Disposal

Carillion PLC 28 June 2004 Carillion sells further PPP equity and announces additional dividend In line with its policy of recycling its equity investments in Public Private Partnership (PPP) projects through a programme of phased disposals, business and construction services company, Carillion, has sold its 50 per cent equity interest in the M40 road project to John Laing plc. Carillion has also sold 50 per cent of the 100 per cent equity interest it held in the A249 road project to Barclays European Infrastructure Limited (BEIL). These sales generated an exceptional profit of some £7 million. The Board has again decided to return one third of this to shareholders by way of an additional dividend of one penny per share, which will be paid with the Group's 2004 interim dividend. Commenting, Carillion Chief Executive, John McDonough, said, 'Our PPP equity sales continue to meet the objectives we set when we announced our intention to recycle our investments. They clearly demonstrate the value we have created for shareholders and generate funds that will be reinvested in new PPP projects to provide further returns for shareholders. 'As expected, there is a growing market for PPP equity and we intend to continue our phased programme of equity disposals. At the same time we already expect to invest around a further £25 million over the next few years in new projects that we have already financially closed or for which we are the preferred bidder.' M40 Carillion has sold its equity interest in this project for a cash consideration of £19.65 million, of which £0.5 million will be held in escrow and will be receivable by Carillion subject to the financial performance of the concession. The consideration may also be adjusted up or down by a further £0.75 million, subject to financial performance. The proceeds generated by the sale are entirely in line with the Director's valuation of Carillion's equity portfolio of around £100 million, published with the Group's preliminary results in March 2004. Carillion will continue to maintain the 123 km of the M40 between Junction 1A, the intersection with the M25, and Junction 15 at Warwick. Carillion's original equity investment in the M40 Special Purpose Vehicle company (SPV) was £2.2 million, made in 1998. Carillion also purchased additional equity from its M40 SPV partners in 2000 and 2001. At the point of sale, Carillion's equity interest in the M40 SPV stood at £13.1 million. The sale will generate an immediate net exceptional profit of £6.0 million, excluding the future potential increase in the consideration. Carillion's original equity investment of £2.2 million generated proceeds of some £7.65 million, approximately 3.5 times book value. The remaining equity generated proceeds that were approximately equal to its original cost. Net of dividends and interest on loan stock, the cash cost to Carillion of its investments in the M40 SPV up to the point of sale, was £6.3 million. In 2003, the profit attributable to Carillion's equity interest in M40 was some £1.0 million. The accounting treatment for profit and cash relating to the Group's equity interest in the M40 project from 1998 to the point of sale is included in the notes below. A249 Carillion was the sole investor in this project at financial close in February 2004 with 100 per cent of the share capital of £50,000. Carillion also assumed an obligation to increase its equity interest in due course through a subordinate loan note of approximately £6 million. Carillion has sold 50 per cent of its share capital to Barclays European Infrastructure Limited (BEIL). This will generate an exceptional profit of £1.0 million. BEIL has also assumed responsibility for 50 per cent (£3 million) of the subordinate loan note. This sale has no effect on Carillion's subcontracts for routine maintenance of 17 kilometres of the existing road prior to completion of the new road, for the design and construction of the new £130 million road and for its subsequent maintenance. The new road is due to be completed in Summer 2006. Notes Following the disposal of its equity interest in the M40 project, Carillion has a portfolio of 14 financially closed PPP projects in which it has invested equity of some £29 million and in which it has commitments to invest around a further £11 million. Carillion is also the preferred bidder for five PPP projects in which its total equity investment is expected to be in the region of £14 million. The construction, maintenance and facilities management value of the five projects for which Carillion is preferred bidder, is in the region of £1.8 million. The following tables summarise Carillion's share of profit and cashflow on the M40 concession. -------------------------- ----------- ---------- Profit £000's Received Paid -------------------------- ----------- ---------- Sales Proceeds 19,150 Equity Interest Equity 7,547 Loan Stock 5,524 Profit consolidated to date of sale 79 Total 19,150 13,150 Exceptional Profit 6,000 --------------------------- ----------- ----------- Cash £000's Received Paid --------------------------- ----------- ----------- Equity Interest Equity 7,547 Loan Stock 5,524 Sale Proceeds 19,150 Dividends 3,275 Loan Stock Interest 3,473 Total 25,898 13,071 Net Cash generated 12,827 For further information contact John Denning Director Group Corporate Affairs 01902 316426 This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

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Carillion (CLLN)
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