December 3, 2013 - With its mandatory offer for Analytik Jena AG, Endress+Hauser has secured a three-quarter majority share in the company. The cash offer for 73,641 shares was accepted before the 28 November 2014 deadline and corresponds to 0.96 percent of the ordinary shares and voting rights. Thus a total of 76.25 percent of Analytik Jena’s voting rights will be attributed to Endress+Hauser within a short time.
Endress+Hauser (Deutschland) AG+Co KG had previously offered all Analytik Jena shareholders 13.75 euros per bearer no-par value share. The shares, which will be acquired from widespread stockholdings, will increase Endress+Hauser’s direct holdings to 48.29 percent.
An additional 0.41 percent – Analytik Jena’s own shares – is also attributed to Endress+Hauser. As specified in the options agreement with company founder Klaus Berka and the investment company bm-t, which is backed by the German State of Thuringia and other investors, Endress+Hauser Group has the right to acquire an additional 27.56 percent of Analytik Jena AG after 1 October 2014. “This will give us a solid three-quarter majority in the foreseeable future,” commented Dr Heiner Zehntner, legal counsel for the Endress+Hauser Group.
“This position allows us to carry out the steps needed to guide Analytik Jena into a successful future under the umbrella of the Endress+Hauser Group.” According to Zehntner, Analytik Jena will continue to operate as an independent company focused on the laboratory analytics business. To assure the company’s long-term market success and profitability, investments will be required over the next few years, especially in sales and marketing. “These goals will take priority over dividend payouts,” the Endress+Hauser Group representative emphasized. As detailed in the offer documents, a delisting of the Analytik Jena shares now will be reviewed.
The Endress+Hauser Group
Endress+Hauser is a global leader in measurement instrumentation, services and solutions for industrial process engineering. The Group employs more than 10,000 personnel across the globe, generating net sales of 1.7 billion euros in 2012. Structure