VT Group Disposal of Shareholding, BVT Surface Fleet
Support services company VT Group plc announced that it has signed a legally binding agreement with BAE Systems plc on the disposal of its 45 percent shareholding in BVT Surface Fleet Limited, the shipbuilding and naval support joint venture between BAE and VT, for cash consideration of $551.9m. In accordance with the joint venture agreement signed by VT and BAE on 11 June 2008 in relation to BVT, this cash consideration corresponds to the minimum exercise price of VT’s Put Option of $606.1m plus approximately $.9m of notional interest and net of deductions of $19.4m in respect of pensions liabilities, $35.1m in respect of dividend repayments and $.3m in respect of notional interest on funding provided by BAE Systems to BVT.
VT Group and BAE Systems Establish JV
VT Group plc announced that it has entered into a Framework Agreement with BAE Systems plc to establish a joint venture intended to create a provider of naval ships and associated through-life support. It is intended that the joint venture will comprise the following businesses on completion of the JV transaction: VT’s surface warship building and through-life support operations; each of VT’s and BAE Systems’ 50 per cent. shareholdings in their existing surface warship through-life support joint venture, Fleet Support Limited (FSL); and BAE Systems’ Surface Fleet Solutions operations, which includes surface warship building and surface warship through-life support. VT will also acquire BAE Systems’ 50 percent.
