Response to Pendragon

Lookers PLC 21 April 2006 21 April 2006 Lookers plc Response to Pendragon ('Pendragon PLC') Announcement The Board of Lookers notes the announcement by Pendragon earlier today. In the opinion of the Lookers board, this statement by Sir Nigel Rudd remains totally unconvincing in his arguments in favour of Pendragon's inadequate proposal. Once more, Pendragon failed: • to substantiate how Lookers shareholders would benefit from becoming part of a lower growth business like Pendragon; and • why Lookers shareholders should contemplate a transaction that could be significantly earnings dilutive for them. Pendragon continues to: • cite selective and crude premia comparisons that your Board considers to be misleading and irrelevant; and • attempt to mislead Lookers shareholders that they would get the same deal as it offered to Vardy shareholders. Your Board believes that it has conclusively demonstrated that the terms are worse. Moreover, Pendragon appears to have acknowledged that there is a risk that some manufacturers will refuse to trade with Pendragon and therefore that there is a real risk that revenues will be lost. Pendragon also acknowledges that it will only be protected by EU rules where it already has a franchise of a particular brand. Your Board would add that Pendragon does not operate six of the seven brands that Lookers has indicated that it considers to be at risk. Profit forecast Pendragon has questioned the deliverability of Lookers profit forecast. Lookers board draws your attention to the following: • Pendragon makes no reference to Lookers 2006 Q1 statement (adjusted PBT up 90%); • in 2006 Q1, Lookers delivered 43% of the full year profit forecast; • the 2006 Q1 trading statement and profit forecast have both been reported on by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP and reviewed by Lookers financial adviser NM Rothschild & Sons Limited Also, Pendragon has chosen to rely on outdated brokers forecasts for Lookers the majority of which were last updated more than two months ago prior to Lookers preliminary results and prior to Lookers Q1 trading update. This is another deliberate attempt by Pendragon to mislead Lookers shareholders and is illustrative of its questionable tactics. Lookers performance Lookers continues to outperform its peers and has exceptional growth prospects as an independent company. • Lookers 2005 adjusted operating profit up 31% on 2004 • Lookers 2005 adjusted PBT up 28% on 2004 • Lookers 2005 adjusted eps up 22% on 2004 • Lookers Q1 2006 adjusted operating profit up 71% on the same period in 2005 • Lookers Q1 2006 adjusted PBT up 90% on the same period in 2005 • Lookers 2006 forecast adjusted PBT up 39% on 2005 • Lookers 2006 forecast adjusted eps up 30% on 2005 • Pendragon 2005 forecast adjusted eps up just 11% on 2004 • Pendragon 2006 forecast adjusted eps up just 15% on 2005 Pendragon's growth rates are significantly lower than those of Lookers. Recommendation Shareholders should reject Pendragon's offer which the Board believes is neither 'full' nor 'fair'. Ken Surgenor, Chief Executive said: 'Our results for the important first quarter demonstrate that we are outperforming the market with a proven strategy and underpin the profit forecast for 2006. Pendragon has completely failed to address the important concerns we have raised. Its offer significantly undervalues Lookers and comes with significant risks.' Responsibility The Directors of Lookers accept responsibility for the information contained in this document, except that the only responsibility accepted by them in respect of the information contained in this document relating to Pendragon, its subsidiary undertakings and the Directors of Pendragon which has been compiled from published sources, is to ensure that such information has been correctly and fairly reproduced and presented. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the Directors (who have taken all reasonable care to ensure that such is the case) the information contained in this document is in accordance with the facts and does not omit anything likely to affect the import of such information. Enquiries: Ken Surgenor David Dyson Lookers plc 0161 291 0043 Richard Bailey Andrew Thomas N M Rothschild & Sons Limited 0161 827 3800 Andrew Hayes Nick Lyon James Hill Hudson Sandler 020 7796 4133 Christopher Wilkinson Numis Securities 020 7776 1530 N M Rothschild & Sons Limited ('Rothschild'), which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority in the United Kingdom, is acting for Lookers in connection with the Offer and no one else and will not be responsible to anyone other than Lookers for providing the protections offered to clients of N M Rothschild & Sons Limited nor for providing advice in relation to the Offer. This announcement contains statements that are or may be forward-looking with respect to the financial condition, results of operations and businesses of Lookers. These forward-looking statements include risk and uncertainty because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that will occur in the future. There are a number of factors which could cause or may cause actual results or developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Dealing Disclosure Requirements Under the provisions of Rule 8.3 of the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers (the 'Code'), if any person is, or becomes, 'interested' (directly or indirectly) in 1% or more of any class of 'relevant securities' of Lookers or Pendragon, all ' dealings' in any 'relevant securities' of that company (including by means of an option in respect of, or a derivative referenced to, any such 'relevant securities') must be publicly disclosed by no later than 3:30pm (London time) on the London business day following the date of the relevant transaction. This requirement will continue until the date on which the offer becomes, or is declared, unconditional as to acceptances, lapses or is otherwise withdrawn or on which the 'offer period' otherwise ends. If two or more persons act together pursuant to an agreement or understanding, whether formal or informal, to acquire an 'interest' in 'relevant securities' of Lookers or Pendragon, they will be deemed to be a single person for the purpose of Rule 8.3. Under the provisions of Rule 8.1 of the Code, all 'dealings' in 'relevant securities' of Lookers or Pendragon by Lookers or Pendragon, or by any of their respective 'associates', must be disclosed by no later than 12:00 noon (London time) on the London business day following the date of the relevant transaction. A disclosure table, giving details of the companies in whose 'relevant securities' 'dealings' should be disclosed, and the number of such securities in issue, can be found on the Takeover Panel's website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk. 'Interests in securities' arise, in summary, when a person has long economic exposure, whether conditional or absolute, to changes in the price of securities. In particular, a person will be treated as having an 'interest' by virtue of the ownership or control of securities, or by the virtue of any option in respect of, or derivative referenced to, securities. Terms in quotation marks are defined in the Code, which can also be found on the Panel's website. If you are in any doubt as to whether or not you are required to disclose a 'dealing' under Rule 8, you should consult the Panel. Sources and bases The definitions, bases of calculations and sources of information are the same as those contained in Appendix 6 of the Circular issued to Lookers shareholders on 19 April 2006 with the exception of the references to the consensus forecast earnings per share for Lookers and the brokers forecasts which form part of that consensus which is sourced from Hemscott Group Limited, and the statement that Lookers has delivered 43% of its full year profit forecast which is based upon the £11.0 million profit contained in Lookers first quarter trading update divided by £25.1 million contained in the full year profit forecast, sourced from Appendices 1 and 2 of the Lookers defence document respectively. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

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