Launch of compulsory acquisition of remaining issued and outstanding shares of Avenir LNG Limited by Stolt-Nielsen Limited
March 05 2025 - 1:00AM
UK Regulatory
Launch of compulsory acquisition of remaining issued and
outstanding shares of Avenir LNG Limited by Stolt-Nielsen Limited
Launch of compulsory acquisition of remaining issued and
outstanding shares of Avenir LNG Limited by Stolt-Nielsen
Limited
London, March 5, 2025 –
Reference is made to the stock exchange announcement of January 27,
2025, stating that Stolt-Nielsen Limited (Oslo Børs: SNI), through
its subsidiary Stolt-Nielsen Gas Ltd. had entered into a share
purchase agreement to acquire all the shares of Avenir LNG Limited
(‘Avenir LNG’) owned by Golar LNG Limited and Aequitas Limited (the
‘Transaction’) and subject to completion of the Transaction,
Stolt-Nielsen Gas Ltd. intended to offer to buy the shares of all
remaining shareholders in Avenir LNG.
The Transaction has been completed, and
Stolt-Nielsen Gas Ltd. now holds more than 95% of the outstanding
shares and votes in Avenir LNG.
As the holder of more than 95% of Avenir LNG’s
shares, Stolt-Nielsen Gas Ltd. is able to acquire the remaining
shares in Avenir LNG by way of a compulsory acquisition, in
accordance with section 103 of the Companies Act 1981 of Bermuda
(the ‘Bermuda Companies Act’). The board of directors of
Stolt-Nielsen Gas Ltd. has resolved to proceed with this compulsory
acquisition, and a notice informing Avenir LNG's shareholders of
the compulsory acquisition has been issued (the ‘Compulsory
Acquisition Notice’). The purchase price for the compulsory
acquisition is $ 1.00 per Avenir LNG share (the ‘Purchase Price’),
which is the same price per Avenir LNG share as in the
Transaction.
Settlement under the compulsory acquisition will
occur in accordance with the standard settlement procedures for
compulsory acquisition transactions registered in the Euronext
Securities Oslo system (the ‘VPS’). The settlement amount per
Avenir LNG share that a shareholder will receive is NOK 11.19,
representing the equivalent of $ 1.00 using Norges Bank’s mid-rate
in the interbank market as published on March 4, 2025.
Further information about the compulsory
acquisition is provided in the Compulsory Acquisition Notice. A
copy of the Compulsory Acquisition Notice can also be obtained free
of charge during ordinary course of business hours at the offices
of DNB Markets, a part of DNB Bank ASA at Dronning Eufemias gate
30, N-0021 Oslo, Norway.
As outlined in the Compulsory Acquisition
Notice, shareholders of Avenir LNG may, within a one-month period
of such notice, starting on March 11, 2025, and ending on April 11,
2025, apply to the Supreme Court of Bermuda for an appraisal of the
value of their Avenir LNG shares. Stolt-Nielsen Gas Ltd. is
entitled and bound to acquire the Avenir LNG shares of shareholders
of Avenir LNG on the terms of the Compulsory Acquisition Notice
upon the expiry of one month from the date on which such notice is
given, unless a shareholder of Avenir LNG applies to the Supreme
Court of Bermuda to appraise the value of their shares within the
one month period, whereby Stolt-Nielsen Gas Ltd. may within one
month of the court appraising the value of the shares acquire all
such shares at the price fixed by the court or cancel the
Compulsory Acquisition Notice.
Completion of the compulsory acquisition and
settlement of the Purchase Price are expected to occur on or about
April 16, 2025 (subject to no shareholder applying to the Supreme
Court of Bermuda for an appraisal of the value of their
shares).
Following completion of the compulsory
acquisition, Stolt-Nielsen Gas Ltd. will pursue a delisting of
Avenir LNG's shares from Euronext N-OTC.
Sponsored Norwegian Depository
Receipts
Equro Issuer Services AS (‘Equro’), Avenir LNG's
registrar in the ‘VPS’, is registered as the holder of the
underlying common shares in Avenir LNG's register of members
maintained at the registered office of Avenir LNG in Bermuda. It is
not Avenir LNG's underlying common shares issued in accordance with
the Bermuda Companies Act and Avenir LNG's bye-laws but Sponsored
Norwegian Depository Receipts (‘SNDR’), representing the beneficial
interests in such common shares, that are registered in book-entry
form with the VPS. Shareholders of Avenir LNG (i.e. holders of
SNDRs) must therefore refer to Equro for exercising their rights as
shareholders of Avenir LNG. Should a shareholder (i.e. a holder of
SNDRs) wish to apply to the Supreme Court of Bermuda to appraise
the value of their Avenir LNG common shares (and SNDRs), the
applicable number of common shares of Avenir LNG must first be
transferred to such holder, and Equro must be contacted
(info@equro.com) for such transfer to be performed (and prior to
any application to the Supreme Court of Bermuda being made).
Further details are available in the Compulsory Acquisition
Notice.
SNDRs issued in the VPS have certain limitations
and risks. You can read more about these limitations and risks in
Equro's general business terms and conditions available at Equro's
webpage. A service description for SNDRs is available at Euronext's
webpage.
Advisors
DNB Markets, a part of DNB Bank ASA, is acting
as financial advisor to Stolt-Nielsen Limited.
For additional information please contact:
Jens F. Grüner-Hegge
Chief Financial Officer
UK +44 (0) 20 7611 8985
j.gruner-hegge@stolt.com
Ellie Davison
Head of Corporate Communications
UK +44 (0) 20 7611 8926
e.davison@stolt.com
About Stolt-Nielsen Limited
Stolt-Nielsen (SNL or the Company) is a
long-term investor and manager of businesses focused on
opportunities in logistics, distribution and aquaculture. The
Stolt-Nielsen portfolio consists of its three global bulk-liquid
and chemicals logistics businesses - Stolt Tankers, Stolthaven
Terminals and Stolt Tank Containers - Stolt Sea Farm and various
investments. Stolt-Nielsen Limited is listed on the Oslo Stock
Exchange (Oslo Børs: SNI).
This information is subject to the disclosure requirements
pursuant to Section 5-12 the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.
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