Crucell Shareholders Adopt Offer Governance Resolutions and Johnson & Johnson Makes Announcement on U.S. Regulatory Matters
Posted: 8 February 2011 | | No comments yet
Johnson & Johnson and Crucell N.V. provide further information regarding Johnson & Johnson’s proposed acquisition of Crucell…
Johnson & Johnson and Crucell N.V. provide further information regarding Johnson & Johnson's proposed acquisition of Crucell...
Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) and Crucell N.V. (NYSE Euronext, NASDAQ: CRXL; Swiss Exchange: CRX) provide further information regarding Johnson & Johnson’s proposed acquisition of Crucell.
Reference is made to the joint press release of Johnson & Johnson and Crucell N.V. (Crucell) dated 8 December 2010 announcing the recommended cash offer by Johnson & Johnson for all of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares in the capital of Crucell, including those represented by American depositary shares, at an offer price of €24.75 per share (the Offer).
Crucell Shareholders Adopt Governance Resolutions
Today Crucell held the statutory informative Extraordinary General Meeting (the Offer EGM) of Shareholders. At the Offer EGM, the Offer was discussed and the Governance Resolutions were adopted. With the adoption of the Governance Resolutions, another important Offer condition has been fulfilled.
The Governance Resolutions concern (1) an amendment of Crucell’s articles of association, (2) the appointment of new Crucell supervisory board members nominated by Johnson & Johnson and (3) the granting of discharge to the current Crucell supervisory members. Messrs. W.M. Burns, S.A. Davis, P. Satow, J.S.S. Shannon, G.R. Siber, F.F. Waller and C.-E. Wilhelmsson will resign in connection with the Offer. The Supervisory Board will be strengthened with Mr. J.H.J. Peeters, Mr. P. Stoffels, Mr. T.J. Heyman, Mr. J.J.U. Van Hoof , Ms. J.V. Griffiths, Mr. B.W. van Zijll Langhout , Mr. P. Korte , Mr. D.-J. Zweers, and Mr. J.C. Bot. All resolutions and resignations are subject to the Offer being declared unconditional and take effect on the settlement date of the Offer.
The shareholders of Crucell voted in person, by proxy, or by voting instruction, representing a total of 61.05% of the total issued share capital entitled to vote.
Announcement on US Regulatory Matters
As contemplated by the Offer documentation and in order to comply with U.S. regulatory requirements, Johnson & Johnson hereby announces that, under the terms and conditions of the Offer, the minimum acceptance level may be reduced after the expiration of the Offer from at least 95% of the Shares to 80% of the Shares. This possible reduction in the minimum acceptance level will occur if (1) a favorable ruling from the Internal Revenue Service is obtained by Johnson & Johnson with respect to certain tax matters and (2) proxies are received in respect of at least 80% of the Shares. Such proxies will allow JJC Acquisition Company B.V. (the Offeror), a wholly owned subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, to vote in favor of an asset sale that may be pursued as a post-closing restructuring following the consummation of the Offer.
The Offer will expire at 17:45 hours Dutch time (11:45 a.m. New York time) on 16 February 2011, unless the Offer is extended. Withdrawal rights will terminate following the expiration of the Offer. Crucell shareholders who have already tendered their Shares in the Offer but whose willingness to tender will be affected by the possible 80% minimum acceptance level should withdraw their tenders immediately but in any event before the expiration of the Offer.
This announcement is not an indication of current acceptance levels and does not constitute a reduction of the minimum acceptance condition itself. Any such reduction will only be made after the expiration of the Offer.
Further information regarding the Offer is contained in the offer document (including further details on the impact that reducing the minimum acceptance condition may have on Crucell shareholders) and the position statement which are available free of charge on the website of Crucell at www.crucell.com.
Additional Information
This joint press release is issued pursuant to the provisions of Section 4 paragraph 3 of the Dutch Decree on Public Takeover Bids (Besluit openbare biedingen Wft) and Section 5:25i of the Dutch Financial Markets Supervision Act (Wet op het financieel toezicht).
On 8 December 2010, the Offeror commenced the Offer to acquire all of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares (Ordinary Shares) in the capital of Crucell, including all Ordinary Shares represented by American depositary shares (each, an ADS), on the terms and subject to the conditions and restrictions contained in the Offer Document dated 8 December 2010 (the Offer Document). Shareholders who accept the Offer and tender Ordinary Shares will be paid, on the terms and subject to the conditions and restrictions contained in the Offer Document, an amount equal to €24.75, net to the Shareholders in cash, without interest and less any applicable withholding taxes (the Offer Price) in consideration of each Ordinary Share, subject to the Offeror declaring the Offer unconditional.
Shareholders who accept the Offer and tender ADSs will be paid, on the terms and subject to the conditions and restrictions contained in the Offer Document, an amount equal to the U.S. dollar equivalent of the Offer Price, calculated by using the spot market exchange rate for the U.S. dollar against the Euro on the date on which funds are received by Computershare Trust Company, N.A. to pay for ADSs upon completion of the Offer, in consideration of each ADS, subject to the Offeror declaring the Offer unconditional. The offer and withdrawal rights will expire at 17:45 hours Dutch time (11:45 a.m. New York time), on 16 February 2011, unless extended in the manner set forth in the Offer Document. This press release is neither an offer to purchase nor a solicitation of an offer to sell shares of Crucell, nor shall there be any sale or purchase of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. The Offer is being made pursuant to the tender offer statement on Schedule TO (including the Offer Document, a related ADS letter of transmittal and tender and proxy form, and other relevant materials) filed by the Offeror with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on 8 December 2010.
SHAREHOLDERS OF CRUCELL ARE URGED TO READ THESE AND OTHER DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC CAREFULLY IN THEIR ENTIRETY BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE OFFER. Copies of Johnson & Johnson’s filings with the SEC may be obtained at the SEC’s web site (www.sec.gov) or by directing a request to Johnson & Johnson at Johnson & Johnson, One Johnson & Johnson Plaza, New Brunswick, NJ 08933, U.S.A. (Attention: Corporate Secretary’s Office). The Offer Document is available free of charge on the website of Crucell at www.crucell.com. Hard copies of the Offer Document will also be available at the offices of Crucell at Archimedesweg 4-6, 2333 CN Leiden, the Netherlands; at the offices of the Dutch Settlement Agent, ING Bank N.V., Bijlmerdreef 888 1102 MG Amsterdam, the Netherlands (Attention: Sjoukje Hollander/Remko Los), telephone: + 31 20 563 6546 / + 31 20 563 6619, email: [email protected]); and at the offices of the U.S. Settlement Agent, Computershare Trust Company, N.A., 250 Royall Street, Canton, MA 02021.