[logo]
Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited and The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited take no responsibility for the contents of this announcement, make no representation as to its accuracy or completeness and expressly disclaim any liability whatsoever for any loss howsoever arising from or in reliance upon the whole or any part of the contents of this announcement.
(Incorporated in Bermuda with limited liability)
(Stock Code: 00330)The Board announces that the Group has agreed to sell and lease back the properties currently occupied by the Group as its Hong Kong offices.
On 21 December 2015, the Group concluded definitive agreements to sell the Target Companies, which own the Hong Kong offices of the Group, to the Purchasers, who are independent third parties. On completion of the sale, the Group will lease back the majority of the Properties from the Purchasers to continue as its Hong Kong offices.
The Board is of the view that these Transactions are fair and reasonable, and are in the interests of the Company and its shareholders as a whole.
The Group expects that the disposal of the Sale Assets will record an estimated exceptional net gain of approximately HK$725 million. The actual exceptional net gain will be determined by the accounts of the Target Companies on the date when the sale is completed, and hence, the actual amount of such gain may differ from the above estimate.
The sale and lease back will further enable the Group to focus on its core operations. The proceeds will be used by the Group as its general working capital, including funding any future investment opportunities that may arise. The lease of the Hong Kong offices will better reflect the cost of the local operation, and hence help management efforts to streamline the actual current cost structure.
The sale and lease back constitute a discloseable transaction for the Company under Chapter 14 of the Listing Rules and further details of the Transactions are set out below.
PRINCIPAL TERMS OF THE SALE AND PURCHASE AGREEMENT ("SPA")Date: | 21 December 2015 (after trading hours) |
Parties: | The Vendor, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, and the Purchasers |
Agreement: | The Vendor agreed to sell, and the Purchasers agreed to purchase, the Sale Assets. |
Sale Assets: |
|
Purchase Price: | The purchase price is based on the aggregate net asset value of the Target Companies on Completion to be determined in accordance with the SPA. The net asset value will in effect be computed on the basis of attributing a value of HK$918 million to the Properties and disregarding the Sale Loans as a liability. |
Payment of Final Purchase Price: | The Purchase Price shall be paid by the Purchasers to the Vendor as follows:
|
Completion: | Completion shall take place on 21 March 2016 or such other date as the Vendor and the Purchasers may agree in writing. |
Lease Back of the Properties (save for the 41/F and 3 car parking spaces): | At Completion, four Leases will be concluded between Red Giant as tenant and the relevant Target Companies as landlords in respect of 43/F, 45/F, 47/F and 49/F, 13 car parking spaces and the Signage Area of the Building. Red Giant will be granted a free of charge license period for 75 days from Completion during which it will pay rates, management and air-conditioning charges and all other outgoings of an annual or non-capital nature. The Leases will commence immediately after the expiry of the license period ("Lease Commencement Date"). |
Guarantees: | The Company has agreed to guarantee certain obligations of the Vendor under the SPA and Red Giant (its wholly-owned subsidiary) as tenant under the Leases. |
Parties: | Red Giant as tenant and the Target Companies as landlords |
Properties involved: | The Properties except the 41/F and 3 car parking spaces of the Building |
Duration: | Six years from the Lease Commencement Date (see the last paragraph in the section headed "Principal Terms of the SPA" above), subject to the tenant's right to surrender/terminate as described below |
Rent: | For the first 3 years, the rent for each of the four Leases will be HK$607,605.50 per month, and (subject to the 43/F Lease being surrendered or terminated as described below) the aggregate rent for all Leases will hence be HK$2,430,422 per month, exclusive of rates, management and air-conditioning charges and other outgoings of an annual or non-capital nature. For the second 3 years, the rent for each Lease will be HK$729,126.60 per month, and (subject to any Leases being surrendered or terminated by the tenant as described below) the aggregate rent for all Leases will hence be HK$2,916,506.40 per month, exclusive of rates, management and air-conditioning charges and other outgoings of an annual or non-capital nature. |
Tenant's Option to Surrender/Terminate: | Red Giant will have an option to surrender/terminate :
|
any penalty by serving not less than six months' prior written notice to the relevant landlord; and
(iii) any of the Leases at any time during the fourth to sixth year of the lease term without any penalty by serving not less than twelve months' prior written notice to the relevant landlord.
Upon the expiration of such notice, the relevant Lease(s) will terminate without prejudice to any rights or remedies accrued before the termination of the Lease(s).
The Target Companies are wholly-owned subsidiaries of the Vendor, which is in turn a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company. The Target Companies are properties holding companies engaged in the acquisition, holding and/or leasing of the Properties. The Target Companies own the Properties comprising 41/F, 43/F, 45/F, 47/F and 49/F, 16 car parking spaces and the Signage Area of Enterprise Square Three, No. 39 Wang Chiu Road, Kowloon Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong. The Properties are currently occupied and used by the Group as its Hong Kong offices. On Completion, the Properties (except 41/F and 3 car parking spaces) will be leased back by the Group to continue their existing use.
The Purchasers are companies incorporated in the BVI and are wholly-owned by an investment vehicle the ultimate majority shareholders of which are funds managed by Phoenix Property Investors, a private equity real estate firm which focuses on real estate investments in the Pan-Asian markets.
To the best of the Directors' knowledge, information and belief, having made all reasonable enquiries, the Purchasers and their ultimate beneficial owner(s) are independent third parties and not Connected Persons of the Group.
The Group owns the Esprit international fashion brand that creates inspiring collections for women, men and kids. Esprit's collections are available in around 40 countries worldwide, in over 850 directly managed retail stores and through over 7,600 wholesale points of sales including franchise stores and sales space in department stores.
The terms of the Transactions were determined based on arm's length negotiation between the parties. The Board is of the view that that the terms of the Transactions are fair and reasonable and in the interests of the Company and its shareholders as a whole.
The Group expects that the disposal of the Sale Assets will record an estimated exceptional net gain of approximately HK$725 million. However, the actual exceptional
Esprit Holdings Limited issued this content on 2015-12-21 and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 2015-12-21 12:43:08 UTC
Original Document: http://www.esprit.com/index.php?command=ItemDownload&class=Esprit_Model_IR_DocAttachment&identity=1041