Shareholder information

What is an American Depositary Receipt (ADR)?

American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) are negotiable US securities issued by a depositary bank (currently Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas) that represent ownership of a company's publicly traded ordinary shares. ADRs enable American investors to acquire and trade foreign securities with reduced hassles regarding differing settlement timetables and other problems typically associated with investing directly in overseas equity markets. ADR's are created when a broker purchases a non-US company's shares on the home stock market of that company and delivers those shares to the depositary bank's local custodian bank, which then instructs the depositary bank to issue ADRs to American investors.

ADR holders are entitled to dividends payable on the underlying share and to have these paid in US dollars.

Buying and selling ADRs

If an American investor wishes to purchase shares in Telstra, they can either buy shares directly on the ASX through a broker in Australia, or get their own broker in the US to buy ADRs. The broker can purchase existing ADRs or can arrange for the depositary bank to issue new ADRs. The investors broker will contact a broker in the Australian market who will acquire shares in Telstra. These shares are then deposited with the depositary banks local custodian, which will then issue the corresponding number of ADRs to the US investor via their broker.

If an investor wants to sell their ADRs they can simply sell the ADRs as they would any other US security, or they can cancel their ADRs. When cancelling ADRs, the investor’s broker will instruct the depositary bank to cancel the ADRs and release the underlying shares to a broker in the Australian market. The Australian broker will then sell the shares on the ASX and proceeds will go to the US investor.

Who is Telstra Corporation Limited’s depositary for ADRs?

Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas is the depositary bank for Telstra Corporation Limited’s ADR program. The depositary bank plays a key role in issuance as well as cancellation of ADRs. It also maintains the ADR holder register and distributes the dividends in US dollars.

Why do investors buy ADRs?

Some of the advantages of ADRs include the following:

• They offer US investors a convenient means of holding shares in non-US companies.
• They simplify the trading and settlement of foreign equities.  ADRs trade and settle just like US securities, i.e. in US dollars with settlement in the US.
• They may offer lower trading and custody costs when compared with shares bought directly in the foreign market.
• Many US bank and pension fund portfolios may be prohibited by their charters from purchasing shares in non-US companies. ADRs, however, may be recognised as US securities.
• ADRs are denominated in US dollars. Dividend payments on the underlying shares are converted into US dollars by the depositary bank. These features minimise foreign exchange exposure for international and US investors.

What type of ADR facility does Telstra provide?

Telstra's ADRs are sponsored Level I Depositary Receipts, which trade over the counter (OTC) on the market operated by OTCMarkets and cannot be listed on a US stock exchange. The ADRs trade under the symbol TLSYY. The OTCMarkets is a decentralized market for securities that are not listed on a stock exchange. Trading on OTCMarkets occurs via a network of dealers who carry inventories of securities to facilitate the buy and sell orders of investors.

How many Telstra shares represent an Telstra ADR?

Under the Telstra ADR program, each ADR represents five Telstra shares.

How is the dividend calculated?

The US dollar rate paid to holders of ADRs is calculated by applying the exchange rate used to convert the foreign dividend payment (net of local withholding tax) to US dollars, and adjusting the result according to the ordinary share (ADR ratio).

Can ADR holders vote at the Telstra AGM?

Voting rights are not extended to ADR holders.

Who is the ADR depositary and how do I contact them?

Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas is the current depositary bank for Telstra Corporation Limited’s ADR program. The depositary bank plays a key role in issuance as well as cancellation of ADRs. It also maintains the ADR holder register, and distributes the dividends in US dollars.

Contact details for ADR investors and brokers:

Deutsche Bank ADR broker services desks

New York:  +1 212 250 9100

London:  +44 207 547 6500 

Contact details for registered ADR holders:

Deutsche Bank Shareholder Services

American Stock Transfer & Trust Company

Operations Center

6201 15th Avenue

Brooklyn NY 11219

Email:  DB@amstock.com

Toll-free number:  +1 866 706 0509

Direct Dial:  +1 718 921 8124

For further information please refer to www.adr.db.com/drweb/index.html

COMMUNICATION OPTIONS FOR SHAREHOLDERS

As a Telstra shareholder there are many options available to ensure you receive the communications you need in the form that you prefer. Receiving your shareholder communications electronically is the best way to stay informed.  We encourage you to make the switch to paperless communications by providing us with your email address. To make the change, go to www.linkmarketservices.com.au/telstra and follow the prompts.

