Préparation partielle du financement de la participation de Fortis dans la proposition d'offre sur ABN AMRO
Fortis annonce ce jour qu'il a l'intention de procéder au lancement d'une émission (« l'Emission ») de Conditional Capital Exchangeable Notes (« CCEN ») d'un montant maximum de EUR 2 milliards. Les CCEN seront émises par Fortis Banque SA/NV, Fortis Bank Nederland (Holding) N.V., Fortis SA/NV et Fortis N.V. en tant qu'émetteurs solidaires (les « Emetteurs »). Les CCEN constituent des créances senior non collatéralisées des Emetteurs et seront assorties d'un coupon correspondant au taux EURIBOR à 3 mois + 15 - 20 pb, versé chaque trimestre à titre rétroactif.
Les CCEN sont échangeables contre des Obligations Remboursables en Actions (Mandatory Convertible Securities, « MCS ») à l'issue d'une émission de droits de souscription au bénéfice des actionnaires de Fortis, dans le cadre du financement de la transaction ABN AMRO (l'« Emission de Droits de Souscription »). En l'absence d'une Emission de Droits de Souscription, les obligations seront remboursées au pair le 4 août 2008.
Les MCS seront remboursables en actions ordinaires libérées de Fortis, trois ans après la date d'émission des MCS. Les MCS constituent des créances non-collatéralisées et subordonnées des Emetteurs et seront subordonnés à toute autre créance, obligation et actions préférentielles des Emetteurs, pari passu avec des titres FRESH Capital et des actions privilégiées et ordinaires des émetteurs.
Le Prix de Référence du MCS sera déterminé sur base de la moyenne des 30 cours quotidiens moyens (corrigés des volumes) des actions Fortis cotées sur Euronext Amsterdam et Euronext Bruxelles, calculés au cours des 30 séances à dater du 7ème jour ouvrable suivant la fin de l'Emission de Droits de Souscription.
Le prix de l'Emission sera fixé ce jour et la clôture de l'opération devrait intervenir vers le 2 août 2007.
L'opération permettra à Fortis d'anticiper ses besoins en fonds propres pour la proposition d'offre sur ABN AMRO par le biais d'un instrument conditionnel qui ne se traduira par une émission de fonds propres seulement qu'en cas de nécessité. Le produit de l'Emission, en tout ou en partie, seront pris considération lorsque Fortis augmentera ultérieurement le capital de Fortis SA/NV et Fortis N.V. dans le cadre de l'Emission de Droits de Souscription.
Merrill Lynch International est Joint Lead Manager et Bookrunner et Fortis Bank est Joint Lead Manager et co-Bookrunner pour cette émission.
Prestataire international de services financiers spécialisé dans les domaines de la banque et de l'assurance, Fortis s'adresse à une vaste clientèle de particuliers, d'entreprises et d'institutionnels. Il leur propose une gamme complète de produits et de services par le biais de ses propres canaux ou en collaboration avec des intermédiaires et des partenaires de distribution.
Avec une capitalisation boursière d'EUR 41,1 milliards (29/06/2007), Fortis figure parmi les 20 plus importantes institutions financières européennes. Sa forte solvabilité et sa présence dans 50 pays constituent des atouts qui, conjugués à l'enthousiasme et au professionnalisme de ses 60.000 collaborateurs, lui permettent d'associer la puissance à la flexibilité tant sur le plan mondial que local, et ce, avec l'objectif fondamental de mieux servir ses clients. Pour plus d'informations, veuillez consulter www.fortis.com.
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Contacts presse : |
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Bruxelles :
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+32 (0)2 565 35 84 |
Utrecht : |
+31 (0)30 226 32 19 |
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Investor Relations: |
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Bruxelles :
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+32 (0)2 565 53 78 |
Utrecht : |
+31 (0)30 226 32 20 |
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES (AS DEFINED IN REGULATION S UNDER THE US SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED ("REGULATION S"). THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT AN OFFER TO SELL SECURITIES OR THE SOLICITATION OF ANY OFFER TO BUY SECURITIES, NOR SHALL THERE BE ANY OFFER OF SECURITIES IN ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH OFFER OR SALE WOULD BE UNLAWFUL. THE SECURITIES MENTIONED IN THIS ANNOUNCEMENT HAVE NOT BEEN AND WILL NOT BE REGISTERED IN THE UNITED STATES UNDER THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD IN THE UNITED STATES ABSENT REGISTRATION OR EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED. THERE WILL BE NO PUBLIC OFFER OF THE SECURITIES IN THE UNITED STATES.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL OR THE SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY OR THE SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY ANY EXCHANGEABLE BONDS.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS DIRECTED AT AND IS ONLY BEING DISTRIBUTED IN THE UNITED KINGDOM TO (I) PERSONS WHO HAVE PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE IN MATTERS RELATING TO INVESTMENTS FALLING WITHIN ARTICLE 19(5) OF THE FINANCIAL SERVICES AND MARKETS ACT 2000 (FINANCIAL PROMOTION) ORDER 2005 (THE "ORDER"), (II) HIGH NET WORTH ENTITIES, AND OTHER PERSONS TO WHOM IT MAY OTHERWISE LAWFULLY BE COMMUNICATED FALLING WITHIN ARTICLE 49 OF THE ORDER, AND (III) PERSONS TO WHOM IT MAY OTHERWISE LAWFULLY BE COMMUNICATED (ALL SUCH PERSONS TOGETHER BEING REFERRED TO AS "RELEVANT PERSONS"). THIS COMMUNICATION MUST NOT BE READ, ACTED ON OR RELIED ON BY PERSONS WHO ARE NOT RELEVANT PERSONS. ANY INVESTMENT OR INVESTMENT ACTIVITY TO WHICH THIS ANNOUNCEMENT RELATES IS AVAILABLE ONLY TO RELEVANT PERSONS AND WILL BE ENGAGED IN ONLY WITH RELEVANT PERSONS. BY READING THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, THE READER ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT IS A PERSON EITHER (I) OUTSIDE THE UNITED KINGDOM OR (II) FALLING WITHIN ONE OF THE FOREGOING CATEGORIES.
