PotashCorp to Increase Its Investment in Sinofert to 20 Percent
01 February 2006 - 3:50AM
PR Newswire (US)
Listed: TSX, NYSE Symbol: POT SASKATOON, SK, Jan. 31
/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Inc.
(PotashCorp) today announced that it has provided formal notice of
its intention to exercise its option to purchase an additional
10.01 percent of the shares in Sinochem Hong Kong Holdings Limited,
more commonly known as Sinofert. The option exercise will raise
PotashCorp?s ownership interest in the company to 20 percent,
assuming no further changes to Sinofert?s shareholdings. Under a
Strategic Investment Agreement signed on June 7, 2005 with a
subsidiary of Sinochem Corporation, PotashCorp purchased an initial
9.99 percent interest in Sinofert. Sinochem Corporation is a
company with sales of US $20.4 billion in 2004 and a member of the
Fortune Global 500 for the past 15 years. PotashCorp paid US $97
million for its initial interest and held the right to increase its
ownership position no earlier than January 27, 2006. The total cost
of the option exercise is expected to approximate US $125 million,
with closing expected before the end of February 2006. PotashCorp
will have the right to nominate a second member to the Sinofert
Board of Directors at that time. Sinofert is a leading fertilizer
enterprise in the People?s Republic of China (PRC). On December 19,
2005 it released its 9-month earnings of US $76 million, 51 percent
higher than the comparable period in 2004. One of the largest
importers of fertilizer products in the PRC in terms of import
volume, it is the largest distributor of these products and is also
a major producer of phosphate-based fertilizer products. At the end
of November 2005, it had 14 branch offices and 1,036 sales centers
as part of an extensive distribution network that provided products
to 76 percent of total sown lands in China. ?This investment fits
our long-term Potash First strategy of extending our enterprise in
areas with fast-growing demand for our products,? said Bill Doyle,
President and Chief Executive Officer of PotashCorp. ?It has always
been our intention to increase our investment in Sinofert, a
company with great prospects and outstanding management. As an
indication of our confidence, we are completing the second tranche
at the earliest possible opportunity. This gives us a significant
voice in a company that provides us much greater access to one of
the world?s leading agricultural economies.? Potash Corporation of
Saskatchewan Inc. is the world's largest fertilizer enterprise
producing the three primary plant nutrients and a leading supplier
to three distinct market categories: agriculture, with the largest
capacity in the world in potash, third largest in phosphate and
fourth largest in nitrogen; animal nutrition, with the world's
largest capacity in phosphate feed ingredients; and industrial
chemicals, as the largest global producer of industrial nitrogen
products and one of only three North American suppliers of
industrial phosphates. This release contains forward-looking
statements. These statements are based on certain factors and
assumptions as set forth in this release including foreign exchange
rates, expected growth, results of operations, performance and
business prospects and opportunities. While the company considers
these factors and assumptions to be reasonable based on information
currently available, they may prove to be incorrect. A number of
factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those
in the forward- looking statements, including, but not limited to:
fluctuations in supply and demand in fertilizer, sulfur, natural
gas, transportation and petrochemical markets; changes in
competitive pressures, including pricing pressures; risks
associated with natural gas and other hedging activities; changes
in capital markets; changes in currency and exchange rates;
unexpected geological or environmental conditions; and government
policy changes. Additional risks and uncertainties can be found in
our 2004 annual report to shareholders and in filings with the U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission and Canadian provincial
securities commissions. Forward-looking statements are given only
as at the date of this release and the company disclaims any
obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements,
whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Should subsequent events show that the forward-looking statements
released herein may be materially off-target, the company will
evaluate whether to issue, and, if appropriate following such
review, issue a news release updating guidance or explaining
reasons for the difference. DATASOURCE: Potash Corporation of
Saskatchewan Inc. CONTACT: Betty-Ann Heggie, Senior Vice President,
Corporate Relations, Phone: (306) 933-8521, Fax: (306) 933-8844,
E-mail: , Web Site: http://www.potashcorp.com/
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