Pre-Annual General Meeting Information • Apr 11, 2024
Pre-Annual General Meeting Information
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This notice advises you that you can read the full BAE Systems plc Annual Report 2023 and Notice of Annual General Meeting online at: www.baesystems.com/reporting
It also provides a brief overview of our performance in 2023. For more information on e-communications, see the back page of this document.
I am writing to advise you that the Company's Annual Report for 2023 has been published together with the Notice of Annual General Meeting. These documents are available to be viewed on the Company's AGM website page, which you can access at: www.baesystems.com/reporting
This year's Annual General Meeting will be held on Thursday 9 May 2024 starting at 9.30am.
The 2024 AGM will look and feel a bit different than it has in the past. Alongside a growing number of other large FTSE companies, we are evolving our format to ease participation for our shareholders, regardless of where you live. By focusing our efforts on a more seamless digital experience, we can provide a more inclusive meeting for all of our shareholders.
I will be participating online, with my fellow Board members. We look forward to sharing an update on the Group's progress, answering your questions, and voting on the resolutions contained in this Notice of Meeting. As the meeting will be optimised for an online experience, we will not be present in person and we encourage you to join the meeting online as well.
You can access the meeting via the following link:
Please see the online guide on the reverse of the enclosed shareholder voting instruction card for further information about participating in the meeting online via the above electronic platform. As set out in the online guide, access to the Lumi platform will be available half an hour before the meeting starts. The meeting reference number is: 186277489.
If you choose to attend in person, we will have a room available in Farnborough, Hampshire (at Hall 5, Farnborough International Exhibition and Conference Centre, Farnborough, Hampshire GU14 6TQ), which will be connected electronically to the meeting.
If you are unable to attend the meeting either electronically or in person, but wish to vote by proxy, you can do so via the AGM website page at
Simply click on the shareholder voting icon and use the IDs and shareholder reference number on the enclosed shareholder voting instruction card to access the voting system. Please note that your votes must be registered by no later than 9.30am on Tuesday 7 May 2024.
Opposite, you will see the top-level financial figures in respect of the Company's performance in 2023 and, overleaf, an overview of the different businesses within the BAE Systems Group. This is just a brief summary and is not a substitute for the full Annual Report that can be accessed online.
The Board has recommended a final dividend of 18.5p per share, making a total of 30.0p per share in respect of the year ended 31 December 2023, an increase of 11.1% over the dividend in respect of the year ended 31 December 2022. Subject to shareholder approval at the 2024 AGM, the 2023 final dividend will be paid on 3 June 2024 to shareholders registered on 19 April 2024.
Yours sincerely
Cressida Hogg CBE Chair
11 April 2024
Important information It is recommended that you read the full Notice of Annual General Meeting before taking a decision on how to vote at the Annual General Meeting. It is also recommended that you read the full BAE Systems plc Annual Report 2023. This notice does not set out the matters on which shareholders are being asked to vote at the Annual General Meeting and is not a substitute for such documents. If you have sold or otherwise transferred all your shares in BAE Systems plc, please forward this document at once to the purchaser or transferee or to the stockbroker, bank or other agent through whom the sale or transfer was effected for transmission to the purchaser or transferee. If you have sold or otherwise transferred only part of your holding of shares, you should retain this document.
Sales1
£25,284m 9% (2022 £23,256m) growth2
Underlying EBIT3

