MARCH 02 2016
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EPR - NC Europris Holding B.V. has sold 20,000,000 shares in Europris ASA
Oslo, 2 March 2016: Reference is made to the stock exchange announcement on 1 March 2016 regarding the potential sale by NC Europris Holding B.V. (an entity controlled by Nordic Capital Fund VII 1) ) ("Nordic Capital"), of up to 20,000,000 shares in Europris ASA ("Europris", ticker "EPR").
Nordic Capital has today sold 20,000,000 shares in Europris, representing 11.98% of the share capital and voting rights in Europris, by way of an accelerated bookbuilt offering to institutional and other professional investors. The shares were sold at a price of NOK 39 per share. After the sale, Nordic Capital owns 54,619,558 shares in Europris.
By this transaction, Nordic Capital's shareholding in Europris is reduced from 44.69% to 32.71% of the share capital and voting rights in Europris based on a total number of outstanding shares of 166,968,888 shares. Nordic Capital is represented on the board of directors of Europris.
Nordic Capital has engaged ABG Sundal Collier ASA and Merrill Lynch International as joint bookrunners in the Sale (the "Bookrunners"). Moelis & Company is acting as advisor to Nordic Capital. Advokatfirmaet Selmer DA and Latham & Watkins (London) LLP are acting as legal advisors to Nordic Capital.
1) Nordic Capital VII Limited, acting in its capacity as General Partner of Nordic Capital VII Alpha, L.P. and Nordic Capital VII Beta, L.P., together with any associated co-investment vehicles.
IMPORTANT NOTICE
THIS INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO THE DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS PURSUANT TO SECTIONS 4-2, 4-3 AND 5-12 OF THE NORWEGIAN SECURITIES TRADING ACT.
THESE MATERIALS ARE NOT AN OFFER FOR SALE OF OR A SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY SECURITIES IN THE UNITED STATES. THE SHARES (AS DEFINED BELOW) HAVE NOT BEEN, AND WILL NOT BE, REGISTERED UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "SECURITIES ACT") AND MAY NOT BE SOLD IN THE UNITED STATES ABSENT REGISTRATION OR AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT. THERE WILL NOT BE A PUBLIC OFFERING OF THE SHARES IN THE UNITED STATES.
ANY INVESTMENT DECISION TO BUY SHARES IN THE SALE MUST BE MADE SOLELY ON THE BASIS OF PUBLICLY AVAILABLE INFORMATION WHICH HAS NOT BEEN INDEPENDENTLY VERIFIED BY THE BOOKRUNNERS OR NORDIC CAPITAL. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT AN OFFER OF SECURITIES OR INVESTMENTS FOR SALE OR A SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY SECURITIES OR INVESTMENTS IN THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, CANADA OR JAPAN, OR IN ANY JURISDICTION WHERE SUCH OFFER OR SOLICITATION WOULD BE UNLAWFUL. NO ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN THAT WOULD PERMIT AN OFFERING OF THE SECURITIES OR POSSESSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IN ANY JURISDICTION WHERE ACTION FOR THAT PURPOSE IS REQUIRED. PERSONS INTO WHOSE POSSESSION
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT COMES ARE REQUIRED TO INFORM THEMSELVES ABOUT AND TO OBSERVE ANY SUCH RESTRICTIONS. ANY FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THESE RESTRICTIONS MAY CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY SUCH JURISDICTION.
IN MEMBER STATES OF THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AREA ("EEA") WHICH HAVE IMPLEMENTED THE PROSPECTUS DIRECTIVE (EACH, A "RELEVANT MEMBER STATE"), OTHER THAN THE UNITED KINGDOM, THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AND ANY OFFER IF MADE SUBSEQUENTLY IS ADDRESSED TO AND DIRECTED EXCLUSIVELY AT PERSONS WHO ARE "QUALIFIED INVESTORS" WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE PROSPECTUS DIRECTIVE ("QUALIFIED INVESTORS"). FOR THESE PURPOSES, THE EXPRESSION "PROSPECTUS DIRECTIVE" MEANS DIRECTIVE 2003/71/EC (AND AMENDMENTS THERETO, INCLUDING THE 2010 PD AMENDING DIRECTIVE, TO THE EXTENT IMPLEMENTED IN A RELEVANT MEMBER STATE), AND INCLUDES ANY RELEVANT IMPLEMENTING MEASURE IN THE RELEVANT MEMBER STATE AND THE EXPRESSION "2010 PD AMENDING DIRECTIVE" MEANS DIRECTIVE 2010/73/EU. IN THE UNITED KINGDOM THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS ADDRESSED TO AND DIRECTED EXCLUSIVELY AT QUALIFIED INVESTORS (I) 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, AS AMENDED (THE "ORDER"), (II) WHO ARE HIGH NET WORTH ENTITIES FALLING WITHIN ARTICLE 49(2)(A) TO (D) OF THE ORDER, OR (III) TO WHOM IT MAY OTHERWISE LAWFULLY BE COMMUNICATED (ALL SUCH PERSONS BEING REFERRED TO AS "RELEVANT PERSONS"). ANY INVESTMENT OR INVESTMENT ACTIVITY TO WHICH THIS ANNOUNCEMENT RELATES IS AVAILABLE ONLY TO RELEVANT PERSONS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND QUALIFIED INVESTORS IN ANY RELEVANT MEMBER STATE OTHER THAN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND WILL BE ENGAGED IN ONLY WITH SUCH PERSONS. OTHER PERSONS SHOULD NOT RELY OR ACT UPON THIS ANNOUNCEMENT OR ANY OF ITS CONTENTS.
IN CONNECTION WITH ANY OFFERING OF THE SHARES OF EUROPRIS (THE "SHARES"), THE BOOKRUNNERS AND ANY OF THEIR AFFILIATES ACTING AS AN INVESTOR FOR THEIR OWN ACCOUNT MAY TAKE UP AS A PRINCIPAL POSITION ANY SHARES AND IN THAT CAPACITY MAY RETAIN, PURCHASE OR SELL FOR THEIR OWN ACCOUNT SUCH SHARES. IN ADDITION THE BOOKRUNNERS OR THEIR AFFILIATES MAY ENTER INTO FINANCING ARRANGEMENTS AND SWAPS WITH INVESTORS IN CONNECTION WITH WHICH THE BOOKRUNNERS (OR THEIR AFFILIATES) MAY FROM TIME TO TIME ACQUIRE, HOLD OR DISPOSE OF SHARES. THE BOOKRUNNERS DO NOT INTEND TO DISCLOSE THE EXTENT OF ANY SUCH INVESTMENT OR TRANSACTIONS OTHERWISE THAN IN ACCORDANCE WITH ANY LEGAL OR REGULATORY OBLIGATION TO DO SO.
THE BOOKRUNNERS ARE ACTING ON BEHALF OF NORDIC CAPITAL AND NO ONE ELSE IN CONNECTION WITH ANY OFFERING OF THE SHARES AND WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE TO ANY OTHER PERSON FOR PROVIDING THE PROTECTIONS AFFORDED TO CLIENTS OF THE BOOKRUNNERS OR FOR PROVIDING ADVICE IN RELATION TO ANY OFFERING OF THE SHARES.