Beauty Holding Two GmbH
Antitrust authorities issue approval for takeover of DOUGLAS Holding AG
Beauty Holding Three AG / Key word(s): Offer Antitrust authorities issue approval for takeover of DOUGLAS Holding AG
Frankfurt am Main, 19 November 2012 – The European Commission and the Swiss Competition Commission COMCO each issued their approval on 16 November 2012 for a possible takeover of DOUGLAS Holding AG by Beauty Holding Three AG. The DOUGLAS founding family Kreke and Advent International have achieved a key milestone in securing the success of the voluntary public tender offer in line with the original timeline. Beauty Holding Three AG, held indirectly through funds advised by Advent International, published the offer document for the voluntary public tender offer for the acquisition of all shares in DOUGLAS Holding AG on 31 October 2012. With completion of the voluntary public tender offer, the Kreke family will become an indirect 20 percent shareholder in Beauty Holding Three AG. DOUGLAS shareholders may currently tender their shares at a price of EUR 38 per share in cash. The acceptance period ends at midnight (CET) on 4 December 2012. The voluntary public tender offer is subject to a minimum acceptance threshold of 75 percent. Ranjan Sen, General Manager of Advent International in Frankfurt, said: 'We are delighted that the antitrust authorities issued their approval for a possible takeover of DOUGLAS Holding AG so swiftly. The next milestone will be attaining shareholder approval.'
About DOUGLAS Holding AG With annual sales of more than EUR 3 billion, the DOUGLAS Group ranks amongst the leading European retailers. As a company listed in the MDAX the DOUGLAS Group represents 'Excellence in Retailing' – with outstanding service, top quality products, an experiential store ambiance, and the friendliest employees in the business. The Group's five retail divisions – Douglas perfumeries, Thalia bookstores, Christ jewelry stores, AppelrathCüpper fashion stores, and Hussel confectioneries – are among the market leaders and trendsetters in their respective sectors. The more than 24,000 employees provide a high level of service in the 1,900 specialty stores. In its state-of-the-art online shops the DOUGLAS Group also offers its outstanding service on the Internet. For further information please go to www.douglas-holding.com.
About Advent International Founded in 1984, Advent International is one of the world's leading global buyout firms, with offices in 16 countries on four continents. Advent International is advised on investments in Germany by Advent International GmbH, Frankfurt. A driving force in international private equity for more than 28 years, Advent International has built an unparalleled global platform of over 170 investment professionals across Western and Central Europe, North America, Latin America and Asia. The firm focuses on international buyouts, strategic repositioning opportunities and growth buyouts in five core sectors, working actively with management teams to drive revenue growth and earnings improvements in portfolio companies. Since inception, Advent International has raised EUR 28 billion (USD 37 billion) in private equity capital and, through its buyout programmes, has completed 279 transactions in 35 countries. For further information please go to www.adventinternational.com.
Important legal information / Disclaimer This announcement is neither an offer to purchase nor an invitation to submit for sale the shares of DOUGLAS Holding AG. The terms and conditions of the takeover offer as well as other provisions pertaining to the takeover offer are solely governed by the offer document which is published in the internet under http://www.douglas-offer.com. The terms and conditions of the takeover offer may differ from the general information described here. It is urgently recommended that investors and owners of shares of DOUGLAS Holding AG ('Douglas Shareholders') read the entire offer document and all documents connected with the takeover offer, because they contain important information. This announcement contains specific forward-looking statements. These statements do not represent facts and are characterised by words such as 'expect', 'believe', 'estimate', 'intend', 'aim', 'assume' or similar expressions. Such statements express the intentions, opinions or current expectations of Beauty Holding Three AG (the 'Bidder') and persons acting in concert with the Bidder pursuant to Section 2 para. 5 sentence 1 and sentence 3 of WpÜG with respect to possible future events, e.g., regarding the possible consequences of the takeover offer for DOUGLAS Holding AG, for those DOUGLAS Shareholders who choose not to accept the takeover offer or for future financial results of DOUGLAS HOLDING AG. Such forward-looking statements are based on current plans, estimates and forecasts which the Bidder and the persons acting in concert with the Bidder pursuant to section 2 para. 5 sentence 1 and sentence 3 of WpÜG have made to the best of their knowledge, but which do not claim to be correct in the future. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict and generally cannot be influenced by the Bidder and persons acting in concert with the Bidder within the meaning of Section 2 para. 5 sentence 1 and sentence 3 of WpÜG. The forward-looking statements contained in this announcement could turn out to be incorrect; future events and developments could considerably deviate from the forward-looking statements contained in this announcement. The takeover offer is issued exclusively under the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany, expecially under the WpÜG and the Regulation on the Content of the Offer Document, Consideration for Takeover Offers and Mandatory Offers and the Release from the Obligation to Publish and Issue an Offer ('WpÜG Offer Regulation') and certain applicable provisions of U.S. securities law. The takeover offer is not executed according to the provisions of jurisdictions (including the jurisdictions of Canada, Australia, and Japan) other than those of the Federal Republic of Germany and certain applicable provisions of U.S. securities law. Thus, no other announcements, registrations, admissions or approvals of the takeover offer outside the Federal Republic of Germany have been filed, arranged for or granted. The Douglas Shareholders cannot rely on having recourse to provisions for the protection of investors according to another jurisdiction than that of the Federal Republic of Germany. Any contract that is concluded on the basis of this takeover offer is exclusively governed by the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany and is to be interpreted in accordance with them. DOUGLAS Shareholders in the United States (the 'U.S. Shareholders') are notified that this takeover offer is being made in respect of securities of a company that is a foreign private issuer within the meaning of the Securities Exchange Act of of the United States of 1934, as amended (the 'Exchange Act') and whose shares are not registered pursuant to Section 12 of the Exchange Act. Before deciding to sell DOUGLAS Shares, U.S. Shareholders should carefully read the section 'Important information for U.S. Shareholders' of the offer document because there are considerable differences between this takeover offer and public tender offers for securities of U.S. companies. This takeover offer is being made in reliance on, and in compliance with exemptions from the application of certain provisions of the Exchange Act. Consequently, the Bidder is not required to comply with all of the tender offer rules under the Exchange Act and accordingly is subject to publication and other procedural requirements with regard to, inter alia, withdrawal rights, offer period, settlement procedures, and timing of payments, which may differ from the relevant requirements governing public tender offers in the United States.
Contact:
Press Contact Kreke Family:
Mirko Wollrab
Press Contact Advent International:
Dr. Brigitte von Haacke
Oda von Dreising
Investor Relations:
Harald Kinzler End of Corporate News 19.11.2012 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP – a company of EquityStory AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. DGAP’s Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Media archive at www.dgap-medientreff.de and www.dgap.de |
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