total

15,498

2,330

7

2,337

– 788

–  45

– 3

– 836

16,999

– 34

16,965

2,103

437

2,540

– 817

11 

– 

8

12

– 108

– 894

18,611

Henkel Annual Report 2019 
141141

The Company

Shares and bonds

Corporate governance

Consolidated statement of cash flows

See Note 39 for further explanatory information

Combined management report

in million euros

Consolidated financial statements

Consolidated statement of 
financial position

Operating profit (EBIT)

Income taxes paid

Amortization / depreciation / impairment / write-ups of intangible assets, property, 
plant and equipment, and assets held for sale 1

Net gains / losses on disposal of intangible assets and property, plant and equipment, and from divestments

Consolidated statement of income

Change in inventories

Consolidated statement of 
comprehensive income

Consolidated statement of 
changes in equity

Consolidated statement of 
cash flows

Notes to the consolidated 
financial statements

Subsequent events

Recommendation for the approval 
of the annual financial statements 
and the appropriation of the profit 
of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA

Corporate bodies of Henkel AG & 
Co. KGaA

Change in trade accounts receivable

Change in other assets

Change in trade accounts payable

Change in other liabilities, provisions and equity

Cash flow from operating activities

Purchase of intangible assets and property, plant and equipment including payments on account

Acquisition of subsidiaries and other business units

Acquisition of associated companies and other investments

Proceeds on disposal of subsidiaries, other business units and investments

Proceeds on disposal of intangible assets and property, plant and equipment

Changes in financial receivables from third parties

Cash flow from investing activities

Dividends paid to shareholders of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA

Dividends paid to non-controlling shareholders

Interest received

Interest paid 2

Dividends and interest paid and received

Issuance of bonds

Repayment of bonds

Further information

Repayment of non-current bank liabilities

Other changes in borrowings

Redemption of lease liabilities 2

TABLE CONT’D

2018

3,116

– 586

578

– 31

– 156

– 89

14

32

– 180

2,698

– 837

– 429

– 14

4

68

–

– 1,208

– 772

– 16

24

– 78

– 842

–

– 500

– 947

1,158

–

89

2019

2,899

– 607

757

– 11

–

241

43

63

– 144

3,241

– 677

– 564

– 18

8

78

– 18

– 1,191

– 798

– 19

28

– 98

– 887

847

– 666

–

– 519

– 125

Henkel Annual Report 2019 
The Company

Shares and bonds

Corporate governance

in million euros

Allocations to pension funds

Other changes in pension obligations 3

Payments for the acquisition of treasury shares

Combined management report

Payments for the acquisition of non-controlling interests in a controlled entity

Other financing transactions 4

Cash flow from financing activities

Net change in cash and cash equivalents

Effect of exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents

Change in cash and cash equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents at January 1

Cash and cash equivalents at December 31

Consolidated financial statements

Consolidated statement of 
financial position

Consolidated statement of income

Consolidated statement of 
comprehensive income

Consolidated statement of 
changes in equity

Consolidated statement of 
cash flows

Notes to the consolidated 
financial statements

1   Of which: Impairment in fiscal 2019: 43 million euros (fiscal 2018: 24 million euros). Due to first-time application of IFRS 16 Leases, the figure for depreciation, 

impairment and write-ups of property, plant and equipment includes amounts pertaining to right-of-use assets as of fiscal 2019.

2  Due to first-time application of IFRS 16 Leases, interest paid on right-of-use assets and the redemption of lease liabilities have been disclosed as of fiscal 2019.
3  Other changes in pension obligations include payment receipts of 104 million euros in fiscal 2019 constituting the refund of pension payments to retirees for 

which a right of reimbursement exists with respect to Henkel Trust e.V. Reimbursement totaled 100 million euros in 2018.

4  Other financing transactions in fiscal 2019 include payments of – 269 million euros for the purchase of short-term securities and time deposits relating to swap 

contracts for financing purposes as well as for the  provision of financial collateral (fiscal 2018: – 30 million euros).

142142

2018

– 175

42

– 33

– 7

– 26

– 1,330

160

– 16

144

919

1,063

89

2019

– 50

24

–

– 21

– 268

– 1,665

385

14

399

1,063

1,462

Subsequent events

Additional voluntary information: Reconciliation to free cash flow 

Recommendation for the approval 
of the annual financial statements 
and the appropriation of the profit 
of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA

Corporate bodies of Henkel AG & 
Co. KGaA

Further information

in million euros

Cash flow from operating activities

Purchase of intangible assets and property, plant and equipment including payments on account

Redemption of lease obligations

Proceeds on disposal of intangible assets and property, plant and equipment

Net interest paid

Other changes in pension obligations

Free cash flow

2018

2,698

– 837

–

68

– 54

42

1,917

90

2019

3,241

– 677

– 125

78

– 70

24

2,471

Henkel Annual Report 2019 
Group segment report by business unit 1

Industrial 
Business

Total 
Adhesive 
Technologies

Beauty 
Care

Laundry & 
Home Care

7,577

38 %

7,622

– 0.6 %

– 2.2 %

– 2.1 %

1,314

1,408

– 6.7 %

17.3 %

18.5 %

1,396

1,479

– 5.6 %

18.4 %

19.4 %

8,219

7,765

5.8 %

16.0 %

18.1 %

9,461

47 %

9,403

0.6 %

– 0.9 %

– 1.5 %

1,631

1,669

– 2.3 %

17.2 %

17.7 %

1,712

1,761

– 2.8 %

18.1 %

18.7 %

9,464

8,637

9.6 %

17.2 %

19.3 %

3,877

19 %

3,950

– 1.8 %

– 1.8 %

– 2.1 %

418

589

– 29.0 %

10.8 %

14.9 %

519

675

– 23.1 %

13.4 %

17.1 %

4,131

3,983

3.7 %

10.1 %

14.8 %

Operating 
business 
units total

19,994

99 %

19,771

1.1 %

0.5 %

0.0 %

3,022

3,228

– 6.4 %

15.1 %

16.3 %

3,328

3,598

– 7.5 %

16.6 %

18.2 %

6,656

33 %

6,419

3.7 %

4.0 %

3.7 %

973

970

0.3 %

14.6 %

15.1 %

1,096

1,162

– 5.7 %

16.5 %

18.1 %

7,722

7,381

21,316

20,001

4.6 %

12.6 %

13.1 %

6.6 %

14.2 %

16.1 %

Adhesives for 
Consumers, 
Craftsmen 
and Building

1,884

9 %

1,781

5.8 %

4.5 %

0.7 %

317

261

21.6 %

16.8 %

14.7 %

317

282

12.2 %

16.8 %

15.9 %

1,244

872

42.7 %

25.5 %

29.9 %

in million euros

Sales 2019

Proportion of Henkel Group sales

Sales 2018

Change from previous year

Adjusted for foreign exchange

Organic

EBIT 2019

EBIT 2018

Change from previous year

Return on sales (EBIT) 2019

Return on sales (EBIT) 2018

Adjusted EBIT 2019

Adjusted EBIT 2018

Change from previous year

Adjusted return on sales (EBIT) 2019

Adjusted return on sales (EBIT) 2018

Capital employed 2019 2, 3

Capital employed 2018 2

Change from previous year

Return on capital employed (ROCE) 2019 3

Return on capital employed (ROCE) 2018

TABLE CONT’D

143143

91

Corporate

Henkel Group

121

1 %

128

– 5.8 %

–

–

– 123

– 112

–

–

–

– 108

– 102

–

–

–

144

77

–

–

–

20,114

100 %

19,899

1.1 %

0.5 %

0.0 %

2,899

3,116

– 7.0 %

14.4 %

15.7 %

3,220

3,496

– 7.9 %

16.0 %

17.6 %

21,460

20,078

6.9 %

13.5 %

15.5 %

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information 
144144

91

in million euros

Amortization / depreciation / impairment / 
write-ups of intangible assets and property, 
plant and equipment 2019 3

Of which impairment 2019

Of which write-ups 2019

Amortization / depreciation / impairment / write-ups 
of intangible assets and property, plant and equip-
ment 2018

Of which impairment 2018

Of which write-ups 2018

Additions to non-current assets 2019 3, 5

Additions to non-current assets 2018 5

Operating assets 2019 3, 4

Operating liabilities 2019

Net operating assets 2019 3, 4

Operating assets 2018 4

Operating liabilities 2018

Net operating assets 2018 4

Adhesives for 
Consumers, 
Craftsmen 
and Building

Industrial 
Business

Total 
Adhesive 
Technologies

Beauty 
Care

Laundry & 
Home Care

Operating 
business 
units total

Corporate

Henkel Group

58

–

–

39

–

–

151

89

1,853

693

1,161

1,483

694

789

300

23

3

241

15

–

234

547

10,132

2,393

7,739

9,849

2,579

7,270

358

23

3

280

15

–

385

636

11,985

3,086

8,899

11,332

3,273

8,058

106

6

–

76

–

–

712

293

5,679

1,738

3,941

5,324

1,689

3,635

268

14

–

208

9

–

287

341

10,820

2,913

7,907

10,508

2,863

7,645

732

43

3

564

24

–

1,384

1,270

28,484

7,737

20,747

27,164

7,826

19,338

25

–

–

14

–

–

17

11

586

442

144

533

456

77

757

43

3

578

24

–

1,401

1,281

29,070

8,179

20,891

27,697

8,282

19,416

1   Calculated on the basis of units of 1,000 euros.
2  Including goodwill at cost prior to any accumulated impairment in accordance with IFRS 3.79 (b).
3  Due to first-time application of IFRS 16, we have recognized depreciation charges for right-of-use assets in the amount of 133 million euros, additions of right-of-use assets of 139 million euros,  

and acquisition-related additions of 15 million euros in fiscal 2019.

4  Including goodwill at net carrying amounts.
5 Excluding non-current financial instruments, deferred taxes and assets from defined benefit plans.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information  
145145

92

Henkel 
Group

Key financials by region 1

in million euros

Sales 2 2019

Sales 2 2018

Change from previous year

Organic

Proportion of Group sales 2019

Proportion of Group sales 2018

Operating profit (EBIT) 2019

Operating profit (EBIT) 2018

Change from previous year

Adjusted for foreign exchange

Return on sales (EBIT) 2019

Return on sales (EBIT) 2018

Western 
Europe

Eastern 
Europe

Africa / 
Middle East

North 
America

Latin 
America

Asia- 
Pacific

Total 
Regions

Corporate

6,017

6,107

2,999

2,843

1,302

1,286

5,276

5,040

1,295

1,181

3,105

3,314

19,994

19,771

121

128

20,114

19,899

– 1.5 %

– 1.2 %

30 %

31 %

1,725

1,810

– 4.7 %

– 4.8 %

28.7 %

29.6 %

5.5 %

6.5 %

15 %

14 %

278

280

– 0.6 %

– 0.1 %

9.3 %

9.8 %

1.2 %

13.3 %

7 %

6 %

106

35

200.3 %

260.7 %

8.1 %

2.7 %

4.7 %

– 2.3 %

26 %

25 %

337

406

– 16.8 %

– 25.1 %

6.4 %

8.0 %

9.6 %

4.9 %

6 %

6 %

145

136

6.6 %

9.9 %

11.2 %

11.5 %

– 6.3 %

– 6.5 %

15 %

17 %

431

561

– 23.1 %

– 25.6 %

13.9 %

16.9 %

1.1 %

0.0 %

99 %

99 %

–

–

1 %

1 %

3,022

3,228

– 123

– 112

– 6.4 %

– 7.0 %

15.1 %

16.3 %

–

–

–

–

1.1 %

0.0 %

100 %

100 %

2,899

3,116

– 7.0 %

– 7.8 %

14.4 %

15.7 %

1  Calculated on the basis of units of 1,000 euros.
2 By location of company.

In 2019, the subsidiaries domiciled in Germany, including 
Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, generated sales of 2,382 million euros 
(previous year: 2,435 million euros). Sales realized by the 
 subsidiaries domiciled in the USA amounted to 4,899 million 
euros in 2019 (previous year: 4,696 million euros). Subsidiaries 
domiciled in China achieved sales of 1,390 million euros in 
2019 (previous year: 1,612 million euros). In fiscal 2018 and 2019, 
no individual customer accounted for more than 10 percent of 
total sales.

Of the total non-current assets disclosed for the Henkel 
Group at December 31, 2019 (excluding financial instruments 
and deferred tax assets) amounting to 21,275 million euros 
(previous year: 19,920 million euros), 2,497 million euros 
 (previous year: 2,468 million euros) was attributable to the 
subsidiaries domiciled in Germany, including Henkel AG & Co. 
KGaA. The non-current assets (excluding financial instruments 
and deferred tax assets) recognized in respect of the subsidiaries 
domiciled in the USA amounted to 11,723 million euros at 
December 31, 2019 (previous year: 10,617 million euros).

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information 
146146

Accounting principles and methods applied in 
 preparation of the consolidated financial statements
General information

The consolidated financial statements of Henkel AG & Co. 
KGaA (Düsseldorf Regional Court, HRB 4724), Düsseldorf, as 
of December 31, 2019, have been prepared in accordance with 
International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs) and Inter-
national Accounting Standards (IASs), together with the relevant 
interpretations of the International Financial Reporting Inter-
pretations Committee (IFRS IC), as adopted per Regulation num-
ber 1606 / 2002 of the European Parliament and the Council, 
on the application of international accounting standards in 
the European Union, and in compliance with Section 315a Ger-
man Commercial Code [HGB]. The consolidated financial state-
ments are published in the electronic federal gazette.

The individual financial statements of the companies included 
in the consolidation are drawn up on the same accounting 
date, December 31, 2019, as that of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA.

Members of the KPMG organization or other independent firms 
of auditors instructed accordingly have audited the financial 
statements of the material companies included in the consoli-
dation. The Management Board of Henkel Management AG – 
which is the Personally Liable Partner of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA – 
compiled the consolidated financial statements on January 30, 
2020, and approved them for forwarding to the Supervisory 
Board and for publication. 

obligations are measured using the projected unit credit method. 
The functional currency of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA and the 
reporting currency of the Group is the euro. Unless otherwise 
indicated, all amounts are shown in million euros. In order 
to improve the clarity and informative value of the consoli-
dated financial statements, certain items are combined in the 
consolidated statement of financial position, the consolidated 
statement of income and the consolidated statement of com-
prehensive income, and then shown separately in the notes.

Scope of consolidation

In addition to Henkel AG & Co. KGaA as the ultimate parent 
company, the consolidated financial statements at December 
31, 2019, include 16 German and 198 non-German companies 
in which Henkel AG & Co. KGaA has a dominating influence 
over financial and operating policies, based on the concept of 
control. The Group has a dominating influence on a company 
when it is exposed, or has rights, to variable returns from its 
involvement with the company and has the ability to affect 
those returns through its power over the company. Companies 
in which the stake held represents less than half of the voting 
rights are fully consolidated if Henkel AG & Co. KGaA controls 
them, as defined in IFRS 10 Consolidated Financial Statements, 
through contractual agreements or the right to appoint corpo-
rate bodies. 

The consolidated financial statements are based on the principle 
of historical cost with the exception that certain financial 
instruments are accounted for at their fair values, and pension 

Henkel AG & Co. KGaA prepares the consolidated financial 
statements for the largest and the smallest groups of companies 
to which Henkel AG & Co. KGaA and its subsidiaries belong.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information147147

The following table shows the changes to the scope of consoli-
dation in fiscal 2019:

Scope of consolidation 

At January 1, 2019

Additions

Mergers

Disposals

At December 31, 2019

93

222

15

– 17

– 5

215

Further details can be found in the section “Acquisitions and 
divestments” below.

Subsidiaries which are of secondary importance to the Group 
and to the presentation of a true and fair view of our net assets, 
financial position and results of operations due to their 
 inactivity or low level of activity are generally not included in 
the consolidated financial statements. The total assets of these 
companies represent less than 1 percent of the Group’s total 
assets; their total sales and income (net of taxes) are also less 
than 1 percent of the Group totals.

Acquisitions and divestments

Acquisitions
Effective May 1, 2019, Henkel completed the acquisition of all 
shares in Molecule Corp. based in Concord, USA. The final 
 purchase price was 19 million euros, settled in cash. The 
acquisition complements and strengthens the Adhesive 
 Technologies business unit’s technology portfolio in the field 
of 3D printing and industrial inkjet solutions. Goodwill was 
recognized in an amount of 17 million euros.

The Henkel Group also acquired 51 percent of the shares in 
eSalon.com LLC, Los Angeles, USA, effective August 5, 2019. 
The acquisition strengthens the Beauty Care business unit’s 
leading Hair Colorants portfolio and expands its digital business. 
The acquisition is part of our strategy to further drive digitali-
zation in our business areas. The purchase price was 90 million 
euros, settled in cash. With regard to the remaining 49 percent 
of shares, put and call options have been agreed between 
Henkel and the seller. Since the economic benefits of the 
non-controlling interests do not yet accrue to the Henkel Group, 
the present access method is used to recognize the put options 
on the non-controlling interests. The non-controlling interests 
continue to be recognized in the statement of financial position 
and the statement of comprehensive income. In recognition 
of the commitment in connection with the put options attrib-
utable to minority shareholders, a financial  liability, remeasured 
through equity, was recognized upon first-time consolidation 
in an amount equal to the discounted expected purchase price. 
As of December 31, 2019, the liability amounted to 115 million 
euros. The purchase price is based on a multiple of sales less 
the company’s debt. A maximum payment was not agreed. 
Provisional goodwill was capitalized in an amount of 77 mil-
lion euros. 

Effective December 6, 2019, the Henkel Group completed 
the acquisition of all shares in Deva Parent Holdings, Inc., 
New York City, USA. This acquisition is part of our strategy to 
strengthen Henkel’s position in attractive markets and categories. 
By acquiring this interest, we are expanding in particular 
our Beauty Care Hair Salon business in the USA, which is the 
world’s largest single hairdressing market. The purchase price 
was 457 million euros, settled in cash. Provisional goodwill 
was capitalized in an amount of 338 million euros.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information148148

None of the goodwill relating to any of the acquisitions was 
recognized for tax purposes. 

The provisional goodwill acquired through the purchase of 
eSalon.com LLC and Deva Parent Holdings, Inc. represents the 
growth potential of the acquired businesses, as well as both 
offensive and defensive synergies to be achieved through 
 integration in Henkel’s existing organization. 

Because the acquisition of Deva Parent Holdings, Inc. was only 
recently completed, and the acquisition of eSalon.com LLC 
was closed in the course of the reporting year, the allocation 
of the purchase prices to the acquired assets and liabilities in 
accordance with IFRS 3 Business Combinations is provisional. 
In particular, determination of the fair value of the goodwill, 
other intangible assets, property, plant and equipment, inven-
tories, provisions and deferred taxes acquired has not yet been 
finalized.

Acquisitions 2019 

in million euros

Goodwill

Other intangible assets

Property, plant and equipment

Other non-current assets

Non-current assets

Inventories

Trade accounts receivable

Liquid funds

Other current assets 

Current assets

Total assets

Net assets 

Non-current liabilities 

Other current provisions / liabilities

Trade accounts payable

Current liabilities

Total equity and liabilities

94

Fair value

432

144

24

–

600

15

10

6

9

40

640

578

33

20

9

29

640

The carrying amounts of the acquired assets and liabilities are 
determined by the contracts and our opening balances on each 
respective acquisition date. The recognition and measurement 
principles adopted by the Henkel Group were applied. 

If the acquisition of all shares of Molecule Corp. and the 
 acquisition of eSalon.com LLC and of Deva Parent Holdings, 
Inc. – and thus their business activities – had been completed 
by January 1, 2019, sales for the Henkel Group for the reporting 
period January 1 to December 31, 2019 would be higher by 
127 million euros and income after tax would be higher by 
2 million euros, after taking acquisition-related incidental 
costs into account. 

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information149149

The business activities actually contributed 23 million euros 
to sales and – 2 million euros to income after tax. Acquisition- 
related incidental costs amounted to 2 million euros. 

Reconciliation of the purchase price  
to provisional goodwill 

in million euros

Acquisitions 2019

Purchase price

Non-controlling interests based on shares of recognized 
assets and liabilities

Fair value of the acquired assets and liabilities  
(provisional)

Provisional goodwill

95

2019

566

12

146

432

Consolidation methods

The financial statements of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA and of the 
subsidiaries included in the consolidated financial statements 
were prepared on the basis of uniformly valid principles of 
recognition and measurement, applying the standardized 
year-end date adopted by the Group. Such entities are included 
in the consolidated financial statements as of the date on 
which the Group acquired control.

All receivables and liabilities, sales, income and expenses, as 
well as intra-group profits on transfers of non-current assets 
or inventories, are eliminated on consolidation. 

The purchase method is used for capital consolidation. With 
business combinations, therefore, all hidden reserves and 
 hidden charges in the entity acquired are revalued at the time 

of acquisition, and all identifiable intangible assets are sepa-
rately disclosed if they are clearly separable or if their recogni-
tion arises from a contractual or other legal right. Any differ-
ence arising between the acquisition cost and the (share of) 
net assets after purchase price allocation is recognized as 
goodwill. The goodwill of subsidiaries is measured in the 
functional currency of the subsidiary. 

Entities acquired are included in the consolidation for the first 
time as subsidiaries by offsetting the carrying amount of the 
respective parent company’s investment in them against their 
assets and liabilities. Contingent consideration is recognized 
at fair value as of the date of first-time consolidation. Subse-
quent changes in value do not result in an adjustment to the 
valuation at the time of acquisition. Incidental costs relating 
to the acquisition of participating interests in entities are not 
included in the purchase price. Instead, they are recognized 
through profit or loss in the period in which they occur. 

In the recognition of acquisitions of less than 100 percent 
of the shares in a company, non-controlling interests are 
 measured at the fair value of the proportion of net assets that 
they represent. As of the fourth quarter of 2019, the Henkel 
Group has been using the present access method to recognize 
put options on non-controlling interests, unless the acquisition 
of the outstanding minority interests has already been realized 
from an accounting standpoint. This method requires the 
 recognition of a financial liability, remeasured through equity, 
for the commitment associated with the relevant put options. 
The non-controlling interests continue to be recognized in 
the statement of financial position and in the statement of 
 comprehensive income. Further discussion of the changes 
in accounting methods can be found in the section entitled 
“Amendment of prior-year figures” on pages 154 to 157.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information150150

In subsequent years, the carrying amount of the Henkel AG & 
Co. KGaA investment is eliminated against the current (share 
of) equity in the subsidiary entities concerned.

Changes in the shareholdings of subsidiary companies result-
ing in a decrease or an increase in the participating interests of 
the Group without loss of control are recognized within equity 
as changes in ownership without loss of control.

As soon as the control of a subsidiary is relinquished, all the 
assets and liabilities and the non-controlling interests, and 
also the accumulated currency translation gains or losses, are 
derecognized. In the event that Henkel continues to own 
non-controlling interests in the non-consolidated entity, these 
are measured at fair value. The result of deconsolidation is 
 recognized under other operating income or expenses.

Associated companies

An associated company is a company over which the Group 
can exercise significant influence on the financial and operat-
ing policies without controlling it. Significant influence is 
generally assumed when the Group holds 20 percent or more 
of the voting rights. Where a Group company conducts trans-
actions with an associated company, the resulting profits or 
losses are eliminated in accordance with the share of the 
Group in that company. 

Shares in associated companies are always recognized using 
the equity method. For simplification purposes, associated 
companies that are less relevant for the Group and for the 
 presentation of a fair view of its net assets, financial position 
and results of operations, are recognized at cost less impairment.

The carrying amount of the companies recognized by the 
Group using the equity method as of December 31, 2019, was 
0 million euros (previous year: 3 million euros). 

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information151151

Currency translation

The annual financial statements, including the hidden reserves 
and hidden charges of Group companies recognized by the 
purchase method, goodwill arising on consolidation, and the 
statement of cash flows, are translated into euros using the 
functional currency method outlined in IAS 21 The Effects of 
Changes in Foreign Exchange Rates. The functional currency is 
the currency in which a foreign company predominantly gen-
erates funds and makes payments. As the functional currency 
for all the companies included in the consolidation is gener-
ally the local currency of the company concerned, assets and 
liabilities are translated at closing rates, while income and 
expenses are translated at the average rates for the year as an 

approximation of the actual rates at the date of the transaction. 
Equity items are recognized at historical exchange rates. The 
differences arising from using average rather than closing rates 
are taken to equity and shown as other components of equity, or 
as non-controlling interests, and remain neutral in respect of 
net income until the shares are divested.

In the subsidiaries’ annual financial statements, transactions 
in foreign currencies are converted at the rates prevailing at 
the time of the transaction. Financial assets and liabilities in 
foreign currencies are measured at closing rates through profit 
or loss. For the main currencies in the Group, the following 
exchange rates have been used based on 1 euro:

Currencies 

Chinese yuan

Mexican peso

Polish zloty

Russian ruble

Turkish lira

US dollar

96

Average exchange rate

Exchange rate on December 31

2018

7.81

22.71

4.26

74.04

5.71

1.18

2019

7.74

21.56

4.30

72.48

6.36

1.12

2018

7.88

22.49

4.30

79.72

6.06

1.15

2019

7.82

21.22

4.26

69.96

6.68

1.12

ISO code

CNY

MXN

PLN

RUB

TRY

USD

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information152152

Recognition and measurement methods

Summary of selected measurement methods 

97

Financial statement figures

Measurement method

Assets

Goodwill

Other intangible assets

With indefinite useful lives

With definite useful lives

Property, plant and equipment

Financial assets (categories per IFRS 9)

Amortized cost

Fair value through profit or loss

Lower of initially recognized value of acquisitions as per IFRS 3 and comparative figure follow-
ing impairment testing at the level of the cash-generating units (“impairment only” method)

Lower of cost and recoverable amount (“impairment only” method)

Amortized cost less any impairment losses

Depreciated cost less any impairment losses

Amortized cost using the effective interest method

Fair value with gains or losses recognized in the income statement

Fair value through other comprehensive income

Fair value with gains or losses recognized in other comprehensive income 1

Other assets

Inventories

Assets held for sale

(Amortized) cost

Lower of cost and fair value less costs to sell

Lower of carrying amount and fair value less costs to sell

1   Apart from impairment equivalent to the expected credit losses, and from effects arising from measurement in a foreign currency.

Equity and liabilities

Provisions for pensions and similar obligations

Present value of future obligations (projected unit credit method)

Other provisions

Financial liabilities (categories per IFRS 9)

Amortized cost

Fair value through profit or loss

Other liabilities

Settlement amount 

Amortized cost using the effective interest method

Fair value with gains or losses recognized in the income statement

Settlement amount

The methods of recognition and measurement, which are 
basically unchanged from the previous year, are described 
in detail in the notes relating to the individual items of the 
statement of financial position on these pages. Also provided 
as part of our financial instruments report (Note 23 on pages 
195 to 220) are the disclosures relevant for the Henkel Group 
pursuant to IFRS 7 Financial Instruments: Disclosures, show-

ing the breakdown of our financial instruments by  class, our 
methods for fair value measurement, and the derivative 
financial instruments that we use. The requisite  disclosure 
of voluntary changes to the methods of recognition and 
 measurement in the fiscal year can be found in the section 
entitled “Amendment of prior-year figures” on pages 154 to 157. 
Changes to International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs) 

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information153153

that were applied for the first time in the year under review 
are discussed in the section entitled “New international 
accounting regulations according to International Financial 
Reporting Standards (IFRSs)” on pages 158 to 161. Changes in 
the methods of recognition and measurement arising from 
revised and new standards are applied retrospectively, pro-
vided that the effect is material and there are no alternative 
regulations. The consolidated statement of income from the 
previous year and the opening balance for this comparative 
period are amended as if the new methods of recognition and 
measurement had always been applied.

Accounting estimates, assumptions  
and discretionary judgments

Preparation of the consolidated financial statements is based 
on a number of accounting estimates and assumptions. These 
have an impact on the reported amounts of assets, liabilities 
and contingent liabilities at the reporting date and the disclo-
sure of income and expenses for the reporting period. The 
actual amounts may differ from these estimates.

The accounting estimates and their underlying assumptions 
are based on past experience and are continually reviewed. 
Changes in accounting estimates are recognized in the period 
in which the change takes place where such change exclusively 
affects that period. A change is recognized in the period in 
which it occurs and in later periods where such change affects 
both the reporting period and subsequent periods. The judg-
ments of the Management Board regarding the application of 
those IFRSs which have a significant impact on the consolidated 

financial statements are presented in particular in the explan-
atory notes on goodwill and other intangible assets (Note 1 on 
pages 163 to 167), right-of-use assets recognized in property, 
plant and equipment (Note 2 on pages 168 to 171), provisions 
for pensions and similar obligations (Note 16 on pages 179 to 
190), other provisions (Note 17 on pages 190 and 191), financial 
instruments (Note 23 on pages 195 to 220), sales (Note 24 on 
pages 221 and 222), income taxes (Note 32 on pages 224 to 227), 
and share-based payment plans (Note 36 on pages 229 to 231).

Material discretionary judgments are made in respect of the 
demarcation of the cash-generating units as explained in Note 
1 on pages 163 to 167 and the segment reporting as explained in 
Note 37 on pages 231 to 234. As of the fourth quarter of 2019, 
the Henkel Group has been using the present access method to 
recognize put options on non-controlling interests, unless 
the shares are already attributable to the Henkel Group from 
an accounting standpoint. Further discussion of the changes 
in accounting methods can be found in the section entitled 
“Amendment of prior-year figures” on pages 154 to 157. 

As part of its efforts to optimize its supplier relations, Henkel 
offers suppliers the option of joining supplier financing 
 programs, which may result in changes to the legal creditor 
structure. Regardless of whether suppliers make use of a 
 supplier financing facility or not, the programs do not result 
in any material changes to the amount, terms and conditions 
of the obligations or to the cash flows ensuing. As such, classi-
fication and the associated presentation as trade accounts 
 payable is consistent with the recognition and presentation 
criteria of IFRS 9 Financial Instruments. 

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information154154

As of September 30, 2019, the Henkel Group has changed the 
method used to determine the discount rates when calculating 
pension obligations per IAS 19 Employee Benefits in compli-
ance with IAS 8 Accounting Policies, Changes in Accounting 
Estimates, and Errors. 

The yield on high-quality European corporate bonds with  
AA rating still forms the basis for determining the interest rate. 
The criteria used to select potential corporate bonds have been 
defined in more detail. Based on the remaining portfolio, 
amended regression procedures are used to determine a yield 
curve that can then be applied to the payment profile of the 
pension obligations in order to obtain an equivalent, standard-
ized rate of interest for calculating the pension obligations. 

Group had previously observed pertinent accounting pro-
nouncements and recognized industry practices, using the 
anticipated acquisition method when accounting for such 
put options. In the process, no non-controlling interests were 
recognized in equity or in the statement of comprehensive 
income, as they were deemed to be already acquired. A financial 
liability based on the put option of the non-controlling share-
holders was recognized in the amount of the expected pay-
ment. In the case of put options awarded to non-controlling 
shareholders within the framework of a business combination, 
this financial liability constituted part of the purchase price 
paid to acquire the subsidiary. Subsequent changes in the 
value of the financial liability were recognized in the equity of 
the Henkel Group. 

If this change had not been implemented, the defined benefit 
obligations as of December 31, 2019 would have been 114 million 
euros higher. 

Amendment of prior-year figures

Amendments due to changes in the method for 
 recognizing put options on non-controlling interests
Henkel changed the method for recognizing put options on 
non-controlling interests as of December 31, 2019. Instead of 
the anticipated acquisition method used up to September 30, 
2019, the Henkel Group now uses the present access method, 
unless the acquisition of the outstanding minority interests 
has already been realized from an accounting standpoint. 

Since International Financial Reporting Standards do not con-
tain any explicit regulations governing the recognition of put-
table instruments for minority shareholders, the Henkel 

To afford readers of the consolidated financial statements a 
better understanding of the legal and economic circumstances, 
the Henkel Group decided in fiscal 2019 to adopt the present 
access method to account for future instances where the 
non-controlling interests are not yet attributable to the Henkel 
Group, as it believes this method provides more meaningful 
information. This method requires the recognition of a financial 
liability for the financial commitment associated with the 
 relevant put options awarded to non-controlling shareholders, 
which has the effect of reducing equity and which is remeasured 
through equity. The financial commitment does not constitute 
part of the price paid to acquire the subsidiary, as is the case 
with the anticipated acquisition method, if the put options 
are awarded to non-controlling shareholders within the 
framework of a business combination. Unlike the anticipated 
 acquisition method, the non-controlling interests are still 
 recognized in the statement of financial position and the 
statement of comprehensive income. 

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information155155

In compliance with IAS 8, the change in accounting method 
was applied retrospectively. The following amendments have 
been made to the prior-year figures: 

Amendments to the consolidated statement of financial position 

98

in million euros

Goodwill

Non-current assets

Current assets

Total assets

Retained earnings

Other components of equity

Equity attributable to shareholders  
of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA

Non-controlling interests

Equity

Non-current liabilities

Current liabilities

Total equity and liabilities

Jan. 1, 2018 
reported

Amendments

Jan. 1, 2018 
amended

Dec. 31, 2018 
reported

Amendments

Dec. 31, 2018 
amended

11,821

19,864

8,475

28,339

16,101

– 1,527

15,573

74

15,647

4,941

7,751

28,339

– 90

– 90

– 

– 90

– 114

14

– 100

10

– 90

–

–

– 90

11,731

19,774

8,475

28,249

15,987

– 1,513

15,473

84

15,557

4,941

7,751

28,249

12,486

20,941

8,682

29,623

17,399

– 1,382

17,016

77

17,093

3,649

8,881

29,623

– 94

– 94

–

– 94

– 111

10

– 101

7

– 94

–

–

– 94

12,392

20,847

8,682

29,529

17,288

– 1,372

16,915

84

16,999

3,649

8,881

29,529

Amendments to the consolidated statement of income 

99

Amendments to the reconciliation of adjusted net income  100

in million euros

Net income

Attributable to non-controlling 
interests

Attributable to shareholders  
of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA

Earnings per ordinary share –  
basic and diluted in euros

Earnings per preferred share –  
basic and diluted in euros

2018  
reported

2,330

Amend-
ments

2018 
amended

in million euros

– 

2,330

Adjusted net income

19

2,311

5.31

5.33

– 3

3

0.01

0.01

16

2,314

5.32

5.34

Attributable to non-controlling 
interests

Attributable to shareholders  
of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA

Earnings per ordinary share –  
basic and diluted in euros

Earnings per preferred share –  
basic and diluted in euros

2018  
reported

2,625

21

Amend-
ments

2018  
amended

– 

1

2,625

22

2,604

– 1

2,603

5.99

6.01

–

–

5.99

6.01

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther informationAmendments to the consolidated statement  
of comprehensive income 

101

in million euros

Results subject to possible future 
reclassification:

Exchange differences on trans-
lation of foreign operations

Other comprehensive income  
(after taxes) 

Total comprehensive income for 
the period

Attributable to non-controlling 
interests

Attributable to shareholders of 
Henkel AG & Co. KGaA

2018  
reported

Amend-
ments

2018 
amended

146

11

2,341

19

2,322

– 4

– 4

– 4

– 3

– 1

142

7

2,337

16

2,321

Amendments to the consolidated statement of changes in equity 

Issued capital

Other components of equity

Ordinary 
shares

Preferred 
shares

Capital 
reserve

Treasury 
shares

Retained 
earnings

Currency 
translation

Hedge 
reserve

in million euros

At December 31, 2017 (reported) 

260

178

652

– 91

16,101

– 1,332

– 198

Effect of first-time application of IFRS 9 
and IFRS 15

Amendment due to retrospective change  
in accounting method

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

At January 1, 2018 (amended)

260

178

652

– 91

Net income (amended)

Other comprehensive income (amended)

Total comprehensive income for the 
period (amended)

Equity transactions with shareholders

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

– 59

– 114

15,928

2,314

– 134

2,180

– 820

–

14

–

–

– 1,318

– 198

– 

142

142

–

–

– 1

– 1

–

At December 31, 2018 (amended)

260

178

652

– 91

17,288

– 1,176

– 199

Reserve  
for equity 
and debt 
instruments 

Shareholders 
of Henkel 
AG & Co. 
KGaA

Non- 
controlling 
interests

3

–

–

3

–

–

–

–

3

15,573

– 59

– 100

15,414

2,314

7

2,321

– 820

16,915

74

–

10

84

16

–

16

– 16

84

156156

102

Total

15,647

– 59

– 90

15,498

2,330

7

2,337

– 836

16,999

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther informationAmendments due to changes in the presentation of tax 
uncertainties
In keeping with the clarification published by IFRS IC in 
 September 2019, the Henkel Group desisted from presenting 
tax uncertainties as income tax provisions, starting from 
December 31, 2019, and now presents them as current income 
tax liabilities.

