8 Jul 2014 14:55
Date: 8 July 2014
NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ITS TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS (INCLUDING PUERTO RICO, THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS, GUAM, AMERICAN SAMOA, WAKE ISLAND AND THE NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS), ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA (THE "UNITED STATES") OR TO ANY U.S. PERSON (AS DEFINED IN REGULATION S UNDER THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (EACH A "U.S. PERSON")) OR TO ANY PERSON LOCATED OR RESIDENT IN ANY OTHER JURISDICTION WHERE IT IS UNLAWFUL TO DISTRIBUTE THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. OTHER RESTRICTIONS APPLY (SEE "OFFER AND DISTRIBUTION RESTRICTIONS" BELOW).
TENDER OFFER FOR NOTES DUE 2018 AND 2019
NLMK Group ("NLMK"), the largest steel producer in Russia and a leading international steel company, today announces that Steel Funding Limited (the "Offeror") a special purpose vehicle established for the purpose of issuing of debt instruments for financing loans to NLMK, is inviting eligible holders of its US$800,000,000 4.45% Loan Participation Notes due 2018 (ISIN: XS0808632847) (the "2018 Notes") and the US$500,000,000 4.95% Loan Participation Notes due 2019 (ISIN: XS0783934325) (the "2019 Notes" and together with the 2018 Notes, the "Notes") to tender their Notes for purchase by the Offeror for cash in a Modified Dutch Auction (each such invitation, an "Offer" and, together, the "Offers"). The Offeror proposes to accept for purchase Notes up to a maximum aggregate principal amount of US$100,000,000 across both series of Notes combined. In respect of each series of Notes, the Offeror will determine the purchase price and the aggregate principal amount to be purchased based on the Modified Dutch Auction procedure described in the documents relating to the Offers.
The results of the Offers are to be determined and announced on or about 16 July 2014, unless extended or terminated.
Enquiries:
Media contact info:
Sergey Babichenko
+7 (916) 824 6743babichenko_sy@nlmk.com
Investor Relations contact info:
Sergey Takhiev
+7 (495) 915 1575
tahiev_sa@nlmk.com
NLMK Group is a vertically integrated steelmaking company, and Russia's leading manufacturer of steel and HVA rolled products. NLMK Group's high-quality steel products are used in a variety of industries, from construction and machine-building to the manufacture of power generation equipment and offshore windmills. NLMK's production facilities are located in Russia, Europe and the USA. The Company's crude steel capacity is over 17 m tpa, of which approximately 16 m t are located in Russia. The Company generated $10.9 billion in revenue and $1.5 billion in EBITDA in 2013. NLMK's ordinary shares are traded on the Moscow Stock Exchange (ticker "NLMK") and its global depositary shares on the London Stock Exchange (ticker "NLMK:LI"). For more information about NLMK Group, please visit www.nlmk.com
OFFER AND DISTRIBUTION RESTRICTIONS
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES OR IN ANY OTHER JURISDICTION WHERE IT IS UNLAWFUL TO DO SO.
United States
The Offers are not being made and will not be made, directly or indirectly, in or into, or by use of the mails of, or by any means or instrumentality of interstate or foreign commerce of, or of any facilities of a national securities exchange of, the United States or to, or for the account of benefit of, any U.S. person. This includes, but is not limited to, facsimile transmission, electronic mail, telex, telephone, the internet and other forms of electronic communication. Accordingly, copies of this announcement, the Tender Offer Memorandum and any other documents or materials relating to the Offers are not being, and must not be, directly or indirectly, mailed or otherwise transmitted, distributed or forwarded (including, without limitation, by custodians, nominees or trustees) in or into the United States or to, or for the account of benefit of, a U.S. Person and the Notes cannot be tendered in the Offers by any such use, means, instrumentality or facility or from or within or by persons located or resident in the United States or by any U.S. Person or any person acting for the account or benefit of a U.S. Person. Any purported tender of Notes in the Offers resulting directly or indirectly from a violation of these restrictions will be invalid and any purported tender of Notes made by a person located in the United States, a U.S. Person, by any person acting for the account or benefit of a U.S. Person, or by any agent, fiduciary or other intermediary acting on a non-discretionary basis for a principal giving instructions from within the United States will be invalid and will not be accepted.
Each holder of Notes participating in an Offer will represent that it is not a U.S. Person, is not located in the United States and is not participating in such Offer from the United States, or it is acting on a non-discretionary basis for a principal located outside the United States that is not giving an order to participate in such Offer from the United States and who is not a U.S. Person.
