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Published: 2022-05-03 17:40:00 CEST
BHG Group AB
Inside information

BHG Group explores the conditions to carry out a new issue of approximately SEK 1,000 million

NOT FOR RELEASE, DISTRIBUTION OR PUBLICATION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH THE RELSEASE, DISTRIBUTION OR PUBLICATION WOULD BE UNLAWFUL OR REQUIRE REGISTRATION OR ANY OTHER MEASURES BEYOND WHAT IS REQUIRED UNDER SWEDISH LAW.

BHG Group AB (publ) (”BHG” or the ”Company”) (Nasdaq Stockholm: BHG) intends to explore the conditions to carry out a directed new issue of approximately  SEK 1,000 million, to Swedish and international intstitutional investors through an accelerated bookbuilding procedure (the “Share Issue”). BHG has appointed Carnegie Investment Bank AB (publ) (“Carnegie”) as Sole Global Coordinator and Joint Bookrunner and Danske Bank A/S, Denmark, Swedish Filial (”Danske Bank”) and Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB (”SEB”) as Joint Bookrunner to explore the conditions to carry out the Share Issue. The Company’s largest shareholder EQT is prepared to participate in the Share Issue with a significant amount.
 
The purpose of the Share Issue is to increase the Company’s financial readiness to support future growth initiatives, primarily through continued acquisitions, and to maintain financial flexibility. BHG’s financial targets include, inter alia, the objective to achieve net sales of SEK 20 billion over the medium term, including acquisitions. The Company aims at increasing net sales over the medium term of on average 20–25 percent per annum, whereof approximately 15 percent shall comprise organic growth.
 
The Share Issue is intended to be resolved by the board of directors on the basis of the authorisation granted by the annual general meeting held on 5 May 2021. The subscription price and the total number of shares will be determined through an accelerated bookbuilding procedure, which will commence immediately after the publication of this press release. Pricing and allocation are expected to take place before the commencement of trading on Nasdaq Stockholm on 4 May 2022. By establishing the subscription price through an accelerated bookbuilding procedure, it is the assessment of the board of directors that the subscription price will accurately reflect current market conditions and demand. The closing, pricing and allocation of the bookbuilding procedure is at the discretion of the Company and may be cancelled at any time. The Company will announce the outcome in a subsequent press release after the bookbuilding procedure has been completed.
 
The Share Issue aims to further strengthen the Company’s financial readiness to finance further acquisitions for continued expansion in accordance with the Company’s financial targets. The board of directors intends to increase the Company’s financial readiness by carrying out a directed issue, instead of a rights issue, as the time needed to carry out a rights issue risks leading to the Company losing potential acquisition opportunities. In addition, the board of directors considers it positive that the Company’s shareholder base is further diversified with Swedish and international institutional investors, which is also considered to be positive for the share’s liquidity.
 
The board of director’s overall assessment is that the reason for carrying out the Share Issue in this manner overweigh the principal rule that new share issues shall be carried out with pre-emptive rights for existing shareholders and that a new share issue with deviation from the shareholders’ pre-emptive rights is in the interest of the Company and all shareholders.
 
The Company has, in favour of Carnegie, subject to customary exemptions, agreed not to issue further shares for a period of 180 calendar days from the settlement date of the Share Issue. In addition, the Company’s board of directors and senior executives have, in favour of Carnegie, agreed not to divest any shares in BHG during a period of 180 calendar days from the settlement date of the Share Issue, subject to certain exemptions.
 
The Share Issue is subject to BHG’s board of directors resolving to issue new shares on the basis of the issue authorisation granted by the annual general meeting on 5 May 2021 after completion of the bookbuilding procedure.
 
Advisers
Carnegie acts as Sole Global Coordinator and Joint Bookrunner and Danske Bank together with SEB acts as Joint Bookrunner in connection with the transaction. Advokatfirman Vinge KB and White & Case Advokat AB are legal advisers to Sole Global Coordinator och Joint Bookrunners in connection with the transaction.


BHG Group explores the conditions to carry out a new issue of approximately SEK 1000 million.pdf