scor_sc13e3a.htm
UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington,
D.C. 20549
_______________
SCHEDULE
13E-3
_______________
Transaction
Statement
(Pursuant
to Section 13(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934)
Amendment
No. 2
SCOR
Holding (Switzerland) Ltd.
(Name
of Issuer)
_______________
SCOR
SE
(Names
of Persons Filing Statement)
American
Depositary Shares (as evidenced by American Depositary Receipts), each
representing one-half (1/2) of one registered share, nominal value CHF 5 per
share
Registered
Shares, nominal value CHF 5 per share
(Title
of Class of Securities)
7248256
(CUSIP
Number of Class of Securities)
François
de Varenne
Chief
Operating Officer
SCOR
SE
1,
avenue du Général de Gaulle
92074
Paris – La Défense Cedex
France
Tel.
No.: + 33 1 46 98 70 00
(Name,
Address, and Telephone Numbers of Person(s) Authorized
to
Receive Notices and Communications on Behalf of Person Filing
Statement)
_______________
NEITHER
THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION NOR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION HAS
APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED OF THIS TRANSACTION, PASSED UPON THE MERITS OR THE
FAIRNESS OF THE TRANSACTION OR PASSED UPON THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THE
INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS DOCUMENT. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A
CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
This
statement is filed in connection with (check the appropriate box):
[
] |
a. |
The
filing of solicitation materials or an information statement subject to
Regulation 14A, Regulation 14C, or Rule 13e-3(c) under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934. |
|
|
|
[
] |
b. |
The
filing of a registration statement under the Securities Act of
1933. |
|
|
|
[
] |
c. |
A
tender offer. |
|
|
|
[X] |
d. |
None of
the above. |
Check
the following box if the soliciting materials or information statement referred
to in checking box (a) are preliminary copies: [ ]
Check
the following box if the filing is a final amendment reporting the results of
the transaction: [ ]
____________________
Calculation
of Filing Fee
Transaction
Valuation*
|
|
Amount
of Filing Fee**
|
$43,934,817
|
|
$1,726.64
|
* For
the purpose of calculating the filing fee only, this amount is based on the
purchase of 2,521,210 American Depositary Shares (as evidenced by American
Depositary Receipts), each representing one-half (1/2) of one registered share,
nominal value CHF 5 per share, of SCOR Holding (Switzerland) Ltd. at
approximately $7.73 per share (based on the value of one-quarter of a SCOR SE
share according to the closing price per SCOR SE share on January 22, 2007 plus
CHF 3.07854 in cash and using the Swiss franc conversion rate to US dollars as
published by the US Federal Reserve Certified Noon Buying Rate on January 22,
2007) and the purchase of 1,580,211 registered shares, nominal value CHF 5 per
share, of SCOR Holding (Switzerland) Ltd. at approximately $15.47 per share
(based on the value of one-half of a SCOR SE share according to the closing
price per SCOR SE share on January 22, 2007 plus CHF 6.15708 in cash and using
the Swiss franc conversion rate to US dollars as published by the US Federal
Reserve Certified Noon Buying Rate on January 22, 2007).
** The
amount of the filing fee was calculated based on a rate of $39.30 per $1,000,000
of the aggregate value of the transaction.
____________________
[X] Check
box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify
the filing with which the offsetting fee was previously paid. Identify the
previous filing by registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule and
the date of its filing.
Amount Previously
Paid: |
$1,726.64 |
|
|
Form or
Registration No.: |
Schedule 13E-3 |
|
|
Filing
Party: |
SCOR
SE |
|
|
Date
Filed: |
January
25, 2008 |
Item
1. Summary
Term Sheet.
This
Amendment No. 2 (this “Amendment”) amends and supplements the Schedule 13E-3
Transaction Statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"SEC") on
January 25, 2008, as amended on January 29, 2008 (the "Statement"), by SCOR
SE, a societas europaea
organized under the laws of the Republic of France ("SCOR" or the "Filing Person"),
pursuant to Section 13(e) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
(the "Exchange
Act"), and Rule 13e-3 thereunder ("Rule 13e-3"). SCOR is
a reinsurance company providing treaty and facultative reinsurance on a
worldwide basis to Property-Casualty and Life insurers.
SCOR
Holding (Switzerland) Ltd., a corporation organized under the laws of
Switzerland (the "Subject Company"), is
an international multi-line reinsurer with a distinct emphasis on specialty
lines. Until September 11, 2007, the Subject Company was called Converium
Holding Ltd.
SCOR
owns approximately 98.06% of the voting rights and outstanding Shares (as
defined below) of the Subject Company.
Principal
Terms of the Cancellation
Following
the Swiss public tender offer by SCOR for the registered shares, nominal value
CHF 5 per share (the "Registered Shares"),
of the Subject Company (the "Swiss Offer"), and
purchases of Registered Shares by SCOR outside the Swiss Offer, SCOR holds in
excess of 98% of the Subject Company’s voting rights and outstanding
Shares. Pursuant to Article 33 of the Swiss Federal Act on Stock
Exchanges and Securities Trading ("Article 33"), SCOR
has filed a cancellation action with the Commercial Court of the Canton of
Zurich (the "Court") on October
25, 2007, seeking a court-ordered cancellation of the remaining Registered
Shares not owned by SCOR (the "Cancellation").
Upon
the declaration of effectiveness of the Cancellation by the Court, at the
earliest three months from November 22, 2007 (the date of publication of the
notification by the Court of the Cancellation action), all of the Registered
Shares not owned by SCOR will be cancelled. On February 28, 2008, the Court
informed SCOR that as of such date no minority shareholder had joined the
proceedings and that the Court’s decision on the Cancellation would be made by
the beginning of April, 2008. Following such cancellation, by virtue of Swiss
law, the Subject Company will reissue the cancelled Registered Shares to SCOR
and SCOR will be required to pay former shareholders of the Subject Company the
Swiss Offer consideration consisting of (i) one-half of a SCOR share, nominal
value EUR 7.8769723 (a "SCOR Share"), (ii)
CHF 5.50 in cash, and (iii) EUR 0.40 in cash (collectively, the "Cancellation
Consideration"), which is the same combination of cash and shares as was
offered in the Swiss Offer (the "Offer Price"). See
"Item 4. Terms of the Transaction".
Affiliation
of the Subject Company and SCOR
As
of January 22, 2008, SCOR owned approximately 98.06% of the voting rights and
outstanding Shares of the Subject Company. Certain officers and directors of
SCOR are also officers and/or directors of the Subject Company.
Payment
for Shares
SCOR
will pay for each cancelled Registered Share the Cancellation Consideration that
will consist of (i) 0.5 SCOR Shares, (ii) CHF 5.50 in cash, and (iii) CHF
0.65708 in cash (corresponding to
EUR
0.40 in cash converted to Swiss francs at the EUR/CHF exchange rate applicable
on the day preceding the settlement of the Swiss Offer).
Holders
of American Depositary Shares (as evidenced by American Depositary receipts,
each representing one-half of one Registered Share of the Subject Company) (the
"ADSs" and,
together with the Registered Shares, the "Shares") will be
entitled to the US dollar equivalent of half the Cancellation Consideration,
less any fees as described below (the "ADS Consideration").
ADS holders will receive the ADS Consideration through The Bank of New York, the
depositary for the Subject Company’s American Depositary Receipt Program ("BONY"). As the SCOR
Shares will not be registered in the United States of America under the
Securities Act of 1933 (the "Securities Act"),
BONY has informed SCOR that, pursuant to the provisions of the Deposit
Agreement, it has decided to sell the SCOR Shares that its custodian in
Switzerland will receive on behalf of the ADS holders in the Cancellation in the
open market on either Euronext Paris or SWX Swiss Exchange. SCOR anticipates
that the total ADS Consideration to be received by BONY will include
approximately 630,000 SCOR Shares. For the 30-day period ending March 6, 2008,
the average daily trading volume for SCOR Shares on Euronext Paris was 982,235.
SCOR therefore fully expects that BONY will be able to sell the SCOR Shares in
the open market. BONY has also informed SCOR that the US Dollar cash amount that
will be received by each ADS holder will be determined by averaging the sales
price of all SCOR Shares sold by BONY. In addition, the Swiss franc and Euro
cash payments that are part of the ADS Consideration, will be converted by
BONY into US dollars pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Deposit
Agreement. BONY will distribute the proceeds from the sale of the SCOR Shares
and the cash element of the ADS Consideration in US dollars to ADS holders on a
pro-rata basis, net of BONY’s fees and expenses. See "Item 4. Terms of the
Transaction".
Fairness
of the Cancellation
SCOR
believes that the Cancellation is both procedurally and substantively fair to
the Subject Company’s unaffiliated shareholders. SCOR is conducting the
Cancellation in compliance with Swiss law.
