Repurchase of its Convertible Bonds ...
(PR title cont'd) ... (USD 350,000,000 0.875% Convertible Bond 2017 – 2022 as well as EUR 600,000,000 Zero-Coupon Convertible Bond 2018 – 2025) by ams AG, Premstaetten, Austria
Basis and Scope of the Repurchase |
ams AG, with its corporate seat at Tobelbader Strasse 30, 8141 Premstaetten, Austria ("ams" or "Company"), has issued on 28 September 2017 a 0.875% convertible bond in the amount of USD 350,000,000 with a five-year maturity (until 28 September 2022) and a denomination of USD 200,000 per bond (ISIN: DE000A19PVM4) ("USD-Convertible Bond"). The ams-bearer shares, which are listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (ISIN: AT0000A18XM4) ("ams-Bearer Shares"), necessary in case of a conversion of the USD-Convertible Bond will be, at the sole discretion of the Company, either created from authorized or conditional capital of the Company or delivered from already existing ams-Bearer Shares. The USD-Convertible Bond is admitted to trading on the Open Market of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (ISIN: DE000A19PVM4). On 5 March 2018, ams has issued a zero-coupon convertible bond in the amount of EUR 600,000,000 with a seven-year maturity (until 5 March 2025) and a denomination of EUR 200,000 per bond (ISIN: DE000A19W2L5) ("EUR-Convertible Bond", and together with the USD-Convertible Bond, "Convertible Bonds"). The ams-Bearer Shares necessary in case of a conversion of the EUR-Convertible Bond will be, at the sole discretion of the Company, either created from authorized or conditional capital of the Company or delivered from already existing ams-Bearer Shares. The EUR-Convertible Bond is also admitted to trading on the Open Market of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (ISIN: DE000A19W21L5). The management board of ams has decided on 6 November 2018 to repurchase the Convertible Bonds up to a maximum amount of USD 100,000,000 (at the date of this repurchase announcement corresponding to approximately EUR 89,000,000 or CHF 101,000,000). The share capital of the Company is currently divided into 84,419,826 ams-Bearer Shares. Based thereon, the agreed partial repurchase of the Convertible Bonds relates to sale rights in the total maximum amount of 9.10% of the share capital. ams' current share repurchase program for ams-Bearer Shares, which will be upheld until 8 November 2019 at the latest, remains unaffected by the present repurchase program for the Convertible Bonds. |
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Purpose |
The purpose of the partial repurchase of the Convertible Bonds is (i) the reduction of liabilities from the Convertible Bonds through the repurchase and the cancellation of the repurchased Convertible Bonds and (ii) the improvement of the capital structure. |
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Duration |
The partial repurchase of the Convertible Bonds will start on 27 March 2019 and be upheld until 30 December 2019 at the latest.
ams reserves the right to terminate this repurchase program at any time and has no obligation to repurchase any Convertible Bonds at any time. ams will act as buyer depending on market conditions. |
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Over-the-Counter and Stock Exchange Trading |
The repurchase at market price will, as usual for convertible bonds, be executed via over-the-counter trading (OTC trading) and, where appropriate, at the relevant international trading platforms. |
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Maximum Daily Repurchase Volume |
The maximum daily repurchase volume according to Art. 123 para. 1 lit. c of the Swiss Ordinance on Financial Market Infrastructures and Market Conduct in Securities and Derivatives Trading ("FMIO") amounts to USD 5,000,000 for the USD-Convertible Bond and EUR 8,000,000 for the EUR-Convertible Bond. |
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Mandated Bank |
Citigroup Global Markets Limited, London ("Citigroup") was mandated by ams to execute the repurchase of the Convertible Bonds. |
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Delegation Agreement |
There is a delegation agreement pursuant to Art. 124 para. 2 lit. a and para. 3 FMIO in place between ams and Citigroup under which Citigroup independently carries out repurchases in compliance with defined parameters. |
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Publication of the repurchase transaction |
ams will provide on its website on-going information on the repurchases carried out under the repurchase program: https://ams.com/convertible-bond-buy-back |
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Own Shares / Convertible Bonds |
As per 11 March 2019, ams held directly and indirectly 3,251,102 ams-Bearer Shares, which corresponds to 3.85% of ams' voting rights and share capital. ams did at the same time not hold any of its own Convertible Bonds. As per the date of this announcement, ams disposes with respect to the USD-Convertible Bond of 1,750 sale rights (with actual delivery) regarding 3,273,858 (or 3.88%) ams-Bearer Shares. With respect to the EUR-Convertible Bonds, ams disposes of 3,000 sale rights (with actual delivery) regarding 4,410,412 (or 5.22%) ams-Bearer Shares. |
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Major Shareholders |
According to the latest disclosure notification of the respective shareholders and shareholder groups, the following shareholders or shareholder groups hold 3% or more of the voting rights and the share capital of ams (within the meaning of Art. 120 of the Swiss Federal Act on Financial Market Infrastructures and Market Conduct in Securities and Derivatives Trading ("FMIA")): |
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ams does not have any knowledge as to whether these shareholders and shareholder groups hold Convertible Bonds and intend to offer them under the repurchase program. |
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Non-public information |
In accordance with the provisions in force, ams confirms that at the time of the publication of this announcement it has no non-public information which could significantly affect the decision of the owners of Convertible Bonds. |
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Order of the Takeover Board |
The Takeover Board has rendered on 4 March 2019 in accordance with Chapter 6.2 of the TOB Circular No. 1 of 27 June 2013 (status as of 1 January 2016) the following order (translation from German original):
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Applicable Law and Jurisdiction |
Swiss Law (excluding the conflict of laws rules of private international law) / City of Zurich, Zurich 1, Switzerland |
Note: This announcement does not constitute an issue prospectus within the meaning of Art. 652a or 1156 CO.
This offer is not made in the United States of America and to US persons and may be accepted only by non-US persons and outside of the United States. Offering materials with respect to this offer may not be distributed in or sent to the United States and may not be used for the purpose of solicitation of an offer to purchase or sell any securities in the United States.
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ISIN |
Securities Number |
USD-Convertible Bond |
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DE000A19PVM4 |
38458485 |
EUR-Convertible Bond |
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DE000A19W2L5 |
40669152 |
Place, Date Premstaetten, 12 March 2019