EANS-Adhoc: Lycos Europe N.V.
Announcement of delisting of Lycos Europe
N.V.'s shares
listed on Euronext Paris
ad-hoc disclosure pursuant to section 15 of the WpHG transmitted by euro adhoc with the aim of a Europe-wide distribution. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
30.07.2009
Lycos Europe N.V. (Euronext NL 0000233195-LYC/ Xetra WKN 932728 LCY) hereby announces its intention to delist its ordinary shares listed on NYSE Euronext Paris. This decision is principally due to the following facts: * Due to its results and prospects Lycos Europe N.V. announced a shutdown process on 26 November 2008 which was agreed upon by the extraordinary shareholders' meeting on 12 December 2008 held in Amsterdam. Pursuant to this shutdown process as of today:
- Lycos has sold several business units including United-Domains, the Danish portal business and Lycos iQ; - Lycos is looking for a buyer for the shopping unit called Pangora; - The majority of the employees have been released by April 1, 2009; and - Lycos has terminated the better part of nearly 600 agreements (e.g. sales, marketing, technical agreements).
- As a result of this strategy Lycos Europe N.V. will become a publicly listed company without a significant operational business and it is contemplated to liquidate the company within five to seven years. * The current dual listing of Lycos Europe N.V. is no longer coherent in the context of the implementation of its new strategy. * The listing of Lycos Europe N.V. on Euronext Paris creates extra costs and administrative burdens which are no longer justified given the strategy of the company. * Lycos Europe N.V. has presently carried out capital reimbursements of EUR 85 million for the benefit of its shareholders and will continue to do so as the assets are liquidated. Following these successive reimbursements, the trading value of the shares will be reduced to even lower levels than is presently the case. Due to several remaining agreements and in particular an escrow arrangement with United Internet the purchaser of the Domains Business, whereby EUR 7 million of the purchase price was put in escrow (until latest 2014) as security Lycos Europe N.V. obligations under the sale, Lycos Europe N.V.'s final liquidation of the company will presumably not take place before 2014. On the basis of the facts set out above, Lycos Europe N.V. has requested its delisting. The Board of NYSE Euronext Paris accepted the delisting request of Lycos Europe N.V. and decided that the delisting from the French regulated market would become effective on 3 January 2010 close of business. This time gap was provided to give the Lycos Europe N.V. shareholders an opportunity to sell their shares on Euronext Paris before the shares are delisted. Please note that this delisting may have an effect on the trading practices and terms and conditions that are applicable to you if you hold shares in Lycos Europe N.V. once these shares are no longer listed on Euronext Paris. As from the delisting of the shares of Lycos Europe N.V. on 4 January 2010 your financial intermediary will have until 15 January 2010 close of business to organize the transfer of your Lycos Europe N.V. shares portfolio to a German depository. You should discuss this with your broker or banker. If you intend to keep your shares in Lycos Europe N.V., please note that as at 4 January 2010, your shares will solely remain listed on the regulated market general standard of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (FWB), which should permit a sufficient trading liquidity for the shares, and it is not currently contemplated to delist the shares of the company from this market. Lycos Europe N.V.
end of announcement euro adhoc
Further inquiry note:
Investor relations Lycos Europe N.V.:
Jochen Hög - Tel : + 49 (0) 5241 80 71244 - Email :
jochen.hoeg@lycos-
europe.com
Branche: Software
ISIN: NL0000233195
WKN: 932728
Index: Prime All Share, Technologie All Share
Börsen: Frankfurt / regulated dealing/prime standard
Berlin / free trade
Hamburg / free trade
Stuttgart / free trade
Düsseldorf / free trade
Hannover / free trade
Euronext Paris / free trade
München / free trade