Rexall Sundown to Be Sold

Rexall Sundown to Be Sold

AMSTERDAM--Royal Numico NV, parent company to General Nutrition Centers (GNC),announced it will purchase Rexall Sundown Inc. for approximately $1.8 billion. Thepurchase announcement on May 1 drove up the price of Rexall stock by 21 percent. Theacquisition will increase Royal Numico's annual sales to more than $4.5 billion.

The deal will be financed by issuing new shares and bonds on Rexall stock and byrefinancing existing Royal Numico loans. Numico is offering $24 per share in cash forRexall's shares of its stock and will be assuming more than $114 million of Rexall debt.The purchase is expected to be completed in July. Rexall is online at www.rexallsundown.com. Royal Numico is online at www.numico.com.