Restructuring and Unbundling

Tiger Brands Ld 19 March 2001 Tiger Brands Limited Formerly Tiger Oats Limited) (Incorporated in the Republic of South Africa) (Registration number 1944/017881/06) ('Tiger Brands') Restructuring and unbundling of the Agri-Poultry interests of Tiger Brands 1. Introduction ING Barings is authorised to announce that, further to the Tiger Brands' group results announcement of 16 November 2000 and the further cautionary announcements of 15 January 2001 and 5 March 2001 wherein Tiger Brands advised shareholders of its intention to unbundle its Agri-Poultry interests, the Board of Tiger Brands has now resolved, subject to Tiger Brands' shareholder approval, to proceed therewith. Tiger Brands will therefore restructure its Agri-Poultry interests under a new holding company, Astral Foods Limited ('Astral Foods') ('the restructuring'), thereafter distribute its entire shareholding in Astral Foods on the record date to Tiger Brands' shareholders ('the unbundling') and make an application for the separate listing of the shares in Astral Foods on the JSE Securities Exchange South Africa ('the JSE'). The unbundling of Astral Foods will result in Tiger Brands being a streamlined and focused company, with its core activities concentrated on three main pillars of business, comprising: - Food Brands; - Healthcare Brands; and - Spar. 2. Background to and reasons for the unbundling Over the past two years, Tiger Brands has been refocusing on its core activities and, where appropriate, acquiring minority shareholdings in its subsidiaries. This has included the disposals of Golden Lay Farms, Island View Shipping, the fresh meat operations of ICS Holdings, Marine Oil Refiners, Logos Agvet, Cereal and Malt and Tiger Brands' 50% shareholdings in The Cold Chain, Bull Brand, Continental Oil and SA Bulk Terminals, as well as its 35% holding in Fedics. Acquisitions have included the purchase of a 20% shareholding (recently increased to 24%) in Chilean-based Empresas Carozzi and the purchase of the outstanding shareholdings in Adcock Ingram, Langeberg, Beacon Sweets and recently delisted Sea Harvest Corporation. The unbundling of Astral Foods will enable Tiger Brands to focus on its core activities comprising Food Brands, Healthcare Brands and Spar. The majority of its products are market leaders in their respective sectors. These products have common distribution channels and consumers, thereby underpinning Tiger Brands' position as one of the leading branded consumer goods companies in southern Africa. Following the unbundling, Tiger Brands intends to increase its investment in building differentiated branded products in order to drive top-line growth in its core categories. In addition, where appropriate, Tiger Brands will continue to pursue opportunities to streamline the group structure to achieve additional administration, finance and supply chain management savings. Together, these initiatives will form the basis for the continued success of Tiger Brands. The restructuring and the unbundling of Astral Foods will create a focused group of complementary businesses in the agri-poultry industry. In addition, as a separately listed company on the JSE, Astral Foods will be better positioned to take advantage of acquisition opportunities in its respective areas of focus. The unbundling will also allow investors to ascribe appropriate individual share price ratings for Tiger Brands and Astral Foods, aligned to the industry specific dynamics of the respective groups. It is anticipated that this will enhance overall shareholder value. 3. Operating structure of Astral Foods Astral Foods' operating structure is set out below: - 34.9% in National Chick Ltd ('Natchix') which in turn owns 29% in Elite Breeding Farms. - 100% in ICS Group Ltd which in turn owns 100% in Meadow Feeds Division ('Meadow Feeds'), 100% in Ross Poultry Breeders (Pty) Ltd ('Ross Poultry') and 50% in Earlybird Farm (Pty) Ltd ('Earlybird'). - 100% in County Fair Holdings (Pty) Ltd which in turn owns 100% in County Fair Foods (Pty) Ltd ('County Fair') and 53% in Elite Breeding Farms. - 50% in Nutec Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd ('Nutec SA'). - 100% in Meadow Feeds Ltd (Malawi). - 80% in Africa Feeds Ltd (Zambia). - 32% in Meaders Feeds Ltd (Mauritius). 