THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, INCLUDING THE APPENDICES (THE
"ANNOUNCEMENT") AND THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN IT, IS NOT FOR
PUBLICATION, RELEASE OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN
WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ITS
TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS, ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES OR THE
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA (COLLECTIVELY, THE "UNITED STATES"),
AUSTRALIA, CANADA, THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA OR JAPAN OR ANY
OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH PUBLICATION, RELEASE OR
DISTRIBUTION WOULD BE UNLAWFUL
FURTHER, THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY
AND IS NOT AN OFFER OF SECURITIES IN ANY
JURISDICTION
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONTAINS INSIDE
INFORMATION
LEI: 213800BBUUWVDH9YI827
For
immediate release
23
July 2024
THE UNITE GROUP PLC (THE
"COMPANY" OR "GROUP" OR "UNITE")
PROPOSED CAPITAL RAISE TO
ACCELERATE GROWTH
The Unite Group plc today announces
a capital raise to raise gross proceeds of £450 million (the
"Capital Raise"). The
Capital Raise is comprised of a non-pre-emptive placing (the
"Placing") of new ordinary
shares in the capital of the Company (the "Placing Shares") at the Placing Price
(as defined below), a Retail Offer and Subscription (each as
defined below).
The Placing will enable Unite to
continue to invest in its market-leading platform and enhance
future earnings growth. The Company intends to use the net proceeds
of the Capital Raise (the "Net
Proceeds") to acquire seven income
producing assets from the Unite Student Accommodation Fund
("USAF") with asset
management opportunities, fund its equity commitment to the
Newcastle University joint venture, and commit to two secured
development schemes and two new development opportunities, all with
planning approval. The Capital Raise is expected to be accretive to
earnings and total accounting returns from 2025. This supports
acceleration to high-single digit percentage EPS growth, and c.10%
total accounting returns per annum (pre-yield movement), over the
medium term while maintaining balance sheet strength.
The Placing is being conducted
through an accelerated bookbuild (the "Bookbuild") which will be launched
immediately following the release of this Announcement by
J.P. Morgan Securities plc, which conducts its UK
investment banking activities as J.P. Morgan Cazenove
("J.P. Morgan Cazenove")
and Numis Securities Limited (trading as Deutsche Numis)
("Deutsche Numis", and
together with J.P. Morgan Cazenove, the "Banks") who are acting as joint
bookrunners in connection with the Placing.
Concurrently with the Placing, there
will be a separate retail offer made by the Company on the
PrimaryBid platform of new ordinary shares in the capital of the
Company (the "Retail Offer Shares") at the
Placing Price (the "Retail
Offer"), to provide retail investors
with an opportunity to participate in the Capital Raise. The Retail
Offer is not made subject to the terms and conditions set out in
Appendix 1 to this Announcement, and instead a separate
announcement will be made shortly regarding the Retail Offer and
its terms.
In conjunction with the Placing and
the Retail Offer, certain directors of the Company, including the
Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, intend to
subscribe for new ordinary shares in the capital of the Company
(the "Subscription Shares") at the
Placing Price pursuant to subscription letters entered into with
the Company (the "Subscription), representing
£125,000 in aggregate.
Highlights
·
Proposed Capital Raise to raise gross proceeds of
£450 million,
providing total investment firepower of c.£700million, expected to
be fully allocated by the year end.
·
The student accommodation market benefits from
strong fundamental drivers - the UK's globally recognised Higher
Education sector, a UK housing shortage, and high demand for
university places from 18-25 year olds:
o A
positive long-term outlook for UK student numbers reflected by 16%
growth in UK 18-year-olds by 2030.
o Significant unmet demand for the UK's strongest universities
to which Unite's portfolio is aligned, which supports rising
student numbers and increasing demand for high-quality
accommodation.
o Strong international demand with 3% growth in applications
versus pre-pandemic and no changes to student visas following the
Migration Advisory Committee review, published in May.
o Supportive policy from a new Labour Government recognises the
global appeal of education in the UK and the economic value of UK
Higher Education.
o New
Purpose Built Student Accommodation ("PBSA") supply is down 60% on
pre-pandemic levels and the number of Houses in Multiple Occupancy
("HMO") has declined 8%
since 2021, driving an acute supply-demand imbalance with many
cities facing housing shortages.
·
The Board believes the market now offers a
compelling investment opportunity to accelerate the Company's
growth in the strongest markets:
o Capital scarcity is leading to motivated sellers and
attractive acquisition opportunities at valuations below
replacement cost, with rental growth and value-add potential
underpinning future returns.
o Improving development returns as vendors lower pricing
expectations in response to far greater equity requirements, which
play to the strength of Unite's balance sheet.
o Increasing demand from universities for strategic partnerships
to support their growth ambitions and address challenges around the
quality and sustainability of their legacy estates.
·
The Company's best-in-class platform, with its
combination of operating, development and asset management
capabilities provides a unique opportunity for growth:
o Unite's £8.7 billion portfolio (Unite share: £5.7bn) is
aligned to the strongest universities with 92% of assets in Russell
Group cities and nomination agreements with universities for c.58%
of beds for the 2024/25 academic year.
o Unite's customer offer is built around a value-for-money,
hassle-free living experience and a balanced approach is taken to
increasing rents with customer affordability at front of mind.
Unite's rents for the 2024/25 academic year will be lower in real
terms than in 2019/20, whilst providing a significantly enhanced
product and service.
o Unite is a trusted partner to the Higher Education sector,
creating opportunities to secure additional university partnerships
which build on the recently announced Newcastle University joint
venture. The Company expects to submit a joint planning application
alongside a university partner for a further potential joint
venture in Q3 2024.
o The
Capital Raise will accelerate the Company's growth in its strongest
8-10 markets, which are aligned to high-tariff universities with
the most acute undersupply.
