Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority proposes the Finnish Market Court to prohibit the merger between Mehiläinen Yhtiöt Oy and Pihlajalinna Plc
THIS STOCK EXCHANGE RELEASE MAY NOT BE RELEASED, PUBLISHED OR OTHERWISE DISTRIBUTED, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO AUSTRALIA, CANADA, HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION OF THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA, JAPAN, NEW ZEALAND, OR SOUTH AFRICA, OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH THE TENDER OFFER WOULD BE PROHIBITED BY APPLICABLE LAW. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE SEE SECTION ENTITLED “IMPORTANT INFORMATION” BELOW.
Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority proposes the Finnish Market Court to prohibit the merger between Mehiläinen Yhtiöt Oy and Pihlajalinna Plc
Pihlajalinna Oyj Inside information 29 September 2020 at 3.02 p.m. (EET)
Mehiläinen Yhtiöt Oy (“Mehiläinen” or ”Offeror”) and Pihlajalinna Plc (”Pihlajalinna”) announced on 5 November 2019 that they had entered into a combination agreement pursuant to which Mehiläinen undertook to make a voluntary recommended public cash tender offer for all issued and outstanding shares in Pihlajalinna (the “Tender Offer”).
According to the Mehiläinen stock exchange release issued today (appendix 1), the Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority (“FCCA”) has today closed its investigation of the merger between Mehiläinen and Pihlajalinna and proposed the Finnish Market Court to prohibit the merger. According to the applicable law, the Market Court shall issue its decision within three months of FCCA’s proposal, at the latest on 29 December 2020.
The offer period for the Tender Offer is due to expire on 15 October 2020 at 16:00 (Finnish time). Mehiläinen will carefully examine FCCA’s proposal and, as soon as possible, after having consulted Pihlajalinna, decide on Market Court proceedings and the potential extension of the offer period.
”Pihlajalinna was surprised to find that the FCCA had come to evaluate the healthcare services market and the package of measures proposed by Mehiläinen in the now presented manner, proposing the Market Court to prohibit the merger. Before the signing of the combination agreement between Pihlajalinna and Mehiläinen, both parties had carefully examined it from the points of view of competition law and FCCA’s earlier merger decisions. The Board of Directors of Pihlajalinna had also carefully considered these matters before issuing its recommendation to accept the tender offer. We remain committed to the tender offer in accordance with the combination agreement but will prepare for all possible outcomes. Throughout the offer period, Pihlajalinna has continued to develop its business persistently,” says Joni Aaltonen, CEO of Pihlajalinna.
Contacts for media and investor inquiries:
Pihlajalinna
Joni Aaltonen, CEO of Pihlajalinna Plc
Requests for contacts through Pihlajalinna’s communications:
Communications Manager Taina Lehtomäki
tel. +358 50 451 3678
taina.lehtomaki@pihlajalinna.fi
Mehiläinen
Janne-Olli Järvenpää, CEO of Mehiläinen
Requests for contacts through Mehiläinen’s communications:
Communications Director Laura Martinsuo
tel. +358 40 196 2892
laura.martinsuo@mehilainen.fi
Pihlajalinna in brief:
Pihlajalinna is one of the leading private providers of social, healthcare and well-being services in Finland. The company provides services for households, companies, insurance companies and public sector entities, such as municipalities, federations of municipalities and hospital districts. Listed on the official list of Nasdaq Helsinki since 2015, Pihlajalinna’s reported revenue was EUR 518.6 million in 2019. Pihlajalinna’s nearly 6,000 employees and approximately 1,200 private practitioners produce services in over 210 locations across Finland.
Mehiläinen in brief:
Now 110 years old, Mehiläinen is a rapidly developing and growing private provider of healthcare and social care services, offering comprehensive high-quality services to private, corporate, municipal and insurance customers. Mehiläinen provides help, support and care for approximately 1.3 million customers every year across Finland. In 2019, our revenue was EUR 1064.1 million and our customers were cared for by more than 21,800 employees and private practitioners at over 500 locations. In all of its business areas, Mehiläinen invests in high-quality health care with an impact and develops and exports Finnish digital healthcare know-how across the world as a forerunner in its field.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
THIS STOCK EXCHANGE RELEASE MAY NOT BE RELEASED, PUBLISHED OR OTHERWISE DISTRIBUTED, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO AUSTRALIA, CANADA, HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION OF THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA, JAPAN, NEW ZEALAND, OR SOUTH AFRICA, OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH THE TENDER OFFER WOULD BE PROHIBITED BY APPLICABLE LAW.
