What information matters in M&A transaction?

Nowadays, in the field of business and investment, the term “Merger and Acquisition” (M&A) is a very common term. This is considered as one of the global investment methods, and is a business and development strategy applied by many businesses. In conducting the M&A, beside information provided by the target company, other information are also important before the buyer stepping into negotiation with the seller of the target company.

Intelligence compliance in Vietnam

Corporate Information Search

Legal Service for M&A in Vietnam

Mergers and acquisitions are usually conducted through three main stages, that is: reviewing and evaluating target businesses, valuation and price negotiation, completing legal procedures. When participating in a business merger and acquisition, investor or buyer need to ensure high accuracy of inside information of the target business. It is extremely important for investor or buyer in determining the value of the deal as well as helping investors make decisions about whether to participate in the acquisition and merger of this business or not. The tasks to consider and evaluate the target business include searching information and evaluating the information on shareholders, investors, influential individuals, and further information i.e. financial statements, accounts receivable and payables, staffs, customers, business locations, facilities status, competitors, business registrations, licenses and business area divisions, company image, and potential disputes, or criminal records of relevant people of the target company.

In fact, not every country has specific regulations governing mergers and acquisitions, as does Vietnam, although it is mentioned in various legislations. In many cases, the investors have to search information, and evaluate the situation themselves to learn various aspects of the business beside the information given by the target company for instance finding general information about a business, information about the legal representative, information about business manager or capital contributors of that business as well as other related information. In particular, the buyer might be interested to know if the owner or shareholders have other business similar to the target business or if any of those have criminal records. Further, the buyer might wish to know the history or the target company with registration and changes of registration in the last three years. Other information about business lines, subsidiary, child companies, dependent companies, charter capital, founding shareholders, seal specimen could also be of importance business intelligence. Based on the information obtained, the buyer is able to reach some information conclusion about the business and the target beside official information provided by the target itself.

In conclusion, all relevant information about the business and people matters in M&A transaction, being corporate information or influential investors or stakeholders are important that the investor or buyer should pay attention to every details, and should attempt to search and evaluate such information such as part of their effort to evaluate market entry risks in investment through intelligence market entry risks analysis in Vietnam.

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Mergers and acquisitions

Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) is an activity that takes control of a business through owning part or all of that business. This is the term for a merger, consolidation or acquisition between two or more businesses together. In Vietnam, the system of legal documents does not have the concept of mergers and acquisitions, this is the commercial term. In legal terms, this term is understood to include activities of consolidation, merger and acquisition of enterprises, specifically:

Merger of an enterprise is the transfer of all of its lawful assets, rights, obligations and interests to another enterprise and at the same time terminating its business or its existence. The acquirer company still exists and inherits all assets, rights and obligations of the acquired companies.

Consolidation of enterprises means that two or more enterprises transfer their entire properties, rights, obligations and lawful interests to a new enterprise and at the same time, consolidating companies shall cease to exist.

Acquisition of an enterprise is a activity that an enterprise directly or indirectly acquires all or part of the capital and assets of another enterprise sufficient to control and dominate the enterprise or a business line of the acquired enterprise. Acquired enterprise still exist, only changing the enterprise structure.

M&A always requires strict legal compliance with both acquired and acquirer enterprise. Under Vietnamese law, merger, consolidation and acquisition are one of the forms of economic concentration. Recently, economic concentration is the legal acts which have been implemented quite popular in Vietnam. Along with the positive effects, this activity also has the potential to affect competition in the market. Therefore, the merger activity is not only governed by the Enterprise Law but also regulated by the Competition Law. The current Competition Law has amended and prohibited businesses to implement economic concentration that has an impact or is likely to cause significant anti-competitive effects on the Vietnamese market.

On the economic side, the economic concentration will reduce competition (because competitors cooperate with each other and the market access becomes difficult) and distort the market leading to damage to consumers. Stemming from the need to control economic concentration activities to avoid the formation of large enterprises with the power to control the market and unfair competition, create conditions for new businesses to join in market, Competition Law creates a legal corridor that allows state management agencies to control economic concentration activities, and accordingly adjust M&A activities.

Each M & A form has governed by its own legal provisions. Therefore, before conducting any M&A activity, investors need to carefully understand the provisions of the law to best protect their rights and interests in accordance with the provisions of law.

