上海2014年3月17日电 /美通社/ -- 巨人网络集团有限公司（纽交所交易代码：GA）（以下称“巨人”或“公司”），是一家中国领先的网络游戏开发商和运营商。今天宣布已就私有化与Giant Investment Limited（以下称“母公司”）及其全资子公司Giant Merger Limited（以下称“合并子公司”）签订了最终合并协议和计划（以下称“合并协议”）。
根据合并协议，母公司将以每股/ADS12.00美元的价格现金收购巨人的股票，收购对价总额约三十亿美元。该价格较2013年11月22日纽交所收盘价10.13美元溢价18.5%；较2013年11月22日前30天和60天成交量加权平均价分别溢价31.6%和33.6%。2013年11月22日是2013年11月25日前的最后一个交易日。公司在2013年11月25日宣布收到来自公司董事会主席史玉柱先生及其关联公司和霸菱亚洲投资（Baring Private Equity Asia）的一个附属公司（以下将霸菱亚洲投资及其管理的基金统称为“霸菱”）提出的非约束性私有化要约。
合并协议中的收购价格较2013年11月25日宣布的私有化要约中11.75美元的收购价格溢价2.1%。
一旦交易完成，母公司将由史玉柱先生、霸菱和弘毅资本(Hony Capital Fund V, L.P.)(以下将弘毅资本及其管理的基金统称为“弘毅”)组成的买方财团受益所有。截至合并协议签署前，买方财团成员共计持有巨人49.3%的股票。
根据合并协议的条款和条件，合并生效时合并子公司将并入巨人，巨人作为存续企业继续经营，并由母公司全资控股。除以下三种情况外，合并生效前所有已发行和流通的股份将被注销，并收到每股/ADS12.00美元现金（不计息及预提所得税）的对价：(i) 史玉柱先生旗下Union Sky Holding Group Limited（以下称“Union Sky”）拥有的不超过59,890,972股的股票，霸菱旗下Baring Private Equity Asia Holding (12) Limited（以下称：“霸菱SPV”）拥有的11,800,000股的股票（Union Sky和霸菱SPV合称“转结股东”），以及在合并生效前母公司、巨人、或他们的子公司所拥有的股票， 上述股票将会被直接注销，并得不到任何对价款；(ii)根据开曼群岛公司法第238条有效行使且未失去其评估权的普通股持有人所持有的普通股将在合并生效时被注销，获得按照开曼群岛公司法第238条所规定的相应对价；(iii)合并生效前Union Sky所拥有的37,500,000股将会被注销，以换取Union Sky获得巨人向其开具的总计450,000,000美元的期票，期票总值相当于每股12美元的价格所对应的37,500,000股股票，年息2%。合并交易完成后，史玉柱先生将保留合并前所持股票的约一半股票，剩余股票出售，获得现金和期票，每股单价等同于合并中支付给非关联股东的价格。
买方财团计划以(i)霸菱和弘毅提供的现金，(ii)来自中国民生银行（香港分行）、法国巴黎银行（香港分行）、瑞信银行（新加坡分行）、德意志银行（新加坡分行）、高盛银行（Goldman Sachs (Asia) L.L.C.及Goldman Sachs Lending Partners LLC）、工银国际和摩根大通银行合计8.5亿美元的贷款融资（贷款协议于2014年3月17日生效），以及(iii)巨人以及其子公司所持现金来提供交易所需资金。
根据董事会组建的独立董事特别委员会的一致建议，公司董事会批准了合并协议和交易，并做出决议，建议公司股东投票批准合并协议和交易。由与母公司、合并子公司、任何买方财团成员或公司任何管理层完全无关联关系的独立董事组成的特别委员会在其独立财务和法律顾问的协助下就合并协议的条款进行了谈判。
根据合并协议条款，在此交易完成前，不允许巨人进行任何的派息或股票回购。因此，巨人董事会已暂停公司先前宣布的股票回购及派息计划。
目前预计此项交易将在2014年下半年完成交割，并将受多种交割条件的限制，其中包括合并协议获得由拥有公司三分之二或以上股权的股东们，以个人或单一类别代理形式，在公司股东大会上授权并批准此项合并协议，也包括巨人某些子公司重组的完成。截止合并协议签署前，转结股东和Union Sky全资控股的子公司Vogel Holding Group Limited（以下称“Vogel”）合计拥有公司已发行和流通股的49.3%。根据转结股东、Vogel、母公司和Giant Group Holdings Limited（母公司的单一股东）之间签署的协议，转结股东和Vogel已同意利用受益所有的投票权投票授权并同意合并协议及其相关交易。若交易完成，巨人将成为一家私人持有的公司，而其美国存托凭证将不再在纽交所挂牌交易。
Morgan Stanley Asia Limited和Duff & Phelps LLC 担任特别委员会的财务顾问。Fenwick & West LLP 担任特别委员会美国法律顾问，Maples and Calder担任特别委员会开曼法律顾问。Shearman & Sterling担任Morgan Stanley Asia Limited的法律顾问。Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld担任Duff & Phelps LLC的法律顾问。
Kilometre Capital担任公司的战略顾问。O’Melveny and Myers LLP （美迈斯律师事务所）担任公司的美国法律顾问，Grandall Legal Firm (Shanghai)担任公司的中国法律顾问，Conyers Dill and Pearman担任公司的开曼法律顾问。
中国民生银行（香港分行）、法国巴黎银行、瑞信银行、德意志银行、高盛银行、工银国际和摩根大通银行担任买方财团的财务顾问。Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, P.C.担任史玉柱先生和买方财团的美国法律顾问。Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP担任霸菱的美国法律顾问以及买方财团银行贷款的英国法律顾问。Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP 担任弘毅的美国法律顾问。Fangda Partners担任霸菱和弘毅的中国法律顾问。Linklaters担任银行贷款授权牵头行的美国和英国法律顾问，Appleby和Jun He Law Offices分别为银行贷款授权牵头行的开曼和中国法律顾问。
Additional Information about the Transaction
The Company will furnish to the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) a report on Form 6-K regarding the proposed transactions described in this announcement, which will include as an exhibit thereto the Merger Agreement. All parties desiring details regarding the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, including the Merger, are urged to review these documents, which will be available at the SEC’s website (http://www.sec.gov).
