16.06.2008 06:15:00
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Gaz de France: AMF Approval of Merger Prospectus Merger; Shareholders' Meeting to Be Held July 16, 2008
Regulatory News:
On June 13, 2008, Gaz de France and SUEZ obtained AMF visa 08-126
for their merger project prospectus.
Copies of the prospectus are available at the headquarters of Gaz de
France (23, rue Philibert Delorme – 75017
Paris) and of SUEZ (16, rue de la Ville l’Evêque
– 75008 Paris). The prospectus may also be
reviewed on the Internet sites of the Autorité
des marchés financiers (www.amf-france.org),
Gaz de France (www.gazdefrance.com)
and SUEZ (www.suez.com). This
prospectus includes a section describing risk factors linked to the
operation.
The prospectus and the authorization certificate of the Autorité
des marchés financiers will be
communicated to the Belgian Commission bancaire, financière
et des assurances (CBFA) and the Luxembourg Commission de
surveillance du secteur financier (CSSF).
All prerequisites to the shareholder vote on the two companies’
merger have now been fulfilled. Gaz de France and SUEZ are now ready to
submit their proposed merger for approval to their respective
shareholders, which would give birth to a world energy leader.
The Combined Ordinary and Extraordinary Shareholders’
Meetings of SUEZ and Gaz de France will meet on July 16 to reach a
decision on the terms of the merger project.
Terms and conditions of the merger implementation
The merger project provides for an exchange parity of 21 shares of
Gaz de France for 22 shares of SUEZ.
Simultaneously, 65% of the capital of SUEZ Environnement1
will be distributed to SUEZ shareholders who will receive 1 SUEZ
Environnement share for 4 SUEZ shares2.
Once the merger project is approved by the shareholders of the two
Groups, the merger is expected to take effect July 22, 2008. On this
date:
the distributed shares of SUEZ Environnement will be listed on
Euronext Paris and Euronext Brussels;
the issued shares of GDF SUEZ will be listed on Euronext Paris, with
the GDF SUEZ shares being listed as well on Euronext Brussels and the
regulated market of the Luxembourg Bourse.
Prior to the completion of the merger, the French Minister of the
Economy, Industry and Employment will issue a decision, with the prior
approval of the French privatization authority (Commission des
Participations et des Transferts) ("CPT”).
The publication of the decision of the Minister is a condition to the
completion of the merger. Gaz de France will issue a press release
informing the public of the publication in Official Journal of the
French Republic (Journal official de la République
Francaise) of the CPT’s decision. Gaz de
France will also post the CPT’s decision on
its website.
A new world energy leader, strengthened by recent developments in the
two Groups
The merger between Gaz de France and SUEZ will create a world energy
leader with top-flight positions in natural gas and electricity, a
secure, diversified, and flexible energy supply stream, and a
high-performance electricity production base. In particular, the new GDF
SUEZ Group will be Europe’s largest purchaser
of natural gas, the world leader in LNG, Europe’s
number 1 natural gas transmission and distribution network operator, and
Europe’s 2nd
largest natural gas storage and gas tanker terminal operator. With close
to 200,000 employees, the new Group will be able to rely first-rate
personnel in each of its fields of activity.
The Group will be endowed with the best assets to meet Europe’s
energy challenges of tomorrow: a secure supply of natural gas and LNG,
development of major energy, new energy and renewable energy
infrastructure, and substantial greenhouse gas reduction capacity.
With the advantage of very strong complementarity between Gaz de
France and SUEZ, the new Group will be active on the entire energy
value chain (upstream to downstream, in natural gas and electricity,
nuclear energy, and services). It will thus position itself ideally to
respond to the challenges of the energy sector, which are: a secure and
competitive energy supply stream, market deregulation, natural
gas/electricity convergence, and promoting clean energy.
