Stock Symbols: AEM (NYSE)
AGE (TSX)
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN
AUSTRALIA OR JAPAN. THE OFFER IS NOT BEING MADE TO PERSONS WHOSE
PARTICIPATION REQUIRES FURTHER PROSPECTUSES, FILINGS OR OTHER MEASURES IN
ADDITION TO THOSE REQUIRED UNDER SWEDISH AND U.S. LAW.
TORONTO, Oct. 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - Agnico-Eagle Mines Limited
("Agnico-Eagle") announced today that, to date, 81,425,363 shares of
Riddarhyttan Resources AB (publ) ("Riddarhyttan") have been tendered to its
offer to acquire all the outstanding shares of Riddarhyttan not owned by
Agnico-Eagle, representing 77% of the outstanding shares and voting rights of
Riddarhyttan. Together with the 14,763,669 shares already owned by
Agnico-Eagle, representing 14.0% of the outstanding shares and voting rights
of Riddarhyttan, Agnico-Eagle now owns an aggregate of 96,189,032 shares, or
approximately 91% of the outstanding shares and voting rights of Riddarhyttan.
All conditions for the completion of the offer have been satisfied and
settlement of shares tendered to date is expected to occur on, or about,
October 18, 2005.
To enable those shareholders who have not yet tendered to participate in
the offer, the offer has been further extended to 4:00 p.m. CET (10:00 a.m.
EDT) on October 21, 2005. Riddarhyttan shares tendered during the new
extension period are expected to settle on, or about, October 28, 2005.
Agnico-Eagle previously announced a recommended exchange offer of 0.1137
shares of Agnico-Eagle for each outstanding share of Riddarhyttan not
currently owned by Agnico-Eagle. The Board of Directors of Riddarhyttan
unanimously recommended that Riddarhyttan shareholders accept this offer.
Based upon the $14.47 closing price of Agnico-Eagle on the New York Stock
Exchange and exchange rates on October 11, 2005, the offer is worth SEK 12.81
per Riddarhyttan share. On May 11, 2005, the last trading day before the
announcement of the offer, the closing price per Riddarhyttan share on the
Stockholm Stock Exchange was SEK 8.05.
Riddarhyttan shareholders who have questions about the offer should
contact Enskilda Securities, Nybrokajen 5, 103 36 Stockholm, Sweden,
+46 8 52 22 95 00 or SEB, Issues & Part-ownership Programmes, Rissneleden 110,
106 40 Stockholm, Sweden, +46 8 639 2750.
U.S. Information
Agnico-Eagle has filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form F-4
containing an offer document regarding the offer. This press release does not
constitute an offer to purchase or sell or a solicitation of an offer to sell
or purchase shares of Riddarhyttan or Agnico-Eagle to any person in the United
States of America, its possessions and other areas subject to its jurisdiction
or to, or for the account or benefit of a U.S. person (as defined in
Regulation S under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended). The
offer will be made to those persons solely under the offer document that is
part of the registration statement. Investors and stockholders are advised to
read the offer document and other documents relating to the offer carefully
because they include important information regarding the offer. Investors and
stockholders may obtain a free copy of the offer document and certain other
documents relating to the offer from the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Free
copies of these documents can also be obtained by directing a request to
Agnico-Eagle. YOU SHOULD READ THE OFFER DOCUMENT AND OTHER DOCUMENTS RELATING
TO THE OFFER CAREFULLY BEFORE MAKING A DECISION CONCERNING THE OFFER.
UK Information
This press release has been approved solely for the purposes of Section
21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 by Citigroup Global Markets
Limited of Citigroup Centre, 33 Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London E14 5LB.
Citigroup Global Markets Limited is acting for Agnico-Eagle and no one else in
connection with the Offer and will not be responsible to any other person for
providing the protections afforded to clients of Citigroup Global Markets
Limited or for providing advice in relation to the Offer.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements contained in this news release constitute "forward-
looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In this news release, the words "anticipate",
"expect", "estimate", "forecast", "plan" and similar words and expressions are
intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements, including
statements relating to the timing, completion and settlement of the offer,
reflect Agnico-Eagle's views at this time with respect to future events and
are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Many factors
could cause the actual results to be materially different from those expressed
or implied by such forward-looking statements, including, among others, those
discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in the offer document filed as part
of the Registration Statement on Form F-4 and in Agnico-Eagle's Annual
Information Form and Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December
31, 2004. Agnico-Eagle does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to
update these forward-looking statements.
About Agnico-Eagle
Agnico-Eagle is a long-established Canadian gold producer with operations
located in northwestern Quebec and exploration and development activities in
Canada, the United States and Mexico. Agnico-Eagle's LaRonde Mine in Quebec is
Canada's largest gold deposit. The Company has full exposure to higher gold
prices consistent with its policy of no forward gold sales. It has paid a cash
dividend for 25 consecutive years.
SOURCE Agnico-Eagle Mines Limited
CONTACT: David Smith, Director, Investor Relations, (416) 947-1212
http://www.prnewswire.com
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