MALAYSIAN GROUP INCREASES SHAREHOLDING IN RANK PLC TO OVER 18 PERCENT

25 July 2008

Further increase in shareholding fuels more speculation of a takeover


Guoco Group, a subsidary of the Asia-based investment group Hong Leong (Malaysia) Berhad run by Malaysian billionaire Quek Leng Chan, has once again increased its stake in the British land and online gambling group Rank plc, this time to over 18 percent.

Genting Group, another Malaysian company, recently increased its Rank shareholding to 16.18 percent after several incremental purchases (see previous InfoPowa reports).

Guoco's latest move brings its interest in Rank plc to 18.08 percent. The voting rights in the shares are held by Asia Fountain Investment Company Limited ('AFI'), a controlled undertaking of Guoco Equity Assets Limited, which is a controlled undertaking of Guoco Group Limited ('GGL').

GGL is a controlled undertaking of GuoLine Overseas Limited which is a controlled undertaking of GuoLine Capital Assets Limited ('GCAL'), a controlled undertaking of Hong Leong Company (Malaysia) Berhad.

Goldman, Sachs & Co., acting as custodian for AFI, has an indirect interest in the shares. 70 565 512 of the shares are registered in the name of Goldman Sachs Securities (Nominees) Limited.

Guoco has been gradually increasing its stake in Rank since January. The group has been looking to build a base in the UK casino market, albeit with limited success. BIL, its subsidiary, made substantial losses in the first six months of its Clermont land casino ownership and has won only four out of 19 licence applications to build casinos, mainly within its Thistle hotel chain.

Genting and Guoco are not the only companies interested in Rank; the Richardson family, whose businesses are in property and haulage, are believed to have an interest of about 11 percent through contracts for difference.

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