United Kingdom
The communication of this announcement, the Tender Offer Memorandum and any other documents or materials relating to the Offers is not being made, and such documents and/or materials have not been approved, by an authorised person for the purposes of section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. Accordingly, such documents and/or materials are not being distributed to, and must not be passed on to, the general public in the United Kingdom. The communication of such documents and/or materials as a financial promotion is only being made to those persons in the United Kingdom falling within the definition of "investment professionals" (as defined in Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the "Financial Promotion Order")) or persons who are within Article 43(2) of the Financial Promotion Order or any other persons to whom it may otherwise lawfully be made under the Financial Promotion Order.
France
The Offers are not being made, directly or indirectly, to the public in the Republic of France ("France"). Neither this announcement, nor the Tender Offer Memorandum nor any other documents or materials relating to the Offers have been or shall be distributed to the public in France and only (i) providers of investment services relating to portfolio management for the account of third parties (personnes fournissant le service d'investissement de gestion de portefeuille pour compte de tiers) and/or (ii) qualified investors (investisseurs qualifiés) other than individuals, in each case acting on their own account and all as defined in, and in accordance with, Articles L.411-1, L.411-2 and D.411-1 of the French Code Monétaire et Financier, are eligible to participate in the Offers. This announcement, the Tender Offer Memorandum and any other document or material relating to the Offers have not been and will not be submitted for clearance to nor approved by the Autorité des marchés financiers.
Ireland
No action shall be taken in Ireland with respect to the Notes otherwise than in conformity with:
(a) the provisions of the European Communities (Markets in Financial Instruments) Regulations 2007 (Nos. 1 to 3) (as amended), including, without limitation, Regulations 7 and 152 thereof or any codes of conduct issued in connection therewith and the provisions of the Investor Compensation Act 1998;
(b) the Central Bank Acts 1942-2014 and any codes of conduct rules made under Section 117(1) of the Central Bank Act 1989; and
(c) the Market Abuse (Directive 2003/6/EC) Regulations 2005 (as amended) and any rules issued under Section 34 of the Investment Funds, Companies and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2005 by the Central Bank of Ireland
Italy
None of the Offers, this announcement, the Tender Offer Memorandum or any other documents or materials relating to the Tender Offer have been or will be submitted to the clearance procedure of the Commissione Nazionale per le Società e la Borsa ("CONSOB") pursuant to Italian laws and regulations.
The Offers are being carried out in the Republic of Italy as exempted offers pursuant to article 101-bis, paragraph 3-bis of the Legislative Decree No. 58 of 24 February 1998, as amended (the "Financial Services Act") and article 35-bis, paragraph 4 of CONSOB Regulation No. 11971 of 14 May 1999, as amended.
Noteholders, can tender some or all of their Notes pursuant to the Offers through authorised persons (such as investment firms, banks or financial intermediaries permitted to conduct such activities in Italy in accordance with the Financial Services Act, CONSOB Regulation No. 16190 of 29 October 2007, as amended from time to time, and Legislative Decree No. 385 of September 1, 1993, as amended) and in compliance with applicable laws and regulations or with requirements imposed by CONSOB or any other Italian authority.
Each intermediary must comply with the applicable laws and regulations concerning information duties vis-à-vis its clients in connection with the Notes or the Offers.
Russia
Neither this announcement, the Tender Offer Memorandum nor any other documents or materials relating to the Offers have been submitted to or will be submitted or registered with the Central Bank of Russia. The Offers may not be made in Russia by way of a public offering. Accordingly, the Offers may not be advertised and the Offers will not be extended, and neither this announcement, the Tender Offer Memorandum nor any other documents or materials relating to the Offers has been or will be distributed or made available, directly or indirectly, to any persons in Russia other than persons who are qualified investors within the meaning of Article 51.2 of the Securities Market Law, unless and to the extent they are otherwise permitted to access such information under Russian law.
Switzerland
The Offers do not constitute a public offering of securities pursuant to article 652a or article 1156 of the Swiss Federal Code of Obligations. The information presented in this document does not necessarily comply with the information standards set out in the SIX Swiss Exchange listing rules.
General
Neither this announcement, the Tender Offer Memorandum nor the electronic transmission thereof constitutes an offer to buy or the solicitation of an offer to sell Notes (and tenders of Notes for purchase pursuant to the Offers will not be accepted from Noteholders) in any circumstances in which such offer or solicitation is unlawful. In those jurisdictions where the securities, blue sky or other laws require an Offer to be made by a licensed broker or dealer and the Dealer Manager or any of its affiliates is such a licensed broker or dealer in any such jurisdiction, such Offer shall be deemed to be made by the Dealer Manager or such affiliate, as the case may be, on behalf of the Offeror in such jurisdiction.