Erste Bank a incheiat majorarea de capital cu suprasubscriere

La incheierea perioadei de subscriere in cursul zilei de azi (mai devreme decat termenul initial anticipat), Erste Bank der oesterreichischen Sparkassen AG (Erste Bank) a stabilit pretul de ofertare pentru actiunile listate la 45 euro per actiune.

Dupa deducerea dividendului propus de 55 de centi pe actiune pentru 2005, aceasta reprezinta un discount de 0,7% fata de pretul de inchidere de miercuri, 25 ianuarie, care se situa la valoarea de 45,85 euro pe actiune.

Oferta a constat intr-o emitere de actiuni cu drepturi de preemptiune si o oferta globala de actiuni fara drepturi de preemptiune.

Aceasta reprezinta cea mai importanta tranzactie din Austria realizata vreodata pe bursa de la Viena.

Cererea foarte puternica din partea investitorilor a rezultat intr-o oferta publica de succes.

Datorita puternicului interes din partea investitorilor, intreaga majorare de capital de 5.895.360 de actiuni noi a fost alocata – rezultand in final un total de 64.848.960 actiuni care au fost alocate investitorilor, luand in considerare un exercitiu complet al optiunii de overallotment din partea celor care au subscris.

Astfel capitalul initial de actiuni al Erste Bank in valoare de 486.367.200 euro, a fost majorat cu 24% (excluzand optiunea de overallotment). Noile actiuni vor fi elibgibile pentru dividende pentru intreg anul financiar 2006.

Avand in vedere ca noile actiuni nu au dreptul la dividende pe 2005, ele vor fi tranzactionate pe bursa cu un nou ISIN pana la data de la care vor produce dividende. Erste Bank si DIE ERSTE österreichische Spar-Casse Privatstiftung au ajuns la un acord privind suspendarea tranzactionarii actiunilor detinute pentru o perioada de 180 de zile.

Oferta globala care a consistat din actiuni care nu au fost subscrise in cadrul drepturilor de preemtiune, a fost subscrisa de 1,7 ori (excluzand optiunea de overallotment).

In urma majorarii de capital, capitalizarea pe piata a companiei va creste de la 11,3 miliarde euro la 13,9 miliarde. Tranzactionarea noilor actiuni pe Bursa din Viena este asteptata sa inceapa pe 27 Ianuarie 2006.

Stabilizarea in termeni monetari sau de unitati bursiere este asteptata sa intervina in jurul datei de 1 februarie 2006.

„Suntem absolut incintati de cererea impresionanta pentru actiunile emise venind din atat din partea investotorilor institutionali cat si din partea celor privati.

Cred ca succesul inregistrat prin aceasta emisiune vine sa sublinieze increderea investitorilor in perspectivele noastre de crestere si in pozitionarea strategica a Erste Bank”, a declarat Andreas Treichl, CEO al Erste Bank, vizavi de cererea de actiuni inregistrate in urma emisiunii.

„Reactia investitorilor a aratat faptul ca actiunile Erste Bank sunt apreciate pentru valoarea, potentialul de crestere si securitatea pe care le asigura.

In plus, a existat un conses general asupra faptului ca actiunile Erste Bank se afla pe o panta ascendenta datorita oportunitatilor de crestere in Europa Centrala.

Investitorii au fost atrasi si de perspectivele Erste Bank pe piata interna multumita unei activitati de baza solide.” a adaugat Reinhard Ortner, CFO al Erste Bank.

Erste Bank va utiliza veniturile obtinute in urma majorarii de capital pentru finantarea achizitiei Bancii Comerciale Romine (BCR), lider pe piata bancara romaneasca, si pentru consolidarea bazei de capital a bancii.

DIE ERSTE österreichische Spar-Casse Privatstiftung, principalul actionar in cadrul Erste Bank care detinea 32,2% din actiuni inaintea tranzactiei, a depus o cerere de subscriere pentru 15,6 milioane de actiuni si acum detine 30,5 %, luand in considerare ca optiunea de overallotment va fi pe deplin exercitata.

Inaintea majorarii de capital, membrii Grupului de Case de Economii au facut uz aproape in totalitate de drepturile de preemptiune iar capitalul de actiuni cumulat pe care il detin acestea in urma tranzactiei ramane neschimbat in jurul valorii de 7%.

