SHANGHAI, June 1, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Taomee
Holdings Limited (NYSE: TAOM) ("Taomee" or the "Company"), one
of the leading children's entertainment and media companies
in China, today announced that its board of directors has
received a non-binding proposal letter dated May 30, 2015 from Mr. Benson Haibing Wang, a director and the chief
executive officer of the Company, Mr. Roc Yunpeng Cheng, a director and the president of
the Company, and affiliates of the
foregoing, and Orient Securities Ruide (Shanghai) Investment Management Co., Ltd., a
subsidiary of Orient Securities Company Limited, (together with Mr.
Benson Haibing Wang and Mr. Roc
Yunpeng Cheng, the "Consortium
Members") to acquire all of the outstanding shares of the Company
not currently owned by the Consortium Members (including shares
represented by American Depositary Shares; or "ADS," with each ADS
representing 20 ordinary shares of the Company) in a "going
private" transaction (the "Transaction") at a price of US$0.1794 in cash per ordinary share of the
Company or US$3.588 in cash per ADS
of the Company, as the case may be.
According to the proposal letter, the Consortium Members intend
to form an acquisition vehicle for the purpose of implementing the
Transaction, and have agreed to work with each other exclusively in
pursuing the Transaction. The Consortium Members intend to finance
the Transaction with a combination of equity capital funded by the
Consortium Members and third-party debt. A copy of the proposal
letter is attached hereto as Exhibit A.
The Company's board of directors has formed a special committee
(the "Special Committee") consisting of three independent
directors, Mr. JP Gan, Mr. Shengwen
Rong and Mr. Ted Lai, to
consider this proposal. Mr. Shengwen
Rong is appointed as the chair of the Special Committee. The
Company expects that the Special Committee will retain a financial
advisor and legal counsel to assist it in its work. The Company
cautions its shareholders and others considering trading in its
securities that the Company has just received the non-binding
proposal and has not made any decisions with respect to the
Company's response to the proposal. There can be no assurance that
any definitive offer will be made, that any agreement will be
executed or that this or any other transaction will be approved or
consummated.
About Taomee Holdings Limited
Taomee Holdings Limited ("Taomee" or "the Company")
is China's leader in children's entertainment and media.
Its award winning content offerings are both engaging and
educational, endearing it to children, as well as to parents and
teachers. The Company was founded in 2007 with the mission to bring
joy and inspiration to children. Its popular character franchises,
including SEER and MOLE'S WORLD, are distributed online via virtual
worlds, web games, and mobile applications, as well as through
traditional media, including animated box office films, TV series,
books, and consumer products, most notably toys and trading cards.
Its online community regularly achieves top search ranking
in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.
Taomee has been consistently recognized for its leadership and
innovative contributions to the children's market, including
accolades from China's Ministry of Culture and
the China Animation Association.
For more information, please
visit: http://www.taomee.com/en_taomee.html
- Visit online virtual world communities at www.61.com
- Watch animations and films at http://v.61.com/
- Download mobile games and applications
at http://m.61.com/
- Share with other parents and caregivers
at http://mama.61.com/
Exhibit A
May 30, 2015
The Board of Directors
Taomee Holdings Limited
16/F, Building No. A-2, No. 1528 Gumei Road, Xuhui District
Shanghai 200233
People's Republic of China
Dear Members of the Board of Directors,
We,
Benson Haibing Wang, Joy Union
Holdings Limited, Roc Yunpeng Cheng, Charming China Limited, and
Orient Securities Ruide (Shanghai)
Investment Management Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Orient Securities
Company Limited (collectively, the "Consortium Members"), are
pleased to submit this preliminary non-binding proposal (the
"Proposal") to acquire all of the outstanding ordinary shares of
Taomee Holdings Limited (the "Company") and the American Depositary
Shares of the Company ("ADSs", each ADS representing 20 ordinary
shares of the Company), in both cases, that are not already
beneficially owned by us in a "going private" transaction on the
principal terms and conditions described in this letter (the
"Transaction").