The following prior-year figures were amended:

Amendments to the consolidated statement  
of financial position 

in million euros

Equity

Income tax provisions

Non-current liabilities

Income tax provisions

Income tax liabilities

Current liabilities

Total equity and liabilities

Dec 31, 
2018  
reported

Amend-
ments

103

Dec. 31, 
2018 
amended

17,093

152

3,649

305

13

8,881

29,623

–

17,093

– 152

– 152

– 305

457

152

–

–

3,497

–

470

9,033

29,623

157157

Amendments due to purchase price allocations
The allocation of the purchase price for the acquisition of all 
shares of JemPak Corporation based in Colorado, Canada, was 
finalized in fiscal 2019. The prior-year figures were subsequently 
amended as a result. As part of the amendment, goodwill and 
other current provisions increased by 1 million euros. 

The allocation of the purchase price for the acquisition of all 
shares of Aislantes Nacionales S.A., Santiago, Chile, was 
 finalized in fiscal 2019. The prior-year figures were subsequently 
amended as a result. In the course of the amendment, good-
will and other intangible assets increased by 28 million euros 
in total, property, plant and equipment by 3 million euros, 
inventories by 1 million euros, and deferred tax liabilities by 
32 million euros.

Amendments to the consolidated statement  
of financial position 

in million euros

Goodwill

Other intangible assets

Property, plant and equipment

Non-current assets

Inventories

Current assets

Total assets

Equity

Deferred tax liabilities

Non-current liabilities

Other provisions

Current liabilities

Total equity and liabilities

Dec 31, 
2018  
reported

12,486

4,115

3,122

20,941

2,176

8,682

29,623

17,093

775

3,649

1,768

8,881

29,623

Amend-
ments

– 86

115

3

32

1

1

33

–

32

32

1

1

33

104

Dec. 31, 
2018 
amended

12,400

4,230

3,125

20,973

2,177

8,683

29,656

17,093

807

3,681

1,769

8,882

29,656

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information158158

New international accounting regu-
lations according to International 
Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs)

dard clarifies that such items are subject to the impairment 
rules of IFRS 9 rather than IAS 28. The changes will not have 
any material impact on the consolidated financial statements 
of Henkel.

Accounting methods applied for the first  
time in the year under review 

IAS 19 (Amendment) Plan Amendment,  
Curtailment or Settlement

IAS 28 (Amendment) Long-term Interests in  
Associates and Joint Ventures

IFRS 9 (Amendment) Prepayment Features with  
Negative Compensation

IFRS 16 Leases

IFRIC 23 Uncertainty over Income Tax Treatments

Improvements to IFRSs 2015–2017 

105

Mandatory for fiscal 
years beginning  
on or after

January 1, 2019

January 1, 2019

January 1, 2019

January 1, 2019

January 1, 2019

January 1, 2019

IAS 19 (Amendment)
With its changes to IAS 19, the standards body has clarified 
that if a pension plan is amended, curtailed or settled during a 
fiscal year, the current service cost and net interest must be 
recalculated for the remaining period. Recalculation is to be 
based on the actuarial assumptions applicable at the time of 
the plan event. The changes will not have any material impact 
on the consolidated financial statements of Henkel.

IAS 28 (Amendment)
The amendments to IAS 28 Investments in Associates and 
Joint Ventures eliminate an ambiguity regarding the impair-
ment rules to be applied to long-term interests which, in sub-
stance, form part of the net investment of a company in an 
associate or joint venture. Long-term interests in this respect 
are financial assets whose settlement is neither planned nor 
likely in the foreseeable future. The amendment to the Stan-

IFRS 9 (Amendment)
The amendments to IFRS 9 relate to a limited adjustment to 
the relevant evaluation criteria for classifying financial assets. 
Agreeing symmetrical termination and compensation clauses 
for a financial asset, whereby compensation could theoretically 
be paid both by the debtor to the creditor and vice versa, does 
not necessarily preclude the asset’s cash flows from comprising 
only interest and principal payments. In certain circumstances, 
therefore, corresponding financial assets must be recognized 
at amortized cost or at fair value through other comprehensive 
income. The changes will not have any material impact on the 
consolidated financial statements of Henkel.

IFRS 16
IFRS 16 provides a single accounting model for lease contracts 
in a lessee’s balance sheet. A lessee reflects the right-of-use to 
the underlying asset (right-of-use asset) as well as a liability 
representing the future lease payments in the course of the 
lease contract. Exceptions are provided for short-term leases 
and leases relating to low-value assets. 

IFRS 16 supersedes the former guidelines on leases, including 
IAS 17 Leases, IFRIC 4 Determining Whether an Arrangement 
Contains a Lease, SIC-15 Operating Leases – Incentives, and 
SIC-27 Evaluating the Substance of Transactions in the Legal 
Form of a Lease. 

In transitioning to the new model, Henkel has used the simpli-
fication regulation allowing the definition of a lease to be 
retained. As such, Henkel has applied IFRS 16 to all contracts 
concluded prior to January 1, 2019, and identified as leases 
under IAS 17 and IFRIC 4.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information159159

Henkel has utilized the exemptions governing short-term 
leases and leases relating to low-value assets and has refrained 
from recognizing such leases in its statement of financial 
position. Henkel has also exercised its right under IFRS 16.4 to 
choose not to apply IFRS 16 to leases governing certain intan-
gible assets. At the date of transition to IFRS 16, the Group 
 recognized new assets and liabilities for its leases classified as 
operating leases under IAS 17. These mainly relate to office 
buildings and equipment, production buildings, warehouses, 
technical facilities, vehicles and IT equipment. The right-of-
use assets recognized under property, plant and equipment are 
recognized at cost less accumulated depreciation and impair-
ment and adjusted to reflect specific remeasurement of the 
lease liability. The Group exercises its option of not separating 
non-lease and lease components in plant and machinery 
leases. The lease liabilities recognized under other financial 
liabilities are measured at the present value of the outstanding 
lease payments at the date of provision. The lease payments 
are discounted at the incremental borrowing rate. When 
remeasuring, interest is accrued on the lease liability, and the 
corresponding interest expense is recognized under financial 
result. Payments reduce the carrying amount of the lease lia-
bility. In addition, the carrying amount of the lease  liability is 
adjusted upon specific remeasurement.

Henkel applied IFRS 16 retrospectively per IFRS 16.C5(b), with 
all right-of-use assets being recognized in the amount of the 
corresponding lease liability. In the case of certain building 
leases, the right-of-use asset was measured as if IFRS 16 had 
been applied starting from the date of provision. The effect 
of first-time application of the standard was recognized in 
retained earnings. Prior-year figures have not been amended.

In transitioning to IFRS 16, Henkel has utilized the exemptions 
allowing leases with a remaining term of less than twelve 
months to be treated as short-term leases, initial direct costs to 
be ignored when measuring right-of-use assets for the first 
time, and current knowledge to be taken into account when 
determining the lease terms of contracts with extension 
and / or termination options.

The effects on the Group’s former finance leases were immaterial.

Upon first-time application of IFRS 16, Henkel recognized 
right-of-use assets of 453 million euros under property, plant 
and equipment, together with lease liabilities of 80 million 
euros under other current financial liabilities and 427 million 
euros in other non-current financial liabilities.

A further 45 million euros before and 34 million euros after 
deduction of deferred taxes were recognized in retained earnings. 

At December 31, 2019, the right-of-use assets totaled 485 million 
euros, current lease liabilities 128 million euros and non-current 
lease liabilities 423 million euros.

In fiscal 2019, a total of 133 million euros in scheduled depreci-
ation of right-of-use assets was recognized in operating profit, 
together with an interest expense of 16 million euros recognized 
in the financial result. The effects of IFRS 16 on the net income 
for the year are immaterial.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information160160

Reconciliation of operating lease commitments  
to lease liabilities upon first-time application 

in million euros

Operating lease commitments per IAS 17  
on December 31, 2018

Interest effect

Effect of optional rental periods

Other effects

Lease liabilities per IFRS 16 on January 1, 2019,  
excluding finance leases

Finance leases per IAS 17

Lease liabilities per IFRS 16 on January 1, 2019

106

535

– 60

21

6

502

5

507

Of the difference between the lease liabilities totaling 507 mil-
lion euros at the time of initial application and the operating 
lease commitments reported in an amount of 535 million 
euros at December 31, 2018, 60 million euros is primarily 
attributable to the application of the weighted average incre-
mental borrowing rate of 2.47 percent, which was partially 
 offset by 21 million euros from the recognition of lease pay-
ments in optional lease periods as liabilities. Contracts 
accounted for as finance leases as of December 31, 2018, were 
included in the first-time recognition of lease liabilities per 
IFRS 16 in an amount of 5 million euros. 

Further information about rights of use to lease assets can be 
found in the discussion of property, plant and equipment in 
Note 2 on pages 168 to 171.

IFRIC 23
The tax treatment of certain circumstances and transactions 
is, in part, dependent on future recognition by the tax 
authorities or tax judiciary. IAS 12 Income Taxes prescribes 
the accounting treatment of current and deferred taxes. The 
IFRIC 23 interpretation clarifies the rules of IAS 12 when there 
is uncertainty over income tax treatments. Because Henkel is a 
globally operating company, tax uncertainties may arise due 
to ambiguous interpretations of income tax regulations. The 
 recognition of tax uncertainties is based on the assumption 
that the tax authorities will examine the relevant circumstances 
and have full knowledge of all relevant information. If it is 
probable that the (planned) treatment of circumstances or 
transactions in any income tax filings will be rejected, the 
effect of uncertainty should be reflected by using either of 
the methods: the most likely amount or the expected value, 
whichever better predicts the resolution of tax uncertainty. If 
it is probable that the tax authorities will reject the tax treat-
ment, this is taken into account accordingly when calculating 
the income tax liabilities and other tax items. The assump-
tions when recognizing tax uncertainties are applied consis-
tently to both current and deferred taxes. Henkel regularly 
examines whether its assessment requires revision due to 
changes in the facts and circumstances relating to items or 
transactions. The interpretation does not have any material 
impact on the consolidated financial statements of Henkel.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information161161

Improvements to IFRSs 2015–2017
Four IFRSs were amended in the 2015–2017 cycle of annual 
improvements to IFRSs. The amendments to IAS 12 Income 
Taxes relate to the accounting procedure for tax effects in 
 connection with financial instruments classified as equity. 
They clarify the applicability of the fundamental principle of 
recognizing tax effects (through profit or loss or in equity) 
based on the underlying transactions or events. 

IAS 23 Borrowing Costs has been amended in that specific bor-
rowings such as those made to construct or acquire a particu-
lar asset, are not to be included in the calculation of weighted 
average borrowing costs until the asset is ready for its intended 
final use. Any outstanding (specific) financing must then be 
included in the borrowing cost calculation.

In IFRS 3 and IFRS 11 Joint Arrangements, the amendments 
clarify that in the event of acquisition of any further shares in 
a joint operation, the formerly held shares are only remeasured 
if control over the entity is obtained through the acquisition of 
the additional shares. If the investment continues to be classi-
fied as a joint operation, the old shares are not remeasured.

The amendments introduced by the improvements to IFRSs 
2015–2017 will not have any material impact on the consoli-
dated financial statements of Henkel.

Accounting regulations not yet adopted into EU law
In fiscal 2019, the IASB issued the following standards and 
amendments to existing standards of relevance to Henkel, 
which still have to be adopted into EU law (endorsement 
mechanism) before they become applicable:

Accounting regulations not yet adopted into EU law 

107

Framework (Amendment)

IAS 1 and IAS 8 (Amendment) Definition of Material

IFRS 3 (Amendment) Definition of a Business

IFRS 9, IAS 39 and IFRS 7 (Amendment) Interest Rate 
Benchmark Reform

Mandatory for fiscal 
years beginning  
on or after

January 1, 2020

January 1, 2020

January 1, 2020

January 1, 2020

These new standards and amendments to existing standards 
will be applied by Henkel starting in fiscal 2020 or later. A 
conclusive assessment of the effects is not possible.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information162

Notes to the consolidated statement  
of financial position

The measurement and recognition policies for financial statement items are described in the relevant note.

Non-current assets

All non-current assets with definite useful lives are depreciated 
or amortized exclusively using the straight-line method on the 
basis of their estimated useful lives. The useful life estimates 
are reviewed annually. If facts or circumstances indicate the 
need for impairment, the recoverable amount is determined. 
It is measured as the higher of the fair value less costs to sell 
and the value in use. Impairment losses are recognized if the 
recoverable amounts of the assets are lower than their carrying 
amounts. They are charged to the relevant functions.

The following unchanged, standardized useful lives are 
applied:

Useful life 

in years

Intangible assets with definite useful lives

Residential buildings

Office buildings

Research and factory buildings, workshops,  
stores and staff buildings

Plant facilities

Machinery

Office equipment

Vehicles

Factory and research equipment

108

3 to 20

50

40

25 to 33

10 to 25

7 to 10

10

5 to 20

2 to 5

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information163

1    Goodwill and other intangible 

assets

Cost 

in million euros

At January 1, 2018 1

Acquisitions 1

Divestments

Additions

Disposals

Reclassifications to assets held for sale

Reclassifications

Translation differences 1

At Dec. 31, 2018 / Jan. 1, 2019 1

Acquisitions

Divestments

Additions

Disposals

Reclassifications to assets held for sale

Reclassifications

Translation differences

At December 31, 2019

Trademarks and other rights

Assets  
with indefinite 
useful lives

Assets  
with definite 
useful lives

Internally  
generated  
intangible assets 
with definite 
useful lives

Intangible  
assets in  
development

3,007

73

– 

–

–

– 

–

101

3,181

131

– 

–

–

– 16 

–

49

3,345

1,829

49

–

8

– 13

– 

– 

45

1,918

13

–

8

– 22

– 4 

5

43

1,961

443

–

–

11

– 

–

49

– 4

499

–

–

6

– 1 

–

54

9

567

83

–

–

258

–

–

– 49

– 1

291

–

–

54

–

–

– 59

1

287

109

Goodwill

Total

11,756

303 

– 

–

– 

– 

–

276

12,335

432

– 20 

–

– 

– 9 

–

196

17,118

425

–

277

– 13

– 

–

417

18,224

576

– 20

68

– 23

– 29 

–

298

12,934

19,094

1  Prior-year figures amended (please refer to the notes on pages 154 to 157).

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information164

Accumulated amortization / impairment 

in million euros

At January 1, 2018

Divestments

Write-ups

Scheduled amortization

Impairment

Disposals

Reclassifications to assets held for sale

Reclassifications

Translation differences

At Dec. 31, 2018 / Jan. 1, 2019

Divestments

Write-ups

Scheduled amortization

Impairment

Disposals

Reclassifications to assets held for sale

Reclassifications

Translation differences

At December 31, 2019

Trademarks and other rights

Assets  
with indefinite  
useful lives

Assets  
with definite 
useful lives

Intangible 
assets in  
development

Internally  
generated 
intangible 
assets with 
definite useful 
lives

8

–

– 

–

–

–

–

–

– 

8

–

– 

–

5

–

– 5

–

3 

11

1,248

–

–

107

–

– 13

– 

–

29

1,371

–

–

109

–

– 21

– 2 

–

37

1,494

246

–

–

42

2

–

–

–

– 10

280

–

–

51

–

– 1

–

–

1

331

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

110

Goodwill

Total

29

1,531

–

– 

–

–

–

– 

–

–

29

– 17

– 

–

9

–

– 9 

–

–

12

–

–

149

2

– 13 

– 

– 

19

1,688

– 17

–

160

14

– 22 

– 16 

– 

41

1,848

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information165

Net carrying amounts 

in million euros

At December 31, 2019

At December 31, 2018 1

Trademarks and other rights

Assets  
with indefinite 
useful lives

Assets  
with definite 
useful lives

Intangible 
assets in  
development

Internally  
generated 
intangible 
assets with 
definite useful 
lives

111

Goodwill

Total

3,334

3,173

467

547

236

219

287

291

12,922

12,306 

17,246

16,536

1  Prior-year figures amended (please refer to the notes on pages 154 to 157).

Goodwill represents the future economic benefit of assets that 
are acquired through business combinations and are not 
 individually identifiable and separately recognized, as well as 
expected synergies. The goodwill upon first-time consolidation 
constitutes a positive difference between the cost of acquiring 
the entity and the amount of acquired identified assets and 
assumed liabilities existing at the time of acquisition and 
measured as specified in IFRS 3. Remeasurement and subse-
quent recognition is based on the lower of initially recognized 
value of acquisitions and a comparative figure following 
impairment testing at the level of the cash-generating units. 
Trademarks and other rights acquired for valuable consider-
ation are stated at purchase cost, while internally generated 
software is stated at development cost.

Additions to internally generated intangible assets mostly 
reflect investments in consolidating and optimizing our IT 
system architecture for managing business processes.

The change in goodwill resulting from acquisitions and 
divestments made in the fiscal year is presented in the section 
“Acquisitions and divestments” on pages 147 to 149.

Amortization and impairment of trademarks and other rights 
are recognized as selling expenses. Amortization and impair-
ment of other intangible assets are allocated to the relevant 
functions in the consolidated statement of income.

Impairment totaling 14 million euros was recognized on good-
will and trademarks and other rights in fiscal 2019 and related 
to assets classified as held for sale on the reporting date (please 
refer to the notes on pages 175 and 176). 

Goodwill as well as trademarks and other rights with indefinite 
useful lives are subjected to an impairment test at least once 
a year and also when indicators of impairment are present 
(“impairment only” approach).

We duly tested goodwill and trademarks and other rights with 
indefinite useful lives for impairment in the course of our 
annual analysis. The following table shows the cash-generating 
units together with the associated goodwill at the carrying 
amounts applicable as of the reporting date. The description 
of the cash-generating units can be found in Note 37 on 
pages 231 to 234 and in the combined management report 
on pages 90 to 95.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information166

Goodwill carrying amounts 

Cash-generating units  
in million euros

Packaging and Consumer Goods Adhesives

Transport and Metal

General Industry

Electronics

Adhesives for Consumers, Craftsmen and Building

Total Adhesive Technologies

Branded Consumer Goods

Hair Salon business

Total Beauty Care

Laundry Care

Home Care

Total Laundry & Home Care

December 31, 2018 1

Goodwill

Terminal 
growth rate

Weighted  
average cost  
of capital

December 31, 2019

Goodwill

Terminal 
growth rate

1,924

1,131

460

1,397

581

5,493

1,374

747

2,121

3,452 

1,240

4,692

1.50 %

1.50 %

1.00 %

1.50 %

1.00 %

1.00 %

1.00 %

1.30 %

1.40 %

7.25 %

7.25 %

7.25 %

7.25 %

7.25 %

6.00 %

6.00 %

6.00 %

6.00 %

2,007

1,144

485

1,388

579

5,603

1,259

1,310

2,569

3,616

1,134

4,750

1.50 %

1.50 %

1.00 %

1.50 %

1.00 %

1.00 %

1.00 %

1.00 %

1.00 %

112

Weighted  
average cost  
of capital

6.75 %

6.75 %

6.75 %

6.75 %

6.75 %

5.25 %

5.25 %

5.25 %

5.25 %

1  Prior-year figures amended (please refer to the notes on pages 154 to 157).

Goodwill impairment is assessed at the level of the global 
cash-generating units, based on fair value less costs to sell. 
Impairment of trademarks and other rights with indefinite 
useful lives is assessed at the level of either global (Adhesive 
Technologies) or regional (Beauty Care and Laundry & Home 
Care) cash-generating units. Testing is also based on fair value 
less costs to sell.

A discounted cash flow method is used to determine fair value 
(before deduction of costs to sell), which is allocated to valuation 
level 3 of the fair value hierarchy (see Note 23 on pages 195 to 
220). The estimated future cash flows are derived from the 
budget approved by the relevant corporate management bodies. 
The assumptions upon which the essential planning parameters 
are based reflect experience gained in the past, aligned to 
 current information provided by external sources. Budgets 
are prepared on the basis of a planning horizon of four years. 

For the period after that, a growth rate in cash flows of between 
1 and 2 percent (previous year: 1 and 2 percent) is applied for 
the purpose of impairment testing, assuming in particular the 
passing-on of expected inflation rises to our customers. The 
euro to US dollar exchange rate applied is 1.16. Taking into 
account specific tax effects, the cash flows of the various cash- 
generating units are discounted at different rates reflecting the 
weighted average cost of capital (WACC) in each business unit: 
6.75 percent after tax for Adhesive Technologies and 5.25 percent 
after tax for both Beauty Care and Laundry & Home Care. 

The expected average annual growth in sales in the cash- 
generating units of Adhesive Technologies during the four-
year detailed planning period is between 1 and 4 percent 
 (previous year: 2 to 6 percent). The average annual sales  growth 
of the cash-generating units in the Beauty Care business unit 
over the four-year forecasting horizon is  budgeted at between 

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information167

4 and 5 percent (previous year: 3 to  4 percent), accompanied by 
a slight increase in market share. We expect an average annual 
growth in sales in the cash- generating units in the Laundry & 
Home Care business unit during the four-year detailed plan-
ning period of 4 percent (previous year: 3 to 4 percent). Here, 
too, we expect a slight increase in market share.

The material trademarks and other rights with indefinite 
 useful lives are attributable to two cash-generating units. The 
carrying amount of the trademarks and other rights allocated 
to the regional cash-generating unit Laundry Care North 
America in the Laundry & Home Care business unit was 1.3 bil-
lion euros as of December 31, 2019. For impairment testing 
purposes, a cost of capital of 5.25 percent and a terminal growth 
rate of 1.0 percent were applied. The average annual increase 
in sales in the cash-generating unit during the four-year 
detailed planning period is 1 percent. The carrying amount of 
the trademarks and other rights with indefinite useful lives 
allocated to the cash- generating unit Branded Consumer Goods 
North America in the Beauty Care business unit was 400 mil-
lion euros as of December 31, 2019. For impairment testing 
purposes, a cost of capital of 5.25 percent and a terminal growth 
rate of 1.0 percent were applied. The average annual increase in 
sales during the four-year detailed planning period is 5 percent. 

Given our continued pro-active management of the portfolio, 
we anticipate achieving at least stable gross margins in all our 
business units.

As was also the case in the previous year, there was no need for 
impairment of, nor to write up, any goodwill or trademarks 
and other rights with indefinite useful lives.

The trademarks and other rights with indefinite useful lives 
with a net carrying amount of 3,334 million euros (previous 
year: 3,173 million euros) are established in their markets and 
will continue to be intensively promoted. Moreover, there are 
no other statutory, regulatory or competition-related factors 
that limit our usage of our brand names.

The company also intends to continue using the trademarks 
and other rights disclosed as having definite useful lives. No 
impairment losses were recognized with respect to trademarks 
and other rights with definite useful lives in 2019. 

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information168

2   Property, plant and equipment

Cost 

in million euros

At January 1, 2018

Acquisitions 1

Divestments

Additions

Disposals

Reclassifications to assets held for sale

Reclassifications

Translation differences

At Dec. 31, 2018 / Jan. 1, 2019 1

Effect of first-time application of IFRS 16

At January 1, 2019 (amended)

Acquisitions

Divestments

Additions to existing operations

Additions of right-of-use assets

Disposals

Reclassifications to assets held for sale

Reclassifications

Translation differences

At December 31, 2019

Land, land rights 
and buildings

Plant and machinery

Factory and office 
equipment

Assets in the course 
of construction

2,293

3,512

1,098

20 

–

15

– 33

– 16 

45

– 9

2,315

377

2,692

19

– 2

46

110

– 15

– 18 

55

34

2,921

14

– 2

133

– 98

– 6

178

– 8

3,723

24

3,747

1

–

138

5

– 106

– 22

200

41

4,004

1

–

71

– 71

– 1

55

6

1,159

52

1,211

1

–

69

24

– 135

– 1

39

7

1,215

331

–

–

357

–

–

– 278

– 8

402

–

402

3

–

341

–

–

–

– 294

– 1

451

1  Prior-year figures amended (please refer to the notes on pages 154 to 157).

113

Total

7,234

35

– 2

576

– 202

– 23

– 

– 19

7,599

453

8,052

24

– 2

594

139

– 256

– 41

– 

81

8,591

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther informationAccumulated depreciation / impairment 

in million euros

At January 1, 2018

Divestments

Write-ups

Scheduled depreciation

Impairment

Disposals

Reclassifications to assets held for sale

Reclassifications

Translation differences

At Dec. 31, 2018 / Jan. 1, 2019

Divestments

Write-ups

Scheduled depreciation

Impairment

Disposals

Reclassifications to assets held for sale 

Reclassifications

Translation differences

At December 31, 2019

Net carrying amounts 

in million euros

At December 31, 2019

Of which: right-of-use assets

At December 31, 2018 1

1  Prior-year figures amended (please refer to the notes on pages 154 to 157).

Plant and 
machinery

Factory and 
office 
 equipment

Assets in the 
course of 
 construction

Land, land 
rights and 
 buildings

1,113

–

– 

72

3

– 26

– 14 

– 

– 3

2,297

– 1

–

224

16

– 69

– 6

– 

2

1,145

2,463

–

– 2

164

2

– 13

– 7 

– 

1

1,290

– 

– 1

252

16

– 100

– 16

– 

– 5

2,609

817

– 

– 

109

3

– 61

– 1

–

– 1

866

– 

– 

141

–

– 133

–

–

43

917

–

–

– 

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

– 

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

Land, land 
rights and  
buildings

1,631

419

1,170 

Plant and 
machinery

Factory and 
office  
equipment

Assets in the 
course of  
construction

1,395

20

1,260

298

46

293

451

–

402

169

114

Total

4,227

– 1

–

405

22

– 156

– 21

–

– 2

4,474

–

– 3

557

18

– 246

– 23

–

39

4,816

115

Total

3,775

485

3,125

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information170

Property, plant and equipment includes land, land rights and 
buildings, plant and machinery, factory and office equipment, 
rights of use to corresponding leased assets, and assets in the 
course of construction. 

Of the property, plant and equipment impairments recognized 
in fiscal 2019, a total of 5 million euros is attributable to assets 
classified as held for sale as of the reporting date (please refer 
to the notes on pages 175 and 176).

Write-ups in fiscal 2019 totaled 3 million euros (previous year: 
0 million euros). 

In the course of its business operations, Henkel enters into 
 various lease agreements as a lessee. The underlying assets 
 primarily include office buildings and fixtures, production 
facilities and warehouses – all of which are recognized under 
land, land rights and buildings – as well as plant and machin-
ery, and the vehicles and IT equipment classified as factory 
and office equipment. 

Upon first-time application of IFRS 16, Henkel recognized 
right-of-use assets of 453 million euros in property, plant and 
equipment, primarily in land, land rights and buildings. For 
the first time in fiscal 2019, the Henkel Group recognized 
 additions to right-of-use assets of 139 million euros in prop-
erty, plant and equipment, primarily in land, land rights and 
buildings. Acquisitions resulted in additions of 15 million euros 
relating to land, land rights and buildings. The additions 
were offset by scheduled depreciation of 133 million euros. 
As of December 31, 2019, right-of-use assets amounted to 
485 million euros.

Additions are stated at purchase or manufacturing cost. The 
latter includes direct costs and appropriate proportions of 
 necessary overheads. Interest charges on borrowings are not 
included, as Henkel does not currently hold any qualifying 
assets within the scope of IAS 23 Borrowing Costs. Cost figures 
are shown net of investment grants and allowances. As of 
December 31, 2019, investment grants of 18 million euros 
 (previous year: 19 million euros) were deducted from purchase 
and manufacturing costs. Some of the grants are contingent 
upon certain terms and conditions being met, such as location 
guarantees. The company is sufficiently confident that these 
terms and conditions can be satisfied. Acquisition-related 
incidental costs incurred in order to make the asset ready for 
the intended use are capitalized. Also included as of December 
31, 2019, is 4 million euros (previous year: 0 million euros) for 
investment grants, which are recognized under deferred 
charges. No unfulfilled conditions or other contingencies exist 
in this respect. An overview of the primary investment projects 
undertaken during the fiscal year can be found on pages 96 
and 97 in the combined management report.

At December 31, 2019, property, plant and equipment with a 
carrying amount of 0 million euros had been pledged as 
 security for existing liabilities (previous year: 0 million euros). 

The periods over which the assets are depreciated are based 
on their estimated useful lives as set out on page 162. The 
depreciation and impairment are included in the cost of sales, 
 selling and administrative expenses and research and develop-
ment expenses in a ratio equivalent to the use of the asset. 
Write-ups are recognized in other operating income. 

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information171

An analysis of the maturities of Henkel Group leases is included 
with the disclosures on financial instruments in Note 23 on 
pages 195 to 220. In addition to the future payments from 
leases discussed in the section, payment commitments of 
122 million euros also exist with regard to leases of material 
relevance to Henkel that have already been agreed but have not 
yet commenced and have therefore not yet been capitalized.

Some of Henkel’s leases for land, land rights and buildings 
include optional lease periods. Contractually agreed payments 
in these optional lease periods are in the mid-triple-digit 
 million euros range. They are not included in the measurement 
of the lease liability because there is insufficient certainty that 
the option on the lease periods will be exercised.

The depreciation recognized separately for the various categories 
of assets in the consolidated statement of income for the fiscal 
year is listed in the following table, together with further dis-
closures of lease-related expenses and income affecting 
Henkel as a lessee:

Effects on the consolidated statement of income  
of leases with Henkel as lessee 

in million euros

Depreciation in the year under review

Of which: right-of-use land, land rights and buildings

Of which: right-of-use plant and machinery

Of which: right-of-use factory and office equipment

Interest expenses of lease liabilities

Short-term lease expenses

Low-value lease expenses

116

2019

133

92

11

30

16

38

3

Henkel paid 184 million euros in total for leases in fiscal 2019.

The Henkel Group uses the incremental borrowing rate to 
 discount lease payments when measuring its lease liabilities. 
This rate is based on country-specific interest rates that are 
observable in the market and which are adjusted with regard 
to duration and credit risk. If no interest rates are observable 
for the relevant durations, they are derived from linear inter-
polation. 

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information  3    Other financial assets

Analysis 

172

117

in million euros

Non-current

Current

Total

Non-current

Current

Total

December 31, 2018

December 31, 2019

Receivables from non-consolidated subsidiaries  
and associated companies

Financial receivables from third parties

Derivative financial instruments

Investments in non-consolidated subsidiaries

Investments in associated companies 

Other investments 

Receivable from Henkel Trust e.V.

Securities and time deposits

Of which: readily monetizable

Financial collateral provided

Sundry financial assets  

Total

1

11

–

15

3

20

–

–

–

–

15

65

–

12

37

–

–

–

608

221

209

49

103

1

23

37

15

3

20

608

221

209

49

118

1,030

1,095

–

26

38

9

–

36

–

–

–

–

16

125

–

112

76

–

–

–

621

425

412

26

75

–

138

114

9

–

36

621

425

412

26

91

1,335

1,460

With the exception of investments, derivatives, securities and 
time deposits, other financial assets are measured at amortized 
cost.

The receivable from Henkel Trust e.V. relates to pension 
 payments made by Henkel AG & Co. KGaA to retirees, for which 
reimbursement can be claimed from Henkel Trust e.V. 

Of the receivables from non-consolidated subsidiaries and 
 associated companies, 0 million euros (previous year: 1 million 
euros) is attributable to non-consolidated subsidiaries. 

Non-current financial receivables from third parties include 
15 million euros (previous year: 0 million euros) receivables 
from leases where Henkel acts as lessor. Of the current financial 
receivables from third parties, 100 million euros is attributable 
to receivables from counterparties for EU emission rights 
swaps contracted by Henkel for liquidity management purposes. 

The securities and time deposits essentially comprise time 
deposits and are generally readily monetizable under our 
financial management arrangements with the exception of 
those securities and time deposits that are mandatory to cover 
our pension liabilities and can therefore not be monetized 
at short notice. 

Sundry non-current financial assets include, among others, 
receivables from insurance companies.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information173

Examples of sundry current financial assets include: 
•   Receivables from sureties and guarantee deposits amount-
ing to 21 million euros (previous year: 21 million euros).
•   Receivables from suppliers amounting to 22 million euros 

(previous year: 26 million euros).

•   Receivables from employees amounting to 9 million euros 

(previous year: 9 million euros). 

4    Other assets

Analysis 

in million euros

Tax receivables

Payments on account

Overfunding of pension obligations 

Reimbursement rights related to employee benefits 

Accruals

Sundry other assets

Total 

5    Deferred taxes

December 31, 2018

Non-current

Current

9

–

43

102

28

2

184

209

56

–

9

86

46

406

December 31, 2019

Non-current

Current

10

–

83

113

24

1

231

263

71

–

8

84

47

473

Total

218

56

43

111

114

48

590

118

Total

273

71

83

121

108

48

704

Deferred taxes are recognized for temporary differences 
between the valuation of an asset or a liability in the financial 
statements and its tax base, for tax losses carried forward, 
and for unused tax credits. This also applies to temporary 
 differences in valuation arising through acquisitions, with the 
exception of deferred tax liabilities relating to goodwill.

Changes in the deferred taxes in the statement of financial 
position result in deferred tax expenses or income unless the 
underlying item is directly recognized in other comprehensive 
income. For items recognized directly in other comprehensive 
income, the associated deferred taxes are also recognized in 
other comprehensive income.

Deferred tax liabilities on taxable temporary differences related 
to shares in subsidiaries are recognized to the extent that a 
reversal of this difference is expected in the foreseeable future, 
or cannot be controlled.

The valuation, recognition and disaggregation of deferred 
taxes in respect of the various items in the statement of finan-
cial position are discussed in the disclosures on income taxes 
in Note 32 on pages 224 to 227.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information174

The net realizable value is determined as an estimated selling 
price less costs yet to be incurred through to completion, and 
less necessary selling and distribution costs. Write-downs to 
the net realizable value are made if, at year-end, the carrying 
amounts of the inventories are above their realizable market 
 values. The resultant valuation allowance amounted to 
179 million euros (previous year: 137 million euros). The carry-
ing amount of inventories recognized at fair value less costs to 
sell amounted to 471 million euros (previous year: 454 million 
euros). The carrying amount of inventories pledged as security 
for liabilities was unchanged year on year at 0 million euros.

