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Standard Bank of South Africa Real Equity Trust and Stellenbosch Vineyards Limited (51/LM/Jul02) [2002] ZACT 59 (23 October 2002)
.RTF of original document
COMPETITION TRIBUNAL
REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
Case No: 51/LM/Jul02
In the large merger between:
Standard Bank of South Africa;
Real Equity Trust
Primary acquiring Firms
and
Stellenbosch Vineyards Limited
Primary Target Firm
Reasons for Decision
______________________________________________________________
APPROVAL
On 28 August 2002 the Competition Tribunal issued a Merger Clearance Certificate approving the merger between Standard Bank of South
Africa Ltd and Stellenbosch Vineyards Limited in terms of section 16(2)(a). The reasons for the approval of the merger appear below.
The Parties
1.
The acquiring firms are The Standard Bank of South Africa Limited (“Standard Bank SA”), acting through its Standard Corporate
and Merchant Bank Division (“SCMB”) which provides wholesale banking services to corporates, foreign banks and international
clients; and Real Equity Trust (“RET”), an investment trust holding various stakes in private equity investments.
2.
The target firm is Stellenbosch Vineyards Limited (“SVL”), a company engaged in the manufacture, processing, packaging
and distributions of wine products. SVL’s shareholders consist of 180 individual farmers, cooperatives or family trusts, each
holding less than 4.8% of the total issued share capital.
The Merger Transaction
3.
Standard Bank SA and RET are acquiring 37.5% and 25% respectively of the shares in SVL. The current shareholders will retain the remaining
37.5%.
4.
SVL is concurrently in the process of selling additional shares to the current shareholders (a non-renouncable rights issue), pro
rata to their shareholdings that, if taken up by all existing shareholders, would result in the following shareholding structure:
Existing shareholders
49.4%
Standard Bank SA
30.4%
RET
20.2%
5.
However, it was expected that not all existing shareholders would follow their rights, thereby altering the shareholding structure.
By October 21st the following shareholding structure had emerged:
Existing shareholders
45.9%
Standard Bank SA
32.5%
RET
21.6%
Rationale for the Transaction
6.
The purpose of the rights offer, in conjunction with the private placement, is to raise funds, which will be to recapitalise SVL,
in order to:
-
reduce the company’s interest-bearing debt; and
-
take advantage of export opportunities.
The relevant market
7.
The acquiring and target firms do not operate in the same relevant market.
8.
Standard Bank, in this transaction acting through its Standard Corporate and Merchant Bank division (SCMB), provides retail, commercial,
investment banking and insurance products and services both domestically and internationally. Standard Bank has no similar investments
in enterprises that are in the same market as the target firm (either in wine or the liquor industry in general).
9.
RET is an investment trust which enables trust investors to invest in private equity and equity-related instruments in South Africa.
RET is owned by 6 companies that are involved in banking, investment or insurance services, and none of the shareholders owns more
than 23.33% of the shares in RET. RET takes only significant minority stakes in its investments. RET has a diversified investment
portfolio and currently has no investments in businesses that are in the same market as SVL (either in wine or the liquor industry
in general).
10.
SVL is engaged in the manufacture, processing, packaging and distribution of wine products. More specifically, the company makes premium
bottled wines for sale on the South African and various international markets. SVL has a current market share of 0.4% of the total
wine market, or 4.8% of the high price wine segment.
Effect of transaction on competition
11.
Neither Standard Bank nor RET have existing investments in enterprises that are in the same market as SVL. As the relevant product
markets of the parties not overlap, the transaction will have no effect on competition in South Africa.
Public Interest
12.
The parties submit that there will be no effect on employment in South Africa as a direct result of the merger. The unions (SASBO,
the finance union, and FAWU, the food and allied workers union) have indicated that they do not wish to participate as the merger
will have no effect on employment (p.533,534). No other public interest issues were raised by the parties.
Conclusion
We conclude that the merger will not lead to a substantial lessening of competition. The Tribunal therefore approves the transaction
unconditionally. There are no public interest concerns which would alter this conclusion.
_____________
23 October 2002
N. Manoim
Date
Concurring: DH Lewis, M. Moerane
For the merging parties:
Cliffe Decker Attorneys
For the Commission:
M. Mokwana, Competition Commission
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