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As BHP weighs firm quote for Anglo, investors worry over cherry-picking assets

BHP Group can't cherry pick Anglo American properties without paying a significant premium, Anglo investors told , worried that they stand to lose heavily by holding shares in South African subsidiaries.

The world's No. 1 miner is weighing up its next relocation after its preliminary $39 billion takeover proposition for smaller rival Anglo was turned down last week. The proposed premium was 31% on Anglo's implied value.

BHP has proposed that Anglo offer its shares in units Anglo Platinum (Amplats) and Kumba Iron Ore as an alternative to leave the South African properties it doesn't desire included in the offer.

Anglo stated the unsolicited proposition significantly underestimated the company and introduced unpredictability, complexities and execution danger.

If the BHP proposal proceeds, Anglo investors could be stuck to 3 notepads for a deal that could take a. long time to close, a source at a Cape Town-based fund manager. told .

The procedure to de-merge South African properties could take as. long as 18 months, the source added, due to numerous regulatory. processes that the deal would require to go through. There. is a danger that South African regulatory authorities,. especially its central bank, might be concerned about capital. outflows from foreign investors not ready to hold the shares,. the source added.

BHP might simply make it a clean deal and after that it depends on. them to handle the un-bundling of the shares, the source. said. When the deal goes through they un-bundle Amplats and. Kumba to their shareholders.

Amplats and Kumba's share rates could also come under. substantial selling pressure if the systems were demerged, as. several shareholders would not have the ability to hold the stocks as. these are in South Africa, another source acquainted with the. business said.

The majority of shares in Kumba and Amplats are being in. liquid hands, the source stated. So the 30% premium is going to. get consumed by the loss on those other shares tanking.

CHERRY-PICKING

I think it (the existing quote) ... places all of the threat on. Anglo shareholders, stated Django Davidson, partner and portfolio. manager at Hosking Partners, which holds shares in Anglo.

BHP wishes to buy the great bits with no of the friction. of dealing with the bad bit. It's by no means clear what the. de-mergers would imply for the relationship with the South. African government and what the underlying product costs will. do over that duration, Davidson included.

BHP has up until May 22 to submit a binding offer and investors. expect the business to sweeten its quote.

BHP is seeking to make Anglo some sort of a representative for. their own offer, Shane Watkins, Chief Investment Officer at All. Weather Capital, stated.

All Weather condition Capital holds shares in Anglo and BHP and. Watkins said the country's reserve bank is unlikely to approve. the transaction if Anglo chooses to de-merge its South African. units.

Anglo must tell BHP they don't like the offer or that they. should buy the whole company, BHP can't cherry-pick, another. source stated.