Pursuant
to Article 33, a cancellation proceeding is only available if it is filed three
months following the expiration of the additional acceptance period of a Swiss
public tender offer for the shares of a Swiss listed company and if the
applicant directly or indirectly owns more than 98% of the voting rights in such
company. The price to be paid to shareholders whose shares are cancelled in the
cancellation proceeding must be identical to the offer price that was paid to
shareholders in the Swiss public tender offer. The price paid in the Swiss
public tender offer is a market-tested price, as the Swiss takeover rules and
procedures provide for a contest of potential competing offers, require equal
treatment of all offerors, and protect against certain defenses. The Swiss
takeover supervisory authorities actively supervise the compliance with these
rules and take the necessary steps for their enforcement. Accordingly, there is
a presumption of fairness of the Cancellation to the Subject Company’s
unaffiliated shareholders. No fairness opinion has been sought by SCOR on the
appropriateness of the consideration to be paid to shareholders of the Subject
Company. See "Item 8. Fairness of the Transaction".
Consequences
of the Cancellation
The
Cancellation will result in SCOR holding 100% of the Subject Company’s Shares.
Following the Cancellation, the Subject Company will become a wholly-owned
subsidiary of SCOR. Unaffiliated holders of Registered Shares will become SCOR
shareholders. See "Item 7. Purposes, Alternatives, Reasons and
Effects".
Appraisal
Rights
Under
Swiss law, a cancellation proceeding does not provide shareholders with
appraisal rights. A Subject Company shareholder may only join the Cancellation
action where it argues that SCOR has failed to observe procedural requirements
to achieve the appropriate level of voting rights in the Subject Company or to
bring the Cancellation proceeding within the applicable three month period. The
Cancellation Consideration becomes due as a consequence of the Cancellation and
is set by virtue of mandatory law. It cannot be changed by the court or the
parties.
Dissemination
of Information
A
disclosure document in the form of this Statement will be distributed to all
Subject Company shareholders of record. The disclosure document will be
distributed on the day of filing of this Statement with the SEC.
For
More Information
If
you have any questions about the Cancellation, please call SCOR Investor
Relations at +33 1 46 98 72 17.
Item
2. Subject
Company Information.
(a) Name and Address. The Subject
Company's full name is SCOR Holding (Switzerland) Ltd. The Subject Company’s
principal executive office is located at General Guisan-Quai 26, P.O. Box,
CH-8022, Zurich, Switzerland. The Subject Company’s telephone number is +41 44
639 9335.
(b) Securities. The exact titles
of the classes of equity securities that are the subject of this filing are the
Subject Company's American Depositary Shares (evidenced by American Depositary
Receipts), each representing one-half (1/2) of one registered share, nominal
value CHF 5 per share and Registered Shares, nominal value CHF 5 per share. As
of January 22, 2008, the Subject Company had 146,689,462 Registered Shares,
including 1,260,605 Registered Shares represented by 2,521,210 ADSs, issued and
outstanding.
(c) Price Range of
Securities. The
Registered Shares are traded on the SWX Swiss Exchange under the symbol CHRN
and, until January 7, 2008, the ADSs were traded on the NYSE under the symbol
CHR. The high and low sales prices of the Registered Shares and ADSs for each
quarter during the past two years are as follows:
|
SWX
(CHF)
|
NYSE
($)
|
Quarter
Ended
|
High
|
Low
|
High
|
Low
|
March
31, 2006
|
16.55
|
13.40
|
6.45
|
5.23
|
June
30, 2006
|
16.40
|
12.15
|
6.77
|
4.85
|
September
30, 2006
|
15.70
|
11.75
|
6.33
|
4.72
|
December
31, 2006
|
17.00
|
14.90
|
6.79
|
6.00
|
March
31, 2007
|
22.35
|
16.30
|
8.85
|
6.62
|
June
30, 2007
|
23.25
|
20.95
|
9.54
|
8.48
|
September
30, 2007
|
23.25
|
18.15
|
9.60
|
7.20
|
December
31, 2007
|
21.70
|
19.40
|
9.44
|
8.12
|
March
31, 2008
|
-(1)
|
-(1)
|
-(2)
|
-(2)
|
(1) The
closing price for the Registered Shares on the SWX Swiss Exchange on January 22,
2008 was CHF 15.00 per Registered Share.
(2) Effective
January 7, 2008, the ADSs were delisted from the NYSE. The last closing price
for the ADSs on the NYSE on January 4, 2008 was $8.20 per ADS.
(d) Dividends. The Subject
Company paid a gross dividend of CHF 0.10 per Registered Share for the
business year 2005 and CHF 0.20 per Registered Share for the business year
2006 to its shareholders. The dividend payments were made on April 18, 2006 and
May 15, 2007, respectively.
(e) Prior Public Offerings. The
Filing Person has not, in the past three years, effected any underwritten public
offering of its Shares that was registered under the Securities Act, or exempt
under Regulation A under the Securities Act.
(f) Prior Stock Purchases.
Following the settlement of the Swiss Offer, at which point SCOR became an
affiliate of the Subject Company, SCOR purchased an aggregate of 2,552,043
Registered Shares and 13,800 ADSs in a series of open market transactions, one
off-exchange trade and one delivery against payment transaction for the Subject
Company’s treasury shares. In the third quarter of 2007, SCOR
purchased 2,275,294 Registered Shares at prices ranging from CHF 18.55 to CHF
21.60 and for an average price of CHF 20.19. In the fourth quarter of 2007, SCOR
purchased 276,749 Registered Shares and 13,800 ADSs at prices ranging from CHF
21.10 to CHF 21.60 and from $9.00 to $9.05 for an average price of CHF 21.54 and
$9.01 respectively.
Item
3. Identity
and Background of Filing Persons.
(a) Name and Address. The Filing Person is an
affiliate of the Subject Company through its ownership of approximately 98.06%
of the voting rights and outstanding Shares. The Filing Person’s full name is
SCOR SE and its business address is 1, avenue du Général de Gaulle, 92074 Paris
– La Défense Cedex, France. SCOR’s business telephone number is + 33 1 46 98 70
00.
(b) Business and Background of
Entities. SCOR is a reinsurance
company providing treaty and facultative reinsurance on a worldwide basis to
Property-Casualty and Life insurers. SCOR is a societas europaea organized
under the laws of the Republic of France.
(c) Business and Background of Natural
Persons.
The
following table sets for the name, citizenship, business address, present
principal occupation or employment, and material occupations, positions, offices
or employment during the past five years of each director and executive officer
of SCOR as of March 11, 2008.
Except
as set forth in the chart below, neither SCOR nor any of the persons listed
below has been convicted in a criminal proceeding during the past five years
(excluding traffic violations or similar misdemeanors) or has been a party to
any judicial or administrative proceeding during the past five years (except for
matters that were dismissed without sanction or settlement) that resulted in a
judgment, decree or final order enjoining the person from future violations of,
or prohibiting activities subject to, federal or state securities laws, or a
finding of any violation of federal or state securities laws.
The
business address for each person named below is c/o SCOR SE, 1, avenue du
Général de Gaulle, 92074 Paris – La Défense Cedex, France.
SCOR
Executive Officers
|
Name
|
|
Citizenship
|
|
Current
Occupation and Business Experience
|
Denis
Kessler
|
|
French
|
|
Chairman
and Chief Executive Officer.
|
|
|
|
|
Denis
Kessler is a graduate of HEC business school (École des Hautes Études
Commerciales), with a PhD in Economics, a qualified professorship (agrégé)
in Economics and a qualified professorship in Social Sciences. He was
Chairman of the Fédération Française des Sociétés d’Assurance (FFSA)
(Federation of French Insurance Companies), Senior Executive Vice
President and member of the Executive Committee of AXA, and subsequently
First Executive Vice-Chairman of the Mouvement des Entreprises de France
(MEDEF) (French Business Confederation). Denis Kessler joined SCOR on 4
November 2002 as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.
|
Victor
Peignet
|
|
French
|
|
Chief
Executive Officer of SCOR Global P&C.
A
marine and offshore engineer, Victor Peignet joined SCOR's Facultative
Department in 1984. He was appointed Deputy CEO of the Group's Business
Solutions Division at its formation in 2000, before becoming CEO of SCOR
Global P&C when the Group operating company was created in June
2005.
|
Jean-Luc
Besson
|
|
French
|
|
Group
Chief Risk Officer.
Jean-Luc
Besson, an actuary, holds a PhD in Mathematics and has served as a
Professor of Mathematics and as Senior Vice President of Research,
Statistics and Information Systems at the FFSA (Fédération Française des
Sociétés d’Assurance - Federation of French Insurance Companies). He was
appointed Chief Reserving Actuary of the SCOR group in January 2003 and
has been Group Chief Risk Officer since July 1, 2004.
|
Paolo
De Martin
|
|
Italian
|
|
Group
Chief Financial Officer.
