Prosus N.V. Announces Cash Tender Offer for Any and All of Its 5.500% Notes Due 2025 and Its 4.850% Notes Due 2027

AMSTERDAM--()--Prosus N.V. (the “Offeror”) (Euronext Amsterdam: PRX; JSE: PRX) announces today an offer to purchase any and all of its outstanding U.S.$1,200,000,000 5.500% Notes due 2025 and its outstanding U.S.$1,000,000,000 4.850% Notes due 2027 (the “Securities”), each issued by the Offeror and guaranteed by Naspers Limited, a company incorporated under the laws of South Africa, for cash (the “Offer”). The terms and conditions of the Offer are described in an offer to purchase dated July 6, 2021 (the “Offer to Purchase”). Capitalized terms not otherwise defined in this announcement have the same meaning as assigned to them in the Offer to Purchase.

Holders are advised to read carefully the Offer to Purchase for full details of, and information on the procedures for participating in, the Offer.

The following table sets forth certain information relating to pricing for the Offer.

Title of
Security

ISIN / CUSIP

Principal Amount
Outstanding

Par Call Date

U.S. Treasury
Reference Security

 Fixed Spread
(basis points)

Bloomberg
Reference Page

Amount subject
to the Offer

5.500%
Notes due 2025

Rule 144A:

US62856RAC97 / 62856RAC9

U.S.
$1,200,000,000

April 21, 2025

0.875% due June 30, 2026

35

FIT1

Any and all

 

Regulation S:
USN5946FAC16 / N5946FAC1

 

 

 

 

 

 

4.850%
Notes due 2027

Rule 144A:
US62856RAD70 / 62856RAD7

U.S.
$1,000,000,000

April 6, 2027

0.875% due June 30, 2026

105

 

FIT1

Any and all

 

Regulation S:
USN5946FAD98 / N5946FAD9

 

 

 

 

 

 

Purpose of the Offer

The Offeror is making the Offer as part of a refinancing of its existing debt. The Offer, together with the proposed offering of one or more series of debt securities, is intended to extend the Offeror’s debt maturity profile. Securities purchased in the Offer will be retired and cancelled.

The Offer

The Offeror will pay a “Purchase Price” per U.S.$1,000 principal amount of Securities validly tendered and not validly withdrawn prior to the Expiration Deadline (including those validly tendered in accordance with the Guaranteed Delivery Procedures) calculated as described in the Offer to Purchase in a manner intended to result in a yield to the par call date as of the Settlement Date equal to the sum of:

  • the yield to maturity on the Reference Treasury Security based on the bid-side price of the Reference Treasury Security as reported on the Bloomberg Reference Page as measured at the Price Determination Time; and
  • the Fixed Spread.

In addition to the payment of the Purchase Price, each Holder whose Securities are validly tendered and delivered (and not validly withdrawn) (including those validly tendered in accordance with the Guaranteed Delivery Procedures) and accepted for purchase will also be paid Accrued Interest equal to interest accrued and unpaid on the Securities from (and including) the immediately preceding interest payment date for the Securities to (but excluding) the Settlement Date.

Accrued Interest will cease to accrue on the Settlement Date, and (in the case of Securities for which the Guaranteed Delivery Procedures are used) no additional accrued interest will be paid in respect of the period from the Settlement Date to the Guaranteed Delivery Settlement Date.

The Purchase Price and the Accrued Interest for the Securities validly tendered (and not validly withdrawn) in the Offer will be paid on the Settlement Date or the Guaranteed Delivery Settlement Date, as applicable (subject to any postponement of the applicable Settlement Date or the Guaranteed Delivery Settlement Date, as applicable, as described in the Offer to Purchase).

The Offer is not conditioned on any minimum amount of Securities being tendered. The Offeror’s obligation to accept and pay for Securities in the Offer is, however, subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the General Conditions and the condition that the Offeror shall complete prior to the Expiration Deadline one or more offerings of debt securities that result in aggregate net proceeds of at least U.S.$2.2 billion equivalent, on terms and subject to conditions satisfactory to the Offeror in its sole discretion (collectively, the “Financing Condition”), contained in the Offer to Purchase. Subject to applicable securities laws and the terms and conditions set forth in the Offer to Purchase, the Offeror reserves the right, with respect to the Offer made by it, (i) to waive or modify in whole or in part any and all conditions to the Offer, (ii) to extend the Withdrawal Deadline or the Expiration Deadline, (iii) to modify or terminate the Offer or (iv) to otherwise amend the Offer in any respect.

