NOT FOR RELEASE OR DISTRIBUTION IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, JAPAN OR AUSTRALIA.
This announcement is for information purposes only and does not constitute an offer or an invitation to acquire or dispose of any securities.
Further to its announcement on 6 May 2004 of a possible placing of Compagnie Financière Tradition shares held by its majority shareholder, Compagnie Financière Tradition announces that in total 290,000 of its shares have been placed at a price of CHF 105.00 per share (the "Placing"). This equates to approximately 5.4% of the issued share capital of Compagnie Financière Tradition and gross proceeds of approximately CHF 30,5 million. Settlement of the Placing will take place on 19 May 2004.
As explained by Patrick Combes, Chairman of the Board of Compagnie Financière Tradition, "the objective is to widen our international shareholder base and to facilitate access to equity markets in order to support our growth strategy". On completion of the Placing, VIEL & Cie will retain an indirect holding of 70.48% of Compagnie Financière Tradition's share capital.
Bear, Stearns International Limited acted as financial adviser, sole bookrunner and global co-ordinator for the Placing.
With a presence in 16 countries, Compagnie Financière Tradition is one of the world's top three brokers in financial (money markets, bonds, interest rate, currency and credit derivatives, equities, equity derivatives, interest rate futures and index futures) and non-financial products (precious metals, energy products, and pulp and paper). Compagnie Financière Tradition is listed on the Swiss Exchange. For more information on Compagnie Financière Tradition and its Group, visit its site at www.traditiongroup.com.
Lausanne, 17th May 2004
Neither this announcement nor any copy of it may be taken, transmitted or distributed, directly or indirectly in or into the United States, Canada, Australia or Japan. Any failure to comply with this restriction may constitute a violation of United States, Canadian, Australian or Japanese Securities laws. No action has been taken, that would permit an offer of Compagnie Financière Tradition's shares or possession or distribution of this announcement or any other offering or publicity material relating to such shares in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required. Persons into whose possession this announcement comes are required to inform themselves about and to observe any such restrictions.
