Merger Update

Pathfinder Properties PLC 21 May 2001 Pathfinder Properties PLC 21st May 2001 PATHFINDER PROPERTIES PLC RECOMMENDED OFFERS FOR PATHFINDER RECOVERY 1 PLC AND PATHFINDER RECOVERY 2 PLC - RECOVERY DIRECTORS REBUTT KERRINGTON PROPOSALS IN VIGOROUS TERMS The directors of Pathfinder Recovery 1 PLC ('Recovery 1') and Pathfinder Recovery 2 PLC ('Recovery 2'), have responded to proposals made by Kerrington Limited ('Kerrington') that the directors of Recovery 1 and 2 be replaced by directors nominated by Kerrington, by issuing a vigorous rebuttal of the proposals. In their rebuttal the Recovery directors state that, in their view, the Kerrington's proposals are an opportunistic attempt by a minority shareholder to take control of the Recovery companies without making shareholders an offer for their shares. The Recovery directors say that in order to convince shareholders to accept Kerrington's vague and unformulated proposals, Kerrington have made a number of misleading and inaccurate assertions which are mentioned below. The Recovery directors have advised shareholders that the unofficial proxy form which Kerrington sent out contains a legally invalid provision whereby Kerrington sought to prevent shareholders from subsequently changing their minds on the basis of new information. The Recovery directors describe Kerrington's action as 'questionable'. Kerrington have also been reported to the Financial Services Authority for potential breaches of the Financial Services Act 1986 ('FSA') on the basis that a letter sent by Kerrington to shareholders appeared to be an investment advertisement under the provisions of section 57 of the FSA. That letter did not contain a notice that it had been approved by an authorised person as required by the Financial Services (Conduct of Investment Business) Rules 1990. Kerrington is not, we believe, an 'authorised person'. Kerrington's potential breach was notified to OFEX. The background to the rebuttal arises from proposals made by Kerrington subsequent to two recommended offers by Pathfinder Properties PLC (' Properties') for Recovery 1 and Recovery 2 on 9th April 2001. The Offers were intended to create an AIM listed group with net assets in excess of £28 million through a share-for-share offer based on net assets and a limited cash alternative. AIM listed Pathfinder Properties is a specialist in urban regeneration and development projects. Recovery 1 and Recovery 2 are property development companies, which were originally established as BES companies and whose shares are now traded on the OFEX facility. The two recommended offers were independent of each other and were not inter-conditional but have been arrived at on a similar basis in that the share offers were based on the respective net assets values of Properties and Recovery 1 or Recovery 2, as the case may be. Properties and Recovery 1 and Recovery 2 jointly participate in a number of property developments, primarily in Glasgow, Manchester and Loch Lomond. Planning consent was recently received for one of these property developments, Merchant Village, a retail and residential scheme in the centre of Glasgow, with an estimated resale value of £100million. In addition, planning is currently being pursued for phase one of a similar sized scheme in Castlefields, Manchester. Immediately following the offers, Kerrington, a private company with an approximate 13.4 percent interest in Recovery 1 and an approximate 18.3 percent interest in Recovery 2 contacted shareholders intimating that they would put forward an alternative proposal. On 16th April, Kerrington circulated Recovery 1 and Recovery 2 shareholders with proposals to remove the existing directors and replace them with Kerrington appointees and to effect an orderly sale of the Company's assets. The proposals also made a number of statements and assertions in respect of the experience of the Kerrington directors and the remuneration and activities of the common directors of Pathfinder Properties, Recovery 1 and Recovery 2. The directors of the Recovery companies, other than the independent director, have responded to statements made to shareholders by Kerrington as follows: - Kerrington claim to be able to provide a full cash exit route via either the sale of or liquidation of the Recovery companies. The Recovery directors note that Kerrington have provided no indication of the potential costs of any liquidation, timescale , or most importantly the likely proceeds. - The Recovery directors state that Kerrington's strategy to dispose of assets in return for cash is fraught with problems. The Recovery 1 and 2 assets mainly comprise interests in joint venture companies in partnership with other Pathfinder companies, and, they say, any piecemeal disposal of these interests will fail to realise their full value as they are minority interests. - Kerrington make reference to the experience and track record of its directors, particularly in administering sales and liquidations. However, the Recovery directors say that Kerrington PLC issued shares in 1989 and 1990 at 100p and 110p respectively which ten years later when the shares in that company had a net asset value of 95p per share Kerrington PLC carried out a share buy-in at 67p per share (see note 3 below) - The Recovery directors also say that shareholders in Kerrington Developments II PLC and Cavendish Kerrington PLC, in which Mr Lee was a director , made gains on liquidation of only 2% and 4% respectively over a period of seven to eight years (see note 4 below). Shareholders in Kerrington Developments III PLC, which was acquired by Kerrington PLC lost between 27% and 40% of the value of their original investment (see note 5 below). - Kerrington cite the experience of their directors. Recovery directors note that the examples given of fire precaution work and refurbishment and the management of BES assured tenancies, in the case of two of the directors, would be of little benefit to a property company involved in urban mixed-use developments structured through joint ventures. In addition Kerrington have not proposed any board member with financial qualifications or any independent directors. In contrast the Recovery directors note their expertise: Malcolm Bacchus is a chartered accountant with corporate finance experience, having worked with some of the largest property companies in the UK, and Simon Dawkins' experience includes executive directorships with a property finance company and a specialist property developer and contractor. - Kerrington suggest that Recovery 1 and 2 directors Malcolm Bacchus and Simon Dawkins receive excessive salaries totalling £250,000 per annum. In fact the directors received the equivalent of £19,447 per annum each in respect of Recovery 1 and £20,584 per annum each in respect of Recovery 2. They note these salaries relate to companies with £17 million of shareholders' funds under management and an extensive development programme. The Recovery directors are urging shareholders in Recovery 1 and Recovery 2 to reject the proposal to remove the existing directors and replace them with Kerrington appointees at the EGM convened for Wednesday 6th June. The Recovery directors note that the two Recovery companies have been amongst the best performing non-guaranteed exit property BES schemes with net assets at 31 December 2000 of 174p (Recovery 1) and 190p (Recovery 2) compared with original issue prices of between 96p and 100p (see note 6 below). The Recovery 1 Board note that a revised offer has been submitted by Pathfinder Properties in respect of Recovery 1 and this is currently being considered by the independent director of Recovery 1. Messrs M Boase, M Bacchus, S Dawkins and G Heggie accept responsibility for the information contained in this letter and to the best of their knowledge and belief (having taken all reasonable care to ensure that such is the case), the information contained in this letter is in accordance with the facts and does not omit anything likely to affect the import of such information. This letter has been approved for the purposes of section 57 of the Financial Services Act 1986 by Nabarro Wells & Co. Limited, which is regulated by The Securities and Futures Authority Limited. Note to editors 1. The independent director has not joined with his co-directors in making representations to shareholders in order that he can provide wholly independent advice to shareholders with regard to the offers and proposals. 2. The offer for Recovery 1 constitutes 33 Properties shares for every 4 Recovery 1 shares with a limited cash alternative of £1.48 per share. The offer for Recovery 2 comprises 9 Properties shares for every Recovery 2 share with a limited cash alternative of £1.62 per share. The cash alternatives are limited to 15% of the total shares in issue. 3. Basis of information: company statutory financial statements 4. Basis of information: companies statutory financial statements and liquidation statements filed at Companies House 5. Basis of information: company statutory financial statements and Corpfin Worldwide 6. Basis of information: company statutory financial statements and prospectus Further information: Andrew Marshall Marshall Robinson Roe Tel: 020 7489 2033
UK 100