THIS STOCK EXCHANGE RELEASE IS NOT A TENDER OFFER DOCUMENT AND AS SUCH DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER OR INVITATION TO MAKE A SALES OFFER. IN PARTICULAR, THIS STOCK EXCHANGE RELEASE IS NOT AN OFFER TO SELL OR THE SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY ANY SECURITIES DESCRIBED HEREIN, AND IS NOT AN EXTENSION OF THE TENDER OFFER, IN, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION OF THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA, JAPAN, NEW ZEALAND, OR SOUTH AFRICA. INVESTORS SHALL ACCEPT THE TENDER OFFER FOR THE SHARES ONLY ON THE BASIS OF THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN A TENDER OFFER DOCUMENT. THE TENDER OFFER IS NOT BEING MADE, AND THE SHARES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED FOR PURCHASE FROM OR ON BEHALF OF PERSONS, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY IN ANY JURISDICTION WHERE EITHER AN OFFER OR ACCEPTANCE THEREOF IS PROHIBITED BY APPLICABLE LAW OR WHERE ANY TENDER OFFER DOCUMENT OR REGISTRATION OR OTHER REQUIREMENTS WOULD APPLY IN ADDITION TO THOSE UNDERTAKEN IN FINLAND.
THE TENDER OFFER IS NOT BEING MADE DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY IN ANY JURISDICTION WHERE PROHIBITED BY APPLICABLE LAW, AND THE TENDER OFFER DOCUMENT AND RELATED ACCEPTANCE FORMS AND SUPPLEMENT DOCUMENTS WILL NOT AND MAY NOT BE DISTRIBUTED, FORWARDED OR TRANSMITTED INTO OR FROM ANY JURISDICTION WHERE PROHIBITED BY APPLICABLE LAWS OR REGULATIONS. IN PARTICULAR, THE TENDER OFFER IS NOT BEING MADE, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, BY ANY MEANS OR INSTRUMENTALITY (INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION E-MAIL, POST, FACSIMILE TRANSMISSION, TELEX, TELEPHONE OR ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION BY WAY OF THE INTERNET OR OTHERWISE), IN OR INTO, OR BY USE OF THE POSTAL SERVICE OF, OR THROUGH ANY FACILITIES OF A NATIONAL SECURITIES EXCHANGE OF, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION OF THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA, JAPAN, NEW ZEALAND, OR SOUTH AFRICA. THE TENDER OFFER CANNOT BE ACCEPTED, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, BY ANY SUCH USE, MEANS OR INSTRUMENTALITY OR FROM WITHIN, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION OF THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA, JAPAN, NEW ZEALAND, OR SOUTH AFRICA. ANY PURPOTED ACCEPTANCE OF THE TENDER OFFER RESULTING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY FROM A VIOLATION OF THESE RESTRICTIONS WILL BE INVALID.
THIS STOCK EXCHANGE RELEASE OR ANY OTHER DOCUMENT OR MATERIALS RELATING TO THE TENDER OFFER IS NOT BEING MADE AND HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED BY AN AUTHORISED PERSON FOR THE PURPOSES OF SECTION 21 OF THE UK FINANCIAL SERVICES AND MARKETS ACT 2000 (THE “FSMA”). ACCORDINGLY, THIS STOCK EXCHANGE RELEASE OR ANY OTHER DOCUMENT OR MATERIALS RELATING TO THE TENDER OFFER ARE NOT BEING DISTRIBUTED TO, AND MUST NOT BE PASSED ON TO, THE GENERAL PUBLIC IN THE UNITED KINGDOM. THE COMMUNICATION OF THIS STOCK EXCHANGE RELEASE OR ANY OTHER DOCUMENT OR MATERIALS RELATING TO THE TENDER OFFER IS EXEMPT FROM THE RESTRICTION ON FINANCIAL PROMOTIONS UNDER SECTION 21 OF THE FSMA ON THE BASIS THAT IT IS A COMMUNICATION BY OR ON BEHALF OF A BODY CORPORATE WHICH RELATES TO A TRANSACTION TO ACQUIRE DAY TO DAY CONTROL OF THE AFFAIRS OF A BODY CORPORATE; OR TO ACQUIRE 50 PER CENT. OR MORE OF THE VOTING SHARES IN A BODY CORPORATE, WITHIN ARTICLE 62 OF THE FINANCIAL SERVICES AND MARKETS ACT 2000 (FINANCIAL PROMOTION) ORDER 2005.
