Statement re revised proposal from Klépierre S.A.

RNS Number : 4977K

Hammerson PLC

11 April 2018

 

NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN, INTO OR FROM ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OR REGULATIONS OF SUCH JURISDICTION

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

This Announcement contains inside information

 11 April 2018

Hammerson plc ("Hammerson" or the "Company")

Statement re revised proposal from Klépierre S.A. ("Klépierre")

The Board of Hammerson announces that the Company has received a revised proposal from Klépierre relating to a possible acquisition of the entire issued and to be issued share capital of Hammerson (the "Revised Proposal"). The Revised Proposal is 635 pence per Hammerson share, comprising 50% in new Klépierre shares and 50% in cash.

The Revised Proposal was conveyed in a meeting between David Tyler, Chairman of Hammerson, and the Chairman of the Executive Board of Klépierre, Jean-Marc Jestin, on the evening of 9 April 2018.

The Revised Proposal represents only a marginal increase to Klépierre's unsolicited proposal of 615 pence made on 8 March 2018, which Hammerson's Board unanimously rejected on the basis that it very significantly undervalued Hammerson, its track record of delivery, the quality of its portfolio, its market positions, and the opportunities it has for future value creation. Accordingly, the Board of Hammerson, having assessed the Revised Proposal with its advisers, believes it is not at a price that justifies further engagement with Klépierre and has unanimously rejected it. The Board remains open to discuss any proposal from Klépierre which properly reflects the value of the Company.

Shareholders are strongly advised to take no action.

David Tyler, Chairman of Hammerson, said:

"The Board has considered the revised proposal from Klépierre carefully. At 635p, it is only a 3% increase on the previous proposal and continues very significantly to undervalue the company." 

There can be no certainty of a firm offer for Hammerson from Klépierre or the terms on which any firm offer might be made. This Announcement is made without the consent of Klépierre.

As previously stated, in accordance with Rule 2.6(a) of the Code, Klépierre is required, by not later than 5.00 p.m. on 16 April 2018, to either announce a firm intention to make an offer for Hammerson in accordance with Rule 2.7 of the Code or announce that it does not intend to make an offer, in which case the announcement will be treated as a statement to which Rule 2.8 of the Code applies. This deadline can be extended with the consent of the Panel in accordance with Rule 2.6(c) of the Code.

The person responsible for making this Announcement is Sarah Booth, General Counsel and Company Secretary.

Enquiries:

Hammerson	[phone]
David Tyler, Chairman David Atkins, Chief Executive Officer Timon Drakesmith, Chief Financial Officer and Managing Director, Premium Outlets Rebecca Patton, Head of Investor Relations Catrin Sharp, Head of Corporate Communications
Deutsche Bank (Financial Adviser and Corporate Broker to Hammerson)	[phone]
Charles Wilkinson James Arculus Rishi Bhuchar Samantha Forbes (South Africa)	[phone]
J.P. Morgan Cazenove (Financial Adviser and Corporate Broker to Hammerson)	[phone]
Edmund Byers Massimo Saletti Paul Hewlett Adam Laursen
Lazard (Financial Adviser to Hammerson)	[phone]
William Rucker Patrick Long Will Lawes Max von Hurter
FTI Consulting (PR adviser to Hammerson)	[phone]
John Waples Dido Laurimore Tom Gough	[phone] [phone] [phone]

Further information

Deutsche Bank AG is authorised under German Banking Law (competent authority: European Central Bank) and, in the United Kingdom, by the Prudential Regulation Authority. It is subject to supervision by the European Central Bank and by BaFin, Germany's Federal Financial Supervisory Authority, and is subject to limited regulation in the United Kingdom by the Prudential Regulation Authority and FCA. Details about the extent of its authorisation and regulation by the Prudential Regulation Authority, and regulation by the FCA, are available on request or from www.db.com/en/content/eu_disclosures.htm. Deutsche Bank AG, acting through its London branch ("DB London") is acting as financial adviser and corporate broker to Hammerson and no other person in connection with this Announcement or any of its contents. DB London will not be responsible to any person other than Hammerson for providing any of the protections afforded to clients of DB London, nor for providing any advice in relation to the acquisition or any other matter referred to herein. Neither DB London nor any of its affiliates owes or accepts any duty, liability or responsibility whatsoever (whether direct or indirect, whether in contract, in tort, under statute or otherwise) to any person who is not a client of DB London in connection with this Announcement, any statement contained herein or otherwise.

J.P. Morgan Securities plc, which conducts its UK investment banking business as J.P. Morgan Cazenove, is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the FCA and the Prudential Regulation Authority in the United Kingdom. J.P. Morgan Cazenove is acting exclusively as financial adviser to Hammerson and no one else in connection with the matters set out in this Announcement and will not regard any other person as its client in relation to the matters set out in this Announcement and will not be responsible to anyone other than Hammerson for providing the protections afforded to clients of J.P. Morgan Cazenove or its affiliates, or for providing advice in relation to the contents of this Announcement or any other matter referred to herein.

