HUDDINGE, Sweden, May 09, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- Tripep has acquired 1,353,205 of the company's own shares by way of its buy-back offer. This offer gave shareholders the right to sell one in ten of their shares for SEK 30 in cash. This in turn entails the transfer of approximately SEK 40.6 million to Tripep's shareholders.
The number of shares bought back corresponds to an acceptance level for the offer of 97.7 per cent. The figure is based on a preliminary count and may need to be adjusted when the final calculation is performed. Payment for the shares bought back is due to be made as planned around 20 May 2003.
Following the buy-back, Tripep owns a total of 1,353,205 of its own shares. These shares will be used as partial payment for the acquisition of the shares of Isconova AB, for which Tripep is to make payment in the form of two million shares. In addition, Tripep's payment will take the form of a promissory note, which will, conditional on the approval of the shareholders' meeting, be used to subscribe for the remaining shares via offset.
Tripep will be submitting an application to the Swedish National Tax Board (Riksskatteverket) for its views on how the acquisition expense should be distributed between shares and selling rights. General advice and information from the National Tax Board will be published by Tripep via press releases and can also be accessed via the National Tax Board's web site.
For more information, please contact: Johan Ihre, President of Tripep AB, tel.: +46 8-449 84 80, +46 70 733 44 25 or Anders Vahlne, Head of Research at Tripep AB, tel.: +46 70 928 05 28
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