MEO Australia

Published : March 04th, 2015

Letter to MEO Shareholders

( 0 vote, 0/5 ) Print article
  Article Comments Comment this article Rating Follow Company  
0
Send
0
comment
Keywords :   Australia | Growth | London | Market | New Zealand | Oil | Reality | Water |

Letter to MEO Shareholders


3 March 2015

Mosman Oil and Gas Limited

Letter to MEO Shareholders

The Directors of Mosman Oil and Gas Limited ("Mosman" or the "Company") (AIM: MSMN) announce that the Company has today sent a letter ("the Letter") to MEO Australia Limited ("MEO") shareholders setting out why the Directors of Mosman believe the MEO shareholders should accept the Mosman's takeover bid for MEO, offering one Mosman share for every 10 MEO shares. The offer opened on 24
February 2015 and is open until 5:00pm (WST) 24 March 2015, unless extended or withdrawn. The following is included in the content Letter:
2 March 2015
Dear MEO Shareholder

Off-Market Takeover Bid by Mosman Oil and Gas Limited (Mosman) for MEO Australia Limited (MEO) Please find below a letter from Mosman's Executive Chairman, John W Barr, to MEO shareholders. Mosman has made a takeover bid for MEO, offering one Mosman share for every 10 MEO shares. The

offer is open until 5:00pm (WST) 24 March 2015, unless extended or withdrawn.
Yours sincerely

MOSMAN OIL AND GAS LIMITED

ZANE LEWIS

Company Secretary

Mosman considers that its takeover offer for MEO presents MEO shareholders with a simple choice:

Exchange your MEO shares for shares in a growing company:

(a) operated by an experienced management team with a commitment to low corporate

and administration expenditure;

(b) that has, in the short period of time since its listing on AIM, experienced exploration success; and

(c) that has a clearly defined plan for creating shareholder wealth.

OR

Risk suffering additional losses on their investment in MEO by remaining a shareholder in a stand alone company that has, in recent years, experienced a significant reduction of its market capitalisation and significant diminishment of its cash reserves.

OR

Dispose of your MEO shares on the ASX.

Dear MEO Shareholder,
As an investor in MEO I am sure that you are well and truly aware of MEO's significant share market underperformance in recent years - the ASX trading price of MEO shares having fallen from 37 cents three years ago to just 1.3 cents as at the date of this letter.
There are many other facts and figures in respect to MEO that should be of serious concern to MEO
shareholders. These include:

MEO's share market capitalisation suffering a significant reduction - from $200 million in 2012 to less than $9.75 million as at the date of this letter;

MEO commencing 2012 with $83.7 million in cash reserves and ending 2014 with just $9.7

million;

MEO expending $96 million on exploration activities between 2011 and 2014 yet failing to achieve sustainable production; and

MEO currently facing the prospect of having no choice but to relinquish or farm-out its key permits as a result of it having insufficient funds to undertake exploration activities in its own right.

The current directors of MEO have been either at the helm or heavily involved in MEO throughout this prolonged period of underperformance - Messrs Greg Short and Stephen Hopley have been directors of MEO since 2008 and Mr Peter Stickland (appointed a director this year) has been involved in MEO's activities as a senior executive since 2011.
The directors of MEO have belatedly announced that they are implementing a range of cost cutting initiatives intended to reduce corporate overheads. Mosman fully understands those MEO shareholders who are inclined to ask "why not earlier?" or those whose sentiment is simply "too little, too late!".
The reality is that MEO reported a loss of $7.3 million in the six months to 31 December 2014 (of which more than 50% ($3.7 million) was corporate administrative costs) and has publicly disclosed that it anticipates expending $3.4 million in the current quarter (of which approximately 80% ($2.85 million) will be corporate administrative costs).
The board of Mosman is of the opinion that the directors of MEO should not be provided with the opportunity to "wash their hands" of MEO's underperformance and failures and that MEO shareholders should entrust the management of MEO (via a combination with Mosman) to the Mosman directors by accepting the takeover offer.

