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STANBIC / LIBERTY: PROPOSED DISPOSAL

Release Date: 21/06/2000 08:21
Code(s): LGL SBK SBKP
Wrap Text
STANDARD BANK INVESTMENT CORPORATION LIMITED
(INCORPORATED IN THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA)
(REGISTRATION NUMBER 1969/017128/06)
("STANBIC")
LIBERTY GROUP LIMITED

(FORMERLY LIBERTY LIFE ASSOCIATION OF AFRICA LIMITED) (REGISTRATION NUMBER 1957/002788/06) (INCORPORATED IN THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA) ("LIBERTY")
JOINT ANNOUNCEMENT BY STANBIC AND LIBERTY REGARDING THE PROPOSED DISPOSAL OF THEIR INTERESTS IN LIBERTY INTERNATIONAL PLC
ON 5 JUNE 2000, THE BOARDS OF STANBIC AND LIBERTY ANNOUNCED THAT THEY HAD ENTERED INTO AN AGREEMENT, SUBJECT TO THE FULFILMENT OR WAIVER OF SPECIFIED CONDITIONS, TO DISPOSE OF 26 658 023 AND 66 841 977 SHARES, RESPECTIVELY, HELD IN LIBERTY INTERNATIONAL PLC ("LIBERTY INTERNATIONAL") (THE "SALE SHARES") TO THE BRITISH LAND COMPANY PLC ("BRITISH LAND"). THE CONSIDERATION FOR THE SALE SHARES IS TO BE PAID IN A COMBINATION OF GBP281 332 466 IN CASH AND 51 759 452 BRITISH LAND SHARES ("THE CONSIDERATION SHARES"). BRITISH LAND MAY ELECT TO PAY CASH OF 450 PENCE PER CONSIDERATION SHARE INSTEAD OF ISSUING ALL OR PART OF THE CONSIDERATION SHARES. IF BRITISH LAND WERE TO ELECT TO PAY ENTIRELY IN CASH THE CONSIDERATION WOULD AMOUNT TO 550 PENCE PER SALE SHARE.
ON 16 JUNE 2000, THE BOARDS OF STANBIC AND LIBERTY RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE BOARD OF LIBERTY INTERNATIONAL, OFFERING TO ACQUIRE THE SALE SHARES FROM STANBIC AND LIBERTY FOR A CASH PRICE OF 575 PENCE PER SHARE. THE OFFER IS SUBJECT TO THE NECESSARY RESOLUTIONS OF LIBERTY INTERNATIONAL SHAREHOLDERS (WHICH ARE LIKELY TO INCLUDE ONE OR MORE SPECIAL RESOLUTIONS) AND WILL INVOLVE A REDUCTION OF CAPITAL REQUIRING UK COURT APPROVAL. IT IS THEREFORE SUBJECT TO UNCERTAINTY.
UNDER THE TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT WITH BRITISH LAND, THE BOARDS OF STANBIC AND LIBERTY ARE PREVENTED FROM SELLING THE SALE SHARES TO OR ENTERING INTO DISCUSSIONS IN RELATION TO THE SALE SHARES WITH ANY THIRD PARTY WHILE THE AGREEMENT REMAINS IN FORCE. THE AGREEMENT REMAINS IN FORCE UNLESS ANY OF THE CONDITIONS PRECEDENT INCLUDING, INTER ALIA, STANBIC SHAREHOLDER AND REGULATORY APPROVALS, FAILS TO BE SATISFIED OR WAIVED BY 7 SEPTEMBER 2000 (OR IF LATER THE DATE OF THE STANBIC GENERAL MEETING OR IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES
