Regulatory News:
This is a press release by Publicis Groupe S.A. ("Publicis Groupe")
(Paris:PUB) in accordance with article 13 paragraph 1 of the Dutch
Public Takeover Decree (Besluit openbare biedingen Wft) in
connection with the recommended public offer by Publicis Groupe, through
its indirectly wholly owned subsidiary Publicis Groupe Holdings B.V.
(the "Offeror"), for all the issued and outstanding shares in the
capital of LBi International N.V. ("LBi").
This press release does not constitute or form part of an offer for
shares in LBi. The Offer is made only by means of the offer document
published on 12 November 2012 (the "Offer Document"). Terms not defined
in this press release will have the meaning as set forth in the Offer
Document.
The Offer is made for the securities of a Dutch company and is subject
to Dutch disclosure requirements, which are different from those of the
United States.
Please note that, to the extent permissible under applicable law or
regulation, the Offeror and its affiliates or brokers (acting as agents
for the Offeror) may, from time to time, and other than pursuant to the
Offer, directly or indirectly purchase, or arrange to purchase, shares
in LBi that are the subject of the Offer or any securities that are
convertible into, exchangeable for or exercisable for such shares. To
the extent information about such purchases or arrangements to purchase
is made public in The Netherlands, such information will be disclosed by
means of a press release or other means reasonably calculated to inform
shareholders of LBi of such information.
This press release may not be published, distributed, disseminated or
otherwise sent into Japan or Canada.
With reference to the joint press release made by Publicis Groupe
[EURONEXT Paris: FR0000130577] and LBi [EURONEXT Amsterdam: LBI] on 12
November 2012 relating to the recommended cash public offer by Publicis
Groupe to acquire all outstanding shares of LBi, Publicis Groupe
announces that, in the course of today, Publicis Groupe has acquired
23,787 shares in LBi at a volume weighted average price of approximately
EUR 2.85 per share, a minimum price of EUR 2.85 and a maximum price of
EUR 2.85 per share.
In addition, on 12 November 2012, Janivo as holder of the Share B
entered into a sale and purchase and transfer agreement with the Offeror
pursuant to which it was agreed that the Share B is sold and transferred
to the Offeror against a purchase price of EUR 2.85 equal to the Offer
Price, subject to the Offer being declared unconditional and subject to
certain customary conditions. As part of such transfer in accordance
with the articles of association of LBi, the Share B will convert into
an ordinary Share.
Together with the irrevocable undertakings received from certain
shareholders1, this results in the holdings as
set out below:
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% of issued and outstanding capital
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% on a fully diluted basis²
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Shares bought on 12/14/12
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23,787
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0.02%
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0.02%
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Total Shares owned by Publicis Groupe after 12/14/12
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33,081,375
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22.02%
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22.65%
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Irrevocable undertakings and conditional Share B purchase
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94,677,763
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63.01%
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64.83%
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Total Shares owned, irrevocable undertakings and Share B
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127,759,138
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85.02%
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87.49%
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NOSH:
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Issued and outstanding
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150,263,199
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Fully diluted capital (at EUR 2.85 per share)²
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146,032,535
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As of today, the total of LBi shares owned by Publicis Groupe,
undertakings received and the Share B represents 87.49% of the fully
diluted share capital of LBi2.
Notes:
1. As indicated in the joint press release by Publicis Groupe and LBi of
12 November 2012 the irrevocable undertakings are subject to certain
customary undertakings and conditions.
2. Fully diluted capital means: the expected number of issued and
outstanding ordinary shares in LBi at the settlement date of the Offer
at an Offer Price of EUR 2.85 after exercise in full of outstanding
options under LBi's GSOP plan and settlement in full of outstanding
awards under LBi's LTIP plan, excluding approximately 5.1
million ordinary shares in LBi expected to be held by LBi ultimately on
the settlement date of the Offer.
Important information
Restrictions
The Offer is being made in and from the Netherlands with due observance
of such statements, conditions and restrictions as are included in the
Offer Document. The Offeror reserves the right to accept any tender
under the Offer, which is made by or on behalf of a Shareholder, even if
it has not been effected in the manner as set out in the Offer Document.
