Equatorial Palm Oil plc Loan of $20.5m Secured for Joint Venture Company (2343D)
January 27 2015 - 5:00AM
UK Regulatory
TIDMPAL
RNS Number : 2343D
Equatorial Palm Oil plc
27 January 2015
27 January 2015
EQUATORIAL PALM OIL plc
("EPO" or the "Company")
Loan of $20.5m Secured for Joint Venture Company
Equatorial Palm Oil plc (AIM: PAL), the AIM listed palm oil
development and production company with operations in Liberia, West
Africa announces today its 50 per cent. owned joint venture
company, Liberian Palm Developments Limited ("LPD"), has entered
into a $20.5m loan agreement ("Loan Agreement") with KLK Agro
Plantations Pte Ltd ("KLK Agro"), a wholly owned subsidiary of
Kuala Lumpur Kepong Berhad ("KLK"), for the operations and funding
for LPD.
The provision of funding pursuant to the Loan Agreement was a
commitment given by KLK Agro pursuant to the joint venture with
LPD, which was announced on 11 April 2014.
The key terms of the loan are as follows:
-- Amount - $20.5m
-- Term - 5 years
-- Interest - 3-months USD LIBOR + 5 per cent per annum
-- Repayment - Loan principal (together with all accrued
Interest due) on expiry of the Term or such earlier date as LPD may
decide
Geoffrey Brown, Executive Director of EPO, commented:
"We are very pleased that LPD has now secured this $20.5m loan
with KLK Agro for the development of our oil palm estates in
Liberia. We continue to be very well supported by KLK and this
funding will enable our operations to enter the next phase of
growth in order to drive value for all shareholders."
Related Party Transaction
KLK (through its wholly owned subsidiary KL-Kepong International
Limited) currently holds ordinary shares in EPO representing
approximately 62.86 per cent. of the issued share capital of the
Company. In addition, KLK Agro also currently holds 50 per cent. of
the issued share capital of LPD. Accordingly, the Loan Agreement is
classified as related party transaction under the AIM Rules for
Companies. Michael Frayne and Geoffrey Brown, being the non-related
directors of EPO for the purposes of this transaction, consider,
having consulted with the Company's nominated adviser, Strand
Hanson Limited, that the terms of the Loan Agreement are fair and
reasonable insofar as the Company's shareholders are concerned.
- END -
For further information, please visit www.epoil.co.uk or
contact:
Equatorial Palm Oil plc +44 (0) 20 7493
Geoffrey Brown (Executive Director) 7671
Strand Hanson Limited (Nominated Adviser) +44 (0) 20 7409
James Harris / Andrew Emmott / James Bellman 3494
Mirabaud Securities LLP (Broker) +44 (0) 20 7484
Peter Krens 3510
Notes to editors:
Equatorial Palm Oil plc is an AIM listed crude palm oil
developer and producer with palm oil estates in Liberia, West
Africa. The Company was founded in 2005 and is focused on becoming
a global, sustainable producer of high quality palm oil to regional
and international markets.
With a significant land position in Liberia through its
operating subsidiary LPD, the Company is geographically well
positioned to serve the international and regional markets and is
committed to making a positive impact on the communities in which
it operates through investment in local schools, health clinics,
housing and infrastructure.
The Company's largest shareholder and 50:50 joint venture
partner in LPD is KLK. KLK is one of the largest palm oil producers
in the world and the Company will greatly benefit from their many
years of expertise in oil palm development.
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
END
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