Shareholders' equity Shareholders' Equity (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2016

Shareholders' equity [Abstract]

Dividends Declared [Table Text Block]

The following table presents dividend distributions per Common Share in Swiss francs (CHF) and U.S. dollars (USD):

	Three Months Ended						Nine Months Ended
	September 30						September 30
	2016			2015			2016			2015
	CHF	USD		CHF	USD		CHF	USD		CHF	USD
Dividends – par value reduction	—	$	—	—	$	—	—	$	—	0.62	$	0.65
Dividends – distributed from capital contribution reserves	0.67	0.69		0.65	0.67		2.01	2.05		1.27	1.34
Total dividend distributions per common share	0.67	$	0.69	0.65	$	0.67	2.01	$	2.05	1.89	$	1.99