(Adds reasons for rejection, share price moves)
SYDNEY, Jan 21 (Reuters) - Australian detention camp operator Broadspectrum Ltd (BRS) on Thursday urged shareholders to reject the A$692 million ($477.96 million) takeover offer from Spanish infrastructure company Ferrovial SA FER.MC.
Broadspectrum laid out six reasons for its recommendation, calling the offer opportunistic, conditional and one that significantly undervalues its shares. It also stated it was in a stronger financial position now than in Dec. 2014 when Ferrovial first made a A$1 billion takeover offer.
"Your board has carefully considered the offer to assess whether it is in the interests of Broadspectrum shareholders and your directors unanimously recommend that you reject the offer," Broadspectrum told shareholders.
"Your Broadspectrum shares are worth a lot more than Ferrovial is offering. This is the unanimous view of your Directors and is supported by the independent expert who has concluded that the offer is not fair and not reasonable."
The Sydney-listed company, formally known as Transfield Services, runs detention camps on the island nation of Nauru and Papua New Guinea's Manus island.
Ferrovial has offered A$1.35 for each Broadspectrum share but the takeover target says independent advisors Ernst & Young has valued them at between A$1.71 and A$1.98.
Broadspectrum shares closed at A$1.255 on Wednesday. They fluctuated between A$0.825 and A$1.795 last year.
Ferrovial confirmed its takeover offer for Broadspectrum on Wednesday, saying the offer was more attractive in the current environment.
The Ferrovial bid is well short of the A$1 billion it offered a year ago in a proposal the camp operator rejected as too low.
Since that offer, the company's market value has declined amid criticism by human rights groups that the detention centres were being used to hold asylum seekers and allegations of physical and sexual abuse at the camps. ($1 = 1.4478 Australian dollars)