Announcements in connection with the Offer will be made by the delivery of a press release to a widely disseminated news or wire service. Copies of all announcements, notices and press releases will be available from the Information & Tender Agent. All documentation relating to the Offer, together with any updates, will also be available on the Offer website (https://sites.dfkingltd.com/prosus) operated by the Information & Tender Agent for the purpose of the Offer.

A tender of Securities for purchase pursuant to the Offer should be made by the submission of a valid Tender Instruction. If any Holder wishes to tender its Securities but such Holder cannot comply with the procedures for the submission of a valid Tender Instruction prior to the Expiration Deadline, such Holder may tender its Securities according to the Guaranteed Delivery Procedures, as set out in the Offer to Purchase.

INDICATIVE TIMETABLE

The following table sets out the expected dates and times of the key events relating to the Offer. This is an indicative timetable and is subject to change.

Date and Time

Action

July 6,
2021

Commencement of the Offer

..

Offer to Purchase available from the Information & Tender Agent and on the Offer website.

Offer announced through a press release to a recognized financial news service in the manner described under “Terms and Conditions of the Offer—Announcements” in the Offer to Purchase.

July 13, 2021, 10:00 a.m.
(New York City
time)

Price Determination Time

..

The Dealer Managers will calculate the Purchase Price in the manner described in the Offer to Purchase.

July 13, 2021, Promptly after the Price
Determination
Time

Announcement of Purchase Price

..

The Offeror will announce the Purchase Price by publication through a recognized financial news service in the manner described under “Terms and Conditions of the Offer—Announcements” in the Offer to Purchase.

July 13, 2021, 5:00 p.m. (New York City time)

Expiration Deadline

..

The last time and date for Holders to submit Tender Instructions (or, where applicable, Notices of Guaranteed Delivery) in order to be able to participate in the Offer and to be eligible to receive the Purchase Price and Accrued Interest on the Settlement Date or the Guaranteed Delivery Settlement Date, as applicable.

July 13, 2021, 5:00 p.m.
(New York City time)

Withdrawal Deadline

..

Deadline for Holders to properly withdraw tenders of their Securities (or, where applicable, Notices of Guaranteed Delivery). If a tender of Securities (or, where applicable, a Notice of Guaranteed Delivery) is properly withdrawn, the Holder will not receive any consideration on the Settlement Date or the Guaranteed Delivery Settlement Date, as applicable (unless that Holder validly re-tenders such Securities at or prior to the Expiration Deadline and the Securities are accepted by the Offeror).

July 14,
2021

Announcement of Results of the Offer

..

The Offeror expects to announce the aggregate principal amount of Securities to be accepted for purchase pursuant to the Offer (assuming that Securities tendered in accordance with the Guaranteed Delivery Procedures are validly delivered by the Guaranteed Delivery Deadline).

July 15, 2021, 5:00 p.m.
(New York City time)

Guaranteed Delivery Deadline

..

The last time and date for Holders to validly deliver Securities in respect of which a Notice of Guaranteed Delivery was delivered at or prior to the Expiration Deadline.

Expected to be July 15, 2021

Settlement Date

..

Settlement Date for Securities validly tendered and accepted for purchase by the Offeror, other than in the case of Securities validly tendered pursuant to the Guaranteed Delivery Procedures. Payment of the Purchase Price and any Accrued Interest in respect of any such Securities.


Expected to be July 16, 2021

Guaranteed Delivery Settlement Date

..

Guaranteed Delivery Settlement Date for Securities validly tendered and accepted for purchase by the Offeror pursuant to the Guaranteed Delivery Procedures. Payment of the Purchase Price and any Accrued Interest in respect of any such Securities.

The above dates and times are subject, where applicable, to the right of the Offeror to extend, re-open, amend, and/or terminate the Offer, subject to applicable securities laws and the terms set within the Offer to Purchase. Holders of Securities are advised to check with any bank, securities broker or other intermediary through which they hold Securities when such intermediary would require to receive instructions to participate in, or withdraw their instruction to participate in, the Offer before the deadlines set out above.