Analysis of inventories 

119

in million euros

Raw materials and supplies

Work in progress

Finished products and merchandise

Payments on account for merchandise

IFRS 9 basis adjustment

Total

December 31, 
2018 1

December 31, 
2019

644

124

1,389

23

– 3

2,177

546

118

1,499

29

1

2,193

1  Prior-year figures amended (please refer to the notes on pages 154 to 157).

6    Inventories

In accordance with IAS 2, reported under inventories are those 
assets that are intended to be sold in the ordinary course of 
business (finished products and merchandise), those in the 
process of production for such sale (work in progress) and 
those to be utilized or consumed in the course of manufacture 
or the provision of services (raw materials and supplies). 
 Payments on account made for the purpose of purchasing 
inventories are likewise disclosed under the inventories 
 heading. With the application of IFRS 9 as of January 1, 2018, 
the measurement effects from hedging transactions recognized 
in equity in the hedge reserve in the course of cash flow hedge 
accounting are included as part of the cost of the hedged 
non-financial assets. The IFRS 9 basis adjustment shown under 
inventories relates to currency hedges for the procurement of 
inventories in foreign currency.

Inventories are measured at the lower of cost and net realiz-
able value. Inventories are measured using either the “first in, 
first out” (FIFO) or the average cost method. Manufacturing 
cost includes not only the direct costs but also appropriate 
portions of necessary overheads (for example goods inward 
department, raw material storage, filling, costs incurred 
through to the  finished goods warehouse), production-related 
administrative expenses, the costs of the pensions of people 
who are employed in the production process, and production- 
related amortization / depreciation. The overhead add-ons are 
calculated on the basis of average capacity utilization. Not 
included, however, are interest expenses incurred during the 
manufacturing period. 

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information175

7    Trade accounts receivable

8    Cash and cash equivalents

Trade accounts receivable amounted to 3,413 million euros 
(previous year: 3,610 million euros). They are all due within 
one year. Valuation allowances have been recognized in respect 
of specific risks as appropriate. The balance of amortization /  
depreciation and additions, and reversals of valuation allow-
ances, produced an expense of 13 million euros, compared to 
a net expense in the previous year of 2 million euros. Valua-
tion allowances are reported under selling and distribution 
costs. For an explanation of these valuation allowances and 
our risk management, please refer to pages 211 to 213.

Recognized under cash and cash equivalents are liquid funds, 
sight deposits and other financial assets with an original term 
of not more than three months. In accordance with IAS 7, also 
recognized under cash equivalents are shares in money market 
funds which, due to their first-class credit rating and investment 
in extremely short-term money market securities, undergo 
only minor value fluctuations and can be readily converted 
within one day into known amounts of cash. Utilized bank 
overdrafts are recognized in the statement of financial position 
as liabilities to banks.

Trade accounts receivable 

120

December 31, 
2018

December 31, 
2019

in million euros

Trade accounts receivable, gross

Less: cumulative valuation allowances  
on trade accounts receivable

Trade accounts receivable, net

Development of valuation allowances  
on trade accounts receivable 

in million euros

Valuation allowances at January 1

IFRS 9 adjustment

Additions / Releases

Derecognition of receivables

Currency translation effects

Other changes

Valuation allowances at December 31

The volume of cash and cash equivalents increased compared 
to the previous year from 1,063 million euros to 1,462 million 
euros. Of this figure, 1,307 million euros (previous year: 
939 million euros) relates to cash and 155 million euros (previ-
ous year: 124 million euros) to cash equivalents. The change 
is shown in the consolidated statement of cash flows.

9    Assets and liabilities held for sale

Assets and liabilities held for sale are assets and liabilities that 
can be sold in their current condition and whose sale is highly 
probable. Disposal must be expected within one year from the 
time of reclassification as held for sale. Such assets may be 
individual assets, groups of assets (disposal groups) or business 
operations (discontinued operations). Assets held for sale are 
no longer subject to scheduled depreciation and amortization 
and are instead recognized at the lower of carrying amount 
and fair value less costs to sell (level 3), which is determined 
by current price negotiations with potential buyers.

3,704

94

3,610

2018

103

13

–

– 20

– 2

–

94

3,504

91

3,413

121

2019

94

–

9

– 17

1 

4

91

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information176

Compared to December 31, 2018, assets held for sale decreased 
by 37 million euros to 39 million euros. The decline was primar-
ily due to the sale of land and a building in Scottsdale, Arizona, 
USA. The non-current assets were allocated to the Laundry & 
Home Care business unit and were put up for sale once The 
Sun Products Corporation was integrated into the Henkel Group. 
Once they were classified as held for sale, the assets were mea-
sured at the lower of carrying amount and fair value less costs 
to sell. This produced an impairment loss of 11 million euros 
in fiscal 2019, which was recognized through profit or loss in 
administrative expenses. The reclassification of an activity 
carved out of the Adhesive Technologies portfolio and reclassi-
fied as assets held for sale as of December 31, 2019, had a coun-
tervailing effect. Since the Henkel Group plans to sell these 
business activities within the next twelve months, the associ-
ated assets were classified as held for sale. The impairment 
loss of 19 million euros resulting from measurement of the 
assets at the lower of carrying amount and fair value less 
costs to sell was recognized through profit or loss in other 
operating expenses. The impairment loss on assets held for 
sale amounted to 0 million euros in the prior year.

No liabilities were held for sale (December 31, 2018: 0 million 
euros). 

Assets and liabilities held for sale 

122

in million euros

Intangible assets and property, plant  
and equipment

Inventories and trade accounts receivable

Cash and cash equivalents

Other assets

Provisions

Borrowings

Other liabilities

Net assets

December 31, 
2018

December 31, 
2019

76

–

–

–

–

–

–

76

34

5

–

–

–

–

–

39

10   Issued capital

Issued capital 

in million euros

Ordinary bearer shares

Preferred bearer shares

Capital stock

123

December 31, 
2018

December 31, 
2019

260

178

438

260

178

438

Comprising: 
259,795,875 ordinary shares, 178,162,875 non-voting preferred shares.

All shares are fully paid in. The ordinary and preferred shares 
are bearer shares of no par value, each of which represents a 
nominal proportion of the capital stock amounting to 1 euro. 
The liquidation proceeds are the same for all shares. The num-
ber of ordinary shares issued remained unchanged year on 
year. The number of preferred shares in circulation was also 
unchanged year on year, at 174,482,323 as at December 31, 2019.

Pursuant to Art. 6 (5) of the Articles of Association, there is an 
authorized capital. Accordingly, the Personally Liable Partner 
is authorized, with the approval of the Shareholders’ Committee 
and of the Supervisory Board, to increase the capital of the 
 corporation at any time until April 12, 2020, by up to a nominal 
amount of 43,795,875 euros in total by issuing up to 43,795,875 
new non-voting preferred shares for cash and / or in-kind 
 consideration. The authorization may be utilized to the full 
extent allowed or once or several times in installments. 
The proportion of capital stock represented by shares issued 
against payment in kind on the basis of this authorization 
must not exceed a total of 10 percent of the capital stock 
 existing at the time the authorization takes effect. 

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information177

The Personally Liable Partner is authorized, with the approval 
of the Shareholders’ Committee and of the Supervisory Board, 
to set aside the pre-emptive rights of shareholders in the case 
of a capital increase against payment in kind, particularly for 
the purpose of business combinations or the (direct or indirect) 
acquisition of entities, operations, parts of businesses, equity 
interests or other assets, including claims against the corpora-
tion or companies dependent upon it within the meaning of 
Section 17 German Stock Corporation Act [AktG].

If capital is increased against payment in cash, all shareholders 
are essentially assigned pre-emptive rights. However, these 
may be set aside where necessary, subject to the approval of 
the Shareholders’ Committee and of the Supervisory Board, in 
order to dispose of fractional amounts or to grant to holders of 
bonds with warrants or conversion rights issued by the corpo-
ration, or one of the companies dependent upon it, pre- emptive 
rights corresponding to those that would accrue to such bond-
holders following the exercise of their warrant or conversion 
rights or on fulfillment of their conversion obligations, or if 
the issue price of the new shares is not significantly below the 
quoted market price at the time of issue price fixing.

In addition, the Personally Liable Partner is authorized to pur-
chase ordinary and / or preferred shares of the corporation at 
any time until April 7, 2024, up to a maximum proportion of 
10 percent of the capital stock existing at the time the resolu-
tion is adopted by the Annual General Meeting or at the time 
the authorization is exercised, whichever is lower. Equity 
derivatives (put and / or call options and / or forward contracts 
or a combination of same) can also be used for such  purchase. 

The volume of any and all shares purchased using such deriva-
tives must not exceed 5 percent of the capital stock existing at 
the time the resolution is adopted by the Annual General 
Meeting or at the time the authorization is exercised, which-
ever is lower. The term of the derivatives must not exceed 18 
months in each case. The choice of derivative must ensure that 
the purchase of the preferred shares acquired through exercising 
the derivative is not possible after April 7, 2024. 

This authorization to purchase treasury shares can be exer-
cised for any legal purpose. To the exclusion of the pre-emp-
tive rights of existing shareholders, treasury shares may, in 
particular, be transferred to third parties for the purpose of 
acquiring entities or participating interests in entities. Trea-
sury shares may also be sold to third parties against payment 
in cash, provided that the selling price is not significantly 
below the quoted market price at the time of share disposal. 
Treasury shares may also be offered for purchase or transferred 
to members of the corporation’s staff or managers of affiliated 
companies, particularly in connection with share-based pay-
ment plans, including the Long Term Incentive Plan 2020+. 
The shares may likewise be used to satisfy warrants or conver-
sion rights granted by the corporation. The Personally Liable 
Partner is also authorized, with the approval of the Shareholders’ 
Committee and of the Supervisory Board, to cancel treasury 
shares without the need for further resolution by the General 
Meeting. 

Insofar as shares are issued or used to the exclusion of pre- 
emptive rights, the proportion of capital stock represented by 
such shares shall not exceed 10 percent.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information11   Capital reserve

14   Other components of equity

178

Reported under this heading are differences recognized in 
equity arising from the currency translation of annual financial 
statements of foreign subsidiaries, and also the effects arising 
from the valuation in comprehensive income of financial 
assets in the “fair value through other comprehensive income” 
category and of derivative financial instruments for which 
hedge accounting is used. The latter are derivatives used in 
connection with cash flow hedges or hedges of a net investment 
in a foreign entity. At December 31, 2019, the positive difference 
attributable to shareholders of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA arising 
from currency translation was 248 million euros (previous 
year: 142 million euros).

15   Non-controlling interests

Recognized under non-controlling interests are equity shares 
held by third parties measured on the basis of the proportion of 
net assets they represent.

The capital reserve comprises the amounts received in previous 
years in excess of the nominal value of preferred shares and 
convertible warrant bonds issued by Henkel AG & Co. KGaA.

12   Treasury shares

Treasury shares held by the corporation at December 31, 2019 
were unchanged at 3,680,552 preferred shares (December 31, 2018: 
3,680,552), representing a nominal proportion of 3.7 million euros 
(0.84 percent) of the capital stock. 

Details of the Global LTI Plan 2020+ are explained on pages 229 
to 231.

13   Retained earnings

Recognized in retained earnings are the following:
•   Amounts allocated in the financial statements  
of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA in previous years.

•   Amounts allocated from consolidated net income less those 

amounts attributable to non-controlling interests.

•   Buy-back of treasury shares by Henkel AG & Co. KGaA at cost 

and the proceeds from their disposal.

•   Actuarial gains and losses recognized in other  

comprehensive income.

•   The acquisition or disposal of ownership interests in 

 subsidiaries with no change in control.

•  Valuation effects following application of the present access 

method.

•  Effects of first-time application of IFRS 9 and IFRS 15 in 

 fiscal 2018 and of IFRS 16 in fiscal 2019. 

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information179

16    Provisions for pensions  
and similar obligations

Description of the pension plans
Employees in companies included in the consolidated finan-
cial statements have entitlements under company pension 
plans which are either defined contribution or defined benefit 
plans. These take different forms depending on the legal, 
financial and tax regimes of each country. The level of benefits 
provided is based, as a rule, on the length of service and on the 
income of the person entitled. Details of pension benefits for 
members of the Management Board are provided in the remu-
neration report on pages 47 to 74.

In defined benefit plans, the liability for pensions and other 
post-employment benefits is calculated at the present value 
of the future obligations (projected unit credit method). This 
actuarial method of calculation takes future trends in wages, 
salaries and retirement benefits into account. 

The majority of the beneficiaries of these pension plans are 
located in Germany and the USA. The pension obligations are 
primarily financed via various external trust assets that are 
legally independent of Henkel. 

Active employees of Henkel in Germany participate in a defined 
contribution system, “Altersversorgung 2004 (AV 2004),” which 
was newly formed in 2004. AV 2004 is an employer-financed 
pension plan that reflects the personal income development 
of employees during their career at Henkel and thus provides a 
performance-related pension. Henkel guarantees a minimum 
return on the company’s  contributions. The benefit essentially 
consists of an annuity payable upon attainment of the retire-
ment age plus a lump-sum payment if the annuity threshold is 
exceeded in the employee’s service period. In addition to 
retirement and disability pensions, the plan benefits include 
surviving spouse and  surviving child benefits. 

Employees who started at Henkel after April 1, 2011, participate 
in the pension plan “Altersversorgung 2011 (AV 2011).” AV 2011 
is an employer-financed, fund-linked retirement plan funded 
by contributions based on the income development of the 
employee. Henkel assures its employees that a lump-sum 
amount is available upon retirement which is at least equivalent 
to the level of principal contributions made by Henkel. Henkel 
pays the pension contribution into an investment fund estab-
lished for the purpose of the company pension plan. Upon 
attaining retirement age, the employee can choose between 
an annuity through transfer of the superannuation lump-sum 
to a pension fund, or a one-time payment. 

To provide protection under civil law of the pension entitle-
ments of future and current pensioners of Henkel AG & Co. 
KGaA against insolvency, we have transferred the proceeds of 
the bond issued in 2005 and certain other assets to Henkel 
Trust e.V. The trustee invests the cash with which it has been 
entrusted in the capital market in accordance with investment 
policies laid down in the trust agreement. In addition, we also 
subsidize medical benefits for active and retired employees 
resident mainly in the USA. Under these programs, retirees 
are reimbursed for a certain percentage of their refundable 
medical expenses. We recognize provisions during the 
employees’  service period and pay the promised benefits 
when they are claimed. The subsidies paid to active employees 
for medical benefits are recognized as a current expense and 
are therefore not included in the provisions for pensions and 
similar obligations. Disputes relating to health insurance com-
mitments (self-insurance) are pending in the USA. They per-
tain to issues surrounding the reimbursement of costs for cer-
tain medical treatments and whether these costs are refund-
able under reinsurance agreements.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther informationThe defined contribution plans are structured in such a way 
that the corporation pays contributions to public or private 
sector institutions on the basis of statutory or contractual 
terms or on a voluntary basis and has no further obligations 
regarding the payment of benefits to employees. The contribu-
tions for defined contribution plans, excluding multi-employer 
plans, for the reporting period amounted to 106 million euros 
(previous year: 112 million euros). In 2019, we paid 38 million 
euros to public sector institutions (previous year: 48 million 
euros) and 68 million euros to private sector institutions 
(previous year: 64 million euros).

Multi-employer plans
Henkel provides defined pension benefits that are financed by 
more than one employer. The ensuing multi-employer plans 
are treated as defined contribution plans because, due to the 
limited share of the contribution volume in the plans, the 
information available for each of the financing companies is 
insufficient for defined benefit accounting. Within the Henkel 
Group, benefits from multi-employer plans are provided for 
employees in the USA. Withdrawal from our multi-employer 
plans at the present time would incur a one-time expense of 
around 19 million euros (previous year: around 20 million euros). 
Payments into multi-employer plans in fiscal 2019 amounted 
to 1 million euros (previous year: 1 million euros). We expect 
contributions of around 1 million euros in fiscal 2020.

180

Assumptions
Group-wide, the obligations from our pension plans are valued 
by an independent external actuary at the end of the fiscal 
year. The calculations at the end of the fiscal year are based 
on the actuarial assumptions below. These are given as the 
weighted average. The mortality rates used are based on pub-
lished statistics and experience relating to each country. In 
Germany, the assumptions are based on the “Heubeck 2018G” 
mortality table. In the USA, the assumptions are based on the 
modified “Pri-2012” mortality table. The valuation of pension 
obligations in Germany was based essentially on the assump-
tion of a 1.7-percent increase in retirement benefits (previous 
year: 1.8 percent).

The discount rate is based on yields in the market for high- 
ranking corporate bonds on the respective date. The currency 
and term of the underlying bonds are matched to the currency 
and expected maturities of the post-employment pension 
obligations.

Actuarial assumptions 

in percent

Discount rate

Income trend

Expected increases in costs  
for medical benefits

in years

Life expectancy at age 65 as of the 
 valuation date for a person currently

65 years old

40 years old

1   Weighted average.

124

Germany

USA

Other countries 1

2018

1.80

3.25

2019

1.30

3.00

2018

4.15

3.00

2019

3.20

3.00

2018

2.45

3.05

2019

1.80

2.90

–

–

6.30

6.00

3.80

3.70

21.8

24.9

21.9

25.0

22.0

24.0

22.0

24.0

23.5

25.7

23.6

25.9

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information181

Development of defined benefit obligations 2018 

in million euros

At January 1, 2018

Changes in the Group

Translation differences

Actuarial gains (–) / losses (+)

Of which: from changes in demographic assumptions

Of which: from changes in financial assumptions

Of which: from experience adjustments

Current service cost

Employee contributions

Gains (–) / losses (+) arising from the termination and curtailment of plans

Interest expense

Retirement benefits paid out of plan assets

Employer payments for pension obligations

Other changes

At December 31, 2018

Of which: obligations not covered by plan assets

Of which: obligations covered by plan assets

Of which: obligations covered by reimbursement rights

Development of pension assets 2018 

in million euros

At January 1, 2018

Changes in the Group

Translation differences

Employer contributions

Employee contributions

Retirement benefits paid out of plan assets

Planned income on pension assets

Remeasurements in equity

Other changes

At December 31, 2018

Germany

3,074

USA Other countries

1,126

1,232

4

–

– 39

31

– 67

– 3

43

21

– 7

52

– 122

– 2

–

3,024

93

2,931

–

Germany

2,838

–

–

41

21

– 122

57

– 179

–

2,656

11

51

– 77

–

– 62

– 15

19

–

– 

39

– 61

– 26

–

1,082

141

830

111

– 10

– 3

– 48

– 10

– 44

6

23

1

1 

24

– 41

– 9

– 1

1,169

86

1,083

–

USA Other countries

818

6

39

81

–

– 61

30

– 68

–

845

1,056

– 6

– 2

52

1

– 41

19

– 42

– 1

1,036

125

Total

5,432

5

48

– 164

21

– 173

– 12

85

22

– 6

115

– 224

– 37

– 1

5,275

320

4,844

111

126

Total

4,712

–

37

174

22

– 224

106

– 289

– 1

4,537

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information182

Development of asset ceiling 2018 

in million euros

At January 1, 2018

Interest cost for asset ceiling

Remeasurements in equity

At December 31, 2018

Development of net obligation 2018 

in million euros

Net obligation at January 1, 2018

Recognized through profit or loss

Current service cost

Gains (–) / losses (+) arising from the termination and curtailment of plans

Interest expense

Recognized in other comprehensive income

Actuarial gains (–) / losses (+)

Remeasurements in equity

Change in the effect of the asset ceiling

Other items recognized in equity

Employer payments

Changes in the Group

Translation differences

Other changes

Net obligation at December 31, 2018

Overfunding of pension obligations

Recognized provision at December 31, 2018

Germany

USA Other countries

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

10

–

4

14

Germany

236

USA Other countries

308

186

43

– 7

– 5

– 39

179

–

– 43

4

–

–

368

–

368

19

–

9

– 77

68

–

– 107

5

12

–

237 

18

255

23

1

5

– 48

42

4

– 61

– 4

– 1

–

147

24

171

127

Total

10

–

4

14

128

Total

730

85

– 6

9

– 164

289

4

– 211

5

11

–

752

42

794

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information183

Development of defined benefit obligations 2019 

in million euros

At January 1, 2019

Changes in the Group

Translation differences

Actuarial gains (–) / losses (+)

Of which: from changes in demographic assumptions

Of which: from changes in financial assumptions

Of which: from experience adjustments

Current service cost

Employee contributions

Gains (–) / losses (+) arising from the termination and curtailment of plans

Interest expense

Retirement benefits paid out of plan assets

Employer payments for pension obligations

Other changes

At December 31, 2019

Of which: obligations not covered by plan assets

Of which: obligations covered by plan assets

Of which: obligations covered by reimbursement rights

Development of pension assets 2019 

in million euros

At January 1, 2019

Changes in the Group

Translation differences

Employer contributions

Employee contributions

Retirement benefits paid out of plan assets

Planned income on pension assets

Remeasurements in equity

Other changes

At December 31, 2019

Germany

3,024

USA Other countries

1,082

1,169

–

–

217

–

205

12

41

21

– 8

54

– 131

–

–

3,218

102

3,116

–

Germany

2,656

–

–

29

21

– 131

57

388

–

3,020

–

21

98

– 8

108

– 2

11

–

– 

44

– 80

– 31

–

1,145

124

900

121

–

33

93

– 4

104

– 7

24

1

– 

27

– 40

– 9

3

1,301

97

1,204

–

USA Other countries

845

–

16

–

–

– 80

34

123

–

938

1,036

–

32

21

1

– 40

24

99

– 1

1,172

129

Total

5,275

–

54

408

– 12

417

3

76

22

– 8

125

– 251

– 40

3

5,664

323

5,220

121

130

Total

4,537

–

48

50

22

– 251

115

610

– 1

5,130

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information184

Development of asset ceiling 2019 

in million euros

At January 1, 2019

Interest cost for asset ceiling

Remeasurements in equity

At December 31, 2019

Development of net obligation 2019 

in million euros

Net obligation at January 1, 2019

Recognized through profit or loss

Current service cost

Gains (–) / losses (+) arising from the termination and curtailment of plans

Interest expense

Recognized in other comprehensive income

Actuarial gains (–) / losses (+)

Remeasurements in equity

Change in the effect of the asset ceiling

Other items recognized in equity

Employer payments

Changes in the Group

Translation differences

Other changes

Net obligation at December 31, 2019

Overfunding of pension obligations

Recognized provision at December 31, 2019

Germany

USA Other countries

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

14

–

4

18

Germany

368

USA Other countries

237

147

41

– 8

– 4

217

– 388

–

11

–

10

98

– 123

–

– 29

– 31

–

–

–

197

–

197

–

5

–

207 

41

248

24

–

4

93

– 99

4

– 30

–

1

4

148

42

190

131

Total

14

–

4

18

132

Total

752

76

– 8

10

408

– 610

4

– 90

–

6

4

552

83

635

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information185

Analysis of reimbursement rights 

in million euros

At January 1

Changes in the Group

Translation differences

Employer contributions

Employee contributions

Retirement benefits paid

Interest income

Remeasurements in equity

At December 31

2018

112

–

9

1

–

– 6

4

– 9

111

133

2019

111

–

1

1

–

– 10

5

13

121

The total present value (defined benefit obligation – DBO)  
is comprised of:
•  1,978 million euros (previous year: 1,827 million euros)  

for active employees, 

•   971 million euros (previous year: 861 million euros) for  

former employees with vested benefits, and 

•  2,715 million euros (previous year: 2,587 million euros)  

for retirees.  

The average weighted duration of pension obligations is 
14 years (previous year: 15 years) for Germany, 8 years (previous 
year: 8 years) for the USA and 18 years (previous year: 18 years) 
for other countries.

In determining net liability, we take into account amounts that 
are not recognized due to asset ceiling restrictions. If the fair 
value of the plan asset item exceeds the obligations arising 
from the pension benefits, an asset is recognized only if the 

reporting entity can also derive economic benefit from these 
assets, for example in the form of return flows or a future 
reduction in contributions (“Asset Ceiling” per IAS 19.58 ff.). 
In the reporting period, we recorded an amount of 18 million 
euros as an asset ceiling (previous year: 14 million euros).

Within our consolidated statement of income, current service 
costs are allocated on the basis of cost of sales to the respective 
function. Only the net of interest expense for the present value 
of obligations and interest income from plan assets is reported 
in the interest result. All gains / losses from the termination 
and curtailment of plans are recognized in other operating 
income / expenses. Employer contributions to state pension 
insurance are included as “Social security contributions 
and staff welfare costs” under Note 35 on page 229. In 2019, 
allocations to the pension fund amounted to 50 million euros 
(previous year: 174 million euros).

The reimbursement rights covering a portion of the pension 
obligations in the USA are assets that do not fulfill the definition 
of plan assets as stated in IAS 19.

The reimbursement rights indicated are available to the Group 
in order to cover the expenditures required to fulfill the 
respective pension obligations. Reimbursement rights and 
the associated pension obligations must, according to IAS 19, 
be shown unnetted in the statement of financial position.

Payments into pension funds in fiscal 2020 are expected to 
total 49 million euros.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information186

Analysis of plan assets 

in million euros

Shares

Europe

USA

Others

Bonds and hedging instruments

Government bonds

Corporate bonds

Derivatives

Alternative investments

Cash

Liabilities 1

Other assets

Total

December 31, 2018

Quotation  
on active  
markets

No quotation 
on active  
markets

1,047

363

174

510

3,454

1,685

1,769

–

–

–

–

–

4,501

–

–

–

–

19

–

–

19

272

170

– 608

183

36

Total

1,047

363

174

510

3,473

1,685

1,769

19

272

170

– 608

183

4,537

December 31, 2019

Quotation  
on active  
markets

No quotation 
on active  
markets

1,157

361

213

583

3,741

2,053

1,688

–

–

–

–

–

4,898

–

–

–

–

49

–

–

49

427

193

– 621

184

232

134

Total

1,157

361

213

583

3,790

2,053

1,688

49

427

193

– 621

184

5,130

1   Liability to Henkel AG & Co. KGaA from the assumption of pension payments for Henkel Trust e.V.

Plan assets by country 2019 

135

Classification of bonds by rating 2019 

136

USA 

18 %

Germany 

59 %

Non-investment grade 

6 %

Investment grade 

94 %

Other countries 

23 %

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information 
 
187

The objective of the investment strategy for the global plan 
assets is the long-term security of pension payments. This is 
ensured by comprehensive risk management that takes into 
account the asset and liability portfolios of the defined benefit 
pension plans. Henkel pursues a liability-driven investment 
(LDI) approach in order to achieve the investment objective. 
This approach takes into account the structure of the pension 
obligations and governs the funding ratio of the pension 
plans. To improve the funding ratio, Henkel invests plan assets 
in a diversified portfolio for which the expected long-term 
yield is above the interest costs of the pension obligations.

In order to cover the risks arising from trends in wages, salaries 
and life expectancies, and to close the potential deficit between 
plan assets and pension obligations over the long term, addi-
tional investments are made in a return-enhancing portfolio 
as an add-on instrument that contains assets such as equities, 
private equity and real estate. The target portfolio structure of 
the plan assets is essentially determined in asset-liability 
studies. These studies are conducted regularly with the help 
of external advisors who assist Henkel in the investment of 
plan assets. They examine the actual portfolio structure, taking 
into account current capital market conditions, investment 
principles and the obligation structure, and can suggest 
adjustments be made to the portfolio. 

The expected long-term yield for individual plan assets is 
derived from the target portfolio structure and the expected 
long-term yields for the individual asset classes. 

Major plan assets are administered by external fund managers 
in Germany and the USA. These countries pursue the above 
investment strategies and are monitored centrally. At December 
31, 2019, other assets making up the plan assets included the 
present value of a non-current receivable of 62 million euros 
(previous year: 60 million euros) relating to claims pertaining 
to a hereditary building lease assigned by Henkel AG & Co. KGaA 
to Henkel Trust e.V. Also shown here is a claim of 95 million euros 

against BASF Personal Care & Nutrition GmbH  (formerly 
 Cognis GmbH) for indemnification of pension  obligations (pre-
vious year: 98 million euros). This claim represents the nominal 
value, which is equivalent to the market price. In the reporting 
year, as in the previous year, we held no direct investments 
and no treasury shares in respect of plan assets in the portfolio.

Risks associated with pension 
 obligations

Our internal pension risk management monitors the risks of 
all pension plans Group-wide in compliance with local legal 
regulations. As part of the monitoring process, guidelines on 
the control and management of risks are adopted and continu-
ously developed; these guidelines mainly govern funding 
levels, portfolio structure and actuarial assumptions. The 
objective of the financing strategy within the Group is to 
ensure that plan assets cover 90 to 100 percent of the present 
value of the funded pension obligations. The contributions 
and investment strategies are intended to ensure nearly com-
plete coverage of the plans for the duration of the pension 
obligations.

Henkel’s pension obligations are exposed to various market 
risks. These risks are counteracted by the required funding 
level and the structure of pension benefits. The risks relate pri-
marily to changes in market interest rates, inflation, and life 
expectancy, as well as general market fluctuations. Pension 
obligations based on contractual provisions in Germany 
 generally entail lifelong benefits payable when the employee 
reaches retirement age or in the case of incapacity or death.

In order to reduce the risks arising from the payment of lifelong 
benefits as well as inflation, pension benefits have been grad-
ually converted since 2004 to what are known as modular 
 benefits with a pension option, with the fund available being 
initially divided into an annuity and lump-sum portion. 

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information188

In addition to the pension obligation risks already presented, 
there are specific risks associated with multi-employer plans. 
In the Henkel Group, these relate solely to the USA. The contri-
butions to these plans are determined mainly through an allo-
cation process based on the pension-eligible income of active 
employees. Restructuring contributions may also be required 
in order to close gaps in coverage. The risks of such plans arise 
largely from higher future contributions to close coverage gaps 
or could occur through discontinuation by other companies 
obligated to make contributions.

The effects of changes to assumptions with respect to medical 
benefits for employees and retirees in the USA are shown in 
the sensitivity analysis.

The analysis of our Group-wide pension obligations revealed 
no extraordinary risks.

Newly hired employees since 2011 receive a commitment 
based primarily on the lump-sum benefit. Generally, lump-
sum benefits may also be paid out as an annuity through a 
pension fund. All benefits in Germany are financed through 
a provident fund (Vorsorgefonds) established for the purpose 
of the occupational pension plan. Benefits for new employees 
since 2011, as well as a portion of the entitlements vested since 
2004, are linked to the performance of this provident fund, 
resulting in a reduction in overall risk to the Group. The 
described adjustments within the pension structure reduce 
the financial risk arising from pension commitments in 
 Germany. By linking the benefit to the capital investment, 
the net risk is also largely eliminated. An increase in the long-
term inflation assumption would mainly affect the expected 
increase in pensions and the expected trend in pension- 
eligible salaries.

The pension obligations in the USA are based primarily on 
three retirement plans that are all closed to new employees. 
New employees receive pension benefits based on a defined 
contribution plan. The pension benefits generally have a 
lump-sum option which is usually exercised. When a pension 
becomes payable, the amount granted is determined on the 
basis of current market interest rates. As a result, the impact 
of a change to the interest rate used in the calculation is low 
compared to pension commitments entailing lifelong benefits. 
Additionally, in the USA, pensions paid once are not adjusted 
by amount, thus there are no direct risks during the pension 
payment period arising from pending annuity adjustments. 
Inflation risks therefore result mainly from the salary adjust-
ments awarded.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther informationCash flows and sensitivities
In the next five years, the following payments from pension 
plans are expected:

Future payments for pension benefits 

in million euros

Germany

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

149

138

137

147

146

USA

121

99

96

92

92

Other 
countries

37

36

38

40

42

137

Total

307

273

271

279

280

The future level of the funded status and thus of the pension 
obligations depends on the development of the discount rate, 
among other factors. Companies based in Germany and the 
USA account for 77 percent of our pension obligations. The 
medical costs for employees of our subsidiaries in the USA 
which are incurred after retirement are also recognized in 
the pension obligations for defined benefit plans. A rate of 
increase of 6.0 percent (previous year: 6.3 percent) was assumed 
for the medical costs. We expect this rate of increase to fall 
gradually to 4.5 percent by 2037 (previous year: 4.5 percent 
by 2037). The effects of a change in material actuarial assump-
tions for the present value of pension obligations are as follows:

189

138

Total

4,952

5,640

5,297

5,251

5,492

5,078

5,278

5,271

139

Total

Sensitivities – Present value of pension obligations at December 31, 2018 

in million euros

Present value of obligations

In the event of

Germany

USA

Other 
countries

3,024

1,082

1,169

5,275

Rise in discount rate increases by 0.5 pp

Reduction of discount rate by 0.5 pp

Rise in future income increases by 0.5 pp

Reduction of future income increases by 0.5 pp

Rise in retirement benefits increases by 0.5 pp

Reduction of retirement benefits increases by 0.5 pp

Rise in medical costs by 0.5 pp

Reduction of medical costs by 0.5 pp

2,839

3,233

3,024

3,023

3,181

2,881

3,024

3,024

1,043

1,126

1,086

1,078

1,082

1,082

1,085

1,080

1,070

1,281

1,187

1,150

1,229

1,115

1,169

1,167

pp = percentage points

Sensitivities – Present value of pension obligations at December 31, 2019 

in million euros

Present value of obligations

In the event of

Germany

USA

Other 
countries

3,218

1,145

1,301

5,664

Rise in discount rate increases by 0.5 pp

Reduction of discount rate by 0.5 pp

Rise in future income increases by 0.5 pp

Reduction of future income increases by 0.5 pp

Rise in retirement benefits increases by 0.5 pp

Reduction of retirement benefits increases by 0.5 pp

Rise in medical costs by 0.5 pp

Reduction of medical costs by 0.5 pp

3,026

3,435

3,218

3,218

3,361

3,087

3,218

3,218

1,098

1,194

1,150

1,141

1,145

1,145

1,147

1,143

1,191

1,429

1,323

1,281

1,374

1,238

1,300

1,301

5,315

6,058

5,691

5,640

5,880

5,470

5,665

5,662

pp = percentage points

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information190

The extension of life expectancy in Germany by one year 
would increase the present value of pension obligations by 
4 percent (previous year: 4 percent).

It should be noted with respect to the sensitivities presented 
that, due to mathematical effects, the percentage change is not 
and does not need to be linear. Thus the percentage increases 
and decreases do not vary with the same absolute amount. 
Each sensitivity is independently calculated and none is  subject 
to scenario analysis.

17    Other provisions

Development in 2019 

in million euros

Restructuring provisions

Of which: non-current

Of which: current

Sundry provisions

Of which: non-current

Of which: current

Total

Of which: non-current

Of which: current

At December 
31, 2018 1

Acquisitions

Utilized

Released

Added

Other changes

194

54

140

1,860

231

1,629

2,054

285

1,769

0

0

0

3

0

3

3

0

3

– 119

– 16

– 103

– 1,142

– 26

– 1,116

– 1,261

– 42

– 1,219

– 17

– 4

– 13

– 130

– 21

– 109

– 147

– 25

– 122

175

38

137

1,112

52

1,060

1,287

90

1,197

4

12

– 8

1

– 13

14

5

– 1

6

140

At December 
31, 2019

237

84

153

1,704

223

1,481

1,941

307

1,634

1   Prior-year figures amended (please refer to the notes on pages 154 to 157). 

Provisions are recognized for obligations toward third parties 
where the outflow of resources is probable and the expected 
obligation can be reliably estimated. Provisions are measured 
to the best estimate of the expenditures required in order 
to meet the current obligation as of the reporting date. Price 
increases expected to take place prior to the time of performance 

are included in the calculation. Provisions in which the 
 interest effect is material are discounted to the reporting date 
at a pre-tax interest rate. For obligations in Germany, we have 
applied interest rates of between 0.1 and 1.5 percent (previous 
year: 0.0 to 2.2 percent). 