4. Nature of Astral Foods' business Astral Foods is a leading South African agri-poultry group with key activities in animal feeds, animal feed pre-mixes, broiler genetic breeding and broiler operations. Each of its businesses is regarded as being a leader in its respective markets, with significant complementary synergies across the Astral Foods group. For the year ended 30 September 2000 Astral Foods recorded, in aggregate, a pro forma turnover of approximately R2 442 million, operating profit of approximately R174 million and a return on net assets of approximately 31%. Astral Foods' operations generate significant positive cashflows which will provide the platform for Astral Foods to continue to develop its presence in existing markets, fund expansion and to invest in new technologies. It is Astral Foods' intention to provide for a dividend cover of approximately 3 times. Astral Foods is confident of continued success in its chosen markets and is well positioned to exploit further growth opportunities based on its strategic focus of being an industry leader in terms of low cost production, whilst using world-class technology and innovation to facilitate growth in existing and new markets. 4.1 Animal feeds Meadow Feeds Meadow Feeds is a market leader in the South African animal feed industry and operates six feed mills, located in Randfontein, Delmas, Welkom, Paarl, Pietermaritzburg and Humansdorp. Astral Foods' animal feed interests in the rest of Africa comprise an 80% interest in Africa Feeds (Zambia), a 100% stake in Meadow Feeds (Malawi) and a 32% shareholding in Meaders Feeds (Mauritius). Meadow Feeds serves a wide range of customers in the poultry, egg, livestock and dairy industries including other members of the Astral Foods group. Sales to these inter-group companies, which include Earlybird (a 50% joint venture company with OTK Holdings Limited, a JSE listed company), Ross Poultry and County Fair are made on normal commercial terms. In addition, Meadow Feeds supplies other industry participants including Rainbow Chicken Limited and Golden Lay. Meadow Feeds has an extensive distribution network comprising 101 agents and depots throughout South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and Swaziland. This provides Meadow Feeds with a broad reach both domestically and into the growing markets in southern and central Africa. 4.2 Animal feed pre-mixes Nutec SA Nutec SA was established in 1996 as a joint venture in animal feed pre-mixes with Nutec UK, whose parent company is Provimi of Holland, a leading international animal feed nutrition company. Nutec SA is the leading vitamin/mineral animal feed pre-mix company in sub-Saharan Africa and is an ISO 9002 accredited company. Nutec SA adopts world-class practices and is highly regarded within the feed industry. 4.3 Broiler genetics Ross Poultry Ross Poultry supplies breeding stock for the South African broiler industry and is the leading provider of broiler parent stock in South Africa. It has a strategic link, through a technology agreement, with Ross Breeders of Scotland, which provides it with a competitive edge domestically in genetics, technology and ongoing research and development in the poultry industry. Discussions are taking place with Ross Breeders of Scotland to reinforce the relationship between Ross Breeders of Scotland and Ross Poultry. Ross Poultry is proud of its achievement in the development of the 'Ross 788' broiler which is the only broiler in South Africa that has been specifically bred for broiler production at high altitude. This has significant relevance as approximately 50% of South Africa's poultry is reared at high altitude. Ross Poultry undertakes pedigree selection, produces grandparents from pedigree stocks and ultimately produces day old grandparents or parents for sale to the poultry interests of Astral Foods and for the broader poultry market, both domestically and in the southern Africa region. Ross Poultry supplies broiler parent stock to Elite Breeding Farms, one of the leading producers of the 'Ross 788' and 'Ross 308' parent broilers in South Africa, who in turn supplies broilers to County Fair, both of which are members of the Astral Foods group. 