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PNG - Pinnacle Point - Update on announcement to shareholders finalisation of

Release Date: 09/02/2010 17:16
Code(s): PNG
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PNG - Pinnacle Point - Update on announcement to shareholders finalisation of the rights offer and withdrawal of cautionary announcement PINNACLE POINT GROUP LIMITED (Incorporated in the Republic of South Africa) (Registration Number 2000/000059/06) JSE Share code: PNG NSE Share code: PNG ISIN: ZAE000127122 ("Pinnacle Point" or the "Company") UPDATE ON ANNOUNCEMENT TO SHAREHOLDERS REGARDING THE UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT BETWEEN PINNACLE POINT AND ABSA BANK LIMITED, FINALISATION OF THE RIGHTS OFFER AND WITHDRAWAL OF CAUTIONARY ANNOUNCEMENT Shareholders are referred to the various recent cautionary announcements to Shareholders and in particular the announcement released on SENS on 2 February 2010 in which Shareholders were advised that Absa Bank Limited ("Absa") had extended the period for securing the outstanding approvals relating to the development of the Lagos Keys project to Friday, 05 February 2010 to remedy the alleged breaches of the underwriting agreement concluded between Absa and the Company on 26 October 2009 (the "Underwriting Agreement"). Pinnacle Point confirms that it has been granted access to develop the site of the Lagos Keys project and that it has now received the Certificate of Occupancy for the site. Notwithstanding the above, shareholders are advised that on Monday, 8 February 2010, the Trilinear Empowerment Trust ("Trilinear") and Absa concluded a Sale of Shares Agreement (the "Sale Agreement") in terms of which Absa will sell its entire shareholding of 2 726 340 367 shares in the Company (including the shares it will subscribe for in terms of the Underwriting Agreement), which will equate to approximately 39% of the issued shares in the Company (the "Sale Shares"), to Trilinear for a purchase price of R150 million, R95 million of which is to be paid up front (the "R95 Million Tranche") and the balance in two later tranches. Upon payment of the R95 Million Tranche to Absa, Absa will fulfill its obligations in terms of the Underwriting Agreement (notwithstanding the breaches it alleges). In terms of the Underwriting Agreement, Absa will subscribe for approximately R95 million worth of shares for cash and convert approximately R125 million debt into shares. Following the issue of these Pinnacle Point shares, Trilinear will take transfer of Absa`s entire equity interest in Pinnacle Point. This acquisition will result in Trilinear`s shareholding in the Company increasing to approximately 48,4%. The Sale Agreement places an absolute prohibition on Trilinear voting the Sale Shares (or exercising any other rights attaching to the Sale Shares which would give Trilinear any form of control over the Company) until such time as any necessary approvals have been obtained from the Competition Authorities. Furthermore, the Securities Regulation Panel (the "Panel") has granted a temporary 30 day exemption (the "30 Day Exemption") to Trilinear from making a mandatory offer (the "Mandatory Offer") in terms of Rule 8 of the Securities Regulation Code on Takeovers and Mergers (the "Code") to all Shareholders. The 30 Day Exemption has been provided in order to enable Trilinear to endeavour to secure a "whitewash resolution" (the "Whitewash Resolution") from independent Shareholders in terms of Rule 8.7 of the Code in support of the waiver of the Mandatory Offer. If the Whitewash Resolution is secured, Trilinear then intends to apply to the Panel for an absolute exemption from making the Mandatory Offer, failing which Trilinear will be required to make the Mandatory Offer. The Panel has also ruled that, if the Mandatory Offer is required to be made it must be made at the highest price paid by Trilinear in the three month period referred to in the Code being 5.5 cents, and not during any longer period. Absa has undertaken, in terms of the Sale Agreement and conditional upon receiving the R95 Million Tranche, to implement the Underwriting Agreement by no later than Monday, 15 February 2010. A circular to Shareholders, calling a meeting to consider the Whitewash Resolution, will be sent to Shareholders as soon as possible in order to ensure that the meeting is held within the 30 Day Exemption period. Trilinear currently holds irrevocable undertakings and commitments, to vote in favour of the Whitewash Resolution to dispense with, or not to accept the Mandatory Offer (if made), from approximately 95% of independent Shareholders (being Shareholders other than Trilinear). The Pinnacle Point Board takes this opportunity to declare its full support for the initiative taken by Trilinear to increase its shareholding in the Company. The faith Trilinear has shown in management and the prospects of the Company augurs well for the future. With the Rights Offer process now expected to be completed by no later than Monday, 15 February 2010 and with the Certificate of Occupancy and the conditional environmental approvals having been received for the Lagos Keys development, Pinnacle Point will now be able to focus on its core business and the delivery of value to all its stakeholders. Shareholders are referred to the various cautionary announcements and are hereby advised that as the relevant negotiations have been concluded, resulting in the signing of the Sale Agreement, the cautionary announcement is now withdrawn. Cape Town 09 February 2010 Designated Advisor Arcay Moela Sponsors (Proprietary) Limited Financial Adviser to Pinnacle Point in South Africa NM Rothschild & Sons (Proprietary) Limited Financial Adviser to Pinnacle Point in Nigeria and Co-underwriter Goldbanc Management Associates Limited Legal Adviser to Pinnacle Point Edward Nathan Sonnenbergs Inc Independent Reporting Accountants Mazars Moores Rowland Underwriter Absa Bank Limited Financial adviser to Absa Bank Limited Absa Capital, a division of Absa Bank Limited Legal Adviser to Absa Bank Limited Werksmans Incorporating Jan S De Villiers Date: 09/02/2010 17:16:01 Supplied by www.sharenet.co.za Produced by the JSE SENS Department. The SENS service is an information dissemination service administered by the JSE Limited (`JSE`). The JSE does not, whether expressly, tacitly or implicitly, represent, warrant or in any way guarantee the truth, accuracy or completeness of the information published on SENS. The JSE, their officers, employees and agents accept no liability for (or in respect of) any direct, indirect, incidental or consequential loss or damage of any kind or nature, howsoever arising, from the use of SENS or the use of, or reliance on, information disseminated through SENS.