In a fast-changing energy sector, GDF SUEZ will rely on an ambitious
industrial strategy strengthened by recent developments in the two
Groups, in particular:
increased production capacity: Jirau, 3,300 MW in Brazil; Ras
Laffan C, 2,730 MW and desalination capacity of 286,000 m3/day in
Qatar; Astoria, 575 MW in New York; acquisition of six cogeneration
plants in Italy for an installed capacity of 370 MW; acquisition by
SUEZ and Gaz de France of Teeside Power Limited in England, Europe’s
largest CCGT (1,875 MW); acquisition of 79% of Elettrogreen, a
wholesale electricity market operator in Italy; and wind energy
developments in Canada, France, and Portugal;
strengthened positions in natural gas, LNG, and infrastructures:
acquisition of new natural gas reserves and discovery of natural gas
at West el Burullus in Egypt; natural gas production startup in fields
located in Norway and the United Kingdom; new supply contracts with
Norsk Hydro for 3.2 billion m3 of natural gas over 4 years in the
United Kingdom, with Shell, for a total volume of 10 billion m3;
increased LNG terminal capacities, with the construction of the Fos
Cavaou terminal and the doubling of the Zeebrugge’s
terminal capacity; commissioning of a new gas tanker, the Gaselys; and
development of storage capacity in the United Kingdom and Romania.
many new energy services and environment contracts in France and
internationally: a biogas-fuelled green electricity generation
contract for the greater Aix-en-Provence urban area; a district
heating and cooling system contract for Amsterdam’s
new Overhoeks neighborhood; an installation contract for a new
electric power plant, Nuon Magnum, with Mitsubishi; a services
contract with the Nuoro, Sardinia hospitals; waste services
acquisitions in northern Europe (BellandVision, the buyout of Sita
Sverige minority shareholders); a drinking water and sanitation
management contract with the City of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia;
acquisition of key assets from ENI, upon the disposal of
Distrigas:
-- 1,100 MW virtual production capacity (VPP) in Italy,
increasing the Group's production capacity in that country
to 4,600 MW, an increase of approximately 1/3;
-- the natural gas distribution network for the City of Rome;
-- a package of Exploration & Production assets located in the
United Kingdom, the Gulf of Mexico, Egypt, and Indonesia;
-- a 20-year, 4 billion m3/year natural gas supply contract in
Italy, equivalent to approximately half the GDF SUEZ
requirement in Italy.
-- a 20-year, 900 million m3/year LNG equivalent natural gas
supply contract for the Gulf of Mexico.
Securing a portion of the Group’s
enriched uranium supply requirements for its nuclear power plant,
via a 5% equity stake in Georges Besse II.
A solid financial profile providing high potential for value creation
and attractive shareholder compensation
GDF SUEZ will have a solid financial structure providing wide latitude
for strategic maneuver. This financial structure features strong
liquidity generation capacity and a low level of indebtedness,
as illustrated by the new Group’s pro forma
figures for 2007:
Revenues: EUR 74.3 billion
EBITDA3: EUR 13.1 billion4
Current operating income: EUR 8.3 billion 5
Net income, Group share: EUR 5.6 billion (or EUR 2.56/share)
Net financial debt: EUR 15.8 billion6
As a result, thanks to its sound financial structure and attractive
development prospects in all its businesses, GDF SUEZ confirms its
medium-term profitable growth objective, with an EBITDA target of
some EUR 17 billion by 2010. This improvement will be made
possible through merger synergies (objective of some EUR 1 billion
per year in operational synergies by 2013) and by implementation of
an industrial investment program of EUR 10 billion per year on
average for the period 2008-2010.
Additionally, GDF SUEZ reiterates its objective of a dividend payout
ratio in excess of 50% of consolidated net earnings, and targets growth
in dividends per share of 10% to 15% per year on average between the
dividends paid in 20077 and in 2010. The new
Group will thus offer attractive shareholder compensation associated
with potential further compensation through special dividends and share
buyback programs.
Finally, GDF SUEZ will continue to follow a policy of strict financial
discipline, with the objective of maintaining a "strong
A” credit rating.
An easy-to-understand organization and corporate governance
The first meeting of the GDF SUEZ Board of Directors is scheduled for
July 22, 2008.
