ams AG (“ams”) and dialog semiconductor PLC (“Dialog Semiconductor”) - statement regarding possible merger of equals of ams and Dialog Semiconductor ams AG (“ams”) und Dialog Semiconductor PLC (“Dialog Semiconductor”) - Mitteilung hinsichtlich eines möglichen Zusammenschlusses (merger of equals) von ams und Dialog Semiconductor
2014/06/26
German versionUnterpremstaetten, Austria, 26 June 2014 – AMS (SIX: AMS) and Dialog Semiconductor note the recent press speculation and confirm that the two companies are in preliminary discussions regarding a possible merger of equals of AMS and Dialog Semiconductor. These discussions are at a very preliminary stage and there can be no certainty that a transaction will be forthcoming.
In accordance with Rule 2.6(a) of the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers (the “Code”), AMS must, by not later than 5.00 p.m. on 24 July 2014, either announce a firm intention to make an offer for Dialog Semiconductor (as appropriate) in accordance with Rule 2.7 of the Code or announce that it does not intend to make an offer, in which case the announcement will be treated as a statement to which Rule 2.8 of the Code applies. This deadline will only be extended with the consent of the Panel in accordance with Rule 2.6(c) of the Code. Further announcements will be made as and when appropriate.
In accordance with Rule 30.4 of the Code, a copy of this announcement will be available at ams.com/investor and www.dialog-semiconductor.com/investor-relations.
About AMS
ams develops and manufactures high performance analog semiconductors that solve its customers’ most challenging problems with innovative solutions. ams’ products are aimed at applications which require extreme precision, accuracy, dynamic range, sensitivity, and ultra-low power consumption. ams’ product range includes sensors, sensor interfaces, power management ICs and wireless ICs for customers in the consumer, industrial, medical, mobile communications and automotive markets.
With headquarters in Austria, ams employs over 1,400 people globally and serves more than 7,800 customers worldwide. ams is listed on the SIX Swiss stock exchange (ticker symbol: AMS). More information about ams can be found at ams.com
About Dialog Semiconductor
Dialog Semiconductor creates highly integrated, mixed-signal integrated circuits (ICs), optimised for personal portable, short-range wireless connectivity, LED solid state lighting and automotive applications. The company provides flexible and dynamic support, world-class innovation and the assurance of dealing with an established business partner.
With its focus and expertise in energy-efficient system power management and a technology portfolio that also includes audio, short-range wireless, AC/DC power conversion and multi-touch, Dialog brings decades of experience to the rapid development of ICs for personal portable and digital consumer applications, including smartphones, tablets, Ultrabooks™ and emerging wearable type devices.
Dialog’s power management ICs increase the performance of portable devices by extending battery lifetime, enabling faster charging and enhancing the consumer’s experience. With world-class manufacturing partners, Dialog operates a fabless business model.
Dialog Semiconductor plc is headquartered in London with a global sales, R&D and marketing organisation. In 2013, it had approximately $910 million in revenue and was one of the fastest growing European public semiconductor companies. It currently has approximately 1,100 employees worldwide. The company is listed on the Frankfurt (FWB: DLG) stock exchange (Regulated Market, Prime Standard, ISIN GB0059822006) and is a member of the German TecDax index. It also has convertible bonds listed on the Euro MTF Market on the Luxemburg Stock Exchange (ISIN XS0757015606).
Important Note
The release, publication or distribution of this announcement in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law. Persons who are not resident in the United Kingdom or who are subject to other jurisdictions should inform themselves of, and observe, any applicable requirements.
Disclosure requirements of the UK-City Code on Takeovers and Mergers 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 paper 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 paper 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 paper 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 paper offeror is first identified. Relevant persons who deal in the relevant securities of the offeree company or of a paper 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 paper offeror must make a Dealing Disclosure if the person deals in any relevant securities of the offeree company or of any paper 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 paper offeror, 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 paper 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.
Unterpremstätten, Österreich, 26. Juni 2014 – AMS (SIX: AMS) und Dialog Semiconductor nehmen Kenntnis von den jüngsten Spekulationen in der Presse und bestätigen, dass die beiden Gesellschaften vorläufige, unverbindliche Gespräche über einen möglichen Zusammenschluss (Merger of Equals) von AMS und Dialog Semiconductor führen. Die Gespräche befinden sich noch in einer frühen Phase und es kann zurzeit nicht abgeschätzt werden, ob es zu einem Zusammenschluss kommt.
Gemäss der Rule 2.6(c) des City Code on Takeovers and Mergers (“City Code”), muss AMS bis spätestens am 24 Juli 2014, 17:00 Uhr GMT, bekannt geben, ob sie die feste Absicht hat, ein Angebot gemäß Rule 2.7 des City Codes für Dialog Semiconductor zu unterbreiten oder ob sie sie keine solche Absicht hat. Im letzteren Fall ist Rule 2.8 des City Codes auf die Bekanntmachung anwendbar. Die genannte Frist kann nur mit der Zustimmung des UK Takeover Panels gemäss Rule 2.6(c) des City Codes verlängert werden. Weitere Mitteilungen erfolgen zum gegebenen Zeitpunkt.
In Übereinstimmung mit Rule 30.4 des City Codes, kann diese Mitteilung unter ams.com/investor und www.dialog-semiconductor.com/investor-relations bezogen werden.
KONTAKT:
AMS
Michael Wachsler-Markowitsch, CFO +43 (0) 3136 500 100
Moritz Gmeiner, Investor Relations +43 (0) 3136 500 100
Dialog Semiconductor
Jalal Bagherli +44 (0) 179 3756 95
Mike Tyndall +44 (0) 408 621 6749
ÜBER AMS
ams entwickelt und produziert High Performance Analog-ICs, die innovative Lösungen für die anspruchsvollsten Herausforderungen seiner Kunden bieten. Die Produkte von ams werden in Anwendungen eingesetzt, die höchste Präzision, Empfindlichkeit und Genauigkeit, einen weiten Arbeitsbereich und äußerst niedrigen Stromverbrauch erfordern. Das Produktportfolio von ams umfasst Sensoren, Sensorschnittstellen, Power Management-ICs und Wireless-ICs für Kunden in den Märkten Consumer, Mobilkommunikation, Industrie, Medizintechnik und Automotive.
ams mit Hauptsitz in Österreich beschäftigt über 1.400 Mitarbeiterinnen und Mitarbeiter weltweit und ist ein wichtiger Partner für mehr als 7.800 Kunden rund um die Welt. ams ist an der SIX Swiss Stock Exchange börsennotiert (Tickersymbol: AMS). Weitere Informationen über ams unter ams.com
Über Dialog Semiconductor
Dialog Semiconductor entwickelt hochintegrierte Mixed-Signal-ICs, die für den Einsatz im mobilen Bereich, in Anwendungen für energieeffiziente, drahtlose Kommunikation im Nahbereich, sowie LED-Festkörperbeleuchtung und Anwendungen im Automobilsektor optimiert sind. Das Unternehmen bietet flexiblen und dynamischen Support, in Verbindung mit erstklassigen Innovationen und der Sicherheit eines etablierten Geschäftspartners.
Mit seinem Fokus und der Expertise auf Systeme mit energieeffizientem Powermanagement und einem Technologie-Portfolio inklusive Audio, drahtlose Nahbereichskommunikation, AC/DC-Spannungswandler und Multi-Touch, bringt Dialog langjährige Erfahrungswerte in der schnellen Entwicklung von ICs für mobile Geräte und digitale Anwendungen im Konsumerbereich, wie Smartphones, Tablets, Ultrabooks und aufstrebende „Wearable-Technologien“.
Die Powermanagement Prozessor Companion Chips tragen zur Leistungssteigerung von Batteriedauer und zum Multimedia-Erlebnis der Kunden bei. Mit erstklassigen Fertigungspartnern operiert Dialog Semiconductor nach dem Fabless-Geschäftsmodell.
Das Unternehmen mit derzeit ca. 1.100 Mitarbeitern hat seinen Firmensitz in London und verfügt über eine globale Organisation in den Bereichen Vertrieb, Forschung & Entwicklung und Marketing. Im Jahr 2013 erwirtschaftete Dialog Semiconductor rund 910 Mio. US-Dollar Umsatz und war eines der am schnellsten wachsenden börsennotieren Halbleiter-Unternehmen in Europa. Dialog ist an der Frankfurter Börse gelistet (FWB: DLG) und ist Mitglied im deutschen TecDax-Index. Des Weiteren hat Dialog eine Wandelanleihe (ISIN XS0757015606) im europäischen MTF Markt an der luxemburgischen Börse notiert.).
Important Note
The release, publication or distribution of this announcement in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law. Persons who are not resident in the United Kingdom or who are subject to other jurisdictions should inform themselves of, and observe, any applicable requirements.
Disclosure requirements of the UK-City Code on Takeovers and Mergers 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 paper 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 paper 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 paper 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 paper offeror is first identified. Relevant persons who deal in the relevant securities of the offeree company or of a paper 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 paper offeror must make a Dealing Disclosure if the person deals in any relevant securities of the offeree company or of any paper 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 paper offeror, 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 paper 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.