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TSX:GWO
WINNIPEG, April 11, 2013 /CNW/ - Great-West Lifeco Inc. announced today the pricing of €500 million senior euro bonds as part of the company's plan to finance its previously announced acquisition of Irish Life Group Limited.
The €500 million, 10 year bonds will be denominated in euros and will pay an annual coupon of 2.50% priced at 99.755% of par to yield 2.528%. The bonds are rated A+ by Standard & Poor's Ratings Services (S&P). The bonds will be listed on the Irish Stock Exchange and are being sold outside of Canada. This is Great-West Lifeco's first debt issuance in the euro market. The transaction is expected to close April 18, 2013.
The offering was made through Joint Lead Managers Barclays Bank PLC and Credit Suisse Securities (Europe) Limited.
The acquisition of Irish Life Group is expected to close in July of 2013, and is subject to customary regulatory approvals, including approvals from the European Commission under the EU Merger Regulation, and certain closing conditions.
The securities offered have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any State in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.
Great-West Lifeco Inc. (TSX:GWO) is an international financial services holding company with interests in life insurance, health insurance, retirement and investment services, asset management and reinsurance businesses. Great-West Lifeco has operations in Canada, the United States, Europe and Asia through The Great-West Life Assurance Company, London Life Insurance Company, The Canada Life Assurance Company, Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company and Putnam Investments, LLC. Great-West Lifeco and its companies have $546 billion* in assets under administration and are members of the Power Financial Corporation group of companies.
*Assets as of December 31, 2012
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information
This release contains some forward-looking statements about Great-West Lifeco, including its business operations, strategy and expected financial performance and condition. Forward-looking statements include statements that are predictive in nature, depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, or include words such as "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "plans", "believes", "estimates" and similar expressions or negative versions thereof. In addition, any statement that may be made concerning future financial performance (including revenues, earnings or growth rates), ongoing business strategies or prospects and possible future action by Great-West Lifeco, including statements with respect to the expected benefits of acquisitions or divestitures, are also forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on expectations and projections about future events that were current at the time of the statements and are inherently subject to, among other things, risks, uncertainties and assumptions about Great-West Lifeco, economic factors and the financial services industry generally, including the insurance and mutual fund industries. Material factors or assumptions that were applied in formulating the forward-looking information contained herein include the assumption that the business and economic conditions affecting Great-West Lifeco's and Irish Life's respective operations will continue substantially in their current state, including, without limitations, with respect to industry conditions, general levels of economic activity, market prices for products provided, business competition, continuity and availability of personnel and third party service providers, local and international laws and regulations, foreign exchange rates and interest rates, inflation, taxes, and that there will be no unplanned material changes to Great-West Lifeco's or Irish Life's facilities, customer and employee relations and credit arrangements.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual events and results could differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements due to, but not limited to, important factors such as sales levels, premium income, fee income, expense levels, mortality experience, morbidity experience, policy lapse rates, taxes, general economic, political and market factors in North America and internationally, interest and foreign exchange rates, global equity and capital markets, business competition, technological change, changes in government regulations, changes in accounting policies and the effect of applying future accounting policy changes, unexpected judicial or regulatory proceedings, catastrophic events, and Great-West Lifeco's ability to complete strategic transactions and integrate acquisitions. The reader is cautioned that the foregoing list of important factors is not exhaustive, and there may be other factors, including factors set out under "Risk Management and Control Practices" and "Summary of Critical Accounting Estimates" in Great-West Lifeco's 2012 Annual Management's Discussion and Analysis and any listed in other filings with securities regulators, which are available for review at www.sedar.com. The reader is also cautioned to consider these and other factors carefully and to not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Other than as specifically required by applicable law, Great-West Lifeco does not intend to update any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
SOURCE: Great-West Lifeco Inc.
Marlene Klassen, APR
Assistant Vice-President, Communication Services
204.946.7705
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