Proposed Acquisition from Adaptive Broadband Corp

Vislink PLC 27 June 2000 Vislink plc announces the proposed acquisition of the Microwave Radio Communications ('MRC') business of Adaptive Broadband Corporation ('ADAP') and placing of 7.7 million new Ordinary Shares. The board of Vislink plc ('Vislink') is pleased to announce today the proposed acquisition of the MRC business of Adaptive Broadband Corporation for a consideration of up to US$20.75 million. Vislink is focused on its high growth technology businesses comprising its broadcast and telecommunications and video technology divisions. Highlights of the acquisition of MRC are: - MRC is the major supplier of broadcast microwave terrestrial links in the United States with an estimated market share in excess of 50%, with annual sales of US$34.8 million to 30 June 1999. - Growth opportunities in the United States from the mandatory requirement for all TV stations to convert to digital TV within the next three years. - Opportunity for Vislink to build a broader based broadcast and telecommunications business by incorporating the full range of Vislink broadcast products that are suited to the United States market. - Benefits from the combined research and development resources of MRC and Vislink will enable the group to broaden its product offerings. Funding of the acquisition: - Placing of 7,758,621 new ordinary shares at 58 pence per share raising £4.5 million. - Balance by way of medium term bank facilities. Commenting on the Acquisition, Bob Morton, Chairman of Vislink, said: 'The acquisition of MRC is a further step in allowing the Group to create a global microwave broadcast and satellite communications business. The business of MRC fits well within the Vislink broadcast and telecommunications division and the acquisition of MRC, which has a strong brand name in the United States and Canada, will provide the opportunity for Vislink to break into the North American market. Following the acquisition the Group should be able to strengthen its international position for both digital and analogue broadcast quality television transmission equipment and address the growth in digital systems around the world.' For further information on Tuesday 27 June 2000, please contact: Ian Scott-Gall 020 7353 1500 Chief Executive, Vislink plc Andrew Edwards 020 7597 5970 Director, Investec Henderson Crosthwaite Corporate Finance Andrew Sharkey / Emmanuel Kenning 020 7353 1500 Luther Pendragon Vislink plc 27 June 2000 Proposed acquisition of the Microwave Radio Communications ('MRC') business of Adaptive Broadband Corporation ('ADAP') and placing of 7.7 million new Ordinary Shares Introduction Vislink plc ('Vislink' or the 'Company') announces today the proposed acquisition of MRC for a consideration of up to US$20.75 million (equivalent to approximately £13.8 million) (the 'Acquisition'). MRC is based in the United States of America and is involved in the design, manufacture and marketing of digital and analogue microwave radios. The Company also announces today a placing of new ordinary shares to raise approximately £4.5 million (before expenses) (the 'Placing') to finance part of the consideration for the Acquisition. The remainder of the consideration for the Acquisition will be financed from bank facilities arranged for the purpose (the 'Facility'). In view of its size, the Acquisition is conditional, inter alia, on the approval of shareholders of Vislink ('Shareholders'). The Placing is also conditional, inter alia, on Shareholder approval. An Extraordinary General Meeting will be convened to seek such approvals. The acquisition of MRC is a further step in allowing the Group to create a global microwave broadcast and satellite communications business. Following the Acquisition, the Group proposes to continue to develop the broadcast and telecommunications division organically through both market growth and new product development. Further information regarding the Acquisition and the Placing can be found in a circular to be posted to Shareholders later this week. The business of MRC MRC designs, manufactures and markets digital and analogue microwave radios for Studio-toTransmitter Links ('STLs'), portable outside broadcast applications and electronic news gathering ('ENG') applications and has operated as a division of ADAP since 1992. MRC provides products and services principally into two markets. Firstly, MRC supplies the market for analogue and digital point-to-point microwave systems for transporting video signals for television broadcast operations, including ENG applications, international outside broadcast operations, inter- city relays, satellite back-hauls, STLs and regional networks. MRC has been operating in this market for over 35 years. This market currently accounts for the majority of MRC's sales both in the United States and internationally. Secondly, since 1993 MRC has supplied the market for analogue and digital point-to-point microwave systems for transporting tactical communications traffic for the military in battlefield and remote operations environments. In the opinion of the Directors, MRC has the leading market share in the broadcast microwave terrestrial links business in the United States, estimated to be in excess of 50 per cent. A growth opportunity is anticipated in the next two to three years based on the United States Federal Communications Commission's mandated requirement for studios to convert to digital television by May 2003 for up to 1,600 television stations. This conversion requirement creates a significant near-term opportunity for suppliers of digital STLs. MRC is well positioned to take advantage of this opportunity, having introduced a range of dual-carrier (analogue and digital) microwave systems for digital STLs. Proposed digital conversions elsewhere in the world provide future opportunities. MRC operates in the point-to-point microwave market which, for systems operating above 1.5 mega bytes per second, is estimated by the Directors to be worth approximately