Preliminary shareholding quota of the voluntary public tender offer for GFK SE exceeds the minimum acceptance threshold
Additional acceptance period expected to begin on 16 February 2017
Nuremberg (ots)
Acceleratio Capital N.V., a holding company controlled by funds advised by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. L.P. (together with affiliates, "KKR"), today announced that the minimum acceptance threshold of the voluntary public tender offer for the shares (ISIN: DE0005875306) of GfK SE ("GfK") has been exceeded.
As at the expiry of the acceptance period at midnight (CET) on 10 February 2017, the acceptance of the offer was declared for more than 18.54 percent of the outstanding GfK shares.
"We are pleased to have cleared this important hurdle. Now we will work towards the closing of the transaction so that we can support GfK SE's growth strategy together with the GfK Verein," said Philipp Freise, Member, Private Equity & Head of TMT, Europe.
The final result of the acceptance period will be published next week. GfK shareholders that have not accepted the offer within the acceptance period can still accept it within the additional acceptance period, which is expected to begin on 16 February 2017 and end at midnight (CET) on 1 March 2017. Following the exceeding of the minimum acceptance threshold, the takeover offer remains subject to the completion conditions described in section 12.1.1 (a) and (g) of the offer document (merger control approval by the European Commission and Ukraine).
The respective announcement and a non-binding English translation are available at www.acceleratio-angebot.de.
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About KKR KKR is a leading global investment firm that manages investments across multiple asset classes including private equity, energy, infrastructure, real estate, credit and hedge funds. KKR aims to generate attractive investment returns by following a patient and disciplined investment approach, employing worldclass people, and driving growth and value creation at the asset level. KKR invests its own capital alongside its partners' capital and brings opportunities to others through its capital markets business. References to KKR's investments may include the activities of its sponsored funds. For additional information about KKR & Co. L.P. (NYSE:KKR), please visit KKR's website at www.kkr.com and on Twitter @KKR_Co.
Disclaimer and Forward-Looking Statement This release is neither an offer to purchase nor a solicitation of an offer to sell GfK shares or any other security. The offer document, the terms and conditions contained therein shall have sole relevance in respect to the offer. Investors and holders of shares in GfK are advised to read the relevant documents regarding the tender offer published by Acceleratio Capital N.V. as they contain important information. Investors and holders of shares in GfK can receive the offer document as well as other documents in connection with the offer from the website www.acceleratio-angebot.de.
The information herein may contain "forward-looking statements" that may be identified by words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates" or words of similar meaning about the expected future business of Acceleratio Capital N.V., GfK or any other entity. These statements are based on the current expectations of the management of Acceleratio Capital N.V. and KKR and are inherently subject to uncertainties and the change of circumstances. Acceleratio Capital N.V. and KKR do not assume any obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, or any change in events, conditions, assumptions or other factors.
Contact:
Dominik Veit
Phone: +49 69 92 18 74 87
Email: dveit@heringschuppener.com