Paolo
De Martin, graduated from Ca’ Foscari University, Italy, with a degree in
Business Economics. He subsequently spent two years in the optical
business as founder and managing partner of an eyewear manufacturer. He
joined the General Electric Company (GE) in 1995 as a finance trainee in
London. In 1997 he joined GE’s internal auditing & consulting group,
charged with assignments in multiple GE businesses in the Americas, Europe
and Asia-Pacific. In 2001, Paolo De Martin was promoted to Executive
Manager for GE Capital Europe, before joining GE Insurance Solutions as
Financial Planning and Analysis Manager for Global Property and Casualty
Reinsurance. As of 2003 he was appointed CFO of GE Frankona group, before
becoming Chief Financial Officer of Converium in July 2006.
|
François de
Varenne
|
|
French
|
|
Group
Chief Operating Officer.
An
Ecole Polytechnique graduate, François de Varenne holds a doctorate in
Economics and is an actuary qualified with the ISFA (Institut de Science
Financière et d’Assurances – Finance and Insurance Institute). He joined
the FFSA in 1993 as Director for Economic and Financial Affairs. In London
from 1998, he was successively an Insurance Strategist with Lehman
Brothers, then Vice-President in charge of asset management solutions and
structured transactions, subsequently working as an expert in insurance
and reinsurance companies at Merrill Lynch and then Deutsche Bank. In 2003
he became Managing Partner of Gimar France & Cie. He joined the SCOR
Group in 2005 as Director of Corporate Finance and Asset
Management.
|
Benjamin
Gentsch
|
|
Swiss
|
|
Deputy
Chief Executive Officer of SCOR Global P&C, Chief Executive Officer of
SCOR Switzerland.
Benjamin
Gentsch holds a degree in business administration from the University of
St. Gallen, majoring in risk management and insurance. Between 1986 and
1998, he held various positions at Union Reinsurance Company, Zurich,
where from 1990 to 1998 he was responsible for treaty reinsurance business
in Asia and Australia. In 1998, he joined Zurich Re as the Chief
Underwriting Officer Overseas, where he was given the task of
strengthening the company's position on the Asian, Australian, African and
Latin American markets. In addition, he took charge of the Global Aviation
reinsurance department and built up the Professional Risk and Global
Marine reinsurance departments. In September 2002, Benjamin Gentsch was
appointed Chief Executive Officer of Converium Zurich and was also
subsequently appointed Executive Vice President in charge of
Specialties.
|
Michael
Kastenholz
|
|
German
|
|
Deputy
Chief Risk Officer of SCOR.
Dr.
Michael Kastenholz has a doctorate in Mathematics and is a member of the
German Actuarial Association DAV. Dr. Kastenholz has spent most of his
career at Gerling Globale in the Life reinsurance field: he was Executive
Director for Life & Health from 1998 to 2002, then interim Group CFO
of Gerling Globale and Member of the Board of Management of Gerling Life
Reinsurance. Dr. Kastenholz has been CFO of Revios and a member of the
Revios Vorstand since 2003. He was appointed Deputy CFO of SCOR on
November 23, 2006.
|
Gilles
Meyer
|
|
French
and
|
|
Chief
Executive Officer of SCOR Global
Life.
|
|
|
Swiss
|
|
Gilles
Meyer holds an MBA from GSBA in Zurich. After 23 years of experience in
reinsurance, Gilles Meyer was CEO of Alea Europe from 1999 to 2006, in
charge of both Property & Casualty and Life reinsurance, and from 2005
to 2006 he was Group Chief Underwriter of Alea. He joined the SCOR Group
in January 2006, in charge of the German-speaking Business unit of SCOR
Global P&C. He was appointed Director of SCOR Global Life's Business
Unit 1 and member of the Group Executive Committee in November 2006. He
was appointed Chief Executive Officer of SCOR Global Life in February
2008.
|
Norbert
Pyhel
|
|
German
|
|
Deputy
Chief Executive Officer of SCOR Global Life.
Norbert
Pyhel holds a Doctorate in mathematical statistics from the Technische
Hochschule Aachen. His career in insurance started at Gerling Globale
Rückversicherungs-AG, where he became Executive Director of Life &
Health for Continental Europe in 1990 and Joint Managing Director of
Gerling Life Reinsurance GmbH, Köln in 2002. He was a Member of the Board
of Management of Revios Rückversicherung AG, which later became SCOR
Global Life SE. His most recent position was Managing Director of SCOR
Global Life in Germany. Norbert Pyhel is a Member of the German Actuarial
Association (DAV) and the Swiss Actuarial Association (SAV).
|
SCOR
Directors
|
Name
|
|
Citizenship
|
|
Current
Occupation and Business Experience
|
Denis
Kessler
|
|
French
|
|
Chairman.
See
above.
|
Carlo
Acutis
|
|
Italian
|
|
Vice-Chairman
of Vittoria Assicurazioni S.p.A. (Italy).
Carlo
Acutis is Vice-Chairman of Vittoria Assicurazioni S.p.A. He holds several
other positions as Chairman or board member. An expert in the
international insurance market, he is a member and former chairman of the
Comité Européen des Assurances (CEA) (European Insurance Committee), and a
Director of the Geneva Association.
|
Antonio
Borges
|
|
Portuguese
|
|
Vice-Chairman
of Goldman Sachs International, London.
Antonio
Borges is a member of the Supervisory Board of CNP Assurances and a member
of the Fiscal Committee of the Banco Santander de Negocios Portugal. He
was formerly Dean of the INSEAD business school.
|
Allan
Chapin
|
|
American
|
|
Partner,
Compass Advisers LLP (U.S.A.).
After
having been a partner at Sullivan & Cromwell and Lazard Frères, New
York, for a number of years, Allan Chapin has been a partner at Compass
Partners Advisers LLP, New York, since June 2002. He is also Director of
the Pinault Printemps Redoute Group, InBev (Belgium), as well as Director
of certain subsidiaries of SCOR US Corporation.
|
Daniel
Havis
|
|
French
|
|
Chairman
and Chief Executive Officer of Mutuelle Assurance des Travailleurs
Mutualistes (MATMUT).
|
Daniel
Lebègue
|
|
French
|
|
Chairman
of the Institut Français des Administrateurs (French Institute of
Directors).
Daniel
Lebègue has served as Head of the French Treasury Department, as Chief
Operating Officer of BNP, as Chief Operating Officer of the Caisse des
Dépôts et Consignations, as Chairman of the Supervisory Board of CDC IXIS
and as Chairman of Eulia. He is currently a director of several
companies.
|
André
Lévy-Lang
|
|
French
|
|
Associate
Professor (Emeritus) at the Paris University of Dauphine.
André
Lévy-Lang was Chairman of the Management Board of Paribas from 1990 to
1999.
|
Luc
Rougé
|
|
French
|
|
Employee
of SCOR.
|
Herbert
Schimetschek
|
|
Austrian
|
|
Chairman
of the Management Board of Austria Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit
Privatstiftung (Holding).
From
1997 to 2000, Herbert Schimetschek was Chairman of the Comité Européen des
Assurances, and subsequently served as Vice Chairman of the Austrian
Insurance Companies Association until June 2000. From 1999 to 2001, he was
Chairman of the Management Board and Chief Operating Officer of UNIQA
Versicherung S.A.
|
Jean-Claude
Seys
|
|
French
|
|
Chairman
and Chief Executive Officer of COVEA (SGAM).
Jean-Claude
Seys has spent his entire career in insurance. He was appointed Chairman
and Chief Executive Officer of MAAF in 1992, and subsequently Chief
Executive Officer of MAAF-MMA in 1998. He is now Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer of SGAM COVEA (a post he has held since June 2003) as
well as being Chairman of MMA.
In
connection with the Crédit Lyonnais/ Executive Life matter, Jean-Claude
Seys entered into a settlement with the California prosecutor’s office in
2006 pursuant to which he is subject to five years of probation. During
such time, he cannot travel to the United States without a special
authorization.
|
Jean
Simonnet
|
|
French
|
|
Chairman
of the SMIP (Mutuelle Complémentaire Santé) and of SOCRAM (a credit
institution).
|
Claude
Tendil
|
|
French
|
|
Chairman
and Chief Executive Officer of Generali France, Generali Vie, Generali
IARD and Europ Assistance
|
Patrick
Thourot
|
|
French
|
|
Senior
Advisor to the Chairman of SCOR.
