23rd Jul 2007 08:04
3i Group PLC23 July 2007 23 July 2007 This document should not be transmitted, distributed, published or released inwhole or in part in or into Australia, Canada, Japan or the United States ofAmerica or in or into any other jurisdiction in which such act would constitutea violation of any relevant laws of such jurisdiction. 3i Group plc Purchase of B Shares 3i Group plc (the "Company") has appointed Dresdner Kleinwort Securities Limitedand Lehman Brothers International (Europe) (together, the "Brokers") for thepurposes of the Brokers' Offer as defined in, and to be implemented inaccordance with, the Company's circular to Shareholders dated 14 June 2007 (the"Circular"). As contemplated in the Circular, the Brokers hereby agree to purchase, acting asprincipals, 606,882,529 B Shares, being the number of B Shares in respect ofwhich valid elections have been received and not withdrawn in favour of, orwhich have defaulted to, participation in the Brokers' Offer, in an on-markettransaction on the terms set out in the Circular. The Brokers will purchase BShares for 127 pence each, free of all dealing expenses and commissions. It is expected that cheques will be sent to relevant Shareholders or relevantShareholders will have their CREST accounts credited, as appropriate, in respectof the proceeds of the B Shares purchased under the Brokers' Offer on or around26 July 2007. It is expected that sales advices and balance B Sharecertificates will be sent to relevant Shareholders, and CREST accounts ofrelevant Shareholders credited with any balance of B Shares, on or around thesame date. Notes: All defined terms not otherwise defined in this announcement shall bear themeanings given in Part 10 (Definitions) of the Circular. Further information and copies of the Circular can be found on the Company'sinvestor relations website at http://www.3igroup.com. For further information Patrick Dunne, 3i Group plc 020 7975 3283Alex Reynolds, Dresdner Kleinwort Securities Limited 020 7623 8000Stephen Pull, Lehman Brothers International (Europe) 020 7103 1095 Additional Information: None of the B Shares has been or will be registered under the US Securities Actof 1933 or any state securities laws of the United States. Accordingly, none ofthe B Shares may be offered, transferred or sold in the United States orelsewhere by Shareholders unless pursuant to a transaction that has beenregistered under the US Securities Act of 1933 and the relevant state securitieslaws or that is not subject to the registration requirements of the USSecurities Act of 1933 or such laws, either due to an exemption therefrom orotherwise. None of the B Shares nor this announcement has been approved, disapproved orotherwise recommended by any US federal or state securities commission nor havesuch authorities confirmed the accuracy or determined the adequacy of thisannouncement. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offence in theUnited States. The Board has made no recommendation to individual Shareholders as to whether ornot they should actually participate in the Brokers' Offer or in any of theother B Share Offers as this is a matter for each Shareholder to decidedepending, amongst other things, on his or her individual tax position andobjectives. Shareholders should note that under the terms of the B ShareOffers, there will not be any difference in the price paid per B Share betweenthe Brokers' Offer, the Company Offer and either of the Future Purchase Offers(if made). Shareholders in any doubt as to their position should seek their ownindependent advice from a suitably qualified person. Dresdner Kleinwort Securities Limited and Lehman Brothers International(Europe), which are authorised and regulated by the Financial ServicesAuthority, are acting for 3i Group plc and for no-one else in connection withthe contents of this document and will not be responsible to anyone other than3i Group plc for providing the protections afforded to customers of DresdnerKleinwort Securities Limited or Lehman Brothers International (Europe), or foraffording advice in relation to the contents of this announcement or any mattersreferred to herein. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock ExchangeRelated Shares:
3i Group