Newbelco Sa/Nv
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NEWBELCO SA/NV Admission to listing and trading of ordinary shares on Euronext Brussels This is a Prospectus relating to the admission to listing and trading of 1,693,242,156 New Ordinary Shares without nominal value in the capital of Newbelco SA/NV on Euronext Brussels, the regulated market operated by Euronext Brussels SA/NV. Depending on the number of UK Scheme Shareholders other than Altria and BEVCO that elect for the Partial Share Alternative, this relates to between approximately 83.86% and 84.23% of Newbelco’s expected outstanding share capital immediately following the Belgian Merger. The remainder of Newbelco’s expected outstanding share capital immediately following the Belgian Merger will be represented by Restricted Newbelco Shares, for which no admission to listing and trading will be sought. Unless otherwise stated, capitalised terms used in this Prospectus have the meaning set out in Part XIII (Glossary of selected terms). ________________________ The New Ordinary Shares will be issued by Newbelco SA/NV in connection with the proposed business combination between SABMiller plc and Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV. As set out in the joint announcement by AB InBev and SABMiller on 11 November 2015, the proposed combination will be implemented through a series of steps, including the final step in which AB InBev will merge into Newbelco, a company formed for the purpose of effecting the Transaction, through a merger by absorption of AB InBev under the Belgian Companies Code (referred to as the Belgian Merger). Following completion of the Belgian Merger, AB InBev Shareholders will become shareholders in Newbelco and Newbelco will be the surviving entity and holding company for the Combined Group. Pursuant to the Belgian Merger: · AB InBev Shareholders will receive one New Ordinary Share for each AB InBev Share they hold at the record date for the Belgian Merger; and · upon the exchange of the AB InBev Shares for New Ordinary Shares, the AB InBev ADSs, each currently representing one AB InBev Share, will instead each represent one New Ordinary Share, thereby becoming Newbelco ADSs. Please refer to Part V (Overview of the Transaction) of this Prospectus for a description of the Transaction and the Proposed Structure. The Transaction (including the Belgian Merger) is conditional upon the satisfaction of certain conditions as further detailed in this Prospectus. Further, in order to approve the Transaction, shareholders’ meetings of AB InBev, Newbelco and SABMiller will be convened for the purpose of considering and, if thought fit, approving any resolutions as are necessary to approve, implement and effect the requisite steps of the Transaction, including the approval of any relevant documents. The Transaction is currently expected to complete on or around 10 October 2016. The number of Restricted Newbelco Shares that will be outstanding following Completion depends on the number of UK Scheme Shares for which the Partial Share Alternative is elected. For example, based on the number of AB InBev Shares (including the number of AB InBev Shares that are represented by AB InBev ADSs) in issue as at the date of this Prospectus, the capital of Newbelco will upon Completion consist of: · 2,010,241,851 shares without nominal value, comprised of 1,693,242,156 New Ordinary Shares and 316,999,695 Restricted Newbelco Shares, assuming the Partial Share Alternative is elected for only by Altria and BEVCO, SABMiller’s largest shareholders, in accordance with the irrevocable undertakings described under sections 11.1.1.6 (Altria Irrevocable) and 11.1.1.7 (BEVCO Irrevocable) of Part VI of this Prospectus; or · 2,019,242,156 shares without nominal value, comprised of 1,693,242,156 New Ordinary Shares and 326,000,000 Restricted Newbelco Shares, assuming all UK Scheme Shareholders (including Altria and BEVCO) elect for the Partial Share Alternative. ________________________ The AB InBev Shares are listed on the regulated market of Euronext Brussels, with secondary listings on the Bolsa Mexicana de Valores and the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. The AB InBev ADSs are listed on the New York Stock Exchange. An application has been made for the admission to listing and trading of the New Ordinary Shares on Euronext Brussels, the regulated market operated by Euronext Brussels SA/NV, a regulated market within the meaning of Directive 2004/39/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 April 2004 on markets in financial instruments amending Council Directives 85/611/EEC and 93/6/EEC and Directive 2000/12/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and repealing Council Directive 93/22/EEC (MiFID). It is expected that the Listing will occur on or about the first Business Day following the effective date of the Belgian Merger. Newbelco and Euronext Brussels do not accept any responsibility or liability with respect to any person as a result of the withdrawal of the Listing or the (related) annulment of any transaction in the New Ordinary Shares on the regulated market of Euronext Brussels. Newbelco will apply for listing of the Newbelco ADSs on the NYSE, and will also apply for secondary listings of the New Ordinary Shares on the Bolsa Mexicana de Valores and on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. This Prospectus constitutes a listing prospectus for the purpose of Article 3, §3 of the Directive 2003/71/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 November 2003, as amended, including by Directive 2010/73/EU and has been prepared in accordance with Article 20 of the Law of 16 June 2006 on the public offering of securities and the admission of securities to trading on a regulated market, as amended. This Prospectus was approved by the Belgian Financial Services and Markets Authority (FSMA) on 25 August 2016. Apart from the FSMA, no other authority in any other jurisdiction has approved this Prospectus. This Prospectus serves as a prospectus for the purpose of Article 20 of the Prospectus Law only and no shares are being offered or sold pursuant to this Prospectus. This Prospectus is not published in connection with, may not be used for and does not constitute an offer of transferable securities to the public, an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, any of the New Ordinary Shares or any other securities issued by Newbelco. The New Ordinary Shares have not been approved or disapproved by the SEC, any other federal or state securities commission in the U.S. or any other U.S. regulatory authority, nor has any such authority passed upon, confirmed the accuracy of or determined the adequacy of this Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense in the U.S. ________________________ Investing in shares involves substantial risks and uncertainties. Investors must be able to bear the economic risk of an investment in shares and should be able to sustain a partial or total loss of their investment. Before any investment in shares, investors should carefully review and consider the entire Prospectus, including all information incorporated by reference into this Prospectus, and should give particular attention to the risk factors set forth in Part II (Risk Factors) beginning on page 28 of this Prospectus, in particular the risk factors relating to the Transaction (see Part II: Risk Factors – 1. Risks relating to the Transaction), and more generally the risk factors relating to the Combined Group’s business (see Part II: Risk Factors – 2. Risks relating to the business of the Combined Group), the risk factors relating to the New Ordinary Shares (see Part II: Risk Factors – 3. Risks relating to the New Ordinary Shares) and the risk factors relating to taxation (see Part II: Risk Factors – 4. Risks relating to Taxation). All of these risk factors must be considered before investing in the New Ordinary Shares. ________________________ Distribution of this Prospectus may, in certain jurisdictions, be subject to specific regulations or restrictions. Persons in possession of this Prospectus are urged to inform themselves of any such regulations or restrictions which may apply in their jurisdiction and to observe them. Any failure to comply with these restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws of that jurisdiction. Newbelco disclaims all responsibility for any violation of such restrictions by any person. Prospectus dated 25 August 2016 TABLE OF CONTENTS CAUTIONARY STATEMENTS ........................................................................................................................ 7 PART I: SUMMARY ....................................................................................................................................... 16 PART II: RISK FACTORS ............................................................................................................................... 28 PART III: EXPECTED TIMETABLE OF PRINCIPAL EVENTS ..................................................................... 53 PART IV: OVERVIEW OF AB INBEV, SABMILLER AND NEWBELCO PRIOR TO COMPLETION........... 55 1. OVERVIEW OF AB INBEV ............................................................................................................. 55 1.1 THE BUSINESS OF AB INBEV ................................................................................................................ 55 1.2 AB INBEV HISTORICAL AND INTERIM FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ............................................................... 55 2. OVERVIEW OF SABMILLER ........................................................................................................