You can make an election as to how you would like to receive your Annual Reports, Notices of Meetings and other documents related to shareholders’ meetings (“Shareholder Documents”) and your payment statements as follows:

1.        You can make a standing election to receive some or all of your Shareholder Documents and payment statements in physical or electronic form. You can also tell us if you do not want to receive a hard copy of the Annual Report. See below for details on how to update your options online.

2.        You can make a one-off request to receive a Shareholder Document in physical or electronic form– by contacting the registry on telstra@linkmarketservices.com.au.

You will always be able to access Shareholder Documents such as our Annual Report, Notice of Meeting and other documents relating to shareholder meetings when they are published on our website and made available on the ASX platform. 

HOW TO UPDATE YOUR PREFERENCES ONLINE

To review or update your communication preference for your shareholding, please go to www.linkmarketservices.com.au/telstra.

(a)      Select the Single Holding Login and enter your Shareholder Reference Number (SRN) or Holding Identification Number (HIN) and your postcode or country code in the fields required to securely access your shareholding, or

(b)      Select the Portfolio Login and enter your email address and password to securely access your shareholding. If you do not have a Portfolio Login, please click ‘Register Now’ to create your login. To add your Telstra shareholding to your portfolio enter your SRN or HIN.

Your SRN or HIN can be found on your Holding Statement or your hard copy dividend statements up   to 2020.

Once you have accessed your shareholding, select the ‘Communications’ menu, then ‘Preferences’ and follow the prompts to select one of the following six communication options which are available to you: 

^ We will notify you in hard copy of the website where to access and download a copy of the Notice of Meeting and other documents related to shareholder meetings.

If you would like to explore an alternative standing election please email telstra@linkmarketservices.com.au.

TESOP TAX GUIDE

The TESOP tax guide provides an overview of the taxation implications applicable to most employees' participation in TESOP 97 or TESOP 99, including receiving Telstra dividends and the disposal of shares.

All information provided is of a general nature only and circumstances may vary greatly between participants, therefore you should seek independent expert tax advice before preparing your tax return. You should also provide a copy of this information to your tax agent or the person who prepares your tax return.

For information on the tax implications for the 10 year anniversaries of the Telstra Employee Share Ownership Plan (TESOP) 1999 and 1997 please refer below:

• TESOP99 - 10 year - letter (PDF)
• TESOP97 - 10 year - letter (PDF)

Past Years

• Tax Guide - TESOP 2017/2018 (PDF)
• Tax Guide - TESOP 2016/2017 (PDF)
• Tax Guide - TESOP 2015/2016 (PDF)
• Tax Guide - TESOP 2014/2015 (PDF)
• Tax Guide - TESOP 2013/2014 (PDF)
• Tax Guide - TESOP 2012/2013 (PDF)
• Tax Guide - TESOP 2011/2012 (PDF)
• Tax Guide - TESOP 2010/2011 (PDF)
• Tax Guide - TESOP 2009/2010 (PDF)
• Tax Guide - TESOP 2008/2009 (PDF)
• Tax Guide - TESOP 2007/2008 (PDF)
• Tax Guide - TESOP 2006/2007 (PDF)
• Tax Guide - TESOP 2004/2005 (PDF)
• Tax Guide - TESOP 2003/2004 (PDF)
• Tax Guide - TESOP 2002/2003 (PDF)
• Tax Guide - TESOP 2001/2002 (PDF)
• Tax Guide - TESOP 2000/2001 (PDF)
• Tax Guide - TESOP 1999/2000 (PDF)
• Tax Guide - TESOP 1998/1999 (PDF)
• Tax Guide - TESOP 1997/1998 (PDF)

Buy-Back

2004

• 2004 Buy-back information (PDF)
• 2004 Illustrative examples (PDF)

2003

• Buy-back information (PDF)
• Illustrative examples (PDF)

Things you need to know

This is a general description of the tax consequences, which can apply to your participation in TESOP 97 or TESOP 99. The tax consequences for you may be different depending on your own circumstances, particularly if you have participated in other employee share schemes, if you have any particular arrangements in relation to your shares or for shares you acquire otherwise than under TESOP 97 or TESOP 99.

