SEC Division of Trading and Markets no-action letter: Associated British Ports Holdings plc

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
DIVISION OF
MARKET REGULATION
June 8,2006
Ms. Sarah Murphy
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer
65 Fleet Street
London EC4Y 1HS
United Kingdom
Re: Possible Offer for Associated British Ports Holdings plc File No. TP 06-78 Dear Ms. Murphy:
We are responding to your June 5,2006 letter to James A. Brigagliano. Our response is attached to the enclosed copy of your letter to avoid having to recite or summarize the facts set forth in your letter. Unless otherwise noted, capitalized terms in this letter have the same meaning as in your letter. On the basis of your representations and the facts presented, but without necessarily concurring in your analysis, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission ("Commission") hereby grants an exemption from Rule 14e-5 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Exchange Act") to permit the Prospective Purchasers to purchase or arrange to purchase Associated British Ports Holdings plc ("ABPH) Ordinary Shares pursuant to the possible tender offer ("Offer"), particularly in light of the following facts:
The Offer is required to be conducted in accordance with the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers ("Code") as well as the rules and regulations of the UK Listing Authority ("Listing Rules"); ABPH, a public limited company incorporated under the laws of England and Wales, is a "foreign private issuer," as defined in Rule 3b-4(c) under the Exchange Act; Any purchases of Ordinary Shares of ABPH by the Prospective Purchasers will be subject to the Code; and The existence of the Memorandum of Understanding on Exchange of Information between the Commission and the United Kingdom Department of Trade and Industry in Matters Relating to Securities and the United States Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the United Kingdom Department of Trade and Industry in Matters Relating to Futures dated September 25, 1991.