·
Strong performance in 2024 and positive outlook,
delivering sustainable growth in rents and earnings:
o Confident of 98-99% occupancy and 7%+ rental growth for
2024/25.
o FY2024 adjusted EPS guidance increased to upper end of
45.5-46.5p range with guidance for 4-5% YoY growth in adjusted
EPS.
o Total accounting return guidance for 2024 increased to around
12% before yield movement.
o Improving operational outlook with rental growth stronger than
previously expected and cost growth slowing, particularly for
utilities.
o Together with efficiencies delivered through technology
upgrades and development deliveries, this supports an EBIT margin
improvement over the next two years.
o Proceeds from the 2023 fundraise have been fully committed to
developments and asset management initiatives.
·
The Capital Raise will enable the Company to
accelerate growth through acquisition of income-producing assets
from USAF, with value-add potential, and fund university
partnership and development opportunities. The Net Proceeds will be
used to:
o Acquire seven income producing assets from USAF in Bristol,
Liverpool and Cardiff for c.£243 million for which Unite has identified
an additional c.£45 million of returns-enhancing asset management
capex to generate a yield of 5.9% post refurbishment (5.4% yield on
acquisition). The acquisition will be part funded by the sale of
two assets in Bristol and Liverpool to USAF for c.£118 million,
resulting in a total net investment of c.£170 million.
o Fund
Unite's share of the previously announced Newcastle University
joint venture for c.£70 million to
deliver a 7.3% yield on cost.
o Commit to two development schemes, with planning, in Bristol
and Glasgow, with a total development cost ("TDC") of c.£200 million at an attractive blended
forecast yield on cost of 7.4%.
o Fund
two new developments, with planning consent, targeting delivery in
2027:
§ 444-bed
Zone 1 London scheme with a TDC of c.£170 million, delivering a forecast yield
on cost of 6.5%.
§ c.£110
million TDC scheme in a Prime Regional market at a 7.5%
yield.
·
The Capital Raise is expected to be accretive to
earnings and total accounting returns from 2025.This supports an
acceleration to high-single digit percentage EPS growth, and c.10%
total accounting returns per annum (pre-yield movement), over the
medium term.
·
The Capital Raise also maintains Unite's
high-quality balance sheet with a target built-out LTV of c.30% and
net debt/EBITDA target of 6.0-7.0x. Pro forma LTV reduces to 18%
post placing and ahead of deployment of proceeds.
·
Both the Subscription and the Retail Offer are
conditional on the Placing, but the Placing is not conditional on
the Subscription or the Retail Offer.
Joe Lister, Chief Executive Officer
of Unite Students, commented:
"Unite is uniquely positioned to take advantage of a
significant market opportunity to support the growth of the UK
Higher Education sector. This opportunity is underpinned by
demographic growth and strong international student demand as well
as a growing recognition from universities that they will need
strategic partners to help them meet their housing
needs.
At
the same time, the supply squeeze for student accommodation
continues, driven in part by the rapid retreat of the private
rental sector and slowdown in new supply, and this is particularly
acute for the strongest universities. These factors support a
positive outlook for our business creating a range of compelling
investment opportunities. The capital raise will enable us to
accelerate £700 million of investment into our strongest
markets."
The proceeds will be used to acquire PBSA assets with asset
management potential from USAF, fund our share of the recently
announced Newcastle University joint venture and make four new
development commitments that will support a doubling of our
committed pipeline to over £1 billion. These investments
will allow Unite to continue to play a major role in creating new
supply of high-quality, affordable accommodation while
simultaneously supporting the growth of our university
partners."
Background to the Capital
Raise
The Board believes the current
market environment offers a compelling opportunity to accelerate
the Company's growth and add scale to its unique platform.
Reservations for the 2024/25 academic year are 94%, with confidence
of achieving 98-99% occupancy and at least 7% rental
growth.
Unite has a best-in-class platform
with a successful track record of growth. The Group's £8.7 billion
portfolio (Unite share: £5.7bn) is aligned to the strongest
universities with 92% in Russell Group cities and nomination
agreements accounting for c.58% of beds. Unite's customer offer is
built around a value-for-money, hassle-free living experience and a
balanced approach is taken to increasing rents with customer
affordability at front of mind. Rents for the 2024/25 academic year
will be lower in real terms than in 2019/20, whilst providing a
significantly enhanced product and service.
The Company is focused on growing in
8-10 of the UK's strongest markets, aligned with high-tariff
universities, which have the most acute supply/demand imbalance.
This strategy combined with the Company's operating, development
and asset management capabilities and balance sheet strength
positions it to take advantage of the investment opportunities
currently available.
Structural factors continue to drive
an acute supply/demand imbalance for student housing. Demographic
growth supports growing demand for Higher Education with the
population of UK 18-year-olds forecast to increase by 124,000 (16%)
by 2030. There is significant unmet demand for the strongest
universities to which the Group is aligned and demand from
international students also continues to be strong, with 3% growth
in applications versus pre-pandemic. There were no changes to
student visas following the Migration Advisory Committee review
published in May, with supportive policy from a new Labour
Government recognising the global appeal of education in the UK and
the economic value of UK Higher Education
Supply of student accommodation is
failing to keep pace with demand and many university cities are
already facing housing shortages, which are particularly acute for
the strongest universities. New supply of PBSA is down 60% on
pre-pandemic levels, reflecting viability challenges created by
higher build and funding costs. HMO landlords are also choosing to
leave the sector in response to rising costs from higher mortgage
rates and increasing regulation. This has contributed to an 8%
decline in traditional HMOs since 2021 with 100,000-150,000 fewer
bed spaces available.
Capital scarcity is creating
acquisition opportunities for the Company. Funding constraints are
leading to motivated sellers and attractive opportunities are
emerging at property valuations significantly below replacement
costs. Acquisitions with asset management potential are
particularly attractive to the Company, where investment and strong
rental growth can enhance overall returns. New PBSA development
requires substantially greater levels of equity investment compared
to prior to the pandemic, due to higher build and funding costs,
which plays to the strength of Unite's balance sheet. This has also
resulted in improving returns on new development as vendors lower
their pricing expectations.
