Acquisition and Further Capital Injection

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited and The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited take no responsibility for the contents of this announcement, make no representation as to its accuracy or completeness and expressly disclaim any liability whatsoever for any loss howsoever arising from or in reliance upon the whole or any part of the contents of this announcement. (A joint stock limited company incorporated in the People´s Republic of China with limited liability) (Stock code: 0576) (1) DISCLOSEABLE TRANSACTION ACQUISITION OF THE REMAINING 44.225% EQUITY INTEREST ZHEJIANG EXPRESSWAY INVESTMENT DEVELOPMENT CO., LTD AND (2) FURTHER CAPITAL INJECTION INTO ZHESHANG SECURITIES CO., LTD. (1) ACQUISITION OF THE REMAINING 44.225% EQUITY INTEREST IN DEVELOPMENT CO Reference is made to the First Announcement on 23 August 2010 in relation to the acquisition of 4.775% equity interest in Development Co. The Board announces that the Company has entered into Further Acquisition Agreements with the Remaining Vendors of Development Co to acquire the remaining 44.225% equity interest in Development Co. Upon completion of the Further Acquisitions, Development Co will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company. Listing Rules implications As one of the applicable percentage ratios (as defined in Rule 14.07 of the Listing Rules) is more than 5% but less than 25%, the transactions contemplated under the Further Acquisition Agreements together constitute a discloseable transaction under Chapter 14 of the Listing Rules and is subject to the notification and announcement requirements as set out in Rule 14.33 of the Listing Rules. As the Further Acquisitions are subject to the approval of the State Asset Management Bureau of the Zhejiang Provincial Government, the Further Acquisitions may or may not proceed. Shareholders of the Company and potential investors should therefore exercise caution when dealing in the shares of the Company. (2) FURTHER CAPITAL INJECTION INTO ZHESHANG SECURITIES The Board announces that on 20 October 2010, Shangsan Co, a subsidiary of the Company, entered into an agreement with Zheshang Securities pursuant to which Shangsan Co agreed to inject a further amount of capital of RMB871 million (approximately HK$1,013 million) into Zheshang Securities as a pro rata further contribution to the equity capital of Zheshang Securities. Together with an initial injection of RMB1,174 million (approximately HK$1,365 million) into the capital of Zheshang Securities, Shangsan Co has contributed a total of RMB2,045 million (approximately HK$2,377 million) into the capital of Zheshang Securities. ACQUISITION OF THE REMAINING 44.225% EQUITY INTEREST IN DEVELOPMENT CO Reference is made to the First Announcement on 23 August 2010. Unless otherwise defined, capitalised terms used in this announcement shall have the same meanings as those defined in the First Announcement. FURTHER ACQUISITION AGREEMENTS Dates 20 agreements entered into between 13 August 2010 and 14 October 2010@# Parties The Remaining Vendors respectively@# The Company Assets to be acquired The remaining 44.225% equity interest in Development Co not already owned by the Company Consideration The aggregate consideration for the Further Acquisitions is RMB88 million (equivalent to approximately HK$102 million) and the consideration will be satisfied by the Company in cash. The consideration for the Further Acquisitions was determined after arm´s length negotiation between the parties based on normal commercial terms and with reference to the audited net asset value of Development Co for the year ended 31 December 2009. Condition precedent The Further Acquisition Agreements are conditional on obtaining the approval of the State Asset Management Bureau of the Zhejiang Provincial Government. Completion The Further Acquisition Agreements shall take effect on the date on which the condition precedent has been satisified. Completion of the Further Acquisition Agreements shall take place when the consideration for the Further Acquisition is settled in full and the Remaining Vendors execute the relevant transfer documents pertaining to the Further Acquisitions. Upon completion, Development Co will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company. INFORMATION ON THE GROUP The Company is a joint stock company established under the laws of the PRC with limited liability on 1 March 1997, the H Shares of which are listed on the Main Board