Austria Verein care detinea anterior o cota de 6% din capitalul de actiuni, si-a exercitat suficiente drepturi de preemptiune pentru a ramane la o cota de peste 5%. In urma ofertei de actiuni, proportia actiunilor liber tranzactionate la bursa a crescut la 65,5% (incluzand membrii Grupului de Case de Economii (Sparkassen)).

Erste Bank, Goldman Sachs si JPMorgan au actionat in comun in calitate de Garanti Principali si Coordonatori Globali in cadrul procesului procesului de vanzare de actiuni. Citigroup, Credit Suisse si ABN AMRO Rothschild au actionat impreuna in calitate de manageri principali ai tranzactiei.

Versiunea originala a comunicatului:
Approx. 60% of the rights were exercised Shares not taken up in rights offering were 1.7 times oversubscribed (excluding over-allotment option)

Following today’s early close of the subscription and offer period, Erste Bank der oesterreichischen Sparkassen AG (Erste Bank) set the offer price for its capital increase at EUR 45 per share. After deducting the proposed dividend for 2005 of 55 cents per share, this represents a discount of 0.7% to the closing price on Wednesday, 25 January, of EUR 45.85.

The Offering consisted of a rights issue and a global offering of Shares in respect of which rights were not exercised.

The capital increase represents the largest capital markets transaction to be effected in Austria on the Vienna Stock Exchange.

The very strong investor demand resulted in a highly successful Offering. Due to strong investor interest, the full capital increase of 5,895,360 new shares was allocated – as a result of which, assuming a full exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option, 64,848,960 shares were placed with investors.

Erste Bank’s existing share capital of EUR 486,367,200 has therefore been increased (excluding the over-allotment option) by 24.2% to EUR 604,274,400. The new shares will be eligible for dividends for the full financial year 2006. As the new shares are not entitled to the 2005 dividend, the new shares will trade with a new ISIN on the stock exchange until the ex-dividend date.

Erste Bank and DIE ERSTE österreichische Spar-Casse Privatstiftung have agreed to a lock up of 180 days.

The global offering consisting of shares not subscribed for in the rights offering was 1.7 times subscribed (excluding the over-allotment option).

After the capital increase the market capitalization of the company will rise from about EUR 11.3 billion to about EUR 13.9 billion. The new shares are expected to start trading on the Vienna Stock Exchange on 27 January 2006. Settlement is expected to take place on 1 February 2006.

Erste Bank will use the proceeds of the capital increase primarily to finance the acquisition of a 62% majority stake in Banca Comerciala Romana (BCR), the No. 1 bank in Romania, and to improve Erste Bank’s own capital base.

DIE ERSTE österreichische Spar-Casse Privatstiftung, which is Erste Bank’s largest shareholder, with a shareholding of 32.2% prior to this transaction, has subscribed to 15.6 million shares and will now hold 30.5%, assuming the over allotment option is exercised in full.

Members of the savings banks group have taken up almost all of their rights and their combined shareholding post the transaction remains unchanged at around 7%. The Austria Verein which previously had a stake of 6%, has exercised sufficient rights in order to remain at a shareholding of above 5%.

Following the offering, the free float of Erste Bank shares has increased to 64.5% (including the members of the savings bank group (Sparkassen)).

Erste Bank, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan acted as Joint Bookrunners and Joint Global Coordinators of the equity offering. Citigroup, Credit Suisse and ABN AMRO Rothschild acted as co-lead managers for this transaction.

This announcement does not constitute an offer of securities, nor a solicitation for an offer of securities. A prospectus that was approved by the Austrian Financial Markets Supervisory Authority was published on 10 January 2006.

Interested persons can obtain a free copy of the prospectus from Erste Bank der oesterreichischen Sparkassen AG, Graben 21, A-1010 Wien (Kassensaal, Information desk) during business hours. In connection with the offer of securities of Erste Bank only the information contained in the prospectus is binding.

This announcement may not be published or distributed in the United States, Canada, Japan or Australia. The securities and subscription rights to which this announcement relates have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the „Securities Act”),
and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration under the Securities Act. No public offering of the securities or subscription rights will be made in the United States.