24 NOVEMBER 2000) OR BECOMES INCAPABLE OF SATISFACTION. IN ADDITION, THE AGREEMENT PROVIDES FOR A BREAK FEE TO BE PAYABLE TO BRITISH LAND IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, INCLUDING WHERE THE STANBIC SHAREHOLDERS DO NOT PASS THE NECESSARY RESOLUTION BY 7 SEPTEMBER 2000 AND STANBIC AND/OR LIBERTY AGREE TO SELL MORE THAN 25% OF THE SALE SHARES TO A THIRD PARTY ON OR PRIOR TO 9 OCTOBER 2000. THE BREAK FEE IS CALCULATED BY REFERENCE TO A FORMULA RELATED TO THE AMOUNT BY WHICH THE PRICE PAID BY ANY SUCH THIRD PARTY FOR THE SALE SHARES EXCEEDS 550 PENCE, SUBJECT TO A MINIMUM OF GBP5 MILLION. THIS WOULD AMOUNT TO GBP14,675 MILLION BASED ON THE CURRENT OFFER FROM LIBERTY INTERNATIONAL (OF WHICH GBP4,184 MILLION WOULD BE PAYABLE BY STANBIC AND GBP10,491 MILLION WOULD BE PAYABLE BY LIBERTY), EQUIVALENT TO 15,7 PENCE PER SALE SHARE.
AS ANNOUNCED ON 5 JUNE 2000, THE STANBIC BOARD IS SEEKING SHAREHOLDER APPROVAL FOR THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION WITH BRITISH LAND. A GENERAL MEETING OF STANBIC SHAREHOLDERS HAS BEEN CONVENED TO BE HELD AT 10:00 ON THURSDAY, 6 JULY 2000 IN THE HP DE VILLIERS AUDITORIUM, STANDARD BANK CENTRE, 6 SIMMONDS STREET, JOHANNESBURG, TO CONSIDER AN ORDINARY RESOLUTION TO APPROVE THE TRANSACTION. A CIRCULAR CONTAINING DETAILS OF THE AGREEMENT WITH BRITISH LAND AND THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE DIRECTORS BASED ON THE PREVAILING CIRCUMSTANCES TO VOTE IN FAVOUR OF THE TRANSACTION WITH BRITISH LAND IS BEING POSTED TO STANBIC SHAREHOLDERS TODAY. THE BOARDS OF STANBIC AND LIBERTY WILL CONTINUE TO KEEP SHAREHOLDERS INFORMED OF ANY FURTHER MATERIAL DEVELOPMENTS. JOHANNESBURG 20 JUNE 2000 MERCHANT BANK IN THE UK STANDARD BANK LONDON LIMITED REGISTRATION NUMBER 2130447
REGULATED BY THE SECURITIES AND FUTURES AUTHORITY LTD MEMBER OF THE LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE MERCHANT BANK IN SOUTH AFRICA SCMB STANDARD CORPORATE AND MERCHANT BANK
(A DIVISION OF THE STANDARD BANK OF SOUTH AFRICA LIMITED) (REGISTRATION NUMBER 1962/000738/06) ADVISERS TO STANBIC JP MORGAN UK SOLICITORS HERBERT SMITH ATTORNEYS IN SOUTH AFRICA TO STANBIC BOWMAN GILFILLAN INC. (REGISTRATION NUMBER 1998/021409/21) TO LIBERTY WERKSMANS ATTORNEYS SPONSORING BROKERS TO STANBIC STANDARD EQUITIES (PROPRIETARY) LIMITED (REGISTRATION NUMBER 1972/008305/07) (MEMBER OF THE JOHANNESBURG STOCK EXCHANGE) DEUTSCHE BANK SECURITIES (PTY) LTD (REGISTRATION NUMBER 1973/006709/07) (MEMBER OF THE JOHANNESBURG STOCK EXCHANGE) TO LIBERTY MERRILL LYNCH SOUTH AFRICA (PTY) LTD (MEMBER OF THE JOHANNESBURG STOCK EXCHANGE) (REGISTRATION NUMBER 1995/001805/07) SPONSORING BROKER TO STANBIC IN NAMIBIA PHILLIP JA VAN HEERDEN MEMBER OF THE NAMIBIAN STOCK EXCHANGE TRADING AS HSBC SECURITIES (NAMIBIA) (PTY) LIMITED REGISTRATION NUMBER 95/505

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