Holders of Securities are advised to read carefully the Offer to Purchase for full details of and information on the procedures for participating in the Offer.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Holders of Securities may access the Offer to Purchase and the form of Notice of Guaranteed Delivery at https://sites.dfkingltd.com/prosus.

Questions and requests for assistance in connection with the Offer may be directed to the Dealer Managers:

BofA Securities Europe SA

51 rue La Boétie

75008 Paris

France

 

 

Attention: Liability Management Group

Telephone (Europe):
+33 1 877 01057

Telephone (U.S. Toll Free):
+1 (888) 292-0070

Telephone (U.S.):
+1 (980) 387-3907

Email: DG.LM-EMEA@bofa.com

 

Citigroup Global Markets Limited

Citigroup Centre

Canada Square, Canary Wharf

London E14 5LB

United Kingdom

 

Attention: Liability Management Group

Telephone (Europe):
+44 20 798 68969

Telephone (U.S. Toll Free):
+1 (800) 558 3745

Telephone (U.S.):
+1 (212) 723-6106

Email: liabilitymanagement.europe@citi.com

Questions and requests for assistance in connection with the tender of Securities including requests for a copy of the Offer to Purchase may be directed to:

INFORMATION & TENDER AGENT

D.F. King

Email: prosus@dfkingltd.com

Offer Website: https://sites.dfkingltd.com/prosus

In New York:

 

48 Wall Street
New York, New York 10005

United States
Banks and Brokers, Call Collect: +1 (212) 269-5550
All Others, Call Toll-Free: +1 (800) 347-4750

In London:

 

65 Gresham Street

London EC2V 7NQ

United Kingdom

Tel: +44 20 7920 9700

NOTICE AND DISCLAIMER

Subject to applicable law, the Offeror or any of its affiliates may, at any time and from time to time following completion or cancellation of the Offer, purchase remaining outstanding Securities through open market or privately negotiated transactions, through tender offers, exchange offers, redemptions or otherwise on such terms and at such prices as the Offeror or, if applicable, its affiliates may determine. Such terms, consideration and prices may be more or less favorable than those offered pursuant to the Offer.

This announcement must be read in conjunction with the Offer to Purchase. This announcement and the Offer to Purchase contain important information which must be read carefully before any decision is made with respect to the Offer. If any Holder of Securities is in any doubt as to the action it should take, it is recommended to seek its own legal, accounting and financial advice, including as to any tax consequences, immediately from its stockbroker, bank manager, attorney, accountant or other independent financial adviser. Any individual or company whose Securities are held on its behalf by a broker, dealer, bank, custodian, trust company or other nominee or intermediary must contact such entity if it wishes to participate in the Offer. None of the Offeror, the Dealer Managers, the Information & Tender Agent and any person who controls, or is a director, officer, employee or agent of such persons, or any affiliate of such persons, makes any recommendation as to whether holders of Securities should participate in the Offer.

This announcement contains information that qualifies, or may qualify, as inside information within the meaning of Article 7(1) of the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) 596/2014.

Cautionary Statement

This announcement includes forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Offeror’s control and all of which are based on the Offeror’s current beliefs and expectations about future events. Forward-looking statements are sometimes identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “aim”, “annualized”, “anticipate”, “assume”, “believe”, “continue”, “could”, “estimate”, “expect”, “forecast”, “goal”, “hope”, “intend”, “likely”, “may”, “objective”, “plan”, “position”, “potential”, “predict”, “project”, “risk”, “seek”, “should”, “target”, “will” or “would” or the highlights or the negatives thereof, other variations thereon or comparable terminology. These forward-looking statements include all matters that are not historical facts.

These forward-looking statements and other statements contained in this announcement regarding matters that are not historical facts involve predictions. No assurance can be given that such future results will be achieved; actual events or results may differ materially as a result of risks and uncertainties facing the Offeror. Such risks and uncertainties could cause actual results to vary materially from the future results indicated, expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements in this announcement speak only as of the date they are made. Except as required by applicable laws and regulations, the Offeror expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update or revise the forward-looking statements contained in this announcement to reflect any change in its expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which such statements are based.

