Weidmüller increases offer for R. STAHL

Electronics specialist Weidmüller has increased its offer price to acquire all shares of R. STAHL AG to EUR 50.00 in cash per share, and has extended the public offer until midnight (CET) on 1 July 2014. All other conditions of the takeover offer remain unchanged. The price of EUR 50.00 in cash corresponds to a premium of 55.7 percent compared with the stock market price on the day before the takeover offer was announced. "We are convinced that the business combination is in the best interest of R. STAHL. The combination with Weidmüller as a strong and internationally broadly-positioned partner supports the company in continuing to grow more independent of business cycles. For shareholders, the offer has now become even more attractive. Now, they have the unique opportunity to already realise the hoped-for value enhancement of future years," said Dr Peter Köhler, Chief Executive Officer of Weidmüller. "Each individual shareholder should carefully consider his or her decision. Only if R. STAHL is open to change, the company will be able to sustainably secure and maintain what it already has, and remain successful. The courage to embrace change is a must – and this is even more true for long-term-oriented family-owned companies. R. STAHL needs the critical size required in the sector to maintain its long-term viability in the face of international competition. Together with Weidmüller, R. STAHL can tap additional market potential of EUR 500 million through a diversification of business areas. On a stand-alone basis, growth prospects for R. STAHL are worse – due to its existing cost structure, the expected long-term decline in its share price, and its ambitious own growth forecasts," said Dr Peter Köhler. As a result of the modification to the offer, and in accordance with German takeover law, the acceptance period automatically extends by two weeks until 1 July 2014.