Favourable financial earnings for the Nobel Foundation again

During 2014, total return on equity amounted to 15.8 per cent. At the same time the market value of the Foundation’s equity increased by more than SEK 400 m, amounting to SEK 3,842 m at the end of 2014.

At their meeting earlier today, the Trustees of the Nobel Foundation approved the Foundation’s 2014 financial statements.

“These good earnings primarily reflect the general trend in financial markets. But during 2014, as in 2013, the Nobel Foundation also surpassed the asset managers we compare ourselves to,” says Lars Heikensten, Executive Director of the Nobel Foundation.

At the end of 2014, the market value of the Nobel Foundation’s portfolio capital – invested capital excluding administrative properties – amounted to SEK 3,684 m. Return on portfolio capital was 16.5 per cent, compared to 11.8 per cent for the Foundation’s benchmark indices. Year-end portfolio capital was allocated among 55 per cent equities, 12 per cent fixed income assets and 33 per cent alternative assets. Alternative assets, in turn, were apportioned among property and hedge funds.

“Most of the world’s stock markets rose during 2014. The value of the Nobel Foundation’s total equities portfolio rose by 26.6 per cent. This was better than its benchmark indices, which rose by 17.4 per cent. These better earnings were primarily due to the Foundation’s comparatively large percentage of American equities and larger currency exposure,” says Lars Heikensten.

The 2015 Nobel Prizes were set at SEK 8 m per prize by the Board of Directors of the Nobel Foundation – the same amount as last year.

At today’s meeting, the Trustees also appointed the Board of Directors of the Nobel Foundation. New Board members are Urban Lendahl, who succeeds Staffan Normark, and Sara Danius, who succeeds Peter Englund. Gunnar von Heijne succeeds Astrid Gräslund as deputy member of the Board. The new members and deputy member will assume their positions during the coming year.

The Board of Directors of the Nobel Foundation

Professor Carl-Henrik Heldin, Chairman

Professor Göran K. Hansson, Vice Chairman

Professor Staffan Normark
Secretary General of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
Re-appointed until June 30, 2015, then stepping down at his own request. Professor Urban Lendahl, Secretary of the Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet and of the Nobel Committee for Physiology or Medicine, is appointed as a new member
as of July 1.

Professor Peter Englund
Permanent Secretary of the Swedish Academy
Re-appointed until November 30, 2015, then stepping down at his own request. Professor Sara Danius is appointed as a new member as of December 1.

Mr Tomas Nicolin, MSc

Kaci Kullmann Five
Deputy Chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee

Dr Lars Heikensten
Executive Director of the Nobel Foundation

Deputy members

Professor Astrid Gräslund
Stepping down at her own request as of April 30, 2015. Professor Gunnar von Heijne, Secretary of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry is appointed as a new deputy member as of May 1.

Professor Lars Bergström
Secretary of the Nobel Committee for Physics

The Trustees of the Nobel Foundation are presented here:

http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_organizations/nobelfoundation/trustees.html

The Nobel Foundation’s Annual Report for 2014 and an Annual Review are available here:

http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_organizations/nobelfoundation/finan-manag.html

Contact: Annika Pontikis, Public Relations Manager of the Nobel Foundation
E-mail: annika.pontikis@nobel.se, tel: +46 8 663 14 70
Emelie Molinder, Public Relations Officer of the Nobel Foundation
E-mail: emelie.molinder@nobel.se, tel: +46 8 663 27 65

The Nobel Foundation is a private institution established in 1900 on the basis of the will of Alfred Nobel and the founding statutes promulgated in connection with the will. One central task of the Foundation is to manage the assets made available through the will for the awarding of the Nobel Prize in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature and Peace.

© The Nobel Foundation, 2015. Nobel Prize® and the Nobel Prize® medal design are registered trademarks of the Nobel Foundation.