Patrick
Thourot is a graduate of Ecole Nationale d’Administration, Inspecteur
Général des Finances, was Chief Executive Officer of PFA (Athéna Group),
and worked for AXA, where he was a member of the Executive Committee
before he was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Zürich France. He was
Chief Operating Officer of SCOR Group from January 2003 until September
2007.
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Daniel
Valot
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French
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Daniel
Valot was Chief Operating Officer of Total Exploration Production before
joining the Technip group, where he was appointed Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer from September 1999 until April 2007.
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Georges
Chodron De Courcel
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French
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(Non-Voting
Director), Chief Operating Officer, BNP Paribas (France).
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Item
4. Terms
of the Transaction.
(a) Material terms. Given that SCOR holds
in excess of 98% of the Subject Company’s voting rights, SCOR has filed a
cancellation action pursuant to Article 33 with the Court on October 25,
2007, seeking a court-ordered cancellation of the Shares that it does not
own.
Upon
the declaration of effectiveness of the Cancellation by the Court, at the
earliest three months from November 22, 2007 (the date of publication of the
notification by the Court of the Cancellation action), all of the Registered
Shares not owned by SCOR will be cancelled in exchange for
payment
of consideration consisting of (i) one-half of a SCOR Share, (ii) CHF 5.50 in
cash, and (iii) EUR 0.40 in cash, which is the same combination of cash and
shares as offered in the Swiss Offer. On February 28, 2008, the Court informed
SCOR that as of such date no minority shareholder had joined the proceedings and
that the Court’s decision on the Cancellation would be made by the beginning of
April, 2008. Following such cancellation, the Subject Company will reissue new
Registered Shares to SCOR.
SCOR
will pay the Cancellation Consideration for each cancelled Registered Share of
(i) 0.5 SCOR Shares, (ii) CHF 5.50 in cash, and (iii) CHF 0.65708 in cash
(corresponding to EUR 0.40 converted to CHF at the exchange rate EUR/CHF
applicable on the day preceding the settlement of the Swiss Offer).
As
in the Swiss Offer, fractional entitlements to SCOR Shares resulting from the
exchange ratio will not be delivered but pooled and the corresponding SCOR
Shares will be sold. The net proceeds of the sales will be distributed to the
Subject Company shareholders with fractional entitlements in CHF on a pro rata
basis. The cash payments compensating the fractional entitlements in SCOR Shares
will be made with a value date on or around the Cancellation date.
Holders
of ADSs will be entitled to the ADS Consideration. ADS holders will receive the
ADS Consideration through BONY. As the SCOR Shares will not be registered in the
United States of America under the Securities Act, BONY has informed SCOR that,
pursuant to the provisions of the Deposit Agreement, it has decided to sell the
SCOR Shares that its custodian in Switzerland will receive on behalf of the ADS
holders in the Cancellation in the open market on either Euronext Paris or SWX
Swiss Exchange. SCOR anticipates that the total ADS Consideration to be received
by BONY will include approximately 630,000 SCOR Shares. For the 30-day period
ending March 6, 2008, the average daily trading volume for SCOR Shares on
Euronext Paris was 982,235. SCOR therefore fully expects that BONY will be able
to sell the SCOR Shares in the open market. BONY has also informed SCOR that the
US Dollar cash amount that will be received by each ADS holder will be
determined by averaging the sales price of all SCOR Shares sold by BONY. In
addition, the Swiss franc and Euro cash payments that are part of the ADS
Consideration, will be converted by BONY into US dollars pursuant to the terms
and conditions of the Deposit Agreement. BONY will distribute the proceeds from
the sale of the SCOR Shares and the cash element of the ADS Consideration in US
dollars to ADS holders on a pro-rata basis, net of BONY’s fees and
expenses.
SCOR
Shares may be held either in registered or bearer form, at the holder’s
discretion. While there are no transfer restrictions set forth in SCOR’s
articles of association, the transfer of larger blocks of SCOR Shares may
require the approval of the competent insurance regulatory authorities in
countries where SCOR either has a reinsurance/ insurance license or a
reinsurance/insurance subsidiary. SCOR Shares are traded on the Euronext Paris
(Eurolist). According to Article R. 211-5 of the French Monetary and Financial
Code, prior to any transfer on the Euronext Paris (Eurolist) of securities held
in registered form, the securities must be converted into bearer form and
accordingly inscribed in an account maintained by an accredited intermediary
with Euroclear France S.A., a registered clearing agency. The transfer of
ownership of securities traded on the Euronext Paris (Eurolist) occurs at the
time of registration of the securities in the appropriate shareholder’s
account.
Each
SCOR Share has voting rights in proportion to the amount of the share capital it
represents. When SCOR Shares are held in usufruct, the voting rights attached to
such SCOR Shares belong to the grantee in ordinary general meetings and to the
legal owner in extraordinary general meetings.
The
merger, dissolution or liquidation of SCOR must be decided by its extraordinary
shareholders’ meeting. In the event that SCOR is liquidated, the assets of SCOR
remaining after payment of its debts, liquidation expenses and all of its
remaining obligations will be used first to repay in full the nominal value of
the SCOR Shares, then the surplus, if any, will be distributed among the holders
of
SCOR
Shares in proportion to the nominal value of their shareholdings and subject to
any special rights granted to holders of preferred shares, if any.
For
the financial years 2004, 2005 and 2006 SCOR paid a dividend of EUR 24 million,
EUR 48 million and EUR 92 million, respectively.
(c) Different terms. Registered
Shares directly or indirectly held by SCOR will not be cancelled in the
Cancellation.
As
described above, holders of ADSs will not receive SCOR Shares as part of the
consideration for their cancelled ADSs. BONY will endeavor to sell the SCOR
Shares and will distribute the proceeds in US dollars to ADS holders on a
pro-rata basis, net of BONY’s fees and expenses. In addition, the Swiss franc
and Euro cash payments that are part of the Cancellation Consideration, will be
converted by BONY into US dollars pursuant to the terms and conditions of the
Deposit Agreement and will be distributed to ADS holders net of BONY’s fees and
expenses.
(d) Appraisal rights. Under Swiss law, a
cancellation proceeding does not provide shareholders with appraisal rights. A
Subject Company shareholder may only join the Cancellation action where it
argues that SCOR has failed to observe procedural requirements to achieve the
appropriate level of voting rights in the Subject Company or to bring the
Cancellation proceeding within the applicable three month period. The
Cancellation Consideration becomes due as a consequence of the Cancellation and
is set by virtue of mandatory law. It cannot be changed by the court or the
parties.
(e) Provisions for Unaffiliated Security
Holders. SCOR has neither made
nor does it intend to make any provision to grant unaffiliated security holders
of the Subject Company access to the corporate files of SCOR. SCOR does not
intend to obtain counsel to or appraisal services for unaffiliated stockholders
of the Subject Company.
(f) Eligibility for listing or
trading. SCOR has taken no steps to assure that the SCOR Shares
issued to holders of the Registered Shares will be eligible for trading on an
automated quotations system operated by a national securities
association.
Following
the Cancellation, the SCOR Shares will continue to be listed and traded on
Euronext Paris (Eurolist) and the SWX Swiss Exchange.
Item
5. Past
Contracts, Transactions, Negotiations and Agreements.
(a) Transactions.
During
the past two years, there have been no transactions between SCOR or any
executive officer or director of SCOR as listed in Item 3 to this Statement and
the Subject Company, whereby the aggregate value of the transactions is more
than 1% of the Subject Company’s consolidated turnover for the fiscal year when
the transaction occurred.
During
the past two years, the only transactions that occurred between SCOR, or, to the
best knowledge of SCOR, any executive officer or director of SCOR as listed in
Item 3 to this Statement and any executive officer, director or affiliate of the
Subject Company that is a natural person that exceeded $60,000 in aggregate were
the termination agreements entered into with Inga Beale (former Chief Executive
Officer of the Subject Company) and Paolo de Martin (former Chief Financial
Officer of the Subject Company) as discussed in Item 5(b) which amounted to CHF
4.2 million (approximately $3.4 million) and CHF 2.5 million (approximately $2.0
million) respectively.
(b) Significant Corporate
Events.
During
the 12 months prior to the publication of the pre-announcement of the Swiss
Offer on February 26, 2007, SCOR Global P&C S.A. and IRP Holdings Ltd., both
wholly-owned subsidiaries of SCOR, purchased a total of 7,300,00 Registered
Shares and options for 4,900,000 Registered Shares. All the options were
exercised prior to the February 26, 2007 publication of the pre-announcement of
the Swiss Offer by SCOR.
In
addition, on February 16, 2007, SCOR concluded a share purchase agreement and a
contribution agreement with Patinex AG ("Patinex") concerning
the acquisition/exchange of another 29,020,350 Registered Shares. On February
17/18, 2007, SCOR entered into a share purchase agreement and a contribution
agreement with Alecta pensionsförsäkring,
ömsesidigt ("Alecta") concerning
the acquisition/exchange of 7,100,000 Registered Shares. In both cases the
compensation agreed upon consisted of 0.4938272 SCOR Shares plus a cash portion
of CHF 4.20 per Registered Share.
