Offer Update - Replacement

NewMedia SPARK PLC 28 September 2001 The NewMedia SPARK PLC 'Offer Update' announcement released today at 07:30 should be dated 28 September 2001 and not 2 September 2001 as originally shown. All other details remain unchanged. The full text is shown below. NewMedia SPARK plc gains control of 53.7% stake in Sputz AG NewMedia SPARK plc ('SPARK') announces that following the closing of its tender offer for shares in Sputz AG ('Sputz'), SPARK now controls 53.7% of Sputz shares. 287,150 Sputz shares were tendered at SPARK's offer price of Euro8.50 per Sputz share, and SPARK has accepted these tenders in full. Prior to making the tender offer SPARK had entered into a conditional contract to purchase 1,453,320 shares from two major shareholders. In addition SPARK has in recent weeks bought 1,215,311 Sputz shares in the market at average prices of slightly below Euro8.50. SPARK has therefore now achieved its stated intention of acquiring at least 51% control of Sputz. Consequently, the present Sputz Supervisory Board has tendered its resignation and SPARK will in due course recommend new Supervisory Board members. SPARK will also maintain Sputz's stock market listing as in due course this public quotation could be helpful in facilitating strategic acquisitions by Sputz. Commenting on these developments Michael Whitaker, CEO of SPARK, stated: 'We are pleased that we have now achieved our stated goal of acquiring majority control of Sputz. We now intend to work closely with the company to develop and maximise the value of its operating businesses and investments. SPARK has extensive investments in electronic trading platforms and we believe that by combining these with Sputz's broking operations, a substantial and profitable business can be built. Germany's capital markets have attractive growth potential and there is a high penetration of broadband Internet connections amongst German private investors. This puts Germany's retail market at the forefront of use of new electronic financial product trading platforms. Over the coming months we will be thoroughly reviewing Sputz's operations and assets. We are confident that this deal will be asset enhancing and will create considerable value for our shareholders.' For further information, please contact: Michael Whitaker / Joel Plasco NewMedia SPARK plc +44 (0) 207 851 7777 Alexander Eichner SPARK GmbH +49 (0) 30 2094 7200 Lawerence Dore/Victoria Martin Mantra +44 (0) 207 072 2300 NewMedia SPARK Listed on London's Alternative Investment Market, NewMedia SPARK plc is one of Europe's leading quoted venture capital organisations. SPARK currently has a portfolio of investments in over 50 companies in Europe and India. At 31 March 2001, SPARK's portfolio was valued at £109.7m and it had cash reserves of £ 76.6m. SPARK has operations in London, Stockholm, Berlin and Madrid. For further information see www.newmediaspark.com. Sputz AG Sputz AG is a holding company listed on the Frankfurt stock exchange. Sputz's portfolio of holdings includes a number of important financial businesses, operating both on-line and off-line. For example, it owns approximately 1% of the Deutsche Borse and approximately 11% of Tullett & Tokyo Liberty plc, as well as having majority ownership of significant German broking operations and a minority holding in Germany's first ECN. In addition it owns stakes in several technology related pre-IPO businesses, and has been in the process of developing a venture capital investment business to complement its financial services businesses. It also has fund management operations. Sputz is headquartered in Dusseldorf and also has operations in Frankfurt. For further information see www.spuetz.de.
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