Board of Directors of Caverion continues evaluating Triton's tender offer and provides information on discussions with Triton

Caverion Corporation  Tender offer  13 January 2023 at 9.00 a.m. EET

NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO AUSTRALIA, CANADA, HONG KONG, JAPAN, NEW ZEALAND OR SOUTH AFRICA OR IN ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH THE TENDER OFFER WOULD BE PROHIBITED BY APPLICABLE LAW.

HELSINKI, Jan. 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Board of Directors of Caverion Corporation (the Board) is in the process of evaluating Crayfish BidCo Oy's (Triton) tender offer in light of the new higher offer price and the terms presented in Triton's announcement dated 10 January 2023. The Board is currently engaging in discussions with both Triton and the North Holdings 3 Oy (Bain Consortium).

The Board will present its view on the two offers, including a potential change in recommendation, latest on 24 January 2023, after the expiry of the eight business days right to match period for the Bain Consortium under the Combination Agreement signed and announced on 3 November 2022.

"The Board of Directors of Caverion has worked diligently in the best interests of the company and all of its shareholders, and will continue to do so. We are looking forward to continuing the discussions with the parties with the aim of doing our utmost for all shareholders," says Mats Paulsson, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Caverion.

Background on discussions with Triton

The Board received an indicative and non-binding proposal from Triton on 10 November 2022 (the Non-Binding Proposal). On the basis of the Non-Binding Proposal, the Board engaged in discussions with Triton, and provided due diligence access on materially similar terms as for the Bain Consortium.

After receiving the Non-Binding Proposal:           

• The Board facilitated for Triton to undertake a preliminary merger control analysis, which was shared and discussed with the Board's advisors.
• The Board assessed the merger control analysis presented by its advisors. As a result, the Board expects that an offer from Triton would likely be completed in approximately 8-12 months. However, it is possible that the completion will take longer.
• In addition, the Board noted the reasonably high likelihood that the merger control process will result in structural remedies being required as a condition for completion of Triton's offer.

The Board's focus in evaluating the Non-Binding Proposal included, among others, the offer price and the certainty of the offer completion. Thus, it should be noted that:           

• The offer price in the Non-Binding Proposal was throughout the discussions from 10 November 2022 until 9 January 2023 lower than the offer price of €8.00 per share presented in Triton's announcement on 10 January 2023; and
• In light of the expected long merger control process and offer timeline, the Board was seeking to minimise the risk to the shareholders that the transaction would not be completed. When the discussions with the Board were discontinued by Triton in the evening of 9 January 2023, the parties had not reached an agreement on the terms.

Additional information

Triton subsequently informed the Board of its acquisition of 9.82 percent of Caverion's share capital on 12 January 2023.

ABOUT CAVERION

Caverion is a public limited liability company incorporated under the laws of Finland with its shares listed on the official list of Nasdaq Helsinki. Caverion is a Northern & Central European-based expert for smart and sustainable built environments, enabling performance and people's well-being. Caverion offers expert guidance during the entire life cycle of buildings, infrastructure or industrial sites and processes: from design & build to projects, technical and industrial maintenance, facility management as well as advisory services. At the end of September 2022, there were more than 15,000 professionals serving customers at the service of Caverion Group in 10 countries.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

THIS STOCK EXCHANGE RELEASE MAY NOT BE RELEASED OR OTHERWISE DISTRIBUTED, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, HONG KONG, JAPAN, NEW ZEALAND OR SOUTH AFRICA OR IN ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH THE TENDER OFFER WOULD BE PROHIBITED BY APPLICABLE LAW.