The Board will be made up of 24 Directors: Gérard
Mestrallet, Chairman, Jean-François Cirelli,
Vice Chairman, Edmond Alphandéry, Jean-Louis
Beffa, Aldo Cardoso, René Carron, Etienne
Davignon, Paul Desmarais Jr, Albert Frère,
Jacques Lagarde, Anne Lauvergeon, Thierry de Rudder, Lord Simon of
Highbury, 7 representatives of the French State, 4 employee
representatives, one of whom representing employee shareholders, and 2
censors: Richard Goblet d’Alviella and
Philippe Lemoine.
The Board of Directors will have five Committees:
Audit
Ethics, Environment and Sustainable Development
Appointments
Compensation
Strategy and Investments
Committee assignments will be made at the first meeting of the GDF SUEZ
Board of Directors, planned for July 22, 2008. Each Committee will be
chaired by an independent Director.
GDF SUEZ will be made up of six operating Business Lines: Energy France,
Energy Europe and International, Global Gas and LNG, Infrastructures,
Energy Services, and Environment. The new Group will have a leading
position in each of its businesses.
Next steps in market communications The first-half 2008 financial statements of SUEZ and Gaz de
France will be published separately on a stand alone basis on August 31,
2008. First-half 2008 GDF SUEZ pro forma financial statements will be
published on the same date, without a Business Line breakdown. SUEZ
Environnement will publish its first-half 2008 combined financial
statements on August 28, 2008.
GDF SUEZ will organize during 4th quarter of
2008 an Investor Day to present a post-merger status
report on the new Group’s integration
process, investment program, synergies, medium and long-term business
strategy and operational and financial objectives. At that time, a
presentation will also be made on the pro forma GDF SUEZ financial
information broken down by Business Line of the new organization.
Thanks to preparations for the two Groups’
integration carried out by special teams active since the announcement
of the merger project, GDF SUEZ will be operational from the first day
of the merger.
Gaz de France The Gaz de France Group is a major energy player in Europe. As
the leading natural gas distributor in Europe, Gaz de France employs
nearly 50,000 employees and earned €27
billion in sales in 2007. The Group holds a portfolio of some 14
million clients, approximately 11 million of whom are in France. Gaz de
France is listed on the Paris Stock Exchange and forms part of the CAC
40 and Dow Jones Stoxx 600 indices. SUEZ SUEZ, an international industrial and services Group, designs
sustainable and innovative solutions in the management of public
utilities as a partner of public authorities, businesses and
individuals. The Group aims to answer essential needs in electricity,
natural gas, energy services, water and waste management. The Group
employs 149,000 people worldwide and achieved revenues of €47.5
billion in 2007, 89% of which were generated in Europe and in North
America. SUEZ is listed on the Brussels, Luxembourg, Paris and
Zurich stock exchanges and is represented in the major international
indices: CAC 40, BEL 20, DJ STOXX 50, DJ Euro Stoxx 50, Euronext 100,
FTSE Eurotop 100, MSCI Europe and ASPI Eurozone Important Information
This communication does not constitute an offer or the solicitation of
an offer to purchase, sell, or exchange any securities of SUEZ, SUEZ
Environnement Company securities or Gaz de France, nor shall there be
any offer, solicitation, purchase, sale or exchange of securities in any
jurisdiction (including the U.S., Canada, Germany, Italy, Australia and
Japan) in which it would be unlawful prior to registration or
qualification under the laws of such jurisdiction. The distribution of
this communication may, in some countries, be restricted by law or
regulation. Accordingly, persons who come into possession of this
document should inform themselves of and observe these restrictions. To
the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, Gaz de France, SUEZ and
SUEZ Environnement Company disclaim any responsibility or liability for
the violation of such restrictions by any person.
The Gaz de France ordinary shares which would be issued in connection
with the proposed merger to holders of SUEZ ordinary shares (including
SUEZ American Depositary Shares (ADRs)) may not be offered or sold in
the U.S. except pursuant to an effective registration statement under
the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or pursuant to a valid
exemption from registration. SUEZ Environnement Company shares have not
been and will not be registered under the US Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent
registration or an exemption from registration.
In connection with the proposed transactions, the required information
documents have been filed with and certified by the Autorité
des marchés financiers (AMF). Gaz de France
is planning to register certain Gaz de France ordinary shares to be
issued in connection with the merger in the U.S. and for this purpose
will file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), a
registration statement on Form F-4, which will include a prospectus.