4.4 Broilers County Fair County Fair, the leading broiler producer in the Western Cape, produces fresh, individual quick-frozen and a range of value-added poultry products. As a result of its focus on achieving global competitiveness through low cost production, maximisation of processing efficiencies and improved service to customers, County Fair is amongst the lowest cost broiler producers in South Africa. County Fair has a 53% interest in Elite Breeding Farms. This relationship, in conjunction with Ross Poultry, provides County Fair with a leading edge in the genetic breeding process for South African conditions. County Fair's poultry activities include parent rearing, laying, hatcheries, broiler production, processing, sales and distribution. Earlybird Earlybird is based in Gauteng and Mpumalanga and its activities include parent rearing, laying, hatcheries, broiler production, processing, sales and distribution. Earlybird is a 50% joint venture company with OTK Holdings Limited. It is the largest national poultry producer of individual quick frozen products with a strong presence in the retail and informal markets and its brands include the well-known Goldi and Festive names. 4.5 Natchix Astral Foods has a 34,9% equity interest in Natchix, a JSE listed company that produces and sells day old chicks for the broiler and egg producing industries. Natchix has broiler chick operations in South Africa, Swaziland, Botswana and Lesotho and has recently expanded into feed milling through Nutrex Holdings with the objective of investing in regional animal feed mills focused on independent poultry producers. Natchix also distributes animal health care products. 5. Salient financial information on Astral Foods The table below is a summary of the aggregate financial information for the Agri-Poultry interests reconstituted under Astral Foods based on the audited financial statements of the underlying components of Astral Foods. This financial information is provided for illustrative purposes only. Year ended 2000 30 September 1996 1997 1998 1999 (pro R million forma) Turnover 1 763 2 078 2 347 2 285 2 442 Profit before interest and taxation 111 155 194 175 174(1) Net tangible asset value 266(2) Notes: (1) The pro forma financial information for the year ended 30 September 2000 represents the actual results of Astral Foods adjusted for the reversal of a provision in County Fair in respect of a potential claim of R13,4 million, which was resolved at no cost and the accrual of additional costs associated with Astral Foods being a listed company of R1 million. (2) The net tangible asset value of Astral Foods subsequent to the restructuring. 6. Directors Jan van den Berg (64) - BCom Non-Executive Chairman Director of companies including Iscor Limited and Deputy Chairman of Saambou Holdings Limited. Appointed to the Tiger Brands board in 1990. Appointed as Non-Executive Chairman to the Astral Foods board, effective 19 February 2001. Nick Wentzel (45) - BCom, CA(SA) Chief Executive Officer Appointed Divisional Chairman of Tiger Agri-Poultry in 1995 and in 1997 appointed Divisional Chairman of Tiger Milling and Baking operations. On leaving Tiger Brands in 1997, was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Genfood, the country's largest milling and baking operation following its take-over of Premier Milling. After successfully integrating the Premier Milling operations into Genfood, has returned to head up Astral Foods. Has extensive experience across the spectrum of the food industry ranging from primary products to fast-moving consumer goods. Tom Pritchard (46) - BCom (Honours), CA(SA) Financial Director Was with ICS Group for 15 years and was Group Financial Director of ICS Holdings for 6 years. On the acquisition of ICS by Tiger Brands, was appointed Financial Director for the Branded Consumer Products Division of Tiger Brands and as director of various subsidiaries, including Beacon Sweets, Langeberg, Tastic Rice and Jungle Oats. Joined Thebe Investment Corporation Limited as Financial Director prior to accepting the position of Financial Director of Astral Foods. Has extensive experience in the food industry with particular expertise in financial management including information technology integration and corporate financial activities. Mike Kingston (49) Managing Director: Poultry Division As head of the Poultry Division, is accountable for County Fair, Ross Poultry and Nutec SA, together with Astral Foods' interests in Earlybird and Natchix. Has extensive experience in the poultry industry having been with Rainbow Chicken Limited for 12 years. Joined Country Bird in 1986 and returned the operations to profitability, thereafter taking up a managerial position at County Fair, being responsible for all aspects of parent breeding including sales, marketing and finance. Managed Elite Breeding Farms for a period. Has served on the South African Poultry Association for over 15 years and is a past chairman of the Broiler Organisation Committee. Roger Parry (52) - BCom (Honours), CA(SA) Managing Director: Animal Feeds Division Managing Director of Meadow Feeds with overall responsibility for the Animal Feeds Division. Has 22 years' experience with Meadow Feeds having been involved in various roles from financial director to operational director, culminating in assuming the position of Managing Director. Evert Groeneweg (64) - CA(SA), PMD (Harvard) Non-Executive Director Director of companies, including Santam Limited, Spoornet and Ingwe Coal Corporation Limited. Previously on the boards of Barlow Rand Limited (Barloworld) and many of its subsidiaries, in particular Rand Mines Limited and its subsidiaries, NBS Holdings Limited and several of its subsidiaries, Saambou Holdings Limited, RMB Holdings Limited, Barprop Limited and Guardian National Insurance Company Limited. Charles van Veyeren (67) - BSc Agriculture (Pretoria) Non-Executive Director Director of companies, including Chairman of Onderberg Processing Co-operative and Malelane Citrus Co-operative. In addition, on the boards of the Land Bank, Agricultural Research Council and the Citrus Industry Trust and serves on the Tariffs/Marketing and Development Committee and the National Water Advisory Committee. Is a past executive member of the South African Agricultural Union. 7. Prospects for Astral Foods The Astral Foods' directors are of the opinion that the underlying dynamics of the markets that Astral Foods serves, should enable Astral Foods to grow earnings at a satisfactory rate. In addition, a program of ongoing improvement in operating efficiencies and of adherence to a policy of ensuring technical leadership in process operations, should enable an enhanced performance over the medium term. Astral Foods will seek to take advantage of acquisition opportunities in order to enhance its earnings. The businesses within the Astral Foods group are amongst the leaders in their respective industries in South Africa, with world-class operating standards and facilities. Astral Foods has strong brands such as Meadow, Ross and County Fair, as well as Goldi and Festive which are owned by Earlybird. These brands enjoy high customer satisfaction and brand awareness ratings. This strong brand positioning, coupled with a reputation for quality, bodes well for future growth and market penetration. The executive directorate of Astral Foods and the management teams of the underlying businesses have wide-ranging experience in the food and agri-poultry industries, which is regarded as a strength of Astral Foods. The extensive involvement and interaction of management across Astral Foods will ensure that synergies are fully exploited. 8. Details of the restructuring and unbundling A restructuring and unbundling agreement, in terms of section 39 of the Taxation Laws Amendment Act, 20 of 1994, as amended, has been entered into between Tiger Brands, certain of its subsidiaries and associated companies, and Astral Foods (formerly known as Leknarf Investments (Proprietary) Limited) to facilitate the transfer of Tiger Brands' Agri-Poultry interests into a single structure controlled by Astral Foods, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tiger Brands. As consideration, Astral Foods will issue 42 914 000 additional Astral Foods' shares at a premium of 620,5 cents per share to Tiger Brands and will settle the balance of the consideration, amounting to R121 494 000, in cash immediately prior to the unbundling. The total number of Astral Foods' shares to be held by Tiger Brands, subsequent to the restructuring, will amount to 42 924 000 Astral Foods' shares, which includes Tiger Brands' initial shareholding of 10 000 Astral Foods' shares. Immediately prior to the unbundling, Tiger Brands will transfer, for a consideration of R9 244 897, a total of 1 487 891 Astral Foods' shares to the Tiger Brands (1985) Share Trust in order to allow existing option holders in Tiger Brands to whom options in respect of shares in Tiger Brands have been granted, but which have not yet been exercised on the record date, to receive Astral Foods' shares if options in respect thereof are exercised after the record date. Pursuant to the restructuring and unbundling agreement, Tiger Brands will then distribute, by way of a dividend in specie, in terms of section 60(2) of the Income Tax Act, 113 of 1993, as amended (the unbundling legislation), its remaining shareholding of 41 436 109 Astral Foods' shares to Tiger Brands' shareholders in the ratio of 25 (twenty five) Astral Foods' shares for every 100 (one hundred) Tiger Brands' shares held on the