Woolworths Aiming to Trump Rival Wesfarmers' Proposal for API -- Update
Woolworths Aiming to Trump Rival Wesfarmers' Proposal for API -- Update
By Stuart Condie
斯圖爾特·康迪(Stuart Condie)著
SYDNEY--Woolworths Group Ltd. has joined the tussle for Australian Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., apparently trumping retail rival Wesfarmers Ltd. with an 872 million Australian dollar (US$619.6 million) proposal.
悉尼--伍爾沃斯集團有限公司(Woolworths Group Ltd.)加入了對澳大利亞製藥工業有限公司(Australian Pharmtics Industries Ltd.)的爭奪，顯然以8.72億澳元(合6.196億美元)的出價擊敗了零售競爭對手西部農場主有限公司(Wesfarmers Ltd.)。
Woolworths on Thursday said it had made an all-cash proposal worth A$1.75 per share, surpassing the A$1.55 per share offer by Wesfarmers that the API board had previously recommended to shareholders. Woolworths said the API board determined that its proposal is reasonably likely to be superior.
Woolworths週四表示，已提出每股1.75澳元的全現金報價，超過API董事會此前向股東推薦的Wesfarmers每股1.55澳元的報價。Woolworths表示，API董事會認為其提議有合理的可能性更高。
"There is a compelling strategic rationale to support Woolworths Group's acquisition of API. Health and wellness is a large, fast-growing category and API would be a fantastic addition to our food and everyday needs ecosystem," Woolworths Chief Executive Brad Banducci said.
Woolworths首席執行官布拉德·班杜奇(Brad Banducci)表示：“支持Woolworths集團收購API有一個令人信服的戰略理由。健康和健康是一個龐大的、快速增長的類別，API將是我們食品和日常需求生態系統的一個極好的補充，”Woolworths首席執行官布拉德·班杜奇(Brad Banducci)表示。
Wesfarmers looked to have won the bidding for API when Sigma Healthcare Ltd. withdrew its proposal in early November. API, a pharmaceutical distributor that also operates pharmacies and skin-care clinics, had initially said a proposal by Sigma Healthcare Ltd. looked more favorable even though it would take longer to implement.
當西格瑪醫療有限公司(Sigma Healthcare Ltd.)在11月初撤回收購要約時，西部農場主似乎已經贏得了對API的競標。API是一家藥品分銷商，也經營着藥店和皮膚護理診所。該公司最初説，Sigma Healthcare Ltd.的一項提議看起來更有利，儘管它需要更長的時間才能實施。
Woolworths, which operates supermarket chains in Australia and New Zealand, said it aimed to wrap up its due diligence inquiries quickly in the event that API judged its proposal to be superior. It said it could be open to a minimum takeover acceptance condition of 50.1% shareholder support.
在澳大利亞和新西蘭經營連鎖超市的Woolworths表示，其目標是在API認為自己的提議更優越的情況下，迅速完成盡職調查。該公司表示，可能會接受至少50.1%的股東支持的收購接受條件。
In October, Wesfarmers acquired a 19.3% stake in API from ASX-listed investment firm Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Co. Ltd. It exercised an option to acquire the shares for A$1.38 each but will top up the payment to the full consideration of the offer if it is successful.
去年10月，Wesfarmers從澳大利亞證券交易所上市的投資公司Washington H.Soul Pattinson and Co.Ltd.手中收購了API 19.3%的股份。該公司行使了以每股1.38澳元的價格收購這些股票的選擇權，但如果成功，將支付全部對價。
Write to Stuart Condie at stuart.condie@wsj.com
寫信給斯圖爾特·康迪(Stuart.Condie@wsj.com)
譯文內容由第三人軟體翻譯。