As from today, 13,040,989 newly issued shares of OTP banka are included in the trading on the Ljubljana Stock Exchange, with the parallel listing of Bank shares on the Warsaw Stock Exchange starting at the same time. The trading in KBM shares on the Warsaw Stock Exchange started at €8.00, while the opening price on the Ljubljana Stock Exchange was €8.67. In terms of the number of shareholders, OTP banka is the largest public limited company in Slovenia and the first Slovene company whose shares are traded simultaneously on the Ljubljana Stock Exchange and a foreign stock exchange. The Warsaw Stock Exchange was chosen mainly as it is the largest and the fastest-growing stock exchange in the region of Central and Eastern Europe. Over 400 companies are listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange, and 78 new issues of shares were admitted to this stock exchange this year.
At the short ceremony held today, the entry on the Warsaw Stock Exchange was welcomed also by Mr. Krzysztof Walenczak, the Deputy Minister of Treasury of the Republic of Poland, His Excellency Mr. Marjan Šetinc, the Slovene ambassador in Poland, and Mr. Ludwik Sobolewski, the President of the Management Board of the Warsaw Stock Exchange, who said: »The entry of OTP banka on the Warsaw Stock Exchange is of significant importance for the expansion of the Warsaw Stock Exchange activities in the Central and Eastern Europe. The listing of the second largest Slovene bank proves once again that well-functioning capital markets with international aspirations may perfectly support also companies abroad, irrespective of the differences in the economies of individual countries«.
Upon the start of listing, Mr. Matjaž Kovačič, the President of the OTP banka's Management Board pointed out that the »listing of OTP banka shares on the Warsaw Stock Exchange is an important milestone for the Bank as well as for the Slovene financial system in general. In accordance with our projection with respect to the increase in capital, all of the shares offered in the public offering have been allocated to those who decided to invest in a financial system as stable and ambitious as ours. We were able to raise over €104 million of fresh capital which will be earmarked for the further support of business plans and projects of Slovene companies, and for an even more intensive implementation of the Bank's and the Group's growth strategy aimed at consolidating our market position in Slovenia and abroad. Besides, a portion of the proceeds will be used for the Bank's compliance with the capital adequacy requirements. I believe that the Warsaw Stock Exchange is a good starting point for all Slovene companies that seek fresh capital in the international market«.
From today on, the trading in OTP banka shares is carried out simultaneously on both stock exchanges; on the Ljubljana Stock Exchange, the shares are quoted in euro, while on the Warsaw Stock Exchange they are quoted in the Polish Zloty. The trading on the Ljubljana Stock Exchange takes place in all shares that were listed in the prime market segment prior to the capital increase and in those shares that were in the capital increase process allocated to the investors who maintain their trading account with the Central Securities Clearing Corporation of Ljubljana (KDD). The trading on the Warsaw Stock Exchange started today in those shares that were in the capital increase process allocated to retail investors and institutional investors in Poland through the Polish National Depository for Securities (NDS). It will be possible to transfer the shares between both countries in such a way that the seller issues the order for the book-transfer of shares to the account of the new holder who may have his trading account opened in Poland or in Slovenia. The transfer of shares from the Polish NDS to the central register of KDD in Slovenia and vice versa is normally carried out the same day.
In case of a difference in the share price between the two stock exchanges, the arbitrage trade or the automatic adjustment of the share price may take place, since the increased sales of shares on one side and the increased purchases of shares on the other result in the automatic adjustment of the share price. This means that if the share price on one stock exchange is higher than on the other, the investors will transfer their shares to the stock market where the price is higher and sell them there.
The conclusion and settlement of transactions in shares on the Warsaw Stock Exchange is carried out in accordance with the rules governing the transactions of the regulated market managed by the Warsaw Stock Exchange. A prerequisite for trading and for the settlement for transactions is that both the buyer and the seller maintain their securities account with the Polish National Depository for Securities (NDS).
LEGAL DISCLAIMER
Not for publication, directly or indirectly, in the United States of America, Australia, Canada, and Japan, or in any other country in which the publishing would be contrary to the law.
This announcement is a public notice within the meaning of the Financial Instruments Market Act and the Directive 2003/71/EC (together with any applicable implementing measures relating to the Directive in any Relevant Member State, the »Prospectus Directive«), and is not to be considered as a prospectus. It is issued solely for promotional purposes and does not constitute a basis for reaching any decision with respect to the investment in securities of OTP banka d.d. (»Company«). The Prospectus, prepared in connection with the offering of shares to (A) the Existing Shareholders who may subscribe for the Offer Shares in proportion to their existing stake in the share capital of the Bank; (B) the Retail Investors in Slovenia and in Poland; and (C) Institutional Investors, in each case in reliance on Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, in connection with the authorisation for trading in the newly issued shares of the Company on the Ljubljana Stock Exchange (»LJSE«) and trading in all shares of the Company on the Warsaw Stock Exchange (»WSE«), is the only legally binding document which contains the information on the Company and the public offering of its shares in Slovenia and Poland (»Offering«). Investors shall not subscribe for or purchase shares by relying only upon the information contained in this announcement.
The Slovene Securities Market Agency (»ATVP«) approved the Prospectus on 31 March 2011. The Polish Financial Supervision Authority has been informed by the ATVP of the Prospectus approval, and has received a confirmation of the Prospectus approval, together with the Prospectus and the Polish language translation of the summary of the Slovene Prospectus. All requirements under Article 72 of the Slovene Financial Instruments Market Act and Article 37 of the Polish Public Offerings Act dated 29 July 2005 have been met. The Prospectus is available in electronic form on the website of OTP banka and on the Ljubljana Stock Exchange portal, SEOnet, and in printed form at the Bank's registered address and at all subscription locations.