STOCKHOLM, Sweden, June 7, 2002 (PRIMEZONE) -- Ratos has sold its entire holding of 5,163,207 Class A shares and 611,600 Class B shares, corresponding to approximately 33% of the votes and approximately 17% of the capital, in Esselte. The buyer is the US private equity fund J.W. Childs, which last week announced its bid for all of Esselte.
A prerequisite for J.W. Childs' bid was that Ratos, as Esselte's largest owner, favoured the sale. Ratos therefore issued a call option to J.W. Childs, which the fund has now decided to exercise.
The sale, which was made at a price of SEK 90 per share, generated approximately SEK 520m for Ratos and increases the company's shareholders' equity by approximately SEK 140m. After taking into account translation differences, the reported exit gain will amount to approximately SEK 95m.
For additional information please contact: Arne Karlsson, CEO Ratos, +46 8 700 17 00 Anna-Karin Celsing, Head of Corporate Communications Ratos, +46 70 399 62 39
Financial calendar 2002: Six-month report 26 August Nine-month report 13 November
Ratos is a listed private equity company. The business concept is to maximise shareholder value over time by investing in, developing and divesting primarily unlisted companies. Ratos thus offers stock market players a unique investment opportunity. The net asset value of Ratos's investments is approximately SEK 9 billion. Ratos's holdings include Arcorus, Atle Industri, Camfil, Capona, Dahl, DataVis, DIAB, Dynal Biotech, Exceed, Gadelius, Haendig, Haglofs, Hilding Anders, HL Display, Industri Kapital, Intervect, Kronans Droghandel, Lindab, Martinsson, Q- Labs, Superfos, Telia Overseas and Yarrow.
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