24th Jul 2006 08:00
3i Group PLC24 July 2006 3i Group plc24 July 2006 24 July 2006 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 WassersteinSecurities Limited and Merrill Lynch International (together, the "Brokers") forthe purposes of the Initial Purchase Offer as defined in and to be implementedin accordance with the Company's circular to Shareholders dated 15 June 2006(the "Circular"). As contemplated in the Circular, the Brokers hereby agree to purchase, acting asprincipals, 531,418,368 B Shares, being the number of B Shares in respect ofwhich valid elections have been received and not withdrawn in favour of, orwhich have defaulted to, participation in the Initial Purchase Offer, in anon-market transaction on the terms set out in the Circular. The Brokers willpurchase B Shares for 127 pence each, free of all dealing expenses andcommissions. 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 Initial Purchase Offer on oraround 27 July 2006. 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 VIII (Definitions) of the Circular. Further information and copies of the Circular and the Questions and Answersdocument for Shareholders can be found on the Company's investor relationswebsite at http://www.3igroup.com. For further information Patrick Dunne, Group Communications Director, 3i Group plc 020 7975 3283Angus Kerr, Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein Securities Limited 020 7623 8000Patrick Bowes, Merrill Lynch International 020 7628 1000 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 Initial Purchase Offer or in any ofthe other 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 Initial Purchase Offer, the Company Offer and either of the Future PurchaseOffers (if made). Shareholders in any doubt as to their position should seektheir own independent advice from a suitably qualified person. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock ExchangeRelated Shares:
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