Definition
Annual General Meeting (AGM)
An AGM is the yearly meeting at which a company's shareholders vote on key matters such as accounts, dividends and director appointments.
Under the Companies Act, every company (except a one-person company) must hold an AGM each year within prescribed timelines, where shareholders adopt the financial statements, declare dividends, appoint or re-appoint directors and auditors, and ask questions of the board. Listed companies must also provide e-voting.
The AGM is a primary channel of shareholder democracy and accountability. Proxy advisory firms publish recommendations on AGM resolutions, and contentious votes — on executive pay or related-party deals — are closely followed.
Related terms
- Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM)An EGM is a shareholders' meeting held outside the AGM cycle to decide urgent or special matters.
- Postal BallotA postal ballot lets shareholders vote on resolutions remotely, without attending a physical meeting.
- E-VotingE-voting is the electronic casting of votes by shareholders on company resolutions, before or during a general meeting.
Plain-English explainer from The Dispatch Investors Encyclopedia. General information, not financial advice.