MEO's Share Price (cents)

Link to pdf download of MEO Share Price graph: http://www.rns-pdf.londonstockexchange.com/rns/4375G_-
2015-3-3.pdf
In assessing the alternatives available to you as an MEO shareholder, we suggest that you give due consideration to the following:

1. Uncertainty concerning MEO's future

Mosman understands how many MEO shareholders would have formed the view that MEO's future is uncertain - given that it is highly likely to have to relinquish or farm out some of its key exploration permits and has no current prospect of generating sustainable cash flow in the foreseeable future.
Mosman believes that there is overwhelming evidence that should MEO continue down its current path, the company will churn through what remains of its dwindling cash reserves by reason of its disproportionately high corporate and administrative costs.
In order to continue as a viable entity and have any chance of providing a return to MEO
shareholders, MEO will likely have to:
a. achieve exploration success;
b. raise additional equity capital; and/or
c. relinquish and/or farm-out interests in its permits (of particular concern are Permits 454 and
488).

2

Put simply, Mosman considers there is every reason to believe that MEO shareholders are set for more of the same value destruction unless MEO adopts an alternative strategy, including a fresh approach to exploration and a much tighter focus on cost control.

2. Value of the Mosman Takeover Offer: 48% premium as at 2 March 2015

Mosman considers that the offer of one Mosman share for every ten MEO shares represents an outstanding opportunity for MEO shareholders to recover some of the value they are likely to have lost on their investment in recent years and to participate in an active growing exploration company.
Mosman notes that MEO, in its Target's Statement dated 25 February 2015, makes numerous references to the Mosman offer representing a discount to the MEO share trading price as at 19
January 2015.
Mosman highlights that based on the companies' respective trading prices as at 2 March 2015, the takeover offer represents a 48.2% premium1.

3. The AIM Market

Contrary to some suggestions, trading in AIM-listed securities such as Mosman securities is not difficult and this should not deter MEO shareholders from taking this opportunity. MEO shareholders who accept the offer and receive Mosman shares can, in the future as they desire, readily trade their Mosman securities through many Australian broking firms. Mosman has engaged Patersons Securities Limited to assist MEO shareholders who would like some help to facilitate the sale of their Mosman securities. MEO shareholder should also be aware that Mosman enjoys excellent liquidity with its daily average turnover exceeding 2 million shares.

4. Mosman management team and ability to raise capital

Mosman will bring a strong and experienced management team to the proposed combined entity. This team has already recorded two exploration successes from the three wells it has drilled and completed two corporate transactions (including a takeover).
Mosman will also ensure that its policy of keeping costs low, particularly corporate and administrative expenses remains a central theme of the combined entity. By keeping these overheads down, we maximise the amount of shareholders' money which is available to invest in exploration, which in turn provides the best opportunity to create wealth for shareholders.
Mosman has established strong support in London financial markets. This has enabled Mosman to raise £6.16 million (approximately A$12 million2) via share placements over the past year. This demonstrated ability to raise capital is crucial to Mosman's strategy of growth through exploration and it should be a key consideration for MEO shareholders, particularly in the current oil price environment. Mosman is confident, based on its previous efforts, that it will be able to raise additional capital as and when required - and importantly, on favourable terms.
We believe Mosman's successful management team and its track record of achieving tangible results in the short time since being admitted to AIM (in March 2014) makes the takeover offer an extremely attractive proposition for MEO shareholders. Should you elect to accept the offer, we look forward to you joining the "Mosman project" and sharing in Mosman's future.
Yours sincerely

MOSMAN OIL AND GAS LIMITED JOHN W BARR

Executive Chairman, 2 March 2015

1 Mosman's last traded price on AIM on 2 March 2015 was £0.0988 per share ($0.19266 per share based on an exchange rate of

£1=A$1.95) and MEO's last traded price on ASX on 2 March 2015 was $0.013.