On
February 17, 2007, Mr. Kessler, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of SCOR,
met in Zurich with Mr. Markus Dennler, the then Chairman of the Subject Company,
and Mr. Rudolf Kellenberger, the then Vice Chairman of the Subject Company, to
present SCOR’s proposal for a friendly combination of SCOR and the Subject
Company.
On
February 19, 2007, the Subject Company issued a press release stating that the
Board of Directors of the Subject Company had "carefully considered" SCOR’s
proposal for a combination and decided to reject the proposal.
On
February 26, 2007, SCOR issued a pre-announcement and a press release,
announcing its intention to launch a public tender offer in Switzerland for all
publicly-held Registered Shares not already acquired by SCOR at 0.5 SCOR Share
and CHF 4 in cash for each Registered Share.
On
April 26, 2007, the SCOR Extraordinary Shareholders’ Meeting approved the
in-kind contributions of the Subject Company shares covered by the contribution
agreements with each of Patinex and Alecta. The meeting also approved
the issuance of SCOR Shares as remuneration for these contributions. Further,
the shareholders approved the issuance of SCOR Shares to be used for the
acquisition of the Registered Shares tendered pursuant to the Swiss
Offer.
On
April 26, 2007, following the receipt of approvals from SCOR shareholders for
all the resolutions relating to the combination of SCOR and the Subject Company
at the SCOR Extraordinary General Meeting, SCOR acquired 29,020,350 Registered
Shares, or approximately 19.8% of the Subject Company’s issued share capital,
pursuant to the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the share
purchase agreement and the contribution agreement with Patinex, for an aggregate
consideration of CHF 121,885,470 (representing 20% of the consideration for the
Registered Shares received from Patinex) and 14,331,037 newly issued SCOR Shares
(representing 80% of the consideration for the Registered Shares received from
Patinex). SCOR also acquired 7,100,000 Registered Shares, or approximately 4.8%
of the Subject Company’s issued share capital, pursuant to the terms and subject
to the conditions set forth in the share purchase agreement and the contribution
with Alecta, for an aggregate consideration of CHF 29,820,000 (representing 20%
of the consideration for the Registered Shares received from Alecta) and
3,506,173 newly issued SCOR Shares (representing 80% of the consideration for
the Registered Shares received from Alecta).
On
May 10, 2007, SCOR and the Subject Company entered into a transaction agreement
(the "Transaction
Agreement") in which SCOR agreed (a) to increase the cash portion of the
Offer Price from CHF 4 to CHF 5.50 and (b) not to reduce the Offer Price by the
amount of the dividend of CHF 0.20 per
Registered
Share resolved by the shareholders' meeting of the Subject Company on May 10,
2007. In addition, SCOR undertook, subject to the settlement of the Swiss Offer
to (i) maintain a strong presence in Zurich and make Zurich a strategic pillar
and one of the three European key hubs of the combined group, together with
Paris and Cologne, (ii) implement a secondary listing on the SWX Swiss Exchange,
and (iii) ensure that no employees of the Subject Company’s Swiss entities are
served notice for a period of 12 months following the date of settlement of the
Swiss Offer (other than for cause) and the compensation plans for such employees
are not changed during the same period. In addition, subject to the settlement
of the Swiss Offer, SCOR agreed to enter into termination agreements providing
for lump sum payments with Inga Beale, the former Chief Executive Officer of the
Subject Company, and Paolo de Martin, the former Chief Financial Officer of the
Subject Company, terminating their employment agreements as of December 31,
2007.
In
return, the Subject Company and its Board of Directors unanimously agreed to
recommend to its shareholders to accept the Swiss Offer, subject to a superior
competing offer. The decision was fully supported by all members of the Subject
Company’s Global Executive Committee. The Subject Company further agreed to
abstain from taking any action that could prevent or compromise the Swiss Offer
or be otherwise detrimental to it. Pursuant to the Transaction Agreement, the
Subject Company, the members of its Board of Directors, the CEO and the CFO and
the other key employees, as applicable, agreed to use their best effort to (i)
ensure a seamless and smooth transfer of the managerial control over the Subject
Company to SCOR immediately after the settlement of the Swiss Offer and (ii)
maintain the relationships with the Subject Company’s current clients and other
stakeholders.
Moreover,
in the Transaction Agreement, SCOR and the Subject Company agreed to (i)
cooperate to ensure that the Swiss Offer conditions be met and the Swiss Offer
be consummated without delay, and (ii) set up a joint integration committee and
a joint underwriting committee to ensure a smooth integration of the two groups,
to combine SCOR and the Subject Company’s business and strategic plans, and to
determine the underwriting plan for 2008, in each case subject to applicable
laws.
Following
approval by the Swiss Takeover Board on June 9, 2007, the Swiss Offer commenced
on June 12, 2007 with the initial offer period ending July 9, 2007. An
additional acceptance period commenced on July 13, 2007 and ended July 26, 2007.
The Swiss Offer was settled on August 8, 2007.
The
Swiss Offer was neither an offer to sell nor a solicitation of an offer to buy
securities in the United States or to or from U.S. persons. The Swiss Offer was
not made in or into the United States and was not capable of being accepted by
U.S. persons or persons in the United States.
Upon
settlement of the Swiss Offer, SCOR owned 96.32% of the issued and outstanding
Registered Shares. At the Subject Company’s Extraordinary Meeting of
shareholders held on August 30, 2007, the shareholders approved a resolution to
change the name of the Subject Company from Converium Holding Ltd. to SCOR
Holding (Switzerland) Ltd. In addition, the shareholders approved the election
of a new Board of Directors, comprising Denis Kessler, Georges Chodron de
Courcel, Jürg Marty, Dr. J. Friedrich Sauerländer, Jean-Luc Besson, Gilles Meyer
and Victor Peignet.
As
described in Item 2 of this Statement, between the settlement of the Swiss Offer
and the filing of the Cancellation proceeding, SCOR acquired further Shares to
bring its ownership in the Subject Company to 98.06% by October 25, 2007, the
date of filing of the Cancellation.
(c) Negotiations or
Contacts. See Item 5(b).
(e) Agreements Involving the Subject
Company’s Securities. There are no
agreements, arrangements, or understandings between SCOR or any of its
affiliates, executive officers and directors, and any other person with respect
to any securities of the Subject Company.
Item
6. Purposes
of the Transaction and Plans or Proposals.
(b) Use of the Securities Acquired.
SCOR
intends to retain the Shares acquired in the Cancellation to achieve a 100%
ownership level in the Subject Company.
(c) Plans. Other than in
connection with the integration of the Subject Company and its subsidiaries in
to the SCOR group of companies, SCOR has no current plans that relate
to or would result in any extraordinary transaction, such as a merger,
reorganization or liquidation, involving the Subject Company or any of its
subsidiaries; any purchase, sale or transfer of a material amount of assets of
the Subject Company or any of its subsidiaries; any material change in the
present dividend rate or policy, or indebtedness or capitalization of the
Subject Company; any change in the present Board of Directors or management of
the Subject Company, including, but not limited to, any plans or proposals to
change the number or the term of the employment contract of any executive
officer; any other material change in the Subject Company’s corporate structure
or business.
On
December 14, 2007, the Subject Company applied for the delisting of its Shares
from the New York Stock Exchange. Effective January 7, 2008, the Shares were
delisted from the NYSE and the Subject Company filed with the SEC to deregister
its securities and terminate its reporting requirements under the Exchange
Act.
SCOR
has combined the European operations of SCOR and the Subject Company in three
key locations in Zurich, Cologne and Paris which should facilitate the future
group organization. In particular, SCOR intends to maintain the Subject
Company’s presence
in
Zurich.
SPECIAL
FACTORS
Item
7. Purposes,
Alternatives, Reasons and Effects.
(a) Purposes. The purpose of the
Cancellation is to cancel the Shares held by remaining minority shareholders so
that SCOR may achieve 100% ownership of the share capital of the Subject
Company.
(b) Alternatives. In the
event that SCOR’s shareholding in the Subject Company in the three months
following the expiration of the additional acceptance period of the Swiss
Offer did not exceed 98%, SCOR considered both a squeeze-out merger under Swiss
law and a cross-border merger as alternatives to the Cancellation. Both the
squeeze-out merger and cross-border merger alternatives would result in
higher transaction costs and a longer timescale to complete the acquisition of
all of the Shares. Since SCOR exceeded the 98% threshold, it pursued
the Cancellation and the squeeze-out merger and cross-border merger
alternatives were not considered further.
