Direct share purchase plans at Swiss companies

Do any Swiss companies run direct share purchase plans through which investors can buy newly issued stock directly without having to work through brokers?

Any info on this?

Hi there,

As per a survey by moneyland.ch, a very limited number of SIX listed companies offer direct share purchase plans or other options for buying shares without a broker or custodian bank.

Building material manufacturer Arbonia sells shares directly. The SFS Group has a direct share purchase plan for its employees. Buying Swiss Life shares requires a custody account, but Swiss Life makes such an account available free of charge (shares are purchased on your behalf through a broker).

Some shares can be traded directly between investors over the counter (OTC) with the exchange being registered in the company's share register. This is the case with Tamedia shares, for example.

Because physical stock certificates have largely been phased out, shares in the vast majority of Swiss companies can only be purchased if you have a custody account at a bank or broker. Many also require brokerage services and can only be purchased through the SIX Swiss exchange.

Brokerage and custodial fees vary broadly between brokers, so comparing costs is important. You can compare the costs of Swiss online stock brokers based on your needs using the moneyland.ch online broker comparison.

Best regards from Moneyguru

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