Joint Press Release - Magna and Decoma announce agreement for privatization of Decoma and increased losses for Decoma in Europe
13 Janeiro 2005 - 3:42PM
PR Newswire (US)
Joint Press Release - Magna and Decoma announce agreement for
privatization of Decoma and increased losses for Decoma in Europe
CONCORD, ON, Jan. 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Magna International
Inc. (TSX:MG.SV.A, MG.MV.B; NYSE:MGA) ("Magna") and Decoma
International Inc. (TSX:DEC.SV.A; NASDAQ:DECA) ("Decoma") today
jointly announced that they have entered into a definitive
arrangement agreement by which Magna would acquire all the
outstanding Class A Subordinate Voting Shares of Decoma not owned
by Magna, to be carried out by way of a court-approved plan of
arrangement under Ontario law. This proposal by Magna to privatize
Decoma was previously announced on October 25, 2004. Under the
terms of the arrangement agreement, shareholders of Decoma will
receive 0.1453 of a Class A Subordinate Voting Share of Magna for
each Class A Subordinate Voting Share of Decoma or, at the election
of any shareholder of Decoma, cash based on the volume-weighted
average trading price of Magna's Class A Subordinate Voting Shares
on the Toronto Stock Exchange over the five trading days ending on
the last trading day immediately preceding the effective date of
the plan of arrangement. The aggregate cash payable to all electing
Decoma shareholders will be capped at Cdn$150 million. If
shareholders of Decoma elect to receive cash in excess of Cdn$150
million in the aggregate, the total cash available will be prorated
among those shareholders electing to receive cash and the balance
of their consideration will be satisfied in Magna Class A
Subordinate Voting Shares. The Decoma Board of Directors approved
the arrangement agreement following the report and favourable
recommendation of its Special Committee of independent directors
established to review and consider the arrangement. In doing so,
the Decoma Board determined that the arrangement is in the best
interests of Decoma and its shareholders, and authorized the
submission of the arrangement to holders of Decoma Class A
Subordinate Voting Shares for their approval as required under
applicable law. Scotia Capital Inc. ("Scotia"), the independent
valuator and financial adviser to the Special Committee, concluded
that, as at the close of markets on January 12, 2005, the
consideration being offered to holders of Decoma Class A
Subordinate Voting Shares under the arrangement is fair, from a
financial point of view, to the minority holders of Decoma Class A
Subordinate Voting Shares. A copy of the Scotia valuation and
fairness opinion, the factors considered by the Special Committee
and Decoma's Board and other relevant background information will
be included in the management information circular/proxy statement
that will be sent to holders of Decoma Class A Subordinate Voting
Shares in connection with the special meeting to be called to
consider the arrangement. Decoma has set a record date of January
25, 2005 for shareholders entitled to receive notice of the special
meeting. Subject to court approval, Decoma expects to hold the
special meeting on February 24, 2005 in Toronto and expects that
the arrangement, if approved, will become effective on March 6,
2005. The arrangement will require approval of two-thirds of the
votes cast by holders of Decoma Class A SubordinateVoting Shares
and Decoma Class B Shares, with each class voting separately. The
arrangement also requires the approval of a simple majority of the
votes cast by the minority holder of Decoma Class A Subordinate
Voting Shares. Magna, and parties related to Magna, including its
directors and senior officers, may not vote their Decoma Class A
Subordinate Voting Shares for the purposes of this "majority of the
minority" approval requirement. Decoma also announced today it has
experienced higher than anticipated fourth quarter 2004 operating
losses at certain of its European facilities. Decoma had previously
disclosed performance issues and operating losses it was
experiencing at its Prometall, Decotrim and Belplas European
facilities. Although financial results for the fourth quarter of
2004 have yet to be finalized, Decoma's preliminary assessments
indicate that these facilities incurred aggregate operating losses
(before the previously announced write downs at Prometall and
Decotrim), of between US$32 and 36 million in the fourth quarter of
2004. Losses from these facilities in the third quarter of 2004
were approximately US$17 million. The increased losses arose
primarily at its Belplas facility where launch issues related to
various fascia programs and high scrap rates negatively impacted
the facility's performance to a degree higher than previously
anticipated. To a lesser extent, the Decotrim and Prometall
facilities have also performed below prior expectations. Remedial
actions are ongoing at each of these facilities. Further
information regarding these matters will be provided in the
Decoma's 2004 financial statements and Management's Discussion and
Analysis of Results of Operations and Financial Position for the
period. In connection with the losses described above, Magna also
announced today that Decoma's fourth quarter operating losses are
expected to negatively impact Magna's diluted earnings per share
for the fourth quarter of 2004 by between US$0.19 and US$0.21.
Decoma designs, engineers and manufactures automotive exterior
components and systems which include fascias (bumpers), front and
rear end modules, liftgates and running boards, plastic body
panels, roof modules, exterior trim components, sealing and
greenhouse systems and lighting components for cars and light
trucks (including sport utility vehicles and mini-vans). Decoma has
approximately 16,000 employees in 52 manufacturing, engineering and
product development facilities in Canada, the United States,
Mexico, Germany, Belgium, England, France, Austria, Poland, the
Czech Republic and Japan. Magna, the most diversified automotive
supplier in the world, designs, develops and manufactures
automotive systems, assemblies, modules and components, and
engineers and assembles complete vehicles, primarily for sale to
original equipment manufacturers of cars and light trucks in North
America, Europe, Mexico, South America and Asia. Magna's products
include: automotive interior and closure components, systems and
modules through Intier Automotive Inc.; metal body systems,
components, assemblies and modules through Cosma International;
exterior and interior mirror and engineered glass systems through
Magna Donnelly; fascias, front and rear end modules, plastic body
panels, exterior trim components and systems, greenhouse and
sealing systems, roof modules and lighting components through
Decoma International Inc.; various engine, transmission and fueling
systems and components through Tesma International Inc., a variety
of drivetrain components through Magna Drivetrain; and complete
vehicle engineering and assembly through Magna Steyr. Magna has
approximately 81,000 employees in 219 manufacturing operations and
49 product development and engineering centres in 22 countries.
This press release may contain "forward looking statements" within
the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Such statements
involve certain risks, assumptions, uncertainties and other factors
which may cause actual future results or anticipated events to
differ materially from those expressed or implied in any
forward-looking statements. In the case of both Magna and Decoma,
these factors principally relate to the risks associated with the
automotive industry and include the risks, assumptions,
uncertainties and other factors listed in Item 3 "Description of
Business - Risk Factors" in Magna's Annual Information Form
attached as Exhibit 1 to Magna's Annual Report on Form 40-F for the
year ended December 31, 2003, and other factors listed in Decoma's
Annual Information Form attached as Exhibit 1 to Decoma's Annual
Report on Form 40-F for the year ended December 31, 2003, each
filed with the Ontario Securities Commission and the United States
Securities and Exchange Commission. Unless otherwise required by
applicable securities laws, Magna and Decoma do not intend, nor do
Magna and Decoma undertake any obligation, to update or revise any
forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent information,
events, results, circumstances or otherwise. DATASOURCE: Decoma
International Inc. CONTACT: about this press release, please
contact Vincent J. Galifi, Executive Vice-President and Chief
Financial Officer of Magna at (905) 726-7100, and S. Randall
Smallbone, Executive Vice-President, Finance and Chief Financial
Officer of Decoma at (905) 669-2888. For further information about
Magna, please visit the Company's website at http://www.magna.com/.
For further information about Decoma, please visit the Company's
website at http://www.decoma.com/.
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