THIS STOCK EXCHANGE RELEASE IS NOT A TENDER OFFER DOCUMENT OR A SUPPLEMENT DOCUMENT TO TENDER OFFER DOCUMENT AND AS SUCH DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER OR INVITATION TO MAKE A SALES OFFER. IN PARTICULAR, THIS STOCK EXCHANGE RELEASE IS NOT AN OFFER TO SELL OR THE SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY ANY SECURITIES DESCRIBED HEREIN, AND IS NOT AN EXTENSION OF THE TENDER OFFER, IN, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, HONG KONG, JAPAN, NEW ZEALAND OR SOUTH AFRICA. INVESTORS SHALL ACCEPT THE TENDER OFFER FOR THE SHARES ONLY ON THE BASIS OF THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE TENDER OFFER DOCUMENT AND THE POSSIBLE SUPPLEMENT DOCUMENTS TO THE TENDER OFFER DOCUMENT. OFFERS WILL NOT BE MADE DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY IN ANY JURISDICTION WHERE EITHER AN OFFER OR PARTICIPATION THEREIN IS PROHIBITED BY APPLICABLE LAW OR WHERE ANY TENDER OFFER DOCUMENT OR REGISTRATION OR OTHER REQUIREMENTS WOULD APPLY IN ADDITION TO THOSE UNDERTAKEN IN FINLAND.

THE TENDER OFFER IS NOT BEING MADE DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY IN ANY JURISDICTION WHERE PROHIBITED BY APPLICABLE LAW AND THE TENDER OFFER DOCUMENT AND RELATED ACCEPTANCE FORMS WILL NOT AND MAY NOT BE DISTRIBUTED, FORWARDED OR TRANSMITTED INTO OR FROM ANY JURISDICTION WHERE PROHIBITED BY APPLICABLE LAWS OR REGULATIONS. IN PARTICULAR, THE TENDER OFFER IS NOT BEING MADE, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO, OR BY USE OF THE POSTAL SERVICE OF, OR BY ANY MEANS OR INSTRUMENTALITY (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, FACSIMILE TRANSMISSION, TELEX, TELEPHONE OR THE INTERNET) OF INTERSTATE OR FOREIGN COMMERCE OF, OR ANY FACILITIES OF A NATIONAL SECURITIES EXCHANGE OF, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, HONG KONG, JAPAN, NEW ZEALAND OR SOUTH AFRICA. THE TENDER OFFER CANNOT BE ACCEPTED, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, BY ANY SUCH USE, MEANS OR INSTRUMENTALITY OR FROM WITHIN, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, HONG KONG, JAPAN, NEW ZEALAND OR SOUTH AFRICA AND ANY PURPORTED ACCEPTANCE OF THE TENDER OFFER RESULTING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY FROM A VIOLATION OF THESE RESTRICTIONS WILL BE INVALID.

THIS STOCK EXCHANGE RELEASE HAS BEEN PREPARED IN COMPLIANCE WITH FINNISH LAW, THE RULES OF NASDAQ HELSINKI LTD AND THE HELSINKI TAKEOVER CODE AND THE INFORMATION DISCLOSED MAY NOT BE THE SAME AS THAT WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN DISCLOSED IF THIS STOCK EXCHANGE RELEASE HAD BEEN PREPARED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF JURISDICTIONS OUTSIDE OF FINLAND.

Information for shareholders of Caverion in the United States

Shareholders of Caverion in the United States are advised that the Shares are not listed on a U.S. securities exchange and that Caverion is not subject to the periodic reporting requirements of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), and is not required to, and does not, file any reports with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") thereunder.

The Tender Offer will be made for the issued and outstanding shares of Caverion, which is domiciled in Finland, and is subject to Finnish disclosure and procedural requirements. The Tender Offer is made in the United States pursuant to Section 14(e) and Regulation 14E under the Exchange Act, subject to the exemption provided under Rule 14d-1(c) under the Exchange Act, for a Tier I tender offer (the "Tier I Exemption"), and otherwise in accordance with the disclosure and procedural requirements of Finnish law, including with respect to the Tender Offer timetable, settlement procedures, withdrawal, waiver of conditions and timing of payments, which are different from those of the United States. In particular, the financial information included in this stock exchange release has been prepared in accordance with applicable accounting standards in Finland, which may not be comparable to the financial statements or financial information of U.S. companies. The Tender Offer is made to Caverion's shareholders resident in the United States on the same terms and conditions as those made to all other shareholders of Caverion to whom an offer is made. Any informational documents, including this stock exchange release, are being disseminated to U.S. shareholders on a basis comparable to the method that such documents are provided to Caverion's other shareholders.

