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HTIL to vote on Hutch sale on March 9
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February 21, 2007 12:21 IST
Hong Kong-based Hutchison Telecom International Ltd will convene an extraordinary general meeting of the shareholders on March 9 to vote on sale of its controlling stake in Indian mobile operator Hutch-Essar to UK mobile phone giant Vodafone.

HTIL board of directors said in a circular to shareholders to vote on the agreement entered by it on February 12 to sell its 67 per cent stake in Hutch-Essar, India's fourth largest mobile phone company to Vodafone for a consideration of 11.08 billion dollars based on an enterprise value of $18.8 billion of Hutchison Essar.

Vodafone has been given an undertaking by the Hutchison Whampoa Limited, which was the registered holder of 49.66 per cent stake in HTIL to vote in favour of the deal.

On completion of the acquisition, the HTIL is expected to realise an estimated before tax gain of about $9.61 billion from the transaction, while it is expected to result in a net cash inflow to the group of approximately $11 billion, the letter from the board said.

Meanwhile, the company has not made any final decision on the use of proceeds from the transaction. Though the general intention remains that the proceeds would be used towards reducing the group's debts, payment of a special dividend to the shareholders and funding investment opportunities in the existing and new growth markets.

The sale is expected to be completed in April this year, the letter said.

The race for Hutch-Essar: Complete coverage
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