On 18 May 2020, Ignitis Group, an international energy company, started the mandatory buyout of shares of its subsidiary Ignitis Gamyba.
The mandatory buyout of shares of Ignitis Gamyba was finished on 17 August 2020. Transactions were completed on the second day following the conclusion of the transaction.
At the time of the mandatory buyout, Ignitis Group offered the prices agreed with the Bank of Lithuania for the shares, which were the same as those paid during the non-competitive tender offers. The price of EUR 0.640 per share was paid for shares of Ignitis Gamyba.
The shares of Ignitis Gamyba were bought from shareholders on the Nasdaq Vilnius Tender Offer Market in accordance with the rules of the regulated market of Nasdaq Vilnius.
In case the shareholders did not sell their shares of Ignitis Gamyba by the end of the mandatory buyout term, Ignitis Goup, after having made payments to the deposit account of shareholders who did not sell shares, has the right to apply to court within 30 days from the end of the mandatory buyout of shares, requesting that the account managers of the shares make records on the transfer of ownership of shares to Ignitis Group, which it did by submitting the relevant statements to the Vilnius District Court in the autumn of 2020.
Ignitis Gamyba will announce all relevant information about the ongoing court proceedings and their development on the website.
For further questions, please contact:
- E-mail IR@ignitis.lt
- Telephone 1802
Information regarding the mandatory buyout of Ignitis Gamyba shares
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Should you have questions, please read a FAQ section below:
I did not sell any shares during the mandatory buyout. Can I still do that?
Following the mandatory buyout, Ignitis Group, after having made payments to the deposit account of shareholders who did not sell their shares, will apply to court regarding the transfer of ownership of shares. Therefore, no active efforts of shareholders are needed so far. It should be noted that this will not cause financial consequences to the shareholders as the money for the shares will be transferred from the deposit account upon request.
Did Ignitis Group apply to court with the request to recognize its ownership of the remaining unsold shares of Ignitis Gamyba? Which court was applied to and what is the status of the process?
Ignitis Group, after having made payments to the deposit accounts of the shareholders who did not sell their shares, applied to Vilnius District Court in the autumn of 2020 with the request to recognize its right of ownership of these shares. Considering the very large number of shareholders, the statement regarding Ignitis Gamyba is not approved by the court yet. The shareholders will be informed about the ongoing processes according to the procedure set out in the Code of Civil Procedure. Ignitis Group will also publish the information about the key ongoing processes on its website.
What amount will I receive for one share of Ignitis Gamyba when Ignitis Group will make a payment to my, as a shareholder who did not sell their shares, deposit account?
The shareholders who did not sell shares during the mandatory buyout will be offered the prices which are the same as those paid during the mandatory buyout. The price of EUR 0.640 per share will be paid for Ignitis Gamyba shares.
What steps do I need to take to receive payment for unsold shares?
The shareholders will need to contact SEB Bankas and complete a request to transfer money for their shares to the specified cash account.
When will I receive money to my account for the redeemed shares of Ignitis Gamyba?
Upon submission of the request to SEB Bankas, the funds from the deposit account will be transferred to the cash account of the shareholder specified in the request within 5 business days from the date of submission of the request to the Bank accompanied by the information required for making a cash transfer.
Will I incur additional costs due to litigation?
No, the costs of court proceedings will be paid by Ignitis Group.
How will proceeds transferred to my deposit account from Ignitis Group for the shares not sold during the mandatory buyout be taxed?
I. For an individual, who is the resident of the Republic of Lithuania (hereinafter – the LR), having sold the securities: the purchase price shall be deducted from earnings on the sale of securities, and the resulting gains generated on the securities that do not exceed 120 average wages, shall be subject to the personal income tax (hereinafter – the PIT) at a rate of 15%, and the gains that exceed 120 average wages, shall be subject to the PIT at a rate of 20%. These proceeds of the resident are classified as Class B proceeds, i.e. the PIT shall be calculated and paid by the resident himself/herself by submitting annual income tax return GPM308. Annual tax-free amount of EUR 500 may be applied to taxation of earnings from sale of securities, and such amount may be used by the LR individuals when submitting the annual income tax return.
II. For an individual (who is not the LR resident) having sold the securities: such sale of securities is not an object in Lithuania and, therefore, non-taxable. A company, having acquired securities from a foreign resident, shall declare as income of Class B in Annex U to the annual income tax return GPM312.
III. For a legal entity of the LR having sold securities: whereas the shares sold do not carry more than 10% of the votes, the General Rules for the sale or other transfer of assets shall apply – the purchase price of securities shall be deducted from the proceeds from the sale, and the resulting proceeds from the increase in the value of the assets shall be subject to the PIT at a rate of 15%. The liabilities of taxation, payment of taxes and declaration lie with a legal entity that has sold the securities.
IV. For a foreign legal entity having sold securities: a foreign legal entity shall tax the transfer of shares of LT company in its country in accordance with the legal requirements of that country. Proceeds of a foreign entity from the sale of securities shall not be subject to taxes withheld at source.
Can I challenge the judicial proceedings of Ignitis Group regarding the transfer of my holding of shares to it?
All shareholders who did not sell their shares will be admitted to the proceedings as third persons and, therefore, will be able to lodge a reply to the allegation presented by Ignitis Group.
I did not sell my shares during the mandatory buyout due to force majeure; can I still do it for the same price that was paid for the shares at the time of the mandatory buyout: the price of EUR 0.640 per share for shares of Ignitis Gamyba?
Regardless of the reason, Ignitis Group holds the right to apply to the court regarding the shares of shareholders who did not sell their shares during the mandatory buyout. Therefore, no active efforts of shareholders are needed. It should be noted that this will not cause financial consequences to the shareholders. The shareholders will need to contact SEB Bankas and complete a request to transfer money for their shares to the specified cash account.
