BEIJING, July 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- iKang Healthcare Group, Inc. (“iKang” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: KANG ), a major provider in China’s fast growing private preventive healthcare services market, today announced that it has called an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders (the “EGM”) to be held on August 20, 2018 at 10 a.m. (Beijing time), at B-6F, Shimao Tower, 92A Jianguo Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, the People’s Republic of China, to consider and vote on, among other matters, the proposal to authorize and approve the previously announced agreement and plan of merger, dated as of March 26, 2018 and amended on May 29, 2018 (the “Merger Agreement”), by and among the Company, IK Healthcare Investment Limited (“Parent”) and IK Healthcare Merger Limited (“Merger Sub”), the plan of merger required to be filed with the Registrar of Companies of the Cayman Islands, substantially in the form attached as Annex A to the Merger Agreement (the “Plan of Merger”), and the transactions contemplated thereby, including the Merger (as defined below).

Pursuant to the Merger Agreement and the Plan of Merger, Merger Sub will merge with and into the Company (the “Merger”), with the Company continuing as the surviving company and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent in accordance with Cayman Islands Companies Law. If consummated, the Merger would result in the Company becoming a privately-held company, the Company’s American depositary shares (“ADSs”), each representing 1/2 of a Class A common share of the Company, will no longer be listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market and the Company’s ADS facility will terminate.  In addition, the Company’s ADSs and the Class A common shares represented by the ADSs will cease to be registered under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

The Company’s board of directors, acting upon the unanimous recommendation of a special committee of the Company’s board of directors composed entirely of independent directors unrelated to the management of the Company or the buyer group, authorized and approved the Merger Agreement, the Plan of Merger and the transactions contemplated thereby (including the Merger). The board of directors recommends that the Company’s shareholders and ADS holders vote FOR, among other things, the proposal to authorize and approve the Merger Agreement, the Plan of Merger and the transactions contemplated thereby (including the Merger).

Shareholders of record as of the close of business in the Cayman Islands on August 7, 2018 will be entitled to attend and vote at the EGM and any adjournment thereof. ADS holders as of the close of business in New York City on July 17, 2018 will be entitled to instruct JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., in its capacity as the ADS depositary, to vote the ordinary shares represented by their ADSs at the EGM.

Additional information regarding the EGM and the Merger Agreement can be found in the transaction statement on Schedule 13E-3 and the proxy statement attached as Exhibit (a)-(1) thereto, as amended, filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), which can be obtained, along with other filings containing information about the Company, the proposed Merger and related matters, without charge, from the SEC’s website (http://www.sec.gov). In addition, the Company’s proxy materials (including the final proxy statement) will be mailed to shareholders and ADS holders. Requests for additional copies of the definitive proxy statement should be directed to MacKenzie Partners, Inc., the Company’s proxy solicitor, toll-free at (800) 322-2885 (or +1 (212) 929-5500 outside of the United States) (call collect) or via email at proxy@mackenziepartners.com.

SHAREHOLDERS AND ADS HOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ, CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY, THESE MATERIALS AND OTHER MATERIALS TO BE FILED WITH OR FURNISHED TO THE SEC WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE, AS THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMPANY, THE MERGER AND RELATED MATTERS.

The Company and certain of its directors, executive officers and other members of management and employees may, under SEC rules, be deemed to be “participants” in the solicitation of proxies from our shareholders with respect to the proposed Merger. Information regarding the persons who may be considered “participants” in the solicitation of proxies is set forth in the definitive proxy statement and Schedule 13E-3 transaction statement relating to the proposed Merger. Further information regarding persons who may be deemed participants, including any direct or indirect interests they may have, is also set forth in the definitive proxy statement.

This announcement is neither a solicitation of proxies, an offer to purchase nor a solicitation of an offer to sell any securities and it is not a substitute for the proxy statement and other materials that have been or will be filed with or furnished to the SEC.

About iKang Healthcare Group, Inc.

iKang Healthcare Group, Inc. is one of the largest providers in China’s fast-growing private preventive healthcare space through its nationwide healthcare services network.

iKang’s nationwide integrated network of multi-brand self-owned medical centers and third-party facilities, provides comprehensive and high-quality preventive healthcare solutions across China, including medical examination, disease screening, outpatient service and other value-added services. iKang’s customer base primarily comprises corporate clients, who contract with iKang to deliver medical examination services to their employees and clients, and receive these services at pre-agreed rates. iKang also directly markets its services to individual customers. In the fiscal year 2017 ended March 31, 2018, iKang served a total of 6.59 million customer visits under both corporate and individual programs.

As of July 16, 2018, iKang has a nationwide network of 113 self-owned medical centers, covering 33 of China’s most affluent cities: Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chongqing, Tianjin, Nanjing, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Chengdu, Fuzhou, Jiangyin, Changzhou, Wuhan, Changsha, Yantai, Yinchuan, Weihai, Weifang, Shenyang, Xi’an, Wuhu, Guiyang, Ningbo, Foshan, Jinan, Bijie, Qingdao, Wuxi, Kaili, Mianyang and Zhenjiang, as well as Hong Kong. iKang has also extended its coverage to over 200 cities by contracting with over 400 third-party facilities, which include select independent medical examination centers and hospitals across all of China’s provinces, creating a nationwide network that allows iKang to serve its customers in markets where it does not operate its own medical centers.

Forward-looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements, including management quotes and business outlook, are made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “will,” “estimate,” “project,” “predict,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “potential,” “plan,” “goal” and similar statements. iKang may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Such statements involve certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about: the Company’s goals and strategies; its future business development, financial condition and results of operations; its ability to retain and grow its customer base and network of medical centers; the growth of, and trends in, the markets for its services in China; the demand for and market acceptance of its brand and services; competition in its industry in China; relevant government policies and regulations relating to the corporate structure, business and industry; fluctuations in general economic and business conditions in China. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in iKang’s filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. iKang undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required under applicable law.

IR Contact:

iKang Healthcare Group, Inc.
Christy Xie
Director of Investor Relations
Tel: +86 10 5320 8599
Email: ir@ikang.com
Website: www.ikanggroup.com

FleishmanHillard
Email: ikang@fleishman.com