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Please click here to learn more about Corporate and M&A Legal Service or contact our lawyers in Vietnam for advice. Send us request via email at ant@antlawyers.vn or call us at +84 28 730 86 529

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The Valid Transfer Date of Member or Shareholder Rights of Buyer Arising from M&A

The specific time for transferring ownership right of asset is very important in all contracts. This time affects the lawful rights and obligations of not only seller, purchaser but also of the third party.

The most-important principal of civil law is the recognition and respect of agreement between the related parties. It means that the parties may freely decide the specific time for transferring ownership rights. Nonetheless, in some special case such as M&A contract, the specific time is not under the decision of parties.

In legal term of Vietnam, M&A is deemed as similar to split-off, split-up, merger, acquisition of an enterprise, contributing capital to existing enterprise, and purchasing contributed capital of member or shareholder of existing enterprise.

When is the transfer of member or shareholder rights of buyer come into effect in cases of split-off, split-up, merger and consolidations, acquisition?

The Law on Enterprise 2014 provides the definition for each type as follows:

For splitting up enterprise:

“Article 192. Split-up

The splitted-up company shall cease to exist after the new companies are granted Enterprise Business Registration. The new companies are jointly responsible for the unpaid debts, labor contracts, and other liabilities of the splitted-up company, or reach an agreement with the creditors, customers, and employees to decide on one of the new companies to settle such obligations.”

For splitting off enterprise:

“Article 193. Split-off

After business registration, the splitted-off company and new companies are jointly responsible for the unpaid debts, labor contracts, and other liabilities of the splitted-off company, unless otherwise agreed among the splitted-off company, new companies, the splitted-off company’s creditors, customers, and employees.

For merger and consolidations of enterprise:

“Article 193. Consolidation

After business registration, the consolidated companies shall cease to exist; the new company shall take over the lawful rights and interests as well as unpaid debts, labor contract, and other liabilities of the consolidated companies.”

For acquisition of company:

“Article 195. Acquisition

Procedures for acquisition:

c) After business registration, the acquired companies shall cease to exist; the acquirer shall take over the lawful rights and interests as well as unpaid debts, employment contract, and other liabilities of the acquired companies.”

The above regulations of laws have determined the specific time for ceasing survival, transferring rights and obligations from old entity(ies) to new entity(ies) after split-off, split-up, merger and consolidations, acquisition. This time is specified after completing the legal procedures at competent state authorities.

After being granted an enterprise registration certificate or carrying out business adjustment and registration procedures, the new entity(ies) must (jointly) be responsible for: unpaid debts, labor contracts, and other liabilities, and the old entity(ies) will either cease to exist or still exist with smaller or bigger business. Accordingly, although the buyer and the seller (called collectively the parties participating M&A) have signed a M&A contract which has been agreed to take effect before the completion of legal procedures at state authorities, the buyer has not had any legitimate right yet to the seller. The M&A contract is one of the necessary documents submitted to state authorities to proceed the next legal procedures.

When is the transfer of member or shareholder rights of buyer come into effect in cases of contributing capital to existing enterprise, purchasing contributed capital of member or shareholder of existing enterprise?

The purpose of M&A is to gain control and dominance right of all or part of seller, not merely owning part of the capital or shares of the enterprise as a normal investment activity. With these cases, no new entity is established and no old entity is ceased to exist. The enterprise, after contributing capital or purchasing contributed capital, may have a change in the capital contribution ratio or keep it unchanged, but the information of members and shareholders of the enterprise shall be modified. The Law on Enterprise recognizes the rights of only members of limited liability companies and shareholder of joint stock companies but does not prescribe legal status before becoming a member or shareholder.

When is investor recognized as a legitimate member, shareholder to get the rights and obligations that the law stipulates?

The contribution of sufficient capital as committed is not a decisive factor in being entitled the right of member or shareholder. As well as notifying to the competent authorities is uncertain to generate member and shareholder right. Nevertheless, the Enterprise Law has uniform provisions on this issue as follows:

For joint stock company:

Contributing capital:

“Article 124. Offering of shares to existing shareholders

In case the amount of offered shares are not completely purchased by shareholders and recipients the preemptive right, the Board of Directors is entitled to sell the remaining authorized shares to shareholders of the company or other people in a reasonable manner and conditions that are not more convenient than the conditions offered to shareholders, unless otherwise accepted by the General Meeting of Shareholders or shares are sold via a Stock Exchange.

