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FIRESTONE ENERGY LIMITED - Firestone reaffirms its recommendation that Shareholders REJECT RNGs Offer

Release Date: 25/03/2013 08:30
Code(s): FSE     PDF:  
Wrap Text
Firestone reaffirms it’s recommendation that Shareholders REJECT RNG’s Offer

FIRESTONE ENERGY LIMITED
(Incorporated in Australia)
(Registration number ABN 058 436 794)
Share code on the JSE Limited: FSE  
Share code on the ASX: FSE
ISIN: AU000000FSE6
(SA company registration number 2008/023973/10)
("FSE" or "the Company")

                                                                                     About Firestone Energy

                                                                                     Firestone Energy Limited is an
25 March 2013
                                                                                     independent, Australian exploration and
                                                                                     development company listed on the
                                                                                     Australian Stock Exchange Ltd (ASX) and
Firestone reaffirms it’s recommendation that Shareholders REJECT RNG’s               the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE).
                                 Offer                                               Firestone Energy has entered into a Joint
                                                                                     Venture with Sekoko Resources (Pty) Ltd
                                                                                     through which Firestone Energy has
                                                                                     acquired the right to 60% participation
Firestone Energy Limited (ASX/JSE: FSE) (the “Company”, "FSE" or “Firestone”)        interests in the Waterberg Coal Project
has reaffirmed its advice to shareholders to REJECT the offer by Range River Gold    located in Lephalale area, Limpopo Province,
Limited (ASX: RNG) ("Range River" or "RNG") for the acquisition of all ordinary      South Africa.
shares in Firestone (in consideration of 1 Range River share for every 2 Firestone
shares) following receipt of RNG’s Supplementary Bidder’s Statement on 19            The first stage of the project is to develop the
March 2013 (“Offer”).                                                                Smitspan mine which has a substantial
                                                                                     measured thermal coal resource and to
                                                                                     develop the Vetleegte mine which is a
The board of Firestone recommend that Firestone shareholders REJECT the Offer        substantial metallurgical coal deposit.
on the grounds that the Offer remains inadequate, highly conditional and
opportunistic and fails to meet your Board’s view of full and fair value for your    Firestone Energy is committed to becoming a
Firestone shares, for the following reasons:                                         profitable independent coal and energy
                                                                                     producer at its projects in South Africa,
                                                                                     thereby making a substantial contribution to
         The Independent Expert has concluded that the Offer is NOT                  the social and economic development of the
         Fair and NOT Reasonable for FSE Shareholders (the                           Lephalale area and South Africa.
         Independent Expert’s Report is included with the Target’s
  1      Statement lodged with ASIC and announced to the ASX on 18
                                                                                     Corporate Details
                                                                                                                          ASX: FSE
         March 2013). The supplementary bid does not improve the                                                          JSE: FSE
         terms of the Offer for FSE Shareholders.                                                                    Issued Capital:
                                                                                                      3,549 million ordinary shares
         RNG’s Offer is a scrip bid which is an inadequate form of
  2      consideration                                                                                        Major Shareholders:
                                                                                                       Sekoko Resources (Pty) Ltd
                                                                                                                   Linc Energy Ltd
         The Offer does NOT compensate Firestone's Shareholders for                                        BBY Nominees Pty Ltd
  3      the strategic nature and the inherent value of Firestone’s                                      Bell Potter Nominees Ltd
         assets                                                                                            Directors and Officers

         RNG is paying a significantly higher price to acquire its                                     Non Executive Directors:
  4      interest in FSE from Sekoko                                                                   Mr Tim Tebeila (Chairman)
                                                                                                 David Perkins (Deputy Chairman)
                                                                                                                   Dr Pius Kasolo
         The Offer will dilute existing FSE shareholders in their                                                 Ben Mphahlele
         effective ownership of the assets of Firestone                                                         Kobus Terblanche
                                                                                                                      Oren Zohar
                                                                                                                      Jack James
  5      (the Supplementary Bidder’s Statement notes that Range
         River proposed to undertake an additional placement to                                                       Officers:
         raise up to $10,000,0000 which will increase the dilution of                                       Mr David Knox CEO
                                                                                                        Ms Amanda Matthee CFO
         FSE shareholders aggregate interest in the merged entity)                            Mr Jerry Monzu Company Secretary


         The FSE Board believes that the FSE share price will re-rate                                                     Contact:
  6      over the longer term as FSE moves closer to production                                       Suite B9, 431 Roberts Road
                                                                                                  Subiaco, Western Australia 6008
                                                                                                          Tel: +61 (08) 9287 4600
           RNG’s Offer is highly conditional and requires, amongst other things:
           (i)    RNG acquiring Ariona Company SA ("Ariona") which requires RNG
                  shareholder approval and FSE Shareholder approval
           (ii)   RNG raising $10 million via an equity raising using a Prospectus (yet to be
                  lodged with ASIC)
   7       (iii)  RNG raising $10 million via a convertible loan, completion of which has
                  not been announced
           (iv)   RNG securing $35 million of funding via a Standard Bank South Africa
                  consortium, which at the date of the Supplementary Bidder’s Statement
                  remains non-binding

           RNG's Offer has been timed opportunistically to:
           (i)    coincide with the settlement of the Ariona transaction, designed to
   8              destabilise and distract FSE; and
           (ii)   transfer the value in Firestone to Range River at a time just prior to
                  Firestone achieving critical milestone events

   9       RNG’s Offer may have adverse taxation implications for FSE Shareholders

The Supplementary Bidder’s Statement received from RNG notes that RNG proposes to obtain a
secondary listing on the AltX division of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE). If the AltX listing is
achieved, Firestone’s South African JSE shareholders may accept RNG shares as consideration for their
FSE shares if they accept the Offer. The AltX is a secondary securities trading board and does not offer
shareholders the same benefits of the JSE, which is the main trading board in South Africa. FSE
believes that the JSE provides better access to capital, more corporate credibility, and better liquidity
for shareholders of companies listed on the AltX.

Firestone’s Target’s Statement was lodged with ASIC and announced to the ASX on 18 March 2013.
Firestone expects that despatch of the Target’s Statement to FSE shareholders will be completed by 26
March 2013.

The Firestone Board reaffirms its strong recommendation that FSE shareholders        REJECT the Offer.
Shareholders should do nothing in relation to any documents received from RNG.

All Firestone announcements are available on the Company’s website on www.firestoneenergy.com.au
and via www.asx.com.au.

Shareholders can also receive further information on the Offer by calling the Firestone shareholder
information line on: 1800 643 977 or for international calls +61 2 8256 3363.

Yours sincerely,



David Knox
Chief Executive Officer
www.firestoneenergy.com.au
Tel: Australia (+61 08 9287 4600)
     South Africa (+27 11 706 3548)


Sponsor

River Group

25 March 2013

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