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AET - Alert Steel Holdings Limited - Granting of options to turnaround parties

Release Date: 18/08/2011 15:11
Code(s): AET
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AET - Alert Steel Holdings Limited - Granting of options to turnaround parties and the executive managers and withdrawal of cautionary announcement ALERT STEEL HOLDINGS LIMITED (Incorporated in the Republic of South Africa) (Registration number 2003/005144/06) JSE code: AET ISIN: ZAE000092847 ("Alert" or "the company") GRANTING OF OPTIONS TO TURNAROUND PARTIES AND THE EXECUTIVE MANAGERS AND WITHDRAWAL OF CAUTIONARY ANNOUNCEMENT 1 INTRODUCTION Shareholders are referred to the cautionary announcements, of which the last was dated earlier today, and are advised that the board of Alert has identified Capital Africa Steel (Pty) Limited ("Capital Africa Steel") and Mr J du Toit, the Chief Executive officer of Alert, ("the Turnaround Manager")("collectively, the Turnaround Parties") as parties who will be instrumental in the implementation of the turnaround strategy of Alert and accordingly, in terms of the Turnaround Management Incentivisation Agreement and the Turnaround Option Agreement, Alert has granted options to each of the Turnaround Parties or their respective nominees, to require Alert to allot and issue to the Turnaround Parties a certain number of Alert shares, to be calculated on the basis recorded in such agreements, depending on the financial performance (measured by EBITDA) of Alert during the period of 3 years from 1 July 2011 to 30 June 2014 ("the Turnaround Period") ("The Turnaround Option Grant"). In addition as an incentive to the Executive Managers to assist in achieving a successful financial turnaround of the Group during the Turnaround Period the Executive Managers have each been granted an option to require the Company to allot and issue to each of them a certain number of Alert shares, to be calculated as set out below. The maximum number of Executive Options has been determined having regard to the remuneration and anticipated responsibilities of each Executive Manager during the Turnaround Period, but that the earnings targets for each Executive Manager in order to become entitled to receive the maximum number of Alert shares in terms of the Executive Options, is identical ("The Executive Option Grant"). 2 BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE Shareholders are referred to the announcement released on SENS on 31 March 2011, wherein it was announced that the board intends to recapitalise the Company, in order to return the Company to long-term stability and sustainable profitability. In order to return Alert to long-term stability and sustainable profitability the Company is in the process of returning to its original core business of selling and supplying steel and steel related products and services, and to restructure the Company`s balance sheet as the Company is presently operating under constrained financial circumstances. The board of Alert identified parties which will be fundamental in this turnaround and decided to incentivize these parties to the extent that the company is profitable. 3 THE TURNAROUND OPTION GRANT The maximum number of Alert shares that may be subscribed for by the Turnaround Parties in terms of the Turnaround Options are as follows: Turnaround Parties Number of Turnaround Options granted Capital Africa Steel 118 181 818 The Turnaround Manager 118 181 818 Total 363 636 3.1 THE TURNAROUND MANAGEMENT INCENTIVISATION AGREEMENT As an incentive for the services to be performed by the Turnaround Manager in overseeing the financial turnaround of the Group, Alert has granted an option to the Turnaround Manager, exercisable at any time during the period of 10 days after the cumulative EBITDA of Alert for the Turnaround Period has been determined in writing by the auditors of Alert ("the Turnaround Option Exercise Period"), to require the Company to allot and issue a certain number of shares in Alert to the Turnaround Manger, to be determined based on the financial performance (measured by EBITDA) of Alert during the Turnaround Period. The maximum number of Turnaround Options granted to the Turnaround Manager were determined by having regard to the remuneration and anticipated responsibilities of the Turnaround Manager during the Turnaround Period As set out in the table above, the Turnaround Manager will, in terms of the provisions of the Turnaround Management Incentivisation Agreement, be entitled, at any time during the Turnaround Option Exercise Period, to subscribe for a maximum of 118 181 818 Alert shares at 3,3 cents per Alert share. The price of 3,3 cents per share represents a discount of 81,67% to the 30 day volume weighted average price of Alert shares on 19 April 2011, the date on which the Underwriting Agreement was signed, being 17 cents per share. The directors are of the opinion that the 17 cents per share is not a true reflection of the value of the company and therefore , the option price was based on the net asset value of the Company as at 31 December 2010. The exact number of shares which the Turnaround Manager will be entitled to subscribe for in terms of the Turnaround Management Incentivisation Agreement will be determined by applying the following formula: - in the event that the cumulative EBITDA of the Group for the three financial years ended 30 June 2014 is less than R55 million, the Turnaround Manager will not be entitled to subscribe for any Alert shares in terms of the Turnaround Option; - in the event that the cumulative EBITDA of the Group for the three financial years ended 30 June 2014 is R165 million or more, the Turnaround Manager will be entitled to subscribe for the maximum number, being 118 181 818, Alert shares in terms of the Turnaround Option; - in the event that the cumulative EBITDA of the Group for the three financial years ended 30 June 2014 is more than R55 million but less than R165 million, the Turnaround Manager will be entitled to subscribe for a pro-rata number of shares, which will be calculated as follows: 118 181 818 x (actual cumulative EBITDA for the three years ended 30 June 2014 less R55 million) / R110 million. 