Underlying earnings per share4
63.2p 14% (2022 55.5p) growth2
Free cash flow5
£2,593m £643m (2022 £1,950m) higher
Order intake6
£37.7bn £0.6bn (2022 £37.1bn) increase
Order backlog7
£69.8bn £10.9bn (2022 £58.9bn) increase
Dividend per share
30.0p 11.1% (2022 27.0p) growth
Sales1 increased by £2.0bn to £25.3bn (2022 £23.3bn), a 9%2 increase.
Underlying EBIT3 was £2,682m (2022 £2,479m), an increase of 9%2 , giving a return on sales of 10.6% (2022 10.7%).
Underlying earnings per share4 for the year increased by 14%2 , excluding the impact of exchange translation, to 63.2p (2022 55.5p).
Free cash flow5 was £2,593m (2022 £1,950m), after shareholder returns of £1,418m (2022 £1,590m).
The Group's net debt (excluding lease liabilities)8 at 31 December 2023 was £1,022m, a net decrease of £1,001m from the position at the start of the year. This is primarily a result of strong Free cash flow performance, partially offset by shareholder returns through dividends and share buybacks.
Order intake6 increased by £0.6bn to £37.7bn (2022 £37.1bn).
Order backlog7 increased by £10.9bn to £69.8bn (2022 £58.9bn).
Final dividend of 18.5p per share, making a total of 30.0p per share in respect of the year ended 31 December 2023.
We monitor the underlying financial performance of the Group using alternative performance measures. These measures are not defined in International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and, therefore, are considered to be non-GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) measures. The relevant IFRS measures are presented in the Alternative performance measures section on pages 227 to 231 of the Annual Report 2023.

Electronic Systems, with 17,5009 employees, comprises the Group's US- and UK-based electronic solutions, including electronic warfare systems, navigation systems, electro-optical sensors, military and commercial digital engine and flight controls, precision guidance and seeker solutions, nextgeneration military communications systems and data links, persistent surveillance capabilities, space electronics and electric drive propulsion systems.

Platforms & Services, with 11,9009 employees, has operations in the US, Sweden and UK. It manufactures and upgrades combat vehicles, weapons and munitions, and delivers services and sustainment activities, including naval ship repair and the management and operation of two government-owned ammunition plants.

Air, with 26,0009 employees, comprises the Group's UK-based air build and support activities for European and international markets, US programmes, development of Future Combat Air Systems and FalconWorks®, alongside our business in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and interests in our European joint ventures: Eurofighter and MBDA.

Maritime, with 27,5009 employees, comprises the Group's UK-based maritime and land activities, including major submarine, ship build and support programmes, as well as our Australian business.

Cyber & Intelligence, with 11,0009 employees, comprises the US-based Intelligence & Security business and UK-headquartered Digital Intelligence business, and covers the Group's cyber security activities for national security, central government and government enterprises.
At BAE Systems, we provide some of the world's most advanced, technology-led defence, aerospace and security solutions.
We are a workforce of 99,8001 highly skilled people in more than 40 countries. Working with our customers and local partners, we develop, engineer, manufacture and support products and systems that deliver military capability, protect national security, and keep critical information and infrastructure secure.
We maintain leading positions in major defence and security markets around the world – including the US, UK the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Australia – as well as established positions in a number of other international markets.

| Financial year end | 31 December |
|---|---|
| Annual General Meeting | 9 May 2024 |
| 2023 final ordinary dividend payable | 3 June 2024 |
| 2024 half-yearly results announcement | 1 August 2024 |
| 2024 interim ordinary dividend payable | 2 December 2024 |
| 2024 full-year results: – preliminary announcement – Annual Report |
February 2025 March 2025 |
| 2024 final ordinary dividend payable | June 2025 |
6 Carlton Gardens London SW1Y 5AD United Kingdom www.baesystems.com Registered in England and Wales, No. 01470151 © BAE Systems plc 2024. All rights reserved


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All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this document, including, without limitation, those regarding the financial condition, results, operations and businesses of BAE Systems and its strategy, plans and objectives and the markets and economies in which it operates, are forward-looking statements. Such forwardlooking statements, which reflect management's assumptions made on the basis of information available to it at this time, involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors which could cause the actual results, performance or achievements of BAE Systems or the markets and economies in which BAE Systems operates to be materially different from future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. BAE Systems plc and its directors accept no liability to third parties in respect of this report save as would arise under English law.
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