OFFER AND DISTRIBUTION RESTRICTIONS

This announcement and the Offer to Purchase do not constitute an offer or an invitation to participate in the Offer in any jurisdiction in which, or to any person to or from whom, it is unlawful to make such offer or invitation or for there to be such participation under applicable laws. The distribution of this announcement and the Offer to Purchase in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law. Persons into whose possession this announcement or the Offer to Purchase comes are required by the Offeror, the Dealer Managers and the Information & Tender Agent to inform themselves about and to observe any such restrictions.

United Kingdom

This announcement, the Offer to Purchase and any other documents or materials relating to the Offer are not being made and such documents have not been approved by an authorised person for the purposes of section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. Accordingly, such documents and/or materials are not being distributed to, and must not be passed on to, the general public in the United Kingdom. The communication of such documents and/or materials as a financial promotion is only being made to persons outside the United Kingdom and to those persons in the United Kingdom falling within the definition of investment professionals (as defined by Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (“Financial Promotion Order”)) or persons who are within Article 34 of the Financial Promotion Order or any other persons to whom it may otherwise lawfully be made under the Financial Promotion Order.

EEA

In the EEA, this announcement and the Offer will not, directly or indirectly, be made to, or for the account of, any person other than to qualified investors within the meaning of Article 2(e) of the Prospectus Regulation.

Neither this announcement nor the Offer to Purchase, nor any other documentation or material relating to the Offer, has been or will be submitted to a competent authority in the EEA for approval. Therefore, neither the Offer to Purchase nor any other documentation or material relating to the Offer qualifies as an approved prospectus as meant in Article 6 of the Prospectus Regulation.

Accordingly, in the EEA, the Offer may not be made by way of an “offer of securities to the public” within the meaning of Article 2(d) of the Prospectus Regulation and the Offer may not be promoted and is not being made to, any person in the EEA (with the exception of “qualified investors” within the meaning of Article 2(e) in conjunction with Article 1(4)(a) of the Prospectus Regulation). This announcement, the Offer to Purchase and any other documentation or materials relating to the Offer (including memoranda, information circulars, brochures or similar documents) have not been forwarded or made available to, and are not being forwarded or made available to, directly or indirectly, any such person.

With regard to the EEA, this announcement and the Offer to Purchase have been transmitted only for personal use by the aforementioned qualified investors and only for the purpose of the Offer. Accordingly, the information contained in this announcement and the Offer to Purchase may not be used for any other purpose or be transmitted to any other person in the EEA.

Belgium

None of this announcement, the Offer to Purchase or any other documents or materials relating to the Offer have been submitted to or will be submitted for approval or recognition to the Belgian Financial Services and Markets Authority (Autoriteit voor financiële diensten en markten / Autorité des services marches financiers) and, accordingly, the Offer may not be made in Belgium by way of a public offering, as defined in Articles 3 and 6 of the Belgian Law of April 1, 2007 on public takeover bids as amended or replaced from time to time. Accordingly, the Offer may not be advertised and the Offer will not be extended, and none of this announcement, the Offer to Purchase or any other documents or materials relating to the Offer (including any memorandum, information circular, brochure or any similar documents) has been or shall be distributed or made available, directly or indirectly, to any person in Belgium other than “qualified investors” in the sense of Article 2(e) of the Prospectus Regulation, acting on their own account. This announcement and/or the Offer to Purchase have been issued only for the personal use of the above qualified investors and exclusively for the purpose of the Offer. Accordingly, the information contained in this announcement and/or Offer to Purchase may not be used for any other purpose or disclosed to any other person in Belgium.

France

This announcement, the Offer to Purchase and any other documents or offering materials relating to the Offer may not be distributed in the Republic of France except to qualified investors (investisseurs qualifiés) as defined in Article 2(e) of the Prospectus Regulation. The Offer to Purchase has not been and will not be submitted for clearance to the Autorité des marchés financiers.

Italy

None of the Offer, this announcement, the Offer to Purchase or any other documents or materials relating to the Offer has been or will be submitted to the clearance procedure of the Commissione Nazionale per le Società e la Borsa (“CONSOB”), pursuant to Italian laws and regulations.