As permitted under the Tier I Exemption, the settlement of the Tender Offer is based on the applicable Finnish law provisions, which differ from the settlement procedures customary in the United States, particularly as regards to the time when payment of the consideration is rendered. The Tender Offer, which is subject to Finnish law, is being made to the U.S. shareholders in accordance with the applicable U.S. securities laws, and applicable exemptions thereunder, in particular the Tier I Exemption. To the extent the Tender Offer is subject to U.S. securities laws, those laws only apply to U.S. shareholders and will not give rise to claims on the part of any other person. U.S. shareholders should consider that the offer price for the Tender Offer is being paid in EUR and that no adjustment will be made based on any changes in the exchange rate.

To the extent permissible under applicable law or regulations, the Offeror and its affiliates or its brokers and its brokers' affiliates (acting as agents for the Offeror or its affiliates, as applicable) may from time to time after the date of this stock exchange release and during the pendency of the Tender Offer, and other than pursuant to the Tender Offer, directly or indirectly purchase or arrange to purchase Shares or any securities that are convertible into, exchangeable for or exercisable for Shares. These purchases may occur either in the open market at prevailing prices or in private transactions at negotiated prices. To the extent information about such purchases or arrangements to purchase is made public in Finland, such information will be disclosed by means of a press release or other means reasonably calculated to inform U.S. shareholders of Caverion of such information. In addition, the financial advisers to the Offeror may also engage in ordinary course trading activities in securities of Caverion, which may include purchases or arrangements to purchase such securities. To the extent required in Finland, any information about such purchases will be made public in Finland in the manner required by Finnish law.

Neither the SEC nor any U.S. state securities commission has approved or disapproved the Tender Offer, passed upon the merits or fairness of the Tender Offer, or passed any comment upon the adequacy, accuracy or completeness of the disclosure in relation to the Tender Offer. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offence in the United States.

The receipt of cash pursuant to the Tender Offer by a U.S. holder of Shares may be a taxable transaction for U.S. federal income tax purposes and under applicable U.S. state and local, as well as foreign and other, tax laws. Each holder of Shares is urged to consult its independent professional advisers immediately regarding the tax and other consequences of accepting the Tender Offer.

To the extent the Tender Offer is subject to U.S. securities laws, those laws only apply to U.S. holders of Shares and will not give rise to claims on the part of any other person. It may be difficult for Caverion's shareholders to enforce their rights and any claims they may have arising under the U.S. federal securities laws, since the Offeror and Caverion are located in non-U.S. jurisdictions and some or all of their respective officers and directors may be residents of non-U.S. jurisdictions. Caverion shareholders may not be able to sue the Offeror or Caverion or their respective officers or directors in a non-U.S. court for violations of the U.S. federal securities laws. It may be difficult to compel the Offeror and Caverion and their respective affiliates to subject themselves to a U.S. court's judgment.

NEITHER THE U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION NOR ANY U.S. STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION HAS APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED THE TENDER OFFER, PASSED ANY COMMENTS UPON THE MERITS OR FAIRNESS OF THE TENDER OFFER, PASSED ANY COMMENT UPON THE ADEQUACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE TENDER OFFER DOCUMENT OR PASSED ANY COMMENT ON WHETHER THE CONTENT IN THE TENDER OFFER DOCUMENT IS CORRECT OR COMPLETE. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENCE IN THE UNITED STATES.

Disclaimer

Bank of America Europe DAC, Stockholm branch, a subsidiary of Bank of America Corporation, is acting exclusively for Caverion and no one else in connection with the Tender Offer and the matters set out in this stock exchange release, and will not be responsible to anyone other than Caverion for providing the protections afforded to its clients or for providing advice in relation to the Tender Offer or any matter or arrangement referred to in this stock exchange release.

CONTACT:

Investor and Media enquiries:

Milena Hæggström, Head of Investor Relations and External Communications, Caverion, tel. +358 40 5581 328, milena.haeggstrom@caverion.com

The following files are available for download: