Australia's Northern Star rejects $27 billion takeover bid from South Africa's Gold Fields
Sept 28 (Reuters) - Australia's Northern Star Resources NST.AX said on Monday it rejected an unsolicited takeover proposal from South Africa's Gold Fields GFIJ.J that valued the gold miner at A$38.43 billion ($26.95 billion).
Gold Fields' offer implied a value of A$27.00 per Northern Star share, representing a 22% premium to the stock's last close.
Under the deal, Northern Star shareholders would have received 0.3125 new Gold Fields shares and A$7.25 in cash for each Northern Star share.
The Perth-based gold miner said the proposal would have left shareholders with significant exposure to Gold Fields stock, which it said carried a higher jurisdictional risk profile than Northern Star's existing asset base.
Gold Fields did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Northern Star appointed a new chief executive in July as the miner faced pressure from activist investor Elliott Investment Management for a strategic review.
($1 = 1.4261 Australian dollars)