of the Stock Exchange. The main business of the Group is the investment in, operation and management of, and collection of tolls on the Expressways. The Group also carry out certain ancillary businesses such as automobile servicing, operation of gas stations and billboard advertising along the Expressways, as well as securities business. INFORMATION ON DEVELOPMENT CO Development Co is a limited liability company incorporated in the PRC on 28 May 2003. The registered capital of Development Co is RMB120 million (equivalent to approximately HK$140 million). Immediately after the Completion of the Further Acquisitions, Development Co will be a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company. Development Co is principally engaged in the operation of the Services Area along the 247.6km Shanghai-Hangzhou-Ningbo Expressway and the 142km Shangshan Expressway in the Zhejiang Province owned by the Company and Shangsan Co respectively, and through its subsidiaries, billboard advertising as well as vehicle servicing operations along the two expressways. The net asset attributable to owners of Development Co based on its audited financial statements for the financial year ended 31 December 2009 is RMB199 million (equivalent to approximately HK$231 million). The net profit/(loss) before and after tax and extraordinary items of Development Co based on its audited financial statements for the financial years ended 31 December 2008 and 2009 are as follows: For the For the period ended period ended 31 December 31 December 2008 2009 RMB´000 RMB´000 net profit/(loss) before tax and extraordinary 100,718 68,032 items net profit/(loss) after tax and extraordinary 84,405 46,709 items REASONS FOR AND BENEFITS OF THE FURTHER ACQUISITIONS As set out in the First Announcement, pursuant to the Opinion, save in circumstances set out in the Opinion, employees of state-owned enterprise may not directly or indirectly hold shares in the affiliates and subsidiaries of state-owned enterprise. Senior and middle management staff of the state-owned enterprise holding such shares are required to transfer such shares or to resign from their office. The Remaining Vendors have agreed to sell their 44.225% equity interest in Development Co to the Company in accordance with the Opinion. To the best of the Directors´ knowledge, information and belief having made all reasonable enquiry, the Key Employees are Independent Third Parties. The Directors (including all of the independent non-executive Directors) believe that the terms of the transaction are fair and reasonable and in the interests of the shareholders as a whole. GENERAL Upon completion of the Further Acquisitions, Development Co will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company. FURTHER CAPITAL INJECTION INTO ZHESHANG SECURITIES BACKGROUND On 20 October 2010, Shangsan Co, a subsidiary of the Company, entered into an agreement with Zheshang Securities pursuant to which Shangsan Co agreed to inject a further amount of capital of RMB871 million (approximately HK$1,013 million) into Zheshang Securities by cash. In conjunction with the offer by Zheshang Securities to Shangsan Co to inject additional capital into Zheshang Securities, Zheshang Securities also invited other of its then shareholders to inject additional capital into Zheshang Securities in proportion to their respective then equity interests in Zheshang Securities. The amount of RMB871 million (approximately HK$1,013 million) includes the contribution by Shangsan Co in proportion to its then equity interests in Zheshang Securities and the equity interests not taken up by certain other shareholders in Zheshang Securities. Together with an initial injection of RMB1,174 million (approximately HK$1,365 million) into the capital of Zheshang Securities, Shangsan Co has contributed a total of around RMB2,045 million (approximately HK$2,377 million) into the capital of Zheshang Securities. After the Further Capital Injection, the registered capital of Zheshang Securities increased from RMB2,120 million to RMB2,915 million and Shangsan Co owned as to 71.0398% of the capital of Zheshang Securities. The remaining 28.9602% of the capital of Zheshang Securities is owned by other shareholders, which, to the best of the Directors' knowledge, information and belief and after having made all reasonable enquiry, are all Independent Third Parties. FUNDING The Further Capital Injection was funded by internal resources of Shangsan Co. EFFECTIVE DATE OF FURTHER CAPITAL INJECTION The Further Capital