Rangatira to take control of NZ Experience, make full takeover

Monday 26th November 2012

Rangatira, the Wellington-based investment company, will take control of Rainbow's End operator New Zealand Experience in a deal with the target company's major shareholder as part of a full takeover.

The Trustees of the Estate of George Ryerson Gardiner, which owns 74.86 percent of NZE, have agreed to a lock-in agreement with Rangatira under which the investment company will make a full takeover at 36 cents a share, NZE said in a statement. The trustee's shares are held by Garlow Management.

The deal values NZE at $13.3 million and represents a 12 percent discount to NZE's last trading price of 41 cents.

NZE's committee of independent directors has hired Simmons Corporate Finance to assess the merits of the deal and retained Harmos Horton Lusk as legal adviser, it said. The company urged shareholders to take no action pending the target company statement.

The target company said it expects Rangatira to give formal takeover notice in the next five days.

Rangatira has two classes of shares that trade on the Unlisted platform, with 67 percent held as class 'A' shares and 33 percent held in class 'B' shares to differentiate between charitable and non-charitable shareholders. Both last traded at $6.

In September, Rangatira said it had $20 million on hand for new investments after exiting Dunlop Living, Tecpak Industries and Te Kairanga Wines last year. That month it announced a $3.5 million investment in medical and insurance service provider Konnect Net.

BusinessDesk.co.nz

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