The description of the capital gains tax consequences of your participation in TESOP 97 and/ or TESOP 99 is based on Class Ruling (CR 2001/28) issued by the Commissioner of Taxation.

If you have any questions about preparing your tax return or the tax consequences of your participation in TESOP 97 or TESOP 99 (including the capital gains tax consequences) in your particular circumstances, you should seek guidance from your own registered tax adviser.

Reference Materials

Telstra Employee Share Offer Document 1997

Telstra Employee Share Offer Document 1999

The prospectuses below are for historical purposes only, so the information may be dated and doesn’t accurately reflect Telstra’s present state.

Please note: They shouldn’t be taken as an invitation, application or offer to subscribe for or buy securities in Telstra. Nor should they be relied upon for making investment decisions.

Telstra1

• The Telstra Share Offer (PDF, 3MB, 13 pages)
• The Company (PDF, 1.8MB, 15 pages)
• Financial Information (PDF, 2.55MB, 56 pages)
• Additional Information (PDF, 1MB, 10 pages)

Telstra2

• Share Offer (PDF, 1MB, 36 pages)
• Appendices to the offer (PDF, 693KB, 38 pages)

Telstra 3 Share Offer

• T3 Terms and conditions for downloading the Prospectus (PDF, 20KB, 2 pages)
• T3 Share Offer Final Canadian Offering Memorandum (PDF, 283KB, 11 pages
• T3 Share Offer Final Institutional Offering Memorandum (PDF, 2.4MB, 455 pages)
• T3 Retail Broker Roadshow Presentation (PDF, 3.2MB, 55 pages)
• Telstra 3 Canadian Offering Memorandum (PDF, 285KB, 11 pages)

This Canadian Offering Memorandum constitutes an offering of the securities described herein only in those jurisdictions and to those persons where and to whom they may be lawfully offered for sale, and therein only by persons permitted to sell such securities.

• T3 Institutional Investor Roadshow Presentation (PDF, 3.8MB, 55 pages)
• Telstra 3 Share Offer Prospectus (PDF, 4.2MB, 69 pages)
• Telstra 3 Institutional Offering Memorandum (PDF, 2.4MB, 449 pages)
• Telstra 3 New Zealand Investment Statement (PDF, 1.2MB, 49 pages)
• Telstra T3 Share Offer Appendix (PDF, 416KB, 33 pages)

Telstra Corporation Limited will complete its delisting from the Main Board of NZX Limited (“NZX”) at the close of business Friday 18 June 2021 and the consolidation to a sole listing on the Australian Securities Exchange (“ASX”) will commence from Monday 21 June 2021.

Telstra shareholders who held shares through the NZX will be automatically transferred to the ASX and their holdings migrated to the Australian share register over the weekend of 19 and 20 June 2021. New Shareholder Reference Numbers will be mailed to those shareholders on Monday 21 June 2021. No further action is required from shareholders.

ASX announcement - 18 June 2021: Sole listing on the ASX commences 21 June 2021

ASX announcement - 26 March 2021: Delisting from the Main Board of NZX Limited and letter to Shareholders 

Background information for Shareholders

As an existing shareholder, if you hold Telstra shares on NZX, your shares will be automatically transferred to the ASX. You do not need to take any action to facilitate this process. In order to move to a sole listing on the ASX, trading of Telstra shares on NZX will cease at the close of business on Wednesday 16 June 2021. NZX shares will be transferred to the ASX, and there will be no NZX trading, on Thursday 17 June and Friday 18 June 2021. Telstra will be delisted from NZX from the close of business on Friday 18 June 2021. The sole listing on the ASX will commence at the opening of the next trading day on Monday 21 June 2021.

Please be assured that when your shares are transferred across to the ASX, there will be no change to your rights as a Telstra shareholder. All your details such as your bank account, dividend reinvestment plan election (if applicable), IRD number, email address, etc. will be transferred to the Australian register.  There will be no change to the way we pay our dividends and we will continue to pay dividends in New Zealand or Australian dollars. We will send you all shareholder communications through your elected communication channel and you will have the opportunity to attend and vote at our shareholder meetings as usual. If you currently hold Telstra shares on the ASX, nothing will change with respect to that holding. You may also move your shares from NZX to the ASX before the scheduled date if you wish. Please refer to the Shareholder FAQs below for information on how to do this.