(c) Reasons. SCOR sought the
Cancellation to achieve 100% ownership of the voting rights and outstanding
Shares of the Subject Company in the shortest period of time. The Cancellation
minimizes transaction costs and permits the unaffiliated shareholders of the
Subject Company to receive the same consideration as that received by those
holders who tendered into the Swiss Offer.
The
combination of SCOR and the Subject Company resulted in the creation of the
fifth largest publicly listed global reinsurer in terms of gross written
premiums based on Standard & Poor’s Global Reinsurance Highlights figures
(2006 edition). It has created a powerful multi-line reinsurer covering all
major markets.
SCOR
expects that the combination of SCOR and the Subject Company will lead to
accelerated growth, improved risk management and reduced earnings
volatility:
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The
combined group will benefit from an enlarged non-life book of business,
well-balanced between the three sub-segments treaties, specialty lines and
business solutions (facultatives).
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The
combined operations will be strongly diversified by geographical
markets.
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The
combined group will further benefit from a highly diversified revenue
base, well-balanced between life and non-life business lines, resulting in
an increased ability to resist in case of any large unexpected
losses.
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In
addition, SCOR expects significant synergies to be extracted from various
sources that would lead to improved group efficiency, including reduction in
corporate functions, reduction in life and non-life operating administrative
expenses and cost reductions in IT, the optimization of retrocession costs, tax
optimization, access to improved funding conditions, improved market position,
the sharing of best underwriting practices and increased investment
returns.
The
combined group will benefit clients and brokers by providing them a wider range
of services and covers on a large geographical scale.
(d) Effects. The Cancellation
will result in SCOR holding 100% of the Subject Company’s Shares. As such, the
Subject Company will be a wholly-owned subsidiary of SCOR.
Following
the Cancellation, unaffiliated shareholders of the Subject Company will no
longer hold Shares and will be paid the Cancellation Consideration or ADS
Consideration described in Item 4, as applicable.
Following
the Cancellation, SCOR’s interest in the net book value and net earnings of the
Subject Company will be 100%. SCOR’s interest in the net book value of the
Subject Company is €1,888,456,613 (approximately $2,757,920,922) and the net
income (group share) of the Subject Company for the period from August 8, 2007
to September 30, 2007, included in the SCOR consolidated income statement, is
€40,000,000 (approximately $58,088,800). Furthermore, for the period between 26
April 2007 and 8 August 2007, 32.94% of the Subject Company results have been
accounted for according to the equity method in the SCOR consolidated accounts.
A profit of €12,000,000 (approximately $17,426,640), before €5,000,000
(approximately $7,261,100) elimination of dividends distributed by the Subject
Company, has consequently been recorded as income from affiliates. At 100% of
the shares, the net income (group share) of the Subject Company for the period
from August 8, 2007 to September 30, 2007, in the SCOR consolidated income
statement is €41,000,000 (approximately $59,541,020). US dollar amounts were
calculated using the EUR/US dollar exchange rate as of January 24,
2008.
Upon
settlement of the Cancellation, unaffiliated shareholders of the Subject Company
will no longer have any interest in, and will not be shareholders of, the
Subject Company and therefore will not participate in the Subject Company’s
future earnings and potential growth and will no longer bear the risk of any
decreases in the value of the Subject Company.
Upon
settlement of the Cancellation, the unaffiliated shareholders also will not bear
the risks of potential decreases in the value of their holdings in the Subject
Company based on any downturns in the Subject Company’s future performance.
Instead, the unaffiliated shareholders will have liquidity, in the form of the
Cancellation Consideration or ADS Consideration, in place of an ongoing equity
interest in the Subject Company in the form of the Shares.
Certain U.S. federal
income tax consequences for U.S. Holders. The following is a
summary of certain U.S. federal income tax consequences of the Cancellation to
shareholders of the Subject Company all of whose Shares (whether held directly,
indirectly or constructively) are cancelled pursuant to the Cancellation. This
summary does not purport to consider all aspects of U.S. federal income
taxation that might be relevant to shareholders of the Subject
Company.
This
information is based on current provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986,
as amended (the "Code"), existing,
proposed and temporary regulations promulgated thereunder by the United States
Department of Treasury and administrative and judicial interpretations thereof,
all of which are subject to change, possibly with a retroactive effect. This
information applies only to shareholders of the Subject Company in whose hands
Shares are capital assets within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Code. This
summary does not apply to Shares received pursuant to the exercise of employee
share options or otherwise as compensation, or to certain types of shareholders
(such as (i) insurance companies, (ii) tax-exempt organizations, (iii) financial
institutions, (iv) brokers or traders, (v) real estate investment trusts, (vi)
regulated investment companies, (vii) grantor trusts, (viii) persons that have a
functional currency other than the U.S. dollar, (ix) persons that own the Shares
through partnerships or other pass-through entities, (x) certain former citizens
or long-term residents of the United States, (xi) persons that hold the Shares
as a position in a "straddle," or as part of a "hedging," or "conversion" or
other risk reduction transaction for U.S. federal income tax purposes) who may
be subject to special rules.
This
summary does not discuss the U.S. federal income tax consequences to any
shareholder of the Subject Company who, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, is
a non-resident alien individual, a foreign corporation, a foreign partnership or
a foreign estate or trust, nor does it consider the effect of any
foreign,
state
or local tax laws. Because individual circumstances may differ, shareholder
should consult their own tax advisor to determine the applicability of the rules
discussed below and the particular tax effects of Cancellation on a beneficial
holder of Shares.
For
purposes of this summary, a "U.S. holder' is a beneficial owner of Shares who
for U.S. federal income tax purposes is (i) an individual or resident of the
United States, (ii) a corporation created or organized in or under the laws of
the United States or any political subdivision thereof (including the District
of Columbia); (iii) an estate the income of which is subject to U.S. federal
income taxation regardless of its source, or (iv) a trust, (A) if such trust
validly elects to be treated as a U.S. person for U.S. federal income tax
purposes or (B) if (1) a court within the United States is able to exercise
primary supervision over its administration and (2) one or more U.S. person have
the authority to control all of the substantial decisions of such
trust.
A
shareholder who is not a U.S. holder, but (i) has an office or fixed place of
business in the U.S. or is otherwise carrying on a U.S. trade or business, or
(ii) who is an individual present in the U.S. for 183 days or more in a taxable
year or has a "tax home" in the United States for U.S. federal income tax
purposes, is urged to consult its own tax advisor to determine the U.S. federal
income tax consequences of the Cancellation to it.
If
a partnership (or any other entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal
income tax purposes) holds our Shares, the tax treatment of a partner in such
partnership will generally depend on the status of the partner and on the
activities of the partnership. Such a partner or partnership should
consult its independent tax advisor as to its U.S. federal income tax
consequences of the Cancellation to it.
The
sale of Shares will be a taxable transaction for U.S. federal income tax
purposes and possibly for state, local and foreign income tax purposes as well.
In general, a shareholder who sells or disposes Shares will recognize gain or
loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes in an amount equal to the difference,
if any, between (i) the U.S. dollar value of the amount of cash received plus
the fair market value of the property received and (ii) the shareholder’s
adjusted tax basis in the Shares sold. Gain or loss will be determined
separately for each block of Shares (that is, Shares acquired at the same cost
in a single transaction). Such gain or loss will be long term capital gain or
loss provided that a shareholder’s holding period for such Shares is more than
one year at the time of the sale. Capital gain recognized by an
individual upon a disposition of a Share that has been held for more than one
year generally will be subject to a maximum U.S. federal income tax rate of
15%. Certain limitations apply to the use of a shareholder's capital
losses.
A
U.S. holder that receives Swiss francs upon the Cancellation of its Shares will
realize an amount equal to the U.S. dollar value of the Swiss francs on the date
of the Cancellation (or in the case of a cash basis or, if an election is made,
an accrual basis taxpayer, on the settlement date). A U.S. holder
will have a tax basis in the Swiss francs received equal to that U.S. dollar
amount. Any gain or loss realized by a U.S. holder on a subsequent
conversion of Swiss francs into U.S. dollars (or other disposition) generally
will be U.S. source ordinary income or loss.
U.S.
backup withholding tax and information reporting requirements generally apply to
certain payments to certain non-corporate holders. Information
reporting generally will apply to proceeds from the Cancellation of the Shares
paid or accrued within the United States or by a U.S. payor or U.S. middleman to
shareholders who are not otherwise exempt, other than an exempt recipient,
including a corporation and certain other persons. A payor will be
required to withhold backup withholding tax from the proceeds from the
Cancellation of the Shares within the United States or by a U.S. payor or U.S.
middleman to a holder, other than an exempt recipient, if such shareholder fails
to furnish its correct taxpayer identification number or otherwise fails to
comply with, or establish an exemption from, such
backup
withholding tax requirements. The backup withholding tax rate is 28%
for taxable years through 2010.