The Offer is being carried out in Italy as an exempted offer pursuant to article 101-bis, paragraph 3-bis of the Legislative Decree No. 58 of February 24, 1998, as amended (the “Financial Services Act”) and article 35-bis, paragraph 4 of CONSOB Regulation No. 11971 of May 14, 1999, as amended (the “Issuers’ Regulation”). The Offer is also being carried out in compliance with article 35-bis, paragraph 7 of the Issuers’ Regulation.

Holders or beneficial owners of the Securities that are located in Italy can tender Securities through authorized persons (such as investment firms, banks or financial intermediaries permitted to conduct such activities in Italy in accordance with the Financial Services Act, CONSOB Regulation No. 20307 of February 15, 2018, as amended from time to time, and Legislative Decree No. 385 of September 1, 1993, as amended) and in compliance with applicable laws and regulations or with requirements imposed by CONSOB or any other Italian authority.

South Africa

The communication of this announcement by the Offeror and any other documents or materials relating to the Offer should not be construed as constituting any form of investment advice or recommendation, guidance or proposal of a financial nature under the South African Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services Act, 37 of 2002 (as amended or re-enacted). The Offer is not being made to and does not constitute an “offer to the public” (as such term is defined in the South African Companies Act, 71 of 2008 (the “SA Companies Act”) and the Offer to Purchase is not, nor is it intended to constitute, a “registered prospectus” (as such term is defined in the SA Companies Act) prepared and registered under the SA Companies Act.

General

This announcement is for informational purposes only and shall not constitute an offer to buy, a solicitation to buy or an offer to sell any securities. The Tender Offer is being made only pursuant to the Offer to Purchase and only in such jurisdictions as is permitted under applicable law. Please see the Offer to Purchase for certain important information on offer restrictions applicable to the Tender Offer.

About Prosus

Prosus is a global consumer internet group and one of the largest technology investors in the world. Operating and investing globally in markets with long-term growth potential, Prosus builds leading consumer internet companies that empower people and enrich communities.

The group is focused on building meaningful businesses in the online classifieds, food delivery, payments and fintech, and education technology sectors in markets including India, Russia, and Brazil. Through its ventures team, Prosus invests in areas including health, logistics, blockchain, and social commerce. Prosus actively seeks new opportunities to partner with exceptional entrepreneurs who are using technology to improve people’s everyday lives.

Every day, millions of people use the products and services of companies that Prosus has invested in, acquired or built, including 99minutos, Avito, Brainly, BUX, BYJU'S, Bykea, Codecademy, DappRadar, DeHaat, dott, ElasticRun, eMAG, Eruditus, Flink, GoodHabitz, Honor, iFood, Klar, LazyPay, letgo, Meesho, Movile, Oda, OLX, PayU, Quick Ride, Red Dot Payment, Remitly, Republic, Shipper, SimilarWeb, Skillsoft, SoloLearn, Swiggy, Udemy, Urban Company and Wolt.

Hundreds of millions of people have made the platforms of Prosus’s associates a part of their daily lives. For listed companies where we have an interest, please see: Tencent, Mail.ru, Trip.com Group Limited, and DeliveryHero.

Today, Prosus companies and associates help improve the lives of more than 2 billion users globally.

Prosus has a primary listing on Euronext Amsterdam (AEX:PRX) and secondary listings on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (XJSE:PRX) and a2X Markets (PRX.AJ). Prosus is majority-owned by Naspers.

For more information, please visit www.prosus.com.

Contacts

Eoin Ryan
Head of Investor Relations
Tel: +1 347-210-4305
Email: eoin.ryan@prosus.com

Sarah Ryan
Media Relations, International
Mobile: +31 6 297 21038
Email: sarah.ryan@prosus.com

Shamiela Letsoalo
Media Relations, South Africa
Mobile +27 78 802 6310
Email: shamiela.letsoalo@prosus.com

Contacts

Eoin Ryan
Head of Investor Relations
Tel: +1 347-210-4305
Email: eoin.ryan@prosus.com

Sarah Ryan
Media Relations, International
Mobile: +31 6 297 21038
Email: sarah.ryan@prosus.com

Shamiela Letsoalo
Media Relations, South Africa
Mobile +27 78 802 6310
Email: shamiela.letsoalo@prosus.com