ABB: new share buyback program of up to $1 billion

ABB Ltd is one of the world's leaders in the design, production and marketing of industrial equipment. Net sales break down by family of products and services as follows: - electrical transmission and distribution products and systems (67.2%): transformers, medium-voltage electrical distribution systems (circuit breakers, switches, fuses, transducers, etc.), high-voltage electrical distribution systems (condensers, switches, etc.), and automated systems for use in electrical plants. ABB Ltd also offers turnkey installation services for transmission systems; - automation systems (30.6%): electrical protection systems and instruments for measuring and controlling fluids, production process control systems (primarily for the oil and gas, chemical and pharmaceutical, marine, mining, and paper industries). The group also manufactures and markets robots and modular systems; - other (2.2%). Net sales are distributed geographically as follows: Europe (35.9%), China (13.9%), Asia/Middle East/Africa (15.8%), the United States (25.6%) and Americas (8.8%).