Investors are strongly advised to read the information documents that
have been or will be filed with or certified by the AMF, the prospectus,
and the U.S. registration statement, when available, and any other
relevant documents filed with the SEC and/or the AMF, as well as any
related amendments, if any, and/or supplements, because they will
contain important information. Investors may obtain free copies of the
U.S. registration statement and other relevant documents filed with the
SEC at www.sec.gov. Investors and
holders of SUEZ or Gaz de France securities may obtain free copies of
documents filed with and certified by the AMF at www.amf-france.org
or directly from Gaz de France, SUEZ and SUEZ Environnement Company at www.gazdefrance.com;
www.suez.com or www.suez-environnement.com.
Forward-Looking statements
This communication contains forward-looking information and statements.
These statements include financial projections, synergies, cost-savings
and estimates and their underlying assumptions, statements regarding
plans, objectives, savings, expectations and benefits from the
transaction and expectations with respect to future operations, products
and services, and statements regarding future performance. Although the
management of SUEZ and Gaz de France believe that the expectations
reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, investors
and holders of Gaz de France, SUEZ or SUEZ Environnement Company
ordinary shares are cautioned that forward-looking information and
statements are not guarantees of future performances and are subject to
various risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict
and generally beyond the control of SUEZ, Gaz de France and SUEZ
Environnement Company, that could cause actual results, developments,
synergies, savings and benefits from the transaction to differ
materially from those expressed in, or implied or projected by, the
forward-looking information and statements. These risks and
uncertainties include those discussed or identified in the public
filings made by SUEZ, Gaz de France and SUEZ Environnement Company with
the AMF, including those listed under "Facteurs
de Risques” (Risk factors) sections in
the Document de Référence
filed by Gaz de France with the AMF on May 15, 2008 (under no:
R.08-056), in the Document de Référence
filed by SUEZ on March 18, 2008 (under no: D.08-0122) and its update
filed on June 13, 2008 (under no: 08-0122-A01), in the prospectus
prepared for the issue and admission for listing of GDF SUEZ shares
resulting from the merger takeover of Suez by Gaz de France filed with
the AMF on June 13, 2008 (under number: 08-126 and the prospectus
relating to the SUEZ Environnement Company shares filed with the AMF on
June 13, 2008 (under no: 08-127). Investors and holders of Gaz de
France, SUEZ or SUEZ Environnement Company securities should consider
that the occurrence of some or all of these risks may have a material
adverse effect on Gaz de France, SUEZ or/and SUEZ Environnement Company.
1 . SUEZ Environment Company is the legal name
of the firm holding SUEZ Environment.
2 . Detailed information on this operation is
provided in the prospectus certified by the AMF on June 13 under visa
number 08-126 and available from SUEZ (16, rue de la Ville l’Evêque
– 75008 Paris) and SUEZ Environment (1, rue d’Astorg
– 75008 Paris), and may be reviewed on the
Internet sites of the Autorité de marches
financiers (www.amf-france.org),
SUEZ (www.suez.com) and SUEZ
Environment (www.suez-environnement.com).
The section "Facteurs de Risques”
included in the Prospectus is drawn to the attention of the public.
3 . The two Groups confirm their respective
activities’ operating trends for the current
period; each has formulated targets for 2008 that are covered in
sections 3.2.3 and 5.2 of the merger prospectus. Previously announced
GDF SUEZ objectives for 2008 have not been stated again, since the
effective merger date is set to occur at the beginning of second-half
2008.
4 . Based on the new Group’s
definition of EBITDA.
5 . Current operating income is defined as
income from operating activities before mark-to-market on commodity
contracts other than trading instruments, impairment, restructuring
costs, and asset disposals, after taking into account the accounting
consequences of the merger yielding an additional depreciation expense
of EUR 750 million (based on a provisional acquisition price).
6 . Based on the current SUEZ definition of
net financial debt.
7 . Based on the Gaz de France dividend paid
in 2007 for the year 2006 (EUR 1.1 per share). SUEZ shareholders will
also benefit from dividends distributed by SUEZ Environment starting in
2009 for 2008.
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