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TREMATON - ACQUISITION OF A SHAREHOLDING IN NATH GROUP

Release Date: 13/04/2000 17:44
Code(s): TMT
Wrap Text
(REG NO 1997/008691/06)
("TREMATON")

ACQUISITION OF A SHAREHOLDING IN NEW AFRICA TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS 1. INTRODUCTION
REAL AFRICA DUROLINK INVESTMENT BANK LIMITED IS AUTHORISED TO ANNOUNCE THAT, FURTHER TO THE CAUTIONARY ANNOUNCEMENT PUBLISHED ON 26 MARCH 2000, TREMATON HAS CONCLUDED AN AGREEMENT TO SUBSCRIBE FOR AN EFFECTIVE 11,59% SHAREHOLDING IN A RESTRUCTURED AND RECAPITALISED NEW AFRICA TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS (PROPRIETARY) LIMITED ("NATH GROUP") ("THE ACQUISITION"). 2. NATURE OF THE NATH GROUP'S BUSINESS
THE NATH GROUP IS A MULTI-DISCIPLINARY INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY GROUP WHICH CURRENTLY HAS FOUR BUSINESS DIVISIONS OPERATING IN 16 MAJOR EUROPEAN AND ASIAN PACIFIC LOCATIONS AS WELL AS IN SOUTH AFRICA. IT EMPLOYS SOME 1 200 PEOPLE, WITH IN EXCESS OF 70% OF ITS BUSINESS BEING CONDUCTED OUTSIDE SOUTH AFRICA. ITS BUSINESS DIVISIONS COMPRISE A PROPRIETARY SOFTWARE PRODUCT DIVISION, A SERVICES DIVISION, A HARDWARE DIVISION AND AN ITVENTURE CAPITAL DIVISION. THE MAIN ACTIVITIES OF THESE DIVISIONS ARE SUMMARISED AS FOLLOWS: % HELD BY THE
DIVISION BUSINESS NATHGROUP DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS
PROPRIETARY INDEPENDENT 85 INTEC IS A RAPIDLY GROWING UK SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS BASED GROUP WHICH MARKETS, PRODUCT (UK) ("INTEC") INSTALLS AND MAINTAINS ITS PROPRIETARY SOFTWARE PRODUCT, INTERCONNECT WHICH IS USED FOR INTERCONNECT BILLING AND SETTLEMENT BETWEEN TELECOMMS OPERATORS. INTEC OPERATES ON A GLOBAL BASIS AND IS THE WORLD LEADER IN ITS
INTERCONNECT AREA OF FOCUS AND HAS OVER 60 INSTALLATIONS WORLDWIDE INCLUDING MAJOR TELECOMS CUSTOMERS SUCH AS FRANCE TELECOM, SWISSCOM AND TELECOM ITALIA IN ITS
CUSTOMER LIST.
SERVICES ADAPTIVE SYSTEMS 83 SERVICES OFFERED INCLUDE: (DENMARK, SWEDEN,
NORWAY) - IT STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT AND CONSULTING
INTEC OY (FINLAND) 69 - SOLUTION SELECTION, PROJECT MANAGEMENT IOCORE
(SOUTH AFRICA) 100 - APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT IOCORE (AUSTRALIA) 72 - ENTERPRISE SOLUTION
IMPLEMENTATION INCLUDING IOCORE ERP APPLICATIONS AND
(WESTERN EUROPE) 75 BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE, WITH (UK, IRELAND, PRODUCTS AND PARTNERS SUCH FRANCE, BELGIUM, AS SAP, BAAN, J D EDWARDS, HOLLAND) IBM, AND ORACLE
- E-BUSINESS
- OUTSOURCING
HARDWARE CWS (SOUTH AFRICA) 55 ENTERPRISE SERVER HARDWARE SOLUTIONS PROVIDER IN SOUTH AFRICA FOR PRODUCTS INCLUDING HEWLETT PACKARD, COMPAQ, SUN AND SILCON GRAPHICS FOR LARGE COMPANIES AND GOVERNMENTAL AND PARASTATAL ENTITIES. VENTURE CAPITAL MD SYSTEMS
(SOUTH AFRICA) 80 DEVELOPMENT OF PACKAGE
SOFTWARE FOCUSED ON THE
LOGISTICS INDUSTRY AND SOLD AS PACKAGE SOFTWARE AND IN ASP INTERNET FORM. INITIAL PRODUCT IS DIRECTED AT THE LOGISTICS INDUSTRY OFFERING FREIGHT FORWARDING, CLEARING AND EXPORT FUNCTIONS. WEBFEAT
(SOUTH AFRICA) 100 DEVELOPMENT AND MARKETING OF INTERNET SHARE TRADING
SYSTEMS WITH CLIENTS
INCLUDING STANDARD BANK AND INVESTEC. ROCCONSULTING
SYSTEMS (UK) 39 SAP VALUE ADDED RESELLER AND PROVIDER OF RELATED SERVICES. THE BALANCE OF THE SHARES IN THE VARIOUS BUSINESSES ARE HELD BY THE RESPECTIVE MANAGEMENT OF THESE BUSINESSES. 3. RATIONALE FOR THE ACQUISITION
