Asian Bamboo AG resolves to increase its share capital by up to 10%, terminates share buy-back programme and announces preliminary Q1-Q3 results
Release of an Ad hoc announcement according to Sec. 15 German Securities Trading Act (WpHG) / Capital Increase.
Hamburg, 21 October 2009, the Management Board of Asian Bamboo AG (ISIN: DE000A0M6M79; ticker symbol “5AB“, “the Company”) resolved with the consent of the Supervisory Board, and within the Company’s authorised capital, to increase the share capital of the company by up to EUR 1,275,000 by issuing up to 1,275,000 new, no par value, ordinary bearer shares (“new shares”).
In addition, Green Resources Enterprises Holdings Limited (“Green Resources”), the major shareholder of Asian Bamboo AG and a company wholly owned by Asian Bamboo’s founder and CEO – Mr. Lin Zuojun, will offer a green shoe option of 191,250 shares. The shares will be offered to institutional investors through a private placement and the size and issue price of the capital increase will be determined on the basis of an accelerated book building process. Sal. Oppenheim is acting as the global co-ordinator and sole book runner for the offering and M. M. Warburg as joint lead manager.
The pre-emption rights of the shareholders are excluded and no prospectus will be issued. The new shares shall be admitted to trading on the Prime Standard of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. The new shares carry full dividend rights from the beginning of the 2009 financial year. Until the admission of the new shares, Green Resources will provide shares in the Company to be allocated to investors by means of a short-term securities lending arrangement.
The net proceeds of the capital increase will be used by the Company to lease around 4,000 hectares (“ha”) of new mature bamboo plantations (“new plantations”). Hence the Company intends to lease a total of 11,000 ha of additional mature plantations in 2010 (7,000 ha in the first half of 2010, as announced on 12 October, and 4,000 ha in the second half). The Company will release more details about the new plantations, including the exact size and location, as soon as possible after the transaction is completed. The Management Board expects that the Company will have a total plantation size of around 40,000 ha by the end of 2010, which is around 11,000 ha (37%) more than the current level of around 29,000 ha.
As a consequence of the share placement, the Management Board has decided to terminate the current share buy-back programme. In addition, the Management Board announces preliminary Q1-Q3 2009 results as follows:
• Revenue of EUR 40.7 million, up 29% year-on-year
• Adjusted net profit of EUR 19.4 million, up 34% year-on-year
• An adjusted net profit margin of 47.7% (2008 = 46.1%)
Due to the increase in the value of the Company's shares in Q3, we have booked an unrealised cost for Share Appreciation Rights ("SARs", "options"), issued to certain key employees, of EUR 1.5 million in the Q1-Q3 results. Excluding this non-cash item, the adjusted net profit for the period is up 44% year-on-year at EUR 20.9 million and the adjusted net profit margin is 51.4%.
Furthermore, the Management Board confirms its 2009 guidance of revenues of more than EUR 55 million and an adjusted net profit margin of at least 45%. The Management Board and the Supervisory Board will propose a dividend of EUR 30 cents for 2009, up 50% year-on-year, to be distributed in 2010.
Asian Bamboo AG
The Management Board
AI
