HDD Hardide Plc

RNS No 8162q

HODDER HEADLINE PLC
25 May 1999
                                                                           
                                                                            
                Not for release, distribution or publication
               in or into the USA, Canada, Australia or Japan


                       WH Smith Group PLC ("WH Smith")
                                      
     Recommended cash offer for Hodder Headline PLC ("Hodder Headline")


WH  Smith  announces that it has today agreed to acquire  further  shares  in
Hodder  Headline  at  525  pence per share which  has  resulted  in  a  total
shareholding  of  18,325,571 Hodder Headline shares,  representing  51.9  per
cent.  of  Hodder  Headline's  issued  ordinary  share  capital.   A  further
announcement in relation to the share purchases will be made shortly.

Accordingly, the offer by WH Smith will become unconditional in all  respects
automatically upon settlement of the share purchases described above.

Commenting on the offer, Richard Handover, Group Chief Executive of WH Smith,
said:

"I am delighted that our offer for Hodder Headline has been successful and
that we have achieved such a rapid and certain outcome.  We will now be in  a
position  to  work  together  with  Hodder Headline  to  achieve  our  shared
objectives."

_____________________________________________________________________________

WH Smith                                          0171 514 9622/3/4
Richard Handover, Group Chief Executive
Keith Hamill, Finance Director
Tim Blythe, Corporate Affairs Director

Schroders                                         0171 658 6000
Robert Swannell

Cazenove                                          0171 588 2828
David Mayhew


Schroders,  which  is  regulated  by  The Securities  and  Futures  Authority
Limited, is acting for WH Smith and no one else in connection with the  Offer
and  will not be responsible to anyone other than WH Smith for providing  the
protections afforded to the customers of Schroders or for providing advice in
relation  to  the  Offer or any matter referred to herein  or  in  the  Offer
Document.

END


OFFEEFFLKEKXBKX

Hardide (LSE:HDD)
Historical Stock Chart
Von Jun 2024 bis Jul 2024

Hardide (LSE:HDD)
Historical Stock Chart
Von Jul 2023 bis Jul 2024