Below are the key dates, contacts and resources regarding this process.

The Board believes that consolidating Telstra’s listing on the ASX is in the best interests of the company and its shareholders.

Shareholder FAQs

When is Telstra making the transition to a sole listing on the ASX? What is the process?

In order to move to a sole listing on the ASX, trading of Telstra shares on NZX is expected to cease at the close of business on Wednesday 16 June 2021. NZX shares will be transferred to the ASX, and there will be no NZX trading, on Thursday 17 June and Friday 18 June 2021.

The final NZX delisting is expected to occur at the close of business on Friday 18 June 2021. The sole listing on the ASX is expected to commence on the opening of the next trading day, Monday 21 June 2021.

What is the impact on NZX shareholders? Do I need to do anything?

If you are an existing shareholder and hold Telstra shares on NZX, your shares will be automatically transferred to the ASX prior to the opening of trading on Monday 21 June 2021. You do not need to take any action to facilitate this process.

What is the impact on ASX shareholders?  Do I need to do anything?

If you currently hold Telstra shares on the ASX, nothing will change with respect to your holding on the ASX. You do not need to take any action.

Will there be a charge to transfer NZX shares to the ASX?

No. The process will happen automatically for all NZ registered shareholders, and there will be no fees payable by NZ registered shareholders for the transfer.

Will NZX shares be transferred 1-for-1 on the ASX?

Yes. The number of shares that you own will remain the same.

What happens to my voting rights?

Your voting rights will remain the same.

When you have a sole listing on the ASX will you pay a dividend and in what currency?

Telstra will continue to pay dividends in Australian or New Zealand dollars. Shareholders must have either Australian or New Zealand bank account details registered by the dividend record date to be paid in that currency.

Will my NZX shares be worth the same on the ASX?

Just as your Telstra shares are currently traded at the market price on NZX, after the transfer, your shares will trade at the market price on the ASX. Telstra has no control over its share price. To view the price of Telstra shares on the ASX please visit https://www2.asx.com.au/markets/company/tls.

How will exchange rates impact the value of my shareholding?

After the transfer, your Telstra shares will be solely traded on the ASX (and therefore traded in Australian dollars). This means that exchange rate movements could impact the amount in New Zealand dollars that you receive on the sale of any Telstra shares, even if there is no change in the underlying share price. You can see Telstra’s share price on the ASX website https://www2.asx.com.au/markets/company/tls.

Can I move my NZX shares across to the ASX now, before Telstra officially delists from NZX?

Yes, you can move your shares to the ASX now. To move your shares, you can either:

• Complete and return a Request for Removal of Securities Form that can be downloaded from the Link website http://www.linkmarketservices.co.nz/downloads/Forms/change-details/RRS001.pdf ; or
• Contact your current NZX broker (if you have one) to arrange the transfer. Remember that there is no trading on NZX on Thursday 17 June and Friday 18 June 2021. If you are an NZX shareholder and think you might want to trade on those days, to avoid being affected you should transfer your NZX shares to the ASX before Wednesday 16 June 2021.

Do I have to do anything if I don’t want to trade my Telstra shares on the ASX?

No, you don’t have to do anything if you don’t want to trade your Telstra shares on the ASX. You will receive a holding statement from Link providing details of your Issuer Sponsored Shares including your Security Reference Number (SRN).

How can I trade my shares once Telstra has a sole listing on the ASX?

Buying or selling shares on the ASX will need to be facilitated by a broker. If your current NZ broker has the capability to trade on the ASX, you can continue to trade through them if you wish. Alternatively, you can use these links to find a broker http://www.asx.com.au/prices/find-broker.htm and https://www.nzx.com/services/market-participants/all-market-participants.  

Alternatively, Link Market Services (“Link”) offers a share sale service to Issuer sponsored shareholders who wish to sell their entire shareholding. Please refer to the information available on Link’s website at https://www.linkmarketservices.com.au/corporate/resources/selling-your-shares.htm

What do I have to do if and when I want to trade my Telstra shares on the ASX?