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information191

Other provisions include identifiable obligations toward third 
parties. The amount represents the best possible estimate of 
the expense needed to honor the present obligation at the 
reporting date. 

Other changes in provisions include changes in the scope of 
consolidation, movements in exchange rates, compounding 
effects, and adjustments to reflect changes in maturity as time 
passes.

Provisions are recognized in respect of restructuring measures, 
provided that work has begun on the implementation of a 
detailed, formal plan or such a plan has already been commu-
nicated. Additions to the restructuring provisions are related 
to the optimization of our production and logistics structures, 
and of our sales and distribution structures.

The provisions for obligations arising from our sales activities 
cover expected refunds to customers and risks arising from 
pending transactions. Commitments to customers result in 
cash outflows in the following period. 

Provisions for payroll obligations essentially cover expenditures 
likely to be incurred by the Group for variable, performance- 
related remuneration components.

Provisions for obligations in the production and engineering 
sphere relate primarily to provisions for warranties.

Analysis of sundry provisions by function 

141

in million euros

Sales

Of which: non-current

Of which: current

Payroll

Of which: non-current

Of which: current

Production and engineering

Of which: non-current

Of which: current

Various sundry obligations

Of which: non-current

Of which: current

Total

Of which: non-current

Of which: current

December 31, 
2018 1

December 31, 
2019

1,084

7

1,077

468

115

353

46

23

23

262

86

176

1,860

231

1,629

1,023

7

1,016

349

66

283

4

3

1

328

147

181

1,704

223

1,481

1  Prior-year figures amended (please refer to the notes on pages 154 to 157).

Risks arising from legal disputes and proceedings
Provisions have been made for individual risks arising from 
civil disputes in the amount of probable claims plus associated 
procedural costs. In accordance with IAS 37.92, further disclo-
sures with respect to the proceedings and their related risks 
to Henkel have not been made in order to refrain from inter-
ference with their outcome.

Henkel and its Group companies are defendants in or parties 
to judicial, arbitrational, and official proceedings. The course 
and outcomes of legal disputes are inherently uncertain and 
unpredictable. Based on the knowledge currently available, 
no negative future impact, material or otherwise, on the net 
assets, financial position and results of operations of the 
 corporation is expected.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information192

143

18   Borrowings

Analysis 

in million euros

Bonds

Commercial paper 1

Liabilities to banks 2

Total

December 31, 2018

Non-current

Current

1,556

–

–

1,556

664

1,931

24

2,619

December 31, 2019

Non-current

Current

1,932

–

–

1,932

543

1,448

35

2,026

Total

2,220

1,931

24

4,175

142

Total

2,475

1,448

35

3,958

1   From the euro and US dollar commercial paper program (total volume: 2 billion US dollars and 2 billion euros).
2  Obligations with floating rates of interest or interest rates pegged for less than one year.

Bonds 

Issuer

Type

Nominal value

Carrying amounts  
excluding accrued interest

Market values  
excluding accrued interest 1

Market values  
including accrued interest 1

Interest rate p.a.

Maturity

in million euros

Henkel AG & Co. KGaA

Bond

750 million US dollars

Henkel AG & Co. KGaA

Bond

600 million US dollars

Henkel AG & Co. KGaA

Bond

700 million euros

Henkel AG & Co. KGaA

Bond 300 million GB pounds 2

Henkel AG & Co. KGaA

Bond 400 million GB pounds 2

Henkel AG & Co. KGaA

Bond 350 million GB pounds 2

December 
31, 2018

December 
31, 2019

December 
31, 2018

December 
31, 2019

December 
31, 2018

December 
31, 2019

2018

2019

654

523

699

334

–

–

–

534

699

351

470

411

648

518

700

328

–

–

–

533

703

355

474

410

651

524

700

329

–

–

–

539

703

355

475

411

1.5 % 

2.0 %

0.0 %

–

9/13/2019 

2.0 %

0.0 %

6/12/2020

9/13/2021

0.875 %

0.875 %

9/13/2022

–

–

1.0 %

9/30/2022

1.25 %

9/30/2026

Total bonds

2,210

2,465

2,194

2,475

2,204

2,483

1   Market value of the bonds derived from the stock market price at December 31. 
2  A cross-currency interest rate swap is in place to convert the interest and principal payments on the bond denominated in British pounds into euro payments.

One bond with a volume of 400 million British pounds and 
a term of three years and another bond with a volume of 
350 million British pounds and a term of seven years were 
placed in the year under review. Coinciding with this, we 

reduced our commercial paper funding by 483 million euros to 
1,448 million euros. In addition, a 750 million US dollar bond 
was redeemed on schedule in fiscal 2019.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information193

19    Other financial liabilities

Analysis 

in million euros

Lease liabilities

Liabilities to non-consolidated subsidiaries and 
associated companies

Liabilities to customers

Derivative financial instruments

Sundry financial liabilities

Total 

December 31, 2018

December 31, 2019

Non-current

Current

Total

Non-current

–

–

–

38

31

69

–

7

50

41

47

145

–

7

50

79

78

214

423

–

–

21

124

568

Current

128

7

65

79

13

292

144

Total

551

7

65

100

137

860

Application of IFRS 16 starting on January 1, 2019, to Henkel 
Group leases resulted in recognition of non-current lease 
 liabilities of 423 million euros and of current lease liabilities 
of 128 million euros on the reporting date. For further details 
of lease liability measurement, please refer to Note 2 on pages 
168 to 171.

Of the liabilities to non-consolidated subsidiaries and associated 
companies, 7 million euros (previous year: 7 million euros) is 
attributable to non-consolidated subsidiaries. 

Sundry financial liabilities include a liability of 115 million 
euros for the put option granted on the non-controlling inter-
ests in eSalon.com LLC, the subsidiary we acquired in the year 
under review. The purchase price liability of 9 million euros 
recognized in this item in the previous year in connection 
with the acquisition of the Darex Packaging Technologies busi-
ness was paid in fiscal 2019. In addition, the shares previously 
held by minority shareholders in our subsidiary in Nigeria 
were acquired in the year under review. As a result, the liability 
for the puttable instruments for minority shareholders, which 
was stated with a carrying amount of 29 million euros as of 
December 31, 2018, was derecognized.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information194

20    Other liabilities

Analysis  

in million euros

Other tax liabilities

Liabilities to employees

Liabilities relating to employee deductions

Liabilities in respect of social security

Sundry other liabilities

Total 

December 31, 2018

December 31, 2019

Non-current

–

2

–

–

16

18

Current

152

38

40

20

68

318

Total

152

40

40

20

84

336

Non-current

2

4

–

–

8

14

Current

186

39

40

19

49

333

145

Total

188

43

40

19

57

347

Sundry other liabilities primarily comprise various income 
deferrals for other accounting periods amounting to 15 million 
euros (previous year: 18 million euros) and payments on 
account received in the amount of 3 million euros (previous 
year: 5 million euros).

21    Trade accounts payable

Trade accounts payable increased from 3,713 million euros to 
3,819 million euros. In addition to purchase invoices, they also 
relate to accruals for invoices outstanding in respect of goods 
and services received. They are all due within one year.

22   Income tax liabilities

Income tax liabilities include both tax obligations and uncertain 
tax treatments. Since December 31, 2019, amounts presented 
as income tax provisions in previous years are presented 
as income tax liabilities (please refer to the notes on pages 
154 to 157).

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information195

23    Financial instruments report

How Henkel recognizes and measures financial instruments
A financial instrument is any contract that gives rise to a 
 financial asset of one entity and a financial liability or equity 
instrument of another entity.

Within Henkel Group, financial instruments are reported in the 
statement of financial position under trade accounts receivable, 
trade accounts payable, borrowings, other financial assets, 
other financial liabilities, and cash and cash equivalents.

Financial instruments are recognized once Henkel becomes a 
contracting party to the financial instrument and thereby 
acquires rights under the financial instrument or enters into 
comparable obligations. The recognition of financial assets 
takes place at the settlement date, with the exception of deriva-
tive financial instruments, which are recognized at the transac-
tion date. All financial instruments are initially reported at 
their fair value. Only those trade accounts receivable without 
any significant financing component are recognized at trans-
action price as defined in IFRS 15. Transaction costs are only 
capitalized if the financial instruments are not subsequently 
measured at fair value through profit or loss.

IFRS 9 specifies three categories for measuring financial assets
•  Measured at amortized cost
•  Measured at fair value through profit or loss
•  Measured at fair value through other comprehensive income 

Classification of financial assets to one of the measurement 
categories is initially based on the structure of the contractual 
cash flows. The classification of financial assets whose cash 
flows occur at fixed points in time and are comprised entirely 
of principal and interest payments is then dictated by the 
business model in which they are held. 

Financial instruments held so as to collect contractual cash 
flows are recognized at amortized cost using the effective 
interest method. With the exception of derivative financial 
instruments, other investments, and certain cash deposits rec-
ognized as securities and time deposits and as cash equivalents, 
all financial assets fulfill these criteria and are measured at 
amortized cost. 

If the business model essentially requires the assets to be held, 
albeit with their sale remaining possible where necessary – for 
example to cover liquidity needs – said assets are recognized 
at fair value through other comprehensive income. Henkel 
currently uses this category for certain shares in investment 
funds that it uses for the long-term investment of cash. 

Financial instruments whose cash flows are comprised 
entirely of principal and interest payments but which are not 
held within one of the two aforementioned business models, 
are recognized at fair value through profit or loss. 

In addition, a risk provision must be accrued in the amount of 
expected credit losses for financial assets that are measured 
at amortized cost or at fair value through other comprehensive 
income. For more details, please refer to the notes on trade 
accounts receivable on pages 174 and 175 and on credit risk on 
pages 210 to 216. 

Financial assets whose cash flows are not comprised entirely 
of principal and interest payments are always recognized at 
fair value through profit or loss. At Henkel, this is the case with 
derivative financial assets, shares in open-end investment 
funds held to manage liquidity, and cash deposits with embed-
ded derivatives. As a rule, Henkel exercises its right to choose 
to recognize equity instruments, including shares in closed-
end investment funds, at fair value through other comprehen-
sive income. This approach is commensurate with the fact 
that, as a rule, the corporation does not plan to sell the assets 
to benefit from short-term changes in their fair value. If these 

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information196

equity instruments are, nevertheless, sold or derecognized 
for some other reason, the valuation effects accumulated up 
to then in other comprehensive income are reclassified to 
retained earnings and not included in the  consolidated state-
ment of income.

Financial liabilities must be allocated to one of the following 
measurement categories:
•  Measured at amortized cost 
•  Measured at fair value through profit or loss 

As a rule, Henkel recognizes financial liabilities at amortized 
cost using the effective interest method. The one exception is 
derivative financial liabilities, which are measured at fair 
value through profit or loss.

Hedge accounting is applied in individual cases – where 
 possible and economically sensible – in order to avoid profit 
and loss variations arising from fair value changes in deriva-
tive financial instruments. Fair value and cash flow hedges 
are designated within the Group, depending on the type of 
underlying and the risk being hedged. Details relating to the 
hedging contracts transacted within the Group and how the 
fair values of the derivatives are determined are provided on 
pages 198 to 209.

Henkel currently does not exercise the fair value option for 
financial assets, nor for financial liabilities.

The following table summarizes the allocation of items on the 
statement of financial position to the financial instrument 
classes and compares the carrying amounts of the financial 
assets and liabilities with their respective fair values:

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther informationComparison of carrying amounts and fair values of financial instruments 

in million euros

Financial assets

Trade accounts receivable

Other financial assets

Financial instruments class 
(Valuation hierarchy of fair values)

Amortized cost

Receivables from non-consolidated 
 subsidiaries and associated companies

Financial receivables from third parties

Amortized cost

Amortized cost

Derivative financial instruments not included 
in a designated hedging relationship

Fair value through profit or loss (level 2)

Derivative financial instruments  
included in a designated hedging  
relationship

Investments in non-consolidated subsidiaries 
and associated companies

Derivatives included in a designated hedging 
 relationship (level 2)

Not assigned to any valuation category under IFRS 9

Other investments

Fair value through other comprehensive income (level 3)

Receivables from Henkel Trust e.V.

Securities and time deposits

Securities and time deposits

Securities and time deposits

Financial collateral provided

Sundry financial assets

Cash and cash equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents

Total

Amortized cost

Amortized cost

Fair value through other comprehensive income (level 1)

Fair value through profit or loss (level 2)

Amortized cost

Amortized cost

Amortized cost

Fair value through profit or loss (level 2)

197

146

December 31, 2018 December 31, 2018 December 31, 2019 December 31, 2019

Carrying amount

Fair value

Carrying amount

Fair value

3,610

1,095

1

23

31

6

18

20

608

6

15

200

49

118

972

91

5,768

3,413

1,460

–

138

60

54

9

36

621

8

17

400

26

91

1,349

113

6,335

31

6

20

15

200

91

60

54

36

17

400

113

TABLE CONT’D

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther informationComparison of carrying amounts and fair values of financial instruments 

in million euros

Financial liabilities

Borrowings

Bonds

Other borrowings

Trade accounts payable

Other financial liabilities

Lease liabilities

Liabilities to non-consolidated subsidiaries  
and associated companies

Liabilities to customers

Derivative financial instruments not included 
in a designated hedging relationship

Financial instruments class 
(Valuation hierarchy of fair values)

Amortized cost (level 1)

Amortized cost

Amortized cost

Not assigned to any valuation  
category under IFRS 9

Amortized cost

Amortized cost

Fair value through profit or loss (level 2)

Derivative financial instruments included  
in a designated hedging relationship

Derivatives included in a designated   
hedging relationship (level 2)

Derivative financial instruments included  
in a designated hedging relationship

Derivatives included in a designated  
hedging relationship (level 3)

Sundry financial liabilities

Sundry financial liabilities

Sundry financial liabilities

Total

Not assigned to any valuation category under  
IFRS 9 (level 3)

Amortized cost (level 3)

Amortized cost

198

146

December 31, 2018 December 31, 2018 December 31, 2019

December 31, 2019

Carrying amount

Fair value

Carrying amount

Fair value

4,175

2,220

1,955

3,713

214

–

7

50

28

50

1

29

–

49

8,102

2,204

28

50

1

29

3,958

2,475

1,483

3,819

860

551

7

65

56

44

–

–

115

22

8,637

2,483

56

44

–

–

109

IFRS 13 Fair Value Measurement defines fair value as the price 
that would be payable in a principal market – or in the most 
favorable market, in the absence of the former – if an asset 
were to be sold or a liability transferred. Valuation parameters 
as close to market reality as possible must be used as input 
factors to determine fair value. The fair value hierarchy prio-
ritizes the input factors used in the valuation methods in three 
descending levels, depending on market proximity:

•  Level 1: Fair values which are determined on the basis of 

quoted, unadjusted prices in active markets.

•  Level 2: Fair values which are determined on the basis of 
parameters for which either directly or indirectly derived 
market prices are available.

•  Level 3: Fair values which are determined on the basis of 

parameters for which the input factors are not derived from 
observable market data.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther informationThe fair value of securities and time deposits classified as 
level 1 is based on the quoted market prices on the reporting 
date. Observable market data are used to measure the fair value 
of level 2 securities, time deposits and cash equivalents. If bid 
and ask prices are available, the mid price is used to determine 
the fair value. When using the discounted cash flow method 
to determine fair values, the contractually specified cash flows 
are discounted using currency-specific yield curves. When 
measuring derivative financial instruments, the credit risk is 

Development of level 3 assets and liabilities 2018 

in million euros

Carrying amount at January 1, 2018

Purchases

Gains / losses (realized) recognized in operating profit or loss

Of which attributable to assets and liabilities held at the end of the reporting period

Gains / losses recognized in other changes in equity

Foreign exchange effects / Other changes

Carrying amount at December 31, 2018

199

determined by netting all financial assets, liabilities, collateral 
received and collateral provided for each counterparty to 
determine the net credit exposure. An explanation of the 
method used to determine the fair values of derivative financial 
instruments can be found on pages 204 to 209.

The changes in the fair values of the level 3 financial instru-
ments are discussed in the following:

Derivative financial 
instruments  
included in a  
designated hedging 
relationship

Other  
investments

Contingent 
 purchase price 
commitments

–

–

–

–

– 1

–

– 1

7

12

–

–

–

1

20

38

4

– 9

– 9

–

–

33

147

Puttable  
instruments  
for minority 
 shareholders

27

–

–

–

2

–

29

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information200

148

Puttable  
instruments  
for minority 
 shareholders

29

– 21

–

–

– 8

–

–

Development of level 3 assets and liabilities 2019 

in million euros

Carrying amount at January 1, 2019

Purchases

Gains / losses (realized) recognized in operating profit or loss

Of which attributable to assets and liabilities held at the end of the reporting period

Gains / losses recognized in other changes in equity

Foreign exchange effects / Other changes

Carrying amount at December 31, 2019

Derivative financial 
instruments 
included in a 
 designated hedging 
relationship

Other  
investments

Contingent 
 purchase price 
commitments

– 1

–

–

–

1

–

0

20

23

–

–

– 8

1

36

33

–

– 26

– 16

–

1

8

The derivative financial instruments categorized as level 3 are 
commodity forwards recognized in hedge accounting. In the 
absence of forward quotes on the market, the fair value is 
determined on the basis of bids obtained from several banks 
for new contracts involving similar products.

Changes in the fair values determined using this procedure are 
included in full in the overall hedge reserve balance in other 
comprehensive income. Reclassification of the corresponding 
amounts to the cost of hedged inventories is performed when 
the derivatives are realized. This occurs when the hedged 
inventories are recognized. A 10 percent higher (lower) forward 
price on the reporting date would have resulted in other com-
prehensive income increasing (decreasing) by 0 million euros.

Other investments include investments in companies and 
investment funds that are currently not intended for sale. The 
carrying amounts of the investments in companies totaled 
16 million euros (previous year: 11 million euros). Shares in 
investment funds totaled 20 million euros (previous year: 

9 million euros). The fair value of other investments is based 
either on information derived from recent financing transac-
tions, on a cost-based method or on valuation using the dis-
counted cash flow method taking into account the free cash 
flow of the investee. Appropriate risk-adjusted costs of capital 
are applied when using the discounted cash flow method. 

The individual other investments are of minor importance for 
the presentation of the net assets and results of operations of 
the Henkel Group. If any conceivably realistic changes were to 
occur in the valuation parameters, the change in the carrying 
amounts revealed by sensitivity analysis would not exceed a 
range in the low single-digit euro millions. The changes would 
be included in full in the overall figure for other changes in 
equity. No individual other investments were sold in the year 
under review. The sale of one other investment with a carrying 
amount of 0 million euros in fiscal 2018 produced a gain of 
4 million euros. No valuation results recognized in equity 
were reclassified to retained earnings in the year under review 
nor in the previous year. 

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information201

The fair value of the performance-related purchase price com-
ponent relating to the acquisition of the outstanding non-con-
trolling shares in our subsidiary in the United Arab Emirates is 
determined on the basis of the expected trend in earnings 
before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, impair-
ment losses and write-ups (EBITDA) that was relevant to pay-
ment of the contingent purchase price component. In addition 
to the EBITDA, the exchange rate of the UAE dirham is a further 
material valuation parameter.

If EBITDA were to be 10 percent lower, or the UAE dirham were 
to devalue by 10 percent, the resulting fair value would be 
lower by 2 million euros and 1 million euros respectively. If 
EBITDA were to be 10 percent higher, or the UAE dirham were 
to appreciate by 10 percent, the resulting fair value would be 
higher by 5 million euros and 1 million euros respectively. The 
changes would be included in full in the statement of income.

Following our acquisition of eSalon.com LLC in the year under 
review, a liability was recognized in sundry financial liabilities 
for the puttable instrument for the minority shareholders, 
which is measured at amortized cost. The fair value indicated 
in the notes, which is allocable to level 3, corresponds to the 
present value of the expected obligation, calculated using a 
multiple-approach procedure based on the sales of the com-
pany and an adjustment to net working capital, and discounted 
at the current market rate for comparable debt instruments. In 
addition to the sales of the company, the average annual 
growth rate in sales that forms the basis for determining the 
multiplier, and the exchange rate of the US dollar, are further 
material valuation parameters.

We did not perform any reclassifications between the valua-
tion categories or IFRS 7 classes, or transfers within the fair 
value hierarchy either in fiscal 2019 or in the previous year.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther informationNet gains and losses from financial instruments  
by category
The net gains and losses from financial instruments can be 
allocated to the following categories:

Net results by measurement category 2018 

Interest

Valuation 
allowances 

in million euros

Financial assets measured at amortized cost

10

– 5

Financial assets measured at fair value  
through other comprehensive income  
(debt instruments)

Financial assets measured at fair value  
through other comprehensive income  
(equity instruments)

Financial assets and liabilities measured  
at fair value through profit or loss

Financial liabilities measured at amortized cost

Total net results 2018

–

–

–

– 72

– 62

–

–

–

–

– 5

Payments 
received for 
written-off and 
derecognized 
financial  
instruments

Fees

Other effects 
recognized 
through profit 
or loss

Valuation 
effects recog-
nized through 
other compre-
hensive income

Reclassifications  
of valuation 
effects recog-
nized through 
other compre-
hensive income

3

–

–

–

–

 3

–

–

–

–

– 5

– 5

3

–

–

86

– 8

81

–

– 1

–

– 37

2

– 36

–

–

–

36

–

36

202

149

Total  
net results

11

– 1

–

85

– 83

12

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information203

150

Total  
net results

4

1

– 8

99

– 104

– 8

Net results by measurement category 2019 

Interest

Valuation  
allowances 

in million euros

Financial assets measured at amortized cost

13

– 19

Financial assets measured at fair value  
through other comprehensive income  
(debt instruments)

Financial assets measured at fair value  
through other comprehensive income  
(equity instruments)

Financial assets and liabilities measured  
at fair value through profit or loss

Financial liabilities measured at amortized cost

Total net results 2019

–

–

1

– 87

– 73

–

–

–

–

– 19

Payments  
received for 
written-off and 
derecognized 
financial 
 instruments

Fees

Other effects 
recognized 
through profit 
or loss

Valuation 
effects recog-
nized through 
other compre-
hensive income

Reclassifications 
of valuation 
effects recog-
nized through 
other compre-
hensive income

2

–

–

–

–

2

–

–

–

–

– 5

– 5

8

–

–

102

– 12

98

–

1

– 8

– 80

–

– 87

–

–

–

76

–

76

No gains or losses were realized in the fiscal year from 
derecognized financial assets measured at amortized cost.

Reconciliation of net results to financial result 

in million euros

Total net results

Less / plus results included in operating profit  
or in other comprehensive income

Foreign exchange effects

Interest expense of pension obligations  
less interest income from plan assets and  
reimbursement rights

Other financial result  
(not related to financial instruments)

Financial result

2018

12

12

– 85

– 5

1

– 65

151

2019

– 8

24

– 98

– 7

1

– 88

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information204

Derivative financial instruments and hedge accounting
Derivative financial instruments are measured at their fair 
value at the reporting date. Recognition of the gains and losses 
arising from fair value changes of derivative financial instru-
ments is dependent upon whether hedge accounting rules are 
applicable. The Group ensures that its hedge accounting is 
consistent with the Group risk management objectives and 
strategy, and that a qualitative and forward-looking approach 
is adopted when assessing the effectiveness of its hedging 
transactions.

Hedge accounting is not applied for the derivative financial 
instruments as long as their valuation is offset by compensa-
tory changes in the fair values of the hedged items or the 
requirements for hedge accounting are not fulfilled. We recog-
nize directly in the statement of income the fair value changes 
in these derivatives which, in economic terms, represent 
effective hedges within the framework of the Group strategy. 

In hedge accounting, derivative financial instruments are 
 classified as instruments for hedging the fair value of a recog-
nized underlying (fair value hedge), as instruments for hedg-
ing future cash flows (cash flow hedge) or as instruments for 
hedging a net investment in a foreign operation (hedge of a net 
investment in a foreign operation). When closing the transac-
tion, Henkel documents the relationship between the hedging 
instrument and the hedged underlying transactions, together 
with the risk management objectives and strategies of the 
hedging transactions. All derivatives classified as hedges are 
tied to specific committed and planned transactions. Henkel 
uses acknowledged methods – such as the dollar offset 
method or the hypothetical derivative method – to determine 
the effective portion of the hedges and any ineffective portions. 

The following table provides an overview of the derivative 
financial instruments utilized and recognized within the 
Group, and their fair values:

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information205

Derivative financial instruments 

152

in million euros

Nominal value

Positive fair value 2

Negative fair value 2

December 31, 
2018

December 31, 
2019

December 31, 
2018

December 31, 
2019

December 31, 
2018

December 31, 
2019

Currency risk

Forward exchange contracts 1 

Of which: for hedging loans within the Group

Of which: designated as cash flow hedge

Cross-currency interest rate swaps 3

Of which: designated as cash flow hedge

Interest rate risk

Interest rate swaps 4

Of which: designated as cash flow hedge

Commodity price risk

Commodity forwards

Of which: designated as cash flow hedge

Share price risk

Equity forward contracts 

Of which: designated as cash flow hedge

Total derivative financial instruments

5,046

2,171

651

335

335

–

–

9

9

74

74

5,464

6,334

2,823

1,580

1,234

1,234

979

979

3

3

35

35

37

20

6

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

71

52

11

43

43

–

–

–

–

–

–

8,585

37

114

– 31

– 19

– 3

– 30

– 30

–

–

– 1

– 1

– 17

– 17

– 79

– 69

– 35

– 13

– 13

– 13

– 11

– 11

–

–

– 7

– 7

– 100

1  Maturity less than 1 year. 
2  Fair values including accrued interest and excluding valuation allowance for counterparty credit risk of 0 million euros (previous year: 0 million euros).
3  Nominal value: 1.05 billion British pounds. 
4  Nominal value: 1.1 billion US dollars.

We determine the fair value of forward exchange contracts and 
cross-currency interest rate swaps on the basis of the reference 
rates issued by the European Central Bank for the reporting 
date, taking into account forward premiums / forward dis-
counts for the remaining term of the respective contract versus 
the contracted foreign exchange rate. Foreign exchange 
options are measured using price quotations or recognized 
models for the deter mination of option prices. The fair value 
of equity forward contracts is measured on the basis of the 
closing price of Henkel preferred shares on the reporting date, 

taking into account forward premiums / forward discounts for 
the remaining term of the respective contract versus the con-
tracted forward share price. Interest rate swaps are measured 
on the basis of discounted cash flows expected in the future, 
taking into account market interest rates applicable for the 
remaining term of the contracts. These are indicated for the two 
most important currencies in the following table. It shows the 
interest rates quoted on the interbank market in each case on 
December 31.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information206

Interest rates in percent p.a. 

153

At December 31  
Term

Euro

US dollar

1 month

3 months

6 months

1 year 

2 years 

5 years 

10 years

2018

– 0.36

– 0.31

– 0.24

– 0.12

– 0.18

0.20

0.81

2019

– 0.44

– 0.38

– 0.32

– 0.25

– 0.29

– 0.13

0.21

2018

2019

2.50

2.81

2.88

3.01

2.67

2.58

2.72

1.76

1.91

1.91

2.00

1.68

1.72

1.88

In measuring derivative financial instruments, counterparty 
credit risk is taken into account with an adjustment to the fair 
values concerned, determined on the basis of credit risk 
 premiums. The adjustment relating to fiscal 2019 amounts to 
0 million euros (previous year: 0 million euros). Changes in 
credit risk are recognized through profit or loss in the financial 
result.

Depending on their fair value and their maturity on the report-
ing date, derivative financial instruments are included in 
 current or non-current financial assets (positive fair value) or 
in current or non-current financial liabilities (negative fair 
value).

Most of the forward exchange contracts served to hedge risks 
arising from trade accounts receivable and payable, and those 
pertaining to Group financing.

Fair value hedges
A fair value hedge hedges fluctuations in the fair value of 
 recognized assets and liabilities or firmly contracted unrecog-
nized financial commitments from which a specific risk 
arises. The changes in the fair values of the hedging instru-
ments and of the hedged item resulting from the hedged risk 
are simultaneously recognized in profit or loss.

The Henkel Group did not use any fair value hedges in fiscal 
2019 nor in fiscal 2018. 

Cash flow hedges
A cash flow hedge hedges fluctuations in future cash flows 
from recognized assets and liabilities, firmly contracted 
unrecognized financial commitments, and also highly proba-
ble transactions, from which a specific risk arises. The Henkel 
Group uses them to hedge currency, interest rate, and commod-
ity and share price risks. The effective portion of the change in 
fair value of the hedging instrument in a cash flow hedge is 
initially recognized in the cash flow hedge reserve in equity. 
The ineffective portion arising from the change in value 
is recognized through profit or loss in the financial result or 
operating profit, depending on the hedged item. Henkel 
 exercises its right to choose to also initially recognize in the 
hedging cost reserve in equity, changes in value of non-desig-
nated components of hedges, such as the forward component 
and currency-based spread of currency forwards and the 
 currency-based spread of cross-currency interest rate swaps. 
Amounts recognized in the reserves are released through 
profit or loss in the same period in which the hedged transaction 
impacts profit or loss. If a cash flow hedge results in the rec-
ognition of a non- financial asset, the amounts recognized in 
equity are included as part of the acquisition cost when the 
asset is  recognized (basis adjustment).

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information207

154

At 
Dec. 31

the relevant strategy for each currency. The hedging rates for 
major currencies are shown in the following table:

Currency derivatives in cash flow hedge accounting 

156

in million 
euros

2019

2018

in million 
euros

2019

2018

Cash flow hedge reserve (net of deferred taxes) 

At  
Jan. 1

Hedge 
results

Reclassifi-
cations  
to the  
statement 
of income

Reclassifi-
cations to 
inventories 
(basis 
adjustment)

– 236

– 233

– 102

– 41

85

35

– 1

3

– 254

– 236

Hedging cost reserve (net of deferred taxes) 

155

At
Dec. 31

At
Jan. 1

Hedge 
results

Reclassifi-
cations  
to the 
statement 
of income

Reclassifi-
cations to 
inventories 
(basis 
adjustment)

2

0

20

4

– 7

– 2

–

–

15 

2

The reserves recognized in equity relate substantially to currency 
hedges for past acquisitions, for planned inventory purchases 
and for those of our bonds issued in foreign currencies. 
 Neither in fiscal 2019 nor in the previous year did the cash 
flow hedge reserve and the hedging cost reserve include any 
amounts relating to hedges that were no longer subject to 
hedge accounting.

Currency risk
As part of its risk management, the Henkel Group hedges 
 fluctuations in cash flows of planned sales and inventory 
 purchases in foreign currencies against currency risk. Currency 
forwards or recognized receivables and payables are used as 
hedges. They are all due within one year. In the case of currency 
forwards, no ineffective portions arise, since the Group only 
designates the spot component as the hedging instrument. 
Changes in the non- designated components of the derivatives 
over the duration are recognized in the hedging cost reserve. 
The hedge ratio is determined individually, depending on 

in euros

US dollar

Canadian dollar

Chinese yuan

British pound

Polish zloty

2019

Nominal

Weighted  
hedging rate

739

67

61

55

24

1.12

1.51

7.98

0.89

4.32

An addition of – 53 million euros (previous year: – 27 million 
euros) to the reserves (net of deferred taxes) related to currency 
hedges of planned inventory purchases and currency hedges 
of budgeted sales against fluctuating spot rates. Of the changes 
in value of the hedges recognized in equity in the reporting 
period, – 48 million euros (previous year: – 34 million euros) 
was reclassified to cost of hedged inventories without affecting 
profit or loss or – within the framework of hedging budgeted 
sales – to operating result through profit or loss. The positive 
and negative fair values of the derivatives contracted as a cur-
rency hedge of planned inventory purchases and as a currency 
hedge of budgeted sales amounted to 11 million euros (previous 
year: 6 million euros) and – 19 million euros (previous year: 
– 3 million euros) respectively. The cash flows from these cur-
rency derivatives and the cash flows from the hedged inven-
tory purchases and the hedged sales are expected to occur and 
affect operating profit in the next fiscal year when the invento-
ries are used and the sales realized. 

In addition to the currency derivatives, trade accounts payable 
in foreign currency were designated as hedges for budgeted 
sales. The carrying amount of these liabilities is 524 million 
euros (previous year: 445 million euros). The cash flows from 
these liabilities and the cash flows from the hedged sales are 

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information208

expected to occur and affect operating profit in the next fiscal 
year. The hedge transactions did not produce any ineffective 
portions.

In addition, cross-currency interest rate swaps are used to 
hedge currency risks arising in connection with interest and 
redemption payments in foreign currencies relating to Group 
funding. The hedged future interest and redemption payments 
relate to our bonds issued in British pounds with a nominal 
value totaling 1,050 million British pounds. Through the 
cross-currency interest rate swaps, the fixed payments in Brit-
ish pounds have been converted into fixed-rate payments in 
euros. The bond maturing on September 13, 2022, was hedged 
at a rate of 0.84361 British pounds. The bonds issued in 2019 
were both hedged at a rate of 0.883 British pounds. The hedges 
were structured and designated such that the occurrence of 
ineffective portions was eliminated. Changes in the non- 
designated currency-based spreads over the duration are 
 recognized in the hedging cost reserve. The cash flows from 
the cross-currency interest rate swap that are attributable to 
the interest payments were recognized proportionately for the 
reporting period through profit or loss as an interest expense. 
The term of the cross-currency interest rate swaps is matched 
to the term of the respective bond.

Interest rate risk 
In the year under review, interest rate swaps with a nominal 
volume of 1,100 million US dollars were contracted to hedge 
the risk of interest rate changes in connection with our com-
mercial paper program. The swaps are designated as hedging 
instruments in a cash flow hedge. Because of the revolving 
nature of our commercial paper borrowings, the interest 
 payments in US dollars are variable and are converted into 
fixed-interest payments through the interest rate swap.

In fiscal 2018, the interest payments on the 1,100 million US 
dollar syndicated bank loan recognized under liabilities to 
banks were hedged against changes in market interest rates. 
An interest rate swap was used to convert the floating-rate US 
dollar interest payments into fixed-rate payments. The loan 
was repaid prematurely in fiscal 2018 and the interest rate 
hedge concluded. The change in fair value of the hedging 
instrument of 2 million euros (net of deferred taxes), which 
in previous years had been included in the cash flow hedge 
reserve, was recognized through profit or loss in financial 
result, as the hedged cash flows will no longer occur.

Commodity price risk
Payments for planned commodity purchases are selectively 
hedged against fluctuations due to changes in the purchase 
prices of the raw materials. Commodity forwards are used to 
hedge this risk. They are all due within one year. The Group 
only designates the commodity price component of the bud-
geted raw material purchases. Other price components, such 
as transportation costs, are not designated. Accordingly, there 
are no ineffective portions. At the reporting date, exposure in 
connection with clearly identifiable ethylene components 
amounted to 31 million euros. An ethylene volume of 3 million 
euros was hedged at an average rate of 0.25 euros per pound. 