Backup
withholding is not an additional tax. A U.S. Holder will be entitled
to credit any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules against such
holder's U.S. federal income tax liability provided the required information is
furnished to the IRS in a timely manner. A U.S. Holder generally may
obtain a refund of any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules that
exceed such holder's U.S. federal income tax liability by filing a refund claim
with the IRS.
Item
8. Fairness
of the Transaction.
(a) Fairness. Pursuant to Article 33,
the cancellation is only available if it is filed three months following the
expiration of the additional acceptance period of a Swiss public tender offer
for the shares of a Swiss listed company and if the applicant directly or
indirectly owns more than 98% of the voting rights in such company. The price to
be paid to shareholders whose shares are cancelled in the Cancellation
proceeding must be identical to the Offer Price that was paid to shareholders in
the Swiss Offer. The price paid in the Swiss Offer is a market-tested price, as
the Swiss takeover rules and procedures provide for a contest of potential
competing offers, require equal treatment of all offerors, and protect against
certain defenses. The Swiss takeover supervisory authorities actively supervise
the compliance with these rules and take the necessary steps for their
enforcement. Accordingly, there is a presumption of fairness of the Cancellation
to the Subject Company’s unaffiliated shareholders. No fairness opinion has been
sought by SCOR on the appropriateness of the consideration to be paid to the
shareholders of the Subject Company.
SCOR
believes that the Cancellation is both procedurally and substantively fair to
the Subject Company unaffiliated shareholders. SCOR will conduct the
Cancellation in compliance with Swiss law. The Cancellation was approved
unanimously by the Board of Directors of SCOR. SCOR believes that no member of
the Board had a material financial interest in this decision that was different
from the interests of the Subject Company’s shareholders. In addition, SCOR
believes that no member of the Board of Directors had a conflict of interest
with respect to the Board’s approval of the Cancellation that would make it
inappropriate for any such Board member to act with respect to this decision.
Accordingly, SCOR believes that the Cancellation will be conducted in a way that
is procedurally fair to security holders of the Subject Company.
The
Board of Directors of SCOR, in its unanimous approval of the Cancellation, did
not find a need to engage a financial advisor to deliver a fairness opinion in
connection with the Cancellation, reflecting the Board’s conviction that the
Cancellation is both procedurally and substantively fair to all its
shareholders.
(b) Factors Considered in Determining
Fairness. In reaching its conclusion about procedural and
substantive fairness, the Board of Directors of SCOR considered, among others,
the following factors:
(i) Price
to be Received for the Shares. Shareholders whose Shares are cancelled in the
Cancellation will receive the same consideration as that received by
shareholders who tendered their Registered Shares in the Swiss Offer. Pursuant
to Swiss law, the consideration provided in the Cancellation cannot be different
from that provided in the Swiss Offer. Given that the Cancellation is
only available in connection with and shortly following the Swiss Offer, this
presumes the fairness of the Cancellation Consideration, as the Offer Price is a
market-tested price, the Swiss takeover rules and procedures provide for a
contest of potential competing offers, require equal treatment of all offerors,
and protect against certain defenses. The Swiss takeover
supervisory
authorities actively supervise the compliance with these rules and procedures
and take the necessary steps for their enforcement.
The
Subject Company and SCOR believe that this consideration will represent the fair
market value of any holder’s Shares. The Cancellation Consideration, computed
based on the unaffected share price of the SCOR Shares as of 16 February 2007,
represents a premium of 24.2 % compared to the one month’s average share price
of the Registered Share prior to the announcement by SCOR of its acquisition of
32.9% of the Shares.
(ii) Availability
of Public Information. Currently, the Subject Company is subject to the periodic
reporting requirements of the Exchange Act. The Subject Company has filed a
Form 15F to deregister its securities from the reporting requirements of the
Exchange Act. The Subject Company’s security holders will still have access
to public information regarding their SCOR Shares since SCOR is subject to
French securities laws and has reporting obligations relating to its listings
on Euronext Paris (Eurolist) and on the SWX Swiss Exchange. All material
information pertaining to SCOR will continue to be provided in English on SCOR’s
website. The level of disclosure available to the Subject Company shareholders
is not expected to be reduced substantively due to SCOR reporting only under
French and Swiss laws.
(iii) Availability
of Trading Market in France and Switzerland. Following the Cancellation,
former holders of Registered Shares of the Subject Company will be able to trade
the SCOR Shares on Euronext Paris (Eurolist) and on the SWX Swiss
Exchange.
(c) Approval of Security Holders.
The Cancellation requires no shareholder approval, thus the transaction is not
structured such that approval of at least a majority of unaffiliated
shareholders is required.
(d) Unaffiliated Representative.
A majority of the directors who are not employees of the Subject Company have
not retained an unaffiliated representative to act solely on behalf of
unaffiliated shareholders for the purpose of negotiating the terms of the
transaction or preparing a report concerning the fairness of the
transaction.
(e) Approval of Directors. The
Cancellation proceeding is not a corporate action on the part of the Subject
Company, thus the Subject Company's Board of Directors has not approved the
Cancellation action.
(f) Other Offers. Not
applicable.
Item
9. Reports,
Opinions, Appraisals and Negotiations.
(a) Report, Opinion or Appraisal.
Neither the Subject Company nor SCOR have received any report, opinion or
appraisal from any outside party relating to the Cancellation.
(b) Preparer of Summary of Report,
Opinion or Appraisal. Not applicable.
(c) Availability of Documents.
Not applicable.
Item
10. Source
and Amounts of Funds or Other Consideration.
(a) Source of Funds. SCOR
will use 1,420,408 SCOR Shares, CHF 15.6 million and EUR 1.1 million from SCOR’s
internal funds to fund the Cancellation.
(b) Conditions.
None.
(c) Expenses. Estimated expenses
related to the Cancellation described herein include:
|
Filing
fees:
|
$1,727
|
|
Legal
fees:
|
$150,000
|
|
Printing
and distribution costs:
|
$8,000
|
SCOR has paid or will be responsible for paying all of these
expenses.
(d) Borrowed Funds.
None
Item
11. Interest
in Securities of the Subject Company.
(a) Securities Ownership. The following table
sets forth certain information regarding the beneficial ownership of Shares of
the Subject Company as of January 22, 2008 by the Filing Person and their
majority-owned subsidiaries (where appropriate).
|
Name
of Beneficial Owner
|
Amount
and Nature of Beneficial Ownership
|
Percent
of Class
|
|
|
SCOR
Holding (Switzerland) Ltd.
|
--
|
--
|
|
|
SCOR
SE
|
143,848,646
Registered Shares(1)
|
98.06%
|
|
|
(1)
|
SCOR’s
beneficial ownership includes 5,400,000 Registered Shares beneficially
owned by SCOR Global P&C SE and 6,800,000 Registered Shares
beneficially owned by IRP Holdings Limited both of which are wholly-owned
subsidiaries of SCOR.
|
(b) Recent Transactions by Filing
Person. Neither SCOR nor
any of its directors and officers has made transactions in the Shares in the
past 60 days.
Item
12. The
Solicitation or Recommendation.
(d) Intent to Tender or Vote in a
Going-Private Transaction. The Cancellation does not involve a voting
decision or a tender, therefore no executive officer, director or affiliate of
the Subject Company or SCOR currently intends to tender or sell Shares
owned or held by that person and such person will not vote Shares in connection
with the Cancellation. Further, SCOR has brought the action to reach
100% ownership in the Subject Company and, accordingly, has no intention to
sell its Shares.
(e) Recommendations of Others. To
the best of SCOR’s knowledge, no executive officer, director or affiliate of the
Subject Company has made a recommendation either in support or opposed to the
Cancellation action, nor has it joined the action. SCOR and its directors and
officers, passed a board resolution to bring the Cancellation
action.
Nonetheless,
in connection with the Swiss Offer, the Board of Directors of the Subject
Company unanimously recommended on May 10, 2007 that its shareholders accept the
Swiss Offer. The decision was fully supported by all members of the Subject
Company’s Global Executive Committee.
In
the amendment to the Swiss Offer of June 12, 2007, the following recommendation
of the Swiss Offer by the Board of Directors of the Subject Company was
included. The recommendation is reproduced here in its entirety:
“The
recommendation and the reasons set out below are in replacement of those
contained in Section B of the first report of the Board of Directors published
on 14 April 2007.
1.
Recommendation
After
careful consideration, the Board of Directors of Converium determined that it is
in the best interest of Converium, its shareholders, and the other stakeholders
to support SCOR’s increased offer (“Offer”). The Board of Directors therefore
unanimously recommends that the shareholders of Converium accept the Offer and
tender their Shares into the Offer. Such decision is fully supported by all
members of Converium’s Global Executive Committee (“GEC”).
