Helsinki, Finland, 2015-10-09 18:40 CEST (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Finnlines Plc Stock Exchange Release III 9 October 2015 at 19:40
NOTIFICATION OF HOLDINGS PURSUANT TO THE SECURITIES MARKETS ACT
Finnlines Plc (ID 0201153-9) (“Finnlines”) has on 9 October 2015 received a notification of major shareholdings pursuant to Chapter 9, Section 5 of the Finnish Securities Markets Act.
Grimaldi Group S.p.A’s, Grimaldi Deep Sea S.p.A’s and Grimaldi Euromed S.p.A’s (which all are members of the Grimaldi Group) aggregate holdings of shares and votes in Finnlines has exceeded 90 per cent.
1. Full name of the issuer of shares:
Finnlines Plc.
2. Full name of the person(s) subject to notification obligation:
Grimaldi Group S.p.A. (ID 00117240820), formerly Grimaldi Compagnia di Navigazione S.p.A. prior to change of name effected on 2 February 2015.
3. Chain of controlled undertakings
Grimaldi Deep Sea S.p.A. and Grimaldi Euromed S.p.A. are partly-owned subsidiaries of Grimaldi Group S.p.A. Grimaldi Deep Sea S.p.A. is owned by Grimaldi Group S.p.A. (61.48 per cent) and Grimaldi Euromed S.p.A. (37.38 per cent). Grimaldi Euromed S.p.A. is owned by Grimaldi Group S.p.A. (95.83 per cent) of which Paola Arcidiacono has a usufruct right for 19.03 per cent.
4. Date on which the threshold was reached or crossed:
9 October 2015.
5. Reason for the notification:
Grimaldi Group S.p.A’s aggregate direct and indirect ownership has exceeded 90 per cent of the shares and votes in Finnlines, the ownership being 47,033,972 shares which corresponds to 91.32 per cent of all the shares and votes in Finnlines.
Grimaldi Euromed S.p.A. has pursuant to a contract dated 9 October 2015 with Keskinäinen Eläkevakuutusyhtiö Ilmarinen (”Ilmarinen”) acquired 5,449,032 shares in Finnlines which corresponds to 10.58 per cent of all the shares and votes in Finnlines. Ilmarinen remains the holder of one share in Finnlines following execution of the contract.
Resulting holdings of Grimaldi Group S.p.A. in Finnlines after the acquisition of shares by Grimaldi Euromed S.p.A. on 9 October 2015:
| Number of shares and voting rights | Share of share capital and voting rights, % | |
| Grimaldi Group S.p.A direct ownership | 35,563,540 | 69.05 |
| Grimaldi Group S.p.A indirect ownership through Grimaldi Deep Sea S.p.A. and Grimaldi Euromed S.p.A. | 11,470,432 | 22.27 |
| Total | 47,033,972 | 91.32 |
The notification of major shareholdings does not contain any additional information on the above arrangements.
Finnlines has a total of 51,503,141 shares. The company has only one class of shares and each share entitles to one vote.
Further information: Tapani Voionmaa, Group General Counsel, tel. +358 50 565 5207
Finnlines Plc
Tom Pippingsköld Tapani Voionmaa
CFO Group General Counsel
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About Finnlines
Finnlines is a leading shipping operator of ro-ro and passenger services in the Baltic Sea and the North Sea. The company is listed on the NASDAQ OMX Helsinki Ltd and is a part of the Grimaldi Group, one of the world’s largest operators of ro-ro vessels and the largest operator of the Motorways of the Sea in Europe for both passengers and freight. This affiliation enables Finnlines to offer liner services to and from any destination in the Mediterranean, West Africa as well as the Atlantic coast of both North and South America.