record date of the unbundling. Subject to Tiger Brands' shareholders' approval being obtained at a general meeting, the distribution will be implemented by Tiger Brands, in terms of section 90 of the Companies Act, 1973 (Act 61 of 1973), as amended, by reducing its share premium account by R49,7 million and decreasing its distributable reserves by R207,8 million. Tiger Brands has obtained approval from the Commissioner of the South African Revenue Services for the restructuring and unbundling of Astral Foods and approval has been obtained from the JSE for the listing of Astral Foods in the Industrial -'Food' sector of the JSE lists. The effective date of the restructuring is 23 September 2000. Consequently, notwithstanding the implementation date of the unbundling, Astral Foods' maiden set of results will cover the twelve-month period ending 30 September 2001. 9. Condition precedent The implementation of the restructuring and the unbundling is subject to the passing of the requisite resolution in terms of section 90 of the Companies Act, 1973 (Act 61 of 1973), as amended, to be proposed at a general meeting of Tiger Brands' shareholders. 10. Financial effects on Tiger Brands The table below sets out the financial effects of the unbundling on Tiger Brands for the year ended 30 September 2000, on the basis that the unbundling was effective 1 October 1999, but that the capital restructuring of Astral Foods was only effective 1 October 2000(8): R million Cents Fully Net Income Net Headline diluted tangible (9) attributable tangible earnings headline asset to ordinary asset per earnings value shareholders (1) value (3) share (2) per share (2) per share (4) Tiger Brands' audited information before the unbundling 957.9 893.8 601.8 593.5 539.6 Adjustments: - Astral Foods' results (5) (75.3) (257.5) (44.7) (43.4) (155.5) - Astral Foods' share of obligations (6) - (27.0) - - (16.3) Pro forma restated information (7) 882.6 609.3 557.1 550.1 367.8 Notes: 1. For the year ended 30 September 2000. 2. Headline earnings per share is based on 165 562 688 shares, being the weighted average shares in issue during the year ended 30 September 2000. Fully diluted headline earnings per share is based on 170 536 038 shares. 3. Ordinary shareholders' funds at 30 September 2000. 4. Tiger Brands shares in issue at 30 September 2000: 165 643 235. 5. Astral Foods' pro forma profit after tax to be excluded from Tiger Brands' reported results. 6. Astral Foods' share of Tiger Brands' post-retirement medical aid obligations as at 30 September 2000, net of taxation. 7. Pro forma results of Tiger Brands excluding Astral Foods. 8. Had the capital restructuring of Astral Foods taken place effective 1 October 1999, the income attributable to ordinary shareholders of Tiger Brands, headline earnings per share and fully diluted headline earnings per share for the year ended 30 September 2000 would have been R858,9 million, 542,8 cents and 536,2 cents respectively. 9. Net tangible asset value is the equivalent of net asset value, there being no goodwill on record. Subsequent to the unbundling, Tiger Brands' shareholders will hold directly their effective pro rata entitlement of Tiger Brands' interest in Astral Foods. The proposed unbundling should have no effect on the earnings and net asset value attributable to a Tiger Brands' shareholder, other than in respect of the provision for the post-retirement medical aid obligation of Astral Foods which was not accounted for by Tiger Brands as at 30 September 2000. 11. Timetable, shareholder circular, pre-listing statement and general meeting A circular, including the pre-listing statement of Astral Foods, will be posted to Tiger Brands' shareholders on or about Monday, 19 March 2001. A general meeting will be held on Thursday, 5 April 2001, at which Tiger Brands' shareholders will be requested to vote on the resolution necessary to effect the unbundling and ancillary matters. It is anticipated that the record date of the unbundling will be the close of business on Friday, 6 April 2001 and the separate listing of Astral Foods will take effect on Monday, 9 April 2001, at which time an abridged pre-listing statement will be published. For and on behalf of the Board of Tiger Brands Sandton Financial adviser and sponsor Ing Barings Corporate law advisers and consultants Edward Nathan & Friedland Edward Nathan & Friedland (Pty) Ltd (Registration number 1999/026464/07 Reporting accountants and auditors Arthur Andersen
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