To view the PDF file, sign up for a MySharenet subscription.

PPC -Unbundling by Barloworld of its strategic interest in PPC, the

Release Date: 14/05/2007 11:00
Code(s): PPC
Wrap Text

PPC -Unbundling by Barloworld of its strategic interest in PPC, the subdivision of the share capital of PPC and notice of general meeting Pretoria Portland Cement Company Limited (Incorporated in the Republic of South Africa) (Registration number 1892/000667/06) JSE share code: PPC ISIN: ZAE000005559 ("PPC" or "the company") ANNOUNCEMENT RELATING TO THE UNBUNDLING BY BARLOWORLD LIMITED OF ITS STRATEGIC INTEREST IN PPC, THE SUBDIVISION OF THE SHARE CAPITAL OF PPC AND NOTICE OF GENERAL MEETING 1. Introduction Shareholders are referred to the announcement of Barloworld Limited ("Barloworld") of today`s date. In the joint announcement of 18 December 2006, regarding the actions following completion of a strategic review by Barloworld, and the PPC trading update of 23 January 2007, which were published on SENS as well as in the press, PPC advised its shareholders that Barloworld intends to unbundle its strategic investment in PPC ("the Barloworld PPC shares") to Barloworld shareholders and has set out details of the unbundling and other initiatives in an announcement dated 27 March 2007. There is no action required by existing PPC shareholders in respect of the unbundling. The purpose of this announcement is to provide shareholders with information pertaining to the company as it will be organized after the unbundling and information pertaining to the proposed subdivision of each PPC share of R1.00 into 10 PPC shares of R0.10 each ("the subdivision"). 2. The unbundling and its effect on PPC 2.1 Background The unbundling of Barloworld`s strategic interest in PPC will result in Barloworld`s shareholders receiving PPC shares. The number of PPC shares that holders of Barloworld shares will receive for every 1 Barloworld share held ("the entitlement ratio"), will be determined by Barloworld, having regard to the number of PPC shares that it requires for purposes of its option scheme, and, potentially, for the settlement of certain tax liabilities that may arise from the unbundling. Barloworld will publish the final entitlement ratio on SENS and in the press by not later than 5 July 2007. Barloworld has provisionally determined the entitlement ratio as 1.8555 subdivided PPC shares for one Barloworld share. 2.2 Treatment of Barloworld shareholders and optionholders Barloworld has indicated that it will offer PPC options to employees who hold options under Barloworld`s share option schemes, which have not yet vested, or have vested but have not yet been exercised. It is anticipated that both Barloworld shareholders and Barloworld optionholders will receive respectively PPC shares or PPC options, in the entitlement ratio, for every 1 Barloworld share or option held at the record date for the unbundling. 2.3 Foreign investors PPC has, pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) of the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, been granted an exemption from registration under Section 12(g) of that Act. The effect of obtaining such an exemption is that the existing Barloworld shareholders in the United States of America will be able to receive and hold the PPC shares that they will receive in the unbundling without those shares having to be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933 and without PPC having to become a `reporting company` under the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934. It is the responsibility of foreign shareholders to consider the legality of the unbundling of the Barloworld PPC shares in the jurisdiction in which they are resident. Foreign shareholders should contact their central securities depository participant or broker if they are uncertain of the impact of the unbundling on them. 3. The subdivision 3.1 Background
The board has proposed that PPC restructure it own share capital, by subdividing each PPC share of R1.00 each into 10 PPC shares of R0.10 each. The subdivision may have the advantage of encouraging more investment by private investors and increasing the liquidity of the PPC shares. Barloworld has provided PPC with an irrevocable undertaking to vote in favour of the resolutions necessary to give effect to the subdivision. Further information on this undertaking is set out in paragraph 6 below. The aggregate value of each PPC shareholder`s shareholding should not be affected by the subdivision. Moreover, the proportion of the issued share capital of PPC held by each PPC shareholder following the subdivision will be unchanged by the subdivision and each new ordinary share will carry the same rights as an existing ordinary share. In addition, as a result of the subdivision, the Memorandum of Association of PPC must be amended to correctly reflect the new authorised share capital of PPC. 3.2 Effects of the subdivision The table below shows the effect of the subdivision on PPC`s authorised and issued share capital, as at 11 May 2007:
Number of PPC Number of PPC shares before shares after the the subdivision subdivision
Authorised share capital Ordinary shares of R1.00 each 60 000 000 Ordinary shares of R0.10 each 600 000 000 Issued share capital Ordinary shares of R1.00 each 53 761 239 Ordinary shares of R0.10 each 537 612 390 Further details of the subdivision and the action required by PPC shareholders in respect of the subdivision will be set out in the circular referred to in paragraph 8, which will be posted to PPC shareholders. 5. Shareholder approval and general meeting A general meeting of the shareholders of PPC will be held on 8 June 2007 at 12:00 in the Tokyo Meeting Room, Barloworld Corporate Office, 180 Katherine Street, Sandton, South Africa, for the purpose of considering and, if deemed appropriate, passing the resolutions required to give effect to the subdivision of the PPC shares. The subdivision will require the approval of shareholders of PPC for, inter alia, the special resolutions to subdivide each PPC share into 10 PPC shares and the necessary amendments to the Memorandum of Association of PPC. 6. Conditions precedent 6.1 Unbundling The implementation of the unbundling is subject to the fulfilment of the following conditions precedent: * approval of the resolutions necessary to implement the unbundling by Barloworld shareholders in general meeting; * the registration of any special resolutions necessary to implement the unbundling being registered by Companies and Intellectual Property Registration Office ("CIPRO"); and * the approval of the Barloworld board. 6.2 Subdivision The subdivision is subject to the fulfilment of the following conditions precedent: * the approval by the JSE Limited of the PPC documentation to effect the subdivision; * the approval by shareholders of PPC of the requisite special resolutions; and * the registration of the requisite special resolutions passed by the shareholders of PPC in relation to the subdivision of the PPC shares, by CIPRO. Barloworld, the holder of 71.67% of the issued share capital of PPC, has given an irrevocable undertaking to vote in favour of the requisite special resolutions. PPC accordingly anticipates that such resolutions will be passed with the requisite majority.
7. Salient dates and times 2007 Last day for lodging of forms of proxy for Wednesday, 6 June the general meeting by 12:00 on General meeting of PPC shareholders at Friday, 8 June 12:00 on Results of the general meeting announced on Friday, 8 June SENS on Results of the general meeting published in Monday, 11 June the press on Special resolutions lodged with CIPRO on or Monday,11 June about Last day to trade in PPC shares with a par Friday, 6 July value of R1.00 each Trading commences in PPC shares with a par Monday, 9 July value of R0.10 each Record date Friday, 13 July Replacement share certificates reflecting Monday, 16 July the subdivision will be posted to certificated shareholders whose share certificates have been received by Friday, 13 July 2007 If share certificates have not been received by Friday, 13 July 2007, replacement share certificates will be posted within five business days of receipt of the share certificates Dematerialised shareholders will have their Monday, 16 July accounts at their CSDP or broker updated on Notes 1. The abovementioned times and dates are South African times and dates and are subject to change. Any such change will be published on SENS and announced in the press. 2. PPC shareholders may not dematerialise or re-materialise their PPC shares between Monday, 9 July 2007 and Friday, 13 July 2007, both days inclusive. 8. Further documentation Full details of the unbundling, subdivision and the disclosure relating thereto as well as the requisite resolutions to give effect to the subdivision are contained in the Circular and Notice of General Meeting of PPC which will be posted to PPC shareholders on 17 May 2007.
Should you require printed copies, please contact Alan Holt at +27 11 445 1000. 14 May 2007 Johannesburg Investment bank and transaction sponsor Standard Bank Sponsor JP Morgan
Attorneys Bowman Gilfillan Inc Date: 14/05/2007 11:00:01 Supplied by www.sharenet.co.za Produced by the JSE SENS Department.

Share This Story