The distribution of the Offer Document and/or the making of the Offer in
jurisdictions other than the Netherlands may be restricted and/or
prohibited by law. The Offer is not being made, and the Shares will not
be accepted for purchase from or on behalf of any Shareholders, in any
jurisdiction in which the making or acceptance thereof would not be in
compliance with the securities or other laws or regulations of such
jurisdiction or would require any registration, approval or filing with
any regulatory authority not expressly contemplated by the terms of the
Offer Document. However, acceptances of the Offer by Shareholders not
residing in the Netherlands will be accepted by the Offeror if such
acceptances comply with (i) the acceptance procedure set out in the
Offer Document, and (ii) the applicable laws and regulations in the
jurisdiction from which such acceptances have been made. Persons
obtaining the Offer Document are required to take due notice and observe
all such restrictions and obtain any necessary authorisations, approvals
or consents. Neither the Offeror, Publicis Groupe or LBi, nor any of
their respective affiliates or any of their respective supervisory or
managing directors, employees or advisers accepts any liability for any
violation by any person of any such restriction. Outside of the
Netherlands, no actions have been taken (nor will actions be taken) to
make the Offer possible in any jurisdiction where such actions would be
required. In addition, the Offer Document has not been filed with nor
recognised by the authorities of any jurisdiction other than the
Netherlands.
Any person (including, without limitation, custodians, nominees and
trustees) who would or otherwise intends to forward the Offer Document
or any related document to any jurisdiction outside the Netherlands
should carefully read Section 1 (Restrictions) and Section 2 (Important
information) of the Offer Document before taking any action. The
release, publication or distribution of the Offer Document and any
documentation regarding the Offer or the making of the Offer in
jurisdictions other than the Netherlands may be restricted by law and
therefore persons into whose possession the Offer Document comes should
inform themselves about and observe such restrictions. Any failure to
comply with any such restrictions may constitute a violation of the law
of any such jurisdiction. Neither the Offeror, Publicis Groupe or LBi,
nor any of their respective affiliates or any of their respective
supervisory or managing directors, employees or advisers accepts any
liability for any violation by any person of any such restriction.
United States of America
The Offer is made for the securities of a Dutch company and is subject
to Dutch disclosure requirements, which are different from those of the
United States. Financial statements included in the document, if any,
have been prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting
Standards (IFRS) as adopted by the EU and thus may not be comparable to
the financial statements of United States companies. The Offer will be
made in the United States pursuant to Section 14(e) of, and Regulation
14E under, the US Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "US
Exchange Act"), subject to the exemptions provided by Rule 14d-1(c)
under the US Exchange Act and otherwise in accordance with the
requirements of the Merger Rules. Accordingly, the Offer will be subject
to disclosure and procedural requirements that are different from those
applicable under United States domestic tender offer procedures and law.
It may be difficult for Shareholders to enforce their rights and claims
arising under the federal securities laws, since the Offeror and LBi are
located in a country other than the United States, and some or all of
their officers and directors may be residents of a country other than
the United States. Shareholders may not be able to sue a non-US company
or its officers or directors in a non-US court for violations of US
securities laws. It may be difficult to compel a non-US company and its
affiliates to subject themselves to a US court's judgments.
Please note that, to the extent permissible under applicable law or
regulation, the Offeror and its affiliates or brokers (acting as agents
for the Offeror) may, from time to time, and other than pursuant to the
Offer, directly or indirectly purchase, or arrange to purchase, shares
in LBi that are the subject of the Offer or any securities that are
convertible into, exchangeable for or exercisable for such shares. To
the extent information about such purchases or arrangements to purchase
is made public in The Netherlands, such information will be disclosed by
means of a press release or other means reasonably calculated to inform
Shareholders of such information.
Each United States shareholder of LBi is urged to consult with its
independent professional adviser regarding the acceptance of the Offer
including, without limitation, to consider the tax consequences
associated with such shareholder's election to participate in the Offer.
The Offer Document has not been submitted to or reviewed by the United
States Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") or any state
securities commission. Neither the SEC nor any such state securities
commission has approved or disapproved of the Offer, passed upon the
fairness or merits of the Offer, or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy
of the disclosure contained in the Offer Document. Any representation to
the contrary is a criminal offence in the United States of America.
