Search Site

 

800.879.9862

 
 

Draka Acquires Full Ownership Of Draka Comteq B.V., Paying €209 Million In Cash To Alcatel-Lucent

Amsterdam, December 18, 2007

TRANSACTION IS EXPECTED TO HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON EPS IN 2008

REFINANCING OF EXISTING DEBT BY NEW CREDIT FACILITY OF € 625 MILLION


  • Draka has reached agreement with Alcatel-Lucent on the acquisition of the outstanding 49.9% interest in Draka Comteq B.V. for € 209 million in cash
  • Draka expects to achieve additional annual cost savings of around € 3 million from 2008 as a result of merging the two head offices
  • Draka expects that the transaction, including anticipated additional cost savings and after financing costs, will have a limited positive impact on EPS in 2008
  • Draka secured a new revolving credit facility of € 625 million that will initially run for five years, with an option to extend for one year
The Board of Management of Draka Holding N.V. (‘Draka’) announces that it has reached an agreement with Alcatel-Lucent that Draka will purchase Alcatel-Lucent’s interest (49.9%) in Draka Comteq B.V. (‘Draka Comteq’) against payment of an aggregate cash purchase price of € 209 million. Under this transaction, Draka acquires full ownership of Draka Comteq.

Draka Comteq is a leader in the field of optical fibre and optical fibre cable, created on 1 July 2004 by combining the worldwide optical fibre and communication cable activities of Draka and Alcatel-Lucent. From the initial establishment of the joint venture, Draka Comteq is controlled by Draka and its results have been consolidated in full in the Draka consolidated financial statements. For a more detailed profile of Draka Comteq, see also the annex to this press release.

Cost savings
As a wholly-owned subsidiary of Draka, Draka Comteq will be continuing with the implementation of the company’s strategy, including the Stop, Swap & Share (Triple S) programme initiated in 2006. The Triple S programme is expected to yield savings of around € 7 million in 2008. With effect from 2008, Draka also expects to achieve additional cost savings of around € 3 million per annum as a result of merging the two head offices. Draka Comteq also has tax loss carryforwards totalling approximately € 450 million.

EPS enhancing as from 2008
Draka expects that the transaction, including anticipated additional cost savings and after financing costs, will have a limited positive impact on the earnings per share in 2008.

New revolving credit facility
Draka has contracted recently a revolving credit facility in various currencies of € 625 million with a syndicate of five relationship banks. This new revolving credit facility will initially run for five years, with an option to extend for one year. The new facility replaces the existing credit facility of € 370 million contracted in October 2005 and a subordinated loan of € 77.5 million. The banking syndicate is made up of Rabobank, ING Wholesale Banking, ABN AMRO, Fortis Bank and NIBC. The
syndicate will probably be expanded in due course.

Besides financing the takeover price of € 209 million for the interest of 49.9% in Draka Comteq, the facility will be used to support Draka’s growth strategy.

Next steps
Draka intends to finalise the consultations with the works councils shortly. It is expected that the transaction with Alcatel-Lucent will be completed by the end of 2007.

Outlook for 2007 reiterated
Draka maintains its outlook for 2007 and expects an operating result of around € 145 million (2006: € 90.6 million1) and net income of about € 85 million (2006: € 45.4 million1).

Board of Management
Amsterdam, 18 December 2007

Annex
Profile of Draka Comteq B.V.
Draka Comteq B.V. (‘Draka Comteq’) is a company in which Draka and Alcatel-Lucent have been pooling their worldwide optical fibre and communication cable activities since 1 July 2004. The company has an unrivalled product portfolio in the field of optical fibre and optical fibre cable for supplying the entire range of applications in the telecommunications and data communications
market. Draka Comteq’s product portfolio also includes an extensive range of copper telecommunication and data communication cable. In addition, Draka Comteq provides engineering and installation services relating to the company’s own products and ancillary equipment from the product portfolios of third parties in networks around the world.


In 2006, Draka Comteq had a workforce of approximately 3,120, generating sales of € 593.2 million with an operating result, excluding non-recurring charges, of € 5.5 million. In the fields of optical fibre and optical fibre cable, the company is market leader in Europe, is comfortably the leading producer in China and ranks as number three in the North American market. In copper telecommunication and data communication cable, Draka Comteq occupies a leading position in Europe.


Draka Comteq serves the international market for telecommunication and data communication cable
with four divisions, each offering its customers a complete product range:

  • Draka Comteq Cable Solutions, EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa)
  • Draka Comteq Cable Solutions, Americas
  • Draka Comteq Cable Solutions, Asia/Pacific
  • Draka Comteq Optical Fibre

NOTE FOR EDITORS: for more information, contact:

Draka Holding N.V.:
Michael Bosman – Director Corporate Communications +31 20 568 9805

Financial calendar 2008 (provisional)

Publication of 2007 full-year figures: Friday, 7 March 2008 (before start of trading)

General Meeting of Shareholders, Sheraton Amsterdam Airport Hotel, Schiphol: Thursday, 24 April 2008, starting at 14:30

Publication of trading update for the first half of 2008: Wednesday, 11 June 2008 (before start of trading)

Publication of 2008 half-year figures: Monday, 1 September 2008 (before start of trading)

Publication of trading update for the second half of 2008: Thursday, 13 November 2008 (before start of trading)

Company profile
Draka Holding N.V. (‘Draka’) is the holding company of a number of operating companies which engage worldwide in the development, production and sale of cable and cable systems. Draka’s activities are divided into two groups: Draka Cableteq, which is responsible for the low-voltage and special-purpose cable activities, and Draka Comteq, which carries on the communication cable activities.

Within these two groups, the activities have been split into divisions. Draka Cableteq consists of the Elevator Products, Low-Voltage Cable, Marine, Oil & Gas, Mobile Network Cable, Rubber Cable and Transport divisions, while Draka Comteq is active in the Telecommunication Cable, Data Communication Cable and Optical Fibre market segments.

Draka has 67 operating companies in 29 countries throughout Europe, North and South America, Asia and Australia. The Company has a flat, decentralised organisational structure with short lines of communication. The divisions enjoy a large measure of autonomy and are responsible for their revenues and profits. Worldwide the Draka companies have some 9,145 employees. The head office of Draka Holding N.V. is established in Amsterdam. In 2006, Draka generated revenues of € 2.5 billion and a net income of € 45.4 million (excluding non-recurring items).

Draka Holding N.V. ordinary shares and subordinated convertible bonds are listed on Euronext Amsterdam. The company was included in the Next150 index in 2001 and has been included in the AScX-index (Amsterdam Small Cap index) since 2 March 2005. Options on Draka shares have also been traded on the Euronext Amsterdam Derivative Markets since 8 July 2002.

Visit our website: www.draka.com

HOME  |  ABOUT DRAKA  |  SOLUTIONS  |  PRODUCTS  |  NEWS  |  CONTACT US  | OPTICAL FIBER  |  DRAKA WORLDWIDE