Universities are increasingly
seeking trusted partners to deliver the housing required to support
their growth ambitions. In addition, many universities are facing
quality and sustainability challenges in their legacy estates
driven by issues with ageing stock and a £37 billion investment
required to meet net zero targets. Universities own c.325,000 beds
(c.45% of PBSA supply), 33,000 of which are in markets where the
Company is actively targeting new university partnerships following
announcement of its first joint venture with Newcastle University.
Unite also expects to submit a joint planning application alongside
a university partner for a further potential joint venture in
Q3.
This backdrop offers a significant
opportunity for Unite to strengthen its existing university
relationships and develop new partnerships focused on high-growth
Russell Group cities. Unite sees opportunity for university joint
ventures to increase overall development capex to c.£400 million
per annum (currently £200-250 million per annum) over the
medium-term.
Use of Proceeds
The Capital Raise will enable Unite
to accelerate growth through c.£700 million
of new investment activity, including the
acquisition of income-producing assets from USAF with value-add
potential, by funding its equity commitment to the Newcastle joint
venture as well as committing to secured developments and new
development opportunities in strong markets.
The Net Proceeds will be used
to:
·
Acquire seven income producing assets from USAF in
Bristol, Liverpool and Cardiff for c.£243 million (with further anticipated
spend of c.£45 million on asset management initiatives) to generate
a yield of 5.9% post refurbishment (5.4% yield on
acquisition).
o Well-located properties in Russell Group cities with an
average age of 18 years. The Company anticipates c.£45 million of
investment in asset management initiatives as nomination agreements
expire at a 9% yield on cost to enhance returns.
o The
acquisitions are being part-funded by disposals of two recent
developments to USAF for c.£118 million, resulting in a total net
investment cost of c.£170 million, including capex.
o The
acquisitions and sales have been approved by both USAF and Unite,
with completion anticipated by the end of
September.
·
Fund Unite's equity share of the previously
announced Newcastle University joint venture for c.£70 million
(Unite has a 51% stake), delivering a 7.3% yield on
cost.
·
Enable Unite to commit to two development schemes
with planning for a TDC of c.£200 million in Bristol and Glasgow at
an attractive blended forecast yield on cost of c.7.4%, delivering
c.1,400 beds in 2026 and 2027.
o Freestone Island, Bristol is a 500-bed development, with
planning consent, for delivery in 2026 with a TDC of £73 million
and 7.3% yield on cost. The scheme will help to address an acute
PBSA shortage in Bristol following 40% growth in full time students
since 2017/18. The site is located close to the University of
Bristol's new Temple Quarter campus, also opening in 2026, and
Unite expects to secure a long-term nominations agreement on 50% of
beds.
o Central Quay, Glasgow is a 934-bed development, with planning
consent, for delivery in 2027 with a TDC of £123 million and 7.5%
yield on cost which addresses an acute PBSA shortage in Glasgow
with 3.8 students per bed (versus 2.9 per bed UK average). Glasgow
is a leading university city and Unite expects to agree a long-term
nominations agreement on at least 50% of beds in the
development.
·
Proceeds will also fund two new developments with
a TDC of c.£280 million in London and a Prime Regional market, both
with planning consent, targeting delivery in 2027.
o King's Place, London is a new 444-bed consented Zone 1 London
scheme for delivery in 2027 with a TDC of £170m and 6.5% yield on
cost. The scheme is fully consented and construction is due to
start on site in Q4 2024, following the land purchase in July. The
site is located in Borough, near a number of universities and
existing Unite properties. The scheme consists of 70% studio rooms
with larger room sizes and will offer 50% more amenity space per
student than recent Unite developments.
o A
further c.£110m development with planning in a Prime Regional
market with expected commitment in next 6 months.
In addition to the identified use of
proceeds, the Company has a growing opportunity to strengthen
university partnerships given Unite's unique offer to universities.
The combination of universities' ambitious growth targets, quality
and sustainability issues in their legacy estates and capital
constraints presents a significant opportunity for the Company.
Unite offers a unique solution as a long-term trusted partner with
operational, development and asset management expertise. Following
announcement of the Company's first joint university venture with
Newcastle University, the Company expects to submit an additional
joint planning application alongside a university partner for its
next potential joint venture in Q3 2024 in a Prime Regional city.
This multi-year opportunity provides scope for university joint
ventures to become c.30-50% of overall development activity moving
forward.
The Company continues to progress
further development and acquisition opportunities in London and
Prime Regional markets at attractive returns.
Financial impact
The Capital Raise is expected to be
accretive to earnings and total accounting returns from 2025. This
supports acceleration to high-single digit percentage EPS growth,
and c.10% total accounting returns per annum (pre-yield movement),
over the medium term. The acquisition of
income-producing assets from USAF will result in a near-term rental
contribution following expected completion in late September
2024.
Unite is committed to ongoing
capital recycling through disposals and expects to sell c.£300
million of assets in 2024 (Unite share: c.£160 million), including
c.£118 million of planned sales to USAF and
the £184 million completed in Q2 2024. The Company expects to
maintain its ongoing disposal target of £100-150 million per annum
(Unite share).
The fundraise maintains the
Company's high-quality balance sheet in-line with its built-out LTV
target of c.30% and target net debt/EBITDA levels of 6-7x. LTV
reduces to 18% on a pro forma basis following the placing and ahead
of deployment (June 2024: 26%).
Details of the Placing
J.P. Morgan Cazenove and Deutsche
Numis will commence the Bookbuild immediately following the release
of this Announcement with respect to the Placing and may close the
Bookbuild at any time thereafter. The price at which the Placing
Shares are to be placed (the "Placing Price") will be determined at
the close of the Bookbuild by agreement between the Company and the
Banks. The timing of the closing of the Bookbuild, the Placing
Price, the number of Placing Shares to be placed, the number of
Retail Offer Shares to be issued and the number of Subscription
Shares to be subscribed at the Placing Price will be agreed between
the Banks and the Company following completion of the Bookbuild and
will then be announced as soon as practicable on a Regulatory
Information Service (the "Pricing
Announcement").
