上海2014年3月17日電 /美通社/ -- 巨人網絡集團有限公司（紐交所交易代碼：GA）（以下稱“巨人”或“公司”），是一家中國領先的網絡游戲開發商和運營商。今天宣布已就私有化與Giant Investment Limited（以下稱“母公司”）及其全資子公司Giant Merger Limited（以下稱“合并子公司”）簽訂了最終合并協議和計劃（以下稱“合并協議”）。
根據合并協議，母公司將以每股/ADS12.00美元的價格現金收購巨人的股票，收購對價總額約三十億美元。該價格較2013年11月22日紐交所收盤價10.13美元溢價18.5%；較2013年11月22日前30天和60天成交量加權平均價分別溢價31.6%和33.6%。2013年11月22日是2013年11月25日前的最后一個交易日。公司在2013年11月25日宣布收到來自公司董事會主席史玉柱先生及其關聯公司和霸菱亞洲投資（Baring Private Equity Asia）的一個附屬公司（以下將霸菱亞洲投資及其管理的基金統稱為“霸菱”）提出的非約束性私有化要約。
合并協議中的收購價格較2013年11月25日宣布的私有化要約中11.75美元的收購價格溢價2.1%。
一旦交易完成，母公司將由史玉柱先生、霸菱和弘毅資本(Hony Capital Fund V, L.P.)(以下將弘毅資本及其管理的基金統稱為“弘毅”)組成的買方財團受益所有。截至合并協議簽署前，買方財團成員共計持有巨人49.3%的股票。
根據合并協議的條款和條件，合并生效時合并子公司將并入巨人，巨人作為存續企業繼續經營，并由母公司全資控股。除以下三種情況外，合并生效前所有已發行和流通的股份將被注銷，并收到每股/ADS12.00美元現金（不計息及預提所得稅）的對價：(i) 史玉柱先生旗下Union Sky Holding Group Limited（以下稱“Union Sky”）擁有的不超過59,890,972股的股票，霸菱旗下Baring Private Equity Asia Holding (12) Limited（以下稱：“霸菱SPV”）擁有的11,800,000股的股票（Union Sky和霸菱SPV合稱“轉結股東”），以及在合并生效前母公司、巨人、或他們的子公司所擁有的股票， 上述股票將會被直接注銷，并得不到任何對價款；(ii)根據開曼群島公司法第238條有效行使且未失去其評估權的普通股持有人所持有的普通股將在合并生效時被注銷，獲得按照開曼群島公司法第238條所規定的相應對價；(iii)合并生效前Union Sky所擁有的37,500,000股將會被注銷，以換取Union Sky獲得巨人向其開具的總計450,000,000美元的期票，期票總值相當于每股12美元的價格所對應的37,500,000股股票，年息2%。合并交易完成后，史玉柱先生將保留合并前所持股票的約一半股票，剩余股票出售，獲得現金和期票，每股單價等同于合并中支付給非關聯股東的價格。
買方財團計劃以(i)霸菱和弘毅提供的現金，(ii)來自中國民生銀行（香港分行）、法國巴黎銀行（香港分行）、瑞信銀行（新加坡分行）、德意志銀行（新加坡分行）、高盛銀行（Goldman Sachs (Asia) L.L.C.及Goldman Sachs Lending Partners LLC）、工銀國際和摩根大通銀行合計8.5億美元的貸款融資（貸款協議于2014年3月17日生效），以及(iii)巨人以及其子公司所持現金來提供交易所需資金。
根據董事會組建的獨立董事特別委員會的一致建議，公司董事會批準了合并協議和交易，并做出決議，建議公司股東投票批準合并協議和交易。由與母公司、合并子公司、任何買方財團成員或公司任何管理層完全無關聯關系的獨立董事組成的特別委員會在其獨立財務和法律顧問的協助下就合并協議的條款進行了談判。
根據合并協議條款，在此交易完成前，不允許巨人進行任何的派息或股票回購。因此，巨人董事會已暫停公司先前宣布的股票回購及派息計劃。
目前預計此項交易將在2014年下半年完成交割，并將受多種交割條件的限制，其中包括合并協議獲得由擁有公司三分之二或以上股權的股東們，以個人或單一類別代理形式，在公司股東大會上授權并批準此項合并協議，也包括巨人某些子公司重組的完成。截止合并協議簽署前，轉結股東和Union Sky全資控股的子公司Vogel Holding Group Limited（以下稱“Vogel”）合計擁有公司已發行和流通股的49.3%。根據轉結股東、Vogel、母公司和Giant Group Holdings Limited（母公司的單一股東）之間簽署的協議，轉結股東和Vogel已同意利用受益所有的投票權投票授權并同意合并協議及其相關交易。若交易完成，巨人將成為一家私人持有的公司，而其美國存托憑證將不再在紐交所掛牌交易。
Morgan Stanley Asia Limited和Duff & Phelps LLC 擔任特別委員會的財務顧問。Fenwick & West LLP 擔任特別委員會美國法律顧問，Maples and Calder擔任特別委員會開曼法律顧問。Shearman & Sterling擔任Morgan Stanley Asia Limited的法律顧問。Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld擔任Duff & Phelps LLC的法律顧問。
Kilometre Capital擔任公司的戰略顧問。O’Melveny and Myers LLP （美邁斯律師事務所）擔任公司的美國法律顧問，Grandall Legal Firm (Shanghai)擔任公司的中國法律顧問，Conyers Dill and Pearman擔任公司的開曼法律顧問。
中國民生銀行（香港分行）、法國巴黎銀行、瑞信銀行、德意志銀行、高盛銀行、工銀國際和摩根大通銀行擔任買方財團的財務顧問。Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, P.C.擔任史玉柱先生和買方財團的美國法律顧問。Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP擔任霸菱的美國法律顧問以及買方財團銀行貸款的英國法律顧問。Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP 擔任弘毅的美國法律顧問。Fangda Partners擔任霸菱和弘毅的中國法律顧問。Linklaters擔任銀行貸款授權牽頭行的美國和英國法律顧問，Appleby和Jun He Law Offices分別為銀行貸款授權牽頭行的開曼和中國法律顧問。
Additional Information about the Transaction
The Company will furnish to the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) a report on Form 6-K regarding the proposed transactions described in this announcement, which will include as an exhibit thereto the Merger Agreement. All parties desiring details regarding the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, including the Merger, are urged to review these documents, which will be available at the SEC’s website (http://www.sec.gov).