Shares are considered as sold when they are fully paid and information about the purchaser mentioned in Article 121.2 hereof are fully written in the shareholder registration book; from this time, the purchaser shall be come a shareholder of the company.”

Purchasing contributed capital:

“Article 126. Share transfer

Recipients of shares in the cases mentioned in this Article shall only become the company’s shareholders from the day on which their information mentioned in Article 121.2 hereof are fully recorded in the shareholder registration book.”

For limited liability company:

Purchasing contributed capital:

“Article 53. Transferring contributed capital

The transferring member still has the rights and obligations to the company in proportion to his/her capital until information about the buy mentioned in Article 49.1.(b), (c) and (d) hereof is written on the member registration book.”

Accordingly, when the information of buyer is recorded in member/shareholder registration book, the buyer will officially have the legal rights for members and shareholders. The next legal procedures are intended to notify the competent authority and amend the enterprise registration certificate. The most important content of the registration book is the total amount of contributed capital of each member or shareholder. This is evidence for the ownership in limited liability companies and joint stock companies. For a limited liability company, both registration book and enterprise registration certificate are two proofs of ownership right of the member. However, for joint stock company, only registration book is evidence on shareholder’s ownership right. This is the reason showing important role of registration book.

Depending on each M&A form, the buyer and the seller should attend to the time of termination and generation of legitimate rights and interests, obligations and responsibilities as members and shareholders. M&A aims to purchase and sell a special asset, which is property or capital of an enterprise. With the special assets, the regulation of laws may stipulate strictly depending on case by case which it is suggested the parties consult with law firm in M&A in Vietnam to receive advice.

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Please click here to learn more about Corporate and M&A Legal Service or contact our lawyers in Vietnam for advice. Send us request via email at ant@antlawyers.vn or call us at +84 28 730 86 529

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What a Law Firm Could Assist in an M&A Deal?

M&A Law Firm in Vietnam

M&A, abbreviated by Mergers and Acquisitions is expanding in both quantity and volume in Vietnam in many sectors. Successful M&A deals depend on various factors and legal due diligence, and drafting agreements are important processes in Vietnam.

For investors whom are interested in M&A deal in Vietnam as buyer or seller,it is important to hire a law firm that will assist in the process. The law firm in Vietnam could provide assessment of the target company through a legal due diligence, a legal background directly related to M&A deal, all of which are necessary to the completion of a successful deal. The attorney could then draft the letter of intent, and legal contracts, including the final purchase agreement, which will include a lot of stipulations that will need to be done correctly in order for the business transaction to be beneficial to both parties and in compliance with Vietnam regulations.

A law firm with expertise of Vietnam regulations, with the lawyers having experience and legal knowledge will be able to provide the clients with the right check-list of the documents to review. In addition, the presence of lawyers contributes to strengthening the trust of the parties. In recent years, foreign businesses have often made acquisitions of all or part of a Vietnamese enterprise, and they often require the seller to engage law firms specializing in M&A. And now, not only the foreign businesses but also the Vietnamese parties are in need of conducting M&A deals with the participation of lawyers to ensure the success.

Lawyers shall conduct legal due diligence of enterprises, check reports and explanations with prudence, honesty and efficiency. They help the buyer and/or seller to understand their legal status, legal rights and obligations, legal regulations for assets, labor contracts, land records, construction and investment registration, certificates, and licenses and other matters. This is the basis for determining the status of enterprise and possible legal risks may cause. Lawyers will conduct and produce the most comprehensive, accurate, legal and objective information and legal documents by their professional, knowledgeable and ethical.

Lawyers shall advise the structure of an M&A to ensure the commercial intent that the parties are aiming and shorten the execution time and costs. In addition, it ensures the legality of procedures, safety and minimizes the legal and financial risks for the parties.

There is no common contract template for all M&A deals. Lawyers shall actualize the trade agreements, the will of the parties to the legally binding terms of the contract as well as clearly defines the rights and obligations of the parties to ensure the enforceability, minimize unlawful agreements or unclear terms that may cause the subsequent disputes.

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The changes of laws will be monitored by ANT Lawyers. For advice or service request, please contact us via email ant@antlawyers.vn or call +84 28 730 86 529

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