STOCKHOLM, Sweden, June 26, 2002 (PRIMEZONE) -- AB Custos today announced the following decisions at the General Meeting:
Redemption Offer
In accordance with proposals by the Board of Directors, the Extraordinary General Meeting of shareholders today approved a resolution on redemption of 821,426 shares in Custos. An estimated total of SEK 255 M 1) , 2) will be distributed to the shareholders. The Offer means that those who are registered shareholders in Custos on July 1, 2002 will receive a redemption right for each share in Custos. Ten redemption rights will entitle the holder to redemption of one Custos share 3), with payment consisting of 14 shares in the flooring company Pergo AB (publ) plus SEK 80 in cash, equivalent to SEK 311 per share redeemed 2.
Timetable for the Redemption Program
June 26, 2002 Last day for trading in Custos shares including redemption rights.
June 27, 2002 Custos shares are traded excluding edemption rights July 1, 2002 Record date for receipt of redemption rights July 8-August 9, 2002 Trading in redemption rights July 8-August 14, 2002 Registration period for the redemption offer August 23-September 6, 2002 Trading in redemption shares September 18, 2002 (prelim) Disbursement of redemption payment.
To avoid an additional General Meeting for implementation of the redemption program, the Board has been authorized to approve a new issue of ordinary shares targeted to Handelsbanken. Handelsbanken has undertaken to subscribe for the newly issued ordinary shares as well as to submit the corresponding number of shares for redemption. This procedure does not involve any change in Custos' ownership structure.
To enable the Company to implement the redemption program without needing to await court approval, the General Meeting approved a targeted new issue of 821,426 Series C shares to Handelsbanken as well as redemption of these 821,426 Series C shares.
Reduction in the statutory reserve
The General Meeting also approved a reduction in the Company's statutory reserve of SEK 204,338,310 for transfer to a fund to be used according to a decision of the Meeting.
Stockholm, June 26, 2002
AKTIEBOLAGET CUSTOS (publ)
The Board of Directors
For further questions, please contact Mikael Nachemson, CEO (tel. +46 8 440 57 70).
This Press Release is published in Swedish and English. In the event of any difference between the English version and the Swedish original, the Swedish version shall govern. Assuming full acceptance of the Offer. Assuming the closing price paid for a share in Pergo on June 25, 2002. Through trading in redemption rights during the period July 8 August 9, 2002, more than every tenth Custos share held on the record date may be registered for redemption.
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http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2002/06/26/20020626BIT00830/wkr0001.doc http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2002/06/26/20020626BIT00830/wkr0002.pdf