The Banks have today entered into an
agreement with the Company (the "Placing Agreement") under which,
subject to the conditions set out therein, the Banks as agent, for
and on behalf of, the Company have agreed to use their respective
reasonable endeavours to procure subscribers for the Placing Shares
at the Placing Price. The Placing is subject to the terms and
conditions set out in Appendix 1 to this Announcement. The
Subscription Shares will be subscribed for at the Placing Price and
on the basis agreed pursuant to subscription letters with the
Company, rather than pursuant to the Terms and Conditions of the
Placing. Members of the public are not entitled to participate in
the Placing or the Subscription. The Retail
Offer is not made subject to the Terms and Conditions set out in
the Appendix to this Announcement and instead will be made on terms
outlined in the separate announcement to be made shortly regarding
the Retail Offer and its terms.
A description of certain relevant
aspects of the Placing Agreement can be found in the Terms and
Conditions contained in the Appendix to this Announcement under the
headings "Details of the Placing Agreement and of the Placing
Shares", "Conditions of the Placing", "Termination of the Placing
Agreement" and "Restrictions on further issues of securities". The
Placing will be made on a non-pre-emptive basis. The Company will
rely on the allotment and disapplication of pre-emption rights
authorities granted by shareholders to the Company at its annual
general meeting held on 16 May 2024.
Prior to launch of the Placing, the
Company consulted with a significant number of its shareholders to
gauge their feedback as to the terms of the Placing. Feedback from
this consultation was supportive and as a result the Board has
concluded that the Placing is in the best interests of shareholders
and wider stakeholders and will promote the long-term success of
the Company and has chosen to proceed with the Placing. The Placing
is being structured as a Bookbuild to minimise execution and market
risk. The Board intends to apply the principles of pre-emption when
allocating Placing Shares to those shareholders that participate in
the Placing.
Application will be made for the
Placing Shares, the Retail Offer Shares and the Subscription Shares
(together, the "New Ordinary
Shares") to be admitted to listing on the premium listing
segment of the Official List of the Financial Conduct Authority
(the "FCA") (the
"Official List") and to be
admitted to trading on the main market for listed securities of the
London Stock Exchange plc (the "London Stock Exchange") (together,
"Admission"). Subject to
Admission becoming effective, it is expected that settlement of
subscriptions in respect of the Placing Shares and trading in the
Placing Shares, the Retail Offer Shares and the Subscription Shares
will commence at 8:00 a.m. (London time) on 26 July
2024.
The Placing is conditional upon,
inter alia, admission of the Placing Shares becoming effective not
later than 8:00 a.m. (London time) on 26 July 2024 (or such later
time and/or date, being not later than 8:00 a.m. (London time) on 2
August 2024, as J.P. Morgan Cazenove and Deutsche Numis may jointly
agree with the Company) and the Placing Agreement not being
terminated in accordance with its terms before that
time.
The above proposed dates and times
may be subject to change at the discretion of the Company, J.P.
Morgan Cazenove and Deutsche Numis.
The New Ordinary Shares will, when
issued, be credited as fully paid and rank pari passu with the
existing Ordinary Shares in the capital of the Company including
the right to receive all future dividends and distributions
declared, made or paid.
The Company has undertaken to the
Banks that, between the date of this Announcement and 180 calendar
days after the date of Admission, it will not, directly or
indirectly, issue or allot Ordinary Shares, subject to customary
exceptions or waiver by the Banks.
Appendix 1 to this Announcement
(which forms part of the Announcement) sets out the Terms and
Conditions of the Placing. By choosing to participate in the
Placing and by making an oral or written offer to acquire Placing
Shares, investors will be deemed to have read and understood this
Announcement in its entirety (including the Appendices) and to be
making a legally binding offer subject to the terms and conditions
in it, and to be providing the representations, warranties and
acknowledgements contained in Appendix 1.
The person responsible for making
this Announcement on behalf of the Company is Joe Lister, Chief
Executive Officer.
For
further information please contact:
The
Unite
Group
+44 (0) 117 302 7005
Joe Lister, Chief Executive
Officer
Michael Burt, Chief Financial
Officer
Saxon Ridley, Head of Investor
Relations & Corporate Finance
J.P. Morgan Cazenove (Joint
Bookrunner)
+44 (0) 20 7742 4000
Robbie Constant
Matt Smith
Paul Pulze
Will Holyoak
Deutsche Numis (Joint
Bookrunner)
+44 (0) 20 7260 1000
Heraclis Economides
Ben Stoop
Jamie Loughborough
Oliver Hardy
Sodali & Co (PR
Adviser)
+44 (0) 20 7250 1446
Justin Griffiths
Victoria Heslop
IMPORTANT NOTICES
This Announcement should be read in
its entirety. In particular, you should read and understand the
information provided in the "Important Notices" section of this
Announcement. Unless otherwise stated, defined terms in this
Announcement have the meanings ascribed to them in Appendix
2.
No action has been taken by the
Company, the Banks or any of their respective Affiliates or any
person acting on its or their behalf that would permit an offer of
the Placing Shares or Subscription Shares in any jurisdiction or
result in the possession or distribution of this Announcement or
any other offering or publicity material relating to such Placing
Shares or Subscription Shares in any jurisdiction where action for
that purpose is required. Any failure to comply with these
restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws of
such jurisdictions. Persons into whose possession this Announcement
comes are required by the Company and the Banks to inform
themselves about, and to observe, such restrictions.
