Vodafone Group Plc
12 December 2003
12 December 2003
For Immediate Release - Not for release or distribution in the United States of
America, Canada, Australia or Japan
APPROVAL OF VODAFONE-PANAFON INFORMATION CIRCULAR
On 1 December 2003 Vodafone Group Plc ('Vodafone') announced its decision to
launch a public offer for the remaining outstanding shares which it did not
already own directly or indirectly as at 1 December 2003 (the 'Shares') in
Vodafone-Panafon Hellenic Telecommunications Company S.A. ('Panafon') (the
'Offer'). Further to that announcement, Vodafone today announces the approval by
the Hellenic Capital Market Commission ('CMC') on 11 December 2003 of the
information circular (the 'Information Circular') in relation to the Offer.
Since its announcement on 1 December 2003, Vodafone has acquired in the market
44,317,870 Shares for a total aggregate consideration of approximately EUR274
million. As a result, Vodafone directly or indirectly owned 82.951 per cent. of
the shares in Panafon as at 11 December 2003. Vodafone will continue to make
market purchases of Shares at a price per Share of EUR6.18 or below.
Subject to reaching 95% or more of the total voting rights in Panafon, Vodafone
intends to seek the delisting of the shares in Panafon from the Athens Exchange
('ATHEX') in accordance with Greek regulations. Any possible sale of Shares to
Vodafone by any tax resident of Greece after the potential delisting of the
shares in Panafon from ATHEX will be subject to a transfer tax of 5% which is
payable by the seller.
The key details of the Offer are:
* The offer price is EUR6.18 in cash for each validly tendered Share to be
satisfied from Vodafone's existing cash resources. The offer price is final
and will not be increased.
* The Offer is not subject to the satisfaction of any conditions.
* The acceptance period is from 8.00 a.m. (Greek time) on 17 December 2003
until 2.30 p.m. (Greek time) on 22 January 2004.
* Within two business days of the end of the acceptance period the results
of the Offer will be announced in the Official List of ATHEX and in the
Greek, UK and German press.
* Settlement in respect of each validly tendered Share will be made no
later than the sixth business day after the end of the acceptance period.
* Vodafone shall pay the 0.06% clearance duty levied on each off-exchange
transfer of Shares tendered instead of the accepting holders of Shares.
Vodafone will therefore pay the full amount of the offer price to the
accepting holders of Shares.
Copies of the Information Circular and form of declaration of acceptance, both
in Greek, will be made available at the branch offices of Alpha Bank in Greece.
Holders of Shares may also obtain copies of the Information Circular from the
following website (www.alpha.gr).
- ends -
For further information:
Vodafone Group
Tim Brown
Tel: +44 (0) 1635 673310
Investor Relations
Melissa Stimpson
Darren Jones
Tel: +44 (0) 1635 673310
Media Relations
Bobby Leach
Ben Padovan
Tel: +44 (0) 1635 673310
Goldman Sachs International
Simon Dingemans
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7774 1000
The Offer is not being made, directly or indirectly, in or into the United
States of America, Canada, Australia or Japan, and copies of this document and
any future related materials are not being and may not be mailed or otherwise
distributed or sent in or into the United States of America, Canada, Australia
or Japan.
The Offer is furthermore not being directed to persons whose participation in
the offering requires that further offer documents are issued or that
registration or other measures are taken, other than those required under Greek
law. No document relating to the Offer may be distributed in or into any country
where such distribution or offering requires any of the aforementioned measures
to be taken or would be in conflict with any law or regulation of such a
country.
Goldman Sachs International is acting as financial adviser for Vodafone Group
Plc and no one else in connection with the Offer and will not be responsible to
anyone other than Vodafone Group Plc for providing the protections afforded to
clients of Goldman Sachs International or for providing advice in relation to
the Offer.
This announcement has been issued by Vodafone Group Plc and is the sole
responsibility of Vodafone Group Plc and has been approved solely for the
purposes of Section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 by Goldman
Sachs International.
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
*A Private Investor is a recipient of the information who meets all of the conditions set out below, the recipient:
Obtains access to the information in a personal capacity;
Is not required to be regulated or supervised by a body concerned with the regulation or supervision of investment or financial services;
Is not currently registered or qualified as a professional securities trader or investment adviser with any national or state exchange, regulatory authority, professional association or recognised professional body;
Does not currently act in any capacity as an investment adviser, whether or not they have at some time been qualified to do so;
Uses the information solely in relation to the management of their personal funds and not as a trader to the public or for the investment of corporate funds;
Does not distribute, republish or otherwise provide any information or derived works to any third party in any manner or use or process information or derived works for any commercial purposes.
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