2 Based on an exchange rate of £1=A$1.95.

3

This RNS announcement should not be utilised by the MEO shareholders in making any decision on whether or not to accept or decline the Offer and is solely being released for AIM disclosure purposes. MEO shareholders should read the Letter and the replacement bidder's statement in their entirety before making any decision on whether to accept or reject the Offer, and should consult their financial or other professional advisers if they are in doubt as to how to deal with the Letter.

Enquiries:

Mosman Oil & Gas Limited

John W Barr, Executive Chairman Andy Carroll, Technical Director [email protected][email protected]

SI Capital Limited (Joint Broker)

Nick Emerson/Andy Thacker

+44 (0) 1483 413500

ZAI Corporate Finance Limited (NOMAD)

Tom Price/John Simpson

+44 (0) 20 7060 2220

SP Angel Corporate Finance LLP (Joint Broker)

Stuart Gledhill / Richard Hail

+44 (0) 20 3470 0470

Gable Communications Limited

John Bick

+44 (0) 20 7193 7463 [email protected]

Updates on the Company's activities are regularly posted on its website www.mosmanoilandgas.com

About Mosman

Mosman (AIM: MSMN) is an Australia and New Zealand focused oil exploration and development company with a strategy to build a sustainable mid-tier oil and gas business by acquisition and organic growth.
Currently, Mosman has a total of ten permits or accepted permit applications in New Zealand and
Australia.

Petroleum Creek Project, New Zealand

Mosman owns 100% of permit PEP 38526, the Petroleum Creek Project, which is a 143 sq. km low cost onshore exploration project located near Greymouth on the South Island in the southern extension of the proven Taranaki oil system.

Taramakau, Murchison and East Coast Permits (New Zealand)

These permits were granted to Mosman on 9 December 2014 as part of the 2014 Block Offer, a sixteen-
fold increase in the exploration area in NZ from 143 sq km to 2,317 sq km.

Officer Basin Project, Australia (Application)

Mosman has a 25% investment in the Officer Basin Project, a 22,527 sq. km large land holding with significant exploration potential, which lies in one of the more explored parts of the Basin with road access. The project area is in the Western Australian part of the Officer Basin and offers both conventional and unconventional potential with hydrocarbon shows reported and all elements of a petroleum system are present.

Amadeus Basin Projects, Australia

Mosman owns 100% of two granted permits and one application in the Amadeus Basin in Central
Australia which total of 5,458 sq. km. The Amadeus Basin is considered one of the most prospective

4

onshore areas in the Northern Territory of Australia for both conventional and unconventional oil and gas, and hosts the producing Mereenie, Palm Valley and Surprise fields.

Otway Basin Project, Australia

Mosman owns 30% of VIC/P62 in the Otway Basin. The permit was recently renewed and is in relatively shallow water. The 70% permit holder funded a 3D seismic survey in 2013. The results of the 3D seismic survey are now being integrated into a geological model to allow identification and ranking of drilling targets. Within the Otway Basin there is commercial production both onshore and offshore.

5

Read the rest of the article at www.noodls.com
Data and Statistics for these countries : Australia | New Zealand | All
Gold and Silver Prices for these countries : Australia | New Zealand | All

MEO Australia

CODE : MEO.AX
Follow and Invest
Add to watch list Add to your portfolio Add or edit a note
Add Alert Add to Watchlists Add to Portfolio Add Note
ProfileMarket
Indicators
VALUE :
Projects & res.
Press
releases
Annual
report
RISK :
Asset profile
Contact Cpy

MEO Australia is a and oil exploration company based in Australia.

MEO Australia is listed in Australia and in United States of America. Its market capitalisation is AU$ 25.7 millions as of today (US$ 19.8 millions, € 17.9 millions).

Its stock quote reached its highest recent level on November 19, 2010 at AU$ 0.62, and its lowest recent point on January 29, 2016 at AU$ 0.01.

MEO Australia has 953 240 000 shares outstanding.