3.2 THE TURNAROUND OPTION AGREEMENT Capital Africa Steel has added significant value to the Company in the financial turnaround of the Company as follows: Strategic issues - Capital Africa Steel was instrumental in assisting the board with the restructuring of the Company`s financial indebtedness to Nedbank; and - Capital Africa Steel has given valuable input in relation to the new strategy, branding and structures for the future of Alert. Further facilitation of restructuring process and financial turnaround to date - Capital Africa Steel supplied an interim R10 million guarantee through Alert Steel Northwest to assist in the supply of stock from suppliers; and - Capital Africa Steel`s subsidiaries are supplying products to Alert without security. In light of the above Alert and Capital Africa Steel have agreed that Capital Africa Steel shall be granted an option to require the Company to allot and issue to Capital Africa Steel a certain number of shares, depending on the success of the financial turnaround of the Company during the Turnaround Period. The exact number of shares which Capital Africa Steel will be entitled to subscribe for in terms of the Turnaround Option will be determine as set out in paragraph 3 above, Capital Africa Steel will, in terms of the provisions of the Turnaround Option Agreement, be entitled, at any time during the Turnaround Option Exercise Period, to subscribe for a maximum of 118 181 818 Alert shares at 3,3 cents per Alert share. The price of 3,3 cents per share represents a discount of 81,67% to the 30 day volume weighted average price of Alert shares on 19 April 2011, the date on which the Underwriting Agreement was signed, being 17 cents per share. Notwithstanding this, the option price was based on the net asset value of the Company as at 31 December 2010. 4 THE EXECUTIVE OPTION GRANT The maximum number of Alert shares that may be subscribed for by the Executive Managers in terms of the Executive Options are as follows: Executive managers Designation Number of Executive Options granted Wynand Schalekamp Deputy Chairman 39 393 939
Neil Cresswell Chief Financial Officer/ 26 590 909 Financial Director Dawie de Beer Managing Executive Business 23 636 364 Development
Theresia Managing Director Branch 20 681 818 Engelbrecht Operations Edwin Bohmer Chief Information Officer 14 772 727 Charlotte du Toit Managing Executive Corporate 8 863 636 and Hole Sale Barend Barnard Marketing Executive 8 863 636 Total 157 575 756 The Executive Managers will collectively be entitled to subscribe, at any time during the Turnaround Option Exercise Period, for a maximum of 157 575 756 Alert shares at 3,3 cents per share. The price of 3,3 cents per share represents a discount of 81,67% to the 30 day volume weighted average price of Alert shares on 19 April 2011, being 17 cents per share. Notwithstanding this, the option price was based on the net asset value of the Company as at 31 December 2010. The exact number of Alert shares which the Executive Managers will be entitled to subscribe for in terms of the Executive Options will be determined by applying the following formula: - in the event that the cumulative EBITDA of the Group for the three financial years ended 30 June 2014 is less than R55 million, none of the Executive Managers will be entitled to subscribe for any shares in terms of the Executive Options; - in the event that the cumulative EBITDA of the Group for the three financial years ended 30 June 2014 is R165 million or more, each of the Executive Managers will be entitled to subscribe for the maximum number of Alert shares referred to alongside the name of such Executive Manager in the table above ("the Maximum Executive Shares"); - in the event that the cumulative EBITDA of the Group for the three financial years ended 30 June 2014 is more than R55 million but less than R165 million, each Executive Manager will be entitled to subscribe for a pro-rata number of shares, which will be calculated as follows: Maximum Executive Shares pertaining to such Executive Manager x (actual cumulative EBITDA for the three years ended 30 June 2014 less R55 million) / R110 million. 5 CATEGORISATION OF THE OPTIONS AND CIRCULAR TO SHAREHOLDERS The Turnaround and Executive Option Grants are classified as a specific issue of shares for cash in terms of sections 5.51 and 5.53 of the JSE Listings Requirements and, accordingly, is subject to the approval of the shareholders of Alert. 6 PRO FORMA FINANCIAL EFFECTS OF THE OPTIONS The Turnaround and Executive Option Grants will not have any material financial effect on Alert as at 30 December 2010, which is the date of the last published financial results, as: - the options are only exercisable based on the cumulative EBITDA of the company for the three years ended 30 June 2014 and once all conditions are met; and - therefore only the diluted issued share capital is affect. 7 WITHDRAWAL OF CAUTIONARY ANNOUNCEMENT With regard to the information as provide above shareholders are advised that caution is herewith withdrawn. Pretoria 18 August 2011 Designated Adviser Vunani Corporate Finance Date: 18/08/2011 15:11:00 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.

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