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SAS — Share Issue/Capital Change 2017
Nov 9, 2017
2961_iss_2017-11-09_cb1d2c98-1ed3-40ca-b05a-ced36555da20.html
Share Issue/Capital Change
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SAS strengthens shareholders' equity by approximately MSEK 1,270 through a private placement of 52.5 million common shares
SAS strengthens shareholders' equity by approximately MSEK 1,270 through a private placement of 52.5 million common shares
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On the basis of the authorization received by the Board of Directors at the
Extraordinary General Meeting on November 3, 2017, and in line with the
indications released by SAS in its stock exchange announcements on November 8,
2017, SAS AB (publ) has decided to conduct a private placement by issuing 52.5
million common shares at a subscription price of SEK 24.20 per common share,
corresponding to a discount of 7.3% compared with the closing price on November
8, 2017. The subscription price has been set through an accelerated book
-building process.
In accordance with the authorization granted by the Extraordinary General
Meeting on November 3, 2017, 52.5 million new common shares were successfully
placed and are being subscribed for by Scandinavian and international
institutional investors, as well as anchor investors and other investors whose
participation, as deemed by the Board of Directors, would be beneficial for the
successful implementation of the share issue. The Danish state participated in
the accelerated book-building process and received allocation of approximately
7.5 million common shares.
The reason for deviating from the preferential rights of existing shareholders
was to enable a capital increase in a time and cost-efficient manner, in order
to strengthen shareholders' equity. SAS now intends to initiate redemption of
preference shares from February 2018, using the proceeds from this private
placement and acquired earnings. The strengthening of shareholders' equity is
also expected to enable SAS to obtain improved terms and conditions for the
upcoming financing of aircraft investments and the refinancing of maturing
loans. Before transaction costs, the new share issue will raise proceeds of
approximately MSEK 1,270 for SAS.
Following the new share issue, the number of shares in SAS AB will total
389,582,551 shares (allocated between 382,582,551 common shares and 7,000,000
preference shares). The new share issue will increase the number of common
shares by 15.9%, which corresponds to a dilution effect of around 13.7% of the
number of common shares.
"The new share issue strengthens SAS's financial position and provides favorable
preconditions moving forward to reduce the total financing costs. We now look
forward to leveraging the trust placed in us by new and existing shareholders to
further strengthen SAS's long-term return," says Rickard Gustafson, President
and CEO of SAS.
In conjunction with the new share issue, SAS has engaged Nordea Bank AB (publ),
SpareBank 1 Markets AS (Joint Global Coordinators and Joint Bookrunners) and
HSBC Bank plc (Joint Bookrunner). Mannheimer Swartling and Davis Polk & Wardwell
has acted as legal advisors to SAS and Roschier has acted as legal advisor to
the Joint Global Coordinators and Joint Bookrunners.
Subscription, payment and delivery of the new shares is expected to be conducted
through the offices of the Joint Global Coordinators and the Joint Bookrunners
within around two bank days, until which time, customary terms and conditions
apply for termination of the placing agreement entered into in conjunction with
the transaction.
To facilitate the delivery of shares to investors in the new share issue, the
Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation has, on the request of SAS, lent
approximately 24.9 million common shares to Nordea Bank AB (publ). No
remuneration is payable for the share loan, which will be returned when all of
the new shares have been registered with the Swedish Companies Registration
Office.
SAS has agreed to a six months lock-up undertaking to not issue common shares
after the private placement, subject to certain provisions in the Articles of
Association of SAS and exemptions in accordance with market practice.
SAS Investor Relations