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Notice Regarding Commencement of the Tender Offer for Shares of Promise by Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation and Subscription by Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group or Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation for New Shares Issued by Promise by Way of Third-Party Allotment (1/1)
September 30, 2011
Sumitomo Mitsui
Financial Group, Inc.
(Code: 8316)
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking
Corporation
Notice Regarding
Commencement of the Tender Offer for Shares of Promise by Sumitomo Mitsui
Banking Corporation and Subscription by Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group or
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation for New Shares Issued by Promise by Way of
Third-Party Allotment
Sumitomo Mitsui
Banking Corporation (President: Takeshi Kunibe; gSMBCh or the gTender
Offerorh), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Inc.
(President: Koichi Miyata; gSMFGh), resolved at the meeting of the Board of
Directors held on September 30, 2011, to acquire, subject to the approval of
relevant regulatory authorities, the shares of common stock, the first series
of stock acquisition rights for the stock compensation-type stock options (the
gFirst Series of Stock Acquisition Rightsh), the second series of stock
acquisition rights for the stock compensation-type stock options (the gSecond
Series of Stock Acquisition Rightsh) and the third series of stock acquisition
rights for the stock compensation-type stock options (the gThird Series of
Stock Acquisition Rightsh; and, together with the First Series of Stock
Acquisition Rights and the Second Series of Stock Acquisition Rights,
collectively referred to as the gStock Acquisition Rightsh), as well as the
euro yen callable bonds with stock acquisition rights due 2015 (the gBonds with
Stock Acquisition Rightsh) issued by Promise Co., Ltd. (President and Representative
Director: Ken Kubo; Tokyo Stock Exchange (gTSEh) First Section: 8574; gPromiseh
or the gTargeth), an equity-method affiliate of SMFG and SMBC, by way of a
tender offer (the gTender Offerh).
In addition, SMFG and SMBC, at their respective meetings of the Board of
Directors held on the same day, respectively resolved that SMFG or SMBC will
fully subscribe shares issued by Promise through the third-party allotment (the
gThird-Party Allotmenth). Through
the share exchange under which SMFG will become a wholly-owning parent company
of the Target and the Target will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of SMFG (the
gShare Exchangeh), SMFG intends to make Promise a wholly-owned subsidiary after
the completion of the Third Party Allotment (the gMaking Promise Wholly-owned
Subsidiaryh) (The series of transactions including the Tender Offer, the
Third-Party Allotment and the Making Promise Wholly-owned Subsidiary shall be
collectively referred to herein as the gTransactionsh).
Additionally, with
respect to the Transactions, SMFG, SMBC and Promise entered into a basic
agreement (the gBasic Agreementh) on the same day, and SMFG and Promise entered
into a share subscription agreement (the gShare Subscription Agreementh).
I. Purpose and
Background of the Transactions
1. Purpose and
Background
SMFG, the wholly-owing
parent company of SMBC, is one of
Promise was
established in 1962 as Kansai Financial Corporation, and, after the subsequent
name changes and mergers, has developed its business since 1980 under the name
of Promise Co., Ltd. The consumer
loan service, which Promise newly introduced in 1963, that does not require
joint guarantors or mortgages, and providing swift lending through use of
system and convenience of repeated use within the maximum limit (current
revolving system) was well perceived.
Thereafter, by spreading its network of offices and ATMs throughout the
nation, and constructing highly-accurate information systems and credit
systems, Promise has established a framework for quickly responding to variety
of customersf funding needs.
According to the annual securities report for the 50th fiscal year filed
by Promise on June 27, 2011, Promisefs entire group had approximately 1,890,000
customers (by number of loan bookings), with the amount of outstanding loans
being approximately JPY879.5 billion, as of March 31, 2011.
SMFG and Promise,
aiming at establishing the top position in
SMFG group considers
the Promise group as one of its core entity in its consumer finance business
from the following reasons: (i) although the consumer finance business has
faced a severe business environment, due to the strengthening of interest rate
ceiling regulation and market scale reduction associated with the
implementation of restriction on total volume for money lending, while the
number of interest refund claims hovering at a high level, the business still
remains a relatively higher margin and continuously and steadily profitable
business, therefore, SMFG intends to, in the medium to long term, emphasize the
consumer finance business as a part of its retail business line-up that support
individual consumption, (ii) Promise will contribute to the enhancement of
client base of SMFG group as the banks and consumer finance companies are in
supplemental relationship due mainly to different characteristics of customers,
and (iii) credit screening and other knowhow of Promise is strategically
inevitable for the consumer finance business of SMFG group.
Currently the
management environment surrounding Promise remains severe, as stated above, and
Promise has proactively promoted business structure reform in order to
establish a solid foundation as the gNo.1 consumer finance company both in
terms of quality and quantity.h
Specifically, Promise has implemented various measures: (i) streamlined
its business operation through the total elimination of its staffed branches
and substantial personnel downsizing, (ii) transformed its operational
framework effectively while providing sophisticated services to its customers,
including by integration with Sanyo Shinpan Finance Co., Ltd. and At-Loan Co.,
Ltd., and (iii) enlarge its operation through installation of its loan
agreement machine and ATMs for SMBC in the branches of Promise, making loan
agreement machine in SMBCfs branches available for Promise, and commencing
guarantee services to a part of the card-type loans made by ORIX Credit
Corporation.
Against backdrop,
based on the recognition that (i) in order to reinforce the consumer finance
business of SMFG group and to enhance earnings generation capacity promptly, it
is necessary to build up an infrastructure accommodating group-wide prompt and flexible
decision making by further strengthen the cooperation between Promise and SMFG
group companies, and (ii) in order to effectively achieve the expansion of the
consumer finance business centering on Promise, it is necessary to strengthen
financial base of Promise; SMFG and SMBC started to discuss and consult with
Promise for establishment of such infrastructure and strengthening of the
financial base from early August 2011 and came to judge it best that, as stated
below, SMFG ultimately makes Promise its wholly-owned subsidiary through and
after the Tender Offer to be conducted by SMBC, and simultaneously strengthens
the financial base of Promise promptly through subscription of the Third-Party
Allotment by SMFG or SMBC.
Promise also is of the
opinion that becoming a wholly-owned subsidiary of SMFG, which focuses on the
consumer finance business as a part of its retail business line-up and place
the Promise group as one of the core players of the consumer finance business,
will enable Promise to implement various measures such as (i) the strengthening
of the ability to develop operations by proactive utilization of the SMBCfs
brand and channels, (ii) the strengthening of overseas business by utilizing
SMFG groupfs global management resources, and (iii) the redistribution to sales
promotion and so forth of the management resources required for procurement of
funds or head office functions, and therefore bring huge advantages. From this point of view, Promise
believes that strengthening alliances with SMFG group companies and promptly
strengthening its business and financial base through becoming a wholly-owned
subsidiary of SMFG will (i) contribute to the establishment of a competitive
advantage in the industry and further the enhancement of its enterprise value,
and (ii) result in the enhancement of its profit-earning capacity in the aspect
that more efficient and flexible business management will be possible by
further utilizing the management resources of SMFG group.
After SMFG makes
Promise a wholly-owned subsidiary, through further developing cooperation with
SMFG group companies and utilizing SMBCfs brand and channels proactively, and
also by maximally utilizing the financial base enforced by the Third-Party
Allotment to SMFG or SMBC, SMFG and Promise plan to enlarge the Promisefs
operations further and to strengthen the position of SMFG group in the consumer
finance business on a group-wide basis.
2. Direction of the
Strengthening of Business Alliances after Making Promise Wholly-owned
Subsidiary
SMFG, SMBC and Promise
entered into the Basic Agreement dated September 30, 2011 regarding
strengthening of business alliances after SMFG makes Promise a wholly-owned
subsidiary of SMFG. Specifically,
under the common understanding that mutual business collaboration should be
further strengthened, SMFG, SMBC and Promise agree to promptly establish a
business alliance committee, and to the extent permitted by laws and
regulations, to specifically consider the following matters, and strengthen
mutual collaboration.
(1) Further promotion of co-utilization of sales
channel between Promise and SMBC
(2) Enhancement of sales promotion at Promise
through utilization of SMBC brand
(3) Development of Promisefs retail business in
(4) Pursuit of efficiency through consolidation of
servicer and middle back functions* within the group
(5) Fortification of sharing various information
including credit screening knowhow among SMFG group companies
* Middle back
functions mean back-office or support services including office work.
II. Tender Offer
1. Overview of
Purchase, etc.
(1) Overview of the
Tender Offer
As of today, the
Tender Offeror holds 27,926,750 shares of common stock of the Target (the ratio
to the total number of issued shares of the Target (134,866,665 shares) as of
June 30, 2011 is 20.71% (the calculated number shall be rounded to the nearest
hundredth)), and makes the Target an equity-method affiliate of the Tender
Offeror. The Tender Offeror has
decided that it will implement the Tender Offer for the purpose of acquiring
all the issued shares of the Target (including shares of common stock of the
Target that may be issued or transferred as a result of exercising stock
acquisition rights and stock acquisition rights attached to bonds with stock
acquisition rights; the same shall apply hereafter (the gShares of the
Targeth), and excluding treasury shares owned by the Target) and all the Stock
Acquisition Rights and the Bonds with Stock Acquisition Rights, with the
ultimate goal of making the Target a wholly-owned subsidiary of SMFG, which is
the wholly-owning parent company of the Tender Offeror. For the Tender Offer,
no maximum or minimum number of shares scheduled to be purchased (the gNumber
of Shares Scheduled to be Purchasedh) has been provided. If the Tender Offeror cannot acquire all
the Shares of the Target (excluding treasury shares owned by the Target)
through the Tender Offer, SMFG, the Tender Offeror and the Target, in
principle, plan to make the Target a wholly-owned subsidiary of SMFG after
going through a series of procedures including the Share Exchange.
According to the
gNotice Regarding Expression of our Opinion in Favor of the Tender Offer for
our Shares by Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporationh dated September 30, 2011
announced by the Target, as a result that the Target carefully considered the
purchase price of the Shares of the Target in the Tender Offer (the gTender
Offer Priceh), the tender offer period in the Tender Offer (the gTender Offer
Periodh), conditions that no maximum or minimum Number of Shares Scheduled to
be Purchased is set, conditions of withdrawal of the Tender Offer and other
conditions of the Tender Offer for the purpose to make the Target a
wholly-owned subsidiary of SMFG, taking into consideration of, among other
relevant documents, the report on valuation of shares and the fairness opinion
described in g(ii) Share Valuation Report and Opinion from Independent Third
Party Appraiser to the Targeth, the report by the project team described in
g(v) Establishment of Project Team at the Target for Eliminating Potential
Conflicts of Interesth and advice from UBS Securities Japan Ltd. (gUBS
Securitiesh) and Nishimura & Asahi as well as the response and opinion
submitted by the third-party committee and other relevant materials described
in g(vi) Establishment of Independent Third Party Committee at the Targeth of
g(2) Measures to Ensure Fairness of the Tender Offer including Measures to
Ensure Fairness of the Tender Offer Price and Measures to Avoid Conflicts of
Interest, etc.h below, the Target believes that strengthening alliances with
each company in SMFG group and strengthening its business and financial base by
becoming a wholly-owned subsidiary of SMFG through the Tender Offer would
contribute to the enhancement of its profit-earning capacity and is the best
solution from the perspective of enhancement of its enterprise value and the
common interests of its shareholders, and also judged that the Tender Offer
Price and other conditions of the Tender Offer are appropriate to the
shareholders and the Tender Offer will provide a reasonable opportunity to the
shareholders of the Target other than SMFG Group to sell their shares. For the above-mentioned reasons, the
Targetfs Board of Directors resolved (i) to express its opinion in favor of the
Tender Offer and (ii) to recommend that the shareholders of the Target tender
their shares in the Tender Offer at the meeting of the Targetfs Board of
Directors held today. In addition,
the Target resolved to leave the decision whether to tender the Stock
Acquisition Rights and the Bonds with Stock Acquisition Rights in the Tender
Offer, to the judgment of the holders of the Stock Acquisition Rights and the
holders of the Bonds with Stock Acquisition Rights as the Target has not
verified the appropriateness of the Tender Offer Price for the Stock
Acquisition Rights and the Bonds with Stock Acquisition Rights.
Of the directors of
the Target, Mr. Syozo Watanabe and Mr. Masahiko Iwanami served as employees of
the Tender Offeror until 2011 and 2010, respectively. Therefore, for the purpose of avoiding
conflicts of interest, neither of them participated in any deliberation or
voting concerning the Transactions, including the approval of the opinion in
favor of the Tender Offer, at any meetings of the Board of Directors of the
Target, nor were they involved in any discussions or negotiations with the
Tender Offeror or SMFG.
At the meeting of the
Board of Directors held on September 30, 2011, regarding the approval of the
opinion in favor of the Tender Offer, all directors of the Target, except the
above-mentioned two directors, were present, and the above-mentioned resolution
was unanimously adopted. At that
meeting of the Board of Directors, all of the four auditors (including two
external auditors) of the Target were present and stated that they had no
objection to the above-mentioned resolution.
(2) Measures to Ensure
Fairness of the Tender Offer including Measures to Ensure Fairness of the
Tender Offer Price and Measures to Avoid Conflicts of Interest, etc.
While the Tender
Offeror is not a parent company of the Target as of the date hereof, the Target
and the Tender Offeror have implemented the measures set forth below to ensure
the fairness of the Tender Offer, including measures to ensure the fairness of
the Tender Offer Price, and measures to avoid conflicts of interest, in light
of the following factors: (i) the Tender Offeror holds 27,926,750 shares of the
Target and the Target is an equity-method affiliate of the Tender Offeror; (ii)
SMFG, the wholly-owning parent company of the Tender Offeror, the Tender
Offeror and the Target have a business and capital alliance with each other;
and (iii) the Tender Offeror or SMFG are expected to become controlling
shareholders of the Target through the subscription of the Third-Party
Allotment.
@ Financial Analysis Report from the Financial
Advisor
In the process of
determining the tender offer price, the Tender Offeror requested Goldman Sachs
Japan Co. Ltd. (gGoldman Sachsh), a financial advisor for SMFG and the Tender
Offeror, to perform financial analyses relating to the Targetfs common stock,
and received from Goldman Sachs the financial analysis report dated September
30, 2011 (the gGoldman Sachs Reporth) prepared by Goldman Sachs. The Tender Offeror did not receive any
financial analysis reports for the Targetfs Stock Acquisition Rights and Bonds
with Stock Acquisition Rights. Goldman Sachs is not a related party of either
SMFG or the Tender Offeror and does not have any material conflicts of interest
with respect to the Tender Offer.
(i) Common
Stock
SMFG and the Tender
Offeror first prepared a financial projection for the Target and its
subsidiaries and affiliates based on information presented to SMFG and the
Tender Offeror by the management of the Target, and assessed the strategic
rationale for, and the potential benefits of, the proposed transaction related
to the Tender Offer, and assessed together with the Target's management the
past and current business operations, financial condition and future prospects
of the Target.
Goldman Sachs, as part
of preparing the Goldman Sachs Report referred to above and the fairness opinion
described below, performed a historical stock price analysis, a dividend
discount model (gDDMh) analysis, and a comparable company analysis. The DDM analysis and comparable company
analysis were based on financial projections for the Target prepared by the
managements of SMFG and the Tender Offeror, as approved for Goldman Sachsf use
by SMFG and the Tender Offeror. The
respective analyses resulted in a range of implied values per share of the
Target shown below.
1. Historical Stock
Price Analysis: JPY314
– 889
In performing the
historical stock price analysis, Goldman Sachs used September 29, 2011 as the
base date and reviewed the closing market prices of the Target for the 52 week
period ending on such date.
