Item 4. Purpose of the Transaction
The Offers
As previously reported in this Schedule 13D, on November 22, 2023, the Share Purchase was consummated. As a result, CMB acquired in excess of 30% of the Issuer’s issued Ordinary Shares and became obligated under Belgian law to make a mandatory unconditional public takeover bid on the remaining Ordinary Shares of the Issuer that it and its affiliates do not already own. Also as previously reported in this Schedule 13D, CMB announced that it would make the public takeover bid concurrently in the United States and Belgium at an offer price of US$18.43 per Ordinary Share, reduced on a dollar-for-dollar basis by the gross amount per share of any future dividends and other distributions by the Issuer to its shareholders after the closing of the Share Purchase with an ex-dividend date prior to the settlement date of the public takeover bid (the “Announced Offer Price”). CMB’s purpose in effecting the Share Purchase was to resolve the strategic and structural deadlock within the Issuer that existed prior to the consummation of the Share Purchase and to enable CMB to implement its medium to long-term strategy of transforming the Issuer into a Europe-based leading company in the field of maritime and industrial cleantech by gradually diversifying the Issuer’s fleet away from pure crude oil transportation and focusing on diversification and decarbonization of the fleet.
The Commencement of the Offers. On February 14, 2024 (the “Commencement Date”), CMB issued a press release (which is filed as Exhibit O hereto and is incorporated by reference herein) announcing that CMB commenced its mandatory public takeover bid as two separate, but concurrent and related unconditional offers, one in the United States (the “U.S. Offer”) and one in Belgium (the “Belgian Offer” and together with the U.S. Offer, the “Offers”) to purchase all outstanding Ordinary Shares of the Issuer that CMB and its affiliates do not already own. As a result of the dividend of $0.57 per Ordinary Share paid by the Issuer on December 20, 2023, to holders of record of Ordinary Shares on December 13, 2023, the Announced Offer Price has been reduced by US$0.57 to US$17.86 per share in cash, to be further reduced on a dollar-for-dollar basis by the gross amount of any distributions by the Issuer to its shareholders (including in the form of a dividend, distribution of share premium, decrease of share capital or in any other form) with a payment date falling after the Commencement Date and before the settlement date (the “Offer Price”). The U.S. Offer is open to all U.S. holders of Ordinary Shares and the Belgian Offer is open to all holders of Ordinary Shares, wherever located. Each of the Offers provides the equivalent consideration for Ordinary Shares tendered, and each of the Offers is being made on substantially the same terms.
CMB estimates that the maximum amount of funds required to consummate the Offers at the Offer Price is approximately $1.68 billion, which it will fund with the proceeds of loans under the Bid Acquisition Bridge Facility. The discussion of the Facilities Agreement in Item 3 of this Schedule 13D is incorporated herein by reference.
The Offers expire at 10:00 A.M., New York City time (4:00 P.M., Brussels, Belgium time), on March 15, 2024, unless the expiration of the Offers is extended to a subsequent date in accordance with U.S. and Belgian law. While permitted under Belgian law in certain circumstances, CMB does not intend to undertake a voluntary subsequent offer or a squeeze-out offer after the expiration of the Offers.
CMB’s sole purpose in making the Offers is to comply with its legal obligation to launch a public takeover bid in accordance with Belgian law. CMB does not intend to delist the Issuer from the NYSE or Euronext Brussels.
Effects on the Issuer’s Stock Exchange Listings. The Ordinary Shares are listed on the NYSE and Euronext Brussels. CMB does not intend to delist the Ordinary Shares from trading on the NYSE and expects that the Ordinary Shares will continue to trade on the NYSE after consummation of the Offers. While CMB believes that the unaffiliated public float of the Ordinary Shares will remain sufficient, the number of Ordinary Shares that are publicly held and the liquidity of the public markets for the Ordinary Shares may be significantly reduced because as a result of the Offers. It is possible that the Issuer may, upon the closing of the Offers, fail to meet the criteria for continued listing on the NYSE or Euronext Brussels. If the Issuer’s Ordinary Shares were delisted by the NYSE and/or Euronext Brussels, it could make it more difficult to dispose of, or obtain accurate quotations for the price of, the Ordinary Shares and the public reporting obligations of the Issuer would be suspended. Under certain of the Issuer’s financing agreements, the delisting of the Ordinary Shares from both the NYSE and Euronext Brussels may constitute an event of default.
Effects on the Issuer’s Dividend Policy. As a strategic and long-term investor, CMB’s investment in the Issuer is not driven by set expectations regarding an annual dividend or other form of return to shareholders. The Issuer’s future dividend policy will be determined in the discretion of the Issuer’s Supervisory Board, on an ad hoc basis, in light of possible future investments (in particular taking into account CMB’s strategic plans for the Issuer), profitability of the underlying assets, the leverage ratio of the Issuer, CMB’s shareholding in the Issuer and the refinancing of CMB. See Item 3 above.
Change in the Issuer’s Corporate Name. The Issuer has announced its intention to, after the completion of the Offers, change its name to “CMB.TECH NV” and the trading symbol under which the Ordinary Shares are listed on the NYSE and on Euronext Brussels to “CMBT”. The Issuer’s current name, “Euronav,” will be retained as the brand name for its tanker division.