Injection will be effective as and when approval thereof is obtained from the CSRC. REASONS OF THE FURTHER CAPITAL INJECTION The Further Capital Injection will increase the net capital of Zheshang Securities and, the Directors believe will set out a more solid foundation for its involvement in more advanced trading activities, and allow Zheshang Securities to apply to the CSRC in respect of the licence to conduct margin trading. By expanding the scope of business of Zheshang Securities, Zheshang Securities will become more competitive in the capital market of the PRC. INFORMATION OF SHANGSAN CO Apart from the 71.0398% shareholding interest in Zheshang Securities, Shangsan Co owns and operates the Group's business relating to collection of road tolls in respect of the Shangsan Expressway. DEFINITIONS "Ancillary Businesses" ancillary businesses of the Group involving billboard advertising, operation of the Service Areas and the business of provision of towing and repair of vehicles and emergency services to users on the Expressways; "associate" has the same meaning given to it under the Listing Rules; "Board" the board of directors of the Company; "Company" Zhejiang Expressway Co., Ltd.; "CSRC" China Securities Regulatory Commission (中國証券監督管理委員 会); "Development Co" Zhejiang Expressway Investment Development Co., Ltd., a 55.775% owned subsidiary of the Company; "Directors" the directors of the Company; "Expressways" Shanghai-Hangzhou-Ningbo Expressway and the Shangsan Expressway "First Announcement" the announcement made on 23 August 2010; "Further Acquisitions" the acquisition by the Company from the Remaining Vendors of the 44.225% equity interest in Development Co pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Further Acquisition Agreements; "Further Acquisition the conditional sale and purchase agreements Agreements" entered into between 13 August 2010 to 14 October 2010 between the Remaining Vendors and the Company relating to the Further Acquisitions; "Further Capital Injection" the contribution by, amongst others, Shangsan Co of an amount of RMB871 million into the capital of Zheshang Securities; "Group" the Company and its subsidiaries; "HK$" Hong Kong dollars, the lawful currency of Hong Kong; "Hong Kong" the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the PRC; "Independent Third Parties" independent third party/parties not connected with the directors, supervisors, substantial shareholders of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or their respective associates; "Key Employees" 133 key employees of the Group who are mainly managers and technical staff involved in the operation of the Ancillary Businesses, and who own in aggregate 44.225% of the equity interest in the registered share capital of Development Co; "Listing Rules" The Rules Governing the Listing of Securities on the Stock Exchange; "PRC" The People´s Republic of China; "Remaining Vendors" 10 individual acting as nominees of the Key Employees; and "RMB" Renminbi, the lawful currency of the PRC; "Service Areas" service areas along the Expressways which provide food catering, petrol filing, parking and vehicle repair services for users of the Expressways; "Shanghai-Hangzhou- Ningbo the 247.5km Shanghai-Hangzhou-Ningbo Expressway in Expressway" the Zhejiang Province owned by the Group "Shangsan Co" Zhejiang Shangsan Expressway Co., Ltd (浙江上三高速公路有限公 司), a 73.625% owned subsidiary of the Company in the PRC; "Shangsan Expressway" the 142km Shangsan Expressway in Zhejiang Province owned by Shangsan Co "Stock Exchange" The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited; and "Zheshang Securities" Zheshang Securities Co., Ltd. (浙商證券有限責任公司), a limited liability company incorporated in the PRC in May 2002. In this announcement, the translation of RMB into HK$ is based on the exchange of rate of HK$1 to RMB0.86. Such conversion shall not be construed as a representation that amounts in RMB were or may have been converted into HK$ using such exchange rate or any other exchange rate or at all. By Order of the Board Zhejiang Expressway Co., Ltd Zhang Jingzhong Company Secretary Hangzhou, PRC, 21 October 2010 As at the date of this announcement, the executive directors of the Company are: Messrs. Chen Jisong, Zhan Xiaozhang, Jiang Wenyao and Zhang Jingzhong and Ding Huikang; the non-executive directors are: Mrs. Zhang Luyun; and the independent non-executive directors are: Messrs. Tung Chee Chen, Zhang Junsheng and Zhang Liping. - 2 -
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