2. DDM Analysis: JPY687
– 878
In performing the DDM
Analysis, Goldman Sachs analyzed the value of the Targetfs common stock based
on a discounting of future dividends, after taking into account retained
earnings that would be necessary to maintain certain capital requirements, to
be paid to the Targetfs shareholders to present value.
3. Comparable Company
Analysis: JPY
792 – 1,170
In performing the
comparable company analysis, Goldman Sachs used September 29, 2011 as the base
date and analyzed the value of the Targetfs common stock by selecting a listed
company that, while not directly comparable to the Target, is engaged in
businesses that for purposes of analysis may be considered similar to the
Target, and applying the comparable companyfs estimated fiscal year 2013 March
price to earnings multiple, based on the most recent publicly available
information, to the financial projection for the Target prepared by the
managements of SMFG and the Tender Offeror.
Goldman Sachs provided
its advisory services, the Goldman Sachs Report and Goldman Sachsf fairness
opinion described below solely for the information and assistance of the Boards
of Directors of SMFG and the Tender Offeror in connection with their
consideration of the Transactions.
Goldman Sachs did not recommend any specific Tender Offer price to SMFG,
the Tender Offeror or their Boards of Directors or that any specific Tender
Offer price constituted the only appropriate offer price. Please refer to
(Note) which sets forth in more detail the assumptions made, procedures
followed, matters considered and limitations on the review undertaken by
Goldman Sachs.
Goldman Sachsf
financial analyses, the Goldman Sachs Report and Goldman Sachsf fairness
opinion described below are necessarily based on economic, monetary, market and
other conditions as in effect on, and the information made available to Goldman
Sachs as of September 30, 2011, and Goldman Sachs assumes no responsibility for
updating, revising or reaffirming its financial analyses, the Goldman Sachs
Report or its opinion based on circumstances, developments or events occurring
after the date thereof. Goldman
Sachs assumed with the consent of SMFG and the Tender Offeror that the
financial analyses and forecasts for the Target prepared by the managements of
SMFG and the Tender Offeror have been reasonably prepared on a basis reflecting
the best currently available estimates and judgments of the managements of SMFG
and the Tender Offeror. Except as
otherwise noted, the quantitative information used in Goldman Sachsf financial
analyses, to the extent it is based on market data, is based on market data as
it existed on or before September 29, 2011 and is not necessarily indicative of
current market conditions.
As of the date hereof,
the Tender Offeror holds 27,926,750 shares of the Targetfs common stock
directly (20.71%, which is the ratio to the total number of issued shares
(134,866,665 shares) as of June 30, 2011 (rounded to the nearest hundredth)).
The Tender Offeror,
using as a reference the results of the financial analyses of the Targetfs
common stock by Goldman Sachs and taking into consideration the synergy effects
to be created between the Tender Offeror and the Target, the results of
business, legal, accounting and tax due diligence related to the Target
including potential interest-refund claims risk, the Target's revised earnings
forecasts for the fiscal year ending March 2012 (April 1, 2011 to March 31,
2012), the likelihood of obtaining the support of the Targetfs Board of
Directors for the Tender Offer, the historical stock price of the Target, the
likelihood of a successful completion of the Tender Offer, and other factors,
as well as premium implied at the time of determining the tender offer price in
precedent tender offers for share certificates etc. by entities other than the
issuer, all considered as a whole, and in addition taking into account the
results of discussions and negotiations with the Target, determined the Tender
Offer Price under the Tender Offer to be JPY780 in cash per share of common
stock of the Target at the meeting of the Tender Offeror's Board of Directors
held on September 30, 2011. SMFG and the Tender Offeror also received a
fairness opinion from Goldman Sachs, dated September 30, 2011, to the effect
that, as of such date and based upon and subject to certain conditions,
including the limitations, assumptions and other matters described in (Note)
below, the Tender Offer Price was fair from a financial point of view to SMFG,
parent company of the wholly-owned subsidiary Tender Offeror, in the context of
the Transactions contemplated by the Basic Agreement.
The Tender Offer Price
for the Targetfs share of common stock proposed under the Tender Offer
represents a premium of approximately 39.5% (rounded to one decimal place;
hereinafter the same) on the JPY559 closing price of the Targetfs share on the
First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange on September 29, 2011, a premium of
approximately 47.7%, on the JPY528 (rounded down to the nearest whole number;
hereinafter the same) simple average of closing price of the Targetfs share for
the last 1 month (from August 30, 2011 to September 29, 2011), a premium of
approximately 29.6% on the JPY602 simple average of closing price of the
Targetfs shares for the last 3 months (from June 30, 2011 to September 29, 2011)
and premium of approximately 28.9% on the JPY605 simple average of closing
price of the Targetfs share for the last 6 months (from March 30, 2011 to
September 29, 2011).
(Note) The following is a supplemental
explanation of the assumptions made, procedures followed, matters considered
and limitations on the review undertaken in connection with performing Goldman
Sachsf financial analyses of the Targetfs common stock and preparing the
Goldman Sachs Report and Goldman Sachsf fairness opinion.
Goldman Sachs and its
affiliates (the gGoldman Sachs Grouph) are engaged in investment banking and
financial advisory services, commercial banking, securities trading, investment
management, principal investment, financial planning, benefits counseling, risk
management, hedging, financing, brokerage activities and other financial and
non-financial activities and services for various persons and entities. In the ordinary course of these
activities and services, the Goldman Sachs Group may at any time make or hold
long or short positions and investments, as well as actively trade or effect
transactions, in the equity, debt and other securities (or related derivative
securities) and financial instruments (including bank loans and other
obligations) of third parties, SMFG, the Tender Offeror, the Target and any of
their respective affiliates or any currency or commodity that may be involved
in the Transactions for their own account and for the accounts of their
customers. Goldman Sachs has acted
as financial advisor to SMFG and the Tender Offeror in connection with, and
have participated in certain of the negotiations leading to, the
Transactions. Goldman Sachs expects
to receive fees for its services in connection with the Transactions, a
principal portion of which is contingent upon consummation of the Transactions,
and SMFG and the Tender Offeror have agreed to reimburse Goldman Sachsf
expenses arising, and indemnify Goldman Sachs against certain liabilities that
may arise, out of Goldman Sachsf engagement. The Goldman Sachs Group has provided
certain investment banking services to SMFG, the Tender Offeror and their
respective affiliates from time to time for which the Investment Banking
Division of the Goldman Sachs Group has received, and may receive,
compensation, including having acted as (i) financial advisor to SMFG and the
Tender Offeror with regard to SMFGfs acquisition of Nikko Cordial Securities
Inc. and other related businesses in October 2009, (ii) joint global
coordinator with regard to SMFGfs issuance of 360,000,000 common shares in
January 2010, (iii) lead dealer manager and structuring agent for SMFG, the
Tender Offeror, SMFG Preferred Capital USD 1 Limited and SMFG Preferred Capital
GBP 1 Limited with regard to tender offers for euro denominated perpetual
subordinated bonds and dollar denominated perpetual subordinated bonds issued
by the Tender Offeror, dollar denominated non-cumulative perpetual preferred
securities issued by SMFG Preferred Capital USD 1 Limited, and sterling
denominated non-cumulative perpetual preferred securities issued by SMFG
Preferred Capital GBP 1 Limited (aggregate amount of EUR368,635,000 (principal
amount basis), USD1,022,747,000 (principal amount basis), USD1,000,859,000
(liquidation preference basis),and GBP426,424,000 (liquidation preference
basis), respectively) in February 2010, and (iv) financial advisor to SMFG and
SMFG Card & Credit, Inc. (gFGCCh) with regard to FGCCfs acquisition of a
control stake of Cedyna Financial Corporation in May 2010. The Goldman Sachs Group may also in the
future provide investment banking services to SMFG, the Tender Offeror, the
Target and their respective affiliates for which the Investment Banking
Division of the Goldman Sachs Group may receive compensation.
In connection with
performing its financial analyses and preparing the Goldman Sachs Report and
its opinion, Goldman Sachs has reviewed, among other things, the Basic
Agreement; the Subscription Agreement; the Annual Securities Reports (Yuka
Shoken Hokoku-sho) of the Target for the five fiscal years ended March 31, 2011
and SANYO SHINPAN FINANCE CO., LTD., which merged with the Target on October
10, 2010, for the four fiscal years ended March 31, 2010; the First Quarter
Securities Report (Daiichi Shihanki Hokoku-Sho) of the Target for the first
fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2011; certain other communications from the
Target to its shareholders; certain internal financial analyses and forecasts
for the Target prepared by its management; and certain financial analyses and
forecasts for the Target prepared by the managements of SMFG and the Tender
Offeror and approved for Goldman Sachsf use by SMFG and the Tender Offeror (the
gForecastsh). Goldman Sachs has
also held discussions with a member of the senior management of the Target
regarding the assessment of the Target of the past and current business
operations, financial condition and future prospects of the Target and with a
member of the senior management of SMFG and the Tender Offeror regarding the
assessment of SMFG and the Tender Offeror of the past and current business
operations, financial condition and future prospects of the Target and the
strategic rationale for, and the potential benefits of, the Transactions. In addition, Goldman Sachs has reviewed
the reported price and trading activity for the shares of common stock of the
Target, compared certain financial and stock market information for the Target
with similar information for certain other companies the securities of which
are publicly traded, reviewed the financial terms of certain recent tender
offers in the Japanese consumer finance industry specifically and in other
industries generally, and performed such other studies and analyses, and
considered such other factors, as Goldman Sachs deemed appropriate.
For purposes of performing
its financial analyses and preparing the Goldman Sachs Report and its opinion,
Goldman Sachs has relied upon and assumed, without assuming any responsibility
for independent verification, the accuracy and completeness of all of the
financial, legal, regulatory, tax, accounting and other information provided
to, discussed with or reviewed by Goldman Sachs, and Goldman Sachs does not
assume any responsibility for any such information. In that regard, Goldman Sachs has
assumed with SMFG and the Tender Offerorfs consent that the Forecasts have been
reasonably prepared on a basis reflecting the best currently available
estimates and judgments of the managements of SMFG and the Tender Offeror. In addition, Goldman Sachs has not
reviewed individual credit files nor has Goldman Sachs made an independent
evaluation or appraisal of the assets and liabilities (including any
contingent, derivative or other off-balance-sheet assets and liabilities) of
the Target, SMFG or the Tender Offeror or any of their respective subsidiaries
and Goldman Sachs has not been furnished with any such evaluation or
appraisal. Goldman Sachs is not an
expert in the evaluation of credit portfolios for purposes of assessing the
adequacy of the reserves for credit losses and interest refunds with respect
thereto and, accordingly, Goldman Sachs has relied on estimates provided to
Goldman Sachs by the managements of SMFG and the Tender Offeror of the adequate
amount of such reserves for the Target.
Goldman Sachs has assumed that all governmental, regulatory or other
consents and approvals necessary for the consummation of the Transactions will
be obtained without any adverse effect on SMFG, the Tender Offeror or the
Target or on the expected benefits of the Transactions in any way meaningful to
Goldman Sachsf analysis. Goldman
Sachs also has assumed that the Transactions, including the Tender Offer and
the Third-Party Allotment, will be consummated on the terms set forth in the
Basic Agreement and the Subscription Agreement, without the waiver or
modification of any term or condition the effect of which would be in any way
meaningful to Goldman Sachsf analysis.
Goldman Sachsf
financial analyses, the Goldman Sachs Report and its opinion do not address the
underlying business decision of SMFG and the Tender Offeror to engage in the
Transactions, or the relative merits of the Transactions as compared to any
strategic alternatives that may be available to SMFG or the Tender Offeror nor
does it address any legal, regulatory, tax or accounting matters. Goldman Sachsf written opinion addresses
only the fairness from a financial point of view to SMFG, as of the date
thereof, of the Tender Offer Price to be paid by the Tender Offeror in respect
of each share of common stock of the Target in the Tender Offer pursuant to the
Basic Agreement. Goldman Sachs does
not express any view on, and Goldman Sachsf opinion does not address, any other
term or aspect of the Basic Agreement, the Subscription Agreement or the
Transactions or any term or aspect of any other agreement or instrument
contemplated by the Basic Agreement or the Subscription Agreement or entered
into or amended in connection with the Transactions, including, without
limitation, the Share Exchange, the Third-Party Allotment, the fairness of the
Transactions to, or any consideration received in connection therewith by, the
Tender Offeror, the holders of any class of securities, creditors, or other
constituencies of SMFG and the Tender Offeror; nor as to the fairness of the
amount or nature of any compensation to be paid or payable to any of the
officers, directors or employees of SMFG, the Tender Offeror or the Target, or
any class of such persons in connection with the Transactions, whether relative
to the Tender Offer Price to be paid by the Tender Offeror in respect of each
share of common stock of the Target in the Tender Offer pursuant to the Basic
Agreement or otherwise. Goldman
Sachs is not expressing any opinion as to the prices at which the shares of
common stock of the Target or the shares of common stock of SMFG will trade at
any time or as to the impact of the Transactions on the solvency or viability
of SMFG, the Tender Offeror or the Target or the ability of SMFG, the Tender
Offeror or the Target to pay their respective obligations when they come
due. The Goldman Sachs Report and
Goldman Sachsf opinion do not constitute a recommendation as to whether any
holder of shares of common stock of the Target, the Stock Acquisition Rights or
Bonds with Stock Acquisition Rights should tender their shares, Stock
Acquisition Rights or Bonds with Stock Acquisition Rights in the Tender Offer
or any other matter. Goldman Sachsf
opinion has been approved by a fairness committee of the Goldman Sachs Group.
The preparation of a
fairness opinion is a complex process and Goldman Sachsf financial analyses,
the Goldman Sachs Report and Goldman Sachsf opinion are not necessarily
susceptible to partial analysis or summary description. Selecting portions of the analyses, the
Goldman Sachs Report or its opinion or the summary set forth above, without
considering the analyses as a whole, could create an incomplete view of the
processes underlying Goldman Sachsf financial analyses, the Goldman Sachs
Report or Goldman Sachsf opinion.
Goldman Sachs did not attribute any particular weight to any factor or
any analysis it performed.
(ii) Stock
Acquisition Rights
The Stock Acquisition
Rights, which are subject to the Tender Offer, are issued as a stock option to
the directors, executive officers and employees of the Target. As a condition thereof, a holder of the
Stock Acquisition Rights must exercise such right within five years from the
day after the date on which such holder lost his position as a director, an
auditor, an executive officer or an advisor (to whom the rules for executive
officers are applicable). In
addition, a holder of such Stock Acquisition Rights is required to obtain the
approval of the Board of Directors of the Target before transferring the rights
(including tender of such right in the Tender Offer). After taking into consideration the
terms and conditions of the Stock Acquisition Rights, including the fact that
the Tender Offeror would not be able to exercise the Stock Acquisition Rights
even if it acquires such rights in the Tender Offer, the Tender Offeror decided
to set the Tender Offer price at JPY1 per each Stock Acquisition Right.
(iii) Bonds with
Stock Acquisition Rights
The Tender Offer price
of JPY2,765,880 per each Bond with Stock Acquisition Rights (face value of JPY
10,000,000) was determined by dividing the face value of JPY10,000,000 by JPY
2,820, which is the conversion price effective as of the commencement date of
the Tender Offer (3,546 shares) (rounded down to the nearest whole number), and
multiplying the quotient by JPY 780, which is the Tender Offer Price per share
of common stock of the Target. Due to the implementation of the Third-Party
Allotment, the conversion price of the Bonds with Stock Acquisition Rights is
expected to be adjusted to approximately JPY2,662 per share after the day
following the payment date of the Third-Party Allotment. However, because the purchase of the
Bonds with Stock Acquisition Rights through the Tender Offer is made before the
date on or after which the conversion price after adjustment of the Bond with
Stock Acquisition Rights is applicable, the purchase price of the Bonds with
Stock Acquisition Rights per par value of JPY 10,000,000 was calculated on the
basis of the conversion price (JPY2,820) effective as of the commencement date
of the Tender Offer.
