Gorenje and Gorenje Surovina sign agreement to divest majority shareholding in Publicus
20.08.2015
Press release
Gorenje Group continues to divest its non-core ecology business
Velenje, Ljubljana, August 19, 2015 – Gorenje, d.d., and Gorenje Surovina, d.o.o., signed with the company HIS gradbeništvo in inženiring d.o.o., which holds a 49-percent stake in the company Publicus, d.o.o., an agreement to divest their majority shareholding in their subsidiary Publicus, d.o.o., Ljubljana, complete with the subsidiary Ekogor, d.o.o., Jesenice.
The agreement is the first step on the way to signing a share sale and purchase agreement which a newly founded new company within the Gorenje Group and the company HIS, d.o.o., will sign subject to fulfilment of the preconditions (conditions precedent) set forth in the agreement. The key preconditions are related to withdrawal of treasury shares in Gorenje Surovina; transformation of legal status of the company Gorenje Surovina, which will involve detachment of Gorenje Surovina financial investments, including the financial investment in Publicus, to the newly founded company; and refinancing of the existing financial liabilities of Publicus and Ekogor backed by collateral provided by the Gorenje Group.
The agreement specifies all key elements of the share sale and purchase agreement, including the selling price, terms of payment, and guarantees or collaterals to be provided by the parties. The agreed price for Gorenje's stake in the company Publicus, including the investment into Ekogor, is EUR 3,628,190. The new owner will assume all liabilities of the two companies, while Gorenje will, after receiving the purchase amount, deleverage by EUR 6.5 million. When the preconditions (conditions precedent) are met, the agreement signed today shall constitute a binding obligation for the parties therein.
Gorenje, d.d., Supervisory Board was informed about the divestment procedure for the company Publicus, d.o.o., in the correspondence session held between July 20 and 23, 2015.
Gorenje, d.d., Management Board