The negative changes in value of these derivatives of 1 million 
euros (previous year: 1 million euros) after deduction of 
deferred taxes were recognized as additions to the cash flow 
hedge reserve. Of the losses recognized in equity in the report-
ing period, 3 million euros (previous year: 0 million euros) 
was reclassified to cost of hedged inventories without affecting 
profit or loss.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther informationShare price risk 
The hedged risk arises from potential fluctuations in future 
payroll cost for budgeted payouts relating to our Global Long 
Term Incentive (LTI) Plan 2013 due to fluctuations in the price 
of Henkel shares. Equity forward contracts with maturities 
from 2018 through 2020 were or are used to hedge against this 
risk. In these cases, no ineffective portions arise since the 
Group only designates the spot component of the equity for-
ward  contracts. At the reporting date, the exposure amounted 
to 51 million euros. A volume of 35 million euros is hedged at 
an average price of 110.70 euros. 

An addition of – 6 million euros (previous year: – 3 million euros) 
to the cash flow hedge reserve (net of deferred taxes) resulted 
from the hedge of this planned exposure relating to our Long 
Term Incentive (LTI) Plan. Of the losses recognized in equity, 
– 7 million euros (previous year: – 3 million euros) were 
 reclassified to operating profit in the year under review. The 
negative fair values of the equity forward contracts amounted 
to – 7 million euros (previous year: – 17 million euros). The 
hedged cash flows will be realized within one year.

Hedges of a net investment in a foreign operation
The accounting treatment of hedges of a net investment in a 
foreign operation against translation risk is similar to that 
applied to cash flow hedges. The gain or loss arising from the 
effective portion of the hedging instrument is recognized in 
the reserve for hedges of a net investment in a foreign operation; 
the ineffective portion is recognized directly through profit or 
loss. Henkel exercises its right to choose to also recognize 
changes in value of non-designated components – such as the 
forward component and currency-based spread of currency 
 forwards – in equity. The gains or losses recognized directly in 
equity in connection with the hedges of a net investment in a 
foreign operation remain there until disposal or partial disposal 
of the net investment. 

209

The reserve for hedges of a net investment in a foreign opera-
tion relates essentially to translation risks arising from net 
investments in Swiss francs, US dollars, Chinese yuans and 
Russian rubles for which the associated hedging instruments 
expired in  previous years. The year-end total of 35 million 
euros (previous year: 35 million euros) does not include any 
non-designated components.

Reserve for hedges of a net investment  
in a foreign operation (net of deferred taxes) 

At 
Jan. 1

Addition 
(recognized 
in equity)

Disposal 
(recognized 
through 
profit or loss)

Disposal 
(without
affecting
profit or loss)

35

35

–

–

–

–

–

–

35

35

in million 
euros

2019

2018

157

At 
Dec. 31

Risks arising from financial instruments,  
and risk management
As a globally active corporation, Henkel is exposed in the course 
of its ordinary business operations to credit risks, liquidity 
risks and market risks (currency translation, interest rate and 
other price risks). The purpose of financial risk management 
is to restrict the exposure arising from operating activities 
through the use of selective derivative and non- derivative 
hedges. Henkel uses derivative financial instruments exclu-
sively for the purposes of risk management. Without these 
instruments, Henkel would be exposed to higher financial risks. 
Changes in exchange rates, interest rates or commodity prices 
can lead to significant fluctuations in the fair values of the 
derivatives used. These variations in fair value should not be 
regarded in isolation from the hedged items, as derivatives and 
the hedged item constitute a unit in terms of countervailing 
fluctuations.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information210

Management of currency, interest rate and liquidity risks is 
based on the treasury guidelines introduced by the Management 
Board, which are binding on the entire corporation. They define 
the targets, principles and competences of the Corporate Treasury 
unit. These guidelines describe the fields of responsibility and 
establish the distribution of these responsibilities between 
Corporate Treasury and Henkel’s subsidiaries. The Management 
Board is regularly and comprehensively informed of all major 
risks and of all relevant hedging transactions and arrangements. 
A description of the objectives and fundamental principles 
adopted in capital management can be found in the combined 
management report on pages 100 and 101. There were no major 
risk clusters in the reporting period. Appropriate details are 
provided in the description of the individual risks.

Credit risk
In the course of its business activities with third parties, the 
Henkel Group is exposed to global credit risk arising from both 
its operating business and its financial investments. This 
risk derives from the possibility of the contractual party not 
ful filling its obligations.

The maximum credit risk arising from financial assets not 
subject to the impairment rules of IFRS 9, i.e. financial assets 
that are measured at fair value through profit or loss or equity 
instruments that are measured at fair value through other 
comprehensive income, irrespective of any collateral provided, 
is reflected by the carrying amounts of the financial assets as 
recognized in the statement of financial position as follows:

Maximum risk position 

158

in million euros

Financial assets measured at fair value 
through profit or loss

Derivative financial instruments included 
in a designated hedging relationship

Equity instruments measured at fair 
value through other comprehensive 
income

Total carrying amounts

December 31, 
2018

December 31, 
2019

322

6

20

348

573

54

36

663

Given that collateral has been provided, the actual credit risk is 
significantly lower and is discussed in detail in the following. 
Other financial assets include 621 million euros (previous 
year: 608 million euros) representing a receivable from Henkel 
Trust e.V., which constitutes the largest of all the financial 
assets. Given the investment structure and rules of Henkel 
Trust e.V., the credit risk is very minor. Further details of risk 
concentrations are discussed in the following.

Under IFRS 9, valuation allowances for expected credit losses 
(“expected loss model”) must be recognized for all financial 
assets measured at amortized cost and for all debt instruments 
measured at fair value through other comprehensive income. 

IFRS 9 provides a three-level method for this purpose. Risk 
provisions are accrued on the basis either of the 12 months 
expected losses (level 1), or of the lifetime expected losses 
if the credit risk has increased significantly since initial recog-
nition (level 2), or if the asset is credit-impaired (level 3). 
The simplified approach is adopted, however, for most of the 
financial assets, including trade accounts receivable with no 
material financing component. As such, the expected credit 
losses are always determined for the full lifetime of the finan-
cial instruments. 

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information211

To calculate the expected credit losses, counterparties are 
grouped by similar credit default risks. Individual valuation 
allowances are made on a case-by-case basis in response to 
specific circumstances and risk indicators. Both empirical 
data – such as historical default rates – and forward-looking 
information – such as individual and macroeconomic circum-
stances – are considered when determining the amounts of 
the valuation allowances. If a counterparty’s credit rating is 
deemed to be impaired – following noticeable changes in 
 payment behavior or application for bankruptcy, for example 
– all outstanding amounts relating to that counterparty are 
subjected to a valuation allowance. The default is determined 
on the basis of individual assessment. Valuation allowances 
are always recognized through loss. If the expected credit 
losses decrease, a corresponding amount of the risk provision 
is reversed through profit.

A financial asset is derecognized if it is reasonably judged to be 
unlikely that the corresponding cash flows will be recoverable 
in part or in whole, for example after completion of insolvency 
proceedings, or after consideration of other local law circum-
stances. If an outstanding receivable is judged to be unrecover-
able, the valuation allowance already in place is capitalized 
and the remaining net amount outstanding is stated as an 
expense and derecognized.

Trade accounts receivable and other financial assets  
in Henkel’s operating business
In its operating business, Henkel is confronted by progressive 
concentration and consolidation on the customer side, as 
reflected in the receivables from individual customers. No 

individual customer and no individual country apart from 
Germany and the USA accounted for more than 22 percent of 
all trade accounts receivable. Of the total trade accounts receiv-
able, customers based in Germany and the USA account for 
12 percent to 22 percent respectively. Receivables from customers 
with a high credit risk rating account for about 9 percent of all 
trade accounts receivable. These risks are monitored regularly 
at the global and regional level and steps are taken to mitigate 
exposure.

Our credit risk management system operating on the basis of 
a globally applied credit policy ensures that credit risks are 
constantly monitored and bad debts minimized. This policy, 
which applies to both new and existing customers, governs the 
allocation of credit limits and compliance with those limits, 
individual analyses of customers’ creditworthiness based on 
both internal and external financial information, risk classifi-
cation, and continuous monitoring of the risk of bad debts at 
the local level. We also monitor our key customer relationships 
at the regional and global level. In addition, safeguarding 
 measures are implemented on a selective basis for particular 
countries and customers inside and outside the eurozone. 

Collateral received and other safeguards include country- 
specific and customer-specific protection afforded by credit 
insurance, confirmed and unconfirmed letters of credit in the 
export business, and guarantees, warranties, and cover notes. 
Most of the collateral included as of the reporting date is 
attributable to credit insurance policies in Western and 
 Eastern Europe.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information212

Valuation allowances on trade accounts receivable by risk category as of December 31, 2018 

Risk categories 

Low risk

Moderate risk

High risk

Individual assessment

Default

SMEs and microbusinesses

Total

Equivalent  
to S&P rating

Probability  
of default 1

Gross before 
deduction of 
collateral and 
value-added tax 
in million euros

Net for deter-
mining the 
 valuation  
allowance in 
million euros

AA– to A+

BBB– to BB+

B– to C

n/a

D

n/a

0.1 %

0.2 % to 0.7 %

4.3 % to 26.8 %

Individual

100 %

1.9 %

1,899

1,000

380

8

64

192

3,543

1,197

644

271

8

61

161

2,342

1   Average probability of default before analysis on a case-by-case basis.

Valuation allowances on trade accounts receivable by risk category as of December 31, 2019 

159

Valuation  
allowance in 
million euros

1

2

22

5

61

3

94

160

Risk categories 

Low risk

Moderate risk

High risk

Individual assessment

Default

SMEs and microbusinesses

Total

1    Average probability of default before analysis on a case-by-case basis.

Equivalent  
to S&P rating

Probability  
of default 1

Gross before 
deduction of 
collateral and 
value-added tax 
in million euros

Net for deter-
mining the 
 valuation  
allowance in 
million euros

Valuation  
allowance in 
million euros

A– to AA

BB– to BBB+

C to B+

n/a

D

n/a

0.1 %

0.3 % to 0.8 %

4.1 % to 24.8 %

Individual

100 %

4.0 %

1,646

1,073

327

17

60

192

3,315

1,045

653

212

16

57

151

2,134

2

3

21

4

55

6

91

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information213

Of the gross amount before deduction of collateral and value- 
added tax of 3,315 million euros (previous year: 3,543 million 
euros), transactions worth 1,181 million euros (previous year: 
1,201 million euros) were deducted for which no valuation 
allowances were required. Of this figure, 941 million euros 
(previous year: 1,004 million euros) is attributable to collateral 
received and 240 million euros (previous year: 197 million 
euros) to refundable value-added tax. Accordingly, the net base 
for determining valuation allowances was 2,134 million euros 
(previous year: 2,342 million euros).

The carrying amount of loans and receivables, the term of which 
was renegotiated because they would have otherwise been 
more than 30 days overdue, was 5 million euros (previous 
year: 3 million euros). Receivables of 56 million euros (previous 
year: 64 million euros) were written off in full, but not yet 
derecognized as they are still subject to ongoing collection 
proceedings.

Apart from financial receivables from third parties amounting 
to 138 million euros (previous year: 23 million euros), no 
 valuation allowances exist in respect of other financial assets 
in our operating business because the credit risk is considered 
to be very low. A valuation allowance of 3 million euros (previ-
ous year: 0 million euros) exists for financial receivables from 
third parties.

Financial investments 
Credit risks also arise from financial investments such as cash 
at banks, securities and the positive fair value of derivatives. 
Such exposure is limited by our Corporate Treasury specialists 
through the selection of counterparties with strong credit rat-
ings, and limitations on the amounts allocated to individual 
investments. In financial investments and derivatives trading 
with German and international banks, we only enter into 
transactions with counterparties of high financial standing. 
We invest exclusively in securities from issuers with an invest-
ment grade rating. Our cash deposits can be liquidated at short 
notice. Our financial investments are broadly diversified across 
various counterparties and various financial assets. Credit 
 ratings and investment limits are continuously monitored and 
steps taken if fixed thresholds for ratings and credit default 
swaps (CDS) are exceeded. To minimize the credit risk, we 
agree netting arrangements to offset bilateral receivables and 
obligations with counterparties. We additionally enter into 
collateral agreements with relevant banks, on the basis of 
which reciprocal sureties are established twice a month to 
secure the fair values of contracted derivatives and other 
claims and obligations. The netting arrangements only provide 
for a contingent right to offset transactions conducted with 
a contractual party. Accordingly, associated amounts can be 
offset only under certain circumstances, such as the insolvency 
of one of the contractual parties. Thus, the netting arrangements 
do not meet the offsetting criteria under IAS 32 Financial 
Instruments: Presentation. The following table provides an 
overview of financial assets and financial liabilities from 
derivatives that are subject to netting, collateral, or similar 
arrangements:

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information214

Financial assets and financial liabilities from derivatives subject to netting, collateral, or similar arrangements 

161

At December 31  
in million euros

Financial assets

Financial liabilities

Gross amount recog-
nized in the statement  
of financial position 1

2018

37

79

2019

114

100

Amount eligible  
for offsetting

Financial collateral 
received / provided

Net amount

2018

2019

2018

2019

2018

2019

26

26

67

67

6

48

28

26

5

5

19

7

1   Fair values excluding valuation allowance of 0 million euros relating to counterparty credit risk (previous year: 0 million euros).

In addition to netting and collateral arrangements, investment 
limits are set, based on the ratings of the counterparties, in 
order to minimize credit risk. These limits are monitored and 
adjusted regularly. When determining the limits, we also apply 
certain other indicators, such as the pricing of credit default 
swaps by the banks. A valuation allowance of 0 million euros 
exists to cover the remaining credit risk relating to the positive 
fair values of derivatives (previous year: 0 million euros).

In the case of financial assets held by Henkel in connection 
with EU emission rights swap contracts, the underlying emis-
sion rights are provided as collateral to the Henkel Group. They 
may be utilized even if the debtor is not in default of payment, 
since Henkel is only committed to returning the same number 
and specification of emission rights. The fair value of the non- 
financial assets held as collateral as of December 31, 2019 was 
101 million euros (previous year: 0 million euros). Because the 
financial assets are fully backed, the credit risk was classified 
as absolutely minor, and no valuation allowance was accrued.

Liquidity risk
Liquidity risk is defined as the risk of an entity failing to meet 
its financial obligations at any given time. We mitigate this 
risk through our long-term management strategy of using 
financing instruments in the shape of bonds issued with 
 variously staggered terms up to seven years, and in different 
 currencies. With the help of our existing debt issuance program 
in the amount of 6 billion euros, this is also possible on a 
short-term and flexible basis. We predominantly invest cash 
in financial assets traded in a liquid market in order to ensure 
that they can be sold at any time to procure liquid funds or to 
manage liquidity in the short term. We also use our US dollar 
and euro commercial paper program for short-term liquidity 
management. In order to ensure the financial flexibility of 
Henkel at any time, the liquidity within the Group is largely 
centralized and managed through the use of cash pools. In 
addition, the Henkel Group has at its disposal a confirmed 
credit line of 1.5 billion euros with a term until 2023. The 
 individual subsidiaries additionally have at their disposal 
committed bilateral loans of 0.1 billion euros with a revolving 
term of up to one year. Our credit rating is regularly assessed by 
the rating agencies Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s. We intend 
to maintain our ratings within a “single A” target corridor.

Our liquidity risk can therefore be regarded as very low.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information215

The maturity structure of the original and derivative financial 
liabilities within the scope of IFRS 7 based on undiscounted 
cash flows, and thus the risk concentration in respect of 
liquidity risk, is shown in the following table:

Cash flows from financial liabilities 2018 

in million euros

Bonds 

Commercial paper 1

Liabilities to banks

Trade accounts payable

Sundry financial instruments 2

Original financial instruments

Expected inflow from interest rate and cross-currency interest rate swaps

Expected outflow for interest rate and cross-currency interest rate swaps

Other derivative financial instruments 

Derivative financial instruments

Total

Dec. 31, 2018 
Carrying 
amounts

Remaining term

Up to  
1 year

Between  
1 and 5 years

More than  
5 years

2,220

1,931

24

3,713

135

8,023

30

49

79

678

1,931

25

3,713

104

6,451

3

–

41

38

1,577

–

–

–

26

1,603

345

359

8

22

8,102

6,489

1,625

–

–

–

–

5

5

–

–

–

–

5

1   From the euro and US dollar commercial paper program (total volume: 2 billion US dollars and 2 billion euros). 
2  Sundry financial instruments include amounts due to customers, and finance bills.

162

Dec. 31, 2018 
Total 
cash flow

2,255

1,931

25

3,713

135

8,059

348

359

49

60

8,119

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information216

Cash flows from financial liabilities 2019 

in million euros

Bonds 

Commercial paper 1

Liabilities to banks

Lease liabilities

Trade accounts payable

Sundry financial instruments 2

Original financial instruments

Expected inflow from interest rate and cross-currency interest rate swaps

Expected outflow for interest rate and cross-currency interest rate swaps

Other derivative financial instruments

Derivative financial instruments

Total

Dec. 31, 2019 
Carrying 
amounts

Remaining term

Up to  
1 year

Between  
1 and 5 years

More than  
5 years

2,475

1,448

35

551

3,819

209

8,537

25

75

100

8,637

554

1,452

35

122

3,819

85

6,067

993

1,008

75

90

6,157

1,549

–

–

255 

–

125

1,929

359

359

–

–

419

–

–

208

–

–

627

–

–

–

–

1,929

627

163

Dec. 31, 2019 
Total  
cash flow

2,522

1,452

35

585

3,819

210

8,623

1,352

1,367

75

90

8,713

1   From the euro and US dollar commercial paper program (total volume: 2 billion US dollars and 2 billion euros). 
2  Sundry financial instruments include amounts due to customers, and finance bills.

Market risk
Market risk exists where the fair value or future cash flows of a 
financial instrument may fluctuate due to changing market 
prices. Market risks primarily take the form of currency risk, 
interest rate risk and various price risks (particularly the com-
modity price risk, and the share price risk arising from 
our Long Term Incentive [LTI] Plan). 

The Corporate Treasury department manages currency expo-
sure and interest rates centrally for the Group and is therefore 
responsible for all transactions with financial derivatives and 
other financial instruments. Trading, Treasury Controlling and 
Settlement (front, middle and back offices) are separated both 
physically and in terms of organization. The parties to the 
 contracts are German and international banks which Henkel 
monitors regularly, in accordance with Corporate Treasury 
guidelines, for creditworthiness and the quality of their 

 quotations. Financial derivatives are used to manage currency 
exposure, interest rate and other price risks in connection 
with operating activities and the resultant financing require-
ments, again in accordance with the Corporate Treasury guide-
lines. Financial derivatives are entered into solely for hedging 
purposes.

The currency and interest rate risk management of the Group 
is supported by an integrated treasury system which is used to 
identify, measure and analyze the Group’s currency exposure 
and interest rate risks. In this context, “integrated” means 
that the entire process from the conclusion of financial trans-
actions to their entry in the accounts is covered. Much of the 
currency trading takes place on internet-based, multibank 
trading platforms. These foreign currency transactions are 
automatically transferred into the treasury system. The currency 
exposure and interest rate risks reported by all subsidiaries 

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information 
217

under standardized reporting procedures are likewise integrated 
into the treasury system by data transfer. As a result, it is 
 possible to retrieve and measure at any time all currency and 
interest rate risks across the Group and all derivatives entered 
into to hedge the exposure to these risks. The treasury system 
supports the use of various risk concepts. 

Market risk is monitored on the basis of sensitivity analyses 
and value-at-risk computations. Sensitivity analyses enable 
estimation of potential losses, future gains, fair values or cash 
flows of instruments susceptible to market risks arising 
from one or several selected hypothetical changes in foreign 
exchange rates, interest rates, commodity prices or other rele-
vant market rates or prices over a specific period. We use 
 sensitivity analyses in the Henkel Group because they enable 
reasonable risk assessments to be made on the basis of direct 
assumptions (e.g. an increase in interest rates). Value-at-risk 
analyses reveal the maximum potential future loss of a certain 
portfolio over a given period based on a specified probability 
level.

Currency risk
The global nature of our business activities results in a huge 
number of cash flows in different currencies.

This transaction risk arises from possible exchange rate fluctu-
ations causing changes in the value of future foreign currency 
cash flows. The hedging of the resultant exchange rate risks 

forms a major part of our central risk management activity. 
Transaction risks arising from our operating business are 
 partially avoided by the fact that we largely manufacture our 
products in those countries in which they are sold. Residual 
transaction risks on the operating side are proactively man-
aged by Corporate Treasury. This includes the ongoing assess-
ment of the specific currency risk and the development of 
appropriate hedging strategies. The objective of our currency 
hedging is to fix prices based on hedging rates so that we are 
protected from future adverse fluctuations in exchange rates. 
Because we limit our potential losses, any negative impact on 
profits is restricted. The transaction risk arising from major 
financial payables and receivables is extensively hedged. In 
order to manage these risks, we primarily utilize forward 
exchange contracts and cross-currency interest rate swaps. 
The derivatives are designated as cash flow hedges and recog-
nized accordingly in the financial statements or measured at 
fair value through profit or loss. The currency risk that exists 
within the Group in the form of transaction risk initially 
affects equity in the case of cash flow hedges, while all changes 
in the value of derivatives are recognized directly through 
profit or loss.

The following table shows the risk exposure for Henkel’s major 
currencies. The risk arises mainly from imports and exports by 
Henkel AG & Co. KGaA and its foreign subsidiaries. Due to the 
international nature of its activities, the Henkel Group has a 
portfolio of more than 50 different currencies.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information218

164

December 31, 2018

December 31, 2019

Total currency risk 
exposure before 
currency hedging

of which:  
from planned  
transactions

Net currency risk 
exposure after  
currency hedging

Total currency risk 
exposure before 
currency hedging

of which:  
from planned  
transactions

Net currency risk 
exposure after  
currency hedging

463

177

151

119

139

1,272

2,321

670

139

102

108

128

644

1,791

184

102

71

59

66

984

1,466

481

156

151

140

126

1,081

2,135

769

115

115

131

116

923

2,169

84

58

115

65

58

796

1,176

Currency risk exposure 1 

in million euros

US dollar

Chinese yuan

Russian ruble

Canadian dollar

British pound

Others

1   Transaction risk.

The value-at-risk pertaining to the transaction risk of the 
Henkel Group as of December 31, 2019 amounted to 52 million 
euros after hedging (previous year: 120 million euros). The val-
ue-at-risk shows the maximum expected risk of loss in a year 
as a result of currency fluctuations. Our value-at-risk analysis 
within internal risk reporting assumes a time horizon of one 
year and a one-sided confidence interval of 95 percent, as it 
comprehensively reflects the risk associated with one fiscal 
year. We adopt the variance-covariance approach as our basis 
for calculation. Volatilities and correlations are determined 
using historical data. The value-at-risk analysis is based on the 
operating book positions, the derivative financial instruments 
and the budgeted positions in foreign currency, with a fore-
casting horizon of up to twelve months.

Interest rate risk
Interest rate risk encompasses those potentially negative 
influences on profits, equity or cash flow in current or future 
reporting periods arising from changes in interest rates. In the 
case of fixed-interest financial instruments, changing capital 
market interest rates result in a fair value risk, as the attribut-
able fair values fluctuate depending on those capital market 
interest rates. In the case of floating-interest financial instru-
ments, a cash flow risk exists because the interest payments 
may be subject to future fluctuations.

The liquidity procurement and cash investment activities of 
the Henkel Group mainly take place on international money 
and capital markets. Our financial liabilities and cash deposits 
are exposed to the risk of changing interest rates. The aim of 
our centralized interest rate management is to reduce this risk 
by choosing fixed or floating interest rate contracts and by 
using interest rate derivatives. Only those derivative financial 
instruments that can be modeled, monitored and assessed in 
the risk management system may be used to hedge the interest 
rate risk.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information219

Henkel’s interest management strategy is essentially aligned 
to optimizing the net interest result for the Group. The decisions 
made in interest management relate to the bonds,  liabilities to 
banks and commercial paper put in place to secure Group 
liquidity, the securities and time deposits used for cash invest-
ments, and other interest-bearing financial instruments. 
The financial instruments exposed to interest rate risk are 
 primarily denominated in euros and US dollars.

Depending on forecasts with respect to interest rate develop-
ments, Henkel enters into derivative financial instruments, 
primarily interest rate swaps, in order to optimize the interest 
rate lock-down structure. In the event of an expected rise in 

interest rate levels, Henkel protects its positions by transacting 
additional interest rate derivatives as effective hedging instru-
ments. In addition to the fixed-rate euro-denominated and 
US dollar bonds, Henkel enters into cross-currency interest 
rate swaps to convert bonds denominated in British pounds 
into fixed-rate euro obligations. The portion of commercial 
paper hedged through interest rate swaps in the year under 
review is also included as a fixed-rate item in the calculation 
of interest risk exposure. Financial instruments with interest 
rates pegged for less than twelve months are included in the 
calculation on a time-weighted basis. All other financial 
instruments bear floating interest rates. Our exposure to inter-
est rate risk at the reporting dates was as follows:

Interest rate risk exposure 

165

in million euros

December 31, 2018

December 31, 2019

Carrying amounts

Fixed-interest financial instruments

Euro

US dollar

Floating-interest financial instruments

Euro

US dollar

Chinese yuan

Polish zloty

Others

Interest rate risk 
exposure before 
interest hedge

Interest rate risk 
exposure after  
interest hedge

Interest rate risk 
exposure before 
interest hedge

Interest rate risk 
exposure after  
interest hedge

– 1,838

– 1,186

– 3,024

364

– 1,161

241

151

534

129

– 1,838

– 1,186

– 3,024

364

– 1,161

241

151

534

129

– 1,935

– 270

– 2,205

897

– 1,952

212

201

799

157

– 1,935

– 1,182

– 3,117

897

– 1,040

212

201

799

1,069

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information220

The calculation of the interest rate risk is based on sensitivity 
analyses that assume a parallel shift of 100 basis points in the 
interest curves of all currencies. When analyzing fair value 
risk, we calculate the hypothetical fair value loss or gain of 
the relevant fixed-interest financial instruments as of the 
reporting date.

The risk of interest rate fluctuations with respect to the earnings 
of the Henkel Group per the basis point value (BPV) analysis as 
described above is shown in the following table.

Interest rate risk 

in million euros

Based on an interest rate change of  
100 basis points per currency 

Of which:

Cash flow through profit and loss

Fair value recognized in equity 
through other comprehensive 
income

2018

7

6

1

166

2019

19

11

8

Other price risks (commodity and share price risks)
Uncertainty with respect to commodity price development 
impacts the Group. Purchase prices for raw materials can affect 
the net assets, financial position and results of operations of 
Henkel. The risk management strategy put in place by the 
Group management for safeguarding against procurement 
market risk is described in more detail in the risks and oppor-
tunities report on page 124. As a small part of the risk manage-
ment strategy, cash-settled commodity forwards are entered 
into on the basis of forecasted purchasing requirements in 
order to hedge future uncertainties with respect to commodity 
prices. Cash-settled commodity forwards are only used by 
Henkel where there is a direct relationship between the hedg-
ing derivative and the physical underlying. Henkel uses hedge 
accounting for these hedging transactions, thus limiting 
the temporary exposure to price risks related to holding 
 commodity forwards. Developments in fair values and the 
resultant risks are continuously monitored.

Due to our Long Term Incentive Plan, Henkel is exposed to 
fluctuations in the price of its own shares. Details of our Long 
Term Incentive plans are discussed in Note 36 on pages 229 to 
231. Henkel uses equity forward contracts to hedge against the 
share price risk.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information221221

Notes to the consolidated statement of income

24    Sales and principles of income 

recognition

Sales only capture proceeds from contracts with customers 
and increased year on year to 20,114 million euros (previous 
year: 19,899 million euros). 

calculation and adjustment. Mathematical estimates and 
assumptions were made with regard to the underlying analysis 
period for determining the rates of return and the amount of 
sales to be adjusted by this rate of return, and also with regard 
to the observable volatilities, among other factors.

Starting in fiscal 2018, Henkel has been applying IFRS 15 to its 
recognition of sales. 

Henkel agrees payment terms that are standard in our indus-
try; contracts with customers do not contain any material 
financing components. 

Sales comprise the transfer of goods and services less direct 
sales deductions such as customer-related rebates, credits and 
other benefits paid or granted. Sales are recognized once con-
trol of the goods has been transferred, or the service provided. 
The timing of transfer of control of the goods to a customer is 
determined by the underlying contract and the terms and 
conditions of supply stipulated therein, or by international 
trade rules. 

Warranty obligations do not constitute a separate performance 
obligation and are recognized as provisions in accordance 
with IAS 37.

Services are generally provided in conjunction with the sale of 
goods, and recorded once the service has been performed. The 
amount of sales revenue relating to the provision of services is 
less relevant than that attributable to the transfer of goods.

Sales represent the consideration that Henkel will likely receive 
in exchange for transferring the goods or providing the service. 
Sales may only be recognized when no substantial adjustments 
to the cumulative recognized revenue is expected.

For information about opening and closing balances, and 
impairment of contract receivables in fiscal 2019, please refer 
to our discussion of trade accounts receivable in Note 7 on 
pages 174 and 175. 

Pursuant to IFRS 15, Henkel does not recognize sales for prod-
ucts that it expects to be returned. In addition, empirical expe-
rience has shown that customers are justified in expecting 
invoice amounts to be reduced in certain instances. The 
amounts of these expected refunds are also not recognized as 
sales. Henkel draws on past return and refund statistics to 
quantify the expected returns and refunds; these are separated 
by business unit and legal entity, and are subject to ongoing 

A disaggregation of sales according to IFRS 15.114 f. can be found 
in the Group segment report by business unit on page 143 and 
in the discussion of regional development on page 145. 

Henkel exercises its right under IFRS 15.121 to refrain from 
 disclosing transaction prices relating to any remaining per-
formance obligations, since the underlying contracts have an 
expected original term of no more than one year. 

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information222222

27    Research and development 

expenses

Research and development expenses increased year on year 
to 499 million euros (previous year: 484 million euros). 
Expenditures directly attributable to research and develop-
ment activities amounted to 488 million euros (previous 
year: 471 million euros). 

The capitalization of research expenses is not permitted. 
Development expenditures are recognized as an asset if all 
the criteria for recognition are met, the research phase can be 
clearly distinguished from the development phase, and the 
expenditures can be attributed to distinct project phases. 
 Currently, the criteria set out in IAS 38 Intangible Assets for 
recognizing development expenditures are not all met with 
respect to product and technology developments, due to a high 
level of interdependence within these developments and 
the difficulty of assessing which products will eventually be 
marketable.

Interest income is recognized on a time-proportion basis that 
takes into account the effective yield on the asset and the 
interest rate in force. Dividend income from investments is 
recognized when the shareholders’ right to receive payment 
is legally established.

25    Cost of sales

The cost of sales increased from 10,743 million euros to 
10,883 million euros. 

Cost of sales comprises the cost of products and services sold 
and the purchase cost of merchandise sold. It consists of the 
directly attributable cost of materials and primary production 
cost, as well as indirect production overheads including the 
production-related amortization / depreciation and impairment 
of intangible assets and property, plant and equipment. 

26    Marketing, selling and 
 distribution expenses

Marketing, selling and distribution expenses amounted to 
4,942 million euros (previous year: 4,638 million euros). 

In addition to marketing organization and distribution expenses, 
this item comprises, in particular, advertising, sales promotion 
and market research expenses. Also included here are the 
expenses of technical advisory services for customers, valua-
tion allowances on trade accounts receivable and valuation 
allowances and impairment losses on trademarks and other 
rights. 

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information223223

28   Administrative expenses

30   Other operating expenses

Administrative expenses amounted to 969 million euros 
 (previous year: 991 million euros). 

Administrative expenses include personnel and material 
costs relating to the Group management, Human Resources, 
Purchasing, Accounting and IT functions, as well as the costs 
of managing and administering the business units.

Other operating expenses 

in million euros

Losses on disposal of non-current assets

Other taxes

Amortization, depreciation of other assets

Sundry operating expenses

Total

168

2019

– 7

– 

– 

– 77

– 84

2018

– 6

– 

– 

– 75

– 81

29   Other operating income

Other operating income 

167

in million euros

2018

2019

Sundry operating expenses include a number of individual 
items arising from ordinary operating activities, such as fees, 
provisions for litigations and third-party claims, sundry taxes, 
and similar expenses. 

Gains on disposal of non-current assets

Release of provisions 1

Insurance claim payouts

Payments on derecognized receivables

Write-ups on non-current assets

Impairment reversal on assets held for sale

Sundry operating income

Total

39

18

5

1

–

–

91

154

17

32

13

2

3

–

95

162

1   Including gains arising from the termination and curtailment of pension plans 

in the amount of 8 million euros in 2019 (2018: 6 million euros).

Sundry operating income relates to a number of individual 
items arising from ordinary operating activities, such as grants 
and subsidies, tax refunds for indirect taxes, and similar 
income.

31   Financial result

Financial result 

in million euros

Interest result

Other financial result

Investment result

Total

169

2019

– 75

– 13

–

– 88

2018

– 61

– 5

1

– 65

The investment result from the previous year includes 1 million 
euros for companies valued using the equity method.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information224224

173

2019

633

11

644

92

– 35

3

1

3

64

174

2019

84

52

4

– 1

– 1

–

– 32

– 12

4

– 34

64

2018

635

– 17

618

102

23

1

– 2

– 21

103

2018

43

14

– 35

11

–

– 3

86

– 15

– 1

3

103

Interest result 

in million euros

Interest and similar income from third parties

Interest to third parties

Total

Other financial result 

in million euros

Interest result from net obligation (pensions)

Interest income from reimbursement rights 
(IAS 19)

Expenses from currency losses

Income from currency gains

Other financial expenses

Other financial income

Total

2018

10

– 71

– 61

2018

– 9

4

– 107

113

– 24

18

– 5

13

– 88

– 75

171

2019

– 9

5

– 131

135

– 38

25

– 13

170

Main components of tax expense and income 

2019

in million euros

Current tax expense / income in the reporting year

Current tax adjustments for prior years

Current taxes

Deferred tax expense / income from temporary 
differences

Deferred tax expense / income from unused tax 
losses

Deferred tax expense from tax credits

Deferred tax income from changes in tax rates

Increase / decrease in valuation allowances on 
deferred tax assets

Deferred taxes

Deferred tax expense by items on the statement  
of financial position 

Please refer to pages 202 and 203 in Note 23 for information on 
the net results of the valuation categories under IFRS 7, and the 
reconciliation to financial result.

