Acta strengthens its market position in Sweden

Acta Holding ASA is acquiring the Swedish wealth management company H&P Fondförvaltning AB and thereby significantly strengthens its presence in the Swedish market. Acta's Swedish subsidiary, Navexa Securities AB, and H&P Fondförvaltning AB complement each other well, and will jointly become a stronger and more dominant player in the market than as two stand alone companies. The two companies' core competency will be wealth management advisory services to larger clients with greater need for advisory services.

The industry has experienced significant changes the last years as a consequence of changes in the regulatory environment combined with the financial crisis. The owners of H&P Fondförvaltning AB decided that a future with a larger company such as Acta is the best way to secure the quality in the advisory services and the product range. Acta's management wants to strengthen its presence in the Swedish market for wealth management services, and the acquisition of H&P Fondförvaltning AB is therefore very well aligned with the company's strategic plans going forward.

- We have for a long time felt that the consolidation we have seen in our industry the past years will continue, and we have considered many candidates as potential partners. We are very content with the fact that it is H&P Fondförvaltning AB that is joining our team. It is a company with high competence and excellent client base. Both Acta and H&P Fondförvaltning AB have dedicated a great deal of resources in order to strengthen their compliance functions over the last few years, and will benefit from this effort, also to the advantage to their clients, says Alfred Ydstebø, CEO in Acta Holding ASA.

- The fact that H&P Fondförvaltning AB also has a license to conduct discretionary management for its clients, entails Acta to develop, expand and improve the products and services offered, and will be of great value for Acta and Acta's customers going forward, says Alfred Ydstebø.

Acta will acquire 100 % of the shares in H&P Fondförvaltning AB for approximately NOK 10 million whereas approximately 65 % will be in cash. The remaining will be financed by Acta Holding ASA issuing shares by using the issue right given by the general assembly to the board of Acta Holding ASA. The transaction will be pending acceptance by Finansinspektionen (the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority) and other regular conditions for the acquisition.

Hagberg & Partners has since 1994 worked with creating value for its clients through qualified financial advisory. Satisfied and assured clients are what is the most prominent in the company's philosophy. The company is a securities company with all necessary licenses and is supervised by Finansinspektionen (the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority). H&P Fondförvaltning AB is widely represented in southern Sweden with offices in Karlshamn, Karlskrona, Kristianstad, and Växjö. The company has in excess of 3 000 customers that combined have more than NOK 1 billion in assets under management.

Contact details:

Alfred Ydstebø, CEO – phone +47 908 32 828

Mirja Herrdin, Chief Communications Officer – phone +47 948 82 370

This information is subject of the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.