A Obtainment by the
Target of Share Valuation Report and Opinion from Independent Third Party
Appraiser
(i) Common
Shares
In deciding the
opinion on the Tender Offer, the Target has requested that Ernst & Young
Transaction Advisory Services Co., Ltd. (gE&Yh), a third party appraiser
independent from the Tender Offeror, SMFG and the Target evaluate its share,
and obtained a share valuation report therefrom on September 28, 2011. The Target has also obtained an opinion
to the effect that the Tender Offer Price is appropriate for its ordinary
shareholders other than the Tender Offeror to a certain extent from a financial
point of view based on the result of valuation in the share valuation
report. The results of the
valuation of the Targetfs share by E&Y are as follows.
In calculating the
Targetfs share value, E&Y examined the Targetfs business plans and other
relevant information provided by the Target and determined that it would be
appropriate to evaluate them from various perspectives. Accordingly, E&Y calculated the
Targetfs share value by the market price method, the discounted cash flow
method (the gDCF methodh) and the adjusted book value method.
(a) Market
price method
E&Y adopted the
market price method, considering that it was a method for deciding a share
value based on the listed companyfs share price traded on a stock market, and
therefore was the most objective valuation method suitable for evaluating the
share value of a listed company.
E&Y calculated that the value of the Targetfs common shares was in
the range of JPY492 to JPY722 per share, based on the maximum value and the
minimum value of the closing prices of the Targetfs common shares on the TSE
First Section from May 16, 2011, the following business day of May 13, 2011,
when the Target announced the financial results for the fiscal year ended March
2011, to September 28, 2011.
(b) DCF
method
E&Y adopted the
DCF method, considering that it was an evaluation method based on the future
cash flow (profit-earning capacity) generated from a companyfs business
activities and therefore was appropriate for evaluating the value of a going
concern. Based on the Targetfs
business plans and other relevant information provided by the Target, E&Y
calculated that the value of the Targetfs common shares was in the range of JPY312
to JPY569 per share, by discounting the future cash flow that belongs to the
Target shareholders to arrive at the present value by using a certain discount
rate.
(c) Adjusted
book value method
E&Y adopted the adjusted
book value method, considering that it was a method for evaluating the share
value by the net asset value on the basis of the assets and liabilities on the
balance sheet, reflecting a latent gain or loss based on the market value, and
therefore was an appropriate valuation method for the Target, whose primary
assets were financial assets.
E&Y calculated the adjusted net asset value by adjusting the book
value on the Targetfs consolidated balance sheet as of March 31, 2011, by the
amount of increase or decrease resulting from the market value evaluation of
its assets and liabilities and by reflecting the changes in the book value
during the period from March 31, 2011 to June 30, 2011. E&Y accordingly calculated that the
value of the Targetfs common shares was in the range of JPY97 to JPY193 per
share.
E&Y has assumed
that the public information, financial information and all other information
provided by the Target that E&Y examined in calculating the Targetfs share
value was accurate and complete, and has not independently verified the
accuracy or completeness of such information. E&Y has also assumed that the
financial forecasts and other information related to the future provided by the
Target were reasonably prepared based on the best forecasts and decisions that
the Target management were able to render at the time, and that the Targetfs
financial status is subject to change depending on the forecasts of its
management. E&Y has relied on
such forecasts and related materials without performing an independent
investigation. The calculation of
the Targetfs share value by E&Y reflects the content of gAnnouncement of
Revision of Earnings Forecast and Dividends Forecasth released today,
additional information regarding the Target, and economic conditions and other
relevant factors available up to September 28, 2011.
(ii) Stock
Acquisition Rights
The Tender Offeror has
decided that the purchase price per Stock Acquisition Right would be JPY1, as
it would not be able to exercise any Stock Acquisition Right though it may
purchase them through the Tender Offer due to the condition of the Stock
Acquisition Rights that holders thereof must exercise such right within five
years from the day after the date which such holder lost his position as a
director, an auditor, an executive officer or an advisor (to whom the rules for
executive officers are applicable)..
The Target has not obtained from E&Y, a third party appraiser, any
valuation report or opinion on the appropriateness of the purchase price, given
the fact that the Stock Acquisition Rights were issued as a stock-based
compensation stock option and the purchase price per Stock Acquisition Right
was JPY1. Furthermore, the Target
has passed a resolution at its Board of Directorsf meeting held on September
30, 2011, to leave the decision whether to tender their shares in the Tender
Offer up to the holders of the Stock Acquisition Acquisition Rights, as the
Target has not examined the appropriateness of the purchase price for the Stock
Acquisition Rights.
(iii) Bonds with
Stock Acquisition Rights
As stated in g2.
Overview of Purchase etc.h, and g(4) The Basis of Calculation, etc. of the
Price for Purchase, etc.h below, the Tender Offeror has decided that the
purchase price of the Bonds with Share Acquisition Rights per par value
(JPY10,000,000) will be JPY2,765,880 in the Tender Offer, which is an amount
obtained by dividing the par value (JPY10,000,000) by the conversion price
effective as of the commencement date of the Tender Offer (JPY2,820). Due to the implementation of the
Third-Party Allotment, the conversion price of the Bonds with Stock Acquisition
Rights is expected to be adjusted to approximately JPY2,662 per share after the
day following the payment date of the Third-Party Allotment. However, because the purchase of the
Bonds with Stock Acquisition Rights through the Tender Offer is made before the
date on or after which the conversion price after adjustment of the Bond with
Stock Acquisition Rights is applicable, the purchase price of the Bonds with
Stock Acquisition Rights per par value of JPY10,000,000 was calculated on the
basis of the conversion price of (JPY2,820) effective as of the commencement
date of the Tender Offer. The
Target has not obtained from E&Y, a third party appraiser, any valuation
report or opinion on the appropriateness of the purchase price in connection
with the Bonds with Stock Acquisition Rights, given the following facts: (a)
that the said purchase price of the Bonds with Stock Acquisition Rights would
fall below the face value of the Bonds with Stock Acquisition Rights; and (b)
that the Bonds with Stock Acquisition Rights would be redeemed at a price at
least equal to the par value calculated pursuant to the applicable terms and
conditions in accordance with the advance redemption clause if the Share
Exchange would be conducted as provided in g(6) Othersh below. Furthermore, the Target has passed a
resolution at its Board of Directorsf meeting held on September 30, 2011, to
leave the decision whether to tender their shares in the Tender Offer up to the
holders of the Bonds with Stock Acquisition Rights, as the Target has not
examined the appropriateness of the purchase price for the Bonds with Stock
Acquisition Rights.
B Relatively Long
Tender Offer Period
The Tender Offeror has
set the Tender Offer Period in the Tender Offer to a relatively long period of
30 business days, while the minimum Tender Offer Period prescribed by law is 20
business days. This is to secure an
appropriate opportunity for the Targetfs shareholders to determine whether to
tender their shares in the Tender Offer, as well as to secure an opportunity
for potential purchasers other than the Tender Offeror to purchase the Targetfs
shares.
C Advice from
Independent Law Firm
The Target has
retained Nishimura & Asahi, a legal advisor independent from the Target,
the Tender Offeror and SMFG, and received legal advice therefrom on procedures
related to the Transactions, in order to carefully deliberate the Transactions
and to ensure the fairness and appropriateness of the decision-making of its
Board of Directors.
D Establishment of
Project Team at the Target for Eliminating Potential Conflicts of Interest
In order to eliminate
any possible potential arbitrariness in the decision-making process of the
Target in connection with the Transactions, the Target has established a
project team (the gPTh) consisting of: (a) Messrs. Ken Kubo and Yoshiyuki
Tateishi, who are directors of the Target other than Mr. Shozo Watanabe, who
used to be an employee of the Tender Offeror until 2011; Mr. Masahiko Iwanami
who used to be an employee of the Tender Offeror until 2010; and Mr. Tomohiko
Tashiro who used to be an employee of The Sumitomo Trust and Banking Co., Ltd.,
a major shareholder of the Target, until 2009, and who are independent from the
Tender Offeror and SMFG; and (b) Mr. Masahide Kitakado, an executive
officer. The PT has discussed and
negotiated for the Tender Offer with the Tender Offeror, and considered the
Transactions including the Tender Offer from the Targetfs perspective, and
carefully examined the propriety thereof based on advice from and consultation
with UBS Securities, the Targetfs financial advisor.
E Establishment of
Independent Third-Party Committee at the Target
On August 3, 2011, for
the purpose of ensuring the appropriateness and fairness of the Transactions
and ensuring the transparency and objectivity of the negotiations and
decision-making process regarding the Transactions, the PT established a
third-party committee consisting of three members Mr. Shinji Mizuno, attorney at law of HIBIYA
PARK LAW OFFICES, who is an external expert independent from the Target, the
Tender Offeror, and SMFG; and Messrs. Hiroaki Mori and Takanori Yasunaga,
external auditors of the Target and asked the third-party committee to give
its opinions on the following consultation issues: (i) the appropriateness of
the conditions for the Tender Offer, including the Tender Offer Price, and (ii)
the appropriateness of the Target deciding that conditions for the Tender Offer
including the Tender Offer Price are not unfavorable to the minority
shareholders of the Target, and thus expressing the opinion in favor of the Tender
Offer.
The meetings of the
third-party committee were held 5 times in total between August 11, 2011, and
September 28 of the same year, and considered the above-mentioned consultation
issues. In considering the above-mentioned
consultation issues, the third-party committee received explanations from the
Target about: (a) the contents of the proposal made by the Tender Offeror; (b)
the state of discussions and negotiations with the Tender Offeror with respect
to the conditions for the Tender Offer, including the Tender Offer Price, and
other conditions for the Transactions; and (c) the purposes of the series of
procedures planned to be implemented after the Tender Offer, as described under
g(3) Policies on Organizational Restructuring Following the Tender Offer
(Matters Relating to the So-called Second-Step Takeover)h below, and specific
details of the Targetfs enterprise value expected to be enhanced as a result
thereof; and also interviewed officers of the Target and so forth. Additionally, the third-party committee
referred to the share valuation report of the Target and the opinion that were
submitted by E&Y to the Target, and received explanations from E&Y
about the share valuation report of the Target and the opinion. In addition, the third-party committee
received explanations about the procedures for the Transactions from UBS
Securities and Nishimura & Asahi.
Furthermore, the third-party committee appointed Nijubashi Partners,
which is a law firm independent from the Target, the Tender Offeror, and SMFG,
to be an independent legal advisor to the third-party committee; received legal
advice therefrom on the Transactions; and obtained the legal opinion therefrom
as of September 28, 2011, to the effect that the conditions for the Tender
Offer as a part of the Transactions and the decision by the Targetfs Board of
Directors to express its opinion in favor of the Tender Offer are appropriate
from a legal standpoint and do not violate the fiduciary duty owed by the
directors of the Target. Based on
these considerations, on September 29, 2011, the third-party committee
submitted to the Board of Directors of the Target a response and opinion
(including that conditions for the Tender Offer, including the Tender Offer
Price are not unfavorable to the minority shareholders of the Target) to the
effect that (i) the conditions for the Tender Offer, including the Tender Offer
Price, are appropriate, and (ii) it is appropriate for the Target to decide
that conditions for the Tender Offer, including the Tender Offer Price, are not
unfavorable to the minority shareholders of the Target, and thus to express the
opinion in favor of the Tender Offer.
F Approval of All
Disinterested Directors
The Board of Directors
of the Target carefully discussed and considered the Tender Offer Price, the
Tender Offer Period, conditions that no maximum or minimum Number of Shares
Scheduled to be Purchased is set, conditions of withdrawal of the Tender Offer
and other various conditions for the Tender Offer that aims at SMFG making the
Target its wholly-owned subsidiary, based on the share valuation report and
opinion obtained from E&Y, reports from the PT, advice obtained from UBS
Securities and Nishimura & Asahi, and the response and opinion submitted
by, and other related materials of, the third-party committee. Consequently, the Board of Directors of
the Target has decided (a) that to strengthen the alliance with SMFGfs group
companies and promptly strengthen the Targetfs business and financial base by
becoming a wholly-owned subsidiary of SMFG through the Tender Offer will lead
to an increase in the Targetfs profit-earning capacity, and thus is the best
measure in terms of the Targetfs enterprise value and the shareholdersf common
interest, and (b) that the Tender Offer Price and other various conditions for
the Tender Offer are appropriate for the shareholders of the Target, and the
Tender Offer will provide them, other than SMFG group, with a reasonable
opportunity to sell their shares.
For the above-mentioned reasons, the Board of Directors of the Target
resolved at its meeting held on September 30, 2011, (i) to express an opinion
in favor of the Tender Offer and (ii) to recommend that the shareholders of the
Target tender their shares in the Tender Offer. In addition, the Board of Directors of
the Target resolved, at the same meeting, (iii) as to whether or not the holders
of the Stock Acquisition Rights and Bonds with Stock Acquisition Rights will
tender their Stock Acquisition Rights and Bonds with Stock Acquisition Rights
in the Tender Offer, to leave the decision up to the holders, as the Target has
not examined the appropriateness of the purchase price regarding the Stock
Acquisition Rights and the Bonds with Stock Acquisition Rights.
Of the directors of
the Target, Mr. Shozo Watanabe and Mr. Masahiko Iwanami served as employees of
the Tender Offeror until 2011 and 2010, respectively. Therefore, for the purpose of avoiding
conflicts of interest, neither of them participated in any deliberation or
voting concerning the Transactions, including the approval of the Tender Offer,
at any meetings of the Board of Directors of the Target, nor were they involved
in any discussions or negotiations with the Tender Offeror or SMFG.
At the meeting of the
Board of Directors held on September 30, 2011, regarding the approval of the
Tender Offer, all directors of the Target, except the two above-mentioned
directors, were present, and the above-mentioned resolution was unanimously
adopted. At that meeting of the
Board of Directors, all of the four auditors (including two external auditors)
of the Target were present and stated that they had no objection to the
above-mentioned resolution.
G Securing Objective
Circumstances that Ensure Appropriateness of Price
In the Subscription
Agreement, the Target has made an agreement that (a) until the Third-Party
Allotment is completed, the Target shall not, whether directly or indirectly,
solicit any third party with respect to a certain management integration,
organizational restructuring, capital alliance, equity participation, share
transfer, business transfer, asset transfer, or other competing transactions,
nor shall the Target cause any of its consolidated subsidiaries to engage in
any of the foregoing (however, this shall not apply to the case where a tender
offer targeting shares, etc. of the Target or other acquisition of the Target
is proposed by a third party other than the Tender Offeror, and then it is
reasonably determined that performing these obligations might constitute a
breach of the fiduciary duty owed by the Targetfs directors or auditors under
the Companies Act, even if the fact that the Subscription Agreement has already
been executed is taken into consideration), and that (b) if a proposal, a
request for information provision, or so forth concerning any of these
competing transactions is made by a third party, the Target shall promptly
notify SMFG and the Tender Offeror of that fact (including the name of such
third party) and of the details in writing, and discuss measures to be taken
with SMFG and the Tender Offeror.
Except for the above,
the Tender Offeror and the Target have not made any agreement that would, in
the event of the actual appearance of a competing acquirer other than the
Tender Offeror, restrain such competing acquirer from making contact and so
forth with the Target.
(3) Policies on
Organizational Restructuring Following the Tender Offer (Matters Relating to
the So-called Second-Step Takeover)
In the event the
Tender Offeror is unable to acquire all Shares of the Target (excluding
treasury shares held by the Target) through the Tender Offer, SMFG, Tender
Offeror and the Target in principle plan to make the Target a wholly-owned
subsidiary of SMFG by implementing the share exchange with the Target after the
Tender Offer, in which SMFG will become a wholly-owning parent and the Target
will become a wholly-owned subsidiary, subject to the approval of the relevant
regulatory authorities.
