- 02.05.2003, 11:00:01
- /
- OTE0002
Media Information of Getränke-Beteiligungs-AG: Heineken makes offer for GeBAG-shares to acquire control of BBAG
Wien (OTS) - Heineken offers the shareholders of
Getränke-Beteiligungs-AG (GeBAG) to purchase their shares for a price
of EUR 11.40 per share. The offer is open for six weeks, until June
13, 2003. Precondition for the completion of the transaction is the
acceptance of the offer by shareholders representing at least 75 per
cent of the GeBAG-shares. GeBAG unites the interests of the core
shareholders of BBAG. It holds approximately 69 per cent of the
BBAG-shares. BBAG is a 63 per cent shareholder in Brau Union AG.
Ludwig Beurle, spokesman of GeBAG: "The offer is closely connected
with today's announcement concerning the CEBRA-Partnership Agreement
with Heineken. By accepting the offer, the shareholders will not only
receive cash but will make an important contribution to the future
positioning of BBAG as the leading brewery group in Central Europe."
In the Central European Brewers Agreement ("CEBRA-Partnership
Agreement") Heineken has agreed to contribute its entire Central
European brewery activities under the roof of BRAU UNION.
Furthermore, GeBAG shareholders have the possibility to re-invest
their proceeds into Heineken-shares.
The GeBAG syndicate committee therefore recommends unanimously to
the shareholders of GeBAG to accept the offer.
The acceptance of the offer by shareholders representing at least
75 per cent of the GeBAG-shareholders and the clearance of the
transaction by the responsible anti-trust authorities will result in
an indirect change of control of BBAG and Brau Union AG. Thereby, an
obligation for Heineken to launch a public bid is triggered:
- for the ordinary shares and the participation rights of BBAG,
- for the ordinary shares of Brau Union AG and
- for the shares of the listed subsidiary in Hungary, Brau Union
Hungaria.
Based on an offer price per GeBAG share, Heineken intends to pay
the minority shareholders in the public offer a price of EUR Y 124.00
per BBAG share and EUR Z127.27 per Brau Union AG share. This
represents a premium of 93 per cent compared to the BBAG average
price of the last year and 122 per cent to that of Brau Union AG.
Both prices exceed the historic all time high of both shares.
J.P. Morgan and WOLF THEISS have advised GeBAG during the entire
procedure.
Rückfragehinweis:
GeBAG
Ludwig Beurle
Tel.: +43 (70) 77 16 53
Michael Dickstein
Tel.: +43 (664) 54 39 701
OTS-ORIGINALTEXT UNTER AUSSCHLIESSLICHER INHALTLICHER VERANTWORTUNG DES AUSSENDERS | NEF






