Atrium European Real Estate Limited
EANS-Adhoc: Atrium European Real Estate Limited
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EXCHANGE OF AUSTRIAN DEPOSITORY CERTIFICATES
12.08.2009
EXCHANGE OF AUSTRIAN DEPOSITORY CERTIFICATES
Jersey, 12 August 2009. Further to its announcement on 11 August 2009 regarding the publication of its prospectus and planned listing of its ordinary shares on the Vienna stock exchange and Euronext Amsterdam, Atrium European Real Estate Limited ("Atrium" or the "Company") (ATX: ATR), announces that, as part of this process, the current Austrian Depository Certificates ("ADC") which represent ordinary shares of Atrium, registered in the name of Oesterreichische Kontrollbank Aktiengesellschaft ("OeKB"), will be terminated and exchanged for electronic Book-Entry Interests in Atrium ordinary shares, registered in the name of Euroclear Nederland. The holders of Book-Entry Interests will hold ownership of interests in the underlying shares pursuant to Dutch law and will be exchanged on a straight one-for-one basis.
The exchange of ADCs will ensure ongoing compliance with Jersey law and is required for the process of Atrium achieving its second listing on Euronext Amsterdam, which Atrium believes will bring significant benefits to the Company. Euronext Amsterdam is an internationally recognised and traded exchange and should therefore open the Company up to a far wider universe of potential investors. As such, Atrium expects this to result in increased analyst coverage, greater liquidity in Atrium's shares and, over the longer term, enhanced pricing.
No action is required by certificate holders who, as holders of Book-Entry Interests, will continue to be able to buy and sell their Book-Entry Interests through their account holding banks either through trades on the Vienna Stock Exchange or on Euronext Amsterdam. In addition, investors holding interests in Shares through the Euroclear book-entry settlement system will (on the basis of a proxy provided by Euroclear Nederland) be able to exercise rights relating to those Shares such that they will be able to attend and vote at all general meetings of the Company and receive dividends as set out in the prospectus.
The Company announced on 14 January 2009 that it had decided to pursue a second listing of its shares on Euronext Amsterdam. A resolution to change Atrium's articles of association to enable it to list its shares on Euronext Amsterdam, as well as on the Vienna Stock Exchange, was approved by the Company's shareholders on 6 April 2009.
The exchange is expected to take place after close of trading on the Vienna stock exchange on 18 August 2009 and ahead of the opening of trading on the Vienna stock exchange and Euronext Amsterdam on 19 August 2009.
For more information regarding the exchange of ADCs as well as exercise of rights relating to the shares and the Book-Entry Interests, the book-entry settlement system and other matters in respect of the listing on Euronext Amsterdam and the Vienna Stock Exchange, please refer to the prospectus of Atrium, in particular section 3.5 thereof, which was approved by the Austrian Financial Market Authority on 10 August and published on 11 August 2009 and can be downloaded from Atrium's website (www.aere.com).
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Further inquiry note:
For further information:
Financial Dynamics: +44 (0)20 7831 3113
Richard Sunderland
Laurence Jones
atrium@fd.com
Branche: Real Estate
ISIN: AT0000660659
WKN: 066065
Index: Standard Market Continous
Börsen: Wien / official market
Original content of: Atrium European Real Estate Limited, transmitted by news aktuell