If you wish to sell your shares through your existing broker, please contact your broker, as they may need to convert your Issuer Sponsored Shares (SRN) to your CHESS Sponsored Shares (denoted as Holder Identification Number - HIN) in order to facilitate the trade. The conversion process can take a few days, so allow this time before you want to trade. Your broker may charge a fee for the conversion.  For more information see http://www.asx.com.au/documents/about/fact-sheet-chess-sponsored-and-issuer-sponsored-holdings.pdf.

If you do not have a broker, you can use these links to find a broker http://www.asx.com.au/prices/find-broker.htm and https://www.nzx.com/services/market-participants/all-market-participants. 

Alternatively, Link offers a share sale service to Issuer sponsored shareholders who wish to sell their entire shareholding. Please refer to the information available on Link’s website at https://www.linkmarketservices.com.au/corporate/resources/selling-your-shares.htm

What is CHESS and what is the difference between a SRN and a HIN?

CHESS is the trading system of the ASX to record shareholdings and manage the settlement of share transactions. Shares that are registered with an ASX broker are CHESS Sponsored Shares. CHESS Sponsored Shares are allocated a HIN by the broker. The main differences between a HIN and a SRN is that you will only have one HIN (for each broker) that identifies all of your holdings in all of the companies you have invested in. If you have a SRN, you have one SRN for each company you have shares in. The SRN is the Australian equivalent of a Holder Number in New Zealand. For more information see http://www.asx.com.au/documents/about/fact-sheet-chess-sponsored-and-issuer-sponsored-holdings.pdf.

What if I already have a Holder Identification Number (HIN)?

For shareholders who already have an HIN, this will remain the same. If you already have a HIN you can convert your shares from your new SRN to your HIN. Ask you your broker to do this for you – it’s called an Issuer to CHESS conversion.

What happens to my New Zealand Holder Number?

On the day of the commencement of the sole listing on the ASX, you will no longer have Telstra shares recorded against your New Zealand Holder Number (CSN).  You will no longer require this or your Authorisation Code (FIN) for your Telstra shares. You will receive a holding transaction statement with a new SRN from Link. You will also receive a Security Transaction Statement to confirm the removal of your holding from Link New Zealand.

What happens to my New Zealand Common Shareholder Number (CSN)?

Your Common Shareholder Number (CSN) will still be valid, but you will no longer have any Telstra shares held against it. After your shares are moved to the ASX, you will receive a holding transaction statement with a new SRN from Link. In order to trade your Telstra shares in Australia, you may have to convert them to CHESS Sponsored Shares (see above).

Can I still view my shares on the Link Market Services (Link) New Zealand website?

After Telstra delists from NZX, you will no longer be able to view your shares on the Link New Zealand Investor Centre. You will need to access the Link Australia Investor Centre at www.linkmarketservices.com.au/telstra. To log-in, you will be required to enter your HIN or SRN, as well as your country of residence, or if you live in Australia, your postcode. If you have already created a New Zealand Investor Centre portfolio, you can add your Telstra shares on the Link Australia Investor Centre by logging into the Investor Centre using your current New Zealand portfolio details (email and password). Link stores all your past information for up to 7 years, so if you need any historical information about your holdings Link will be able to provide this to you.

Can I view past dividend statements on the Link New Zealand website after my shares move to the ASX?

After Telstra delists from NZX and migrates shareholder information to the Link Australia Investor Centre, you will not have access to the Link New Zealand Investor Centre.  If you require historical dividend statements or other holding information from the Link New Zealand Investor Centre, we recommend you download this information before the migration on Friday 18 June 2021.  After this date you will need to contact Link for this information (up to 7 years) and a fee may apply.

Can I trade my shares on NZX prior to the delisting?

Yes, you can trade as normal up to the final trading day on NZX which is Wednesday 16 June 2021. After the NZX delisting, trading will occur solely on the ASX.

How will I receive communications from Telstra after the delisting?

Your communication instruction will carry across from the Link New Zealand share register to the Link Australia share register. This means we will continue to send your shareholder communications according to your existing election of either electronic or in hard copy. You can change this at any time through the Link website before 16 June 2021 at https://investorcentre.linkmarketservices.co.nz or after 21 June 2021 at www.linkmarketservices.com.au/telstra.

Who can I contact for further information?

Telstra’s Investor website will have all the latest information available relating to the NZX delisting at www.telstra.com/investor. You can also contact Link in New Zealand or Australia: