Handelsbanken has divested all of its A-shares in Industrivärden

Svenska Handelsbanken AB (publ) (“Handelsbanken”) has today sold all of its A-shares, 29,367,821 Class A shares in AB Industrivärden (publ) (“Industrivärden”), corresponding to 6.8 per cent of Industrivärden’s share capital and 10.3 per cent of the voting rights. The price is set to SEK 153.25 per share (the “Transaction”). The shares have been acquired by Swedish and international institutional investors.

The Transaction will result in a capital gain for Handelsbanken of approximately SEK 750 million, which will have a positive impact on Handelsbanken’s earnings in the third quarter of 2016. The divestment will not result in any increase in Handelsbanken’s equity, as the shares were recognized as an available-for-sale asset at market value in the bank’s accounts.

As a result of the Transaction, Handelsbanken’s risk exposure amount will decrease and the expected positive impact on Handelsbanken’s common equity tier 1 ratio is estimated at approximately 0.6 percentage points.

Morgan Stanley and Handelsbanken Capital Markets acted as Joint Bookrunners in the Transaction.

For further information, please contact:

Ulf Riese, Chief Financial Officer, + 46 8 – 22 92 20
Mikael Hallåker, Head of Investor Relations, + 46 8 – 701 29 95, 
+ 46 70 – 266 29 95
Johan Wallqvist, Head of Media Relations, +46 8 – 701 10 00, 
+ 46 72 – 206 34 50

This information is of the type that Handelsbanken is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation and the Swedish Securities Markets Act. The information was submitted for publication through the agency of the contact person set out above, on 25 August 2016 at 07.30 a.m. CET. For more information about Handelsbanken, see: www.handelsbanken.com 

IMPORTANT NOTICE  

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT AN OFFER TO SELL, OR SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY, ANY SECURITIES IN THE UNITED STATES. THE SECURITIES REFERRED TO HEREIN HAVE NOT BEEN, AND WILL NOT BE, REGISTERED UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "SECURITIES ACT") AND MAY NOT BE SOLD IN THE UNITED STATES ABSENT REGISTRATION WITH THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT. THERE WILL NOT BE A PUBLIC OFFERING OF THE SHARES IN THE UNITED STATES.

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT AN OFFER OF SECURITIES OR INVESTMENTS FOR SALE OR A SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY SECURITIES OR INVESTMENTS IN ANY JURISDICTION WHERE SUCH OFFER OR SOLICITATION  WOULD BE UNLAWFUL. NO ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN THAT WOULD PERMIT AN OFFERING OF THE SECURITIES OR POSSESSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IN ANY JURISDICTION WHERE ACTION FOR THAT PURPOSE IS REQUIRED. PERSONS INTO WHOSE POSSESSION THIS ANNOUNCEMENT COMES ARE REQUIRED TO INFORM THEMSELVES ABOUT AND TO OBSERVE ANY SUCH RESTRICTIONS. ANY FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH  THESE RESTRICTIONS MAY CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY SUCH JURISDICTION.

IN MEMBER STATES OF THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AREA ("EEA") WHICH HAVE IMPLEMENTED THE PROSPECTUS DIRECTIVE (EACH, A "RELEVANT MEMBER STATE"), THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AND ANY OFFER IF MADE SUBSEQUENTLY IS DIRECTED EXCLUSIVELY AT PERSONS WHO ARE "QUALIFIED INVESTORS" WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE PROSPECTUS DIRECTIVE ("QUALIFIED INVESTORS"). FOR THESE PURPOSES, THE EXPRESSION "PROSPECTUS DIRECTIVE" MEANS DIRECTIVE 2003/71/EC (AND AMENDMENTS THERETO, INCLUDING THE 2010 PD AMENDING DIRECTIVE, TO THE EXTENT IMPLEMENTED IN A RELEVANT MEMBER STATE), AND INCLUDES ANY RELEVANT IMPLEMENTING MEASURE IN THE RELEVANT MEMBER STATE AND THE EXPRESSION "2010 PD AMENDING DIRECTIVE" MEANS DIRECTIVE 2010/73/EU.

IN THE UNITED KINGDOM THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS DIRECTED EXCLUSIVELY AT QUALIFIED INVESTORS (I) WHO HAVE PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE IN MATTERS RELATING TO INVESTMENTS FALLING WITHIN ARTICLE 19(5) OF THE FINANCIAL SERVICES AND MARKETS ACT 2000 (FINANCIAL PROMOTION) ORDER 2005, AS AMENDED (THE "ORDER") OR (II) WHO FALL WITHIN ARTICLE 49(2)(A) TO (D) OF THE ORDER, AND (III) TO WHOM IT MAY OTHERWISE LAWFULLY BE COMMUNICATED.

IN CONNECTION WITH THE TRANSACTION, THE MANAGERS AND ANY OF THEIR AFFILIATES ACTING AS AN INVESTOR FOR THEIR OWN ACCOUNT MAY TAKE UP AS A PRINCIPAL POSITION ANY SHARES AND IN THAT CAPACITY MAY RETAIN, PURCHASE OR SELL FOR THEIR OWN ACCOUNT SUCH SHARES. IN ADDITION THE MANAGERS OR THEIR AFFILIATES MAY ENTER INTO FINANCING ARRANGEMENTS AND SWAPS WITH INVESTORS IN CONNECTION WITH WHICH THE MANAGERS (OR THEIR AFFILIATES) MAY FROM TIME TO TIME ACQUIRE, HOLD OR DISPOSE OF SHARES. THE MANAGERS DO NOT INTEND TO DISCLOSE THE EXTENT OF ANY SUCH INVESTMENT OR TRANSACTIONS OTHERWISE THAN IN ACCORDANCE WITH ANY LEGAL OR REGULATORY OBLIGATION TO DO SO.

NO GUARANTEE CAN BE MADE THAT ANY SECURITIES WILL BE SOLD PURSUANT TO THE TRANSACTION.

THE MANAGERS ARE ACTING ON BEHALF OF HANDELSBANKEN AND NO ONE ELSE IN CONNECTION WITH THE TRANSACTION AND WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE TO ANY OTHER PERSON FOR PROVIDING THE PROTECTIONS AFFORDED TO CLIENTS OF THE MANAGERS OR FOR PROVIDING ADVICE IN RELATION TO THE TRANSACTION.  

Forward-Looking Statements

Matters discussed in this communication may constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and may be identified by words such as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “estimate,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “aim” or “might,” or, in each case, their negative, or similar expressions. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurances that they will materialize or prove to be correct. Because these statements are based on assumptions or estimates and are subject to risks and uncertainties, the actual results or outcome could differ materially from those set out in the forward-looking statements as a result of many factors. Such risks, uncertainties, contingencies and other important factors could cause actual events to differ materially from the expectations expressed or implied in this release by such forward-looking statements. The Company does not guarantee that the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements in this presentation are free from errors nor does it accept any responsibility for the future accuracy of the opinions expressed in this presentation or any obligation to update or revise the statements in this presentation to reflect subsequent events. Undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements in this document.

The information, opinions and forward-looking statements contained in this communication speak only as at its date, and are subject to change without notice. The Company does not undertake any obligation to review, update, confirm, or to release publicly any revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that arise in relation to the content of this communication.