NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN OR IN OR INTO ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH OFFERS OR SALES WOULD BE PROHIBITED BY APPLICABLE LAW

Solidium Oy today, 11 February 2020, announces an offering of 11 million A-shares in Sampo plc representing approximately 2.0 per cent of the outstanding shares in Sampo (the “Equity Offering”). The books for the Equity Offering will open with immediate effect. The shares offered in the Equity Offering will be placed in an accelerated bookbuilt offering to Finnish and international institutional investors. Solidium’s current ownership interest in Sampo is approximately 55 million A -shares, representing approximately 10.0 per cent of the outstanding shares in Sampo. Merrill Lynch International is acting as Lead Manager and Sole Bookrunner for the Equity Offering.

Solidium will use the proceeds from the Equity Offering mainly to repay debt facilities and for general corporate purposes.

“The recent positive development of Sampo Group has led to a situation where Sampo’s share of Solidium’s total equity portfolio represents almost 30 per cent. By offering approximately one-fifth of our stake we will balance our portfolio while remaining a significant shareholder of Sampo”, says Solidium’s CEO Antti Mäkinen.

Solidium expects to announce the outcome of the Equity Offering during 12 February 2020. Solidium has agreed not to dispose of any further Sampo shares for a period of 90 days subject to certain customary exceptions.

 

Solidium is a limited company wholly owned by the State of Finland. Its mission is to strengthen and stabilise Finnish ownership in nationally important companies and increase the value of its holdings in the long term. The basis and core objective of Solidium’s strategy is proper, value-enhancing asset management of its current holdings. Through its stakes, Solidium is a minority owner in 13 significant listed companies: Elisa, Kemira, Konecranes, Metso, Nokia, Nokian Tyres, Outokumpu, Outotec, Sampo, SSAB, Stora Enso, Tieto and Valmet. The value of Solidium’s total investment assets is approximately 8.4 billion euros.

 

Further information: Investment Director Petter Söderström, Solidium Oy, +358 10 830 8903

 

Important notice

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT HAS BEEN MADE FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND SHALL NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO BUY, SELL, ISSUE OR SUBSCRIBE FOR, OR THE SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY, SELL, ISSUE OR SUBSCRIBE FOR ANY SECURITIES, NOR SHALL THERE BE ANY SALE OF SECURITIES IN ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH OFFER, SOLICITATION OR SALE WOULD BE UNLAWFUL PRIOR TO REGISTRATION OR QUALIFICATION UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY SUCH JURISDICTION.

MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO TAKE PART IN THE EQUITY OFFERING. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AND ANY OFFER OF SECURITIES TO WHICH IT RELATES ARE ONLY ADDRESSED TO AND DIRECTED AT PERSONS WHO ARE (1) QUALIFIED INVESTORS WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE PROSPECTUS REGULATION (EU) 2017/1129 AND (2) WHO HAVE PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE IN MATTERS RELATING TO INVESTMENTS WHO FALL WITHIN ARTICLE 19(1) OF THE FINANCIAL SERVICES AND MARKETS ACT 2000 (FINANCIAL PROMOTION) ORDER 2005 (THE “ORDER”) OR ARE PERSONS FALLING WITHIN ARTICLE 49(2)(A) TO (D) (HIGH NET WORTH COMPANIES, UNINCORPORATED ASSOCIATIONS, ETC) OF THE ORDER OR ARE PERSONS TO WHOM AN OFFER OF THE SECURITIES REFERRED TO HEREIN MAY OTHERWISE LAWFULLY BE MADE (ALL SUCH PERSONS TOGETHER BEING REFERRED TO AS “RELEVANT PERSONS”). THE INFORMATION REGARDING THE EQUITY OFFERING SET OUT IN THIS ANNOUNCEMENT MUST NOT BE ACTED ON OR RELIED ON BY PERSONS WHO ARE NOT RELEVANT PERSONS. ANY INVESTMENT OR INVESTMENT ACTIVITY TO WHICH THIS ANNOUNCEMENT RELATES IS AVAILABLE ONLY TO RELEVANT PERSONS AND WILL BE ENGAGED IN ONLY WITH RELEVANT PERSONS.

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT FOR PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES (INCLUDING ITS TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS, ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA). THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT AN OFFER OF SECURITIES FOR SALE INTO THE UNITED STATES. THE SECURITIES REFERRED TO HEREIN HAVE NOT BEEN AND WILL NOT BE REGISTERED UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD IN THE UNITED STATES, EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AN APPLICABLE EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION. NO PUBLIC OFFERING OF SECURITIES IS BEING MADE IN THE UNITED STATES.

ANY INVESTMENT DECISION TO BUY SECURITIES IN THE EQUITY OFFERING MUST BE MADE SOLELY ON THE BASIS OF PUBLICLY AVAILABLE INFORMATION WHICH HAS NOT BEEN INDEPENDENTLY VERIFIED BY THE SOLE BOOKRUNNER OR THE SELLER. NEITHER THIS ANNOUNCEMENT NOR ANY COPY OF IT MAY BE TAKEN, TRANSMITTED OR DISTRIBUTED, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN OR IN OR INTO ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH OFFERS OR SALES WOULD BE PROHIBITED BY APPLICABLE LAW. ANY FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THIS RESTRICTION MAY CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIAN, CANADIAN, JAPANESE OR OTHER APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS.

THE DISTRIBUTION OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AND THE OFFERING OR SALE OF THE SECURITIES REFERRED TO HEREIN IN CERTAIN JURISDICTIONS MAY BE RESTRICTED BY LAW. NO ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN BY THE SOLE BOOKRUNNER OR ANY OF ITS RESPECTIVE AFFILIATES OR ANY OTHER PERSON THAT WOULD PERMIT AN OFFER OF THE SECURITIES REFERRED TO HEREIN OR POSSESSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT OR ANY OTHER OFFERING OR PUBLICITY MATERIAL RELATING TO THE SECURITIES REFERRED TO HEREIN IN ANY JURISDICTION WHERE ACTION FOR THAT PURPOSE IS REQUIRED. PERSONS INTO WHOSE POSSESSION THIS ANNOUNCEMENT COMES ARE REQUIRED BY THE SOLE BOOKRUNNER TO INFORM THEMSELVES ABOUT AND TO OBSERVE ANY SUCH RESTRICTIONS.

THE SOLE BOOKRUNNER IS ACTING EXCLUSIVELY FOR THE SELLER AND NO ONE ELSE IN CONNECTION WITH THE EQUITY OFFERING. THE SOLE BOOKRUNNER WILL NOT REGARD ANY OTHER PERSON (WHETHER OR NOT A RECIPIENT OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT) AS THEIR CLIENT IN RELATION TO THE EQUITY OFFERING AND THE SOLE BOOKRUNNER WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE TO ANYONE OTHER THAN THE SELLER FOR PROVIDING THE PROTECTIONS AFFORDED TO THEIR CLIENTS NOR FOR GIVING ADVICE IN RELATION TO THE OFFERING OR ANY TRANSACTION, ARRANGEMENT OR OTHER MATTER REFERRED TO IN THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. THE SOLE BOOKRUNNER MAY PARTICIPATE IN THE OFFERING ON A PROPRIETARY BASIS.