THE ACQUISITION IS CONSISTENT WITH TREMATON'S STRATEGY OF FOCUSING ON
INVESTMENTS IN THE TECHNOLOGY SECTOR WITH HIGH GROWTH PROSPECTS AND STRONG MANAGEMENT.
THE DIRECTORS BELIEVE THAT TREMATON WILL DERIVE SIGNIFICANT BENEFITS THROUGH THE RAPID DEVELOPMENT OF THE VARIOUS BUSINESSES WITHIN THE NATH GROUP, MOST OF WHICH HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO LIST SEPARATELY IN THE COUNTRIES IN WHICH THEY ARE BASED. 4. TERMS OF THE ACQUISITION
TREMATON HAS CONCLUDED AN AGREEMENT TO SUBSCRIBE FOR AN EFFECTIVE 11,59% SHAREHOLDING IN A RESTRUCTURED NATH GROUP, WITH EFFECT FROM 5 APRIL 2000 FOR A CONSIDERATION OF R58 580 000, PAYABLE IN CASH, AND SUBJECT TO THE CONDITIONS PRECEDENT DETAILED IN 5 BELOW.
FURTHERMORE, TREMATON IS REQUIRED TO PROVIDE A GUARANTEE LIMITED TO R29 MILLION AS WELL AS A PLEDGE OF ITS SHAREHOLDING TO THE NATH GROUP'S BANKERS AS SECURITY FOR FUNDING FACILITIES MADE AVAILABLE TO THE NATH GROUP PURSUANT TO ITS RESTRUCTURING. IN ADDITION TREMATON MAY BE REQUESTED TO PROVIDE A FURTHER GUARANTEE LIMITED TO R42,1 MILLION TO SECURE ADDITIONAL FACILITIES FOR A SUBSIDIARY OF NATH GROUP SHOULD THESE BE REQUIRED. 5. CONDITION PRECEDENT
THE ACQUISITION IS SUBJECT TO THE CONDITION PRECEDENT OF THE JOHANNESBURG STOCK EXCHANGE GRANTING ITS REQUISITE APPROVALS. 6. FINANCIAL EFFECTS OF THE ACQUISITION
BEFORE AFTER
(CENTS) (CENTS) CHANGE
HEADLINE EARNINGS PER ORDINARY SHARE ("EPS")3,7 (5,2) (8,9) CENTS NET ASSET VALUE PER ORDINARY SHARE ("NAV") 120,0 120,0 0%
THE TABLE ABOVE SETS OUT THE PRO FORMA FINANCIAL EFFECTS OF THE ACQUISITION ON A TREMATON SHAREHOLDER BASED ON THE FOLLOWING ASSUMPTIONS:
- THE "BEFORE" EPS AND NAV IS EXTRACTED FROM THE 31 AUGUST 1999 AUDITED FINANCIAL RESULTS;
- THE ACQUISITION WAS EFFECTIVE ON 1 SEPTEMBER 1998 FOR THE EFFECT ON EPS AND 31 AUGUST 1999 FOR THE EFFECT ON NAV; - THE CASH CONSIDERATION WAS R58 580 000;
- THE AMOUNT IN THE EPS 'AFTER' COLUMN TAKES COGNISANCE OF THE INTEREST FORFEITED AFTER TAX ON THE CASH UTILISED FOR THE ACQUISITION ASSUMING AN INTEREST RATE AFTER TAX OF 10,5% AND THAT NO DIVIDEND OR OTHER INCOME WAS RECEIVED FROM THE ACQUISITION;
- THE NAV REMAINS UNCHANGED BECAUSE THE CASH CONSIDERATION IS REPLACED BY THE COST OF THE ACQUISITION;
- FOR THE PURPOSES OF CALCULATING EPS AND NAV, 74 375 000 AND 105 000 000 ORDINARY SHARES RESPECTIVELY WERE ASSUMED TO BE ISSUED.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT TREMATON'S ACCOUNTING POLICY IS NOT TO CONSOLIDATE OR EQUITY ACCOUNT ITS INVESTMENTS WHERE ITS SHAREHOLDING IS LESS THAN 20%. THE EFFECT ON EPS DOES NOT REFLECT THE EXPECTED FURTHER BENEFIT FLOWING FROM THE ACQUISITION. 7. CIRCULAR TO SHAREHOLDERS
A CIRCULAR, WHICH IS SUBJECT TO THE APPROVAL OF THE JSE, GIVING DETAILS OF THE ACQUISITION IS BEING PREPARED AND WILL BE POSTED TO SHAREHOLDERS IN DUE COURSE. DURBAN 14 APRIL 2000 INVESTMENT BANK AND CORPORATE ADVISER TO TREMATON REAL AFRICA DUROLINK INVESTMENT BANK LIMITED (REGISTRATION NUMBER 1987/005258/06) SPONSORING BROKERS SMITH BORKUM HARE MERRILL LYNCH SOUTH AFRICA (PTY) LTD. MEMBER OF THE JOHANNESBURG STOCK EXCHANGE REGISTRATION NUMBER 1995/001805/07 JOINT LEGAL ADVISERS GARLICKE & BOUSFIELD INC REGISTRATION NUMBER 1977/003506/21 DITZ INCORPORATED

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