Recordati: the Board approves the conversion of all savings and stocks split
Milan, September 18th, 2000 - The Board of Directors of
Recordati S.p.A. approved a project for converting savings shares
into ordinary shares which will be submitted for approval to the
extraordinary shareholders' meeting and to the special savings
shareholders' meeting.
The project is aimed at:
- simplifying the capital
structure
- improving the liquidity of the
stock
- raising additional
funds
Under the terms of the project, savings shareholders will have
the possibility of converting savings shares into newly issued
ordinary shares:
- in the ratio of 1:1 by paying € 4
per savings share; or
- in the ratio of 25 savings shares to 16
ordinary shares with no payment
Savings shareholders who convert their shares in the ratio of
1:1 by paying € 4 per share receive - based on the average
stock prices of the last 10 trading days - an implicit conversion
premium of about 30%. Alternatively, the conversion premium for
savings shareholders who opt to convert their shares in the ratio
of 25:16 with no payment is about 16%.
All savings shares outstanding at the end of the option period
will be automatically converted into ordinary shares in the ratio
of 16 ordinary shares for 25 savings shares without payment. Both
converted and existing shares will be entitled to receive dividends
relating to fiscal year 2000.
As a consequence of the payment of the € 4 conversion
price, the company will raise up to € 45 million in additional
funds, and net equity will increase accordingly.
The Board also announced that at the end of the conversion
period the capital stock shall be re-denominated in Euros, with a
par value of € 1.00 per share through the use of available
reserves. Subsequently a 2:1 stock split shall take place.
The Board of directors also provided for an early exercise
window for options to savings shares held by management, in order
to allow them to take advantage of the conversion offer. The
exercise of these options will increase the number of savings
shares outstanding before conversion by up to 206,900 up to a
maximum number of 11,456,900 shares.
"This operation brings along several advantages" said Giovanni
Recordati, Chairman and C.E.O. "In the first place it simplifies
the capital structure, better meeting the requirements of
institutional investors for improved liquidity in the stock. In
addition I believe it will increase our market capitalization
following both the payment of the € 4 per share conversion
price, and a market preference for ordinary, rather than savings,
shares. The new financial resources will allow us to continue along
our international expansion strategy."
Further information will be available on www.recordati.it as
from October 9, 2000.
Recordati is an international group engaged in the research,
manufacturing and marketing of pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical
chemicals. Recordati's common and savings shares are listed on the
Milano Stock Exchange since 1984 (ordinary shares Reuters RECI.MI,
Bloomberg REC_MI; savings shares RECIr.IM, RECNC_IM).
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