In connection with the Merger, the Company will prepare and mail a proxy statement to its shareholders. In addition, certain participants in the Merger will prepare and mail to the Company’s shareholders a Schedule 13E-3 transaction statement. These documents will be filed with or furnished to the SEC. INVESTORS AND SHAREHOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY THESE MATERIALS AND OTHER MATERIALS FILED WITH OR FURNISHED TO THE SEC WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE, AS THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMPANY, THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED BY THE MERGER AGREEMENT AND RELATED MATTERS. In addition to receiving the proxy statement and Schedule 13E-3 transaction statement by mail, shareholders also will be able to obtain these documents, as well as other filings containing information about the Company, the Merger and related matters, without charge, from the SEC’s website (http://www.sec.gov) or at the SEC’s public reference room at 100 F Street, NE, Room 1580, Washington, D.C. 20549. In addition, these documents can be obtained, without charge, by contacting the Company at the following address and/or phone number:
Giant Interactive Group Inc.
11/F No. 3 Building, 700 Yishan Road,
Shanghai, 200233, People’s Republic of China
Phone: +86 21 3397-9999
The Company and certain of its directors, executive officers and other members of management and employees may, under SEC rules, be deemed to be “participants” in the solicitation of proxies from shareholders with respect to the Merger. Information regarding the persons or entities who may be considered “participants” in the solicitation of proxies will be set forth in the proxy statement and Schedule 13E-3 transaction statement relating to the Merger when it is filed with the SEC. Information regarding certain of these persons and their beneficial ownership of the Company’s ordinary shares as of March 31, 2013 is also set forth in the Company’s Form 20-F, which was filed with the SEC on April 18, 2013. Additional information regarding the interests of such potential participants will be included in the proxy statement and Schedule 13E-3 transaction statement and the other relevant documents filed with the SEC when they become available.
This announcement is neither a solicitation of proxy, an offer to purchase nor a solicitation of an offer to sell any securities and it is not a substitute for any proxy statement or other filings that may be made with the SEC should the Merger proceed.
Cautionary Statement concerning Forward Looking Statements
This news release may include certain statements that are not descriptions of historical facts, but are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “will,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates” and similar statements. Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any such statements. Potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, uncertainties as to how the Company’s shareholders will vote at the meeting of shareholders, the possibility that competing offers will be made, the possibility that various closing conditions to the Merger may not be satisfied or waived and other risks and uncertainties discussed in Giant’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as the Schedule 13E-3 transaction statement and the proxy statement to be filed by the Company in connection with the Merger. Giant does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.
