Munich, 1 July 2012 - Linde has signed a merger
agreement with Lincare Holdings Inc., a US-based homecare
health company. Linde intends to acquire all outstanding
shares of Lincare Holdings Inc. by submitting a cash offer
to the Lincare Holdings Inc. shareholders of USD 41.50 per
common share, followed by a merger. The planned acquisition
has a total transaction volume of approximately USD 4.6
billion. Closing is expected for the third quarter of
fiscal year 2012. Completion of the offer and merger is
subject to receipt of regulatory approvals and other
customary closing conditions.
The funding of the transaction will be done by an
acquisition loan in the total amount of USD 4.5 bn and
through available cash. The acquisition loan will be
refinanced by debt and equity issuances.
The tender offer described herein has not yet commenced,
and this material is neither an offer to purchase nor a
solicitation of an offer to sell shares of Lincare Holdings
Inc. common stock. At the time the tender offer is
commenced, Linde will file a tender offer statement with
the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"SEC"). Lincare Holdings Inc. shareholders are
strongly advised to read the tender offer documents that
will be filed with the SEC because they will contain
important information that Lincare Holdings Inc.
shareholders should consider before tendering their
shares.http://www.sec.gov) and by
directing a request to Linde AG, Klosterhofstraße 1, 80331
Munich, Germany.
Linde Aktiengesellschaft
Klosterhofstr. 1
80331 Munich
www.linde.com
info@linde.com
ISIN: DE0006483001
For further information:
Media
Uwe Wolfinger
Tel: +49.89.35757-1320
|
Investor Relations
Dr. Dominik Heger
Tel: +49.89.35757-1334
|
Matthias Dachwald
Tel: +49.89.35757-1333
|
Lisa Tilmann
Tel: +49.89.35757-1328
|
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