Hunter Douglas tender offer Launched
Hunter Douglas tender offer Launched
Hunter Douglas tender offer LaunchedRotterdam, 1 July, 2005 - Hunter Douglas, the world market leader in window coverings and a major manufacturer of architectural products, and Bergson, a holding company formed by Mr. R. Sonnenberg, announce that all the preconditions for making the reverse bookbuilding tender offer (in Dutch: "tenderbod") for 10.5 million Hunter Douglas common shares have been fulfilled and that Bergson is launching the tender offer. The offer document will be available as of tomorrow, 2 July 2005. Advertisements announcing the offer and describing the offer procedure will also be published on 2 July.
Tender offer
Bergson makes the tender offer for a maximum of 10.5 million common shares of Hunter Douglas. The clearing price payable by Bergson in cash per common share accepted under the offer will be determined through a reverse bookbuilding process. Any shareholder who wishes to tender common shares may tender common shares at specified prices. Bergson does not have to honour the offer if fewer than 10,5 million common shares are tendered at or below the target price (richtprijs) of EUR 46.00 cum dividend in cash per common share.
Offer document
The offer is described in detail in the offer document. The offer document will be available in the English language and includes a summary in the Dutch language. The offer document will be available free of charge at the head office of Hunter Douglas (telephone +31 (0)10 486 9911) and at the office of ING Corporate Finance (telephone +31 (0)20 563 8535, email cfprospectus@ingcf.com) as from 2 July 2004. The offer document will also be available on the Hunter Douglas' website, www.hunterdouglasgroup.com. As further specified in the offer document the offer is only made in jurisdictions where the applicable legislation so permits.
Offer period
The offer period will start on 4 July 2005 and, unless extended, will end on 29 July 2005. Within five Euronext Stock Exchange days after the closing of the offer period Bergson will announce whether it will honour the offer. If the offer is honoured Bergson will announce the number of shares that will be accepted and the clearing price per accepted common share. Settlement will take place within five Euronext Stock Exchange days after the date the offer is honoured.
Annual General Shareholders Meeting
Since the offer process and settlement of the shares accepted under the offer cannot be completed prior to the initially scheduled ex-dividend date of 4 August 2005, the ex-dividend date will be postponed to 18 August 2005. The Annual General Shareholders' Meeting scheduled for 2 August 2005 will be held on 16 August 2005. Accordingly, the tender offer can proceed and be settled on a cum dividend basis.
This press release is also published in Dutch. If there are any inconsistencies between the Dutch and English versions, the Dutch version prevails.
This press release is a public announcement within the meaning of Section 9b paragraph 1 of the Securities Market Supervision Decree (Besluit toezicht effectenverkeer 1995).
For further information from Hunter Douglas N.V.:
Margaret van Kempen
Van Kempen Public Relations & Public Affairs
telefoon +31 (0)70 346 3760
telefax +31 (0)70 346 1784
mobile + 31 (0)653 805 856
m.vankempen@kempenpr.nl
For further information from Bergson Holdings N.V.:
Christopher C. King
Vice President
Phone: +41 79 219 6911
christopherking@bluewin.ch
Tender offer
Bergson makes the tender offer for a maximum of 10.5 million common shares of Hunter Douglas. The clearing price payable by Bergson in cash per common share accepted under the offer will be determined through a reverse bookbuilding process. Any shareholder who wishes to tender common shares may tender common shares at specified prices. Bergson does not have to honour the offer if fewer than 10,5 million common shares are tendered at or below the target price (richtprijs) of EUR 46.00 cum dividend in cash per common share.
Offer document
The offer is described in detail in the offer document. The offer document will be available in the English language and includes a summary in the Dutch language. The offer document will be available free of charge at the head office of Hunter Douglas (telephone +31 (0)10 486 9911) and at the office of ING Corporate Finance (telephone +31 (0)20 563 8535, email cfprospectus@ingcf.com) as from 2 July 2004. The offer document will also be available on the Hunter Douglas' website, www.hunterdouglasgroup.com. As further specified in the offer document the offer is only made in jurisdictions where the applicable legislation so permits.
Offer period
The offer period will start on 4 July 2005 and, unless extended, will end on 29 July 2005. Within five Euronext Stock Exchange days after the closing of the offer period Bergson will announce whether it will honour the offer. If the offer is honoured Bergson will announce the number of shares that will be accepted and the clearing price per accepted common share. Settlement will take place within five Euronext Stock Exchange days after the date the offer is honoured.
Annual General Shareholders Meeting
Since the offer process and settlement of the shares accepted under the offer cannot be completed prior to the initially scheduled ex-dividend date of 4 August 2005, the ex-dividend date will be postponed to 18 August 2005. The Annual General Shareholders' Meeting scheduled for 2 August 2005 will be held on 16 August 2005. Accordingly, the tender offer can proceed and be settled on a cum dividend basis.
This press release is also published in Dutch. If there are any inconsistencies between the Dutch and English versions, the Dutch version prevails.
This press release is a public announcement within the meaning of Section 9b paragraph 1 of the Securities Market Supervision Decree (Besluit toezicht effectenverkeer 1995).
For further information from Hunter Douglas N.V.:
Margaret van Kempen
Van Kempen Public Relations & Public Affairs
telefoon +31 (0)70 346 3760
telefax +31 (0)70 346 1784
mobile + 31 (0)653 805 856
m.vankempen@kempenpr.nl
For further information from Bergson Holdings N.V.:
Christopher C. King
Vice President
Phone: +41 79 219 6911
christopherking@bluewin.ch
