Issue of Debt

Compagnie de Saint-Gobain 18 May 2006 May 18, 2006 press release Saint-Gobain successfully launches a dual-tranche EUR 1.8 billion bond offering consisting of • A EUR 1.1 Bn tranche, 5-year maturity, annual coupon of 4.25% • A EUR 700 Mn tranche, 10-year maturity, annual coupon of 4.875% Compagnie de Saint-Gobain, whose long-term senior debt is rated BBB+ by Standard & Poor's and Baa1 by Moody's, set yesterday the terms of its new benchmark bond issue denominated in Euros. Despite a more challenging market than the previous week, the dual-tranche issue was very well received by investors. Due to the quality of the investor demand, the final size of the bond issue was increased from initial €1.5 billion to €1.8 billion. This transaction underlines bond investors' confidence in the credit quality of Saint-Gobain, following its acquisition of British Plaster Board (BPB). The transaction was launched following road-shows targeting European investors in Paris, Munich, Frankfurt, and London. The company presented its financial results and its business and financial strategy. The significant number of investors attending these presentations illustrates the strong interest of European bond investors in Saint-Gobain's credit. This transaction was launched mainly to refinance part of the BPB acquisition facility, and lengthen the average debt maturity of the Group. BNP Paribas, Calyon, Deutsche Bank and JP Morgan acted as lead managers for this bond issue. Investor Relations Department Tel.: Florence TRIOU-TEIXEIRA Tel.: +33 1 47 62 45 19 - mailto: florence.triou@saint-gobain.com Tel.: Alexandre ETUY Tel.: +33 1 47 62 3715 - mailto: alexandre.etuy@saint-gobain.com Fax: +33 1 47 62 50 62 This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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