No prospectus, offering memorandum,
offering document or admission document has been or will be made
available in connection with the matters contained in this
Announcement and no such document is required (in accordance with
Prospectus Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 (the "Prospectus Regulation") or the UK
version of the Prospectus Regulation as it forms part of UK law by
virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, as amended and
supplemented (the "UK Prospectus
Regulation")) to be published. Persons needing advice should
consult a qualified independent legal adviser, business adviser,
financial adviser or tax adviser for legal, financial, business or
tax advice.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, INCLUDING THE
APPENDICES, AND THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN IT, IS RESTRICTED AND
IS NOT FOR PUBLICATION, RELEASE OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR
INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES,
AUSTRALIA, CANADA, THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA OR JAPAN OR ANY
OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH PUBLICATION, RELEASE OR
DISTRIBUTION WOULD BE UNLAWFUL (EACH A "RESTRICTED TERRITORY"). FURTHER, THIS
ANNOUNCEMENT IS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT AN OFFER
OF SECURITIES IN ANY JURISDICTION. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT HAS NOT
BEEN APPROVED BY THE LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE, NOR IS IT INTENDED THAT
IT WILL BE SO APPROVED.
This Announcement or any part of it
does not constitute or form part of any offer to issue or sell, or
the solicitation of an offer to acquire, purchase or subscribe for,
any securities in the United States, Canada, Australia, the
Republic of South Africa or Japan or any other jurisdiction in
which the same would be unlawful. No public offering of the Placing
Shares or the Subscription Shares is being made in any such
jurisdiction.
This Announcement is for information
purposes only and is directed only at persons whose ordinary
activities involve them in acquiring, holding, managing and
disposing of investments (as principal or agent) for the purposes
of their business and who have professional experience in matters
relating to investments and are: (i) if in a member state of the
European Economic Area (the "EEA"), "qualified investors" within the
meaning of article 2(e) of the Prospectus
Regulation ("Qualified
Investors"); or (ii) if in the UK, "qualified investors"
within the meaning of article 2(e) of the UK Prospectus Regulation
who are (a) persons who fall within the definition of "investment
professional" in article 19(5) of the Financial Services and
Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended (the
"Order"), or (b) persons
who fall within article 49(2)(a) to (d) ("high net worth companies,
unincorporated associations, etc.") of the Order, or (c) other
persons to whom it may otherwise be lawfully communicated (all such
persons referred to in (a), (b) and (c) together being referred to
as "Relevant Persons"). Any
investment or investment activity to which this Announcement
relates is available only (i) in any member state of the EEA, to
Qualified Investors; and (ii) in the United Kingdom, to Relevant
Persons, and will only be engaged in with such persons. This
Announcement must not be acted on or relied on (i) in any member
state of the EEA, by persons who are not Qualified Investors; and
(ii) in the United Kingdom, by persons who are not Relevant
Persons.
The securities referred to herein
have not been and will not be registered under the United States
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), or under the
securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction of the United
States, and may not be offered or sold directly or indirectly in or
into the United States absent registration under the Securities Act
or pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject
to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act and in
compliance with the securities laws of any state or any other
jurisdiction of the United States. The Placing Shares are being
offered and sold by the Company (a) outside the United States in
offshore transactions as defined in, and pursuant to, Regulation S
under the Securities Act ("Regulation S"), or (b) in the United
States only to persons reasonably believed to be "qualified
institutional buyers" (as defined in Rule 144A of the Securities
Act) ("QIBs") in
transactions pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not
subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act.
The Subscription Shares are being offered and sold by the Company
only outside the United States in offshore transactions as defined
in, and pursuant to, Regulation S.
A potential Placee and the
prospective beneficial owner of the Placing Shares is, and at the
time the Placing Shares are subscribed for will be, (i) outside the
United States and subscribing for the Placing Shares in an
"offshore transaction" as defined in, and in accordance with,
Regulation S; or (ii) (a) a QIB and (b) subscribing for the Placing
Shares pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not
subject to, the registration requirements under the Securities Act.
No public offering of securities is being made in the United
States. No money, securities or other consideration from any person
inside the United States is being solicited and, if sent in
response to the information contained in this Announcement, will
not be accepted.
No prospectus has been lodged with,
or registered by, the Australian Securities and Investments
Commission or the Japanese Ministry of Finance; the relevant
clearances have not been, and will not be, obtained for the South
Africa Reserve Bank or any other applicable body in the Republic of
South Africa in relation to the Placing Shares and the Placing
Shares have not been, nor will they be, registered under or
offering in compliance with the securities laws of any state,
province or territory of Australia, Canada, the Republic of South
Africa or Japan. Accordingly, the Placing Shares may not (unless an
exemption under the relevant securities laws is applicable) be
offered, sold, resold or delivered, directly or indirectly, in or
into Australia, Canada, the Republic of South Africa, or Japan or
any other jurisdiction in which such activities would be
unlawful.
For the attention of residents of
Australia: This Announcement is not a prospectus or product
disclosure statement or otherwise a disclosure document for the
purposes of Chapter 6D or Part 7.9 of the Australian Corporations
Act 2001 (Cth) ("Corporations
Act") and does not constitute an offer, or an invitation to
purchase or subscribe for the Placing Shares offered by this
Announcement except to the extent that such an offer or invitation
would be permitted under Chapter 6D or Part 7.9 of the Corporations
Act without the need for a lodged prospectus or product disclosure
statement. In addition, for a period of 12 months from the date of
issue of the Placing Shares, no transfer of any interest in the
Placing Shares may be made to any person in Australia except to
"sophisticated investors" or "professional investors" within the
meaning of sections 708(8) and (11) of the Corporations Act or
otherwise in accordance with section 707(3) of the Corporations
Act.
Private Placement Sales in Canada:
The Placing Shares have not been qualified for distribution by
prospectus under the securities laws of any province or territory
of Canada and may only be sold to purchasers who qualify as both an
"accredited investor" and as a "permitted client" under applicable
Canadian securities laws that have executed and delivered, or
will execute and deliver, a Canadian Investor Letter and satisfy
the eligibility requirements set forth therein.