Lazard & Co., Limited, which is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the FCA, is acting exclusively as financial adviser to Hammerson and no one else in connection with the acquisition and will not be responsible to anyone other than Hammerson for providing the protections afforded to clients of Lazard & Co., Limited nor for providing advice in relation to the acquisition or any other matters referred to in this Announcement. Neither Lazard & Co., Limited nor any of its affiliates owes or accepts any duty, liability or responsibility whatsoever (whether direct or indirect, whether in contract, in tort, under statute or otherwise) to any person who is not a client of Lazard & Co., Limited in connection with this Announcement, any statement contained herein or otherwise.

Overseas jurisdictions

The release, publication or distribution of this Announcement in jurisdictions other than the United Kingdom and South Africa may be restricted by law and therefore any persons who are subject to the laws of any jurisdiction other than the United Kingdom and South Africa should inform themselves about, and observe, any applicable requirements. The information disclosed in this Announcement may not be the same as that which would have been disclosed if this Announcement had been prepared in accordance with the laws of jurisdictions outside the United Kingdom.

Disclosure requirements

Under Rule 8.3(a) of the Code, any person who is interested in 1 per cent. or more of any class of relevant securities of an offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror (being any offeror other than an offeror in respect of which it has been announced that its offer is, or is likely to be, solely in cash) must make an Opening Position Disclosure following the commencement of the offer period and, if later, following the announcement in which any securities exchange offeror is first identified. An Opening Position Disclosure must contain details of the person's interests and short positions in, and rights to subscribe for, any relevant securities of each of (i) the offeree company and (ii) any securities exchange offeror(s). An Opening Position Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(a) applies must be made by no later than 3.30 p.m. (London time) on the 10th business day following the commencement of the offer period and, if appropriate, by no later than 3.30 p.m. (London time) on the 10th business day following the announcement in which any securities exchange offeror is first identified. Relevant persons who deal in the relevant securities of the offeree company or of a securities exchange offeror prior to the deadline for making an Opening Position Disclosure must instead make a Dealing Disclosure.

Under Rule 8.3(b) of the Code, any person who is, or becomes, interested in 1 per cent. or more of any class of relevant securities of the offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror must make a Dealing Disclosure if the person deals in any relevant securities of the offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror. A Dealing Disclosure must contain details of the dealing concerned and of the person's interests and short positions in, and rights to subscribe for, any relevant securities of each of (i) the offeree company and (ii) any securities exchange offeror(s), save to the extent that these details have previously been disclosed under Rule 8. A Dealing Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(b) applies must be made by no later than 3.30 p.m. (London time) on the business day following the date of the relevant dealing.

If two or more persons act together pursuant to an agreement or understanding, whether formal or informal, to acquire or control an interest in relevant securities of an offeree company or a securities exchange offeror, they will be deemed to be a single person for the purpose of Rule 8.3.

Opening Position Disclosures must also be made by the offeree company and by any offeror and Dealing Disclosures must also be made by the offeree company, by any offeror and by any persons acting in concert with any of them (see Rules 8.1, 8.2 and 8.4).

Details of the offeree and offeror companies in respect of whose relevant securities Opening Position Disclosures and Dealing Disclosures must be made can be found in the Disclosure Table on the Takeover Panel's website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk, including details of the number of relevant securities in issue, when the offer period commenced and when any offeror was first identified. You should contact the Panel's Market Surveillance Unit on [phone] if you are in any doubt as to whether you are required to make an Opening Position Disclosure or a Dealing Disclosure.

Forward-looking statements

This Announcement contains certain forward-looking statements, beliefs or opinions, with respect to the financial condition, results of operations and business of Hammerson. These forward-looking statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate only to historical or current facts. Forward-looking statements often use words such as "anticipate", "target", "expect", "estimate", "intend", "plan", "goal", "believe", "hope", "aims", "continue", "will", "may", "should", "would", "could", or other words of similar meaning. These statements are based on assumptions and assessments made by Hammerson, in light of their experience and their perception of historical trends, current conditions, future developments and other factors they believe appropriate. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainty, because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that will occur in the future and the factors described in the context of such forward-looking statements in this document could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although it is believed that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, no assurance can be given that such expectations will prove to have been correct and you are therefore cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements which speak only as at the date of this Announcement. Hammerson does not assume any obligation to update or correct the information contained in this section of the website (whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise), except as required by applicable law.

THERE ARE SEVERAL FACTORS WHICH COULD CAUSE ACTUAL RESULTS TO DIFFER MATERIALLY FROM THOSE EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED IN FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS. AMONG THE FACTORS THAT COULD CAUSE ACTUAL RESULTS TO DIFFER MATERIALLY FROM THOSE DESCRIBED IN THE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS ARE CHANGES IN GLOBAL, POLITICAL, ECONOMIC, BUSINESS, COMPETITIVE, MARKET AND REGULATORY FORCES, FUTURE EXCHANGE AND INTEREST RATES, CHANGES IN TAX RATES AND FUTURE BUSINESS COMBINATIONS OR DISPOSITIONS.

Publication of this Announcement

In accordance with Rule 26.1 of the Code, a copy of this Announcement will be available on Hammerson's website at www.hammerson.com/investors by no later than 12 noon (London time) on the business day following this Announcement).

 

END

 

 

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