Your feedback is appreciated, please leave a comment or rate this article.
Rate : Average note :0 (0 vote) View Top rated
 
Corporate Presentations of MEO Australia
7/9/2008Investor Presentation
1/24/2008 General Meeting Presentation - January 24, 2008
1/16/2008Investor Update – January 2008
Annual reports of MEO Australia
Financial Report 2008
Annual Report 2007
Nominations of MEO Australia
5/20/2008APPOINTS NEW CEO
Project news of MEO Australia
1/29/2015Proposed acquisition of MEO Australia Limited Release of Bid...
Corporate news of MEO Australia
7/11/201625/11/2015 - MEO Annual General Meeting Presentation 2015
7/8/201609/07/2012 - MEO Investor Update - US Roadshow July 2012
4/14/201625/11/2015 - MEO Annual General Meeting Presentation 2015
12/4/201520/10/2015 - MEO Investor Presentation October 2015
3/17/2015Letter to MEO Shareholders
3/4/2015Letter to MEO Shareholders
3/3/201505/11/2014 - MEO NEON Merger Investor Presentation
1/19/2015Update on takeover bid for MEO Australia Limited
12/23/2014MEO: MEO receives $400,000 Reimbursement Fee from Neon
12/21/2014MEO: Neon Terminating Merger Implementation Agreement
12/19/2014MEO: Merger Transaction Update
12/14/2014MEO: MEO Directors respond to Mosman Proposal
12/2/2014MEO: Lodgement of Scheme Booklet
11/18/2014MEO NEON Merger Investor Presentation
11/18/2014MEO NEON Merger Announcement
11/18/2014New Address for MEO Australia Limited
11/4/2014MEO Securities Update as at 5 Nov 2014
11/3/2014Acting MEO Chairman
10/28/2014Quarterly Activities Summary for Period Ended 30th Sept 2014
7/25/2014ASX Release Quarterly Activities Summary to 30th June 2014
7/25/2014Quarterly Cash Flow Summary For Period Ending 30th June 2014
7/9/2014ASX Release MEO Securities
7/9/2014ASX Release - Appendix 3Y
4/22/2014Vulcan Sub-Basin AC/P50 and AC/P51 Work Program Variation
1/16/2014Quarterly Cash Flow Summary for Period Ended 31st Dec 2013
12/22/2013Blackwood-2 Progress Report No.8
12/16/2013Second Heron Well Notice Date extended
11/28/2013Blackwood-2 Progress Report No.5
11/28/2013MEO Securities Update as at 28 Nov 2013
11/22/2013Blackwood-2 Progress Report No.4
11/15/2013Blackwood-2 Progress Report No.3
10/31/2013Appendix 3Z
10/31/2013Results of Annual General Meeting
10/31/2013MEO 2013 AGM Tassie Shoal Overview
10/27/2013Blackwood-2 Progress Report No. 1
3/10/2009Commences acquisition of 250 km2 Artemis 3D Marine Seismic S...
2/26/2009Half Year Financial Report
2/17/2009Coal-to-Liquids & Gas-to-Liquids Conference
2/3/2009Zeus-1 update
1/27/2009Zeus-1 update
1/16/2009Zeus-1 update
1/15/2009Presentation Disclaimer
1/1/2009RDI options in relation to MEO’s Timor Sea Projects lapse
12/22/2008Secures 12 month extension to farm-in to WA-359-P and WA-360...
12/16/2008Update on Zeus-1 timing