By participating in the Bookbuild
and the Placing, each person who is invited to and who chooses to
participate in the Placing (each a "Placee") by making an oral or written
and legally binding offer to subscribe for Placing Shares will be
deemed (i) to have read and understood this Announcement (including
the appendices) in its entirety, (ii) to be participating, making
an offer and subscribing for Placing Shares on the Terms and
Conditions contained in Appendix 1 to this Announcement and (iii)
to be providing the representations, warranties, indemnities,
acknowledgements and undertakings contained in Appendix 1 to this
Announcement.
Certain statements contained in this
Announcement constitute "forward-looking statements" with respect
to the financial condition, performance, strategic initiatives,
objectives, results of operations and business of the Company. All
statements other than statements of historical facts included in
this Announcement are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking
statements. Without limitation, any statements preceded or followed
by or that include the words ''targets'', ''plans'', ''believes'',
''expects'', ''aims'', ''intends'', ''anticipates'', ''estimates'',
''projects'', ''will'', ''may'', "would", "could" or "should", or
words or terms of similar substance or the negative thereof, are
forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements may include
statements relating to the following: (i) future capital
expenditures, expenses, revenues, earnings, cashflows, synergies,
economic performance, indebtedness, financial condition, dividend
policy and future prospects; and (ii) business and management
strategies and the expansion and growth of the Company's
operations. Such forward-looking statements involve risks and
uncertainties that could significantly affect expected results and
are based on certain key assumptions, some of which are outside of
the Company's influence and/or control. Many factors could cause
actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially
from those projected or implied in any forward-looking statements.
The important factors that could cause the Company's actual
results, performance or achievements to differ materially from
those in the forward-looking statements include, among others,
economic and business cycles, the terms and conditions of the
Company's financing arrangements, foreign currency rate
fluctuations, competition in the Company's principal markets,
acquisitions or disposals of businesses or assets, changes in
government and other regulation, including in relation to the
environment, travel, health and safety and taxation, labour
relations and work stoppages, changes in political and economic
stability and trends in the Company's principal industries. Due to
such uncertainties and risks, undue reliance should not be placed
on such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date
hereof. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the
events described in the forward-looking statements in this
Announcement may not occur. No statement in this Announcement is
intended to be a profit estimate or profit forecast. The
forward-looking statements contained in this Announcement speak
only as of the date of this Announcement. The Company, its
directors, the Banks and their respective Affiliates and any person
acting on its or their behalf each expressly disclaim any
obligation or undertaking to update or revise publicly any
forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information,
future events or otherwise, unless required to do so by applicable
law or regulation, the Listing Rules made by the Financial Conduct
Authority (the "FCA") (the
"Listing Rules") under the
Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (as amended) ("FSMA"), the Market Abuse Regulation
(EU) No.596/2014 ("EU MAR")
and the UK version of EU MAR as it forms part of UK law by virtue
of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, as amended and
supplemented ("UK MAR"),
the Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules made by the FCA
under FSMA (the "DTRs"),
the rules of the London Stock Exchange plc (the "London Stock Exchange") or the
FCA.
J.P. Morgan Cazenove is authorised
by the Prudential Regulatory Authority (the "PRA") and regulated in the United
Kingdom by the PRA and the FCA. Deutsche Numis is authorised and
regulated in the United Kingdom by the FCA. Each of the Banks is
acting exclusively for the Company and no one else in connection
with the Placing, the content of this Announcement and other
matters described in this Announcement. Each of the Banks will not
regard any other person as their respective clients in relation to
the Placing, the content of this Announcement and any other matters
described in this Announcement and will not be responsible to
anyone (including any Placees) other than the Company for providing
the protections afforded to their respective clients or for
providing advice to any other person in relation to the Placing,
the content of this Announcement or any other matters referred to
in this Announcement. The Banks are not acting for the Company with
respect to the Retail Offer or the Subscription and will have no
responsibilities, duties or liabilities, whether direct or
indirect, whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise in
connection with the Retail Offer or the Subscription or to any
person in connection with the Retail Offer or the
Subscription.
This Announcement has been issued by
and is the sole responsibility of the Company. No representation or
warranty, express or implied, is or will be made as to, or in
relation to, and no responsibility or liability is or will be
accepted by either of the Banks or by any of their respective
Affiliates or any person acting on its or their behalf as to, or in
relation to, the accuracy or completeness of this Announcement or
any other written or oral information made available to or publicly
available to any interested party or its advisers, and any
liability therefore is expressly disclaimed.
This Announcement does not
constitute a recommendation concerning any investor's investment
decision with respect to the Placing. The price of shares and any
income expected from them may go down as well as up and investors
may not get back the full amount invested upon disposal of the
shares. Past performance cannot be relied upon as a guide to future
performance. The contents of this Announcement are not to be
construed as legal, business, financial or tax advice. Each
investor or prospective investor should consult his, her or its own
legal adviser, business adviser, financial adviser or tax adviser
for legal, financial, business or tax advice.
Any indication in this Announcement
of the price at which securities (including the Ordinary Shares)
have been bought or sold in the past cannot be relied upon as a
guide to future performance. No statement in this Announcement is
intended as a profit forecast or estimate for any period and no
statement in this Announcement should be interpreted to mean that
earnings, earnings per share or income, cash flow from operations
or free cash flow for the Company, as appropriate, for the current
or future years would necessarily match or exceed the historical
published earnings, earnings per share or income, cash flow from
operations or free cash flow for the Company.
