17 Dec 2008 11:32
Changes to the legal structure of Abbey and Alliance & Leicester
In order to optimise the capital, liquidity funding and overall financial efficiency of the enlarged group, Banco Santander,Β S.A. ("Santander") intends to transfer its Alliance & LeicesterΒ plcΒ ("A&L") shares to Abbey National plc ("Abbey").
Accordingly, theΒ Board of Abbey resolved on 16 December 2008Β to issue ordinary shares toΒ SantanderΒ in exchange forΒ Santander's shares held in A&L. It is expected thatΒ this transaction will take placeΒ on or about 9 January 20091.
In addition, Abbey has injected todayΒ Β£950,000,000 of capital into A&L through a subscription of: (i) 234,113,712Β A&LΒ ordinary shares for cash at Β£2.99 per ordinary share; (ii) US$220 million undated subordinated notes issued by A&L; and (iii) Euro 115 million undated subordinated notes issued by A&L. As a result of the subscription of ordinary shares earlier today, Abbey currently holdsΒ 35.6Β per cent of the issued share capital of A&L.
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This injectionΒ uses theΒ capitalΒ injectedΒ intoΒ AbbeyΒ byΒ SantanderΒ on 12thΒ October. This fulfils theΒ agreed commitment to theΒ UKΒ government's banking support scheme andΒ theΒ indications of the potential requirement to provide new capital to A&LΒ given byΒ SantanderΒ at the time of its offer.
Two copies ofΒ AbbeyΒ General Meeting documentation (including Resolutions passed) to give effect to the above have been submitted to the UK Listing Authority, and will shortly be available for inspection at the UK Listing Authority's Document Viewing Facility, which is situated at:
Β
Financial Services Authority
25 The North ColonnadeCanaryΒ WharfLondon
E14 5HS
Ends
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Contacts
|
Matthew Young |
Communications Director, Abbey |
020 7756 4232 |
|
Anthony Frost |
Head of Corporate Communications, Abbey |
020 7756 5536 |
Notes
1. A further confirmatory announcement will be made once Abbey has acquiredΒ Santander's shares in A&L.Β
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