NTT DOCOMO, INC., the leading mobile communications company in Japan, today announced its intent to launch a voluntary public tender offer for net mobile AG, an international mobile content distribution platform company based in Düsseldorf, Germany. DOCOMO will offer a cash compensation of EUR 6.35 per share for all outstanding shares of net mobile. The offer price represents a 53.9 percent premium over the three-month average weighted share price prior to this announcement and a 34.2 percent premium over the closing price on September 10, 2009. The tender offer will be launched by the end of September 2009 by DOCOMO Deutschland GmbH, DOCOMO's wholly-owned German subsidiary, and includes an acceptance period of four weeks. The supervisory and management boards of net mobile have generally expressed their support for the tender offer. DOCOMO has already agreed with certain shareholders that they will tender their shares in the acceptance period. Such agreements comprise approx. 24 percent of net mobile shares, including a stake from previous anchor shareholder Swisscom of approx. 15 percent.
DOCOMO Deutschland will announce the commencement of the tender offer in Germany. The offer is subject to certain conditions, including a minimum acceptance threshold of 75 percent, as well as regulatory approvals. Upon successful completion of the tender offer, net mobile will become a subsidiary of DOCOMO.
'Using a unique platform for mobile content distribution, net mobile is steadily expanding its business in Europe,' said Masatoshi Suzuki, Senior Executive Vice President and Member of the Board of Directors of DOCOMO. 'net mobile's technology and European presence are major plus points for DOCOMO, which is strengthening the foundation of its mobile platform business overseas. DOCOMO believes the close collaborative relationship resulting from this transaction will contribute significantly to growth at both companies.'
' DOCOMO's extensive know-how and expertise in advanced mobile services will help net mobile broaden its service portfolio,' said Theodor Niehues, CEO and Chairman of the management board of net mobile. 'DOCOMO's worldwide alliance and synergies accomplished with various industries will allow the two companies to achieve the shared goal of providing high value-added mobile communications services globally.'
Upon the opening of the acceptance period, a detailed offer document will be made available at http://www.docomodeutschland.de. This website, designed to provide interested parties with additional information about the transaction, will be live until all necessary procedures for the transaction have been completed.
About NTT DOCOMO
NTT DOCOMO is the world's leading mobile operator and provider of advanced mobile services. The company serves over 55 million customers in Japan, including 48 million using i-mode(TM), the world's most popular mobile e-mail/Internet platform, and 50 million using FOMA(TM), the world's original 3G mobile service based on W-CDMA. As a leader in the development of cutting-edge mobile technologies, DOCOMO is continually expanding the role of mobile phones as versatile and highly personalized 'lifestyle tools' for everyday life, including with a wide range of innovative services for mobile payments, GPS, mobile TV, multimedia content and much more. NTT DOCOMO is listed on the Tokyo (9437), London (NDCM) and New York (DCM) stock exchanges. For more information, visit www.nttdocomo.com.
FOMA and i-mode are trademarks or registered trademarks of NTT DOCOMO, INC. in Japan and/or other countries.
FOMA service is only available in Japan.
About net mobile
net mobile AG is an internationally leading full-service provider for mobile and interactive value added services. The company was founded in November 2000 and serves as a leader in market innovation. Its full managed service approach encompasses consultation, design, applications, content, billing, transport and technical implementation for optimal multichannel marketing campaign management. As a partner of all the large music labels and holders of rights in the film, television and games industry, net mobile AG also guarantees complete content and royalties management. Its more than 500 customers world-wide include national and global mobile telephone providers, media companies, portals, branded products, as well as TV stations for which net mobile AG provides a complete mobile interactive TV services package. The 100% subsidiaries MINICK AG and first:telecom GmbH belong to the net mobile Group.