We
believe that our Proposal of US$0.1794 per ordinary share of the Company and
US$3.588 per ADS, as the case may be,
in cash provides a very attractive opportunity to the Company's
shareholders. Our Proposal represents a premium of 20% to the
closing price of the Company's ADSs on May
29, 2015 and a premium of 13.76% to the volume-weighted
average closing price of the Company's ADSs during the last 30
trading days.
Set
forth below are the key terms of our Proposal.
1. Consortium. The Consortium Members have entered
into a consortium agreement, pursuant to which we will form an
acquisition vehicle for the purpose of implementing the
Transaction, and have agreed to work with each other exclusively in
pursuing the Transaction. Please also note that the Consortium
Members who own ordinary shares of the Company and/or ADSs are
currently interested only in pursuing the Transaction and are not
interested in selling their stake in any other transaction
involving the Company.
2. Transaction and Purchase Price. We propose to
acquire all of the outstanding ordinary shares of the Company and
the ADSs not already beneficially owned by us at a purchase price
equal to US$0.1794 per ordinary share
and US$3.588 per ADS, as the case may
be, in cash through a one-step merger of an acquisition vehicle
newly formed by the Consortium Members with and into the
Company.
3. Sources of Financing. We intend to finance
the Transaction with a combination of equity capital funded by the
Consortium Members and third-party debt.
4. Due Diligence. Parties providing financing
will require a timely opportunity to conduct customary due
diligence on the Company. We believe that we and our financing
sources will be in a position
to complete due diligence in a
timely manner and in parallel with
discussions on definitive agreements.
5. Definitive Documentation. Consummation
of the Transaction would require negotiation and execution of a
definitive merger agreement, as well as other customary agreements
for a transaction of this nature, each containing terms and
conditions appropriate for transactions of this type. We have
retained Shearman & Sterling LLP as international legal counsel
to the Consortium Members and are prepared to provide draft
agreements promptly.
6. Confidentiality. We are sure you will
agree that it is in all of our interests to ensure that we proceed
in a confidential manner, unless otherwise required by law, until
we have executed the definitive agreements or terminated our
discussions.
7. Process. We believe that the Transaction
will provide superior value to the Company's public shareholders.
We recognize of course that the board of directors of the Company
will evaluate the Transaction independently before it can make its
determination whether to endorse it. Given our involvement in the
Transaction, we would expect that the independent members of the
board of directors will proceed to consider our Proposal and the
Transaction.
8. Miscellaneous. This Proposal is not a
binding offer, agreement or agreement to make a binding offer or
agreement at any point in the future.
This letter is a preliminary indication of interest by
the Consortium Members and does not contain all matters upon which
agreement must be reached in order to consummate the proposed
Transaction, nor does it create any binding rights or obligations
in favor of any person. The parties will be bound only upon the
execution of mutually agreeable definitive documentation.
9. Public Disclosure. In light of United States securities law requirements,
certain Consortium Members will be making a filing with the
Securities and Exchange Commission on Schedule 13D in which this
letter will be publicly disclosed.
* * * * *
In
closing, we would like to express our commitment to working
together to bring this Transaction to a successful and timely
conclusion. Should you have any questions regarding this Proposal,
please do not hesitate to contact us. We look forward to hearing
from you.
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Sincerely,
Benson Haibing Wang
By: /s/ Benson Haibing Wang
Joy Union Holdings Limited
By: /s/ Benson Haibing Wang
Name: Benson Haibing Wang
Title: Director
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Roc Yunpeng Cheng
By: /s/ Roc Yunpeng Cheng
Charming China Limited
By: /s/ Roc Yunpeng Cheng
Name: Roc Yunpeng Cheng
Title: Director
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Orient Securities
Ruide (Shanghai)
Investment Management Co., Ltd.
By: /s/ Bo Chen
(company chop)
Name: Bo Chen
Title: Executive Director
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Contact:
Angela Wang
Taomee Holdings Limited
+86-21-61280056-8651
ir@taomee.com
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SOURCE Taomee Holdings Limited