This information is disclosed in accordance with the Securities Markets Act, the
Financial Instruments Trading Act or demands made in the exchange rules.
Ratos has concluded an agreement to acquire 100% of the shares in the Finnish
movie theatre group FinnkinoOy from the media group Sanoma. The purchase price
(Enterprise Value) amounts to approximately EUR 94.3m[1] of which Ratos will
provide equity of approximately EUR 50m.
FinnkinoOy is the largest movie theatre chain in Finland and the Baltic
countries with 25 movie theatres and 161 screens with a total of approximately
30,000 seats. The company also conducts film distribution and some distribution
of DVDs and video films. The movie theatre operations are conducted under the
name Finnkino in Finland and Forum Cinemas in the Baltic countries.
Movie-going in Finland and the Baltic countries has seen growth in recent years,
mainly due to building new movie theatres with a number of screens, known as the
multiplex concept, as well as digital and 3D technology which have enhanced the
film going experience. In addition to ticket revenues, sales of snacks, sweets
and soft drinks, as well as advertising, are significant sources of income.
Finnkino has 620 employees and in 2010 sales totalled EUR 88.6m with an
operating profit (EBITA) of SEK 8.5m. The number of admissions in Finnkino's
cinemas amounted to 9.9 million in 2010. The head office is in Vanda in Finland.
"The movie theatre market is showing positive development in the Nordic region.
Since the end of the 1990s, Finnkino has renewed the Finnish and Baltic cinema
market by building modern and attractive movie theatres. Admissions numbers per
capita are still lower compared with the other Nordic countries, but with
continued investments in new movie theatres and technology, both the number of
visitors and revenue per visitor are expected to rise," says Ratos's CEO Arne
Karlsson.
Ratos's holding will amount to 100%. The purchase price for the acquisition
(Enterprise Value) amounts to approximately EUR 94.3m[1], of which Ratos will
provide approximately EUR 50m in equity. The acquisition is subject to approval
from the relevant competition authorities and is expected to be completed in the
second quarter of 2011.
For further information, please contact:
Arne Karlsson, CEO, +46 8 700 17 00
Emma Rheborg, Head of Corporate Communications and IR, +46 8 700 17 20
[1] In addition there are capitalised rental liabilities of EUR 21.6m.
Financial calendar from Ratos:
Annual General Meeting 2011 5 April 2011
Interim Report January - March 2011 5 May 2011
Interim Report January - June 2011 19 August 2011
Interim Report January - September 2011 9 November 2011
Ratos is a private equity conglomerate. The company's mission is to maximise
shareholder value over time through the professional, active and responsible
exercise of its ownership role in primarily medium to large unlisted Nordic
companies. Ratos's holdings include AH Industries, Anticimex, Arcus-Gruppen,
Biolin Scientific, Bisnode, Contex, DIAB, EuroMaint, GS-Hydro, Hafa Bathroom
Group, HL Display, Inwido, Jøtul, KVD Kvarndammen,Lindab, Medisize, Mobile
Climate Control, SB Seating, Stofa and Other holdings. Ratos is listed on NASDAQ
OMX Stockholm and market capitalisation amounts to approximately SEK 38 billion.
