Statement re Media Speculation

GKN PLC - Statement re Media Speculation

PR Newswire

London, March 2

NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN, INTO OR FROM ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OR REGULATIONS OF THAT JURISDICTION

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONTAINS INSIDE INFORMATION

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

2 March 2018

GKN PLC (“GKN” or the “Company”)

Statement regarding media speculation

GKN notes the recent media speculation regarding GKN’s Driveline division.

On 12 January 2018, GKN announced that it intended to separate its aerospace and automotive businesses, with further details on the optimal method of separation to be communicated in due course. Further details were communicated on 27 February 2018 when the Company announced that it intended to complete a demerger by mid-2019. The Company has received a number of approaches in respect of its businesses and the Board confirms that it has engaged in discussions with Dana Incorporated (“Dana”) regarding a potential combination of Dana with GKN Driveline that would be effected mainly in equity.

The Board of GKN considers that the Company has world leading businesses that offer significant upside potential through the execution of Project Boost. However, it believes that the possible transaction under discussion could provide greater value to shareholders and should therefore be explored alongside the demerger, as compared with the Melrose offer which has been rejected by the Board as fundamentally undervaluing the Company and its prospects.

There can be no certainty that these ongoing discussions will lead to a transaction or as to the terms on which a transaction, if any, might be agreed. The Company’s shareholders will be kept informed of any relevant developments and, in the meantime, are advised to take no action in relation to the Melrose offer. 

Contacts

Guy Stainer, Investor Relations Director, GKN plc

T: +44 (0)207 463 2382

M: +44 (0)7739 778187

E: [email protected]

FTI Consulting

Andrew Lorenz / Richard Mountain

Tel: +44 (0)203 727 1340

Gleacher Shacklock (Financial Adviser to GKN plc)

Tim Shacklock, Dominic Lee, Tom Quinn

Tel: +44 (0)20 7484 1150

J.P. Morgan Cazenove (Financial Adviser and Corporate Broker to GKN plc)

Robert Constant, Dwayne Lysaght, Stephen Smith

Tel: +44 (0)20 7742 4000

UBS (Financial Adviser and Corporate Broker to GKN plc)

Hew Glyn Davies, James Robertson, Jonathan Retter

Tel: +44 (0)20 7567 8000

Further information

This announcement is not intended to, and does not, constitute or form part of any offer, invitation or the solicitation of an offer to purchase, otherwise acquire, subscribe for, sell or otherwise dispose of, any securities whether pursuant to this announcement or otherwise.

The distribution of this announcement in jurisdictions outside the United Kingdom may be restricted by law and therefore persons into whose possession this announcement comes should inform themselves about, and observe, such restrictions. Any failure to comply with the restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities law of any such jurisdiction.

Gleacher Shacklock LLP ("Gleacher Shacklock"), which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the United Kingdom, is acting exclusively as financial adviser to GKN and no one else in connection with the matters set out in this announcement and will not be responsible to anyone other than GKN for providing the protections afforded to clients of Gleacher Shacklock or for providing advice in connection with the subject matter of this announcement or any other matter referred to herein.

J.P. Morgan Securities plc (which conducts its UK investment banking business as J.P. Morgan Cazenove) (“J.P. Morgan Cazenove”) is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority in the United Kingdom. J.P. Morgan Cazenove is acting exclusively as financial adviser to GKN and no one else in connection with the matters set out in this announcement and will not regard any other person as its client in relation to the matters set out in this announcement and will not be responsible to anyone other than GKN for providing the protections afforded to clients of J.P. Morgan Cazenove or its affiliates, nor for providing advice in relation to any matter referred to herein.

UBS Limited ("UBS") is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority in the United Kingdom. UBS is acting exclusively as financial adviser to GKN and no one else for the purpose of the consideration of a proposed acquisition by Melrose and will not be responsible to anyone other than GKN for providing the protections offered to clients of UBS nor for providing advice in relation to the subject matter of this announcement or any transaction, arrangement or other matter referred to herein.

Disclosure requirements of the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers (the “Code”)

Under Rule 8.3(a) of the Code, any person who is interested in 1% or more of any class of relevant securities of an offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror (being any offeror other than an offeror in respect of which it has been announced that its offer is, or is likely to be, solely in cash) must make an Opening Position Disclosure following the commencement of the offer period and, if later, following the announcement in which any securities exchange offeror is first identified. An Opening Position Disclosure must contain details of the person’s interests and short positions in, and rights to subscribe for, any relevant securities of each of (i) the offeree company and (ii) any securities exchange offeror(s). An Opening Position Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(a) applies must be made by no later than 3.30 pm (London time) on the 10th business day following the commencement of the offer period and, if appropriate, by no later than 3.30 pm (London time) on the 10th business day following the announcement in which any securities exchange offeror is first identified. Relevant persons who deal in the relevant securities of the offeree company or of a securities exchange offeror prior to the deadline for making an Opening Position Disclosure must instead make a Dealing Disclosure.

Under Rule 8.3(b) of the Code, any person who is, or becomes, interested in 1% or more of any class of relevant securities of the offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror must make a Dealing Disclosure if the person deals in any relevant securities of the offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror. A Dealing Disclosure must contain details of the dealing concerned and of the person’s interests and short positions in, and rights to subscribe for, any relevant securities of each of (i) the offeree company and (ii) any securities exchange offeror(s), save to the extent that these details have previously been disclosed under Rule 8. A Dealing Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(b) applies must be made by no later than 3.30 pm (London time) on the business day following the date of the relevant dealing.

If two or more persons act together pursuant to an agreement or understanding, whether formal or informal, to acquire or control an interest in relevant securities of an offeree company or a securities exchange offeror, they will be deemed to be a single person for the purpose of Rule 8.3.

Opening Position Disclosures must also be made by the offeree company and by any offeror and Dealing Disclosures must also be made by the offeree company, by any offeror and by any persons acting in concert with any of them (see Rules 8.1, 8.2 and 8.4).

Details of the offeree and offeror companies in respect of whose relevant securities Opening Position Disclosures and Dealing Disclosures must be made can be found in the Disclosure Table on the Takeover Panel’s website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk, including details of the number of relevant securities in issue, when the offer period commenced and when any offeror was first identified. You should contact the Panel’s Market Surveillance Unit on +44 (0)20 7638 0129 if you are in any doubt as to whether you are required to make an Opening Position Disclosure or a Dealing Disclosure.

Publication on a website

In accordance with Rule 26.1 of the Code, a copy of this announcement will be published on the GKN website (www.gkn.com) by no later than 12 noon on the business day following this announcement. The content of the website referred to in this announcement is not incorporated into and does not form part of this announcement.

Person responsible

The person responsible for arranging the release of this announcement on behalf of the Company is Kerry Watson, Company Secretary (+44 (0)1527 517715).

LEI: 213800QNZ22GS95OSW84