December 27, 2010, Moscow – MMC Norilsk Nickel (the Company) updates
its investors, shareholders and all interested parties on latest developments
regarding the offer to purchase 25% stake in the Company made by MMC
Norilsk Nickel to UC Rusal on December 16, 2010.
MMC Norilsk Nickel confirms its interest in this transaction and
informs that the Company has accumulated significant funds to purchase UC Rusal’s stake. The Company’s Management is
positive that in current conditions it is a logical step facilitating the
resolution of the corporate conflict, which hampers the growth of
shareholder value and diverts the resources of the Company. Obviously, our
approach to resolution of the conflict meets the interests of UC Rusal and its shareholders, as substantial cash flow
from the sale of MMC Norilsk Nickel stake will allow the aluminum producer
to manage the overstretched balanced sheet, currently depressing its market
capitalization. Our thoughts were confirmed by the fact that UC Rusal shares gained 5% immediately after MMC Norilsk
Nickel announced the offer.
We are aware that the transaction is supported by two UC Rusal shareholders – M.D. Prokhorov and V.F. Vekselberg. The management of MMC Norilsk Nickel in its
turn is ready to negotiate potential enhancements of the offer price. At
the same time, however, all parties should understand that the final
transaction price can not exceed the maximum
level which allows the Company to comfortably sustain its current
production and implement smoothly its long-term production strategy, social
programs and modernization plan.
Unfortunately, despite the positive attitude of the majority of
parties involved, the full-fledged negotiation process is yet to begin.
The deadline for UC Rusal response to MMC
Norilsk Nickel offer is 15:00 (Moscow time) on December 28. We have to
state that in case the negotiations on the proposed transaction fail, MMC
Norilsk Nickel will have to implement other means to neutralize negative
effects of the shareholders’ conflict on current operation of the
Company and its strategic development. Striving to increase the shareholder
value of the Company, MMC Norilsk Nickel will be intending to present a
general buy-back proposal for approval by the Board of Directors. The
Company has accumulated enough cash in hand to conduct it without
additional external financing.
It should be noted, however, that if UC Rusal
rejects the offer, MMC Norilsk Nickel will not be able to propose to the
aluminum producer such lucrative terms for exiting its investment in MMC
Norilsk Nickel in the short and medium term.
The management of the Company plans to continue acting in the best
interests of all shareholders and the Company itself. We believe that the
implementation of the management’s proposals will create additional
shareholder value in both cases, including the purchase of UC Rusal’s stake and completion of
shareholders’ conflict, and the execution of the long-term program
purported to increase the shareholder value of MMC Norilsk Nickel.
ABOUT MMC NORILSK NICKEL:
MMC Norilsk Nickel, a company incorporated under the laws of the
Russian Federation, is the largest diversified mining and metals company in
Russia, the world's largest producer of nickel and palladium and one of the
world's largest producers of platinum, rhodium, copper and cobalt. In
addition to this, MMC Norilsk Nickel produces a large number of other
by-products, including gold, silver, tellurium, selenium, iridium and
ruthenium.
The key production units of the Company’s group in Russia are
at the Polar and Kola Peninsulas. MMC Norilsk Nickel international assets
include operations in Finland, USA, Australia, Botswana and South Africa.
MMC Norilsk Nickel’s shares are traded at MICEX and RTS.
ADR’s on the Company’s shares are traded on the other
the counter market in the US and at the London and Berlin stock exchanges.
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