Espoo, Finland –Finnish telecommunications and technology group Nokia Corporation has transferred 979,719 of its own shares to participants in its equity-based incentive plans, as part of a routine settlement under its employee compensation and performance reward schemes.
The shares, identified under ticker NOKIA, were distributed without consideration to eligible participants in accordance with the rules governing Nokia’s long-term incentive programmes. The move follows a Board of Directors’ resolution authorising the transfer of company-held shares, originally announced on 22 November 2024.
Following the transaction, Nokia confirmed that it now holds 149,393,938 of its own shares, a figure that reflects the latest adjustments linked to the company’s share-based remuneration framework.
Supporting long-term employee participation
The equity-based incentive plans are a key component of Nokia’s global employee compensation structure, designed to align senior management and employee interests with those of shareholders. The initiative aims to reward sustained company performance and encourage long-term value creation across the organisation.
Although the company did not disclose the exact number of recipients or specific plan details, the share transfer forms part of Nokia’s ongoing commitment to performance-driven remuneration and talent retention in a highly competitive global technology market.
By issuing shares held in treasury rather than creating new stock, Nokia maintains its existing capital structure while meeting obligations to participants of its incentive programmes. This approach minimises shareholder dilution and reflects a common practice among large listed corporations using equity awards as part of compensation.
Board-approved settlement
In its statement, Nokia said:
“A total of 979,719 Nokia shares (NOKIA) held by the company were transferred today without consideration to participants of Nokia’s equity-based incentive plans in accordance with the rules of the plans. The transfer is based on the resolution of the Board of Directors to issue shares held by the company to settle its commitments to participants of the incentive plans as announced on 22 November 2024.”
The announcement follows a series of governance updates from the company in recent quarters as it continues to refine its incentive and capital management policies. These include share repurchases, treasury stock management, and adjustments to its long-term compensation structures in line with evolving market standards.
A tradition of technological innovation
Founded in Finland and publicly listed on both Euronext Helsinki and NASDAQ, Nokia has transformed from a mobile handset maker into a global leader in network infrastructure and technology innovation. The company’s current strategy centres on building next-generation networks that combine artificial intelligence, cloud capabilities, and automation to deliver efficient and secure digital connectivity solutions.
Nokia describes its mission as follows:
“At Nokia, we create technology that helps the world act together.”
As a B2B technology innovation leader, the company focuses on mobile, fixed, and cloud networks, leveraging its expertise across infrastructure, software, and services to support digital transformation for service providers and enterprises globally.
Bell Labs and research heritage
A cornerstone of Nokia’s innovation is its renowned Nokia Bell Labs, which marks 100 years of research excellence this year. Bell Labs has been instrumental in driving advances in communications technology, including many of the breakthroughs that underpin today’s modern networks.
“As a B2B technology innovation leader, we are pioneering networks that sense, think and act by leveraging our work across mobile, fixed and cloud networks. In addition, we create value with intellectual property and long-term research, led by the award-winning Nokia Bell Labs, which is celebrating 100 years of innovation.”
The company’s open and high-performance network architecture allows integration across diverse ecosystems, enabling service providers and enterprises to scale operations efficiently and securely.
“With truly open architectures that seamlessly integrate into any ecosystem, our high-performance networks create new opportunities for monetization and scale. Service providers, enterprises and partners worldwide trust Nokia to deliver secure, reliable and sustainable networks today – and work with us to create the digital services and applications of the future.”
Continued focus on sustainable growth
Nokia’s latest share transfer underscores its focus on maintaining a sustainable balance between rewarding employees, managing its capital efficiently, and investing in innovation to remain competitive in the evolving telecommunications landscape.
With a strong position in 5G networks, private wireless solutions, and cloud infrastructure, the company continues to play a central role in shaping the next generation of digital connectivity.
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