Reduction of equity gearing: In order to further reduce its exposure to equities, Allianz is issuing a three-year index linked exchangeable bond of up to EUR 1.2 billion today. The redemption value of this security, BITES [Basket Index Tracking Equity-linked Securities], is linked to the performance of the DAX. Allianz can choose to redeem the notes in shares of BMW, Munich Re or Siemens. The BITES will be placed with international institutional investors through JPMorgan. As a result of this transaction, Allianz will further reduce its equity gearing, i.e. the ratio of equity holdings to shareholders equity less goodwill, to an anticipated level of under 1.0x.
Deleveraging of group: Allianz will refinance part of this year's EUR 2.7 billion maturing bonds through the issuance of a subordinated bond in the amount of approximately EUR 1 billion. The bond will be in perpetual form with Allianz having the right to call the bond after 12 years. The exact amount, coupon as well as yield will be determined at the end of the book-building period. Attached to the bond will be 11.2 million warrants on Allianz shares with a maturity of three years. Following the issuance of this bond, the warrants will be detached and placed in firm hands, therefore a material impact on the Allianz share price is not to be expected. The bond ex-warrants will be placed with institutional investors through Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein.
Reduction of non strategic assets by Dresdner Bank: Dresdner Bank will accomplish a further step in its strategy of reducing its non strategic equity holdings. Dresdner Bank will sell 17.2 million Allianz shares, with a market value of approximately EUR 1.5 billion to investment bank JPMorgan. JPMorgan will place these shares in the market in the form of a Mandatory Exchangeable. This structure will enable Allianz Group to benefit from a portion of Allianz's future share price appreciation. In addition, Dresdner Bank will transfer to Allianz its stake of 7.3% in Munich Re, equivalent to approximately EUR 1.5 billion, via an intragroup transaction. These Munich Re shares will therefore be available to repay the redemption value of the BITES securities.
Allianz takes advantage of attractive capital market conditions to launch an innovative financing transaction
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Certain of the statements contained herein may be statements of future expectations and other forward-looking statements that are based on management's current views and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. In addition to statements which are forward-looking by reason of context, the words 'may, will, should, expects, plans, intends, anticipates, believes, estimates, predicts, potential, or continue' and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. Actual results, performance or events may differ materially from those in such statements due to, without limitation, (i) general economic conditions, including in particular economic conditions in the Allianz Group's core business and core markets, (ii) performance of financial markets, including emerging markets, (iii) the frequency and severity of insured loss events, (iv) mortality and morbidity levels and trends, (v) persistency levels, (vi) the extent of credit defaults (vii) interest rate levels, (viii) currency exchange rates including the Euro-U.S. dollar exchange rate, (ix) changing levels of competition, (x) changes in laws and regulations, including monetary convergence and the European Monetary Union, (xi) changes in the policies of central banks and/or foreign governments, (xii) the impact of acquisitions, including related integration issues, (xiii) reorganization measures and (xiv) general competitive factors, in each case on a local, regional, national and/or global basis. Many of these factors may be more likely to occur, or more pronounced, as a result of terrorist activities and their consequences. The matters discussed herein may also involve risks and uncertainties described from time to time in Allianz AG's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement.
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