DTC - Datatec Limited - Datatec Limited acquires full ownership of the African
22 May 2012 17:08
DTC
DTC                                                                             
DTC - Datatec Limited - Datatec Limited acquires full ownership of the African  
Businesses in Westcon Group                                                     
Datatec Limited                                                                 
(Incorporated in the Republic of South Africa)                                  
(Registration number: 1994/005004/06)                                           
ISIN: ZAE000017745                                                              
Share Code: DTC                                                                 
DATATEC LIMITED ACQUIRES FULL OWNERSHIP OF THE AFRICAN BUSINESSES IN WESTCON    
GROUP                                                                           
Datatec Limited, "Datatec" or the "Group", (JSE and AIM: DTC), the international
Information and Communications Technology (ICT) group, announces that its 100%  
subsidiary, Westcon Group, Inc. has acquired the 33.1% interest in its African  
subsidiaries (excluding Westcon South Africa) collectively "Westcon Africa"     
which it did not already own ("the Transaction"). This transaction does not     
apply to Westcon SA (Pty) Ltd which remains owned 74% by Datatec and 26% by its 
BEE* partner, the Mineworkers Investment Corporation.                           
The Transaction                                                                 
The rationale for the Transaction is to achieve full ownership of the African   
businesses in the Westcon Group.                                                
The Transaction has been effected by agreement with the two minority partners in
Westcon Africa:                                                                 
International Technology Distributors F.Z. Co Ltd (15.9 % share of Westcon      
Africa) - $2.45 million to be settled by the issue of Datatec shares and a      
deferred cash payment based on 15.9% of half of the increase in value of Westcon
Africa from 31 August 2011 to 28 February 2013.                                 
Mr & Mrs Paul Moser (17.2% share of Westcon Africa) - $2.65 million to be       
settled by the issue of Datatec shares and a deferred cash payment based on     
17.2% of half of the increase in value of Westcon Africa from 31 August 2011 to 
28 February 2013.                                                               
Datatec`s equity ownership of Westcon Africa will increase to 100% on 23 May    
2012, the effective date of the Transaction.  At the same time the vendors have 
renounced put options they previously held in relation to their shareholding.   
This will result in the annual fair value adjustments associated with this put  
option liability falling away.                                                  
The total additional consideration referred to above which is payable based on  
half the increase in valuation of the vendors` share of the Westcon Africa      
businesses from 31 August 2011 to 28 February 2013 is estimated to be $1.5      
million based on an extrapolation of the growth of the business to date.        
Issue of shares                                                                 
900,142 ordinary Datatec ZAR0.01 shares are to be issued and listed pursuant to 
the Transaction.  Application has been made to the London Stock Exchange for the
admission of these shares to the Alternative Investment Market, and to the JSE  
Limited ("JSE") for the listing of these shares.  Listing on both exchanges is  
expected to become effective on or about 23 May 2012.                           
Small related party transaction per the Listings Requirements of the JSE        
The minority shareholders of the two intermediate holding companies which       
constitute Westcon Africa, shown above, were directors, or associates of        
directors, of companies in the Westcon Africa group within the past twelve      
months and therefore related parties to Datatec. The Listings Requirements of   
the JSE require written confirmation from an independent professional expert    
confirming that the Transaction is fair to Datatec`s shareholders. BDO Corporate
Finance (Pty) Ltd, as the independent professional expert acceptable to the JSE,
has confirmed that the Transaction is fair and their fairness opinion is        
available for inspection at Datatec`s registered office until 30 June 2012.     
In addition, in relation to the Transaction, the pro forma financial effects on 
Datatec`s earnings per share, headline earnings per share, net asset value      
("NAV") per share and net tangible asset value ("NTAV") per share for the period
ended 29 February 2012 have been assessed and are set out in the following      
table.                                                                          
The adverse impact on EPS, HEPS and diluted EPS shown in the financial effects  
table below is as a result of fair value mark-to-market adjustments to the put  
option liability immediately before the change in ownership.  This, by          
definition, is excluded from underlying EPS.                                    
The unaudited pro forma financial effects are the responsibility of the Datatec 
directors and have been prepared for illustrative purposes only to provide      
information about how the Transaction may impact shareholders on the relevant   
reporting date and because of its nature may not give a fair reflection of the  
Company`s financial position, changes in equity, results of operations or cash  
flows after implementation of the Transaction or of the Company`s future        
earnings.                                                                       
(US cents)                                 As        Pro- forma  % change       
reported  after                       
                                                    transaction                 
Earnings per Share                         43.5      41.5        -3.6%          
Headline Earnings per Share and Diluted    43.1      41.9        -3.6%          
Headline Earnings per Share                                                     
Diluted Earnings per Share                 42.8      41.3        -3.6%          
Underlying Earnings per Share and Diluted  47.9      47.9        0.0%           
Underlying Earnings per Share                                                   
NAV per Share                              439       442         +0.8%          
NTAV per Share                             153       158         +3.1%          
The pro-forma earnings per share, headline earnings per share, underlying       
earnings per share NAV and NTAV have been prepared on the following assumptions:
Figures as reported are the audited results of Datatec for the year ended 29    
February 2012;                                                                  
There were 187.7 million Datatec shares in issue at 29 February 2012 including  
1.2 million contingently issuable shares for which all necessary conditions had 
been satisfied at that date;                                                    
An interest rate of 2.5% in Europe where the cash element of consideration will 
arise was used;                                                                 
A tax rate of 35% on interest receivable was applied;                           
The NAV and NTAV pro-forma assumes the Transaction occurred on 29 February 2012,
that the shares were issued and the additional consideration was paid on that   
date and that the put option had never existed;                                 
The earnings per share pro-forma assumes the sale proceeds invested and no mark-
to market adjustment relating to the put options in the year ended 29 February  
2012 (minor effect on underlying earnings per share as this mark-to market      
adjustment is already excluded from underlying earnings).                       
Small related party transaction per the AIM Rules                               
The Directors of the Company, having consulted with the Company`s nominated     
adviser, Jefferies Hoare Govett consider that the terms of the related party    
transaction is fair and reasonable, so far as the shareholders of the Company   
are concerned.                                                                  
* Black Economic Empowerment, a policy and programme of the Government of the   
Republic of South Africa to affirm and empower those South Africans or permanent
residents who, on the basis of their race, were previously subjected to adverse 
economic, social and other forms of statutorily enforced discriminatory         
practices.                                                                      
Enquiries:                                                                      
Datatec Limited                                                                 
(www.datatec.co.za)                                                             
Ivan Dittrich - Chief Financial      +27 (0) 11 233 1221                        
Officer                                                                         
Jefferies Hoare Govett - Nominated Advisor and Broker                           
Nick Adams/Tom Rider                 +44 (0) 20 7029 8000                       
finnCap - Broker                                                                
Tom Jenkins / Henrik Persson         +44 (0) 20 7220 0500                       
College Hill                                                                    
Adrian Duffield/Rozi Morris (UK)     +44 (0) 20 7457 2020                       
Frederic Cornet (SA)                 +27 (0) 11 447 3030                        
22 May 2012                                                                     
Sponsor                                                                         
RAND MERCHANT BANK (A division of FirstRand Bank Limited)                       
Date: 22/05/2012 17:08:02 Produced by the JSE SENS Department.                  
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