It is anticipated
that, in the event the Share Exchange is implemented, the shares of SMFGfs
common stock will be allocated and delivered in consideration for Shares of the
Target held by the Targetfs shareholders, and every shareholder of the Target,
to whom not less than one share of SMFG's common stock is allocated, will
become a shareholder of SMFG. The Share Exchange is planned to be implemented,
aiming the effective date to be in or around April 2012. Also, SMFG plans to
deliver the shares of SMFGfs common stock that will be delivered in
consideration for the Share Exchange, upon acquiring such shares through market
purchases, etc., before the Share Exchange. The Share Exchange is planned to be
implemented in the form of a summary share exchange (kanni kabushiki kokan) prescribed in the main text of Article 796,
Paragraph 3 of the Companies Act, without obtaining the approval at a general
meeting of shareholders of SMFG. Further, the Share Exchange may be implemented
in the form of a short form share exchange (ryakushiki
kabushiki kokan) prescribed in the provisions of Article 784, Paragraph 1
of the Companies Act, without obtaining the approval at a general meeting of shareholders of
the Target.
The share exchange
ratio applicable to the Share Exchange, where it is implemented, will be
determined after the completion of the Tender Offer, through consultations
between SMFG and the Target, giving full consideration to the interest of
shareholders of the respective companies; however, when determining the
consideration to be received by the Targetfs shareholders upon the Share
Exchange (i.e., SMFGfs shares; provided, however, that, if fractional number of
share less than one (1) share are allocated, the proceeds for sale of such
fractions shall be delivered), Shares of the Target are expected to be valued
based on a price equivalent to the Tender Offer Price. In connection with the
Share Exchange, any shareholder of the Target, which will become a wholly-owned
subsidiary of SMFG, will be entitled to demand that the Target purchase the
shares owned by such shareholder pursuant to the procedures prescribed by the
Companies Act and other applicable laws and regulations. In such event, the
purchase price will ultimately be determined by the court.
From the viewpoint of
ensuring that the Share Exchange reflect the intention of the shareholders of
the Target appropriately and that the Share Exchange be implemented with the
support of the shareholders of the Target, it is agreed among SMFG, the Tender
Offeror and the Target that: (i) if
the ratio of the total number of shares tendered in the Tender Offer to the
number obtained by subtracting the number of Shares of the Target held by the
Tender Offeror as of the commencement date of the Tender Offer from the total
number of issued Shares of the Target (excluding the number of treasury shares
held by the Target and not including the number of shares to be issued under
the Third-Party Allotment) (the gNumber of Shares Held by Minority Shareholdersh)
becomes more than 50% (the gMinority Shareholder Tender Ratioh) (in this case,
the ratio of voting rights to be held by the Tender Offeror after the Tender
Offer to the number of voting rights of all shareholders as of March 31, 2011,
which is 2,535,922 as stated in the Quarterly Report for the First Quarter of
the 51st Fiscal Year submitted by the Target on August 12, 2011, is more than
61.02% (rounded to the nearest hundredth)), the Share Exchange shall be
implemented on the understanding that the Making the Target Wholly-owned
Subsidiary has obtained sufficient support from the shareholders of the Target;
however, (ii) if the Minority Shareholder Tender Ratio becomes 50% or less, the
Share Exchange shall be implemented only in the case where SMFG, the Tender
Offeror and the Target confirm that the ratio of (a) the total number of Shares
of the Target tendered in the Tender Offer plus the number of Shares of the
Target held by the shareholders of the Target (excluding the Tender Offeror)
who expressed their support for the Share Exchange upon the solicitation of the
Tender Offer or after the Tender Offer to (b) the number obtained by
subtracting (x) the number of shares held by shareholders to which direct
solicitation may not be made in the Tender Offer for reasons such as their
whereabouts were unknown from (y) the Number of Shares Held by Minority
Shareholders becomes more than 50%, and if such confirmation is not made, the
implementation of the Share Exchange shall be postponed or the details of the
Share Exchange shall be changed. In
any of the above cases, implementation of the Share Exchange is subject to
receiving from the third-party committee of the Target an opinion to the effect
that the implementation and method of the Share Exchange will not be
detrimental to the interests of minority shareholders other than the Tender
Offeror. The implementation and
method of the Share Exchange are scheduled to be decided by around February
2012, and the specific procedures and timing for the implementation of the
Share Exchange will be promptly announced as soon as they are decided upon
consultation with the Target.
The Tender Offer is
not intended to solicit the shareholders of the Target to support the
implementation of the Share Exchange.
With respect to the tax consequences of tendering in the Tender Offer or
the Share Exchange, shareholders should consult their respective tax experts at
their own responsibility.
(4) Expected Delisting
and Reasons Therefor
The Shares of the
Target are currently listed on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock
Exchange. However, because the
Tender Offeror has not set a maximum limit on the number of shares to be
purchased through the Tender Offer, depending on the outcome of the Tender
Offer, there is the possibility of the Shares of the Target being delisted in
accordance with the prescribed procedures pursuant to the share delisting
standards of the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
Furthermore, even if these standards are not applicable, in the event
that the Share Exchange is implemented as set forth in the aforementioned g(3)
Policies on Organizational Restructuring Following the Tender Offer (Matters
Relating to the So-Called Second-Step Takeover,h the Shares of the Target will
be delisted in accordance with the prescribed procedures and pursuant to the
share delisting standards of the Tokyo Stock Exchange. After the delisting, the
Shares of the Target will no longer be able to be traded on the Tokyo Stock
Exchange.
(5) Matters Relating
to Material Agreements between the Tender Offeror and the Shareholders of the
Target concerning the Tender of the Shareholdersf Shares in the Tender Offer
Not applicable.
(6) Others
Under the Basic
Agreement dated September 30, 2011, the Target agrees with the Tender Offeror
and SMFG that in the case where the Share Exchange is implemented, the Target
will acquire, by the effective date of the Share Exchange, all the outstanding
Stock Acquisition Rights without consideration in accordance with their terms
and conditions.
In addition, the terms
and conditions of the Bonds with Stock Acquisition Rights provide that, upon
the passing of a resolution at a general meeting of shareholders of the Target
(or, where a resolution of general meeting of shareholders is not necessary, at
a meeting of the board of directors of the Target) for the Target to become a
wholly-owned subsidiary of another corporation by way of a share exchange, the
Target may, having given not less than 14 Tokyo business daysf prior notice to
the holders of the Bonds with Stock Acquisition Rights, redeem all, but not
some only, of the Bonds with Stock Acquisition Rights then outstanding, at a
redemption price determined by reference to the redemption date and the parity
of the Bonds with Stock Acquisition Rights in accordance with a certain formula
(but which redemption price shall not be smaller than the principal amount of
the Bonds with Stock Acquisition Rights), on the date (which shall in principle
be the date of, or before, the effective date of the Share Exchange) specified
for redemption in such notice.
Under the Basic
Agreement dated September 30, 2011, the Target agrees with the Tender Offeror
and SMFG that in the case where the Share Exchange is implemented, the Target
will redeem, by the effective date of the Share Exchange, all the outstanding
Bonds with Stock Acquisition Rights, in accordance with the early redemption
clause provided for in the terms and conditions of the Bonds with Stock
Acquisition Rights, at a redemption price calculated in accordance with such
provisions.
The Target is reported
to have resolved to revise its dividends forecast for the fiscal year ending
March 31, 2012 and not to pay its fiscal year-end dividends for the fiscal year
ending March 31, 2012 at the meeting of the Board of Directors of the Target
held today. For details, please
refer to the gAnnouncement of Revision of Earnings and Dividends Forecastsh
issued today by the Target.
2. Overview of
Purchase, etc.
(1) Profile of the
Target
(1) |
Name: |
Promise Co.,
Ltd. |
||
(2) |
Head Office: |
2-4, Otemachi 1-chome, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo |
||
(3) |
Name and Title
of Representative: |
Ken Kubo,
President and Representative Director |
||
(4) |
Business: |
Consumer
finance business |
||
(5) |
Capital Amount: |
JPY 80,737 million |
||
(6) |
Date of Incorporation: |
March 20, 1962 |
||
(7) |
Major Shareholders and Shareholding Ratios (as of March 31, 2011): |
Sumitomo
Mitsui Banking Corporation |
20.71% |
|
Yumiko Jinnai |
5.67% |
|||
STATE STREET
BANK CLIENT OMNIBUS 0M04 |
4.06% |
|||
The Sumitomo
Trust and Banking Co., Ltd. |
2.97% |
|||
CHASE
MANHATTAN BANK GTS CLIENTS ACCOUNT ESCROW |
2.75% |
|||
Daiwa
Securities Capital Markets Co. Ltd. |
2.26% |
|||
GOLDMAN, SACHS
& CO. REG |
2.17% |
|||
MOXLEY AND
COMPANY |
2.11% |
|||
J.P. MORGAN
CLEARING CORP-CLEARING |
1.95% |
|||
The Master
Trust Bank of Japan, Ltd. (Trust unit) |
1.70% |
|||
(8) |
Relationship between the Tender Offeror and the Target: |
Capital
Relationship |
As of
September 30, 2011, the Tender Offeror is the largest shareholder of the
Target holding 27,926,750 shares of common stock (representing 20.71% of the
ratio to the total number of
issued shares (134,866,665 shares) as of June 30, 2011 (rounded to the
nearest hundredth)). |
|
Personnel Relationship |
Among the
directors of the Target, Mr. Ken Kubo, Mr. Shozo Watanabe and Mr. Masahiko
Iwanami were officers/employees of the Tender Offeror. As of September 30, 2011, 17 employees
of the Tender Offeror are seconded to the Target. |
|||
Transaction Relationship |
The Tender
Offeror provides loans to the Target.
The Tender Offeror and SMFG, its parent company, have established a
business alliance with the Target in respect of the consumer finance
business. |
|||
Status as a Related Party |
The Target is
an equity-method affiliate of the Tender Offeror and, therefore, is a related
party thereof. |
|||
(2) Schedule, etc.
(i) Schedule
Date of Resolutions
of Meetings of Board of Directors |
September 30, 2011
(Friday) |
Date of Public
Notice of Commencement of the Tender Offer |
October 18, 2011
(Tuesday) (Scheduled) Public notice will
be made electronically, and then a notice will be posted in The Nihon Keizai
Shimbun to the effect that such public notice has been made. (URL for the
electronic public notice: http://info.edinet-fsa.go.jp/) |
Date of Filing of
the Tender Offer Registration Statement |
October 18, 2011
(Tuesday) (Scheduled) |
(ii) Period for the
Tender Offer as of Filing of Registration Statement
From October 18, 2011 (Tuesday) to November
30, 2011 (Wednesday) (30 business days in
(iii) Possible
Extension of Tender Offer Period at the Targetfs Request
Not Applicable.
(3) Price for
Purchase, etc.
Shares of Common
Stock |
JPY 780 per share |
First Series of
Stock Acquisition Rights |
JPY 1 per stock
acquisition right |
Second Series of
Stock Acquisition Rights |
JPY 1 per stock
acquisition right |
Third Series of Stock
Acquisition Rights |
JPY 1 per stock
acquisition right |
Bonds with Stock Acquisition
Rights |
JPY 2,765,880 per
bond with stock acquisition right (JPY 10,000,000 par value) |
(4) The Basis of
Calculation, etc. of the Price for Purchase, etc.
@ Basis of Determination
of the Tender Offer Price
(i) Common Stock
In the process of
determining the Tender Offer Price, the Tender Offeror requested Goldman Sachs,
a financial advisor for SMFG and the Tender Offeror, to perform financial
analyses relating to the Targetfs common stock, and received the Goldman Sachs
Report dated September 30, 2011. A summary of the analyses is set forth below.
The Tender Offer Price
of JPY780 in cash per share of common stock of the Target was determined by the
Tender Offeror, using as a reference the results of the financial analyses in
the Goldman Sachs Report, and taking into consideration other factors described
below, all considered as a whole. A
summary of the financial analyses is set forth below.
SMFG and the Tender
Offeror first prepared a financial projection for the Target and its
subsidiaries and affiliates based on information presented to SMFG and the
Tender Offeror by the management of the Target, and assessed the strategic
rationale for, and the potential benefits of, the proposed transaction related
to the Tender Offer, and assessed together with the Target's management the
past and current business operations, financial condition and future prospects
of the Target.
Goldman Sachs, as part
of preparing the Goldman Sachs Report and the fairness opinion referred to
above, performed a historical stock price analysis, a dividend discount model
(DDM) analysis, and a comparable company analysis. The DDM analysis and
comparable company analysis were based on financial projections for the Target
prepared by the managements of SMFG and the Tender Offeror, as approved for
Goldman Sachsf use by SMFG and the Tender Offeror. The respective analyses
resulted in a range of implied values per share of the Target shown below.
1. Historical Stock
Price Analysis: JPY314
– 889
In performing the
historical stock price analysis, Goldman Sachs used September 29, 2011 as the
base date and reviewed the closing market prices of the Target for the 52 week
period ending on such date.
2. DDM Analysis: JPY687
– 878
In performing the DDM
Analysis, Goldman Sachs analyzed the value of the Targetfs common stock based
on a discounting of future dividends, after taking into account retained
earnings that would be necessary to maintain certain capital requirements, to
be paid to the Targetfs shareholders to present value.
3. Comparable Company
Analysis: JPY
792 – 1,170
In performing the
comparable company analysis, Goldman Sachs used September 29, 2011 as the base
date and analyzed the value of the Targetfs common stock by selecting a listed
company that, while not directly comparable to the Target, is engaged in
businesses that for purposes of analysis may be considered similar to the
Target, and applying the comparable companyfs estimated fiscal year 2013 March
price to earnings multiple, based on the most recent publicly available
information, to the financial projection for the Target prepared by the
managements of SMFG and the Tender Offeror.
Goldman Sachs provided
its advisory services and the Goldman Sachs Report solely for the information
and assistance of the Boards of Directors of SMFG and the Tender Offeror in
connection with their consideration of the Transactions. Goldman Sachs did not recommend any
specific Tender Offer price to SMFG, the Tender Offeror or their Boards of
Directors or that any specific Tender Offer price constituted the only
appropriate offer price. Please refer to the following (Note) which sets forth
in more detail the assumptions made, procedures followed, matters considered
and limitations on the review undertaken by Goldman Sachs.
Goldman Sachsf
financial analyses and the Goldman Sachs Report are necessarily based on
economic, monetary, market and other conditions as in effect on, and the
information made available to Goldman Sachs as of September 30, 2011, and
Goldman Sachs assumes no responsibility for updating, revising or reaffirming
its financial analyses or the Goldman Sachs Report based on circumstances,
developments or events occurring after the date thereof. Goldman Sachs assumed with the consent
of SMFG and the Tender Offeror that the financial analyses and forecasts for
the Target prepared by the managements of SMFG and the Tender Offeror have been
reasonably prepared on a basis reflecting the best currently available
estimates and judgments of the managements of SMFG and the Tender Offeror. Except as otherwise noted, the
quantitative information used in Goldman Sachsf financial analyses, to the
extent it is based on market data, is based on market data as it existed on or
before September 29, 2011 and is not necessarily indicative of current market
conditions.
As of the date hereof,
the Tender Offeror holds 27,926,750 shares of the Targetfs common stock
directly (representing 20.71% of the total number of issued shares (134,866,665
shares) as of June 30, 2011 (rounded to the nearest hundredth)).
