ASMPT Limited has announced the issuance and allotment of 1,953,200 Awarded Shares under its employee share incentive scheme, representing approximately 0.47% of its existing and enlarged issued share capital. These shares, issued at a nominal value of HK$0.10 each, aim to incentivize and retain valuable employees and will rank equally with existing shares in terms of rights and privileges. The total funds raised, HK$195,320, will be used as general working capital, with an application made to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange for listing and trading of the newly issued shares.

The information technology sector leads investments in employee share schemes in Hong Kong, contributing HK$38.5 billion, which accounts for over half of the total annual spend of HK$72 billion among listed companies. The adoption of employee share plans has surged over the past decade, with 83.6% of listed companies now offering them, primarily in the form of share options and share awards, the former being more common among smaller companies. Larger companies tend to have a mix of both options and awards, with the healthcare and IT sectors showing the highest adoption rates for share awards, at 58.7% and 46.6%, respectively.

Hong Kong-listed IT companies led investments in employee share plans with HK$38.5 billion, representing over half of the total spending in 2022. Healthcare followed with HK$11.5 billion and consumer discretionary with HK$9.7 billion. The adoption of employee share plans surged over the past decade, reaching 83.6% of listed companies by 2022, up from 66.1% in 2012, driven by strategies to attract and retain talent through share options and awards.

Hong Kong-listed IT companies lead in investing heavily in employee share plans to attract and retain talent, with the sector accounting for 53.5% (HK$38.5 billion) of total investments in 2022, surpassing healthcare and consumer discretionary sectors. Share options and awards are popular types of plans, with options predominant but awards also significant, especially in healthcare. The rise in share plan adoption, now at 83.6% of listed companies, reflects competitive job markets and efforts to foster employee commitment and motivation.

Jennifer Sun, Head of Plan Managers Asia at Computershare, highlights how Hong Kong-listed companies are increasingly using equity as employee remuneration to attract top talent. Computershare's research indicates that 83.6% of these companies now include an employee share plan, a significant increase from 66.1% a decade ago, with HK$72 billion invested in 2022. Employee share plans, including share options and share awards, are popular across various sectors, particularly IT and healthcare, and are seen as essential for aligning employee and company goals and improving retention.