中國投資者收購德國半導體設備供應商

A group of Chinese investors has offered 6 per share to buy Aixtron, valuing the German supplier of semiconductor equipment at about 670m.

一組中國投資者提出以每股6歐元收購愛思強(Aixtron)，對這家德國半導體設備供應商的估值約爲6.7億歐元。

Aixtron, which makes equipment used in LED lighting, said yesterday that it had agreed to a takeover by Grand Chip Investment, the German arm of Fujian Grand Chip Investment Fund.

愛思強專業製造用於LED照明的設備。該公司昨日表示，同意接受中國芯片投資基金Fujian Grand Chip Investment Fund(FGC)的德國子公司Grand Chip Investment的收購要約。

The group is controlled by Zhendong Liu, who owns 51 per cent of the fund. Xiamen Bohao Investment owns the remaining 49 per cent.

該集團由劉振東控股，他持有該基金51%的股份。廈門投資公司Xiamen Bohao Investment持有其餘49%的股份。

Under the terms of the agreement, Aixtron shareholders will be offered 6 in cash per ordinary share, nearly 24 per cent more than Aixtron’s closing share price of 4.86 per share on Friday. The deal represents a 51 per cent premium over Aixtron’s three-month weighted average share price.

根據協議條款，愛思強股東持有的每普通股將得到6歐元現金，比愛思強上週五收盤時的每股4.86歐元高出近24%。相比愛思強過去3個月加權平均股價，上述報價代表着51%的溢價。

Shares in the German equipment maker were up 15 per cent yesterday afternoon, following news of the agreement.

愛思強同意接受收購的新聞傳出後，這家德國芯片製造商的股價昨日下午上漲15%。

Aixtron said its legal domicile and headquarters would remain in Herzogenrath. Martin Goetzeler, chief executive, and Bernd Schulte, chief operating officer, would remain at the company in their current roles.

愛思強稱，其法定註冊地址和總部將仍然位於黑爾措根拉特(Herzogenrath)。其首席執行官馬丁•格特策勒(Martin Goetzeler)及首席運營官貝恩德•許爾特(Bernd Schulte)將在該公司繼續擔任目前職位。

Grand Chip Investment is expected to appoint four representatives to Aixtron’s six-member supervisory board once the deal is complete.

一旦交易完成，Grand Chip Investment預計將在愛思強六人監事會中任命4名代表。

The takeover is subject to shareholder approval and regulatory conditions being met.

該交易需要得到股東的批准，並需要滿足監管條件。

Kim Schindelhauer, Aixtron chairman, said yesterday that the current board members “fully support this transaction, as it provides immediate value to our shareholders while enabling Aixtron to bring their new products to market”.

愛思強董事長吉姆•申德爾豪爾(Kim Schindelhauer)昨天表示，目前的董事會成員“完全支持該交易，因爲它爲我們的股東提供了直接價值，同時使得愛思強能夠將新產品推向市場”。

Mr Schindelhauer added: “With FGC, we have found a partner that will provide local market insights to support our business objectives in Asia.”

申德爾豪爾補充稱：“有了FGC，我們找到了一個帶來對本土市場洞察力的合作伙伴，它將支持我們在亞洲的業務目標。”

Aixtron said the two companies “view the transaction as an opportunity to expand the company and its workforce and have agreed that the transaction is not directed towards cost or staff reductions”.

愛思強稱，兩家公司“將該交易視爲一次擴大公司及其員工隊伍的機會，並同意這筆交易不會帶來削減成本或裁員。”

Last month Aixtron reported worse than expected results for the three months to the end of March, with revenues falling 47 per cent from the same time in 2015, to 21.4m.

上月，愛思強報告截至3月底的3個月期間業績遜於預期，營收較2015年同期下滑47%，至2140萬歐元。

Net losses widened to 15.5m for the period, compared to 9.5m last year.

同期淨虧損擴大至1550萬歐元，而去年同期爲950萬歐元。

The disappointing first-quarter results came four months after the equipment maker suffered its worst day in 16 years upon losing its largest customer.

在第一季度令人失望的財報公佈的4個月前，這家設備製造商失去了其最大的客戶，遭受了創立16年以來最艱難的一天。

Last December Aixtron said China group Sanan Optoelectronics had cancelled its orders, forcing Aixtron to cut its full-year sales guidance and sending the shares down as much as 43 per cent in a day.

去年12月，愛思強表示中資集團三安光電(Sanan Optoelectronics)取消了訂單，迫使愛思強削減了全年銷售指引，其股價當日暴跌43%。