In connection with the Placing, each
of the Banks, any of their respective Affiliates and/or any person
acting on its or their behalf, may take up a portion of the Placing
Shares in the Placing in a principal position and in that capacity
may retain, purchase or sell for its own account such shares and
other securities of the Company or related investments and may
offer or sell such shares, securities or other investments
otherwise than in connection with the Placing. Accordingly,
references in this Announcement to Placing Shares being issued,
offered or placed should be read as including any issue, offering
or placement of such shares in the Company to the Banks or any of
their respective Affiliates or any person acting on its or their
behalf acting in such capacity. In addition, either of the Banks,
their respective Affiliates and/or any person acting on its or
their behalf may enter into financing arrangements (including
swaps, warrants or contracts for difference) with investors in
connection with which either of the Banks or any of their
respective Affiliates or any person acting on its or their behalf
may from time to time acquire, hold or dispose of such securities
of the Company, including the Placing Shares. Furthermore, in the
event that the Banks acquire Placing Shares in the Placing, they
may co-ordinate disposals of such shares in accordance with
applicable law and regulation. Neither of the Banks, any of their
respective Affiliates nor any person acting on its or their behalf
intends to disclose the extent of any such investment or
transactions otherwise than in accordance with any legal or
regulatory obligation to do so.
The Banks, their respective
Affiliates and/or any person acting on its or their behalf may have
engaged in transactions with, and provided various commercial
banking, investment banking, financial advisory transactions and
services in the ordinary course of their business to the Company
and/or its Affiliates for which it would have received customary
fees and commissions. The Banks, their respective Affiliates and/or
any person acting on its or their behalf may provide such services
to the Company and/or its Affiliates in the future.
The Placing Shares to be issued or
sold pursuant to the Placing, the Retail Offer Shares to be issued
or sold pursuant to the Retail Offer and the Subscription Shares to
be issued under the Subscription will not be admitted to trading on
any stock exchange other than the London Stock Exchange.
Neither the content of the Company's
website (or any other website) nor the content of any website
accessible from hyperlinks on the Company's website (or any other
website) is incorporated into or forms part of this
Announcement.
This Announcement has been prepared
for the purposes of complying with applicable law and regulation in
the United Kingdom and the information disclosed may not be the
same as that which would have been disclosed if this Announcement
had been prepared in accordance with the laws and regulations of
any jurisdiction outside the United Kingdom.
Solely for the purposes of the
product governance requirements of Chapter 3 of the FCA Handbook
Product Intervention and Product Governance Sourcebook (the
"UK Product Governance
Rules") and/or any equivalent requirements elsewhere to the
extent determined to be applicable, and disclaiming all and any
liability, whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise, which
any 'manufacturer' (for the purposes of the UK Product Governance
Rules) may otherwise have with respect thereto, the Placing Shares
have been subject to a product approval process, which has
determined that such Placing Shares are: (i) compatible with an end
target market of retail investors and investors who meet the
criteria of professional clients and eligible counterparties, each
as defined in Chapter 3 of the FCA Handbook Conduct of Business
Sourcebook ("COBS"); and
(ii) eligible for distribution through all permitted distribution
channels (the "UK Target Market
Assessment"). Notwithstanding the UK Target Market
Assessment, distributors should note that: the price of the Placing
Shares may decline and investors could lose all or part of their
investment; the Placing Shares offer no guaranteed income and no
capital protection; and an investment in the Placing Shares is
compatible only with investors who do not need a guaranteed income
or capital protection, who (either alone or in conjunction with an
appropriate financial or other adviser) are capable of evaluating
the merits and risks of such an investment and who have sufficient
resources to be able to bear any losses that may result therefrom.
The UK Target Market Assessment is without prejudice to the
requirements of any contractual, legal or regulatory selling
restrictions in relation to the Placing. Furthermore, it is noted
that, notwithstanding the UK Target Market Assessment, the Banks
will only procure investors who meet the criteria of professional
clients and eligible counterparties.
For the avoidance of doubt, the UK
Target Market Assessment does not constitute: (a) an assessment of
suitability or appropriateness for the purposes of COBS 9A and COBS
10A, respectively; or (b) a recommendation to any investor or group
of investors to invest in, or purchase or take any other action
whatsoever with respect to the Placing Shares. Each distributor is
responsible for undertaking its own target market assessment in
respect of the Placing Shares and determining appropriate
distribution channels.
Solely for the purposes of the
product governance requirements contained within: (a) EU Directive
2014/65/EU on markets in financial instruments, as amended
("MiFID
II"); (b) Articles 9 and 10 of
Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2017/593 supplementing MiFID
II; and (c) local implementing measures (together, the
"MiFID II
Product Governance Requirements"),
and disclaiming all and any liability, whether arising in tort,
contract or otherwise, which any 'manufacturer' (for the purposes
of the MiFID II Product Governance Requirements) may otherwise have
with respect thereto, the Placing Shares have been subject to a
product approval process, which has determined that such Placing
Shares are: (i) compatible with an end target market of retail
investors and investors who meet the criteria of professional
clients and eligible counterparties, each as defined in MiFID II;
and (ii) eligible for distribution through all distribution
channels as are permitted by MiFID II (the "EU Target Market
Assessment"). Notwithstanding the EU
Target Market Assessment, distributors should note that: the price
of the Placing Shares may decline and investors could lose all or
part of their investment; the Placing Shares offer no guaranteed
income and no capital protection; and an investment in the Placing
Shares is compatible only with investors who do not need a
guaranteed income or capital protection, who (either alone or in
conjunction with an appropriate financial or other adviser) are
capable of evaluating the merits and risks of such an investment
and who have sufficient resources to be able to bear any losses
that may result therefrom. The EU Target Market Assessment is
without prejudice to the requirements of any contractual, legal or
regulatory selling restrictions in relation to the Placing.
Furthermore, it is noted that, notwithstanding the EU Target Market
Assessment, the Banks will only procure investors who meet the
criteria of professional clients and eligible
counterparties.
For the avoidance of doubt, the EU
Target Market Assessment does not constitute: (a) an assessment of
suitability or appropriateness for the purposes of MiFID II; or (b)
a recommendation to any investor or group of investors to invest
in, or purchase or take any other action whatsoever with respect to
the Placing Shares. Each distributor is responsible for undertaking
its own target market assessment in respect of the Placing Shares
and determining appropriate distribution
channels.
