provision for claims which have already occurred but which have not yet been reported.

extraordinary amortisation taken when the present value of the estimated future cash flow of an asset is less than its book value.

derivative financial instrument to hedge inflation risks, under which a fixed cash flow is swapped for a variable cash flow dependent on the inflation trend.

ten-character universal code used to identify securities internationally. It is prefixed by a country code that specifies the country where the issuer entity is legally registered or in which it has legal domicile, e. g. DE = Germany.

the IVC is calculated according to the following formula: real operating value creation = adjusted operating profit (EBIT) – (capital allocated x weighted cost of capital). IVC is a tool of value-based enterprise management used to measure the accomplishment of long-term targets on the level of the Group, the individual business groups and the operating units (profit centres).

investment grade ratings are awarded to companies and assigned to securities that have a low risk profile. They contrast with non-investment-grade ratings, which by definition include speculative elements and therefore entail a significantly higher risk.

private enterprise or public entity that issues securities, e. g. the federal government in the case of German Treasury Bonds and a joint-stock corporation in the case of shares.