Chapter IX · Capital increases and reductions

Article 458 Pre-emption right

Artigo 458.º · Direito de preferência

Código das Sociedades Comerciais · Decree-Law No. 262/86 · consolidated text checked 26 October 2026

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1. In every capital increase by cash contributions, the persons who are shareholders on the date of the resolution to increase the capital may subscribe for the new shares in preference to persons who are not shareholders.

1 - Em cada aumento de capital por entradas em dinheiro, as pessoas que, à data da deliberação de aumento de capital, forem accionistas podem subscrever as novas acções com preferência relativamente a quem não for accionista.

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2. The new shares shall be allocated among the shareholders exercising the pre-emption right as follows:

2 - As novas acções serão repartidas entre os accionistas que exerçam a preferência pelo modo seguinte:

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a) Each shareholder is allotted the number of shares proportional to the shares held by that shareholder on that date, or such lower number as the shareholder has declared the wish to subscribe for;

a) Atribui-se a cada accionista o número de acções proporcional àquelas de que for titular na referida data ou o número inferior a esse que o accionista tenha declarado querer subscrever;

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b) Requests for more than the number referred to in the first part of point (a) are satisfied to the extent resulting from one or more pro rata allotments of the excess.

b) Satisfazem-se os pedidos superiores ao número referido na primeira parte da alínea a), na medida que resultar de um ou mais rateios excedentários.

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3. Where the corresponding subscription rights have not been disposed of, the pre-emption right attaching to existing shares that do not correspond to a whole number of new shares lapses; the new shares not subscribed for that reason are drawn by lot once only, for subscription, among all the shareholders.

3 - Não tendo havido alienação dos respectivos direitos de subscrição, caduca o direito de preferência das acções antigas às quais não caiba número certo de acções novas; aquelas que, por esse motivo, não tiverem sido subscritas são sorteadas uma só vez, para subscrição, entre todos os accionistas.

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4. Where a company has several classes of shares, all shareholders have an equal pre-emption right to subscribe for the new shares, whether ordinary shares or shares of any special class; however, if the new shares are identical to those of an existing special class, the pre-emption right belongs first to the holders of shares of that class, and the other shareholders enjoy a pre-emption right only in respect of shares not subscribed for by those holders.

4 - Havendo numa sociedade várias categorias de acções, todos os accionistas têm igual direito de preferência na subscrição das novas acções, quer ordinárias, quer de qualquer categoria especial, mas se as novas acções forem iguais às de alguma categoria especial já existente, a preferência pertence primeiro aos titulares de acções dessa categoria e só quanto a acções não subscritas por estes gozam de preferência os outros accionistas.

What we checked in this article

The limitation to cash contributions, the reference date of the resolution, the pro rata allocation followed by excess allotments, the lapse of rights for fractions with a single drawing of lots, and the priority of holders of an existing special class are retained.

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Unofficial English translation prepared by BCA Portugal for reference. Only the Portuguese text published in the Diário da República has legal force. Editorial notes are ours and are not part of the statute.

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