TIDMCOD
RNS Number : 7384N
Compagnie de Saint-Gobain
11 May 2018
PRESS RELEASE
May 11(th) , 2018
SIKA, BURKARD FAMILY AND SAINT-GOBAIN FIND OVERALL AGREEMENT
-- Compagnie de Saint-Gobain (Saint-Gobain) acquired
Schenker-Winkler Holding AG (SWH) from the Burkard family
-- Saint-Gobain/SWH sold a 6.97% stake in Sika AG (Sika) to Sika
for a total consideration of CHF 2.08 billion
-- Saint-Gobain retains 10.75% interest in Sika through SWH for a minimum of two years
-- Sika calls shareholders' meeting to introduce unitary share
class, cancellation of opting-out and elimination of 5% transfer
restrictions and to cancel the 6.97% shares acquired from SWH
-- Parties terminate all legal proceedings
-- Sika and Saint-Gobain intend to extend their existing business relationship
Sika, the Burkard family and Saint-Gobain have signed agreements
which terminate and resolve their dispute to the common benefit of
all parties involved and that of their respective shareholders and
stakeholders. The following has been agreed:
Saint-Gobain acquired SWH, Sika acquired registered shares
representing 6.97% of Sika's share capital
Saint-Gobain acquired all outstanding shares of SWH from the
Burkard family for a purchase price of CHF 3.22 billion. It
reflects an increase of above CHF 500 million from the purchase
price agreed in December 2014 between Saint-Gobain and the Burkard
Family, taking into account the increase in Sika's value since
2014. Sika purchased a 6.97% stake in Sika from SWH (representing a
23.7% voting interest) for a total consideration of CHF 2.08
billion. This amount contains a CHF 795 million premium over the
market value as of May 4th, 2018.
Termination of litigation, special audit, special experts
All pending litigation will be terminated. Furthermore, it is
intended to propose to the shareholders of Sika to terminate the
mandate of the Special Experts.
Introduction one-share, one-vote
Sika will call for an extraordinary shareholders' meeting (EGM)
for June 11, 2018 and will propose to:
-- cancel the 6.97% shares acquired from SWH by way of capital reduction
-- convert all shares into a single class of registered shares
("one share-one vote") in a ratio 1:60 (bearer share based)
-- eliminate the 5% transfer restrictions
-- eliminate the opting-out clause
SWH, fully owned by Saint-Gobain at the time of the EGM, will
vote in favor of all resolutions. Urs F. Burkard, Jürgen Tinggren
and Willi Leimer have resigned from the board of directors of Sika.
All independent directors will continue to serve the company and in
time will seek to strengthen the board with new appointees.
Future relationship between Saint-Gobain and Sika
The future relationship between Saint-Gobain and Sika will be on
both the shareholder and the business levels:
Saint-Gobain will become a shareholder of Sika through SWH.
After the EGM it will hold 10.75% of votes and capital interest in
Sika. The parties have agreed on lock-up (2 years) and stand-still
obligations (up to 10.75% for four years, up to 12.875% for the
following two years) with regard to Saint-Gobain's stake in Sika.
In case of an intended sale, these shares will first be offered to
Sika up to 10.75%.
The two groups will also continue their substantial existing
business relationship and seek to further expand it to areas of
mutual benefit while preserving and respecting each group's
economic and legal independence.
Sika will fund this transaction through a bridge loan committed
by UBS. Subsequently, Sika intends to optimize its capital
structure through the issuance of debt and debt-like securities,
while maintaining both the investment grade rating as well as the
financial flexibility to fund the defined growth strategy of the
company.
Paul Hälg, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sika and Paul
Schuler, CEO of Sika: "The Board and Group Management of Sika
welcome this positive outcome. This solution paves the way for a
new chapter of our success story. Sika remains committed to a
strong S&P investment grade credit rating. The introduction of
a modern governance structure will provide Sika with a solid base
to accelerate its growth. The biggest thanks go to all our
employees who with their dedication and loyalty made the great
success of Sika and this solution possible."
Urs F. Burkard, spokesman for the Burkard family: "We are
pleased that Saint-Gobain, as a significant Sika customer, is now
the company's largest shareholder. The solution agreed between the
parties involved takes into account the interests of all
shareholders and forms the basis for continuing Sika's success
story. The primary concern of the family has always been to ensure
Sika's success and long-term prosperity."
Pierre-André de Chalendar, Chairman and CEO of Saint-Gobain:
"This is a very positive settlement for Saint-Gobain, both from a
financial and a strategic perspective. We materialize a substantial
positive net result in excess of EUR600 million for our
shareholders. We also retain a minority stake in a great company
and will enhance the relationship between the two groups."
ABOUT SAINT-GOBAIN
Saint-Gobain designs, manufactures and distributes materials and
solutions which are key ingredients in the wellbeing of each of us
and the future of all. They can be found everywhere in our living
places and our daily life: in buildings, transportation,
infrastructure and in many industrial applications. They provide
comfort, performance and safety while addressing the challenges of
sustainable construction, resource efficiency and climate
change.
EUR40.8 billion in sales in 2017
Operates in 67 countries
More than 179,000 employees
www.saint-gobain.com
@saintgobain
Analyst/Investor relations Media relations
------------------------------------ ---------------------------------
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Vivien Dardel 62 35 98 62 30 10
Floriana Michalowska +33 1 47 Laurence Pernot +33 1 47
Christelle Gannage 62 30 93 Susanne Trabitzsch 62 43 25
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Analyst/Investor Conference Call, chaired by Mr. Pierre-André de
Chalendar, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer and Mr. Guillaume
Texier, Chief Financial Officer, on May 11, 2018 at 8:30 a.m. Paris
time (GMT + 1)
Dial-in: + 33 (0) 1 72 72 74 03 (code 60116692#)
Please dial in 5 to 10 minutes prior to the scheduled start
time
Replay: + 33 (0) 1 70 71 01 60 (code 418759740#), from 10:30
a.m. Paris time until June 15, 2018.
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
END
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