2.
Reasons
(a) Prolonged
and Hostile Stalemate Could Have Damaged Converium’s Franchise
The
primary objective of recommending the Offer, fully supported by the GEC, was to
pre-vent damage to all parties involved in case of a prolonged and hostile
stalemate. In the interest of Converium’s shareholders, employees and clients
Converium wished to clear the way for a successful combination and to avoid a
situation which could have led to disadvantages for all parties involved and
could have damaged Converium’s franchise.
In
the Transaction Agreement, Converium agreed to support the integration process.
In particular:
|
−
SCOR and Converium agreed to cooperate to ensure that the Offer conditions
be met and the Offer be consummated without
delay;
|
|
−
SCOR and Converium agreed to coordinate, cooperate and use their
commercially reasonable best efforts to obtain from counterparties
necessary consents so as to avoid termination of agreements because of
change of control clauses;
|
|
−
SCOR and Converium agreed to set up a joint integration committee and a
joint underwriting committee to ensure a smooth integration of the two
organizations, to combine SCOR’s Dynamic Lift Plan and Converium’s
Business Plan, and to set up the underwriting plan for
2008;
|
|
−
Converium and also the CEO and the CFO of Converium agreed to use their
best efforts to support the transfer of the managerial
control.
|
The
Board of Directors believes that these measures will help to minimize the
possible integration and execution risk of the transaction. The risk of losing
customers can be substantially lowered, but may not be entirely excluded due to
the tendency of the customers to diversify their reinsurance exposures. The
extent of a possible loss of customers cannot be predicted definitively today,
because it mainly depends on whether the customers, employees and business
partners choose to remain
with
the combined entity. While Converium estimated the loss of premium income
originally at up to USD 800 million due to the hostile nature of the offer, the
Board of Directors is, given the friendly cooperation, hopeful that the combined
entity will be able to minimize such premium loss substantially. Further, the
agreed cooperation between SCOR and Converium with regard to the Offer and the
integration is expected to make an important contribution to the retention of
key personnel.
Converium
will cooperate with SCOR to combine SCOR’s Dynamic Lift Plan and Converium’s
Business Plan with a view towards securing “A-” financial strength rating for
the combined entity. After the announcement of the Board of Directors’ support
for the Offer, Standard & Poor's Ratings Services stated that Converium’s
“A-” financial strength rating re-mains unaffected by the Board of Directors’
recommendation of the Offer.
The
integration process is undertaken with a view to reducing the risks on the SCOR
share price, which represents about three fourths of the Offer price. At the
annual general meeting held on 10 May 2007, the proposed capital reduction of
approximately USD 300 million was dismissed. Thus, such equity will not be
replaced by hybrid capital. Further, the prospective growth rate, the return on
equity and the hybrid capacity of the combined entity is not known today, since
these elements will substantially depend on the combination of SCOR’s Dynamic
Lift Plan with Converium’s Business Plan and the implementation of the combined
plan. Nevertheless, the Board of Directors is of the view that the cooperation
within the integration process will have a positive effect on these elements and
thus also for the shareholders of both companies.
It
is to be noted that as long as the Offer has not been consummated, the
integration process will only be prepared, but may not be implemented. Finally,
Converium understands that SCOR will comply with Article 13 of the Ordinance on
the Supervision of Private Insurance Companies.
(b) Increased
Offer Price Values Converium’s Franchise Adequately
SCOR
increased the cash component of its Offer price by CHF 1.5 and waived its right
to decrease the Offer price due to Converium paying a dividend of CHF 0.2 per
Converium Share. Taking the dividend payout into account, this leads to an
increase of the valuation of Converium by about CHF 250 million. The Board of
Directors believes that this increase raises the Offer price to a level where it
is adequate. The increase in the offer price represents a significant
improvement in the consideration offered to Converium’s shareholders and
recognizes Converium’s remarkable turnaround of the past two years. It further
reflects the exceptional quality of Converium’s staff, longstanding client
relationships and excellent growth prospects supported by a strong capital
position.
The
Offer price, computed based on the unaffected share price of the SCOR share per
16 February 2007, now represents a premium of 24.2 % compared to the one month’s
aver-age share price of the Converium Share prior to the announcement by SCOR of
its acquisition of 32.9 % of all Converium Shares. Such premium corresponds
approximately to the average of the premiums offered in Switzerland since 2001
in public takeovers where no competing bid was submitted. It is above the median
of these offer premiums. If such Offer price is compared to the closing share
price of the Converium Share on 16 February 2007, a premium of 20.3 % results.
Such premium is between the median and the average of the premiums offered in
Switzerland since 2001 in public takeovers where no competing bid was
submitted.
These
premiums are below those offered in prominent unsolicited offers (Leica
Geosystems Holding AG, Saia Burgess Electronics Holding AG, Bank Linth AG und
SIG Holding AG). However, for these companies, competing offers were submitted,
which often results in an increase of the offer price. This was not the case at
hand. Since the increase of the Offer price has been published, the average
Offer price is slightly above (by about 1%) the share price of the Converium
Share.
(c) The
Increased Offer, in Combination with the Transaction Agreement Negotiated by the
Board of Directors, Gives Due Regard to the Interests of Other
Stakeholders
The
Board of Directors believes that the increased Offer, together with the
Transaction Agreement, also gives due regard to the interest of the major
stakeholders:
In
the Transaction Agreement, SCOR agreed, subject to the settlement of the Offer,
to maintain a strong presence in Zurich and to make Zurich one of the three
European key hubs of the combined Group. The Zurich operating entity shall
operate as a strategic pillar of the combined Group. Except for employees with a
change of control clause in their employment agreement and for terminations for
cause, SCOR agreed to ensure, subject to the settlement of the Offer, that
Converium and its Swiss subsidiaries do not serve notice of termination in
respect of employment agreements for a period of twelve months following the
settlement of the Offer. Finally, SCOR also agreed to implement a secondary
listing of its own shares at SWX Swiss Exchange.
The
improved Offer still excludes US shareholders. Nevertheless, since the
publication of the last board report, the percentage of shares held by US
shareholders has decreased. Although US persons may beneficially hold additional
shares, the US persons registered in Converium’s share register now only hold
less than 3% of all Converium Shares (including those deposited for ADRs).
Further, if the offer is not extended to US shareholders, substantial costs can
be saved, which is in favor of all shareholders. Given the enhanced Offer price
and the uncertainty of success of the lawsuit by which Converium intended to
reach an extension of the Offer into the US, Converium decided to drop the
lawsuit.”
Item
13. Financial
Statements.
(a) Financial Information. The
Subject Company’s audited financial statements for the years ended December 31,
2005 and December 31, 2006 were previously filed as part of the Subject
Company's Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2006
filed with the SEC on June 14. 2007. Such financial statements are incorporated
herein by reference. In addition, the Subject Company’s unaudited financial
information for the six months ended June 30, 2007 previously furnished to the
SEC on Form 6-K, dated September 4, 2007, are incorporated herein by
reference.
Following
the Subject Company’s filing of a Form 15F to terminate its reporting
requirements under the Exchange Act on January 7, 2008, the Subject Company’s
reporting requirements have been suspended pending effectiveness of the
termination of its reporting requirements. Prior to the filing of the Form 15F,
the Subject Company was subject to the periodic reporting requirements of the
Exchange Act. In accordance with these requirements, the Subject Company filed
its Annual Report and other information with the SEC. These documents may be
inspected and copies are available at the SEC’s public reference rooms, which
are located at 100 F Street, Station Place, NE, Washington, DC 20549.
Information on the operation of the public reference rooms can be obtained by
calling the SEC on 1-800-SEC-0330. You may also obtain copies of this
information by mail from the Public Reference Section of the SEC at the same
address. In addition, the SEC maintains a web site that contains reports and
other information filed by the Company and other issuers. The address of that site is http://www.sec.gov.
(b) Pro Forma Information. Not
material.
Item
14. Persons/Assets,
Retained, Employed, Compensated or Used.
None
Item
15. Additional
Information.
None
Item
16. Exhibits.
(a)(5)
English translation of Cancellation notice published in the Swiss Official
Gazette of Commerce on November 22, 2007, December 21, 2007 and January 21,
2008, and in Neue Zürcher Zeitung on November 22, 2007 and December 22/23,
2007.*
(b)
none
(c)
none
(d)
none
(f)
not applicable
(g)
not applicable
*
Previously filed.
SIGNATURE
After
due inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that the
information set forth in this statement is true, complete and
correct.
SCOR
SE
By: |
/s/ Denis
Kessler |
Name: |
Denis
Kessler |
Title:
|
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer |
Date:
|
March
11, 2008 |
27