The Tender Offeror,
using as a reference the results of such financial analyses by Goldman Sachs
and taking into consideration the synergy effects to be created between the
Tender Offeror and the Target, the results of business, legal, accounting and
tax due diligence related to the Target including potential interest-refund
claims risk, the Target's revised earnings forecasts for the fiscal year ending
March 2012 (April 1, 2011 to March 31, 2012), the likelihood of obtaining the
support of the Targetfs Board of Directors for the Tender Offer, the historical
stock price of the Target, the likelihood of a successful completion of the
Tender Offer, and other factors, as well as premium implied at the time of
determining the tender offer price in precedent tender offers for share
certificates etc. by entities other than the issuer, all considered as a whole,
and in addition taking into account the results of discussions and negotiations
with the Target, determined the Tender Offer Price under the Tender Offer to be
JPY780 in cash per share of common stock of the Target at the meeting of the
Tender Offeror's Board of Directors held on September 30, 2011.
The Tender Offer Price
for the Targetfs share of common stock proposed under the Tender Offer
represents a premium of approximately 39.5% (rounded to one decimal place;
hereinafter the same in g(i) Common Stockh) on the JPY559 closing price of the
Targetfs share on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange on September
29, 2011), a premium of approximately 47.7%, on the JPY528 (rounded down to the
nearest whole number; hereinafter the same in g(i) Common Stockh) simple
average of closing price of the Targetfs share for the last 1 month (from
August 30, 2011 to September 29, 2011), a premium of approximately 29.6% on the
JPY602 simple average of closing price of the Targetfs shares for the last 3
months (from June 30, 2011 to September 29, 2011) and premium of approximately 28.9%
on the JPY605 simple average of closing price of the Targetfs share for the
last 6 months (from March 30, 2011 to September 29, 2011).
(Note) The following is a supplemental
explanation of the assumptions made, procedures followed, matters considered
and limitations on the review undertaken in connection with performing Goldman
Sachsf financial analyses of the Targetfs common stock and preparing the
Goldman Sachs Report and Goldman Sachsf fairness opinion.
The Goldman Sachs
Group is engaged in investment banking and financial advisory services,
commercial banking, securities trading, investment management, principal
investment, financial planning, benefits counseling, risk management, hedging,
financing, brokerage activities and other financial and non-financial
activities and services for various persons and entities. In the ordinary course of these
activities and services, the Goldman Sachs Group may at any time make or hold
long or short positions and investments, as well as actively trade or effect
transactions, in the equity, debt and other securities (or related derivative
securities) and financial instruments (including bank loans and other
obligations) of third parties, SMFG, the Tender Offeror, the Target and any of
their respective affiliates or any currency or commodity that may be involved
in the Transactions for their own account and for the accounts of their
customers. Goldman Sachs has acted
as financial advisor to SMFG and the Tender Offeror in connection with, and
have participated in certain of the negotiations leading to, the
Transactions. Goldman Sachs expects
to receive fees for its services in connection with the Transactions, a
principal portion of which is contingent upon consummation of the Transactions,
and SMFG and the Tender Offeror have agreed to reimburse Goldman Sachsf
expenses arising, and indemnify Goldman Sachs against certain liabilities that
may arise, out of Goldman Sachsf engagement. The Goldman Sachs Group has provided
certain investment banking services to SMFG, the Tender Offeror and their
respective affiliates from time to time for which the Investment Banking
Division of the Goldman Sachs Group has received, and may receive,
compensation, including having acted as (i) financial advisor to SMFG and the
Tender Offeror with regard to SMFGfs acquisition of Nikko Cordial Securities
Inc. and other related businesses in October 2009, (ii) joint global
coordinator with regard to SMFGfs issuance of 360,000,000 common shares in
January 2010, (iii) lead dealer manager and structuring agent for SMFG, the
Tender Offeror, SMFG Preferred Capital USD 1 Limited and SMFG Preferred Capital
GBP 1 Limited with regard to tender offers for euro denominated perpetual
subordinated bonds and dollar denominated perpetual subordinated bonds issued
by the Tender Offeror, dollar denominated non-cumulative perpetual preferred
securities issued by SMFG Preferred Capital USD 1 Limited, and sterling
denominated non-cumulative perpetual preferred securities issued by SMFG
Preferred Capital GBP 1 Limited (aggregate amount of EUR368,635,000 (principal
amount basis), USD1,022,747,000 (principal amount basis), USD1,000,859,000
(liquidation preference basis),and GBP426,424,000 (liquidation preference
basis), respectively) in February 2010, and (iv) financial advisor to FGCC with
regard to FGCCfs acquisition of a control stake of Cedyna Financial Corporation
in May 2010. The Goldman Sachs
Group may also in the future provide investment banking services to SMFG, the Tender
Offeror, the Target and their respective affiliates for which the Investment
Banking Division of the Goldman Sachs Group may receive compensation.
In connection with
performing its financial analyses and preparing the Goldman Sachs Report and
its opinion, Goldman Sachs has reviewed, among other things, the Basic
Agreement; the Subscription Agreement; the Annual Securities Reports (Yuka
Shoken Hokoku-sho) of the Target for the five fiscal years ended March 31, 2011
and SANYO SHINPAN FINANCE CO., LTD., which merged with the Target on October
10, 2010, for the four fiscal years ended March 31, 2010; the First Quarter
Securities Report (Daiichi Shihanki Hokoku-Sho) of the Target for the first
fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2011; certain other communications from the
Target to its shareholders; the Forecasts
Goldman Sachs has also held discussions with a member of the senior
management of the Target regarding the assessment of the Target of the past and
current business operations, financial condition and future prospects of the
Target and with a member of the senior management of SMFG and the Tender
Offeror regarding the assessment of SMFG and the Tender Offeror of the past and
current business operations, financial condition and future prospects of the
Target and the strategic rationale for, and the potential benefits of, the
Transactions. In addition, Goldman
Sachs has reviewed the reported price and trading activity for the shares of
common stock of the Target, compared certain financial and stock market
information for the Target with similar information for certain other companies
the securities of which are publicly traded, reviewed the financial terms of
certain recent tender offers in the Japanese consumer finance industry
specifically and in other industries generally, and performed such other
studies and analyses, and considered such other factors, as Goldman Sachs
deemed appropriate.
For purposes of
performing its financial analyses and preparing the Goldman Sachs Report and
its opinion, Goldman Sachs has relied upon and assumed, without assuming any
responsibility for independent verification, the accuracy and completeness of
all of the financial, legal, regulatory, tax, accounting and other information
provided to, discussed with or reviewed by Goldman Sachs, and Goldman Sachs
does not assume any responsibility for any such information. In that regard, Goldman Sachs has
assumed with SMFG and the Tender Offerorfs consent that the Forecasts have been
reasonably prepared on a basis reflecting the best currently available
estimates and judgments of the managements of SMFG and the Tender Offeror. In addition, Goldman Sachs has not
reviewed individual credit files nor has Goldman Sachs made an independent
evaluation or appraisal of the assets and liabilities (including any
contingent, derivative or other off-balance-sheet assets and liabilities) of
the Target, SMFG or the Tender Offeror or any of their respective subsidiaries
and Goldman Sachs has not been furnished with any such evaluation or
appraisal. Goldman Sachs is not an
expert in the evaluation of credit portfolios for purposes of assessing the
adequacy of the reserves for credit losses and interest refunds with respect
thereto and, accordingly, Goldman Sachs has relied on estimates provided to
Goldman Sachs by the managements of SMFG and the Tender Offeror of the adequate
amount of such reserves for the Target.
Goldman Sachs has assumed that all governmental, regulatory or other
consents and approvals necessary for the consummation of the Transactions will
be obtained without any adverse effect on SMFG, the Tender Offeror or the
Target or on the expected benefits of the Transactions in any way meaningful to
Goldman Sachsf analysis. Goldman
Sachs also has assumed that the Transactions, including the Tender Offer and
the Third-Party Allotment, will be consummated on the terms set forth in the
Basic Agreement and the Subscription Agreement, without the waiver or
modification of any term or condition the effect of which would be in any way
meaningful to Goldman Sachsf analysis.
Goldman Sachsf
financial analyses, the Goldman Sachs Report and its opinion do not address the
underlying business decision of SMFG and the Tender Offeror to engage in the
Transactions, or the relative merits of the Transactions as compared to any
strategic alternatives that may be available to SMFG or the Tender Offeror nor
does it address any legal, regulatory, tax or accounting matters. Goldman Sachsf written opinion addresses
only the fairness from a financial point of view to SMFG, as of the date
thereof, of the Tender Offer Price to be paid by the Tender Offeror in respect
of each share of common stock of the Target in the Tender Offer pursuant to the
Basic Agreement. Goldman Sachs does
not express any view on, and Goldman Sachsf opinion does not address, any other
term or aspect of the Basic Agreement, the Subscription Agreement or the
Transactions or any term or aspect of any other agreement or instrument
contemplated by the Basic Agreement or the Subscription Agreement or entered
into or amended in connection with the Transactions, including, without
limitation, the Share Exchange, the Third-Party Allotment, the fairness of the
Transactions to, or any consideration received in connection therewith by, the
Tender Offeror, the holders of any class of securities, creditors, or other
constituencies of SMFG and the Tender Offeror; nor as to the fairness of the
amount or nature of any compensation to be paid or payable to any of the
officers, directors or employees of SMFG, the Tender Offeror or the Target, or
any class of such persons in connection with the Transactions, whether relative
to the Tender Offer Price to be paid by the Tender Offeror in respect of each
share of common stock of the Target in the Tender Offer pursuant to the Basic
Agreement or otherwise. Goldman
Sachs is not expressing any opinion as to the prices at which the shares of
common stock of the Target or the shares of common stock of SMFG will trade at
any time or as to the impact of the Transactions on the solvency or viability
of SMFG, the Tender Offeror or the Target or the ability of SMFG, the Tender
Offeror or the Target to pay their respective obligations when they come
due. The Goldman Sachs Report and Goldman
Sachsf opinion do not constitute a recommendation as to whether any holder of
shares of common stock of the Target, the Stock Acquisition Rights or Bonds
with Stock Acquisition Rights should tender their shares, Stock Acquisition
Rights or Bonds with Stock Acquisition Rights in the Tender Offer or any other
matter. Goldman Sachsf opinion has
been approved by a fairness committee of the Goldman Sachs Group.
The preparation of a
fairness opinion is a complex process and Goldman Sachsf financial analyses,
the Goldman Sachs Report and Goldman Sachsf opinion are not necessarily
susceptible to partial analysis or summary description. Selecting portions of the analyses, the
Goldman Sachs Report or its opinion or the summary set forth above, without
considering the analyses as a whole, could create an incomplete view of the
processes underlying Goldman Sachsf financial analyses, the Goldman Sachs
Report or Goldman Sachsf opinion.
Goldman Sachs did not attribute any particular weight to any factor or
any analysis it performed.
(ii) Stock
Acquisition Rights
The Stock Acquisition
Rights, which are subject to the Tender Offer, are issued as a stock option to
the directors, executive officers and employees of the Target. As a condition thereof, a holder of the
Stock Acquisition Rights must exercise such right within five years from the
day after the date on which such holder lost his position as a director, an
auditor, an executive officer or an advisor (to whom the rules for executive
officers are applicable). In
addition, a holder of such Stock Acquisition Rights is required to obtain the
approval of the Board of Directors of the Target before transferring the rights
(including tender of such right in the Tender Offer). After taking into consideration the
terms and conditions of the Stock Acquisition Rights, including the fact that
the Tender Offeror would not be able to exercise the Stock Acquisition Rights
even if it acquires such rights in the Tender Offer, the Tender Offeror decided
to set the Tender Offer price at JPY1 per each Stock Acquisition Right.
(iii) Bonds with
Stock Acquisition Rights
The Tender Offer price
of JPY2,765,880 per each Bond with Stock Acquisition Rights (face value of JPY
10,000,000) was determined by dividing the face value of JPY10,000,000 by JPY
2,820, which is the conversion price effective as of the commencement date of
the Tender Offer (3,546 shares) (rounded down to the nearest whole number), and
multiplying the quotient by JPY 780, which is the Tender Offer Price per share
of common stock of the Target. Due to the implementation of the Third-Party
Allotment, the conversion price of the Bonds with Stock Acquisition Rights is
expected to be adjusted to approximately JPY2,662 per share after the day
following the payment date of the Third-Party Allotment. However, because the purchase of the
Bonds with Stock Acquisition Rights through the Tender Offer is made before the
date on or after which the conversion price after adjustment of the Bond with
Stock Acquisition Rights is applicable, the purchase price of the Bonds with
Stock Acquisition Rights per par value of JPY 10,000,000 was calculated on the
basis of the conversion price (JPY2,820) effective as of the commencement date
of the Tender Offer.
A Background to Determination
SMFG group considers
the Target group as one of its core entity in its consumer finance business
from the following reasons: (i) although the consumer finance business has
faced a severe business environment, due to the strengthening of interest rate
ceiling regulation and market scale reduction associated with the
implementation of restriction on total volume for money lending, while the
number of interest refund claims hovering at a high level, the business still
remains a relatively higher margin and continuously and steadily profitable
business, therefore, SMFG intends to, in the medium to long term, emphasize the
consumer finance business as a part of its retail business line-up that support
individual consumption, (ii) the Target will contribute to the enhancement of
client base of SMFG group as the banks and consumer finance companies are in supplemental
relationship due mainly to different characteristics of customers, and (iii) credit screening and
other knowhow of the Target is strategically inevitable for the consumer
finance business of SMFG group.
Currently the
management environment surrounding the Target remains severe, as stated above,
and the Target has proactively promoted business structure reform in order to
establish a solid foundation as the gNo.1 consumer finance company both in
terms of quality and quantity.h
Specifically, the Target has implemented various measures: (i)
streamlined its business operation through the total elimination of its staffed
branches and substantial personnel downsizing, (ii) transformed its operational
framework effectively while providing sophisticated services to its customers,
including by integration with Sanyo Shinpan Finance Co., Ltd. and At-Loan Co.,
Ltd., and (iii) enlarge its operation through installation of its loan
agreement machine and ATMs for the Tender Offeror in the branches of the Target,
making loan agreement machine in the Tender Offerorfs branches available for
the Target, and commencing guarantee services to a part of the card-type loans
made by ORIX Credit Corporation.
Against backdrop,
based on the recognition that (i) in order to reinforce the consumer finance
business of SMFG group and to enhance earnings generation capacity promptly, it
is necessary to build up an infrastructure accommodating group-wide prompt and flexible
decision making by further strengthen the cooperation between the Target and
SMFG group companies, and (ii) in order to effectively achieve the expansion of
the consumer finance business centering on the Target, it is necessary to
strengthen financial base of the Target; SMFG and the Tender Offeror started to
discuss and consult with the Target for establishment of such infrastructure
and strengthening of the financial base from early August 2011 and came to
judge it best that, as stated below, SMFG ultimately makes the Target its
wholly-owned subsidiary through and after the Tender Offer to be conducted by
the Tender Offeror, and simultaneously strengthens the financial base of the
Target promptly through subscription of the Third-Party Allotment by SMFG or
the Tender Offeror.
The Target also is of
the opinion that becoming a wholly-owned subsidiary of SMFG, which focuses on
the consumer finance business as a part of its retail business line-up and
place the Target group as one of the core players of the consumer finance
business, will enable the Target to implement various measures such as (i) the
strengthening of the ability to develop operations by proactive utilization of
the Tender Offerorfs brand and channels, (ii) the strengthening of overseas
business by utilizing SMFG groupfs global management resources, and (iii) the
redistribution to sales promotion and so forth of the management resources
required for procurement of funds or head office functions, and therefore bring
huge advantages. From this point of
view, the Target convinces that strengthening alliances with SMFG group
companies and promptly strengthening its business and financial base through
becoming a wholly-owned subsidiary of SMFG will (i) contribute to the
establishment of a competitive advantage in the industry and further the
enhancement of its enterprise value, and (ii) result in the enhancement of its
profit-earning capacity in the aspect that more efficient and flexible business
management will be possible by further utilizing the management resources of
SMFG group.