Canada and Japan
The Offer and any solicitation in respect thereof is not being made,
directly or indirectly, in or into Canada or Japan, or by use of the
mailing systems, or by any means or instrumentality of interstate or
foreign commerce, or any facilities of a national securities exchange,
of Canada or Japan. This includes, but is not limited to, post,
facsimile transmission, telex or any other electronic form of
transmission and telephone. Accordingly, copies of the Offer Document
and any related press announcements, acceptance forms and other
documents are not being sent and must not be mailed or otherwise
distributed or sent in, into or from Canada or Japan or, in their
capacities as such, to custodians, nominees or trustees holding Shares
for persons residing in Canada or Japan. Persons receiving the Offer
Document and/or such other documents must not distribute or send them
in, into or from Canada or Japan, or use such mailing systems or any
such means, instrumentality or facilities for any purpose in connection
with the Offer; so doing will invalidate any purported acceptance of the
Offer. The Offeror will not accept any tender by any such use, means,
instrumentality or facility from within Canada or Japan.
Tender and transfer of Shares constitutes a representation and warranty
that the person tendering the Shares (i) has not received or sent copies
of the Offer Document or any related documents in, into or from Canada
or Japan and (ii) has not otherwise utilised in connection with the
Offer, directly or indirectly, the mailing systems or any means or
instrumentality including, without limitation, facsimile transmission,
telex and telephone of interstate or foreign commerce, or any facility
of a national securities exchange of, Canada or Japan. The Offeror
reserves the right to refuse to accept any purported acceptance that
does not comply with the foregoing restrictions, any such purported
acceptance will be null, void and without effect.
Forward looking statements
This announcement and the Offer Document include "forward-looking
statements" including statements about the expected timing and
completion of the Offer. Forward-looking statements involve known or
unknown risk and uncertainty because these statements relate to events
and depend on circumstances that may occur in the future. Generally,
words such as "may", "should", "aim", "will", "expect", "intend",
"estimate", "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "seek", "continue" or
similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. Each of the
Offeror, Publicis Groupe and LBi, and any of their respective
affiliates, each with respect to the statements it has provided,
believes the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements
are based on reasonable assumptions. Nevertheless, no assurance can be
given that such statements will be fulfilled or prove to be correct, and
no representations are made as to the future accuracy and completeness
of such statements. Any such forward-looking statements must be
considered together with the fact that actual events or results may vary
materially from such forward-looking statements due to, among other
things, political, economic or legal changes in the markets and
environments in which the Offeror, Publicis Groupe and/or LBi does
business, to competitive developments or risks inherent to the
Offeror's, Publicis Groupe's or LBi's business plans and to
uncertainties, risk and volatility in financial markets and other
factors affecting the Offeror, Publicis Groupe and/or LBi.
The Offeror, Publicis Groupe and LBi undertake no obligation to publicly
update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of
new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by
applicable laws and regulations or by any competent regulatory authority.
About Publicis Groupe
Publicis Groupe [Euronext Paris FR0000130577, part of the CAC 40 index]
is the third largest communications group in the world, offering the
full range of services and skills: digital and traditional advertising,
public affairs and events, media buying and specialized communication.
Its major networks are Leo Burnett, MSLGROUP, PHCG (Publicis Healthcare
Communications Group), Publicis Worldwide, Rosetta and Saatchi &
Saatchi. VivaKi, the Groupe's media and digital accelerator, includes
Digitas, Razorfish, Starcom MediaVest Group and ZenithOptimedia. Present
in 104 countries, the Groupe employs 56,000 professionals.
www.publicisgroupe.com
| Twitter:@PublicisGroupe | Facebook: www.facebook.com/publicisgroupe
About LBi
LBi International N.V. [NYSE Euronext Amsterdam: LBI] is Europe’s
largest independent marketing and technology agency, blending insight,
media, creativity and technical expertise to create value for brands.
Headquartered in Amsterdam (the Netherlands), the company has operations
in 16 countries and a staff of approximately 2,200. As a marketing and
technology agency, LBi offers services to brands and (clients) to help
them engage with their customers through digital channels across a wide
spectrum of their points of engagement, from initial awareness of the
brand, through direct interaction with the services or products offered
by the brand, to on-going relationships with the brand.
LBi offers a suite of services that are designed to help its clients
attract, engage and manage customers, more effectively. This full
service offering combines analytical, direct marketing and digital
competences, which means that they are able to develop big creative
ideas in the digital space, build and manage complex transactional
websites, run complex CRM programmes and even handle the media buying,
planning and electronic public relations for blue chip companies.
www.lbi.com