US$2.2 billion per annum overall. Within that market, MRC currently addresses the broadcast segment of the microwave links sector of the nonpublic microwave networks market, estimated by the Directors to be worth approximately US$400 to US$600 million per annum with a recent compound average growth rate of 15 per cent. For the financial year ended 30 June 1999 MRC earned operating profits of US$0.8 million (1998 -- operating losses of US$5.1 million) on sales of US$34.8 million (1998 - US$33.2 million). The 1998 operating losses include stock write-offs of US$5.3 million. As at 30 June 1999 MRC had net operating assets of US$25.4 million including US$17.6 million of net inter-group debtors which will be retained by ADAP (1998 -- US$24.6 million including US$16.1 million of net inter-group debtors). Terms of the Acquisition The Company, through its United States subsidiary, RF Technology Inc. ('RFT'), has conditionally agreed to acquire MRC for a consideration of up to US$20.75 million (equivalent to approximately £13.8 million). US$19.251 million (equivalent to approximately £12.8 million) of the consideration is to be satisfied in cash on Completion. The balance of the consideration will be an amount equal to any positive difference between the value of the net assets of MRC on Completion (as derived from a balance sheet prepared as at the date of Completion and audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers) and the value of the net assets of MRC on 30 April 2000 (as shown in an unaudited balance sheet of MRC as at that date prepared by ADAP) up to a maximum consideration of US$20.75 million and will be paid in cash following the determination of the net asset value at Completion. If the net asset value at Completion is less than the net asset value on 30 April 2000, ADAP will repay to RFT an amount equal to the difference. The Acquisition Agreement is conditional, inter alia, on Shareholder approval, the Company obtaining the necessary finance to complete the Acquisition (such finance to be provided partly by the Placing and partly by theFacility) and any applicable waiting period under the United States Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 in respect of the Acquisition having expired or been terminated. The Acquisition Agreement contains warranties and indemnities by ADAP in favour of RFT in respect of, inter alia, the financial and trading position of MRC. Reasons for and benefits of the Acquisition Vislink's broadcast and telecommunications division has strong representation in the United Kingdom and in international markets which have followed the European and United Kingdom broadcast video technology. The United States market and the markets of those countries which have followed the United States standards have proved to have significant barriers to entry, due in particular to the market strength of MRC. The business of MRC fits well within the Vislink broadcast and telecommunications division and the acquisition of MRC, which has a strong brand name in the United States and Canada, will provide the opportunity for Vislink to break into the North American market, in which Vislink's current sales in the broadcast and telecommunications division are less than US$2.5 million. As there is little competing product overlap between Vislink and MRC, the Acquisition should also enable Vislink to build a broader-based broadcast and telecommunications business by incorporating the full range of Vislink products that are suited to the United States' market. Furthermore, MRC has a strong presence in Korea where Vislink has only a limited presence. It is proposed that technology already available within the Group will be supplied to MRC and used to develop the market for the Group in the United States. In addition, the combined research and development resources of MRC and the Group will enable the Group to broaden its product offerings. It is also proposed that, as the market for combined ENG and satellite news gathering grows, the Group's mobile satellite communications products will be channelled through MRC. Funding of the Acquisition The Acquisition will be funded partly by the recently agreed Facility of up to £14 million (of which £3.6 million relates to existing loans) (the 'Facility Agreement'), which is repayable by quarterly instalments over seven years, and partly by the proceeds of the Placing. The Placing comprises 7,758,621 new Ordinary Shares to be issued at 58p per share. Investec Bank has agreed to use reasonable endeavours to procure placees for the new Ordinary Shares. The Placing has been fully underwritten by Investec Bank (UK) Limited. In order to implement the Placing, Shareholder approval will be sought to disapply Shareholders' statutory pre-emption rights. The Placing is conditional, inter alia, upon the passing of the resolutions to be proposed at the Extraordinary General meeting, the Facility Agreement becoming unconditional, the Acquisition Agreement becoming unconditional and admission of the new Ordinary Shares to trading of the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange ('Admission'). It is expected that Admission will take place and dealings in the new Ordinary Shares will commence on or about 28 July 2000. The new Ordinary Shares will rank pari passu with the existing issued Ordinary Shares. Applications will be made for the new Ordinary Shares to be admitted to the Official Lists of the Irish Stock Exchange and the UK Listing Authority, and to be admitted to trading on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange. The Board believes that there would be significant advantages to the Group's holding company being an English rather than an Irish company, especially in view of the fact that the business of the Group is managed from the United Kingdom. Accordingly, it is the intention of the Board, in due course, to take the necessary steps, subject, inter alia, to Shareholder and court approval, to effect this change.
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