In the process of
determining the tender offer price, the Tender Offeror requested Goldman Sachs
to perform financial analyses relating to the Targetfs common stock, and
received the Goldman Sachs Report dated September 30, 2011. The Tender Offeror did not receive any
financial analysis reports for the Targetfs Stock Acquisition Rights and Bonds
with Stock Acquisition Rights. Goldman Sachs is not a related party of either
SMFG or the Tender Offeror and does not have any material conflicts of interest
with respect to the Tender Offer.
(1) Common Stock
SMFG and the Tender Offeror first prepared a
financial projection for the Target and its subsidiaries and affiliates based
on information presented to SMFG and the Tender Offeror by the management of
the Target, and assessed the strategic rationale for, and the potential
benefits of, the proposed transaction related to the Tender Offer, and assessed
together with the Target's management the past and current business operations,
financial condition and future prospects of the Target.
The Tender Offeror, using as a reference the
results of the financial analyses of the Targetfs common stock in the Goldman
Sachs Report received from Goldman Sachs and taking into consideration the
synergy effects to be created between the Tender Offeror and the Target, the
results of business, legal, accounting and tax due diligence related to the
Target including potential interest-refund claims risk, the Target's revised
earnings forecasts for the fiscal year ending March 2012 (April 1, 2011 to
March 31, 2012), the likelihood of obtaining the support of the Targetfs Board
of Directors for the Tender Offer, the historical stock price of the Target,
the likelihood of a successful completion of the Tender Offer, and other
factors, as well as premium implied at the time of determining the tender offer
price in precedent tender offers for share certificates etc. by entities other
than the issuer, all considered as a whole, and in addition taking into account
the results of discussions and negotiations with the Target, determined the
Tender Offer Price under the Tender Offer to be JPY780 in cash per share of
common stock of the Target at the meeting of the Tender Offeror's Board of
Directors held on September 30, 2011.
(2) Stock Acquisition Rights
The Stock Acquisition Rights, which are
subject to the Tender Offer, are issued as a stock option to the directors,
executive officers and employees of the Target. As a condition thereof, a holder of the
Stock Acquisition Rights must exercise such right within five years from the
day after the date on which such holder lost his position as a director, an
auditor, an executive officer or an advisor (to whom the rules for executive
officers are applicable). In
addition, a holder of such Stock Acquisition Rights is required to obtain the
approval of the Board of Directors of the Target before transferring the rights
(including tender of such right in the Tender Offer). After taking into consideration the
terms and conditions of the Stock Acquisition Rights, including the fact that
the Tender Offeror would not be able to exercise the Stock Acquisition Rights
even if it acquires such rights in the Tender Offer, the Tender Offeror decided
to set the Tender Offer price at JPY1 per each Stock Acquisition Right.
(3) Bonds with Stock Acquisition Rights
The Tender Offer price of JPY2,765,880 per
each Bond with Stock Acquisition Rights (face value of JPY 10,000,000) was
determined by dividing the face value of JPY10,000,000 by JPY 2,820, which is
the conversion price effective as of the commencement date of the Tender Offer
(3,546 shares) (rounded down to the nearest whole number), and multiplying the
quotient by JPY 780, which is the Tender Offer Price per share of common stock
of the Target. Due to the implementation of the Third-Party Allotment, the
conversion price of the Bonds with Stock Acquisition Rights is expected to be
adjusted to approximately JPY2,662 per share after the day following the
payment date of the Third-Party Allotment.
However, because the purchase of the Bonds with Stock Acquisition Rights
through the Tender Offer is made before the date on or after which the
conversion price after adjustment of the Bond with Stock Acquisition Rights is
applicable, the purchase price of the Bonds with Stock Acquisition Rights per
par value of JPY 10,000,000 was calculated on the basis of the conversion price
(JPY2,820) effective as of the commencement date of the Tender Offer.
B Relationship with the
financial advisor
Goldman Sachs, the
financial advisor to SMFG and the Tender Offeror, is not a related party of
either SMFG or the Tender Offeror and does not have any material conflicts of
interest with respect to the Tender Offer.
(5) Number of Share
Certificates, etc. to be Purchased through the Tender Offer
|
Number
of Shares Scheduled to be
Purchased |
Minimum
Number of Shares Scheduled
to
be Purchased |
Maximum Number of Shares Scheduled to be Purchased |
Common Stock |
113,891,049 shares |
- shares |
- shares |
(Note 1) There will be
no maximum or minimum amount set for the Number of Shares Scheduled to be
Purchased through the Tender Offer; all tendered shares will be acquired.
(Note 2) Fractional
unit shares are also subject to the Tender Offer. Note, if pursuant to the Companies
Act, a shareholder exercises its right to request the purchase of fractional
unit shares by the Target, the Target may purchase its own shares during the Tender
Offer Period pursuant to the procedures set forth in the laws and
regulations.
(Note 3) The shares
held by the Target will not be purchased through this Tender Offer.
(Note 4jThe Number of Shares Scheduled to be Purchased
is 113,891,049 shares, which is obtained by way of the total number of issued
shares (134,866,665 shares) as of June 30, 2011, as set forth in the 51st Term
- First Quarter Report filed by the Target on August 12, 2011, plus the maximum
number of Shares of the Target which may be issued or transferred by the last
day of the Tender Offer Period as a result of the exercising of the Stock
Acquisition Rights and the stock acquisition rights attached to the Bonds with
Stock Acquisition Rights (including Shares of the Target which may be issued or
transferred on or after June 30, 2011 by today as a result of the exercising of
the Stock Acquisition Rights and the stock acquisition rights attached to the
Bonds with Stock Acquisition Rights) (i.e., 15,000,117 shares, which is the
total number obtained by adding (i) 26,550 shares, which is the number of the
Shares of the Target to be issued upon exercise of the First Series of Stock
Acquisition Rights as of May 31, 2011, as set forth in the 50th Term – Annual
Securities Report filed by the Target on June 27, 2011, (ii) 33,000 shares,
which is the number of the Shares of the Target to be issued upon exercise of
the Second Series of Stock Acquisition Rights, as set forth in the same annual
report (iii) 46,950 shares, which is the number of the Shares of the Target to
be issued upon exercise of the Third Series of Stock Acquisition Rights, as
stated in the Announcement of Issue Price for Stock Options Granted as
Compensation for Directors and Executive Officers announced by the Target on
August 5, 2011 and (iv) 14,893,617 shares, which is the number obtained by (a)
multiplying the number of the stock acquisition rights attached to the Bonds
with Stock Acquisition Rights as of May 31, 2011 (4,200 units), as set forth in
the 50th Term – Annual Securities Report, by JPY10,000,000, which is the par
value of the Bonds with Stock Acquisition Rights, and then by (b) dividing the
result of (a) by JPY2,820, which is the valid conversion price as of the
commencement date of the Tender Offer; the gNumber of Shares to be Issued by
Exercise of Stock Acquisition Rightsh) minus the number of shares held by the
Target as of June 30, 2011, as set forth in the 51st Term - First Quarter
Report filed by the Target on August 12, 2011 (8,048,983 shares) and the number
of the Shares of the Target held by the Tender Offeror as of the commencement
date of the Tender Offer (27,926,750 shares). According to the Target, during the
period from June 1, 2011 through June 30, 2011, none of the Stock Acquisition
Rights or the stock acquisition rights attached to the Bonds with Stock
Acquisition Rights were exercised, and no change was made in the number of the
Shares of the Target to be issued upon exercise of the Stock Acquisition Rights
nor the stock acquisition rights attached to the Bonds with Stock Acquisition
Rights nor the number of voting rights corresponding thereto.
(Note 5) There is the
possibility that the Stock Acquisition Rights and the stock acquisition rights
attached to the Bonds with Stock Acquisition Rights are exercised prior to the
last day of the Tender Offer Period; the Shares of the Target issued or
transferred pursuant to such exercising of rights will also be subject to the
Tender Offer.
(6) Changes in Ownership Percentage of
Share Certificates, Etc. as a
Result of Tender Offer
Number
of Voting Rights Represented by Share Certificates, Etc. Held by the Tender Offeror before
the Tender Offer |
558,535 units |
(Ownership
Percentage of Share Certificates, Etc. before the Tender Offer : 19.69 %) |
Number
of Voting Rights Represented by Share Certificates, Etc. Held by Special Related Parties before
the Tender Offer |
Not confirmed yet |
(Ownership Percentage
of Share Certificates, Etc. before the Tender Offer : Not confirmed yet) |
Number
of Voting Rights Represented by Share Certificates, Etc. Scheduled to be Purchased |
2,277,820 units |
(Ownership
Percentage of Shares
Certificates, Etc. after the Tender Offer : 100.00 %) |
Total Number of Voting Rights of
Shareholders, Etc. of the Target |
2,535,922 units |
|
(Note 1) The gNumber of Voting Rights Represented by Share
Certificates, Etc. Scheduled to be Purchasedh is the number of voting rights relating to
the Number of Shares Scheduled to be Purchased through the Tender Offer
(113,891,049 shares).
(Note 2) The gNumber
of Voting Rights Represented by Share Certificates, Etc. Held by Special
Related Parties before the Tender Offerh is not confirmed at present, but will
be examined and is scheduled to be disclosed by October 18, 2011, which is the
commencement date of the Tender Offer.
Further, gNumber of Voting Rights Represented by Share Certificates,
Etc. Held by Special Related Parties before the Tender Offerh will not be added
for the purpose of calculating the gOwnership Percentage of Share Certificates,
Etc. after the Tender Offerh, because the share certificates, etc. held by
special related parties may be purchased in the Tender Offer.
(Note 3) The gTotal
Number of Voting Rights of Shareholders, Etc. of the Targeth is the total
number of voting rights of all shareholders as of June 30, 2011 as set forth in
the 51st Term – First Quarter Report filed by the Target on August 12, 2011
(based on the number of shares of 1 unit as 50 shares). However, since the
shares less than one unit, the Stock Acquisition Rights and the Bonds with
Stock Acquisition Rights are also subject to the Tender Offer, in calculating
the gOwnership Percentage of Share Certificates, Etc. before the Tender Offerh and
gOwnership Percentage of Share Certificates, Etc. after the Tender Offer,h the
total number of voting rights (2,836,355 units), corresponding to the number of
shares (141,817,799 shares), which is obtained by adding (A) the number (126,817,682
shares) obtained by deducting the number of treasury shares held by the Target
as of June 30, 2011 (8,048,983
shares) from the total number of issued shares (134,866,665 shares) as of June
30, 2011, as set forth in 51st Term – First Quarter Report, to (B) the Number
of Shares to be Issued by Exercise of Stock Acquisition Rights (i.e.,
15,000,117 shares, which is the total number obtained by adding (i) 26,550
shares, which is the number of the Shares of the Target to be issued upon
exercise of the First Series of Stock Acquisition Rights as of May 31, 2011, as
set forth in the 50th Term – Annual Securities Report filed by the Target on
June 27, 2011, (ii) 33,000 shares, which is the number of the Shares of the
Target to be issued upon exercise of the Second Series of Stock Acquisition Rights
as set forth in the same annual report, (iii) 46,950 shares, which is the
number of the Shares of the Target to be issued upon exercise of the Third
Series of Stock Acquisition Rights, as stated in the Announcement of Issue
Price for Stock Options Granted as Compensation for Directors and Executive
Officers announced by the Target on August 5, 2011 and (iv) 14,893,617 shares,
which is the number obtained by (a) multiplying the number of the stock
acquisition rights attached to the Bonds with Stock Acquisition Rights as of
May 31, 2011 (4,200 units), as set forth in the 50th Term – Annual Securities
Report, by JPY10,000,000, which is the par value of the Bonds with Stock
Acquisition Rights, and then by (b) dividing the result of (a) by JPY2,820,
which is the valid conversion price as of the commencement date of the Tender
Offer), is used as the denominator.
According to the Target, during the period from June 1, 2011 through
June 30, 2011, none of the Stock Acquisition Rights or the stock acquisition
rights attached to the Bonds with Stock Acquisition Rights was exercised, and
no change were made in the number of the Shares of the Target to be issued upon
exercise of the Stock Acquisition Rights nor the stock acquisition rights
attached to the Bonds with Stock Acquisition Rights nor the number of voting
rights corresponding thereto.
(Note 4) The
gOwnership Percentage of Share Certificates, Etc. before the Tender Offerh and
the gOwnership Percentage of Share Certificates, Etc. after the Tender Offerh
are rounded to the second decimal place.
(7) Aggregate Purchase Price
Aggregate Purchase Price |
JPY
88,835,018,220 |
(Note 1) gAggregate
Purchase Priceh is the price obtained by multiplying the Number of Shares
Scheduled to be Purchased (113,891,049 shares) by the Tender Offer Price
(JPY780) per share.
(8) Settlement method
(i) Name
and the location of the head office of a financial instruments business
operator, a bank, etc. handling the settlement
SMBC
Nikko Securities Inc. 3-1,
Marunouchi 3-chome,
Chiyoda-ku,
(ii) Settlement
start date
Wednesday,
December 7, 2011
(iii) Settlement
method
A
notice on purchase under the Tender Offer will be mailed to the address of the
persons who grant an approval for the purchase of shares, etc. or apply for the
sale of shares pertaining to the Tender
Offer (the gApplicant Shareholdersh) (or, in the case of shareholders who are resident in a foreign nation (including
shareholders who are judicial persons; hereinafter referred to as gForeign
Shareholdersh), the standing proxies
of the Applicant Shareholders
residing in Japan (the gStanding Proxiesh)) without delay after the closing of the
Tender Offer Period.
Purchase
will be settled in cash. The tender offer agent will remit proceeds pertaining
to the sale of shares to the address designated by Applicant Shareholders (or,
in the case of Foreign Shareholders, their Standing Proxies) without delay after settlement
begins in accordance with
instructions made by the Applicant Shareholders (or, in the case of
Foreign Shareholders, their Standing Proxies).
(iv) Procedure
for returning share certificates, etc.
In
case the Tender Offeror decides not
to acquire any of the tendered shares in accordance with provisions of g(ii) Conditions of withdrawal of the Tender
Offer and procedure for disclosure of withdrawalh under g(9) Other terms and
procedures for the Tender Offerh below, share certificates, etc. that need to
be returned will be returned the second business day after the last day of the
Tender Offer Period (or, in case of withdrawal of the Tender Offer, the date of
such withdrawal) in the following manner:
(a) With respect
to capital stock, the
tendered shares will be restored to the original state at the time of the
application (meaning the state of the shares under which they are no longer subject to the execution of
the order to apply for the Tender Offer) in the account of the Applicant
Shareholders under their names with the tender offer agent.
(b) With
respect to the Stock Acquisition Rights, documents submitted at the time of the
application will be mailed or delivered to each Applicant Shareholder (or the Standing Proxies in the case of Foreign Shareholders).
(c) With
respect to the Bonds with Stock Acquisition Rights, documents submitted at the
time of the application will be mailed or delivered to each Applicant
Shareholder (or the Standing Proxies in the case of Foreign Shareholders) and the Bonds with Stock Acquisition Rights held by
Euroclear Bank S.A./N.V. will be restored
to the original state at the time of the application.
(9) Other terms and
procedures for the Tender Offer
(i) Conditions
described in each item of
Article 27-13, Paragraph 4 of the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act (Law No. 25 of 1948 including any subsequent amendments
thereto; hereinafter referred to as the gActh)
There
will be no maximum or minimum
amount set for the number of shares scheduled to be purchased. Accordingly, the Tender Offeror will acquire all of the
tendered shares.
