This information is disclosed in accordance with the Securities Markets Act, the
Financial Instruments Trading Act or demands made in the exchange rules.
Ratos and co-owner IK Investment Partners have concluded an agreement to sell
all the shares in Superfos Industries a/s to RPC Group Plc for approximately EUR
200m (equity value) of which Ratos's share amounts to approximately EUR 64m
(approx. SEK 585m). The sale generates an exit result for Ratos of approximately
SEK -70m and an average annual return (IRR) of approximately 2%.
Superfos is an international packaging group with operations in 24 countries,
mainly in Europe. The company develops, produces and sells injection-moulded
plastic packaging for the food, paint and chemical industries. The number of
employees amounts to approximately 1,300 and the head office is located in
Denmark.
In 1999, Ratos together wtith IK Investment Partners acquired three divisions in
Superfos from the American company Ashland Inc, which bought out Superfos from
the Copenhagen Stock Exchange earlier in the year. Ratos has invested a total of
SEK 471m and has a holding of 33%. The group has been streamlined towards
packaging over the years and today Superfos is one of the major players in
Europe within injection-moulded plastic packaging. In 2009, Superfos posted
sales of EUR 295m and operating profit (EBITA) amounted to EUR 28m (adjusted for
the sold operations in the US and items affecting comparability).
"Superfos has progressed from a conglomerate to a pure-play packaging company.
This took several years to achieve and affected the growth of both sales and
earnings. This streamlining and re-positioning is now complete and we can state
that Superfos today, largely due to implemented restructuring measures and an
increased focus on product innovations, enjoys good profitability and a strong
position in the European market," comments Ratos CEO Arne Karlsson.
The selling price for the shares (equity value) amounts to approximately EUR
200m, of which Ratos's share amounts to approximately EUR 64m (approx. SEK
585m) and the exit result for Ratos amounts to approximately SEK -70m, based on
the book value in Superfos at 30 September 2010. The final exit result will be
affected, among other things, by Ratos's share of profits from Superfos during
the period until the deal is finalised. The average annual return (IRR) amounts,
over the eleven years Ratos owned Superfos, to approximately 2%.
RPC Group Plc is one of Europe's leading manufacturers of rigid plastic
packaging with operations in 11 countries and approximately 6,000 employees. RPC
Group is listed on the London Stock Exchange and in the split financial year
2009/2010 had sales of GBP 719.9m and an adjusted operating profit (adjusted
EBIT) of GBP 40.9m.
The sale is conditional on approval from the relevant competition authorities
and subject to certain funding requirements. The sale is expected to be
completed during the first 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
Financial calendar from Ratos:
Year-end report 2010 17 February 2011
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,
Bisnode, Camfil, Contex, DIAB, EuroMaint, GS-Hydro, Hafa Bathroom Group, HL
Display, Inwido, Jøtul, Lindab, Medisize, Mobile Climate Control, SB Seating,
Stofa, Superfos and Other holdings. Ratos is listed on NASDAQ OMX Stockholm and
market capitalisation amounts to approximately SEK 41 billion.