12/11/2008Update on Zeus-1 timing
12/1/2008Update on Zeus-1 timing
11/5/2008ASX Media Release
9/22/2008Increases interest in WA-361-P & Zeus-1 to 35%
9/17/2008Update – Zeus-1 timing
8/22/2008OUTCOME OF RESOLUTIONS PUT AT GENERAL MEETING
8/21/200821 August 2008 General Meeting Presentation to Shareholders
7/17/2008 RETIREMENT OF MANAGING DIRECTOR
7/16/2008SONGA VENUS RIG CONTRACTS EXECUTED FOR ZEUS-1
7/14/2008RESIGNATION OF NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
7/4/2008ANNOUNCES MAJOR STRATEGIC ALLIANCE
5/30/2008Re: Price query
5/19/2008BLACKWOOD 3D SEISMIC ACQUISITION COMPLETED ON SCHEDULE
5/12/2008NEW DIRECTOR APPOINTED TO MEO BOARD
5/9/2008PROGRESS REPORT: BLACKWOOD 3D SEISMIC ACQUISITION
3/25/2008PGS AUSTRALIA AWARDED 3D SEISMIC ACQUISITION CONTRACT
3/11/2008BLACKWOOD-1 WELL WEEKLY DRILLING REPORT – No 6
3/3/2008BLACKWOOD-1 WELL WEEKLY DRILLING REPORT – No 5
2/25/2008BLACKWOOD-1 WELL WEEKLY DRILLING REPORT – No 4
2/18/2008BLACKWOOD-1 WELL WEEKLY DRILLING REPORT – No 3
2/7/2008BLACKWOOD-1 WELL WEEKLY DRILLING REPORT – No 2
2/1/2008BLACKWOOD-1 WELL WEEKLY DRILLING REPORT – No 1
1/31/2008REPORT ON ACTIVITIES FOR THE QUARTER ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2007
1/31/2008HERON-2 WELL WEEKLY DRILLING REPORT – No 14
1/24/2008OUTCOME OF RESOLUTION PUT AT GENERAL MEETING – 24 JANUARY 20...
1/21/2008HERON-2 WELL UPDATE
1/18/2008HERON-2 WELL WEEKLY DRILLING REPORT – No 13
1/15/2008HERON-2 WELL UPDATE
1/11/2008HERON-2 WELL WEEKLY DRILLING REPORT – No 12
1/8/2008HERON-2 WELL UPDATE
12/31/2007NORTHWEST SHELF 3D SEISMIC ACQUISITION UPDATE
12/28/2007DECISION TO PRODUCTION TEST HERON NORTH PLOVER RESERVOIR
12/27/2007HERON-2 WELL WEEKLY DRILLING REPORT – No 11
12/20/2007HERON-2 WELL WEEKLY DRILLING REPORT – No 10
12/12/2007PLACEMENT OF 50M SHARES
12/10/2007GAS BEARING HERON NORTH ELANG/PLOVER FM ENCOUNTERED
12/7/2007THE AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL REVIEW
12/7/2007HERON-2 WELL WEEKLY DRILLING REPORT – No 8
12/6/2007 JOINT VENTURE DECISION TO PRODUCTION TEST EPENARRA DARWIN R...
11/30/2007HERON-2 WELL WEEKLY DRILLING REPORT – No 7
11/27/2007HERON-2 WELL UPDATE
11/23/2007HERON-2 WELL WEEKLY DRILLING REPORT – No 6
11/20/2007HERON-2 WELL
11/15/2007HERON-2 WELL WEEKLY DRILLING REPORT – No 5
11/9/2007HERON-2 WELL WEEKLY DRILLING REPORT – No 4
11/8/2007RECENT TRADING IN MEO SHARES
11/2/2007NORTHWEST SHELF SEISMIC ACQUISITION & REPROCESSING
11/2/2007HERON-2 WELL WEEKLY DRILLING REPORT – No 3
10/31/2007REPORT ON ACTIVITIES FOR THE QUARTER ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2007
10/29/2007Adds North West Shelf interests while NT/P68 drilling is wel...
10/25/2007FARMIN TO NORTHWEST SHELF PERMITS
10/25/2007HERON-2 WELL WEEKLY DRILLING REPORT
Comments closed
 