(ii) Conditions
of withdrawal of the Tender Offer and procedure for disclosure of withdrawal
If
any of the events described in Item 1 (i) through (ix), (xii) through (xviii),
Item 3 (i) through (viii) and (x), Item 4, and Item 5 of Paragraph 1 of Article
14, and Items 3 through 6 of Paragraph 2 of Article 14 of the Order for Enforcement of the
Financial Instruments and Exchange Act (Cabinet Order No. 321 of 1965 including
any subsequent amendments thereto; hereinafter referred to as the gOrderh)
occurs, the Tender Offer may be withdrawn.
The
event referred to by Item 3 (x) of Paragraph 1 of Article 14 of the Order shall
be the event where it has been found that any of the statutory disclosure
documents submitted by the Target in the past contained a fake statement about
important matters or omitted a statement on important matters that should be
stated, which is considered
to be similar to those listed in (i) through (ix) of said item.
In the case where, by
the day preceding the completion of the Tender Offer Period (as extended) (a)
the Target has received prior notice of a cease and desist order from the Fair
Trade Commission of Japan, which directs the Target to dispose of all or part
of the Shares of the Target or to transfer any part of its businesses, (b) the
waiting period has not ended or (c)
the Target has had an urgent temporary suspension order filed against it by the
court on the grounds that the Target is suspected of acting in violation of
Article 10, Paragraph 1 of the Act on Prohibition of Private Monopolization and
Maintenance of Fair Trade (Law No.54 of 1947 including any subsequent
amendments thereto), the Tender Offeror may withdraw the Tender Offer on the
grounds that the Tender Offeror could not obtain the gpermitsh described in
Article 14, Paragraph 1, Item 4 of the Order.
In
case of withdrawal, an electronic public notice will be placed and a
notification to that effect will be placed on the Nihon Keizai Shimbun. However, if it is impractical to place such public notice by the last
day of the Tender Offer Period, the Tender Offeror will make an announcement in accordance with the
method prescribed in Article 20 of the Cabinet Office Ordinance on the
Disclosure of Takeover Bids by Non-issuers (Ordinance of the Ministry of
Finance No. 38 of 1990 including any subsequent amendments thereto; hereinafter
referred to as the gOrdinanceh) and place a public notice immediately thereafter.
(iii) Conditions
for and details of reducing purchase price and procedure for disclosure of
price reduction
In
case the Target takes any of the actions set out in Article 13, Paragraph 1 of
the Order during the Tender Offer Period pursuant to the provisions of Article
27-6, Paragraph 1, Item 1 of the Act, the Tender Offeror may reduce the
purchase price in accordance with the standard set forth in Article 19, Paragraph
1 of the Ordinance. In case of such price reduction, an electronic public
notice will be placed and a notification to that effect will be placed on the
Nihon Keizai Shimbun. However, if
it is impractical to place such public notice by the last day of the Tender Offer Period, the
Tender Offeror will make an announcement in accordance with the method
prescribed in Article 20 of the Ordinance and place a public notice immediately thereafter.
In
the case where the purchase price is reduced, share certificates, etc. for
which the application was made prior
to the date of such public notice, will be also purchased at the reduced price.
(iv) Right
of Applicant Shareholders for termination of agreement
Applicant
Shareholders may terminate an agreement pertaining to the Tender Offer at any
time during the Tender Offer Period.
Applicant Shareholders intending to terminate an agreement are required to deliver or send by
mail a document stating the intention to terminate an agreement pertaining to
the Tender Offer (the gTermination Documenth) to the person specified below by
15:30 (TOKYO) on the last day of the Tender Offer Period. (Business hours may
be different depending on the sales office. Please follow the procedure described
above after inquiring the business hours of the sales office to be used.) In
the case where a Termination Document is mailed, it must arrive at the person
specified below by 15:30 (
Person who is
granted the authority to receive Termination Documents
SMBC Nikko Securities Inc. 3-1, Marunouchi 3-chome, Chiyoda-ku,
Tokyo,
Japan
(Other sales offices of SMBC Nikko
Securities Inc. located in Japan)
The
Tender Offeror will not demand compensations or payments of penalty for breach
of contract to an Applicant Shareholder on the ground that he/she has
terminated an agreement.
(v) Procedure
for disclosure of changes in purchasing terms
The
Tender Offeror may change the purchasing terms during the Tender Offer Period
except in the case where such change is prohibited by Article 27-6 of the Act
and Article 13 of the Order. In the
case where the Tender Offeror intends to change the purchasing terms, it will
make an electronic public notice
of the detail and publish a notification on the Nihon Keizai Shimbun to that effect. However, if it is impractical to place such public notice by the last
day of the Tender Offer Period, the Tender Offeror will make an announcement in
accordance with the method prescribed in Article 20 of the Ordinance and place a public notice immediately
thereafter. When changes are made into the purchasing terms, share
certificates, etc. for which the application was made prior to such public
announcement, will be purchased under
the changed purchasing terms.
(vi) Procedure
for disclosure of the submission of amendments to the registration statement
In
case an Amendment Statement is filed to the
Director of the Kanto Local Financial Bureau, the Tender Offeror will
immediately announce the contents of the Amendment Statement, but only with respect
to amendments affecting the contents of the public notice on the commencement
of the Tender Offer, in accordance with the method prescribed in Article 20 of the
Ordinance. In addition, the Tender
Offeror will immediately amend the Tender Offer Explanatory Statement , and provide an amended version thereof to the Applicant
Shareholders who have already received the Tender Offer Explanatory Statement in order to
reflect such amendments.
However, if the
amendments
are minor, the Tender Offeror will draw up a document that contains reasons for
the amendments, the items
that have been amended and the details of the amendments,
and send such document to the
Applicant Shareholders in order to reflect such amendments.
(vii) Procedure
for disclosure of results of the Tender Offer
The
results of the Tender Offer will be announced in accordance with the procedures
prescribed in Article 9-4
of the Order and Article 30-2 of the Ordinance on the following day of the last
day of the Tender Offer Period.
(viii) Others
(a) In
certain jurisdictions, distribution of Tender Offer Registration Statement,
Tender Offer Explanatory Statement or other documents relating to the Tender
Offer (the gOffer Documentsh) may be restricted by the relevant laws. Any
person who obtains any Offer Documents is required to be aware of and comply
with the restrictions.
(b) The
communication through the Offer Documents is not made or has not been approved,
by any person authorised for the purposes of section 21 of the Financial
Services and Markets Act 2000. Accordingly, the Offer Documents are not
distributed to or shall not be circulated among the general national in the
United Kingdom, but are intended to be distributed only to the persons outside
the United Kingdom, investment professionals (as defined in Article 19 of the Financial Services and Markets Act
2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the gFPOh), the persons who fall within
Article 49 of the FPO, and any other persons to whom the Offer Documents may
lawfully be communicated in accordance with the FPO. Only the above persons may
participate or engage in the transactions to which the Offer Documents relate.
(c) None
of the Offer Documents have been submitted to the clearance procedure of the Commissione Nazionale per le Società e la
Borsa (CONSOB) in accordance with the laws and regulations of the
(d) None
of the Offer Documents have been submitted to or will be submitted for approval
by the Autorité des services et marches
financiers in the
(e) The
Tender Offer shall not be made, directly or indirectly, to the general national
in
(f) In
the jurisdictions where an offer for purchase or a solicitation of offer for
sale of any common shares, the Stock Acquisition Rights or the Bonds with Stock
Acquisition Rights to which the Offer Documents relate is not lawful, the Offer
Documents shall not constitute the offer or solicitation. In any of the above
jurisdictions, the subscription by a shareholder, a holder of the Stock
Acquisition Rights or a holder of the Bonds with Stock Acquisition Rights shall
not be accepted.
(g) Upon
subscription for the Tender Offer, the Applicant Shareholder (or, in the
case of Foreign Shareholders, their Standing Proxies) shall be deemed to have given the following
representations and warranties:
(i) solicitation
relating to the Tender Offer to the Applicant Shareholder is lawful in
accordance with the applicable laws and regulations;
(ii) the
Applicant Shareholder is neither located or resides in the
(iii) the
Applicant Shareholder is neither located or resides in Belgium, or, if it does,
it is a qualified investor as defined in Article 10 of the law of 16 June 2006
relating to public offering and admission to trading on regulated markets of
securities, acting on its own account;
(iv) the
Applicant Shareholder is neither located or resides in Italy, or, if it is a
Bondholder, it is the qualified investor under Rule 11971 of CONSOB regulations
dated 14 May 1999, or an express exemption under the above Rule or the
Legislative Decree no. 58 of 24 February 24, 1998 applies; and
(v) the
Applicant Shareholder is neither a resident nor a national of
(10) The date of the public notice on the commencement of the
Tender Offer
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
(11) Tender offer agent
SMBC Nikko Securities Inc. 3-1, Marunouchi 3-chome, Chiyoda-ku,
3. Others
(1) Agreements between
the Tender Offeror and the Target or its Directors and Officers
The Tender Offeror has
obtained from the Board of Directors of the Target an opinion in favor of the
Tender Offer. In addition, in connection with the Transaction, SMFG, the Tender
Offeror and the Target have entered into the Basic Agreement dated as of
September 30, 2011, and SMFG and the Target have entered into the Share
Subscription Agreement dated as of the same date.
(2) Other Information
Deemed to be Necessary for Investorfs Decision of the Target
According to the
Target, in the consumer finance industry, companies in the industry are facing
a severe business environment due to the strengthening of interest rate ceiling
regulation and the market scale reduction associated with implementation of restriction
on total volume for money lending, while the number of interest refund claims
hovering at a high level, and have been forced to experience a decrease in
their consumer loans outstanding. In such a challenging
business, the Target has been making efforts to improve its management base by
carrying out a cost structure reform and the streamlining of group management
resources, through selection and concentration thereof, based on the Business
Structural Reform Plan that the Target announced in January 2010.
However, as stated in
the gAnnouncement of Revision of Earnings Forecast and Dividends Forecasth
released today, the Target is required to additionally provide the interest
repayments-related allowance (including the allowance for losses on interest
repayments and the allowance for credit losses which is to be applied to the
principal related to interest repayments) so that the amount thereof will be
approximately JPY390 billion at the end of the second quarter of the fiscal
year ending March 31, 2012.
Therefore, the Target will implement additional provision of the
interest repayments-related allowance; in connection therewith the Target
recognized a net loss of JPY 203.4 billion in the 6 months period of the fiscal
year ending September 30, 2011 and resolved at a meeting of the Board of
Directors held in September 30, 2011to amend earnings and dividend forecasts
for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2012.
In addition, the Target resolved at such meeting of the Board of
Directors that they would distribute no year-end dividend for the fiscal year
ending March 31, 2012.
In such circumstances,
according to the Target, the Target has decided that it is essential to
promptly improve its impaired financial base by sufficiently preparing for the
issue of claims for interest repayments, which is a significant constraint on
the Targetfs financial base, and to enable the promotion of aggressive policies
toward future growth strategies, and therefore has come to the decision to
implement the Third-Party Allotment.
The amount planned to
be procured through the Third-Party Allotment is approximately JPY120 billion. The Target has come to the decision that
as a method to procure such a large amount of required funds in a prompt and
reliable manner and strengthen the financial base, the Third-Party Allotment
where the accepting party is SMFG group, which intends to, in the medium to
long term, emphasize the consumer finance business as a part of its retail
business line-up supporting individual consumption and has already placed the
Target group as one of the core players of the consumer finance business, is a
reasonable option in terms of management and is the most effective
measure. The Target has decided
that the Third-Party Allotment will (i) enable SMFG group to further strengthen
and nurture the consumer finance business, which is one of the core businesses
in the retail business, in terms of cross-selling to individuals and (ii)
contribute to the enhancement of the enterprise value of the Target that aims
to grealize the No. 1 consumer finance company both in quality and quantity.h
According to the
Target, in accordance with the above-mentioned judgment, the Target, at its
board meeting held on September 30, 2011, resolved the Third-Party Allotment
that designates SMFG and the Tender Offeror as the party to which shares will
be allotted, under the conditions that the closing date is December 26, 2011,
the number of new shares to be issued is 451,977,400 shares, the amount to be
paid per share is JPY531, and the total amount to be paid is JPY239,999,999,400. However, it has been agreed, in the
Share Subscription Agreement entered into by and between SMFG and the Target as
of September 30, 2011, that 225,988,700 shares of the offered shares (the total
amount to be paid: JPY119,999,999,700) will be allotted to SMFG (or the Tender
Offeror, if SMFG designates separately) through the third-party allotment, and
it is planned that, only for such number of shares, only either of SMFG or the
Tender Offeror will subscribe them.
In other words, in the Third-Party Allotment, shares will finally be
allotted to only either of SMFG or the Tender Offeror, and the party to which
shares will not be allotted will lose its rights to subscribe such shares;
therefore, the actual number of shares to be issued will be 225,988,700 shares
that is half of the above-mentioned number of new shares to be issued, i.e., 451,977,400
shares. In addition, SMFG and the
Tender Offeror, at their respective board meetings held on September 30, 2011,
resolved the subscription of the Targetfs Third-Party Allotment by SMFG or the
Tender Offeror. The allotted party of the Third-Party Allotment will be
determined, around early December, to be SMFG if Making Promise Wholly-owned
Subsidiary is expected to be implemented, or the Tender Offeror, if it is not
expected to be implemented, based on the result of the Tender Offer and
considering whether or not the Making Promise Wholly-owned Subsidiary will be
implemented. In accordance with
such resolution, SMFG and the Target have entered into the Share Subscription
Agreement dated as of September 30, 2011 with respect to the Third Party
Allotment. Please refer for more
details the press release by Promise dated September 30, 2011, entitled
gAnnouncement of Issuance of New Shares through Third-Party Allotmenth.
III. Third-Party
Allotment
1. Overview of the
Third-Party Allotment
Promise, at its board
meeting held on September 30, 2011, resolved the Third-Party Allotment
mentioned below that designates SMFG and SMBC as the party to which shares will
be allotted.
Class of stock: Common stock of Promise Co.,
Ltd.
Number of new shares to be issued: 451,977,400
shares
Issue
price: JPY531 per share
Total amount of issue price: JPY239,999,999,400
Closing date: December 26, 2011
Party receiving allotment: SMFG and SMBC
It has been agreed, in
the Share Subscription Agreement entered into by and between SMFG and Promise
as of September 30, 2011, that 225,988,700 shares of the offered shares (the
total amount to be paid: JPY119,999,999,700) will be allotted to SMFG (or the
Tender Offeror, if SMFG designates separately) through the third-party
allotment, and it is planned that, only for such number of shares, only either
of SMFG or the Tender Offeror will subscribe them. In other words, in the Third-Party
Allotment, shares will finally be allotted to only either of SMFG or the Tender
Offeror, and the party to which shares will not be allotted will lose its
rights to subscribe such shares; therefore, the actual number of shares to be
issued will be 225,988,700 shares
that is half of the above-mentioned number of new shares to be issued, i.e., 451,977,400 shares. The allotted party
will be determined, around early December, to be SMFG if Making Promise
Wholly-owned Subsidiary is expected to be implemented, or SMBC, if it is not
expected to be implemented, based on the result of the Tender Offer and
considering whether or not the Making Promise Wholly-owned Subsidiary will be
implemented.
Please refer for more
details the press release by Promise dated September 30, 2011, entitled
gAnnouncement of Issuance of New Shares through Third-Party Allotmenth. The
Third-Party Allotment shall be performed for the purpose of strengthening
Promisefs financial base and is scheduled to be implemented regardless of the
result of the Tender Offer (provided, however, that the certain conditions for
subscription have been agreed, including no change to or no retraction of the
resolution by the board meeting with respect to the expression of their opinion
in favor of the Tender Offer by the Board of Directors of Promise and to
recommend that the shareholders of Promise tender their shares in the Tender
Offer.)
