Amended joint statement by the Management Board and Supervisory Board in accordance with Section 27 of the German Securities Acquisition and Takeover Act (WpÜG)
Posted on May 18, 2011
The Management Board and Supervisory Board of Tognum AG today submitted their joint statement in accordance with Section 27 of the German Securities Acquisition and Takeover Act (WpÜG) on the increased offer price published on 16 May 2011 by Engine Holding GmbH.
- The Management Board and Supervisory Board consider the increased offer price to be appropriate and recommend that shareholders of Tognum AG accept the tender offer
- Attractive premium for shareholders and enhanced prospects for the future of the Tognum Group
- The members of the Management Board and Supervisory Board plan to accept the tender offer for the shares they hold
Friedrichshafen, 18 May 2011. The Management Board and Supervisory Board of Tognum AG today submitted their joint statement in accordance with Section 27 of the German Securities Acquisition and Takeover Act (WpÜG) on the increased offer price published on 16 May 2011 by Engine Holding GmbH. Following an in-depth examination, they recommend in their statement that the company’s shareholders accept the tender offer.
“Together with Daimler and Rolls-Royce, we are going to create a global technology leader in propulsion systems and decentralised energy systems. In doing so, we will further strengthen the Tognum Group’s outstanding market position and substantially improve our prospects for the future”, said Volker Heuer, CEO of Tognum AG. “Under the now modified tender offer, our shareholders are set to receive an attractive premium of 41 percent on the last unaffected price of Tognum shares. The transaction consequently also generates considerable added value for our owners.”
Tognum is to be the platform for future growth for Daimler and Rolls-Royce in the markets for propulsion systems and decentralised energy systems. In the agreement in principle between the three companies published in March 2011, Daimler and Rolls-Royce stated their intention to secure Tognum AG’s technological leadership with research and development spending alongside capital expenditure.
The companies’ product portfolios and market presence in each case attractively complement one another. The move presents new cooperation opportunities notably for Tognum and Rolls-Royce, because in the future between them the two companies will cover the enhanced spectrum of medium and high-speed diesel engines for complete propulsion systems. Moreover, the companies benefit from complementary additions to their energy product portfolios. As they offer different products in similar markets, this would create significant sales and after sales synergies.
The Tognum Group’s locations worldwide are to be retained. Friedrichshafen remains the headquarters of the company as well as the research, development and production site for propulsion systems and energy systems. The transaction also opens up additional growth opportunities for Tognum in the BRIC countries. The takeover by Rolls-Royce of Tognum’s fuel cell business envisaged in the agreement in principle is the subject of further talks.
The Management Board and Supervisory Board of Tognum AG discussed today in extraordinary meetings in detail the offer from the bidder featuring a EUR 2.00 increase in the offer price to EUR 26.00. Both boards welcome the increase of the offer price and, after appraisal of all relevant circumstances and the improved premiums, consider it now appropriate. This assessment is supported by two independent fairness opinions provided to the Management Board and Supervisory Board from Deutsche Bank and Lazard & Co, which consider the offer price to be appropriate. Both boards therefore unanimously decided to recommend that shareholders of Tognum AG accept the offer.
In addition, all members of the Management Board and Supervisory Board have stated that they intend to accept the tender offer for the shares they hold.
Supplementary information:
The amended joint statement by the Board of Management and the Supervisory Board of Tognum AG in accordance with Section 27 of the German Securities Acquisition and Takeover Act (WpÜG) will be available for viewing in its entirety later today in the Investor Relations section of www.tognum.com. Tognum AG will also keep the statement available for viewing at the address Maybachplatz 1, 88045 Friedrichshafen, Germany. This will be stated in an information announcement in the Elektronische Bundesanzeiger (German Electronic Federal Gazette) on Thursday, 19 May 2011.
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