Gazit-Globe Announces Planned NYSE Delisting, Deregistration and Termination of Reporting to SEC
February 13 2019 - 4:36PM
Gazit-Globe Ltd. (NYSE and TASE: GZT) (“
Gazit” or
the “
Company”), a leading global real estate
company focused on the ownership, management and development of
retail and mixed use properties in major urban markets in North
America, Brazil, Israel, Northern, Central and Eastern Europe,
announced today its intention to voluntarily delist its ordinary
shares from the New York Stock Exchange (“
NYSE”).
Following the delisting, the Company intends to deregister, and
terminate its reporting obligations with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the “
SEC”) under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended with respect to, its
ordinary shares. The required documentation for the delisting is
expected to be filed with the SEC on or about February 25, 2019,
while the filing for the deregistration and termination of
reporting is expected to follow on or about March 8, 2019.
The delisting, deregistration and termination of
reporting will not impact shareholders’ ownership of their ordinary
shares, and the ordinary shares will continue to be listed and
traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (the “TASE”)
under the trading symbol “GZT”. Gazit will furthermore continue to
report in an ongoing manner to the Israel Securities Authority and
the TASE.
Gazit’s board of directors approved the
delisting, deregistration and termination of Gazit’s reporting
obligations in the United States with respect to Gazit's ordinary
shares as part of the Company’s costs reduction initiatives, and
after careful consideration of the advantages and disadvantages of
being an NYSE-listed, SEC reporting company. The board determined
that the benefits of maintaining the Company’s U.S. listing and its
status as a U.S. reporting company no longer outweigh management
time, cost and other inefficiencies associated with dual
listing.
The board considered many factors in making that
decision, including:
- The significant cost and management time and attention
associated with the preparation and filing of periodic reports with
the SEC—particularly the annual report on Form 20-F, while
preparing and filling periodic reports with the Israel Securities
Authority;
- The low trading volume and minimal liquidity in Gazit’s
ordinary shares on the NYSE, which accounts for only a small
fraction of the overall, worldwide trading volume in the ordinary
shares;
- The strong trading market that enables investor activity in the
ordinary shares on the TASE (where more than 97% of the trading
volume is on the TASE over the last twelve months); and
- The convenient accessibility of the Company’s securities for
investment by international investors via the TASE.
Gazit intends to file a Form 25 with the SEC on
or about February 25, 2019 to voluntarily delist the ordinary
shares from the NYSE. Assuming that filing becomes effective ten
days later, Gazit will then terminate the registration of its
ordinary shares and its reporting obligations under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange
Act”) by filing a Form 15F. After the filing of the Form
15F, Gazit will no longer be required to file Annual Reports on
Form 20-F or ongoing Reports of Foreign Private Issuer on Form 6-K.
The Exchange Act deregistration will be effective 90 days after the
filing of the Form 15F.
Despite the NYSE delisting and Exchange Act
deregistration, the ordinary shares will continue to be listed on
the TASE, and the Company will continue to report to the TASE and
the Israel Securities Authority, as it has done until now.
Shareholders may consult their financial advisors, the Company (by
using the below contact information), or the Company’s transfer
agent, American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, regarding
any questions related to their holding ordinary shares in the
Company following the NYSE delisting and Exchange Act
deregistration.
About Gazit
Gazit Globe is a leading global real estate
company focused on the ownership, management and development of
retail and mixed use properties in North America, Brazil, Israel,
northern, central and Eastern Europe, located in urban growth
markets. Gazit Globe is listed on the New York Stock Exchange
(NYSE: GZT) and the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE: GZT) and is
included in the TA-35 index in Israel. As of September 30, 2018,
Gazit Globe owns and operates 101 properties, with a gross leasable
area of approximately 2.5 million square meters and a total value
of approximately NIS 38.6 billion. In addition, as of September 30,
2018, Gazit Globe owned 31.3% of First Capital Realty Inc.
Cautionary Note Re: Forward-Looking
Statements:
This press release includes certain
forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking
statements include all statements that are not statements of
historical fact. Forward-looking statements herein include those
statements regarding Gazit’s ability to execute its operating plan
and future financial performance and any other statements that are
not statements of historical fact. These statements may be
identified, without limitation, by the use of forward-looking
terminology such as “anticipates”, “expects,” “will” or comparable
terms or the negative thereof. Such statements are based on
management’s current estimates, assumptions that management
believes to be reasonable, and currently available competitive,
financial, and economic data as of the date hereof. Forward-looking
statements are inherently uncertain and subject to a variety of
events, factors and conditions, many of which are beyond the
control of Gazit and not all of which are known to Gazit,
including, without limitation, Gazit’s ability to realize
anticipated cost savings from its delisting and deregistration, its
ability to timely and effectively implement its delisting and
deregistration, adverse effects on share price and liquidity
following Gazit’s deregistration, as well as more general business
and financial risks such as those risk factors described from time
to time in Gazit’s reports filed with or furnished to the SEC, ISA
and TASE. Investors should keep in mind that Gazit’s financial
results in any particular period may not be indicative of future
results. Gazit is under no obligation to, and expressly disclaims
any obligation to, update or alter its forward-looking statements,
whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in
assumptions or otherwise, except as required by law.
Investors Contact: IR@gazitgroup.com, Media Contact:
PR@gazitgroup.com Gazit Globe Headquarters, Tel-Aviv, Israel, Tel:
+972 3 6948000
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