Latest comment posted for this article
Be the first to comment
Add your comment
AUSTRALIA (MEO.AX)OTHER OTC (CMNO)
0.027+3.85%0.005+0.00%
AUSTRALIA
AU$ 0.027
11/07 06:50 -
3.85%
Prev close Open
0.026 0.027
Low High
0.027 0.027
Year l/h YTD var.
 -  -
52 week l/h 52 week var.
- -  0.027 -%
Volume 1 month var.
50,000 -%
24hGold TrendPower© : -18
Produces
Develops
Explores for
 
 
 
Analyse
Interactive chart Add to compare
Interactive
chart
Print Compare Export
You must be logged in to use the porfolio and watchlists (free)
Top Newsreleases
MOST READ
Annual variation
DateVariationHighLow
 
5 years chart
 
3 months chart
 
3 months volume chart
 
 
Mining Company News
Plymouth Minerals LTDPLH.AX
Plymouth Minerals Intersects Further High Grade Potash in Drilling at Banio Potash Project - Plannin
AU$ 0.12-8.00%Trend Power :
Santos(Ngas-Oil)STO.AX
announces expected non-cash impairment
AU$ 7.70-0.65%Trend Power :
Oceana Gold(Au)OGC.AX
RELEASES NEW TECHNICAL REPORT FOR THE HAILE GOLD MINE
AU$ 2.20+0.00%Trend Power :
Western Areas NL(Au-Ni-Pl)WSA.AX
Advance Notice - Full Year Results Conference Call
AU$ 3.86+0.00%Trend Power :
Canadian Zinc(Ag-Au-Cu)CZN.TO
Reports Financial Results for Q2 and Provides Project Updates
CA$ 0.12+4.55%Trend Power :
Stornoway Diamond(Gems-Au-Ur)SWY.TO
Second Quarter Results
CA$ 0.02+100.00%Trend Power :
McEwen Mining(Cu-Le-Zn)MUX
TO ACQUIRE BLACK FOX FROM PRIMERO=C2=A0
US$ 12.26+2.68%Trend Power :
Rentech(Coal-Ngas)RTK
Rentech Announces Results for Second Quarter 2017
US$ 0.20-12.28%Trend Power :
KEFIKEFI.L
Reduced Funding Requirement
GBX 0.53-1.87%Trend Power :
Lupaka Gold Corp.LPK.V
Lupaka Gold Receives First Tranche Under Amended Invicta Financing Agreement
CA$ 0.06+0.00%Trend Power :
Imperial(Ag-Au-Cu)III.TO
Closes Bridge Loan Financing
CA$ 2.64-1.86%Trend Power :
Guyana Goldfields(Cu-Zn-Pa)GUY.TO
Reports Second Quarter 2017 Results and Maintains Production Guidance
CA$ 1.84+0.00%Trend Power :
Lundin Mining(Ag-Au-Cu)LUN.TO
d Share Capital and Voting Rights for Lundin Mining
CA$ 16.23+4.04%Trend Power :
Canarc Res.(Au)CCM.TO
Canarc Reports High Grade Gold in Surface Rock Samples at Fondaway Canyon, Nevada
CA$ 0.24+4.26%Trend Power :
Havilah(Cu-Le-Zn)HAV.AX
Q A April 2017 Quarterly Report
AU$ 0.20+2.63%Trend Power :
Uranium Res.(Ur)URRE
Commences Lithium Exploration Drilling at the Columbus Basin Project
US$ 6.80-2.86%Trend Power :
Platinum Group Metals(Au-Cu-Gems)PTM.TO
Platinum Group Metals Ltd. Operational and Strategic Process ...
CA$ 1.88+0.53%Trend Power :
Devon Energy(Ngas-Oil)DVN
Announces $340 Million of Non-Core Asset Sales
US$ 52.71+0.19%Trend Power :
Precision Drilling(Oil)PD-UN.TO
Announces 2017Second Quarter Financial Results
CA$ 8.66-0.35%Trend Power :
Terramin(Ag-Au-Cu)TZN.AX
2nd Quarter Report
AU$ 0.04+5.56%Trend Power :