VNU Continues Talks with Private Equity Group over Buyout Offer (Feb 7)
Haarlem, the Netherlands – VNU N.V. (ASE: VNU) said today that it continues to be in
active talks with a private-equity consortium over a proposed buyout of the company,
and that its Supervisory and Executive Boards expect to provide their view on the non-
binding offer by the end of this month.
In connection with the discussions, the private-equity group has been conducting
extensive due diligence of the company, and that process continues, VNU said.
The Supervisory and Executive Boards discussed the private-equity proposal, among
other matters, during a regularly scheduled meeting yesterday. The Boards continue to
evaluate fully and fairly what course of action will serve the best interests of VNU’s
stakeholders, and they have retained the investment bank, N M Rothschild & Sons, to
provide additional, third-party advice. VNU said there can be no assurance that the
ongoing discussions with the private-equity consortium will result in any specific
transaction and, if so, at what price and with what conditions.
The company also said that Aad Jacobs, chairman of VNU’s Supervisory Board, along
with VNU’s Executive Board, met yesterday with Eric Knight of Knight Vinke Asset
Management, at his request, to hear his views.
VNU announced on January 16, 2006 that it had received a non-binding proposal to
purchase the company for EUR 28.00 to 28.50 per common share from the private-
equity consortium consisting of AlpInvest Partners, The Blackstone Group, The Carlyle
Group, Hellman & Friedman, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co., Permira Advisers Ltd.,
and Thomas H. Lee Partners. The proposal is subject to, among other things,
negotiation and execution of a merger protocol and completion of due diligence.
This announcement is a public announcement as referred to in section 9b, par. 1, of
the Dutch Securities Trading Supervision Decree (Besluit Toezicht Effectenverkeer
1995).
Press contact Will Thoretz New York +1 646 654 8133
Investor Relations Peter Wortel Haarlem +31 23 546 36 00
Arnout Asjes New York +1 646 654 5031