HIBU.L Regulatory News (HIBU)

23 Sep 2009 07:00



23 September 2009

For immediate release

Not for distribution or release, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan or South Africa.

YELL GROUP PLC

UPDATE ON COMPREHENSIVE REFINANCING PROPOSALS

Yell is updating the market on its plans to refinance the Group.

On 30 June 2009, Yell Group plc ("Yell" or the "Group") announced that it had embarked upon a process comprehensively to refinance the Group and that this would lead to the Group holding discussions with its debt holders with a view to extending the maturity and changing the terms of its debt facilities and in due course, to discussions with its principal shareholders. These discussions and the resulting process were expected to take through to the Autumn to complete.

Since June, Yell has held discussions with a significant proportion of its largest lenders. The outline proposals announced today are the result of these discussions and will shortly be presented in detail to the full syndicate of the Group's lenders. The process is consensual and the equity raising and debt proposals are inter-dependent. Subject to approval of the proposals by lenders representing 95% by value of Yell's current term debt facilities, the equity offering will be launched as soon as practicable thereafter and a general meeting of shareholders called.

John Condron, Chief Executive Officer of Yell, said: "We have made good and constructive progress in a consensual process comprehensively to refinance the Group. It reflects the recognition of the robust and cash generative nature of Yell's business model, which continues to show resilience relative to other media despite the current economic challenges. The process still has some way to go, but we believe the proposals developed as a result of our discussions with our principal lenders will deliver value to all parties, will support our Group through the current difficult economic times and ensure we are well positioned to benefit from any economic recovery."

John Davis, Chief Financial Officer said: "Yell is trading in line with the guidance that we provided at the end of June, with particularly strong cash flows and high cash conversion but the economic environment remains challenging. The proposals we are outlining today would achieve an immediate reduction in net debt allowing the Group to deleverage more rapidly and to diversify its funding sources. We believe it represents a positive, credit-enhancing outcome for our lenders and increases the attractiveness of the Group to existing and prospective equity investors."

Group financial outlook

Yell confirms its second quarter trading is in line with guidance given on 30 June 2009 and reiterated on 23 July 2009, when it indicated it expected revenues for the second quarter to be around 17% lower and EBITDA in the same period to be around 30% lower than the comparable period last year at constant exchange rates.

Trading conditions continue to be challenging and Yell believes it is too early to tell if confidence has returned to its core target customer base. As a consequence, Yell does not currently anticipate any significant improvement in the rate of year on year revenue decline for the remainder of the fiscal year. Its current expectation for the third quarter is for revenue to be around 16% lower than the same period last year at constant exchange rates.

Further information

Further information relating to the proposals to the lending syndicate is available on the Yellgroup.com website. 

Enquiries: 

Citigate Dewe Rogerson

Anthony Carlisle

Tel +44 (0) 20 7638 9571

Mobile: +44 (0) 7973 611 888

This document does not constitute an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy or subscribe for, securities of Yell in the United States or in any other jurisdiction.

The securities of Yell ("Securities") have not been and will not be registered under the US Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and may not be offered or sold in the United States unless registered under the Securities Act or an exemption from such registration is available. No public offering of Securities is being made in the United States.