IN MEMBER STATES OF THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AREA ("EEA"), THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AND ANY OFFER IF MADE SUBSEQUENTLY IS DIRECTED ONLY AT PERSONS WHO ARE "QUALIFIED INVESTORS" WITHIN THE MEANING OF ARTICLE 2(1)(E) OF THE DIRECTIVE 2003/71/EC (THE "PROSPECTUS DIRECTIVE") ("QUALIFIED INVESTORS"). ANY PERSON IN THE EEA WHO ACQUIRES THE SECURITIES IN ANY OFFER (AN "INVESTOR") OR TO WHOM ANY OFFER OF THE SECURITIES IS MADE WILL BE DEEMED TO HAVE REPRESENTED AND AGREED THAT IT IS A QUALIFIED INVESTOR.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS A SUMMARY ONLY, AND DOES NOT PURPORT TO IDENTIFY OR SUGGEST THE RISKS (DIRECT OR INDIRECT) WHICH MAY BE ASSOCIATED WITH YOUR INVESTMENT IN THE CCENS OR THE MCS.
THE BOOKRUNNERS ARE ACTING FOR THE ISSUERS IN CONNECTION WITH THE OFFERING, AND FOR NO-ONE ELSE AND WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE TO ANYONE OTHER THAN THE ISSUERS FOR PROVIDING THE PROTECTIONS AFFORDED TO CLIENTS OF THE BOOKRUNNERS OR FOR PROVIDING ADVICE IN RELATION TO THE OFFERING, AND THE BOOKRUNNERS MAKE NO REPRESENTATIONS AS TO THE ACCURACY OF AND TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE CONTENTS OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT OR ANY MATTERS REFERRED TO HEREIN.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE RELIED UPON IN SUBSTITUTION FOR THE EXERCISE OF INDEPENDENT JUDGEMENT. IT IS NOT INTENDED AS INVESTMENT ADVICE AND UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES IS IT TO BE USED OR CONSIDERED AS AN OFFER TO SELL, OR A SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY ANY CCENS OR MCS OR A RECOMMENDATION TO BUY OR SELL ANY CCENS OR MCS. NEITHER THE BOOKRUNNERS NOR ANY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE AFFILIATES ACCEPTS ANY LIABILITY ARISING FROM THE USE OF OR MAKES ANY REPRESENTATION AS TO THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT.
EACH PERSON READING THIS ANNOUNCEMENT SHOULD CONSULT HIS/HER PROFESSIONAL ADVISER TO ASCERTAIN THE SUITABILITY OF THE CCENS OR MCS AS AN INVESTMENT. IN ADDITION, HAVING READ THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, EACH PROSPECTIVE INVESTOR SHOULD PROCEED ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT IT MUST BEAR THE ECONOMIC RISK OF AN INVESTMENT IN THE CCENS OR MCS FOR AN INDEFINITE PERIOD. NONE OF THE ISSUERS NOR THE BOOKRUNNERS MAKES ANY REPRESENTATION AS TO (I) THE SUITABILITY OF THE CCENS OR MCS FOR ANY PARTICULAR INVESTOR, (II) THE APPROPRIATE ACCOUNTING TREATMENT AND POTENTIAL TAX CONSEQUENCES OF INVESTING IN THE CCENS OR MCS OR (III) THE FUTURE PERFORMANCE OF THE CCENS OR MCS EITHER IN ABSOLUTE TERMS OR RELATIVE TO COMPETING INVESTMENTS.
IN CONNECTION WITH THE OFFERING, THE BOOKRUNNERS AND THEIR RESPECTIVE AFFILIATES MAY, FOR THEIR OWN ACCOUNT, ENTER INTO ASSET SWAPS, CREDIT DERIVATIVES OR OTHER DERIVATIVE TRANSACTIONS RELATING TO THE CCENS AND/OR MCS AND/OR THE UNDERLYING ORDINARY SHARES AT THE SAME TIME AS THE OFFER AND SALE OF THE CCENS OR MCS OR IN SECONDARY MARKET TRANSACTIONS. EACH OF THE BOOKRUNNERS OR ANY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE AFFILIATES MAY FROM TIME TO TIME HOLD LONG OR SHORT POSITIONS IN OR BUY AND SELL SUCH CCENS OR MCS OR DERIVATIVES OR THE UNDERLYING ORDINARY SHARES. NO DISCLOSURE WILL BE MADE OF ANY SUCH POSITIONS. THE AMOUNT OF ANY SUCH PURCHASES WILL BE DETERMINED AT THE TIME OF PRICING OF THE CCENS OR MCS AND WILL BE SUBJECT TO TOTAL DEMAND RECEIVED AND FINAL ALLOCATIONS. IN ADDITION, EACH OF THE BOOKRUNNERS AND THEIR RESPECTIVE AFFILIATES MAY PERFORM SERVICES FOR, OR SOLICIT BUSINESS FROM, THE ISSUERS MAY MAKE MARKETS IN THE SECURITIES OF THE ISSUERS AND/OR HAVE A POSITION OR EFFECT TRANSACTIONS IN SUCH SECURITIES.