32    Taxes on income

Income tax expense / income breaks down as follows:

in million euros

Intangible assets

Property, plant and equipment

Financial assets

Inventories

Other receivables and other assets

Special tax items

Provisions

Liabilities

Tax credits

Income before tax and analysis of taxes 

172

Unused tax losses

Total

in million euros

Income before tax

Current taxes

Deferred taxes

Taxes on income

Tax rate

2018

2019

3,051

2,811

618

103

721

644

64

708

23.6 %

25.2 %

We have summarized the individual company reports – pre-
pared on the basis of the tax rates applicable in each country 
and taking into account consolidation procedures – in the 
statement below, showing how the expected tax charge, based 
on the tax rate applicable to Henkel AG & Co. KGaA of 31 percent, 
is reconciled to the effective tax charge disclosed.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther informationTax reconciliation statement 

175

Allocation of deferred taxes 

176

225225

2018

2019

3,051

2,811

in million euros

Deferred tax assets

Deferred tax liabilities

December 
31, 2018

December 
31, 2019

December 
31, 2018

December 
31, 2019

31 %

31 %

Intangible assets

351

313

in million euros

Income before tax

Tax rate (including trade tax) of  
Henkel AG & Co. KGaA

Expected tax charge

Tax reductions due to differing tax rates abroad

Tax increases / reductions for prior years

Tax increases / reductions due to changes  
in tax rates

Tax increases / reductions due to the recognition  
of deferred tax assets relating to unused tax losses 
and temporary differences

Tax reductions due to tax-free income and other 
items

Tax increases / reductions arising from additions  
and deductions for local taxes

Tax increases due to withholding taxes

Tax increases due to non-deductible expenses

Tax charge disclosed

Tax rate

946

– 153

7

– 2

– 21

871

– 169

3

1

3

– 137

– 137

– 14

52

43

721

– 7

54

89

708

23.6 %

25.2 %

Property, plant  
and equipment

Financial assets

Inventories

Other receivables  
and other assets

Special tax items

Provisions

Liabilities

Tax credits

Unused tax losses

Amounts netted

Financial statement 
figures

27

–

25

24

–

681

140

6

46

12

3

27

61

–

727

175

2

81

781

102

68

1

40

26

86

12

– 

–

911

142

76

1

71

26

89

37

– 

–

– 341

– 538

– 341

– 538

959

863

775

815

Deferred taxes are calculated on the basis of tax rates that 
apply in the individual countries at the year-end date or which 
have already been legally decided. In Germany, there is a uni-
form corporate income tax rate of 15 percent plus a solidarity 
surcharge of 5.5 percent. After taking into account trade tax, 
this yields an overall tax rate of 31 percent. Deferred tax assets 
and liabilities are netted where they involve the same tax 
authority and the same tax creditor.

The deferred tax assets and liabilities stated on the reporting 
date relate to the following items of the consolidated state-
ment of financial position, unused tax losses and tax credits:

The deferred tax assets of 727 million euros (previous year: 
681 million euros) relating to provisions in the financial state-
ment result primarily from recognition and measurement 
 differences with respect to pension obligations. The deferred 
tax liabilities of 911 million euros (previous year: 781 million 
euros) relating to intangible assets are mainly attributable to 
business combinations. Deferred tax liabilities of 50 million 
euros (previous year: 34 million euros) were recognized for 
retained earnings of foreign subsidiaries, as these earnings 
will be distributed in 2020.

An excess of deferred tax assets is only recognized insofar as it 
is likely that the company concerned will achieve sufficiently 
positive taxable profits in the future against which the deduct-
ible temporary differences can be offset and tax loss carry-
forwards can be used. 

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information226226

Deferred taxes have not been recognized with respect to unused 
tax losses of 525 million euros (previous year: 408 million 
euros), as it is not probable that sufficient taxable profit will be 
available against which they may be utilized. Of these unused 
tax losses, 465 million euros (previous year: 288 million euros) 
are attributable to state taxes of our US-American subsidiaries 
(tax rate around 2.5 percent). Of the unused tax losses for 
which no deferred tax assets have been recognized, 467 million 
euros (previous year: 290 million euros) expire after more than 
three years, while 57 million euros are non-expiring (previous 
year: 56 million euros).

We have summarized the expiry dates of unused tax losses and 
tax credits in the following table, which includes unused tax 
losses arising from losses on the disposal of assets of 9 million 
euros (previous year: 9 million euros) which may be carried 
forward without restriction. 

Expiry dates of unused tax losses and tax credits 

177

in million euros

Expire within

1 year

2 years

3 years

more than  
3 years

May be carried  
forward without  
restriction

Total

Unused tax losses

Tax credits

December 
31, 2018

December 
31, 2019

December 
31, 2018

December 
31, 2019

7

65

3

1

3

3

548

703

103

726

135

845

1

–

–

4

–

5

–

–

–

33

–

33

In many countries, different tax rates apply to losses on the 
 disposal of assets than to operating profits, and in some cases 
losses on the disposal of assets may only be offset against gains 
on the disposal of assets. 

Of the unused tax losses, 552 million euros (previous year: 
440 million euros) are attributable to losses made by US-Amer-
ican subsidiaries. Of this figure, 547 million euros (previous 
year: 435 million euros) relates solely to state taxes. Unused tax 
credits of 33 million euros (previous year: 5 million euros) are 
attributable to US-American subsidiaries. In addition to the 
unused tax losses listed in the table above, an interest expense 
of 2 million euros (previous year: 8 million euros) and other 
deductible expenses of 106 million euros may be carried forward 
in full with no expiration.

For a loss-making entity in China in the year under review, 
Henkel recognized deferred tax assets of 62 million euros on 
temporary differences and on unused tax losses despite the 
absence of corresponding deferred tax liabilities. Steps were 
taken to ensure the availability of sufficient taxable income in 
future. As such, we assume at present that we will be able to 
utilize the deferred tax assets.

Deferred tax expenses of 7 million euros (previous year: 
income of 4 million euros) were recognized in other compre-
hensive income. Within this figure, an expense of 7 million 
euros (previous year: income of 1 million euros) resulted from 
actuarial gains and losses on pension obligations. Currency 
developments did not affect other comprehensive income 
(previous year: income of 3 million euros).

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information227227

33    Non-controlling interests

The amount shown here represents the proportion of net 
income and losses attributable to other shareholders of 
 consolidated subsidiaries.

Their share of net income was 18 million euros (previous year: 
16 million euros). The prior-year figures have been amended to 
reflect the retrospective application of the present access 
method. Further discussion of this can be found in the section 
entitled “Amendment of prior-year figures” on pages 154 to 157.

The non-controlling interests included in the Henkel Group 
at the end of fiscal 2019 had no material impact on our net 
assets, financial position and results of operations. The Group 
has no joint operations or unconsolidated structured entities.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information228228

Other disclosures

34    Reconciliation of adjusted  

net income

in million euros

EBIT (as reported)

One-time gains 

One-time charges

Restructuring expenses 

Adjusted EBIT

Adjusted return on sales 

Financial result

Taxes on income (adjusted)

Adjusted tax rate 

Adjusted net income

Attributable to non-controlling interests

Attributable to shareholders of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA

Adjusted earnings per ordinary share 

Adjusted earnings per preferred share 

At constant exchange rates

1  Prior-year figures amended (please refer to the notes on pages 154 to 157).

2018 1

2019

3,116

– 11 

129 

262

3,496

17.6 

– 65

– 806

23.5 

2,625

22

2,603

5.99

6.01

2,899

– 7 

34 

294

3,220

16.0

– 88

– 760

24.3 

2,372

19

2,353

5.41

5.43

in %

in %

in euros

in euros

178

+/–

– 7.0 %

–

–

–

– 7.9 %

– 1.6 pp

35.4 %

– 5.7 %

 0.8 pp

– 9.6 %

– 13.6 %

– 9.6 %

– 9.7 %

– 9.7 %

– 10.1 %

The one-time gains recognized in 2019 include income of 
7 million euros from the sale of business activities (previous 
year: 0 million euros).

Adjusted expenses in fiscal 2019 include 19 million euros for 
impairment on assets held for sale relating to reclassification 
of an activity eliminated from the portfolio of the Adhesive 
Technologies business unit (previous year: 0 million euros), 
11 million euros attributable to the optimization of our 
 IT system architecture for managing business processes 
 (previous year: 21 million euros), 2 million euros for legal 

disputes (previous year: 11 million euros) and 2 million euros 
for incidental acquisition costs (previous year: 4 million euros).

Of the restructuring expenses in fiscal 2019, 72 million euros 
are attributable to cost of sales (previous year: 90 million euros) 
and 144 million euros to marketing, selling and distribution 
expenses (previous year: 103 million euros). In addition, 12 million 
euros is attributable to research and development expenses 
(previous year: 13 million euros) and 66 million euros to 
administrative expenses (previous year: 56 million euros).

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information 
229229

Taxes on income amounting to 760 million euros reflect the 
tax effects of the adjustments to EBIT. 

35    Payroll cost and employee  

structure

Payroll cost 1 

in million euros

Wages and salaries

Social security contributions and staff welfare 
costs

Pension costs

Total

179

2019

2,550

476

169

2018

2,503

 450

 175

 3,128

3,195

1   Excluding personnel-related restructuring expenses of 137 million euros 

 (previous year: 87 million euros).

Number of employees per function 1 

Production and engineering

Marketing, selling and distribution

Research and development

Administration

Total

180

2019

28,700

13,450

2,650

7,850

2018

28,600

14,200

2,750

7,900

53,450

52,650

1  Basis: annual average number of full-time employees, excluding apprentices and 

trainees, work experience students and interns; figures rounded.

36    Share-based payment plans

Global Long Term Incentive (LTI) Plan 2020+
The Global Long Term Incentive (LTI) Plan 2020+ was introduced 
effective January 1, 2017 to replace the previous Global LTI Plan 
2013. Both programs will exist alongside each other until the 
final tranche of the Global LTI Plan 2013 is paid out in 2020. 
However, as from January 1, 2017, first-time-eligible employees 
are only being admitted to the Global LTI Plan 2020+.

Unlike the Global LTI Plan 2013, which is designed as a share-
based remuneration scheme with cash settlement, the Global 
LTI Plan 2020+ provides for share-based remuneration settled 
with preferred shares of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA. These treasury 
shares are granted on condition that members of the Plan are 
employed for four years by Henkel AG & Co. KGaA or one of its 
subsidiaries in a position senior enough to qualify for partici-
pation, and that they are not under notice during that period. 
This minimum period of employment pertains to the calendar 
year in which the treasury shares are granted and the three 
subsequent calendar years. A performance-related investment 
amount is pledged to eligible employees at the start of each 
four-year cycle. Target achievement is determined, and the 
investment amount for the cycle specified, at the end of the 
first calendar year. At the start of the second calendar year, 
this investment amount – after deduction of taxes and social 
security contributions, where appropriate – is used to purchase 
treasury shares on the stock exchange, which are then trans-
ferred to the employees. The number of shares transferred to 
each employee on the basis of the investment amount is deter-
mined by the actual market price (stock exchange price) of the 
shares at the time of purchase. The shares are subject to a lock- up 
period that ends upon completion of the relevant four-year 
cycle. During this time, the employees participate in all share 
price developments. Once the lock-up period has expired, the 
employees may dispose of the shares as they wish. 

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information230230

In addition, an Outperformance Reward, which grants treasury 
shares based on the achievement of target figures established 
in advance, was set at the beginning of the four-year medium- 
term plan. In this case, the employees are not granted the 
 treasury shares until the four-year performance measurement 
period has ended, but may then dispose of them immediately 
at will.

Of the shares already acquired for the 2017 cycle, 7,053 became 
vested in fiscal 2019. They are freely available to qualifying 
employees. 27,837 shares becoming available due to forfeited 
entitlements were resold. 4,534 shares were purchased to 
 convert dividend payments into shares. At the end of 2019, 
therefore, 271,426 treasury shares were transferred to employees, 
who will be able to dispose of them freely at the end of 2020. 

The investment amount specified in the first year of the cycle 
is recognized as a proportionate payroll cost spread over the 
four-year performance period. As the Global LTI Plan 2020+ 
provides for settlement using treasury shares, the allocations 
are recognized in equity. If treasury shares are granted at the 
end of the performance measurement period, equity is reduced 
accordingly with no effect on profit or loss. Additional employer 
contributions and other payments that do not constitute part 
of the investment amount and are not settled with treasury 
shares are recognized under other provisions.

For the 2018 – 2021 cycle, a gross investment amount of 0 mil-
lion euros was determined, based on target achievement. 
Accordingly, no treasury shares were acquired in fiscal 2019.

Global LTI Plan 2020+ – 2017–2020 cycle 

181

Earned entitlements and awards on April 1, 2018

Forfeited entitlements in fiscal 2019

Dividend payments converted into shares in fiscal 2019

Entitlements that became vested in fiscal 2019

Outstanding earned entitlements  
on December 31, 2019

Number of shares

301,782

– 27,837

4,534

– 7,053

271,426

In fiscal 2019, an equity-increasing payroll cost of 11 million 
euros (previous year: equity-increasing cost of 1 million euros) 
was recognized in connection with the Global LTI Plan 2020+.

Global Long Term Incentive (LTI) Plan 2013
In fiscal 2013, the general terms and conditions of the previously 
implemented Global CPU Plan 2004 were amended and 
replaced by the Global LTI Plan 2013, which is a share-based 
remuneration scheme with cash settlement. Effective January 1, 
2017, this scheme was replaced by the Global LTI Plan 2020+. 
Since 2013, Cash Performance Units (CPUs) have been granted 
on condition that members of the Plan are employed for four 
years by Henkel AG & Co. KGaA or one of its subsidiaries in a 
position senior enough to qualify for participation and that 
they are not under notice during that period. This minimum 
period of employment pertains to the calendar year in which 
the CPUs are granted and the three subsequent calendar years.

Until payment of the final tranche in 2020, the total value of 
the cash remuneration payable to senior management personnel 
is recalculated on each reporting date and on the settlement 
date, based on the fair value of the CPUs, and recognized 
through an appropriate increase in provisions as a payroll cost 
that is spread over the period of service of the beneficiary. All 
changes to the measurement of this provision are reported 
under payroll cost.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information231231

The number of CPUs granted depends not only on the seniority 
of the officer but also on the achievement of set target figures. 
For the cycles issued from 2013 onward, the target is based on 
growth in adjusted earnings per preferred share. The value of a 
CPU in each case is the average price of the Henkel preferred 
share as quoted 20 stock exchange trading days after the 
Annual General Meeting following the performance period. 
As of the reporting date, the calculation of the provision was 
based on a fair value of 92.20 euros (closing price of Henkel 
preferred shares on December 30, 2019; on December 28, 2018: 
95.40 euros) per CPU. The overall payout of the Long Term 
Incentive is subject to a cap.

The thirteenth four-year cycle, which was issued in 2015, became 
due for payment in 2019. At December 31, 2019, the CPU Plan 
worldwide comprised 220,324 CPUs (December 31, 2018: 
362,558 CPUs) from the four-year tranche issued in 2016. No 
allocations were therefore made in the year under review 
(December 31, 2018: 3.2 million euros). The corresponding 
 provision amounted to 22.5 million euros (December 31, 2018: 
63.9 million euros), of which 22.5 million euros (December 31, 
2018: 37.4 million euros) is vested.

37    Group segment report

The format for reporting the activities of the Henkel Group by 
segment is by business unit and reportable segments; selected 
regional information is also provided. The segment report 
 corresponds to the way in which the Group manages its oper-
ating business, and the Group’s reporting structure. The Group 
segment report comprises nine operating segments assigned 
to four reportable segments. The Adhesives for Consumers, 
Craftsmen and Building reportable segment is comprised of 
the eponymous operating segment, whereas the Industrial 
Adhesives reportable segment covers four operating segments: 
Packaging and Consumer Goods Adhesives, Transport and 
Metal, General Industry, and Electronics. The Beauty Care 
reportable segment is comprised of two operating segments: 
Branded Consumer Goods and Hair Salon. The Laundry & 
Home Care reportable segment is also made up of two operat-
ing segments: Laundry Care and Home Care.

The assignment of operating segments to individual reportable 
segments is based on the economic characteristics of the 
 business, the nature of products and production processes, the 
type of customer groups, and the characteristics of the sales 
and distribution structure and of the regulatory environment. 

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information232232

The level of homogeneity in terms of the characteristics of 
the operating segments within both the Beauty Care and the 
 Laundry & Home Care reportable segments is very high. 
The business characteristics within the relevant reportable 
 segments display a similarity given the comparability of 
the relevant operating segments with respect to various key 
financials of relevance for the Group. These key financials 
include both earnings and balance sheet figures, and cost of 
 capital rates. The nature of the production, selling and distri-
bution processes within the reportable segments is also highly 
comparable, given that – in some cases – even the same pro-
duction facilities are used, similar raw materials purchased 
and the distribution models are also comparable. In addition, 
the manufactured product is destined for direct sale to and 
use by consumers. Accordingly, there is also homogeneity 
between the customer groups within these two reportable 
 segments. There are no essential differences in the regulatory 
environment that have any impact on the management of the 
businesses.

The operating segments in the Adhesive Technologies business 
unit do not demonstrate the same high level of homogeneity. 
In particular, the operating segments differ due to the nature 
of their products and the associated customer groups. The 
products are either destined predominantly for private con-
sumers and craftsmen, or for key accounts in the manufacturing 
sector. Accordingly, the operating segments are assigned to 
two different reportable segments. The Industrial Adhesives 
reportable segment is comprised of those operating segments 
whose products are manufactured for major industrial cus-
tomers and predominantly sold in large quantities, whereas the 
Adhesives for Consumers, Craftsmen and Building reportable 
segment focuses on private consumers and craftsmen who 
regularly purchase small quantities from wholesalers / retailers.

Reportable segments 

Adhesives for Consumers, Craftsmen and Building
In the Adhesives for Consumers, Craftsmen and Building 
 operating segment, we market a comprehensive range of 
brand-name products for private users, craftsmen and the 
 construction industry. Based on our four international brand 
platforms, namely Loctite, Pritt, Pattex and Ceresit, we offer 
target-group-aligned system solutions for applications in the 
household, in schools and in offices, for do-it-yourselfers 
and craftsmen, and also for the building industry.

Industrial Adhesives
The Industrial Adhesives reportable segment covers four oper-
ating segments: Packaging and Consumer Goods Adhesives, 
Transport and Metal, General Industry, and Electronics. The 
Packaging and Consumer Goods Adhesives operating segment 
serves major international customers as well as medium- and 
small-sized manufacturers of the consumer goods and furni-
ture industries. The Transport and Metal operating segment 
serves major international customers in the automotive and 
metal-processing industries, offering next-generation system 
solutions and specialized technical services that cover the 
entire value chain – from steel strip coating to final vehicle 
assembly. In the General Industry operating segment, our 
 customers comprise manufacturers from a multitude of 
industries, ranging from household appliance producers to 
the wind power industry. Our portfolio here encompasses 
 Loctite products for industrial maintenance, repair and over-
haul, a wide range of sealants and system solutions for 
 surface treatment applications, and specialty adhesives. Our 
Electronics operating segment offers customers from the 
worldwide electronics industry a broad spectrum of innovative, 
high-tech adhesives and soldering materials for the manufac-
ture of microchips and electronic assemblies.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information233233

Beauty Care
The Beauty Care reportable segment comprises our globally 
active Branded Consumer Goods operating segment with 
Hair Care, Hair Colorants, Hair Styling, Body Care, Skin Care 
and Oral Care, as well as the professional Hair Salon operating 
segment. 

Principles of Group segment reporting
In determining the segment results, assets and liabilities, 
we apply essentially the same principles of recognition and 
 measurement as in the consolidated financial statements. 
We have valued net operating assets in foreign currencies at 
average exchange rates.

Laundry & Home Care
The Laundry & Home Care reportable segment covers the 
global activities of Henkel in laundry and home care branded 
consumer goods. The Laundry Care operating segment includes 
not only heavy-duty and specialty detergents but also fabric 
softeners, laundry performance enhancers, and other fabric 
care products. Our Home Care operating segment encompasses 
hand and automatic dishwashing products, cleaners for bath-
room and WC applications, and household, glass and specialty 
cleaners. We also offer air fresheners and insect control prod-
ucts for household applications in selected regions.

The Group measures the performance of its segments on the 
basis of a segment income variable referred to internally and 
in our reporting procedures as “adjusted EBIT,” which is calcu-
lated by adjusting operating profit (EBIT) for one-time charges 
and gains and also restructuring expenses. 

Of the restructuring expenses, 65 million euros (previous year: 
68 million euros) is attributable to Adhesive Technologies, 
97 million euros (previous year: 59 million euros) to Beauty 
Care and 121 million euros (previous year: 132 million euros) 
to Laundry & Home Care. 

For reconciliation with the figures for the Henkel Group, 
Group management overheads are reported under Corporate 
together with income and expenses that cannot be allocated 
to the  individual business units. 

For reconciliation with the pre-tax earnings of the Henkel 
Group, please refer to the consolidated statement of income 
and the financial result reported therein.

Proceeds transferred between the segments only exist to a 
 negligible extent and are therefore not separately disclosed.

Net operating assets, provisions and liabilities are assigned to 
the segments in accordance with their usage or origin. Where 
usage or origin is attributable to several segments, allocation is 
effected on the basis of appropriate ratios and keys. 

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information234234

For regional and geographic analysis purposes, we allocate 
sales to countries on the basis of the country-of-origin principle. 
Non-current assets are allocated in accordance with the domi-
cile of the international company to which they pertain.

Reconciliation between net operating assets / capital employed and financial statement figures 

182

in million euros

Goodwill at carrying amounts

Other intangible assets and property, plant and 
equipment (including assets held for sale) 5

Deferred taxes

Inventories

Trade accounts receivable from third parties

Intra-group accounts receivable

Other assets and tax refund claims 2

Cash and cash equivalents

Operating assets / Total assets 5

Operating liabilities

Of which:  Trade accounts payable to third parties

 Intra-group accounts payable

 Other provisions and other liabilities 2  
(financial and non-financial)

Net operating assets 5

– Goodwill at carrying amounts

+ Goodwill at cost 3

Capital employed 5

Net operating  
assets

Financial state-
ment figures

Net operating  
assets

Financial state-
ment figures

Annual  
average 1 2018

December 31, 
2018 4

December 31, 
2018 4

Annual  
average 1 2019

December 31, 
2019

December 31, 
2019

12,005

12,306

12,306

12,592

12,922

12,922

7,169

–

2,261

3,799

1,839

624

–

27,697

8,282

3,869

1,839

2,574

19,416

12,005

12,667

20,078

7,431

–

2,177

3,610

1,721

555

–

27,800

7,886

3,713 

1,721

2,452

19,914

–

–

–

7,431

959

2,177

3,610

–

2,016 

1,063

29,562

–

3,713

–

2,604

–

–

–

–

7,997

–

2,296

3,765

1,837

584

–

29,070

8,179

3,886

1,837

2,456

20,891

12,592

13,161

21,460

8,138 

–

2,193

3,413

1,745

640

–

29,051

7,978

3,819

1,745

2,414

21,073

–

–

–

8,138

863

2,193

3,413

–

2,412

1,462

31,403

–

3,819

–

3,148

–

–

–

–

1  The annual average is calculated on the basis of the 12 monthly figures.
2 We take only amounts relating to operating activities into account in calculating net operating assets.
3 Before deduction of accumulated impairment pursuant to IFRS 3.79 (b).
4 Prior-year figures amended (please refer to the notes on pages 154 to 157).
5 Includes IFRS 16 Leases for the first time.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information235235

38    Earnings per share

Earnings per share 

in million euros (rounded)

Net income attributable to shareholders of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA

Dividends, ordinary shares

Dividends, preferred shares

Total dividends

Retained earnings, ordinary shares

Retained earnings, preferred shares

Retained earnings

Number of ordinary shares

Dividend per ordinary share  

Of which: preliminary dividend per ordinary share 1 

Retained earnings per ordinary share  

EPS per ordinary share 

Number of outstanding preferred shares 2

Dividend per preferred share  

Of which: preferred dividend per preferred share 1 

Retained earnings per preferred share  

EPS per preferred share 

Number of ordinary shares

Dividend per ordinary share  

Of which: preliminary dividend per ordinary share 1 

Retained earnings per ordinary share (after dilution) 

Diluted EPS per ordinary share 

Number of potentially outstanding preferred shares 2

Dividend per preferred share  

Of which: preferred dividend per preferred share 1 

Retained earnings per preferred share (after dilution) 

Diluted EPS per preferred share  

183

2018 4

2019

Reported

Adjusted

Reported

Adjusted

2,314

475

323

798

907

609

1,516

2,603

475

323

798

1,080

725

1,805

2,085

2,353

475

323

798

770

517

475

323

798

930

625

1,287

1,555

259,795,875

259,795,875

259,795,875

259,795,875

1.83

0.02

3.49

5.32 

1.83

0.02

4.16

5.99

1.83 3

0.02

2.96

4.79

1.83 3

0.02

3.58

5.41

174,482,323

174,482,323

174,482,323

174,482,323

1.85

0.04

3.49

5.34

1.85

0.04

4.16

6.01

1.85 3

0.04

2.96

4.81

1.85 3

0.04

3.58

5.43

259,795,875

259,795,875

259,795,875

259,795,875

1.83

0.02

3.49

5.32

1.83

0.02

4.16

5.99

1.83 3

0.02

2.96

4.79

1.83 3

0.02

3.58

5.41

174,482,323

174,482,323

174,482,323

174,482,323

1.85

0.04

3.49

5.34

1.85

0.04

4.16

6.01

1.85 3

0.04

2.96

4.81

1.85 3

0.04

3.58

5.43

in euros

in euros

in euros

in euros

in euros

in euros

in euros

in euros

in euros

in euros

in euros

in euros

in euros

in euros

in euros

in euros

1  See combined management report, Corporate governance, Composition of issued capital / Shareholders’ rights on pages 26 and 27. 
2 Weighted annual average of preferred shares. 
3 Proposal to shareholders for the Annual General Meeting on April 20, 2020.
4 Prior-year figures amended (please refer to the notes on pages 154 to 157).

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information236236

39    Consolidated statement  

of cash flows

We prepare the consolidated statement of cash flows in accor-
dance with IAS 7 Statement of Cash Flows. It describes the flow 
of cash and cash equivalents by origin and usage of liquid 
funds, distinguishing between changes in funds arising from 
operating activities, investing activities, and financing activi-
ties. Financial funds include cash on hand, checks and credit 
at banks, and other financial assets with a remaining term of 
not more than three months. Securities are therefore included 
in financial funds, provided that they are available at short 
term and are only exposed to an insignificant price change 
risk. The computation is adjusted for effects arising from cur-
rency translation. In some countries, there are administrative 
hurdles to the transfer of money to the parent company. 

Cash flows from operating activities are determined by initially 
adjusting operating profit for non-cash variables such as 
amortization / depreciation / impairment / write-ups on intan-
gible assets, property, plant and equipment, and assets held 
for sale – supplemented by changes in provisions, changes in 
other assets and liabilities, and also changes in net working 
capital. We likewise disclose payments made for income taxes 
under operating cash flow. 

Cash flows from investing activities occur as a result of out-
flows of funds for investments in intangible assets and prop-
erty, plant and equipment, subsidiaries and other business 
units, as well as associated companies and other investments. 
Here, we also recognize inflows of funds from the sale of 
intangible assets and property, plant and equipment, subsidiar-
ies, other business units and investments. In the reporting 
period, cash flows from investing activities mainly involved 
outflows for the acquisition of subsidiaries and other business 
units in the amount of – 582 million euros (previous year: 
– 443 million euros). The disposal of a company formerly 
included in the scope of consolidation resulted in proceeds on 
disposal of subsidiaries, other business units and investments 
totaling 8 million euros. Investments in intangible assets and 
property, plant and equipment, including payments on account, 
resulted in outflows of – 677 million euros (previous year: 
– 837 million euros). Of the outflows for the acquisition of sub-
sidiaries and other business units,  virtually the entire amount 
is attributable to the acquisitions described in the section 
“Acquisitions and divestments” on pages 147 to 149. 

In cash flow from financing activities, we recognize interest 
and dividends paid and received, the change in borrowings, 
the redemption of lease liabilities, the change in pension 
provisions, and also payments made for the acquisition of 
non-controlling interests and other financing transactions. 

Free cash flow indicates how much cash is actually available 
for acquisitions and dividends, reducing debt and / or alloca-
tions to pension funds. First-time application of IFRS 16 did 
not have any effect on the amount of free cash flow. It merely 
resulted in a shift between cash flow from operating activities 
and cash flow from financing activities.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information237237

184

Total

Reconciliation of assets and liabilities reflected in cash flow from financing activities 2018 

in million euros 

At January 1, 2018

Change in cash flow from financing  
activities 3

Of which:

Interest paid 4

Redemption of bonds

Other changes in borrowings 5

Allocations to pension funds

Other changes in pension obligations

Other financing transactions

Interest expense / income 

Purchase or sale of subsidiaries

Foreign exchange effects

Changes in fair value

Sundry

At December 31, 2018

Derivative assets 
and liabilities

– 25

– 55

 3

– 

– 66

–

–

8 

 – 3

–

–

 59

–

– 24

Receivable from 
Henkel Trust e.V. 
and reimburse-
ment rights

717

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

3

–

9

– 10

–

719

Cash deposits 1 

Provisions for 
pensions and 
similar  
obligations

Borrowings

Lease liabilities

Other assets  
and liabilities 2

240

18

–

–

–

–

–

18

–

– 

–  

–

12

270

– 760

133

–

–

–

175

– 42

–

– 9

– 5

– 11

– 125

– 17 

– 794

– 4,344

– 13

– 53

– 4,238

370

71

1,447

– 1,148

–

–

–

– 75

– 

– 43

– 83

–

– 4,175

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

– 5

–

–

13

– 5

4

4

–

–

–

–

–

4

–

–

– 2

–

– 47

470

78

1,447

– 1,214

175

– 42

26  

– 80

– 10

– 45

– 161

8

– 4,056

1  Securities, time deposits and collateral provided. 
2 Commitments and entitlements relating to incidental tax expenses and liabilities for put options granted to non-controlling shareholders.
3  The received interest disclosed in the cash flow from financing activities is mainly attributable to cash and cash equivalents, the reconciliation of which is provided in the cash flow statement.
4  Does not include cash outflow of 4 million euros for fees and other financial charges relating to the procurement of money and loans.
5  Differs from the cash flow statement due to currency differences and the currency results of intra-group financing and capital transactions.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther informationReconciliation of assets and liabilities reflected in cash flow from financing activities 2019 

Derivative assets 
and liabilities

Receivable from 
Henkel Trust e.V. 
and reimburse-
ment rights

Cash deposits 1

Provisions for 
pensions and 
similar  
obligations

Borrowings

Lease liabilities

Other assets  
and liabilities 2

in million euros 

At December 31, 2018

Effect of first-time application of IFRS 16

At January 1, 2019

Change in cash flow from financing  
activities 3

Of which:

Interest paid 4, 6

Redemption of bonds

Issuance of bonds

Other changes in borrowings 5

Redemption of lease liabilities 6

Allocations to pension funds

Other changes in pension  
obligations

Payments for the acquisition of 
non-controlling interests with no 
change in control

Other financing transactions

Interest expense / income 

Additions of lease liabilities

Purchase or sale of subsidiaries

Foreign exchange effects

Changes in fair value

Sundry

At December 31, 2019

– 24

– 

– 24

12

3

– 

– 

11

–

–

–

–

– 2

1

–

–

–

25

–

14

719

– 

719

3

–

–

– 

–

–

–

3

–

–

5

–

–

2

13

–

742

270

– 

270

269

–

–

–  

–

–

–

–

–

269

–

–

– 

–

–

– 1

538

– 794

– 

– 794

23

–

–

–

–

–

50

– 27

–

–

– 10

–

–

– 6

202

– 50

– 635

– 4,175

– 

– 4,175

401

72

666

– 847

510

–

–

–

–

–

– 74

–

– 

– 21

– 89

–

– 5

– 502

– 507

141

16

–

–

–

125

–

–

–

–

– 16

– 141

– 15

– 13

–

– 

– 47

–

– 47

21

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

21

– 

2

–

– 

–

8 

– 

1   Securities, time deposits, collateral provided, and receivables recognized in financial receivables from third parties that counterparties owe to Henkel in connection with EU emission rights swaps 

 contracted for the purpose of liquidity management. 

2  Commitments and entitlements relating to incidental tax expenses and liabilities for put options granted to non-controlling shareholders.
3  The received interest disclosed in the cash flow from financing activities is mainly attributable to cash and cash equivalents, the reconciliation of which is provided in the cash flow statement.
4  Does not include cash outflow of 5 million euros for fees and other financial charges relating to the procurement of money and loans.
5  Differs from the cash flow statement due to currency differences and the currency results of intra-group financing and capital transactions, and changes in non-Group financial liabilities.
6 Due to first-time application of IFRS 16 Leases, we have disclosed interest paid on right-of-use assets and the redemption of lease liabilities for fiscal 2019.

– 3,958

– 551

– 16

– 3,866

238238

185

Total

– 4,056

– 502

– 4,558

870

91

666

– 847

521

125

50

– 24

21

267

– 92

– 141

– 15

– 38

159

– 51

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information239239

Within the Group, we primarily lease office space and equipment, 
production buildings, warehouses, technical facilities, auto-
mobiles and IT equipment. Some of these contracts contain 
extension options and price adjustment clauses. In the course 
of fiscal 2018, 85 million euros became due for payment under 
operating leases. 

Finance lease commitments 2018 

188

Future 
 payments  
relating to 
finance lease 
commitments

–

2

11

13

in million euros  
At Dec. 31, 2018

Due in the following 
year

Due within 1 to 5 years 

Due after 5 years 

Total

Interest  
portion

Present value  
of future lease 
installments

–

2

4

6

–

–

7

7

As of the end of 2019, commitments arising from orders for 
property, plant and equipment amounted to 130 million euros 
(previous year: 103 million euros). 

As of the reporting date, payment commitments under the 
terms of agreements for capital increases and share purchases 
contracted prior to December 31, 2019 amounted to 29 million 
euros (previous year: 24 million euros).

40   Contingent liabilities

Analysis 

in million euros

Liabilities under guarantee and warranty  
agreements

186

December 
31, 2018

December 
31, 2019

9

16

41    Lease commitments as per IAS 17 
and other unrecognized financial 
commitments

Since the Henkel Group applied the accounting rules of IFRS 16 
retrospectively in accordance with IFRS 16.C5(b), the prior-year 
figures have not been amended (please refer to the notes on 
pages 158 to 160). Lease accounting was still performed in 
compliance with IAS 17 in fiscal 2018.

Operating leases as defined in IAS 17 comprise all forms of 
rights of use on assets, including rights of use arising from 
rent and leasehold agreements. Payment commitments under 
operating lease agreements are disclosed at the total amounts 
payable up to the earliest date of termination. The amounts 
shown are the nominal values. At December 31, 2018, they were 
due for payment as follows:

Operating lease commitments 2018 

in million euros

Due in the following year

Due within 1 to 5 years

Due after 5 years

Total

187

December 
31, 2018

137

265

133

535

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information240240

No party to the share-pooling agreement is obliged to notify 
that it has reached or exceeded 3 percent or more of the total 
voting rights in Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, even after adding 
 voting rights expressly granted under the terms of usufruct 
agreements.

Dr. Simone Bagel-Trah, Germany, is the authorized representa-
tive of the parties to the Henkel family share-pooling agreement.

Financial receivables from and payables to other investments 
in the form of non-consolidated subsidiaries and associated 
entities are disclosed in Notes 3 and 19.

Henkel Trust e.V. and Metzler Trust e.V., as parties to relevant 
contractual trust arrangements (CTA), hold the assets required 
to cover the pension obligations in Germany. The claim on 
Henkel Trust e.V. for reimbursement of pension payments 
made is shown under other financial assets (Note 3 on pages 
172 and 173). The receivable does not bear interest.

42    Voting rights / Related party  

disclosures

Related parties as defined by IAS 24 Related Party Disclosures 
are legal entities or natural persons who may be able to exert 
influence on Henkel AG & Co. KGaA and its subsidiaries, or be 
subject to control or material influence by Henkel AG & Co. 
KGaA or its subsidiaries. These mainly include all members of 
the Henkel family share-pooling agreement, the non-consoli-
dated subsidiaries in which Henkel holds shares, the associ-
ated companies, and the members of the corporate bodies 
of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, whose remuneration is explained 
in the remuneration report on pages 47 to 74 of this Annual 
Report 2019. Related parties as defined in IAS 24 also include 
Henkel Trust e.V. and Metzler Trust e.V.

Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, Düsseldorf, has been notified that as of 
October 12, 2018, the proportion of voting rights held by the 
members of the Henkel family share-pooling agreement repre-
sent in total a share of 61.20 percent of the voting rights 
(158,999,015 votes) in Henkel AG & Co. KGaA (ISIN 
DE0006048408), held by
•  132 members of the families of the descendants of Fritz Henkel, 

the company’s founder,

•  four foundations set up by members of those families,
•  three trusts set up by members of those families,
•  two private limited companies (GmbH) set up by members 
of those families, thirteen limited partnerships with a lim-
ited company as general partner (GmbH & Co. KG), and one 
limited partnership (KG),

under the terms of a share-pooling agreement per Section 
34 (2) German Securities Trading Act [WpHG], whereby the 
shares held by the two private limited companies, by the 
 thirteen limited partnerships with a limited company as gen-
eral partner, and by the one limited partnership, representing 
a share of 16.97 percent of the voting rights (44,081,965 votes), 
are also attributed (per Section 34 (1) No. 1 WpHG) to the family 
members who control those companies.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information241241

43    Exercise of exemption options

The following German companies included in the consoli-
dated financial statements of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA exercised 
exemption options in fiscal 2019:
•   Schwarzkopf Henkel Production Europe GmbH & Co. KG,  

Düsseldorf (Section 264b German Commercial Code [HGB])

•   Henkel Loctite-KID GmbH, Hagen (Section 264 (3) HGB)
•   Henkel IP Management and IC Services GmbH, Monheim 

(Section 264 (3) HGB)

•   Sonderhoff Services GmbH, Cologne (Section 264 (3) HGB)
•  Sonderhoff Chemicals GmbH, Cologne (Section 264 (3) HGB)
•  Sonderhoff Holding GmbH, Cologne (Section 264 (3) HGB) 

Accruals for pension obligations to former members of the 
Management Board and the management of Henkel KGaA, as 
well as the former management of its legal predecessor and 
surviving dependents, amounted to 105,312,747 euros (previ-
ous year: 100,940,669 euros). The total remuneration for this 
group of persons (Section 285 No. 9b and Section 314 (1) No. 6b 
HGB) in the reporting year amounted to 13,291,431 euros (pre-
vious year: 7,205,023 euros) and included the compensation 
paid to members of the Management Board for premature 
departure in the year under review. For further details of the 
benefits paid in connection with the premature departure of 
these members from the Management Board, please refer to 
the audited remuneration report on pages 64 to 66.

The Dutch company Henkel Nederland B.V., Nieuwegein, 
 exercised the exemption option afforded in Article 2:403 of the 
Civil Code of the Netherlands.

The following expenditure was recognized in fiscal 2019 under 
IFRS for remuneration paid to members of the Management 
Board, Supervisory Board and Shareholders’ Committee in 
office in the year under review:

44    Remuneration of the  

corporate bodies

The total remuneration of the members of the Supervisory 
Board and of the Shareholders’ Committee of Henkel AG & Co. 
KGaA amounted to 1,565,000 euros plus value-added tax 
 (previous year: 1,559,000 euros) and 2,350,000 euros (previous 
year: 2,295,206 euros) respectively. The total remuneration 
(Section 285 No. 9a and Section 314 (1) No. 6a HGB) of the 
 Management Board, i.e. members of the Management Board 
of Henkel Management AG, amounted to 17,247,891 euros (previ-
ous year: 21,111,180 euros).

Remuneration of the corporate bodies 

189

in euros

Management Board remuneration

Short-term remuneration 1

Expense for Long Term Incentive

2018

2019

18,226,124

14,418,084

247,567

4,519,679

Service cost of pension obligations

3,084,685

3,125,737

Remuneration paid in connection with  
termination of employment

Total

Supervisory Board remuneration

–

8,208,000

21,558,376

30,271,500

Fixed fee and meeting attendance 2

1,559,000

1,565,000

Shareholders’ Committee remuneration 

Fixed fee 2

2,295,206

2,350,000

Total expenses relating to the corporate bodies

25,412,582

34,186,500

1    Fixed remuneration, other emoluments, Short Term Incentive.
2   Including committee activity.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information242242

Further discussion of the remuneration paid to the members 
who served on the Management Board, Supervisory Board and 
Shareholders’ Committee in the year under review can be 
found in the audited remuneration report on pages 47 to 74.

45    Declaration of compliance with 
the Corporate Governance Code 
(GCGC)

In February 2019, the Management Board of Henkel Manage-
ment AG, and the Supervisory Board and Shareholders’ Com-
mittee of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA approved a joint declaration 
of compliance with the recommendations of the German 
 Corporate Governance Code (GCGC) in accordance with Section 
161 German Stock Corporation Act [AktG]. The declaration 
has been made permanently available to shareholders on the 
company website: 
  www.henkel.com/ir

46    Subsidiaries and other  

investments

Details relating to the investments held by Henkel AG & Co. 
KGaA and the Henkel Group, which are part of these financial 
statements, are provided in a separate schedule appended to 
these notes to the consolidated financial statements but not 
included in this version of the Annual Report. Said schedule is 
included in the accounting record submitted for publication in 
the electronic federal gazette and can be viewed there and at 
the Annual General Meeting. The schedule is also published 
on our website: 

  www.henkel.com/reports

47    Auditor’s fees and services

The total fees charged to the Group for services provided by the 
auditor KPMG AG Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft and other 
companies of the worldwide KPMG network in fiscal 2018 and 
2019 were as follows:

Type of fee 

in million euros

Audits 

Other attestation services

Tax advisory services

Other services

Total

2018

9.7

0.4

1.6

0.6

12.3

of which 
Germany

2.0

0.2

0.7

0.5

3.4

2019

9.9

0.5

1.0

0.6

12.0

190

of which 
Germany

2.0

0.4

0.1

0.5

3.0

The financial statement auditing services provided by KPMG 
AG relate primarily to their audits of the annual and consoli-
dated financial statements of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, together 
with various audits of annual financial statements of its sub-
sidiaries. Reviews of interim financial statements were also 
included in the audit mandate.

Other attestation services included the provision of a comfort 
letter, and the performance of legally and contractually stipu-
lated audits such as those specified in Section 20 Securities 
Trading Act [WpHG] in relation to the European Market Infra-
structure Regulation (EMIR). These fees also covered the audit 
of the data protection management system per IDW PS 980, the 
audit of the non-financial report, and sustainability disclosures.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information243243

Fees for tax advisory services mainly relate to those performed 
in connection with intra-group restructuring procedures under 
company law, and provision of support on ongoing tax issues.

Other services mainly comprised audits performed as part of 
IT migration projects, services focusing on the implementation 
of regulatory requirements, and other project-related advisory 
services.

Subsequent events

After December 31, 2019, there were no reportable events of 
particular significance for the net assets, financial position 
and results of operations of the Henkel Group.

Düsseldorf, January 30, 2020

Henkel Management AG, 
Personally Liable Partner  
of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA

Management Board 
Carsten Knobel, 
Jan-Dirk Auris, Sylvie Nicol, Bruno Piacenza,  
Jens-Martin Schwärzler, Marco Swoboda

The Company

Shares and bonds

Corporate governance

Combined management report

Consolidated financial statements

Consolidated statement of  
financial position 

Consolidated statement of income 

Consolidated statement of 
comprehensive income

Consolidated statement of  
changes in equity

Consolidated statement of  
cash flows 

Notes to the consolidated  
financial statements

Subsequent events

Recommendation for the approval 
of the annual financial statements 
and the appropriation of the profit 
of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA

Corporate bodies of Henkel AG & 
Co. KGaA

Further information

Henkel Annual Report 2019 
 
 
 
 
The Company

Shares and bonds

Corporate governance

Combined management report

Consolidated financial statements

Consolidated statement of  
financial position 

Consolidated statement of income 

Consolidated statement of 
comprehensive income

Consolidated statement of  
changes in equity

Consolidated statement of  
cash flows 

Notes to the consolidated  
financial statements

Subsequent events

Recommendation for the approval 
of the annual financial statements 
and the appropriation of the profit 
of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA

Corporate bodies of Henkel AG & 
Co. KGaA

Further information

244

Recommendation for the approval of the annual 
financial statements and the appropriation of the 
profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA

It is proposed that the annual financial statements of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA be approved as presented 
and that the unappropriated profit of 1,712,396,938.19 euros for fiscal 2019 be applied as follows:

a)   Payment of a dividend of 1.83 euros per ordinary share  

(259,795,875 shares) 

b)   Payment of a dividend of 1.85 euros per preferred share  

(178,162,875 shares) 

c)   Remainder 

carried forward as retained earnings

= 475,426,451.25 euros

= 329,601,318.75 euros
= 907,369,168.19 euros  

1,712,396,938.19 euros

At the time of convening the Annual General Meeting, the corporation holds 3,680,552 treasury shares 
(preferred shares). According to Section 71b German Stock Corporation Act [AktG], treasury shares do 
not qualify for a  dividend. The amount in unappropriated profit which relates to the shares held by 
the corporation (treasury shares) at the date of the Annual General Meeting will be carried forward as 
retained earnings. As the number of such treasury shares can change up to the time of the Annual 
General Meeting, a  correspondingly adapted proposal for the appropriation of profit will be submitted 
to it, providing for an unchanged payout of 1.83 euros per ordinary share qualifying for a dividend and 
1.85 euros per  preferred share qualifying for a dividend, with corresponding adjustment of the payout 
totals and of retained earnings carried forward to the following year.

Düsseldorf, January 30, 2020

Henkel Management AG, 
Personally Liable Partner  
of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA

The Management Board

Henkel Annual Report 2019 
 
245

Corporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA

Boards / memberships as defined by Section 125 (1) sentence 5 German Stock Corporation Act [AktG] as at January 2020

Honorary Chairman of the Henkel Group: Dipl.-Ing. Albrecht Woeste 

Supervisory Board of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA

Dr. rer. nat. Simone Bagel-Trah
Chair,  
Private Investor, Düsseldorf

Born in 1969 
Member since: April 14, 2008

Memberships: 
Henkel Management AG (Chair) 1 
Henkel AG & Co. KGaA  
(Shareholders’ Committee, Chair) 2 
Bayer AG 1 
Heraeus Holding GmbH 1

Birgit Helten-Kindlein *
Vice Chair, 
Chairwoman of the General Works Council of 
Henkel AG & Co. KGaA and Chairwoman of 
the Works Council of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, 
Düsseldorf site

Born in 1964 
Member since: April 14, 2008

Jutta Bernicke *
Member of the Works Council of  
Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, Düsseldorf site

Born in 1962 
Member since: April 14, 2008

Dr. rer. nat. Kaspar von Braun
Astrophysicist, Pasadena

Born in 1971 
Member since: April 19, 2010

Peter Emmerich *
Member of the General Works Council of  
Henkel AG & Co. KGaA and Chairman of the 
Works Council of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA,  
Herborn-Schönbach site

Born in 1966 
Member since: April 9, 2018

Benedikt-Richard Freiherr von Herman
Private Investor, Wain

Born in 1972 
Member since: April 11, 2016

Timotheus Höttges
Chairman of the Executive Board,  
Deutsche Telekom AG, Bonn

Born in 1962 
Member since: April 11, 2016

Memberships: 
BT Group plc., Great Britain 2 
FC Bayern München AG 1 
Telekom Group: 
Telekom Deutschland GmbH (Chair) 1 
T-Mobile US, Inc. (Chair), USA 2

* Employee representatives.
1  Membership of statutory supervisory and administrative boards in Germany.
2 Membership of comparable oversight bodies.

Prof. Dr. sc. nat. Michael Kaschke
Chairman of the Executive Board,  
Carl Zeiss AG, Oberkochen

Born in 1957 
Member since: April 14, 2008

Memberships: 
Deutsche Telekom AG 1 
Robert Bosch GmbH 1 
Carl Zeiss Group: 
Carl Zeiss Industrielle  
Messtechnik GmbH (Chair) 1 
Carl Zeiss Meditec AG (Chair) 1 
Carl Zeiss Co. Ltd. (Chair), South Korea 2 
Carl Zeiss (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. (Chair), China 2 
Carl Zeiss Far East Co. Ltd. (Chair), 
China / Hong Kong 2  
Carl Zeiss India (Bangalore) Private Ltd., India 2 
Carl Zeiss Pte. Ltd. (Chair), Singapore 2

Barbara Kux
Private Investor, Zurich

Born in 1954 
Member since: July 3, 2013

Memberships: 
Firmenich S.A. (Vice Chair), Switzerland 2 
Grosvenor Group Ltd., Great Britain 2 
Pargesa Holding S.A., Switzerland 2

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information246

Committees of the Supervisory Board

Nominations Committee

Functions  
The Nominations Committee prepares the 
resolutions of the Supervisory  Board on elec-
tion proposals to be presented to the Annual 
General Meeting for the election of members 
of the Supervisory Board (representatives of 
the share holders).

Members 
Dr. Simone Bagel-Trah, Chair 
Dr. Kaspar von Braun  
Prof. Dr. Theo Siegert

Audit Committee

Functions  
The Audit Committee prepares the proceed-
ings and resolutions of the Supervisory Board 
relating to the approval of the annual financial 
statements and the consolidated financial 
statements, and relating to ratification of the 
proposal to be put before the Annual General 
Meeting regarding appointment of the auditor. 
It also deals with accounting, risk management 
and compliance issues.

Members 
Prof. Dr. Theo Siegert, Chair  
Prof. Dr. Michael Kaschke, Vice Chair 
Dr. Simone Bagel-Trah  
Birgit Helten-Kindlein 
Edgar Topsch 
Michael Vassiliadis

Andrea Pichottka *
Managing Director, IG BCE Bonusagentur 
GmbH, Hannover 
Managing Director, IG BCE Bonusassekuranz 
GmbH, Hannover

Edgar Topsch *
Member of the General Works Council of  
Henkel AG & Co. KGaA and  
Vice Chairman of the Works Council of  
Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, Düsseldorf site

Born in 1959 
Member since: October 26, 2004

Born in 1960 
Member since: August 1, 2010

Michael Vassiliadis *
Chairman of IG BCE, Hannover

Born in 1964 
Member since: April 9, 2018

Memberships: 
BASF SE 
RAG AG (Vice Chair) 
STEAG GmbH 
Vivawest GmbH

Philipp Scholz
Adjunct Professor at Humboldt University 
Berlin, Berlin

Born in 1967 
Member since: April 9, 2018

Dr. rer. nat. Martina Seiler *
Chemist, Duisburg 
Member of the Senior Staff Representative 
Committee of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA

Born in 1971 
Member since: January 1, 2012

Prof. Dr. oec. publ. Theo Siegert
Managing Partner of  
de Haen-Carstanjen & Söhne, Düsseldorf

Born in 1947 
Member since: April 20, 2009

Dirk Thiede *
Member of the Works Council of  
Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, Düsseldorf site

Born in 1969 
Member since: April 9, 2018

* Employee representatives.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information 
247

Subcommittees of the  
Shareholders’ Committee

Finance Subcommittee

Functions  
The Finance Subcommittee deals principally 
with financial matters, accounting issues 
including the statutory year-end audit, taxa-
tion and accounting policy, internal auditing, 
and risk management in the corporation.

Members 
Dr. Christoph Henkel, Chair 
Stefan Hamelmann, Vice Chair 
Prof. Dr. Paul Achleitner 
Prof. Dr. Ulrich Lehner  
Dr. Dr. Norbert Reithofer

Human Resources Subcommittee

Functions 
The Human Resources Subcommittee deals 
principally with personnel matters relating to 
members of the Management Board, issues 
pertaining to human resources strategy, and 
with remuneration.

Members 
Dr. Simone Bagel-Trah, Chair 
Konstantin von Unger, Vice Chair 
Johann-Christoph Frey 
Jean-François van Boxmeer 
Werner Wenning

Jean-François van Boxmeer
Chairman of the Executive Board  
of Heineken N.V., Amsterdam

Born in 1961 
Member since: April 15, 2013

Membership: 
Mondelez International Inc., USA 2

Werner Wenning
Chairman of the Supervisory Board  
of Bayer AG, Leverkusen

Born in 1946 
Member since: April 14, 2008

Memberships: 
Bayer AG (Chair) 1 
Henkel Management AG 1 
Siemens AG 1

Shareholders’ Committee of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA

Dr. rer. nat. Simone Bagel-Trah
Chair,  
Private Investor, Düsseldorf

Born in 1969 
Member since: April 18, 2005

Memberships: 
Henkel AG & Co. KGaA (Chair) 1 
Henkel Management AG (Chair) 1 
Bayer AG 1 
Heraeus Holding GmbH 1

Dr. rer. pol. h.c. Christoph Henkel
Vice Chair, 
Private Investor, London

Born in 1958 
Member since: May 27, 1991

Prof. Dr. oec. HSG Paul Achleitner
Chairman of the Supervisory Board,  
Deutsche Bank AG, Munich

Born in 1956 
Member since: April 30, 2001

Memberships: 
Bayer AG 1 
Daimler AG 1 
Deutsche Bank AG (Chair) 1

Johann-Christoph Frey 
Private Investor, Klosters

Born in 1955 
Member since: April 9, 2018

Membership: 
Antai Venture Builder S.L., Spain

Stefan Hamelmann
Private Investor, Düsseldorf

Born in 1963 
Member since: May 3, 1999

Prof. Dr. rer. pol. Ulrich Lehner 
Former Chairman of the Management Board  
of Henkel KGaA, Düsseldorf

Born in 1946 
Member since: April 14, 2008

Memberships: 
Deutsche Telekom AG (Chair) 1 
Porsche Automobil Holding SE 1

Dr.-Ing. Dr.-Ing. E.h. Norbert Reithofer 
Chairman of the Supervisory Board  
of Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktien-
gesellschaft, Munich

Born in 1956 
Member since: April 11, 2011

Memberships: 
Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft  
(Chair) 1 
Siemens AG 1

Konstantin von Unger
Managing Partner, CKA Capital Ltd., London

Born in 1966 
Member since: April 14, 2003

Membership: 
Henkel Management AG 1

1  Membership of statutory supervisory and administrative boards in Germany.
2 Membership of comparable oversight bodies.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information248

Supervisory Board of Henkel Management AG *

Dr. rer. nat. Simone Bagel-Trah
Chair,  
Private Investor, Düsseldorf

Born in 1969 
Member since: February 15, 2008

Memberships: 
Henkel AG & Co. KGaA (Chair) 1 
Henkel AG & Co. KGaA (Shareholders’ Committee, Chair) 2 
Bayer AG 1 
Heraeus Holding GmbH 1

Konstantin von Unger 
Vice Chair, 
Managing Partner, CKA Capital Ltd., London

Born in 1966 
Member since: April 17, 2012

Membership: 
Henkel AG & Co. KGaA (Shareholders’ Committee) 2

Werner Wenning
Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Bayer AG, Leverkusen

Born in 1946 
Member since: September 16, 2013

Memberships: 
Bayer AG (Chair) 1 
Siemens AG 1 
Henkel AG & Co. KGaA (Shareholders’ Committee) 2

Management Board of Henkel Management AG *

Carsten Knobel
Chairman of the Management Board (since January 1, 2020)

Born in 1969 
Member since: July 1, 2012

Memberships: 
Deutsche Lufthansa AG 1 
Henkel Central Eastern Europe GmbH (Chair), Austria 2 
Henkel (China) Investment Co. Ltd., China 2 
Henkel & Cie AG (Vice Chair), Switzerland 2 
Henkel Ltd., Great Britain 2 
Henkel of America Inc. (Chair), USA 2

Hans Van Bylen
(until December 31, 2019) 
Chairman of the Management Board

Born in 1961 
Member from: July 1, 2005 3

Jan-Dirk Auris
Adhesive Technologies

Born in 1968 
Member since: January 1, 2011

Kathrin Menges
(until April 8, 2019) 
Human Resources / Infrastructure Services

Born in 1964 
Member from: October 1, 2011

Memberships: 
Adidas AG 1 
Henkel Central Eastern Europe GmbH, Austria 2 
Henkel Finland Oy, Finland 2 
Henkel Nederland BV, Netherlands 2 
Henkel Norden AB, Sweden 2

Sylvie Nicol
(since April 9, 2019) 
Human Resources / Infrastructure Services

Born in 1973 
Member since: April 9, 2019

Membership: 
Henkel Central Eastern Europe GmbH, Austria 2

Bruno Piacenza
Laundry & Home Care

Born in 1965 
Member since: January 1, 2011

Jens-Martin Schwärzler
Beauty Care

Born in 1963 
Member since: November 1, 2017

Marco Swoboda
(since January 1, 2020) 
Finance 

Born in 1971 
Member since: January 1, 2020

Memberships: 
Henkel & Cie AG, Switzerland 2 
Henkel Nederland BV, Netherlands 2 
Henkel South Africa (Pty.) Ltd., South Africa 2 
Henkel Switzerland Operations AG, Switzerland 2

* Personally Liable Partner of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA.
1  Membership of statutory supervisory and administrative boards in Germany.
2 Membership of comparable oversight bodies.
3 Including membership of the Management Board of Henkel KGaA.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsConsolidated statement of  financial position Consolidated statement of income Consolidated statement of comprehensive incomeConsolidated statement of  changes in equityConsolidated statement of  cash flows Notes to the consolidated  financial statementsSubsequent eventsRecommendation for the approval of the annual financial statements and the appropriation of the profit of Henkel AG & Co. KGaACorporate bodies of Henkel AG & Co. KGaAFurther information249

Independent Auditor’s Report

To Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, Düsseldorf

Report on the Audit of the Consolidated Financial  
Statements and of the Combined Management Report

Opinions
We have audited the consolidated financial statements of 
Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, Düsseldorf and its subsidiaries (the 
Group), which comprise the consolidated statement of finan-
cial position as of December 31, 2019, and the consolidated 
statement of income, consolidated statement of comprehen-
sive income, consolidated statement of changes in equity and 
consolidated statement of cash flows for the financial year 
from January 1 to December 31, 2019, and notes to the consoli-
dated financial statements, including a summary of significant 
accounting policies. In addition, we have audited the combined 
management report of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA for the financial 
year from January 1 to December 31, 2019. In accordance with 
German legal requirements, we have not audited the content 
of the corporate governance statement, which is included in 
the “Fundamental principles of the Group” section of the 
combined management report.

In our opinion, on the basis of the knowledge obtained in the 
audit,
•  the accompanying consolidated financial statements comply, 
in all material respects, with the IFRSs as adopted by the EU, 
and the additional requirements of German commercial 
law pursuant to Section 315e (1) HGB [Handelsgesetzbuch: 
German Commercial Code] and, in compliance with these 

requirements, give a true and fair view of the assets, liabilities, 
and financial position of the Group as of December 31, 2019, 
and of its financial performance for the financial year from 
January 1 to December 31, 2019, and 

•  the accompanying combined management report as a whole 

provides an appropriate view of the Group’s position. In 
all material respects, this combined management report is 
 consistent with the consolidated financial statements, 
 complies with German legal requirements and appropriately 
presents the opportunities and risks of future development. 
Our opinion on the combined management report does not 
cover the content of the corporate governance statement 
mentioned above. 

Pursuant to Section 322 (3) sentence 1 HGB, we declare that 
our audit has not led to any reservations relating to the legal 
compliance of the consolidated financial statements and of 
the combined management report.

Basis for the Opinions
We conducted our audit of the consolidated financial statements 
and of the combined management report in accordance 
with Section 317 HGB and EU Audit Regulation No. 537/2014 
(referred to subsequently as “EU Audit Regulation”) and in 
compliance with German Generally Accepted Standards for 
Financial Statement Audits promulgated by the Institut der 
Wirtschaftsprüfer [Institute of Public Auditors in Germany] 
(IDW). Our responsibilities under those requirements and 
principles are further described in the “Auditor’s Responsibili-
ties for the Audit of the Consolidated Financial Statements and 

Note: This is a translation of the German original. Solely the original text in German language is authoritative.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther informationIndependent Auditor’s ReportResponsibility statement by the Personally Liable PartnerQuarterly breakdown of  key financials Multi-year summaryIndex of tables and graphsGlossary CreditsContactsFinancial calendar250

of the Combined Management Report” section of our auditor’s 
report. We are independent of the group entities in accordance 
with the requirements of European law and German commercial 
and professional law, and we have fulfilled our other German 
 professional responsibilities in accordance with these require-
ments. In addition, in accordance with Article 10 (2)(f) of the 
EU Audit Regulation, we declare that we have not provided 
non-audit services prohibited under Article 5 (1) of the EU Audit 
Regulation. We believe that the evidence we have obtained is 
sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinions 
on the consolidated financial statements and on the combined 
management report.

Key Audit Matters in the Audit of the Consolidated Financial 
Statements
Key audit matters are those matters that, in our professional 
judgment, were of most significance in our audit of the con-
solidated financial statements for the financial year from 
 January 1 to December 31, 2019. These matters were addressed 
in the context of our audit of the consolidated financial state-
ments as a whole, and in forming our opinion thereon, we do 
not provide a separate opinion on these matters.

Recoverability of the carrying amount of goodwill and  
intangible assets with indefinite useful lives

See note 1 in the notes to the consolidated financial statements 
for explanations on goodwill and intangible assets with indefinite 
 useful lives.

THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT RISK
In the consolidated financial statements of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA 
as of December 31, 2019, goodwill of EUR 12,922 million and 
trademarks and other rights with indefinite useful lives of 
EUR 3,334 million are reported. Goodwill and intangible assets 
with indefinite useful lives are allocated to the cash-generating 
units that are expected to benefit from the business combina-

tion in which the goodwill arose or from the utilization of the 
intangible assets. 

In performing the impairment test for goodwill and intangible 
assets with indefinite useful lives, which is conducted annu-
ally, the carrying amounts of the respective cash-generating 
units are compared with their respective recoverable amounts. 
The recoverable amount is determined at Henkel based on fair 
value less costs to sell. For this purpose, fair value is determined 
using a discounted cash flow model. Future cash flows are 
derived from the Henkel Group’s financial plan, which is 
 prepared by management and approved by the Supervisory 
Board, and which is developed for subsequent years using 
assumptions. Future cash flows are discounted using the 
weighted average cost of capital of the respective cash- 
generating unit. This measurement is highly dependent on 
estimates of future cash flows as well as the cost of capital 
used and therefore subject to considerable uncertainty.

In this context and due to the underlying complexity of the 
valuation models, there is a risk that impairment of goodwill 
and of intangible assets with indefinite useful lives existing 
as of the reporting date is not recognized. There is also a risk 
that the disclosures in the notes to the consolidated financial 
statements of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA are not appropriate. 

OUR AUDIT APPROACH
Our audit included an evaluation of the methodical approach 
to conducting the impairment tests and a verification of the 
computational accuracy of the model. 

Through a comparison with the assumptions from the extra-
polated financial plan and reconciliation with the expected 
developments in the relevant markets derived from market 
analysis, among others, we confirmed the appropriateness of 
the future cash flows that were used. We conducted interviews 
in the business units to obtain information on key drivers of 

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther informationIndependent Auditor’s ReportResponsibility statement by the Personally Liable PartnerQuarterly breakdown of  key financials Multi-year summaryIndex of tables and graphsGlossary CreditsContactsFinancial calendar251

future development and to estimate their effects on the forecasts 
for the cash flows. We assessed the appropriateness of the esti-
mated perpetuity growth rates using relevant market  analysis. We 
also confirmed adherence to budget by making a retrospective 
comparison. Furthermore, we evaluated Henkel’s planning 
process by surveying those responsible for the process and 
verifying the process steps.

As even small changes in the cost of capital materially affect 
the fair value, we involved our valuation specialists and focused 
on the assumptions and data used to determine the weighted 
average cost of capital and also verified the  calculation proce-
dure. This also involved comparisons with the peer group 
 relevant to Henkel as regards the cost of equity utilized. In 
addition, we conducted our own sensitivity analyses for the 
cash-generating units to establish the effects of incremental 
changes to assumptions on the measurement of goodwill and 
intangible assets. 

Finally, for the purposes of an overall assessment, we compared 
the total calculated fair values less costs to sell for the individual 
cash-generating units with the current market capitalization 
of the Henkel Group.

We also assessed whether the disclosures required pursuant to 
IAS 36 in the notes to the consolidated financial statements are 
appropriate. 

OUR OBSERVATIONS
The calculation model used by Henkel AG & Co. KGaA for 
impairment testing of goodwill and intangible assets with 
indefinite useful lives is appropriate and consistent with the 
applicable accounting policies. 

The assumptions used for the measurement of goodwill and 
intangible assets with indefinite useful lives are reasonable as 
a whole. 

The related disclosures in the notes to the consolidated finan-
cial statements are appropriate. 

First-time application of the new financial reporting stan-
dard “IFRS 16 – Leases”

See pages 158 et seqq., 168 et seqq., 178, 193, 239 in the notes to the 
consolidated financial statements for explanatory notes on the first-
time application of IFRS 16

THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT RISK
As of December 31, 2019, right-of-use assets of EUR 485 million 
and lease liabilities of EUR 551 million are recognized in the 
consolidated financial statements of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA. 

The first-time application of the new financial reporting 
 standard “IFRS 16 – Leases” had effects on the opening statement 
of financial position figures for the financial year and how 
they were adjusted as of the reporting date. Henkel AG & Co. 
KGaA applies the modified retrospective approach for the new 
standard. The cumulative transition effect of EUR 34 million 
as of January 1, 2019, was recorded in retained earnings taking 
into account deferred taxes. 

Determination of the lease term, the amount of the lease 
 payments and the incremental borrowing rate used as the 
 discount rate may require judgment and be based on estimates. 
Furthermore, determining the first-time application effect of 
IFRS 16 and adjusting the lease liabilities and right-of-use 
assets from leases in accordance with the standard requires 
the collection of extensive data from the lease agreements.

There is the risk for the consolidated financial statements that 
the lease liabilities and right-of-use assets from leases are not 
recorded completely in the statement of financial position. 
There is also the risk that the lease liabilities and right-of-use 
assets from leases have not been appropriately measured.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther informationIndependent Auditor’s ReportResponsibility statement by the Personally Liable PartnerQuarterly breakdown of  key financials Multi-year summaryIndex of tables and graphsGlossary CreditsContactsFinancial calendar252

There is a further risk that the disclosures in the notes to the 
consolidated financial statements as required by IFRS 16 are 
not appropriate.

OUR AUDIT APPROACH
First, we gained an understanding of the process used by 
Henkel AG & Co. KGaA to implement the new IFRS 16 financial 
reporting standard. We then analyzed the functional concept 
and the accounting instructions underlying the implementation 
in terms of completeness and compliance with IFRS 16. 

We assessed the appropriateness, setup and effectiveness of 
the controls established by Henkel AG & Co. KGaA to ensure 
the full and correct determination of the data to measure the 
lease liabilities and right-of-use assets from leases. Where IT 
processing systems were used to determine and collect relevant 
data, we tested, with the involvement of our IT specialists, 
the effectiveness of the rules and procedures that relate to 
numerous IT applications and support the effectiveness of 
application controls.

For some lease agreements selected as a representative sample 
and some selected based on risk criteria, we assessed whether 
the relevant data was correctly and fully determined. To the 
extent that accounting judgments were made for determining 
the lease term, we examined whether – in light of the prevailing 
market conditions and risks in the industry – the underlying 
assumptions are comprehensible and consistent with other 
assumptions made in the financial statements. 

With the involvement of our valuation experts, we compared 
the assumptions and parameters underlying the incremental 
borrowing rates to our own assumptions and publicly available 
data. We also assessed the calculation model for the interest 
rate in terms of appropriateness.

For the lease agreements in the sample detailed above, we 
 verified the computational accuracy of the values of the lease 
liabilities and right-of-use assets determined by Henkel AG & 
Co. KGaA from the leases.

We also assessed whether the disclosures required pursuant to 
IFRS 16 in the notes to the consolidated financial statements 
are appropriate.

OUR OBSERVATIONS
Henkel AG & Co. KGaA has established appropriate procedures 
to record leases for the purposes of IFRS 16. The assumptions 
and parameters used to measure the lease liabilities and right-
of-use assets from leases are appropriate overall.

The disclosures in the notes to the consolidated financial 
statements are appropriate.

Other Information
Management is responsible for the other information. The 
other information comprises: 
•  the corporate governance statement, and
•  the remaining parts of the annual report, with the exception 

of the audited consolidated financial statements and 
 combined management report and our auditor’s report.  

Our opinions on the consolidated financial statements and on 
the combined management report do not cover the other 
information, and consequently we do not express an opinion 
or any other form of assurance conclusion thereon. 

In connection with our audit, our responsibility is to read the 
other information and, in so doing, to consider whether the 
other information
•  is materially inconsistent with the consolidated financial 
statements, with the combined management report or our 
knowledge obtained in the audit, or 

•  otherwise appears to be materially misstated. 

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther informationIndependent Auditor’s ReportResponsibility statement by the Personally Liable PartnerQuarterly breakdown of  key financials Multi-year summaryIndex of tables and graphsGlossary CreditsContactsFinancial calendar253

Responsibilities of Management and the Supervisory Board 
for the Consolidated Financial Statements and the Combined 
Management Report
Management is responsible for the preparation of the consoli-
dated financial statements that comply, in all material 
respects, with IFRSs as adopted by the EU and the additional 
requirements of German commercial law pursuant to Section 
315e (1) HGB and that the consolidated financial statements, 
in compliance with these requirements, give a true and fair 
view of the assets, liabilities, financial position and financial 
performance of the Group. In addition, management is 
responsible for such internal control as they have determined 
necessary to enable the preparation of consolidated financial 
statements that are free from material misstatement, whether 
due to fraud or error.

In preparing the consolidated financial statements, management 
is responsible for assessing the Group’s ability to continue as a 
going concern. They also have the responsibility for disclosing, 
as applicable, matters related to going concern. In addition, 
they are responsible for financial reporting based on the 
going concern basis of accounting unless there is an intention 
to  liquidate the Group or to cease operations, or there is no 
 realistic alternative but to do so.

Furthermore, management is responsible for the preparation 
of the combined management report that, as a whole, provides 
an appropriate view of the Group’s position and is, in all mate-
rial respects, consistent with the consolidated financial state-
ments, complies with German legal requirements, and appro-
priately presents the opportunities and risks of future devel-
opment. In addition, management is responsible for such 
arrangements and measures (systems) as they have considered 
necessary to enable the preparation of a combined manage-
ment report that is in accordance with the applicable German 
legal requirements, and to be able to provide sufficient appro-
priate evidence for the assertions in the combined manage-
ment report.

The Supervisory Board is responsible for overseeing the 
Group’s financial reporting process for the preparation of the 
consolidated financial statements and of the combined man-
agement report.

Auditor’s Responsibilities for the Audit of the Consolidated 
Financial Statements and of the Combined Management 
Report
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether 
the consolidated financial statements as a whole are free from 
material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and 
whether the combined management report as a whole provides 
an appropriate view of the Group’s position and, in all material 
respects, is consistent with the consolidated financial state-
ments and the knowledge obtained in the audit, complies with 
the German legal requirements and appropriately presents the 
opportunities and risks of future development, as well as to 
issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinions on the con-
solidated financial statements and on the combined manage-
ment report. 

Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a 
guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with Section 
317 HGB and the EU Audit Regulation and in compliance with 
German Generally Accepted Standards for Financial Statement 
Audits promulgated by the Institut der Wirtschaftsprüfer 
(IDW) will always detect a material misstatement. Misstate-
ments can arise from fraud or error and are considered mate-
rial if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably 
be expected to influence the economic decisions of users 
taken on the basis of these consolidated financial statements 
and this combined management report.

We exercise professional judgment and maintain professional 
skepticism throughout the audit. We also:
•  Identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the 

consolidated financial statements and of the combined 
management report, whether due to fraud or error, design 

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther informationIndependent Auditor’s ReportResponsibility statement by the Personally Liable PartnerQuarterly breakdown of  key financials Multi-year summaryIndex of tables and graphsGlossary CreditsContactsFinancial calendar254

and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, and 
obtain audit evidence that is sufficient and appropriate to 
provide a basis for our opinions. The risk of not detecting a 
material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than 
for one resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion, 
forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the 
override of internal control.

•  Obtain an understanding of internal control relevant to the 

audit of the consolidated financial statements, and of 
arrangements and measures (systems) relevant to the audit 
of the combined management report, in order to design 
audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, 
but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the 
effectiveness of these systems.

•  Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies used by 
management and the reasonableness of estimates made by 
management and related disclosures.

•  Conclude on the appropriateness of management’s use of 
the going concern basis of accounting and, based on the 
audit evidence obtained, whether a material uncertainty 
exists related to events or conditions that may cast significant 
doubt on the Group’s ability to continue as a going concern. 
If we conclude that a material uncertainty exists, we are 
required to draw attention in the auditor’s report to the 
related disclosures in the consolidated financial statements 
and in the combined management report or, if such disclo-
sures are inadequate, to modify our respective opinions. Our 
conclusions are based on the audit evidence obtained up to 
the date of our auditor’s report. However, future events or 
conditions may cause the Group to cease to be able to continue 
as a going concern.

•  Evaluate the overall presentation, structure and content of 
the consolidated financial statements, including the disclo-
sures, and whether the consolidated financial statements 
present the underlying transactions and events in a manner 
that the consolidated financial statements give a true and 
fair view of the assets, liabilities, financial position and 

financial performance of the Group in compliance with 
IFRSs as adopted by the EU and the additional requirements 
of German commercial law pursuant to Section 315e (1) HGB.

•  Obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence regarding the 
financial information of the entities or business activities 
within the Group to express opinions on the consolidated 
financial statements and on the combined management 
report. We are responsible for the direction, supervision and 
performance of the group audit. We remain solely responsi-
ble for our opinions.

•  Evaluate the consistency of the combined management 

report with the consolidated financial statements, its con-
formity with [German] law, and the view of the Group’s posi-
tion it provides.

•  Perform audit procedures on the prospective information 
presented by management in the combined management 
report. On the basis of sufficient appropriate audit evidence 
we evaluate, in particular, the significant assumptions used 
by management as a basis for the prospective information, 
and evaluate the proper derivation of the prospective infor-
mation from these assumptions. We do not express a separate 
opinion on the prospective information and on the assump-
tions used as a basis. There is a substantial unavoidable risk 
that future events will differ materially from the prospective 
information. 

We communicate with those charged with governance regarding, 
among other matters, the planned scope and timing of the 
audit and significant audit findings, including any significant 
deficiencies in internal control that we identify during our audit.

We also provide those charged with governance with a statement 
that we have complied with the relevant independence 
requirements, and communicate with them all relationships 
and other matters that may reasonably be thought to bear on 
our independence, and where applicable, the related safeguards.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther informationIndependent Auditor’s ReportResponsibility statement by the Personally Liable PartnerQuarterly breakdown of  key financials Multi-year summaryIndex of tables and graphsGlossary CreditsContactsFinancial calendar255

German Public Auditor Responsible for the Engagement
The German Public Auditor responsible for the engagement is 
Marcus Rohrbach.

Düsseldorf, January 30, 2020

KPMG AG 
Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft

Klaus Becker  
Wirtschaftsprüfer 
[German Public Auditor] 

Marcus Rohrbach 
Wirtschaftsprüfer 
[German Public Auditor]

From the matters communicated with those charged with 
governance, we determine those matters that were of most 
significance in the audit of the consolidated financial state-
ments of the current period and are therefore the key audit 
matters. We describe these matters in our auditor’s report 
unless law or regulation precludes public disclosure about 
the matter.

Other Legal and Regulatory Requirements 

Further Information pursuant to Article 10  
of the EU Audit Regulation
We were elected as group auditor at the annual general meet-
ing on April 8, 2019. We were engaged by the Supervisory 
Board, represented by the Audit Committee Chair, on May 9, 
2019. We have been the auditor of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA 
without interruption for more than 25 years.

We declare that the opinions expressed in this auditor’s report 
are consistent with the additional report to the Audit Commit-
tee pursuant to Article 11 of the EU Audit Regulation (long-form 
audit report).

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256

Responsibility statement by the  
Personally Liable Partner

To the best of our knowledge, and in accordance with the applicable accounting principles, the 
consolidated financial statements give a true and fair view of the net assets, financial position and 
results of operations of the Group, and the management report of the Group, which is combined with 
the management report of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, includes a fair review of the development, performance 
and results of the business and the position of the Group, together with a cogent description of the 
principal opportunities and risks associated with the expected development of the Group.

Düsseldorf, January 30, 2020

Henkel Management AG

Management Board 
Carsten Knobel, 
Jan-Dirk Auris, Sylvie Nicol, Bruno Piacenza,  
Jens-Martin Schwärzler, Marco Swoboda

The Company

Shares and bonds

Corporate governance

Combined management report

Consolidated financial statements

Further information

Independent Auditor’s Report

Responsibility statement by the 
Personally Liable Partner

Quarterly breakdown of  
key financials 

Multi-year summary

Index of tables and graphs

Glossary 

Credits

Contacts

Financial calendar

Henkel Annual Report 2019Quarterly breakdown of key financials

257

191

in million euros

Sales

Adhesive Technologies

Beauty Care

Laundry & Home Care

Corporate

Henkel Group

Cost of sales

Gross profit

Marketing, selling and  distribution expenses

Research and development expenses

Administrative expenses

Other operating expenses and income

EBIT

Adhesive Technologies

Beauty Care

Laundry & Home Care

Corporate

Henkel Group

Interest result

Other financial result

Investment result

Financial result

Income before tax

Taxes on income

Net income

Attributable to non-controlling interests

Attributable to shareholders of Henkel 
AG & Co. KGaA

1st quarter

2nd quarter

3rd quarter

4th quarter

Full year

2018 1

2019

2018 1

2019

2018 1

2019

2018 1

2019

2018 2

2019

2,270

965

1,569

32

4,835

– 2,588

2,247

– 1,184

– 116

– 238

30

389

152

219

– 21

739

– 14

– 2

– 1

– 17

722

2,309

960

1,667

32

4,969

– 2,686

2,283

– 1,215

– 124

– 230

22

381

136

243

– 24

736

– 18

– 3

–

– 21

715

– 174

– 176

548

5

543

539

5

534

2,432

1,035

1,644

32

5,143

– 2,738

2,405

– 1,192

– 137

– 271

9

438

151

246

– 22

814

– 20

9

3

– 8

806

– 204

602

4

598

2,422

1,002

1,666

30

5,121

– 2,747

2,374

– 1,252

– 126

– 263

23

444

98

240

– 26

756

– 21

1

–

– 20

736

– 178

558

4

554

2,373

993

1,641

30

5,037

– 2,698

2,339

– 1,142

– 116

– 244

– 4

444

158

248

– 17

833

– 14

– 5

– 1

– 20

813

2,395

970

1,682

30

5,077

– 2,727

2,350

– 1,261

– 116

– 225

26

452

91

254

– 23

774

– 21

– 1

–

– 22

752

2,328

957

1,565

34

4,884

– 2,719

2,165

– 1,120

– 115

– 238

38

398

128

257

– 52

730

– 13

– 7

–

– 20

710

2,335

944

1,640

28

4,947

– 2,723

2,224

– 1,214

– 133

– 251

7

354

93

236

– 50

633

– 15

– 10

–

– 25

608

– 194

– 190

– 149

– 164

619

5

614

562

6

556

561

5

556

444

3

441

9,403

3,950

6,419

128

9,461

3,877

6,656

121

19,899

20,114

– 10,743

– 10,883

9,156

– 4,638

– 484

– 991

73

1,669

589

970

– 112

3,116

– 61

– 5

1

– 65

3,051

– 721

2,330

16

9,231

– 4,942

– 499

– 969

78

1,631

418

973

– 123

2,899

– 75

– 13

–

– 88

2,811

– 708

2,103

18

2,314

2,085

Earnings per preferred share  

in euros

1.25

1.23

1.38

1.28

1.42

1.28

1.28

1.02

5.34

4.81

TABLE CONT’D

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther informationIndependent Auditor’s ReportResponsibility statement by the Personally Liable PartnerQuarterly breakdown of  key financials Multi-year summaryIndex of tables and graphsGlossary CreditsContactsFinancial calendar 
258

191

in million euros

EBIT (as reported)

One-time gains

One-time charges

Restructuring expenses

Adjusted EBIT

Adjusted earnings  
per preferred share 

1st quarter

2nd quarter

3rd quarter

4th quarter

Full year

2018 1

2019

2018 1

2019

2018 1

2019

2018 1

2019

2018 2

2019

739

– 11

30

84

842

736

–

2

57

795

814

–

32

80

926

756

–

3

87

846

833

–

46

47

926

774

– 7

4

79

850

730

–

21

51

802

633

–

25

71

729

3,116

2,899

– 11

129

262

– 7

34

294

3,496

3,220

in euros

1.43

1.34

1.58

1.43

1.58

1.43

1.42

1.23

6.01

5.43

1  Amended following retrospective application of DRSC Interpretation 4 (IFRS).
2 Prior-year figures for full year amended (please refer to the notes on pages 154 to 157). 

The quarterly figures are specific to the quarter to which they refer and have been rounded for commercial convenience. Calculated on the basis of units of 1,000 euros.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther informationIndependent Auditor’s ReportResponsibility statement by the Personally Liable PartnerQuarterly breakdown of  key financials Multi-year summaryIndex of tables and graphsGlossary CreditsContactsFinancial calendar 
Multi-year summary

in million euros

Results of operations

Sales

Adhesive Technologies

Beauty Care

Laundry & Home Care

Corporate

Gross margin

Research and development expenses

Operating profit (EBIT)

Adhesive Technologies

Beauty Care

Laundry & Home Care

Corporate

Income before tax

Tax rate

Net income

Attributable to shareholders of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA

Net return on sales 2

Interest coverage ratio

Net assets

Total assets

Non-current assets

Current assets

Equity

Liabilities

Equity ratio

Return on equity 3

259

192

2019

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018 1

16,355

16,428

18,089

18,714

20,029

19,899 

20,114 

8,117

3,510

4,580

148

8,127

3,547

4,626

128

8,992

3,833

5,137

128

8,961

3,838

5,795

121

9,387

3,868

6,651

123

9,403

3,950

6,419

128

9,461

3,877

6,656

121

47.7

47.0

48.2

47.9

46.7

46.0

45.9

415

2,285

1,271

474

682

– 141

2,172

413

2,244

1,345

421

615

– 137

2,195

478

2,645

1,462

561

786

– 164

2,645

463

2,775

1,561

526

803

– 115

2,742

476

3,055

1,657

535

989

– 126

2,988 

484

3,116

1,669

589

970

– 112

3,051

499

2,899

1,631

418

973

– 123

2,811

25.2 %

24.3 %

24.4 %

23.7 %

15.0 % 

23.6 %

25.2 %

1,625

1,589

9.9 %

23.9

1,662

1,628

10.1 %

48.4

1,968

1,921

10.9 %

75.7

19,344

11,360

7,984

10,158

9,186

20,961

14,150

6,811

11,644

9,317

22,323

15,406

6,917

13,811

8,512

52.5 %

17.1 %

55.6 %

16.4 %

61.9 %

16.9 %

2,093

2,053

11.2 %

107.9

27,951 

19,738 

8,213

15,185

12,766

54.3 %

15.2 %

80.8 %

2,541

2,519

12.7 %

59.2 

28,339 

19,864 

8,475 

15,647 

12,692 

55.2 % 

16.7 % 

80.9 % 

2,330

2,314

11.7 %

56.0

29,562

20,879

8,683

16,999

12,563

57.5 %

14.9 %

79.0 %

2,103

2,085

10.5 %

41.5

31,403

22,263

9,140

18,611

12,792

59.3 %

12.4 %

88.6 %

Operating debt coverage ratio

not relevant 4

274.8 %

375.2 %

TABLE CONT’D

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther informationIndependent Auditor’s ReportResponsibility statement by the Personally Liable PartnerQuarterly breakdown of  key financials Multi-year summaryIndex of tables and graphsGlossary CreditsContactsFinancial calendar 
2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018 1

260

192

2019

2,116

465

as % of sales

2.8

1,914

2,214

13.5

2,384

979

5.4

2,850

4,430

23.7

2,468

2,511 

12.5 

in euros

in euros

in euros

in euros

in bn euros

1.20

1.22

529

30.0 %

75.64

84.31

34.7

1.29

1.31

569

30.0 %

80.44

89.42

36.8

1.45 

1.47

639

30.2 %

88.62

103.20

41.4

1.60

1.62

704

30.3 %

98.98

113.25

45.9

1.77

1.79

779

30.7 %

100.00

110.35

45.6

2,698

1,104

5.5

1.83

1.85

3,241 

1,262

6.3

1.83 5

1.85 5

805

805 5

30.9 %

85.75

95.40

39.3

34.2 % 5

84.00

92.20

38.2

(at December 31)

46,850

8,050

38,800

49,750

8,200

41,550

49,450

8,350

41,100

51,350

8,250

43,100

53,700

8,300

45,400

53,000

8,500

44,500

52,450

8,550

43,900

in million euros

Financial position

Cash flow from operating activities

Capital expenditures

Investment ratio 

Shares

Dividend per ordinary share  

Dividend per preferred share  

Total dividends

Payout ratio

Share price, ordinary shares, at year-end 

Share price, preferred shares, at year-end 

Market capitalization at year-end 

Employees

Total 6 

Germany

Abroad

1    Prior-year figures amended (please refer to the notes on pages 154 to 157).
2 Net income divided by sales. 
3 Net income divided by equity at the start of the year.
4  Figure not relevant due to the positive balance of net financial position and pension obligations.
5  Proposal to shareholders for the Annual General Meeting on April 20, 2020.
6  Basis: permanent employees excluding apprentices.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther informationIndependent Auditor’s ReportResponsibility statement by the Personally Liable PartnerQuarterly breakdown of  key financials Multi-year summaryIndex of tables and graphsGlossary CreditsContactsFinancial calendar 
Index of tables and graphs

The Company

Fiscal 2019 at a glance 

1   Key financials 

2   Sales by business unit 2019 

3   Sales by region 2019 

4   Key financials Adhesive Technologies 

5   Sales Adhesive Technologies 

6   Key financials Beauty Care 

7   Sales Beauty Care 

8   Key financials Laundry & Home Care 

9   Sales Laundry & Home Care 

Shares and bonds

10    Key data on Henkel shares 2015 to 2019 

11    Performance of Henkel shares versus  

market January through December 2019 

12    Performance of Henkel shares  

versus market 2010 through 2019 

13   Share data 

14   ADR data 

15    Shareholder structure: Institutional  
investors holding Henkel shares 

16   Bond data 

17   Analyst recommendations 

Corporate governance 

Combined management report 

2

2

2

3

3

4

4

5

5

19

20

21

22

22

23

24

25

18   Structure of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA 

19   Remuneration system overview 

20   Remuneration structure 

21   Overview STI 

22   Benchmark group 

23   Overview LTI 

24   Functional factors 

25   Calculation of STI and LTI 

26   Caps on annual total remuneration  

27    Calculation of target achievement /  

STI remuneration 2019  

28    Calculation of target achievement /  

LTI remuneration 

29    Remuneration of Management Board members  

who served in 2019 

30    Shareholdings and own investments /  

Share deferral under STI  

31   Service cost / Present value of pension benefits  

32    Pursuant to GCGC, payments / benefits granted  
for the reporting year to members of the  
Management Board serving in 2019 

33   Supervisory Board remuneration 

34    Individual meeting attendance  

Supervisory Board 2019 

35   Shareholders’ Committee remuneration 2019 

36    Individual meeting attendance  
Shareholders’ Committee 2019 

32

51

52

53

54

55

56

57

58

61

62

63

65

66

67

71

72

73

74

Fundamental principles of the Group

Operational activities

37   Henkel around the world: Regional Centers 

Our ambitions and strategic priorities

38   Acquisitions in fiscal 2019 

Cost of capital

39   WACC before tax by business unit 

40   WACC after tax by business unit 

Economic report

Macroeconomic development

41   Average rates of exchange versus the euro 

Results of operations of the Group

42   Sales development 

43   Sales 

44   Price and volume effects 

45   Key financials by region 

46   Adjusted operating profit (EBIT)  

47    Reconciliation from sales  

to adjusted operating profit 

48   Adjusted earnings per preferred share 

49   Preferred share dividend 

50   Guidance versus performance 2019 

261

77

78

81

81

83

84

84

84

85

86

87

88

88

89

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther informationIndependent Auditor’s ReportResponsibility statement by the Personally Liable PartnerQuarterly breakdown of  key financials Multi-year summaryIndex of tables and graphsGlossary CreditsContactsFinancial calendarAdhesive Technologies

51   Key financials 

52   Sales development 

53   Sales Adhesive Technologies 

Beauty Care

54   Key financials 

55   Sales development 

56   Sales Beauty Care 

Laundry & Home Care

57   Key financials 

58   Sales development 

59   Sales Laundry & Home Care 

Net assets and financial position

60   Capital expenditures by business unit 

61   Capital expenditures 2019 

62   Financial structure 

63   Net financial position 

64   Net financial position 2015 to 2019 

65   Credit ratings 

66   Key financial ratios 

Employees 

67   Payroll cost and average employee numbers 

68   Employees by organizational unit 

69   Women in management 

70   Employees by activity 

71   Employees by age group 

72   Employees 

Procurement

73   Material expenditures by business unit 

74   Material expenditures by type 

Production 

75   Number of production sites 

Research and development

76   R&D expenditures 

77   R&D expenditures by business unit 

78   Key R&D figures 

79   Selected research and development sites 

Henkel AG & Co. KGaA (condensed version   
according to the German Commercial Code [HGB])

Results of operations

80    Condensed income statement in accordance  
with the German Commercial Code [HGB] 

Net income

81    Condensed balance sheet in accordance  
with the German Commercial Code [HGB] 

Risks and opportunities report

Major risk categories

82   Overview of major risk categories  

83   Classification of risks in ascending order 

Consolidated financial statements

84    Consolidated statement of  
financial position – Assets 

85    Consolidated statement of  

financial position – Equity and liabilities 

86   Consolidated statement of income 

87    Consolidated statement of  
comprehensive income 

88   Consolidated statement of changes in equity 

89   Consolidated statement of cash flows 

90    Additional voluntary information:  
Reconciliation to free cash flow 

107

109

109

109

111

117

118

123

124

136

137

138

139

140

141

142

90

90

91

92

92

93

94

94

95

97

97

98

99

99

100

101

102

102

102

103

104

104

105

106

262

143

145

91   Group segment report by business unit 

92   Key financials by region 

Accounting principles and methods applied in  
preparation of the consolidated financial statements

Scope of consolidation

93   Scope of consolidation 

Acquisitions and divestments

94   Acquisitions 2019 

95    Reconciliation of the purchase price  

to provisional goodwill 

Currency translation

96   Currencies 

147

148

149

151

Recognition and measurement methods

97   Summary of selected measurement methods 

152

Amendment of prior-year figures

98    Amendments to the consolidated statement  

of financial position 

99    Amendments to the consolidated statement  

of income 

100    Amendments to the reconciliation  

of adjusted net income 

101    Amendments to the consolidated statement  

of comprehensive income 

102    Amendments to the consolidated statement  

of changes in equity 

103    Amendments to the consolidated statement  

of financial position 

104    Amendments to the consolidated statement  

of financial position 

155

155

155

156

156

157

157

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther informationIndependent Auditor’s ReportResponsibility statement by the Personally Liable PartnerQuarterly breakdown of  key financials Multi-year summaryIndex of tables and graphsGlossary CreditsContactsFinancial calendarNew international accounting  regulations according  
to International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs)

105    Accounting regulations applied for the first time  

in the year under review 

106    Reconciliation of operating lease commitments  
to lease liabilities upon first-time application  

107    Accounting regulations not yet  

adopted into EU law  

Notes to the consolidated statement  
of financial position

Non-current assets

108   Useful life 

Goodwill and other intangible assets

109   Cost 

110   Accumulated amortization / impairment 

111   Net carrying amounts  

112   Goodwill carrying amounts  

Property, plant and equipment

113   Cost 

114   Accumulated depreciation / impairment 

115   Net carrying amounts 

116    Effects on the consolidated statement of income  

of leases with Henkel as lessee 

Other financial assets

117   Analysis 

Other assets

118   Analysis 

Inventories

119   Analysis of inventories 

158

160

161

162

163

164

165

166

168

169

169

171

172

173

174

263

Trade accounts receivable

Borrowings

120   Trade accounts receivable 

175

142   Analysis 

121    Development of valuation allowances  

143   Bonds 

on trade accounts receivable 

Assets and liabilities held for sale

122   Assets and liabilities held for sale 

Issued capital

123   Issued capital 

175

176

176

Other financial liabilities 

144   Analysis 

Other liabilities 

145   Analysis 

Financial instruments report

Provisions for pensions and  similar obligations

146    Comparison of carrying amounts and fair values  

124   Actuarial assumptions 

180

of financial instruments  

192

192

193

194

197

125    Development of defined benefit obligations 2018  181

147   Development of level 3 assets and liabilities 2018 

199

126   Development of pension assets 2018 

127   Development of asset ceiling 2018  

128   Development of net obligation 2018  

181

182

182

148   Development of level 3 assets and liabilities 2019   200

149   Net results by measurement category 2018  

150   Net results by measurement category 2019  

129   Development of defined benefit obligations 2019   183

151   Reconciliation of net results to financial result  

130   Development of pension assets 2019  

131   Development of asset ceiling 2019  

132   Development of net obligation 2019  

133   Analysis of reimbursement rights  

134   Analysis of plan assets 

135   Plan assets by country 2019 

136   Classification of bonds by rating 2019 

Risks associated with pension  obligations

137   Future payments for pension benefits 

138    Sensitivities – Present value of pension  
obligations at December 31, 2018 

139    Sensitivities – Present value of pension  
obligations at December 31, 2019 

Other provisions

140   Development in 2019 

141   Analysis of sundry provisions by function 

183

184

184

185

186

186

186

189

189

189

190

191

152   Derivative financial instruments  

153   Interest rates in percent p.a. 

154   Cash flow hedge reserve (net of deferred taxes)   207

155   Hedging cost reserve (net of deferred taxes)  

207

156    Currency derivatives in cash flow hedge  

accounting  

157    Reserve for hedges of a net investment in a  
foreign operation (net of deferred taxes)  

158   Maximum risk position  

207

209

210

159    Valuation allowances on trade accounts receivable  

by risk category as of December 31, 2018  

160    Valuation allowances on trade accounts receivable  

by risk category as of December 31, 2019  

161    Financial assets and financial liabilities  

from derivatives subject to netting, collateral,  
or similar arrangements  

162   Cash flows from financial liabilities 2018  

163   Cash flows from financial liabilities 2019  

212

212

214

215

216

202

203

203

205

206

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther informationIndependent Auditor’s ReportResponsibility statement by the Personally Liable PartnerQuarterly breakdown of  key financials Multi-year summaryIndex of tables and graphsGlossary CreditsContactsFinancial calendar264

Consolidated statement of cash flows

184    Reconciliation of assets and liabilities reflected  
in cash flow from financing activities 2018 

185    Reconciliation of assets and liabilities reflected  
in cash flow from financing activities 2019 

Contingent liabilities

186   Analysis 

Lease commitments as per IAS 17 and  
other unrecognized financial commitments

187   Operating lease commitments 2018 

188   Finance lease commitments 2018 

Remuneration of the corporate bodies

189   Remuneration of the corporate bodies 

Auditor’s fees and services

190   Type of fee 

Further information 

191   Quarterly breakdown of key financials 

192   Multi-year summary 

237

238

239

239

239

241

242

257

259

164   Currency risk exposure  

165   Interest rate risk exposure 

166   Interest rate risk 

Notes to the consolidated statement of income

167   Other operating income 

168   Other operating expenses 

 Financial result

169    Financial result 

170   Interest result 

171   Other financial result 

Taxes on income

172   Income before tax and analysis of taxes 

173   Main components of tax expense and income 

174    Deferred tax expense by items on the  

statement of financial position 

175   Tax reconciliation statement 

176   Allocation of deferred taxes 

218

219

220

223

223

223

224

224

224

224

224

225

225

177   Expiry dates of unused tax losses and tax credits 

226

Other disclosures

178   Reconciliation of adjusted net income 

Payroll cost and employee structure

179   Payroll cost 

180   Number of employees per function 

Share-based payment plans

228

229

229

181   Global LTI Plan 2020+ – 2017–2020 cycle 

230

Group segment report

182    Reconciliation between net operating assets /  

capital employed and financial statement figures  234

183   Earnings per share 

235

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther informationIndependent Auditor’s ReportResponsibility statement by the Personally Liable PartnerQuarterly breakdown of  key financials Multi-year summaryIndex of tables and graphsGlossary CreditsContactsFinancial calendar265

Glossary

Adjusted EBIT
Earnings Before Interest and Taxes (EBIT) adjusted 
for exceptional items in the form of one-time charges, 
one-time gains and restructuring expenses.

Credit facility
Aggregate of all loan services available on call from  
one or  several banks as cover for an immediate credit 
requirement.

EBITDA
Abbreviation for Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, 
 Depreciation and Amortization – including impairment 
losses and write-ups.

Capital employed
Equity + interest-bearing liabilities.

Compliance
Acting in conformity with applicable regulations;  
ad herence to laws, rules, regulations and in-house  
or corporate codes of conduct.

Compound annual growth rate
Year-over-year rate of growth, e.g. of an investment.

Corporate governance
System of management and control, primarily within 
listed companies. Describes the powers and authority 
 of corporate management, the extent to which these 
need to be monitored and the extent to which struc-
tures should be put in place through which certain 
interest /stakeholder groups may exert influence on the 
corporate management.

Corporate Governance Code 
The German Corporate Governance Code (abbreviation: 
GCGC) is intended to render the rules governing corpo-
rate management and control for a stock corporation 
in Germany transparent for national and international 
investors, engendering trust and confidence in the 
 corporate management of German companies. 

Credit default swap
Instrument used by Henkel to evaluate the credit risks 
of banks.

Declaration of compliance
Declaration made by the management / executive 
board and supervisory board of a company according 
to Section 161 German Stock Corporation Act [AktG],  
confirming implementation of the recommendations  
of the Governmental Commission for the German 
 Corporate Governance Code.

Defined contribution plans
Post-employment benefit plans under which an entity 
pays fixed contributions into a separate entity (a fund) 
and will have no legal or constructive obligation to pay 
further contributions if the fund does not hold sufficient 
assets to pay all employee benefits relating to employee 
service in current and prior periods.

Derivative
Financial instrument, the value of which changes in 
 res ponse to changes in an underlying asset or an index, 
which will be settled at a future date and which initially 
requires only a small or no investment.

Earnings per share (EPS)
Metric indicating the income of a stock corporation 
divided between the weighted average number of its 
shares outstanding. The calculation is performed in 
accordance with International Accounting Standard 
(IAS) 33.

Economic Value Added (EVA®)
The EVA concept reflects the net wealth generated by 
a company over a certain period. A company achieves 
positive EVA when the operating result exceeds the 
weighted average cost of capital. The WACC corre-
sponds to the yield on capital employed expected by 
the capital market. EVA is a registered trademark of 
Stern Stewart & Co.

Equity ratio
Financial metric indicating the ratio of equity to total 
capital. It expresses the share of total assets financed 
out of equity (owners’ capital) rather than debt capital 
(provided by lenders). Serves to assess the financial 
stability and independence of a company.

Free cash flow
Cash flow actually available for acquisitions, dividend 
payments, the reduction of borrowings, and contribu-
tions to pension funds.

Gross margin
Indicates the percentage by which a company’s sales 
exceed cost of sales, i.e. the ratio of gross profit to 
sales.

Gross profit
Difference between sales and cost of sales.

EBIT
Abbreviation for Earnings Before Interest and Taxes. 
Standard profit metric that enables the earning power 
of the operating business activities of a company to 
be assessed independently of its financial structure, 
facilitating comparability between entities where these 
are financed by varying levels of debt capital. 

Hedge accounting
Method for accounting for hedging transactions where by 
the compensatory effect of changes in the fair value of 
the hedging instrument (derivative) and of the underly-
ing asset or liability is recognized in either the state-
ment of income or the statement of comprehensive 
income.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther informationIndependent Auditor’s ReportResponsibility statement by the Personally Liable PartnerQuarterly breakdown of  key financials Multi-year summaryIndex of tables and graphsGlossary CreditsContactsFinancial calendar266

KGaA
Abbreviation for “Kommanditgesellschaft auf Aktien.” 
 A KGaA is a company with a legal identity (legal entity) 
 in which at least one partner has unlimited liability 
with respect to the company’s creditors (personally 
 liable  partner), while the liability for such debts of the 
other partners participating in the share-based capital 
stock  is limited to their share capital (limited share-
holders).

Long Term Incentive (LTI)
Bonus aligned to long-term financial performance. 

Net financial position
The net financial position is defined as cash and cash 
equivalents plus readily monetizable securities & time 
deposits and financial collateral provided, less borrow-
ings, plus positive and minus negative fair values of 
derivative financial instruments.

Net working capital
Inventories plus payments on account, receivables 
from suppliers and trade accounts receivable, less trade 
accounts payable, liabilities to customers, and current 
sales provisions.

Non-controlling interests 
Proportion of equity attributable to third parties in 
subsidiaries included within the scope of consolidation. 
 Previously termed “minority interests.” Valued on a 
proportional net asset basis. A pro-rata portion of the 
net income of a corporation is due to shareholders 
owning non-controlling interests.

Organic sales growth
Growth in revenues after adjusting for effects arising 
from acquisitions, divestments and foreign exchange 
 differences – i.e. “top line” growth generated from 
within. 

Payout ratio
Indicates what percentage of annual net income (ad-
justed for exceptional items) is paid out in dividends 
to shareholders, including non-controlling interests. 

Return-enhancing portfolio
Contains investments in equities and alternative invest-
ments, and serves to improve the overall return of 
 pension plan assets over the long term in order to 
raise the coverage ratio of pension funds. In addition, 
a  broader investment horizon increases the level of 
 investment diversification.

Return on capital employed (ROCE)
Profitability metric reflecting the ratio of earnings 
before interest and taxes (EBIT) to capital employed. 

Return on sales (EBIT)
Operating business metric derived from the ratio of 
EBIT to revenues. Also known as EBIT margin.

Swap
Term given to the exchange of capital amounts in dif-
fering currencies (currency swap) or of different inter-
est obligations (interest swap) between two entities. 

Value-at-risk
Method, based on fair value, used to calculate the 
maximum likely or potential future loss arising from a 
portfolio.

Weighted average cost of capital (WACC)
Average return on capital, expressed as a percentage 
and calculated on the basis of a weighted average of 
the cost of debt and equity. WACC represents the mini-
mum return expected of a company by its lenders for 
financing its assets.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther informationIndependent Auditor’s ReportResponsibility statement by the Personally Liable PartnerQuarterly breakdown of  key financials Multi-year summaryIndex of tables and graphsGlossary CreditsContactsFinancial calendar267

Credits

Published by
Henkel AG & Co. KGaA  
40191 Düsseldorf, Germany
Phone: +49 (0) 211 - 797-0  

© 2020 Henkel AG & Co. KGaA

Edited by 
Corporate Communications, Investor Relations, 
Corporate Accounting and Subsidiary Controlling

Coordination 
Martina Flögel, Lars Korinth, Rabea Laakmann

English translation
SDL plc

Design and typesetting 
MPM Corporate Communication Solutions,  
Mainz, Düsseldorf

Photographs 
Nils Hendrik Müller; Henkel

Proofreading services 
Paul Knighton, Cambridge; Thomas Krause, Krefeld

Date of publication of this Report
March 5, 2020 
PR No.: 03 20 0

Except as otherwise noted, all marks used in this publication are trademarks 
and / or registered trademarks of the Henkel Group in Germany and elsewhere.

This document contains forward-looking statements which are based on the 
current estimates and assumptions made by the corporate management of 
Henkel AG & Co. KGaA. Forward-looking statements are characterized by the 
use of words such as expect, intend, plan, predict, assume, believe, estimate, 
anticipate, forecast and  similar formulations. Such statements are not to be 
understood as in any way guaranteeing that those expectations will turn out 
to be accurate. Future performance and the results actually achieved by 

Henkel AG & Co. KGaA and its affiliated companies depend on a number of risks 
and uncertainties and may therefore differ materially from forward-looking 
statements. Many of these factors are outside  Henkel’s control and cannot be 
accurately estimated in advance, such as the future economic environment and 
the actions of competitors and others involved in the marketplace. Henkel neither 
plans nor undertakes to update forward-looking statements. This document has 
been issued for information purposes only and is not intended to constitute an 
invest ment advice or an offer to sell securities, or a solicitation of an offer to 
buy securities.

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther informationIndependent Auditor’s ReportResponsibility statement by the Personally Liable PartnerQuarterly breakdown of  key financials Multi-year summaryIndex of tables and graphsGlossary CreditsContactsFinancial calendar268

Financial calendar

Annual General Meeting Henkel AG & Co. KGaA 2020:
Monday, April 20, 2020

Publication of Statement for the First Quarter 2020:
Monday, May 11, 2020

Publication of Report for the Second Quarter / Half Year 2020:
Thursday, August 6, 2020

Publication of Statement for the Third Quarter / Nine Months 2020:
Tuesday, November 10, 2020

Publication of Report for Fiscal 2020:
Thursday, March 4, 2021

Annual General Meeting Henkel AG & Co. KGaA 2021:
Friday, April 16, 2021

Contacts

Corporate Communications
Phone: +49 (0) 211 - 797-3533
Email: corporate.communications@henkel.com

Investor Relations
Phone: +49 (0) 211 - 797-3937
Email: investor.relations@henkel.com

Up-to-date facts and figures on Henkel also  
available on the internet:

  www.henkel.com

Our financial publications on the internet:

  www.henkel.com/financial-reports

Our sustainability publications on the internet:

  www.henkel.com/sustainability/reports

Henkel app available for iOS and Android:

Henkel in social media:

www.linkedin.com/company/henkel

www.twitter.com/henkel

www.facebook.com/henkel

www.instagram.com/henkel

www.youtube.com/henkel

Henkel Annual Report 2019The CompanyShares and bondsCorporate governanceCombined management reportConsolidated financial statementsFurther informationIndependent Auditor’s ReportResponsibility statement by the Personally Liable PartnerQuarterly breakdown of  key financials Multi-year summaryIndex of tables and graphsGlossary CreditsContactsFinancial calendar