16.07.2018
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DGAP-News: Announced takeover offer by an investment company advised by Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Inc.
DGAP-News: VTG Aktiengesellschaft / Key word(s): Offer
Announced takeover offer by an investment company advised by Morgan Stanley
Infrastructure Inc.
16.07.2018 / 17:18
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
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Announced takeover offer by an investment company advised by Morgan Stanley
Infrastructure Inc.
HAMBURG, 16 JULY 2018. Warwick Holding GmbH, an indirect subsidiary of funds
advised by Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Inc. ("the Bidder"), which holds
approx. 29% of the shares in VTG Aktiengesellschaft ("the Company"), today
announced its decision to make a voluntary public takeover offer to all
shareholders of VTG Aktiengesellschaft at an offer price of EUR 53 per
share. According to the Bidder, Kühne Holding AG, which holds approx. 20% of
the shares in VTG Aktiengesellschaft, irrevocably committed to tender the
shares it currently holds in connection with the takeover offer.
The announced takeover offer has not been agreed with the Company. In the
Company's view, the offer does not reflect the fundamental value of VTG
Aktiengesellschaft considering its future potential, resulting for example
from the strengthening of VTG Aktiengesellschaft's business model by the
proposed acquisition of the CIT Rail Holdings (Europe) SAS ("Nacco
acquisition") and the digitization strategy initiated by the Company.
Offering a premium of only 4% on the volume-weighted three-month average
share price (three-month VWAP) prior to today's announcement, the offer
price does not contain an adequate control premium. From today's
perspective, the Executive Board of the Company will therefore not be able
to recommend to its shareholders to accept an offer at EUR 53 per share.
Dr. Heiko Fischer, CEO of VTG Aktiengesellschaft, explains: "We are always
open for constructive discussions with the Bidder. As soon as we have
received the offer document, we will examine in detail whether it is in the
interest of the Company, our employees and shareholders. From today's
perspective of the Executive Board, the announced offer price of EUR 53 does
not adequately reflect the potential of the company and is therefore not
appropriate."
The Bidder has announced that the offer is subject to both the usual closing
conditions and the closing of the Nacco acquisition. As is known, the
completion of the Nacco acquisition was cleared by the responsible antitrust
authorities subject to conditions. The Company expects the acquisition of
Nacco to be completed in the second half of this year, as anticipated.
Furthermore, as a condition of the takeover offer, the Bidder assumes that
the VTG Group has no business relationships with parties sanctioned by the
U.S. Office for Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). The Company continuously
reviews its business relationships regarding matters relevant to sanctions.
The Executive Board and Supervisory Board of the Company, together with
their advisors, will analyse the offer in detail and without delay after its
publication, and will comment on it in a reasoned opinion. VTG
Aktiengesellschaft shareholders are requested not to take any action until
they have received and reviewed this opinion.
About VTG:
VTG Aktiengesellschaft is one of Europe's leading wagon hire and rail
logistics companies, with a fleet consisting of more than 80,000 railcars.
VTG offers a full-range service, providing tank cars, intermodal wagons,
standard freight wagons and sliding wall wagons. In addition to the hiring
of wagons, the Group offers comprehensive multi-modal logistics services,
mainly around rail transport, and global tank container transports.
With the combination of its three interlinked divisions Railcar, Rail
Logistics and Tank Container Logistics, VTG offers its customers a
high-performance platform for international transport of their freight. The
Group has many years of experience and specific expertise, in particular in
the transport of liquid and sensitive goods. Its customers include numerous
well-known companies from almost every industrial sector, for example the
chemical, petroleum, automotive, paper and agricultural industries.
In the financial year 2017, VTG generated revenue of EUR 1,014 million and
operating profit (EBITDA) of EUR 343 million. Via its subsidiaries and
affiliates the company, which has its head office in Hamburg, is mainly
present in Europe, North America, Russia and Asia. As at 31 December 2017,
VTG had 1,500 employees worldwide. VTG AG is listed on the official Prime
Standard market of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and also on the SDAX (WKN:
VTG999).
Press contact:
Gunilla Pendt
Head of Corporate Communications
Telephone: +49 (0) 40 23 54-1341
Fax: +49 (0) 40 23 54-1340
E-mail: [email protected]
Investor relations contact:
Christoph Marx
Head of Investor Relations
Telephone: +49 (0) 40 23 54-1351
Fax: +49 (0) 40 23 54-1350
E-mail: [email protected]
More information at www.vtg.com
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16.07.2018 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a
service of EQS Group AG.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements,
Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases.
Archive at www.dgap.de
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Language: English
Company: VTG Aktiengesellschaft
Nagelsweg 34
20097 Hamburg
Germany
Phone: 040 2354 1351
Fax: 040 2354 1350
E-mail: [email protected]
Internet: www.vtg.de
ISIN: DE000VTG9999
WKN: VTG999
Indices: SDAX
Listed: Regulated Market in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Regulated
Unofficial Market in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Hanover,
Munich, Stuttgart, Tradegate Exchange
End of News DGAP News Service
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