Information to shareholders in the United States
Shareholders in the United States are advised that the shares in Pihlajalinna are not listed on a U.S. securities exchange and that Pihlajalinna is not subject to the periodic reporting requirements of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and is not required to, and does not, file any reports with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) thereunder.
The Tender Offer will be made for the issued and outstanding shares in Pihlajalinna, which is domiciled in Finland, and is subject to Finnish disclosure and procedural requirements. The Tender Offer is made in the United States in compliance with Section 14(e) of the Exchange Act and the applicable rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, including Regulation 14E (in each case, subject to any exemptions or relief therefrom, if applicable) and otherwise in accordance with the disclosure and procedural requirements of Finnish law, including with respect to the Tender Offer timetable, settlement procedures, withdrawal, waiver of conditions and timing of payments, which are different from those of the United States. In particular, the financial information included in this stock exchange release has been prepared in accordance with applicable accounting standards in Finland, which may not be comparable to the financial statements or financial information of U.S. companies. The Tender Offer is made to Pihlajalinna’s shareholders resident in the United States on the same terms and conditions as those made to all other shareholders of Pihlajalinna to whom an offer is made. Any information documents, including this stock exchange release, are being disseminated to U.S. shareholders on a basis comparable to the method that such documents are provided to Pihlajalinna’s other shareholders.
To the extent permissible under applicable law or regulations, including Rule 14e-5 under the Exchange Act, Mehiläinen and its affiliates or its brokers and its brokers’ affiliates (acting as agents for Mehiläinen or its affiliates, as applicable) may from time to time and during the pendency of the Tender Offer, and other than pursuant to the Tender Offer and combination, directly or indirectly, purchase or arrange to purchase, the shares in Pihlajalinna or any securities that are convertible into, exchangeable for or exercisable for such shares. These purchases may occur either in the open market at prevailing prices or in private transactions at negotiated prices. To the extent information about such purchases or arrangements to purchase is made public in Finland, such information will be disclosed by means of a press release or other means reasonably calculated to inform U.S. shareholders of Pihlajalinna of such information. In addition, the financial advisers to Mehiläinen may also engage in ordinary course trading activities in securities of Pihlajalinna, which may include purchases or arrangements to purchase such securities. To the extent required in Finland, any information about such purchases will be made public in Finland in the manner required by Finnish law.
Neither the SEC nor any U.S. state securities commission has approved or disapproved the Tender Offer, passed upon the merits or fairness of the Tender Offer, or passed any comment upon the adequacy, accuracy or completeness of the disclosure in this stock exchange release. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offence in the United States.
The receipt of cash pursuant to the Tender Offer by a U.S. holder of shares in Pihlajalinna may be a taxable transaction for U.S. federal income tax purposes and under applicable U.S. state and local, as well as foreign and other, tax laws. Each holder of shares in Pihlajalinna is urged to consult its independent professional adviser immediately regarding the tax consequences of accepting the Tender Offer.
It may be difficult for Pihlajalinna’s shareholders to enforce their rights and any claims they may have arising under the U.S. federal securities laws, since Mehiläinen and Pihlajalinna are located in non-U.S. jurisdictions, and some or all of their respective officers and directors may be residents of non-U.S. jurisdictions. Pihlajalinna’s shareholders may not be able to sue Mehiläinen or Pihlajalinna or their respective officers or directors in a non-U.S. court for violations of the U.S. federal securities laws. It may be difficult to compel Mehiläinen and Pihlajalinna and their respective affiliates to subject themselves to a U.S. court’s judgment.
Forward-looking statementsThis stock exchange release contains statements that, to the extent they are not historical facts, constitute “forward-looking statements”. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, expectations, projections, objectives, targets, goals, strategies, future events, future revenues or performance, capital expenditures, financing needs, plans or intentions relating to acquisitions, competitive strengths and weaknesses, plans or goals relating to financial position, future operations and development, business strategy and the trends in the industries and the political and legal environment and other information that is not historical information. In some instances, they can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the terms “believes”, “intends”, “may”, “will” or “should” or, in each case, their negative or variations on comparable terminology. By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risks, uncertainties and assumptions, both general and specific, and risks exist that the predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved. Given these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statements contained herein speak only as at the date of this stock exchange release.
Appendix 1 The stock exchange release of the Offeror published on 29 September 2020