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EQS/EQS01/EQS02/EQS04 - Eqstra Holdings Limited - Sale of Eqstra Mining

Release Date: 14/03/2012 09:50
Code(s): JSE EQS
Wrap Text

EQS/EQS01/EQS02/EQS04 - Eqstra Holdings Limited - Sale of Eqstra Mining Services Business (Including The Bucyrus Distributorship Rights of Eqstra) and withdrawal of cautionary announcement EQSTRA HOLDINGS LIMITED (Incorporated in the Republic of South Africa) (Registration number: 1998/011672/06) ISIN: ZAE000117123 JSE share code: EQS, EQS01, EQS02, EQS04 ("Eqstra" or "the Company") SALE OF EQSTRA MINING SERVICES BUSINESS (INCLUDING THE BUCYRUS DISTRIBUTORSHIP RIGHTS OF EQSTRA) AND WITHDRAWAL OF CAUTIONARY ANNOUNCEMENT 1. INTRODUCTION Further to the cautionary announcements dated 17 October 2011, 28 November 2011, 12 January 2012 and 23 February 2012, shareholders are advised that Eqstra has concluded an agreement with Caterpillar Global Mining LLC ("Caterpillar") to sell its Eqstra Mining Services business units in South Africa and Botswana, which are responsible for the Bucyrus International Inc. ("Bucyrus") distributorship, to Bucyrus Africa Underground (Proprietary) Limited and Bucyrus Botswana (Proprietary) Limited(collectively "the Purchaser") as going concerns (collectively "the Disposal"). 2. RATIONALE Eqstra, through a wholly owned subsidiary, entered into a seven year distributorship agreement in December 2006 with Terex Corporation Inc.("Terex"). The Terex mining equipment division was subsequently sold to Bucyrus and rebranded. (It must be noted that this sale does not include the Terex Rigid trucks, articulated dump trucks (ADT`s) or Terex Cranes as these will continue to be distributed by Eqstra). In July 2011 Caterpillar completed its acquisition of Bucyrus. Caterpillar has an existing distribution infrastructure within South Africa and Caterpillar and Eqstra agreed that it would be in both their interests to effect the Disposal. 3. TERMS OF THE DISPOSAL i) The Disposal comprises: - the transfer of all maintenance and repair contracts and services contracts relating to the Bucyrus equipment; - all Bucyrus inventories, equipment and tooling, including work in progress; and - all related leases and other physical and tangible assets used or comprised in the business. ii) Conditions precedent The Disposal is subject to, inter alia, the fulfillment of the following conditions precedent: - all and any approvals required in terms of the Competition Act from the Competition Authorities, both in South Africa and Botswana, for the implementation of the Disposal are granted; - a stock-take be undertaken and the inventory schedules are signed by both parties. iii) Effective date The effective date of the Disposal ("effective date") is expected to be 29 June 2012, upon the fulfillment of the above conditions precedent. iv) The purchase price The purchase price payable by the Purchaser to Eqstra for the Disposal, against delivery of the business will be R475 000 000.00 (four hundred seventy-five million Rand) based on June 2011 inventory values, being the values stated in the sales contracts and is subject to inventory adjustments at the effective date. 4. PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION The table below sets out the unaudited pro forma financial effects of the Disposal on the unaudited Eqstra interim results for the six months ended 31 December 2011. The unaudited pro forma financial effects have been prepared in accordance with the Listings Requirements, the Guide on Pro Forma Financial Information issued by SAICA and the measurement and recognition requirements of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). The accounting policies used to prepare the unaudited pro forma financial effects are consistent with those applied in the preparation of the interim results for the six months ended 31 December 2011. The unaudited pro forma financial effects have been prepared for illustrative purposes only, in order to provide information on how the Disposal may have affected the financial results and position of a Eqstra shareholder and, because of their nature, may not give a true reflection of the actual financial effects of the Disposal. The unaudited pro forma financial effects are the responsibility of the directors. Per Eqstra share Before the After the Change Notes Disposal Disposal (%) (cents)1 (cents)2
Basic earnings 47.1 45.6 (3.2%) 3, 4 Diluted basic earnings 45.7 44.3 (3.2%) 3, 4 Headline earnings 36.8 35.3 (4.1%) 3, 4 Diluted headline 35.7 34.2 (4.1%) 3, 4 earnings Net asset value 641.2 678.6 5.8% Tangible net asset 635.6 673.0 5.9% value Number of shares in 428.7 428.7 issue Weighted average number 420.1 420.1 of share in issue (million) Diluted weighted 433.0 433.0 average number of shares in issue (million) Notes to the unaudited pro forma financial effects: 1. The "Before the Disposal" column reflects: - the basic earnings, diluted basic earnings, headline earnings and diluted headline earnings per Eqstra share for the six months ended 31 December 2011 based on a weighted average number of shares of 420 059 435 and a diluted weighted average number of shares of 432 919 041; and - the net asset value and the tangible net asset value per Eqstra share as at 31 December 2011 based on the total number of shares in issue of 428 668 392. 2. The "After the Disposal" column is based on the assumption that a purchase price of R572 million is received and net assets of R412 million, based on 31 December 2011 published results, is disposed of with effect from 1 July 2011 for earnings per share and with effect from 31 December 2011 for net asset value and tangible net asset value per share purposes. 3. Earnings have been adjusted to remove the profit after tax of the business unit of R24 million and increased by the net finance charges assumed in respect of the Disposal of R18 million (after taxation of 28%) which are based on an assumed interest rate of 8.6%. This effect is expected to be of a continuing nature. 4. Once-off net transaction costs assumed in respect of the Disposal have not been taken into account as this is assessed as immaterial. The directors are not aware of any subsequent events post 31 December 2011 that are likely to have a significant impact on the above financial effects. 5. WITHDRAWAL OF CAUTIONARY ANNOUNCEMENT As all the terms of the Disposal are contained herein, caution is no longer required to be exercised by shareholders when dealing in their Eqstra shares. Kempton Park 14 March 2012 Merchant bank and sponsor RAND MERCHANT BANK (A division of FirstRand Bank Limited) Date: 14/03/2012 09:50:01 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.

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