Zaandam, the Netherlands – Ahold today announced the amount per share and reverse stock split ratio.
On March 27, 2014 after close of New York Stock Exchange trading hours, the reverse stock split will take place by way of a consolidation of every 13 existing shares with a nominal value of €0.30 each, into 12 new shares with a nominal value of €0.01 each against payment of €1.14 per remaining share.
Provided that no objection to the capital repayment has been filed, the date for the capital repayment of €1.14 per remaining share will be April 3, 2014.
For shareholders holding shares through Euroclear Nederland the record date for the capital repayment has been fixed at the close of trading hours on Euronext Amsterdam on April 1, 2014. The ex-date on Euronext Amsterdam will be March 28, 2014. Shareholders holding their shares with a bank or broker will be informed by their respective bank or broker. Shareholders registered in the register of Ahold will be informed by Ahold about the administrative process. Holders of American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) will be paid in U.S. dollars and must hold their ADRs after close of trading in the United States on March 31, 2014.
Barring unforeseen circumstances, the timetable for the capital repayment and reverse stock split is therefore as follows:
March 28, 2014: ex-date
April 1, 2014: record date for the capital repayment
April 3, 2014: payment date
If the number of shares held by any one shareholder is not exactly divisible by 12, banks and brokers will round positions up or down, depending on the particular contractual arrangements between the bank or broker and the shareholder.
Cautionary notice
This press release includes forward-looking statements, which do not refer to historical facts but refer to expectations based on management's current views and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those included in such statements. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements as to the expected timetable, the possibility of creditor objection, the dates of actual payment and the contractual arrangements between the bank or broker and the shareholder. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Many of these risks and uncertainties relate to factors that are beyond Ahold’s ability to control or estimate precisely, such as the effect of general economic or political conditions, fluctuations in exchange rates or interest rates, increases or changes in competition, Ahold’s ability to implement and complete successfully its plans and strategies, the benefits from and resources generated by Ahold’s plans and strategies being less than or different from those anticipated, changes in Ahold’s liquidity needs, the actions of competitors and third parties and other factors discussed in Ahold’s public filings and other disclosures. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. Ahold does not assume any obligation to update any public information or forward-looking statements in this press release to reflect subsequent events or circumstances, except as may be required by applicable laws. Outside the Netherlands, Koninklijke Ahold N.V., being its registered name, presents itself under the name of “Royal Ahold” or simply “Ahold”.
