17th Jun 2005 09:47
BHP Billiton PLC17 June 2005 Date 17 June 2005Number 27/05 BHP BILLITON ACHIEVES MORE THAN 90% OF WMC AND PROCEEDS WITH COMPULSORY ACQUISITION BHP Billiton announces that, as at 5.30 pm (Melbourne time) today, it had arelevant interest in 90.59% of WMC Resources Ltd's (WMC) issued shares. Accordingly, BHP Billiton announces that it will not extend the offer. The offerwill close at 7:30pm (Melbourne time) 17 June 2005. In accordance with its stated intentions as set out in its bidder's statement,BHP Billiton will now proceed under section 661B of the Corporations Act 2001(Cth) to compulsorily acquire all of the outstanding shares in WMC. A formalnotice of compulsory acquisition is enclosed. Further information If shareholders have any questions in relation to the offer or accepting it,they should contact the offer information line on 1300 365 849 (from withinAustralia) or +61 3 9415 4254 (if calling from outside Australia) or, if callingfrom the United States of America, MacKenzie Partners at (212) 929 5500 (callcollect) or (800) 322 2885 (toll free) or by email [email protected], or consult their financial or other professionaladviser. **** Further information on BHP Billiton can be found on our Internet site: http://www.bhpbilliton.com Australia United KingdomJane Belcher, Investor Relations Mark Lidiard, Investor & Media RelationsTel: +61 3 9609 3952 Mobile: +61 417 031 653 Tel: +44 20 7802 4156 or Mobile: +44 7769 934 942email: [email protected] email: [email protected] Tania Price, Media Relations Ariane Gentil, Media RelationsTel: +61 3 9609 3815 Mobile: +61 419 152 780 Tel: +44 20 7802 4177 Mobile: +44 78 81 51 8715email: [email protected] email: [email protected] United States South AfricaMark Lidiard, Investor & Media Relations Michael Campbell, Investor & Media RelationsTel: USA +1 713 599 6100 or UK +44 20 7802 4031 Tel: +27 11 376 3360 Mobile: +27 82 458 2587email: [email protected] email: [email protected] Further Information for U.S. Holders BHP Billiton has filed the Bidder's Statement, as supplemented from time totime, with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) under cover of FormCB. Investors and holders of WMC securities are strongly advised to read theBidder's Statement and any other relevant documents filed with the SEC, as wellas any amendments and supplements to those documents, because they will containimportant information. Investors and holders of WMC securities may obtain freecopies of the informational document (when available) as well as other relevantdocuments filed with the SEC, at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. WMC hasissued a target's statement in connection with the offer which investors andholders of WMC securities are strongly advised to read. This communication is for information purposes only. It shall not constitute anoffer to purchase, sell or exchange or the solicitation of any offer topurchase, sell or exchange any securities of WMC. The distribution of thiscommunication may, in some countries, be restricted by law or regulation.Accordingly, persons who come into possession of this document should informthemselves of and observe these restrictions. ASIC registered agent number 2466lodging party or agent name BLAKE DAWSON WALDRON office, level, building GPO Box 4958WW, Melbourne, 3001 name or PO Box no street number & name 101 Collins Street suburb/city Melbourne state/territory VIC postcode 3001 telephone 03 9679 3000 facsimile 03 9679 3111 ASS. REQ-A DX number 187 suburb/city Melbourne CASH. REQ-P Ref 03 1365 9499 PROC Australian Securities & Investments Commission form 6021 Notice of Corporations Act 2001 compulsory acquisition 661B(1)(a) following takeover bid To (1) Securities of WMC Resources Ltd (2) ("the Company") 1. Under an Off Market Bid offers were made by BHP Billiton Lonsdale Investments Pty Ltd (3) in respect of the ordinary shares (4) in the Company. The offers are scheduled acquisition of to close on 17 June 2005 (5). 2. You are, or are entitled to be, registered as the holder of securities in respect of which an offer was made, but have not accepted the takeover offer. 3. The bidder hereby gives you notice under subsection 661B(1) of the Corporations Act 2001 ("the Act") that the bidder has become entitled pursuant to subsection 661A(1) of the Act to compulsorily acquire your securities and desires to acquire those securities. 4. Under section 661D of the Act, you have the right, by notice in writing given to the bidder within one month after this notice is lodged with ASIC, to ask the bidder for a written statement of the names and addresses of everyone else the bidder has given this notice to. 5. Under section 661E of the Act, you have the right, within one month after being given this notice or within 14 days after being given a statement requested under section 661D of the Act (as referred to in paragraph 4 of this notice), whichever is the later, to apply to the Court for an order that the securities not be compulsorily acquired. 6. The bidder is entitled and bound to acquire the securities on the terms that applied under the takeover bid immediately before (this notice was given/the end of the offer period).* 7. Unless on application made by you under section 661E within one month after being given this notice (as referred to in paragraph 5 of the notice) or within 14 days after being given a statement under section 661D of the Act (as referred to in paragraph 4 of this notice), whichever is the later, the Court otherwise orders, the bidder must comply with paragraph 6 of this notice. Signature print name Ross E. Mallett capacity Company Secretary sign here date 17/06/2005 DIRECTIONS * Delete whichever does not apply (1) Name and address of holder (2) Name of target company or body. (3) Name of bidder. (4) Insert description of class of securities to which the bid related. (5) Insert date offers closed or are scheduled to close. (6) Insert paragraph 5 only where alternative terms are included in the offer. (7) Insert details of alternative terms. (8) Set out the terms that will apply. BHP Billiton Limited ABN 49 004 028 077 BHP Billiton Plc Registration number 3196209Registered in Australia Registered in England and WalesRegistered Office: Level 27, 180 Lonsdale Street Melbourne Registered Office: Neathouse Place London SW1V 1BH Victoria 3000 United KingdomTelephone +61 1300 554 757 Facsimile +61 3 9609 3015 Telephone +44 20 7802 4000 Facsimile +44 20 7802 4111 The BHP Billiton Group is headquartered in Australia This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock ExchangeRelated Shares:
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