2. Rationale for
Conditions of Issuance
(1) Grounds for
Calculation of the Amount to be Paid in and the Specific Details Thereof
According to the press
release by Promise dated September 30, 2011, entitled gAnnouncement of Issuance
of New Shares through Third-Party Allotmenth, the amount to be paid in was
decided to be JPY531 (rounded down to the nearest whole number), which is the
amount obtained by multiplying the closing price of Promisefs common stock at
TSE First Section on September 29, 2011, which is one business day prior to the
date of the resolution made at the Board of Directorsf meeting regarding the
Third-Party Allotment, by 0.95.
Promise engaged E&Y which is a third-party appraisal institution
independent from SMFG, SMBC and the Target, requested a calculation of the
share value of Promise, and acquired the share valuation report from E&Y as
of September 28, 2011. According to the Target, the results of E&Yfs
calculation of the share value are as follows;
In calculating the
Targetfs share value, E&Y examined the Targetfs business plans and other
relevant information provided by the Target and determined that it would be
appropriate to evaluate them from various perspectives. Accordingly, E&Y calculated the
Targetfs share value by the market price method, the discounted cash flow
method (the DCF Method) and the adjusted book value method.
(a) Market
price method
E&Y adopted the
market price method, considering that it was a method for deciding a share
value based on the listed companyfs share price traded on a stock market, and
therefore was the most objective valuation method suitable for evaluating the
share value of a listed company.
E&Y calculated that the value of the Targetfs common shares was in
the range of JPY492 to JPY722 per share, based on the maximum value and the
minimum value of the closing prices of the Targetfs common shares on the TSE
First Section from May 16, 2011, the following business day of May 13, 2011,
when the Target announced the financial results for the fiscal year ended March
2011, to September 28, 2011.
(b) DCF
method
E&Y adopted the
DCF method, considering that it was an evaluation method based on the future
cash flow (profit-earning capacity) generated from a companyfs business
activities and therefore was appropriate for evaluating the value of a going
concern. Based on the Targetfs
business plans and other relevant information provided by the Target, E&Y
calculated that the value of the Targetfs common shares was in the range of JPY312
to JPY569 per share, by discounting the future cash flow that belongs to the
Target shareholders to arrive at the present value by using a certain discount
rate.
(c) Adjusted
book value method
E&Y adopted the
adjusted book value method, considering that it was a method for evaluating the
share value by the net asset value on the basis of the assets and liabilities
on the balance sheet, reflecting a latent gain or loss based on the market
value, and therefore was an appropriate valuation method for the Target, whose
primary assets were financial assets.
E&Y calculated the adjusted net asset value by adjusting the book
value on the Targetfs consolidated balance sheet as of March 31, 2011, by the
amount of increase or decrease resulting from the market value evaluation of
its assets and liabilities and by reflecting the changes in the book value
during the period from March 31, 2011 to June 30, 2011. E&Y accordingly calculated that the
value of the Targetfs common shares was in the range of JPY97 to JPY193 per
share.
E&Y has assumed
that the public information, financial information and all other information
provided by the Target that E&Y examined in calculating the Targetfs share
value was accurate and complete, and has not independently verified the
accuracy or completeness of such information. E&Y has also assumed that the
financial forecasts and other information related to the future provided by the
Target were reasonably prepared based on the best forecasts and decisions that
the Target management were able to render at the time, and that the Targetfs
financial status is subject to change depending on the forecasts of its
management. E&Y has relied on
such forecasts and related materials without performing an independent
investigation. The calculation of
the Targetfs share value by E&Y reflects the content of gAnnouncement of
Revision of Earnings Forecast and Dividends Forecasth released as of September
30, 2011, additional information regarding the Target, and economic conditions
and other relevant factors available up to September 28, 2011.
After examination of
the results of the calculation of the share value, the Target determined that
the share value based on the most recent market value is appropriate because
the most recent market value is in the range of the results of the valuations
based on the various method in the share valuation report, or higher than the
results of the valuations. After
comprehensive consideration of the market conditions of the Targetfs shares,
the possibility of market fluctuation up to the payment date and the number of
shares issued by the Target, the Targetfs financial status, the business
environment, and the possibility of subscription by the allottee, etc., the
Target determined the amount to be paid in above.
The amount to be paid
in above shall be (a) 0.6% (rounded to one decimal place) premium for JPY528
(rounded down to the nearest whole number) of the average of the closing prices
of Promisefs common stock at the TSE for a one (1) month period (from August
30, 2011 to September 29, 2011), (b) 11.8% (rounded to one decimal place)
discount for JPY602 (rounded down to the nearest whole number) of the average
of the closing prices of Promisefs common stock at the TSE for a three (3)
month period (from June 30, 2011 to September 29, 2011), and (c) 12.2% (rounded
to one decimal place) discount for JPY605 (rounded down to the nearest whole
number) of the average of the closing prices of Promisefs common stock at the
TSE for a six (6) month period (from March 30, 2011 to September 29, 2011) up
to one business day preceding the date of the resolution made at the Board of
Directorsf meeting regarding the Third-Party Allotment (September 29, 2011).
According to Promise,
Promise determined that based on the closing price of Promisefs common stock
one business day preceding the date of the resolution made at the Board of
Directorsf meeting regarding the Third-Party Allotment, the amount to be paid
in above is in compliance with the principle of the gGuidelines for the
Handling of capital increase through Third-Party Allotmenth of the Japan
Securities Dealers Association, and the Third-Party Allotment is not
eparticularly favorablef (provided in Article 199, paragraph (3) of the
Companies Act.) to SMFG or SMBC.
According to Promise,
of the directors of Promise, Mr. Shozo Watanabe was an employee of SMBC up to
2011, and Mr. Masahiko Iwanami was an employee of SMBC up to 2010. Thus, they have not participated in the
deliberations and resolution regarding the Transactions, including the
Third-Party Allotment, at Promisefs Board of Directorsf meeting for the purpose
of avoiding conflicts of interest, nor have they participated in the
consultations and the negotiations with SMFG or SMBC. At the Board of Directorsf meeting held
on September 30, 2011 regarding the Third-Party Allotment, all directors of
Promise, excluding the two (2) directors above, attended and unanimously
resolved as above. Also, the Board
of Directorsf meeting above was attended by all four (4) of Promisefs auditors
(including two (2) external auditors), and all of them stated that they had no
objection to the resolution above.
Also, on the same date as that of the share value calculation statement
above, Promise obtained an opinion from E&Y that the amount to be paid in
for the Third-Party Allotment is appropriate from a financial point of view
within a certain extent for the shareholders of Promisefs common stock, other
than SMBC, considering that the amount to be paid in is in the range of the
results of the valuations based on the various method in the share valuation
report, or higher than the results of the valuations, and other factors.
(2) Grounds for
Determining that the Number of Shares to be Issued and Scale of the Dilution of
Shares were Appropriate
According to the press
release by Promise dated September 30, 2011, entitled gAnnouncement of Issuance
of New Shares by Third-Party Allotmenth, the number of shares to be added
through the Third-Party Allotment is 225,988,700 shares (4,519,774 voting
rights), and the dilution rate is 167.6% (percentage of the voting rights is 178.2%)
(rounded to three decimal places). However, as mentioned above, Promise
considers that through the Third-Party Allotment, as well as enabling improvement of Promisefs impaired
financial base at an early stage through drastic measures to the claims for
interest repayments, further enhancement of the relationship with SMFG group
and the execution of positive sales development for medium to long-term profit
expansion will be made possible, and will thus contribute to the enhancement of
Promisefs corporate value and share value.
Therefore, Promise determined that the number of shares to be issued and
scale of the dilution of shares in the Third-Party Allotment was appropriate
for the existing shareholders as well.
According to Promise,
Promise established a third-party committee comprised of total of three (3)
persons: one (1) attorney-at-law, and two (2) external auditors independent
from Promise; and Promise obtained an opinion from the third-party committee
that recognizes the necessity to procure funds through the Third-Party
Allotment and that the manner and the terms and conditions of issue are
appropriate (including the fact that the decision at Promisefs Board of
Directorsf meeting on the Third-Party Allotment is not unfavorable to Promisefs
minority shareholders other than SMBC, and that the Third-Party Allotment
is not eparticularly favorablef
(provided in Article 199, paragraph (3) of the Companies Act.) to SMFG or SMBC.
3. Number of
Shares to be Allotted to SMFG Group and status of SMFG Groupfs Ownership of
Shares before and after the Third-Party Allotment
1. Ownership before
the Third-Party Allotment |
Common stock: 27,926,750 shares Number of voting
rights: 558,535 Shareholding Ratio: 20.71% |
2. Number of Shares to
be Allotted |
Common stock: 225,988,700 shares Number of voting rights:
4,519,774 Issue price per share:
JPY 531 Total amount of issue price: JPY 119,999,999,700 |
3. Ownership after the
Third-Party Allotment |
Common stock: 253,915,450 shares Number of voting
rights: 5,078,309 Shareholding Ratio: 70.36% |
(Note) gOwnershiph is the aggregate number of
the Shares of the Target held by SMFG and SMBC. All 27,926,750 shares, which are
gOwnership before the Third-Party Allotment,h are held by SMBC. gOwnership after the Third-Party
Allotmenth does not include the number of shares to be acquired by the Tender
Offer.
4. Schedule
(1) |
Resolutions of Board
Meetings (SMFG, SMBC and
Promise) |
September 30, 2011
(Friday) |
(2) |
Execution of the
Basic Agreement (SMFG, SMBC and Promise) |
September 30, 2011
(Friday) |
(3) |
Execution of the
Share Subscription Agreement (SMFG and Promise) |
September 30, 2011
(Friday) |
(4) |
Closing Date of the
Third-Party Allotment |
December 26, 2011
(Monday) (Scheduled) |
IV. Entering into
Basic Agreement in Connection with the Transaction
SMFG, SMBC and Promise today entered into the Basic Agreement in connection
with the Transaction. For the
details, please refer to the release, gNotice Regarding Conclusion of Basic
Agreement for Making Promise a Wholly-owned Subsidiary of SMFGh issued as of
September 30, 2011 by SMFG, SMBC and Promise.
V. Policies, etc.
after the Tender Offer and the Third-Party Allotment and Future Prospects
1. Policies, etc.
after the Tender Offer and the Third-Party Allotment
For the policies, etc. after the Tender Offer and the Third-Party Allotment,
please refer to gI. Purpose and Background of the Transaction,h and g(1)
Overview of the Tender Offer,h g(3) Policies on Organizational Restructuring
Following the Tender Offer (Matters Relating to the Second-Step Takeover)h and
g(4) Expected Delisting and Reasons Thereofh of g1. Overview of Purchase, etc.h
of gII. Tender Offer.h
2. Prospects of Impact on Future Results
There will be no revision to SMFGfs earnings forecast for
the fiscal year ending March 31, 2012, in connection with the Tender Offer and
the Third-Party Allotment.
Regardless of the result of the Tender Offer and the allottee of the Third-Party Allotment, Promise will
become a consolidated subsidiary of SMFG after the completion of the
Third-Party Allotment.
[Reference]
Other releases issued as of today in connection with the Transaction.
- SMFG, SMBC and
Promise
gNotice regarding Conclusion of Basic
Agreement for Making Promise a Wholly-owned Subsidiary of Sumitomo Mitsui
Financial Grouph
- Promise
gAnnouncement of the Expression of Opinion in
Favor of the Tender Offer by Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation for Shares of
the Companyh
- Promise
gAnnouncement of Revision of Earnings Forecast
and Dividends Forecasth
- Promise
gAnnouncement of Issuance of New Shares by
Third Party Allotmenth
End
Precaution Statement@ * This press
release contains gforward-looking
statementsh (as defined
in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995), regarding the
intent, belief or current expectations of SMFG and its management with respect
to SMFGfs future
financial condition and results of operations. In many cases but not all,
these statements contain words such as ganticipateh, gestimateh, gexpecth, gintendh, gmayh, gplanh, gprobabilityh, griskh, gprojecth, gshouldh, gseekh, gtargeth and similar expressions. Such
forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and
involve risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ from those
expressed in or implied by such forward-looking statements contained or deemed
to be contained herein. The risks and uncertainties which may affect future
performance include the fragility of any economic recovery, both globally and
in Japan; SMFGfs ability to
successfully implement its business and capital strategy; the success of our
business alliances including those in the consumer finance industry; exposure
to new risks as we expand the scope of our business; significant
credit-related costs; declines in the value of SMFGfs securities portfolio. Given these and
other risks and uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on
forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press
release. SMFG undertakes no obligation to update or revise any
forward-looking statements. Please refer to our most recent disclosure press
releases such as our annual report or the registration statement on Form 20-F
filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as our
earnings press release for a more detailed description of the risks and
uncertainties that may affect our financial conditions, our operating
results, and investorsf decisions. * The
transactions are made for the securities of the Target by the Tender Offeror,
both of which are Japanese companies. It may be difficult for you to enforce
your rights and any claim you may have arising under the U.S. federal
securities laws in respect of the Tender Offer, since the Tender Offeror and
the Target are located in Japan and all of their officers and directors are
residents of Japan. You may not be able to sue the Tender Offeror and the
Target or their officers or directors in a Japanese court for violations of
the * The
Tender Offer is to be conducted in accordance with the procedures and
information disclosure standards prescribed in the Financial Instruments and
Exchange Act. However, these
procedures and standards are not necessarily the same as the corresponding
procedures and standards in the * The
financial advisors to the Tender Offeror and the Target, the Tender Offer
agent and the Tender Offeror (including their respective affiliates), in the
ordinary course of their secondary trading businesses, may engage during the
Tender Offer Period in the purchase and sale of shares or stock acquisitions
rights of the Target for their own account or for their customersf accounts to
the extent permitted under Japanese and U.S. securities laws and regulations. * Please
note that a person receiving information contained in this press release may
be prohibited from purchasing the share certificates and other securities of the
Target until twelve (12) hours have elapsed after the announcement of this
press release (the announcement of this press release shall be deemed to be
made at the time when this press release is disclosed through the service for
inspection of disclosed information managed by Tokyo Stock Exchange during
the afternoon of September 30, 2011) as a primary recipient of information under
the insider trading regulations pursuant to the provisions of Paragraph 3 of
Article 167 of the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act and Article 30 of
the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act Enforcement Order. Should a
person be subject to criminal, civil or administrative liability as a result
of such purchase mentioned above, neither SMFG nor the Tender Offeror shall
assume any responsibility therefor. * This
press release is for public announcement of the matters in relation to the
Tender Offer for share certificates of the Target by the Tender Offeror, and
it has not been prepared for the purpose of soliciting offers to sell, or
offering to purchase, share certificates or other securities of Promise in
connection with the Tender Offer. If you would like to offer your shares for
sale in the Tender Offer, please ensure that you review the Tender Offer
Explanatory Statement prepared by the Tender Offeror prior to offering your
shares for sale and make the offer at your own discretion. * This
press release shall neither be, nor constitute a part of, an offer to sell or a
solicitation thereof or a solicitation of an offer to purchase, any
securities. Moreover,
neither this press release (or any part thereof) nor the distribution thereof
shall not be interpreted to be the basis of any agreement in relation to the
Tender Offer, nor otherwise be relied on at the time any such agreement is
concluded. * Since
there may be some nations or regions that legally restrict or limit the
announcement, issuance or distribution of this press release, you are
requested to take note of those restrictions or limitations and comply with
any and all laws and regulations of such nations or regions. In nations or
regions where the implementation of the Tender Offer is illegal, neither your
receipt of this press release nor its translation shall be deemed as a
solicitation of an offer to sell or an offer to purchase, the shares in
connection with the Tender Offer, but shall be deemed as receipt of
information distributed for reference purposes. * All
the procedures for the Transaction will be conducted in Japanese, unless
provided for otherwise. All or
part of the documents for the Transaction will be prepared in English;
provided, however, that, if any discrepancy arises between English documents
and Japanese documents, Japanese documents shall prevail. |