Business
BHP Billiton Canada Inc. to acquire Athabasca Potash Inc.
BHP Billiton Canada Inc. to acquire Athabasca Potash Inc.
About this update from Appia Rare Earths & Uranium Corp
[{"type":"text","content":"\n\n\n\nJan. 28, 2010 (Canada NewsWire Group) -- SASKATOON and TORONTO, Jan. 28 /CNW/ -- Athabasca Potash Inc. (TSX: API)Athabasca Potash Inc. (\"API\") and BHP Billiton Canada Inc. (\"BHP Billiton\") are pleased to announce they have entered into a definitive agreement whereby BHP Billiton will offer to acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of API at a price of $8.35 cash per common share (the \"Consideration\"). The total equity value of the transaction is approximately $341 million on a fully-diluted basis. All amounts are in Canadian dollars. The transaction represents the culmination of a nearly year-long process first described in API's March 30, 2009 press release and later expanded in API's July 16, 2009 press release.The Consideration represents a 105% premium to the closing market price of the common shares on July 15, 2009, the day preceding API's announcement that it had expanded the scope of transactions being considered in its strategic review process to include potential mergers or acquisitions of all or a portion of API or its business. The Consideration also represents a 25% premium over the closing price of the common shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange on 27 January 2010 and a 37% premium based on the volume weighted average price of the common shares over the 60 trading days prior to 28 January 2010.API's Board of Directors has unanimously approved the transaction and, having received fairness opinions from its financial advisers, recommends that security holders vote their shares in favour of the transaction. The transaction is to be implemented by way of a statutory plan of arrangement and will be subject to the approval of 66 2/3 per cent of the votes cast by API's security holders, and a simple majority of the votes cast by the shareholders, at a special meeting, which is currently anticipated to take place in March 2010. The acquisition will also require court approval. If API's security holders approve the transaction and the requisite court approval is obtained, the closing is expected to take place later in March 2010. The information circular for the acquisition is expected to be mailed to API's security holders by 12 February 2010.Dawn Zhou, API's Executive Chairman, all directors and certain other officers and major shareholders of API have entered into lock-up agreements with BH...