In connection with the Merger, the Company will prepare and mail a proxy statement to its shareholders. In addition, certain participants in the Merger will prepare and mail to the Company’s shareholders a Schedule 13E-3 transaction statement. These documents will be filed with or furnished to the SEC. INVESTORS AND SHAREHOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY THESE MATERIALS AND OTHER MATERIALS FILED WITH OR FURNISHED TO THE SEC WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE, AS THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMPANY, THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED BY THE MERGER AGREEMENT AND RELATED MATTERS. In addition to receiving the proxy statement and Schedule 13E-3 transaction statement by mail, shareholders also will be able to obtain these documents, as well as other filings containing information about the Company, the Merger and related matters, without charge, from the SEC’s website (http://www.sec.gov) or at the SEC’s public reference room at 100 F Street, NE, Room 1580, Washington, D.C. 20549. In addition, these documents can be obtained, without charge, by contacting the Company at the following address and/or phone number:
Giant Interactive Group Inc.
11/F No. 3 Building, 700 Yishan Road,
Shanghai, 200233, People’s Republic of China
Phone: +86 21 3397-9999
The Company and certain of its directors, executive officers and other members of management and employees may, under SEC rules, be deemed to be “participants” in the solicitation of proxies from shareholders with respect to the Merger. Information regarding the persons or entities who may be considered “participants” in the solicitation of proxies will be set forth in the proxy statement and Schedule 13E-3 transaction statement relating to the Merger when it is filed with the SEC. Information regarding certain of these persons and their beneficial ownership of the Company’s ordinary shares as of March 31, 2013 is also set forth in the Company’s Form 20-F, which was filed with the SEC on April 18, 2013. Additional information regarding the interests of such potential participants will be included in the proxy statement and Schedule 13E-3 transaction statement and the other relevant documents filed with the SEC when they become available.
This announcement is neither a solicitation of proxy, an offer to purchase nor a solicitation of an offer to sell any securities and it is not a substitute for any proxy statement or other filings that may be made with the SEC should the Merger proceed.
Cautionary Statement concerning Forward Looking Statements
This news release may include certain statements that are not descriptions of historical facts, but are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “will,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates” and similar statements. Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any such statements. Potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, uncertainties as to how the Company’s shareholders will vote at the meeting of shareholders, the possibility that competing offers will be made, the possibility that various closing conditions to the Merger may not be satisfied or waived and other risks and uncertainties discussed in Giant’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as the Schedule 13E-3 transaction statement and the proxy statement to be filed by the Company in connection with the Merger. Giant does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.
