Oma Savings Bank Plc Stock Exchange Release 13 August 2018 at 9.55 am
Oma Savings Bank is contemplating a potential listing on the Helsinki Stock Exchange to support its growth strategy
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The Board of Directors of Oma Savings Bank Plc (“OmaSp” or the “Company”) has initiated a strategic evaluation of a potential listing on Nasdaq Helsinki's (the “Helsinki Stock Exchange") main list and an initial public offering (IPO) in connection with the listing.
Jarmo Partanen, Chairman of the Board of Directors of OmaSp:
”The planned listing on the Helsinki Stock Exchange main list is one of the most important strategic objectives of Oma Savings Bank Plc. The listing would bring a commercially strong bank to the Helsinki Stock Exchange after several years. Through the listing, OmaSp would renew its ownership base and capital structure. The past profitable growth of the banking business is a strong basis for the development of the bank’s capital, while new capital would provide better opportunities to develop the business further. Even though a listing is only contemplated at this stage, it already has the full support of the owners and the Board of Directors. I am truly pleased that the Helsinki Stock Exchange could have a new and fresh listed financial services company, Oma Savings Bank Plc.”
Pasi Sydänlammi, OmaSp’s CEO:
”A stock exchange listing would provide us with even better opportunities to execute our growth strategy in the future. We already have strong evidence of profitable growth from the past years and the listing would enable new shareholders to participate in the development of the bank. Our clients would benefit from the bank’s development in the form of better services. We promise to provide our clients with the best banking experience through personal customer service and our digital channels. We are living in interesting times, and I look forward to future decisions.”
OmaSp is a growing Finnish bank, and one of the largest savings banks in Finland when measured by total assets. Nationwide over 270 professionals provide services through OmaSp’s 40 branch offices and digital service channels to approximately 135,000 customers. OmaSp focuses on retail banking and provides clients with a broad range of banking services both through its own balance sheet as well as by acting as an intermediary for its partners’ products. The bank also operates in mortgage banking. The clientele of OmaSp primarily consists of retail clients and SME companies. OmaSp is a solvent bank and its profitability was the best in its peer group1 when measured by return on assets (ROA). OmaSp’s balance sheet total is EUR 2.8 billion (30 June 2018). Two bonds issued by OmaSp are listed on the Helsinki Stock Exchange.
OmaSp expects the potential listing to strengthen the Company’s ability to successfully execute its growth strategy and to further strengthen the Company’s capital structure. The potential listing also aims to increase awareness of the Company and the recognition of its brand. Decisions with respect to the potential listing and its timing will be made at a later time.
Danske Bank A/S, Finland Branch is acting as the financial advisor of the strategic evaluation.
Press Event
A press event will be held on OmaSp's premises in Helsinki located at Pohjoisranta 4 A 25, 5th floor, at 11.00 am today on 13 August 2018.
Oma Savings Bank Plc
Board of Directors
Additional Information:
Oma Savings Bank Plc
CEO Pasi Sydänlammi, tel. +358 45 657 5506
Chief Communications Officer Minna Sillanpää, tel. +358 50 665 92
Oma Savings Bank is a Finnish bank and the largest savings bank in Finland. Our more than 270 professionals serve approximately 135,000 customers nationwide at 40 branches and through our digital channels. The profitability of this solvent bank is among the best in the industry in Finland. Our balance sheet total is EUR 2.8 billion. Oma Savings Bank is owned by Finnish local savings bank foundations and Oma co-operatives. Our employees are the owners of the bank as well. We promise to provide the best banking services in town in all everyday financial matters both at our branches and via our digital service channels. We are local and close to the customer. omasp.fi.
Important Information
The information contained herein is not for publication or distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore or South Africa. The information contained herein does not constitute an offer of securities for sale in the United States, nor may the securities be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration as provided in the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder. Oma Savings Bank Plc (the “Company”) does not intend to register any portion of the contemplated offering in the United States or to conduct a public offering of securities in the United States.
The issue, exercise and/or sale of securities in the initial public offering are subject to specific legal or regulatory restrictions in certain states. The Company and, Danske Bank A/S, Finland Branch assume no responsibility in the event there is a violation by any person of such restrictions.
The information contained herein shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale or offer of the securities referred to herein in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration, exemption from registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. Investors must neither accept any offer for, nor acquire, any securities referred to in this release, unless they do so on the basis of the information contained in the prospectus published or offering circular distributed by the Company.
The Company has not authorized any offer to the public of securities in any Member State of the European Economic Area. With respect to each Member State of the European Economic Area other than Finland, and which has implemented the Prospectus Directive (each, a “Relevant Member State”), no action has been undertaken or will be undertaken to make an offer to the public of securities requiring publication of a prospectus in any Relevant Member State. As a result, the securities may only be offered in Relevant Member States (a) to any legal entity which is a qualified investor as defined in the Prospectus Directive; or (b) in any other circumstances falling within Article 3(2) of the Prospectus Directive. For the purposes of this paragraph, the expression an “offer of securities to the public” means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and the securities to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to exercise, purchase or subscribe the securities, as the same may be varied by any measure implementing the Prospectus Directive in that Relevant Member State and the expression “Prospectus Directive” means Directive 2003/71/EC (and amendments thereto, including the 2010 PD Amending Directive, to the extent implemented in the Relevant Member State), and includes any relevant implementing measure in the Relevant Member State and the expression “2010 PD Amending Directive” means Directive 2010/73/EU.
This communication is directed only at (i) persons who are outside the United Kingdom or (ii) persons who have professional experience in matters relating to investments falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the “Order”) and (iii) high net worth entities, and other persons to whom it may lawfully be communicated, falling within Article 49(2) of the Order (all such persons together being referred to as “Relevant Persons”). Any investment activity to which this communication relates will only be available to and will only be engaged with, Relevant Persons. Any person who is not a Relevant Person should not act or rely on this document or any of its contents.
Forward-looking statements
Certain statements in this communication are “forward-looking statements”. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, assumptions, projections, objectives, targets, goals, strategies, future events, future revenues or performance, capital expenditures, financing needs, plans or intentions relating to acquisitions, the Company’s competitive strengths and weaknesses, plans or goals relating to financial position, future operations and development, its business strategy and the anticipated trends in the industry and the political and legal environment in which it operates and other information that is not historical information, such as revenue growth, EBITDA growth, cost savings, investments, the contemplated IPO and listing, future cash flow generation, operating profit margin, operating capital expenditure, ratio of net debt and EBITDA, revenue, and operating results. In some instances, they can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the terms “believes”, “intends”, “may”, “will” or “should” or, in each case, their negative or variations on comparable terminology.
Forward-looking statements in this release are based on various assumptions, many of which in turn are based on assumptions. By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risks, uncertainties and assumptions, both general and specific, and the risk exists that the predictions, forecasts, projections, plans and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved. Given these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statements contained herein speak only as at the date of this release. Save as required by law, the Company and Danske Bank A/S, Finnish branch do not intend and do not assume any obligation, to update or correct any forward-looking statement contained herein.
1 The peer group consists of Aktia, OmaSp, the Mortgage Society of Finland, Ålandsbanken, POP Banks and Savings Banks. Source: The Finnish Financial Supervisory Authority and OmaSp.