Appendix 1 - Terms and Conditions of the Placing for invited
placees only
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE NOT
ELIGIBLE TO TAKE PART IN THE PLACING.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS FOR INFORMATION
PURPOSES ONLY AND IS DIRECTED ONLY AT PERSONS WHOSE ORDINARY
ACTIVITIES INVOLVE THEM IN ACQUIRING, HOLDING, MANAGING AND
DISPOSING OF INVESTMENTS (AS PRINCIPAL OR AGENT) FOR THE PURPOSES
OF THEIR BUSINESS AND WHO HAVE PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE IN MATTERS
RELATING TO INVESTMENTS AND ARE: (I) IF IN A MEMBER STATE OF THE
EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AREA (THE "EEA"), PERSONS WHO ARE "QUALIFIED
INVESTORS" ("QUALIFIED
INVESTORS") WITHIN THE MEANING OF ARTICLE 2(E) OF REGULATION
(EU) 2017/1129 (THE "PROSPECTUS
REGULATION"); OR (II) IF IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, "QUALIFIED
INVESTORS" WITHIN THE MEANING OF ARTICLE 2(E) OF THE UK VERSION OF
THE PROSPECTUS REGULATION AS IT FORMS PART OF UK LAW BY VIRTUE OF
THE EUROPEAN UNION (WITHDRAWAL) ACT 2018, AS AMENDED AND
SUPPLEMENTED (THE "UK PROSPECTUS
REGULATION") WHO ARE (A) PERSONS WHO FALL WITHIN THE
DEFINITION OF "INVESTMENT PROFESSIONALS" IN ARTICLE 19(5) OF THE
FINANCIAL SERVICES AND MARKETS ACT 2000 (FINANCIAL PROMOTION) ORDER
2005, AS AMENDED (THE "ORDER"), OR (B) PERSONS WHO FALL WITHIN
ARTICLE 49(2)(A) TO (D) ("HIGH NET WORTH COMPANIES, UNINCORPORATED
ASSOCIATIONS, ETC") OF THE ORDER, OR (C) OTHER PERSONS TO WHOM IT
MAY OTHERWISE LAWFULLY BE COMMUNICATED (ALL SUCH PERSONS REFERRED
TO IN (A), (B) AND (C) ABOVE TOGETHER BEING REFERRED TO AS
"RELEVANT PERSONS"). ANY
INVESTMENT OR INVESTMENT ACTIVITY TO WHICH THIS ANNOUNCEMENT
RELATES IS AVAILABLE ONLY (I) IN ANY MEMBER STATE OF THE EEA, TO
QUALIFIED INVESTORS; AND (II) IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, TO RELEVANT
PERSONS, AND WILL BE ENGAGED IN ONLY WITH SUCH PERSONS. THIS
ANNOUNCEMENT MUST NOT BE ACTED ON OR RELIED ON (I) IN ANY MEMBER OF
STATE OF THE EEA, BY PERSONS WHO ARE NOT QUALIFIED INVESTORS; AND
(II) IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, BY PERSONS WHO ARE NOT RELEVANT
PERSONS.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT DOES NOT ITSELF
CONSTITUTE AN OFFER FOR SALE OR SUBSCRIPTION OF, OR THE
SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO ACQUIRE OR SUBSCRIBE FOR, ANY
SECURITIES IN THE COMPANY.
PERSONS DISTRIBUTING THIS
ANNOUNCEMENT MUST SATISFY THEMSELVES THAT IT IS LAWFUL TO DO SO.
EACH PLACEE SHOULD CONSULT WITH ITS OWN ADVISERS AS TO LEGAL, TAX,
BUSINESS, FINANCIAL AND RELATED ASPECTS OF AN INVESTMENT IN THE
PLACING SHARES.
THE PLACING SHARES HAVE NOT BEEN AND
WILL NOT BE REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED
(THE "SECURITIES ACT"), OR
UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF, OR WITH ANY SECURITIES REGULATORY
AUTHORITY OF, ANY STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION OF THE UNITED STATES,
AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD OR TRANSFERRED, DIRECTLY OR
INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES ABSENT REGISTRATION UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OR PURSUANT TO AN AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM, OR
IN A TRANSACTION NOT SUBJECT TO, THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF
THE SECURITIES ACT AND IN COMPLIANCE WITH ANY APPLICABLE SECURITIES
LAWS OF ANY STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION OF THE UNITED STATES. THE
PLACING IS BEING MADE (A) OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES IN "OFFSHORE
TRANSACTIONS" AS DEFINED IN AND PURSUANT TO REGULATION S UNDER THE
SECURITIES ACT AND (B) IN THE UNITED STATES ONLY TO PERSONS
REASONABLY BELIEVED TO BE "QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYERS" PURSUANT
TO AN EXEMPTION FROM, OR IN A TRANSACTION NOT SUBJECT TO, THE
REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT. NO PUBLIC OFFERING
OF THE SHARES REFERRED TO IN THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS BEING MADE IN THE
UNITED KINGDOM, THE UNITED STATES, ANY OTHER RESTRICTED TERRITORY
OR ELSEWHERE.
This Announcement is for information
only and does not itself constitute or form part of an offer to
sell or issue or the solicitation of an offer to buy or subscribe
for securities referred to herein in any jurisdiction including,
without limitation, the United States or any Restricted Territory
or in any jurisdiction where such offer or solicitation is
unlawful.
This Announcement, and the
information contained herein, is not for release, publication or
distribution, directly or indirectly, to persons in any Restricted
Territory. The distribution of this Announcement and the Placing
and/or the offer or sale of the Placing Shares in certain
jurisdictions may be restricted by law. No action has been taken by
the Company, the Banks nor any of its or their respective
Affiliates nor any person acting on its or their behalf which would
permit an offer of the Placing Shares or possession or distribution
of this Announcement or any other offering or publicity material
relating to such Placing Shares in any jurisdiction where action
for that purpose is required.
Persons distributing any part of
this Announcement must satisfy themselves that it is lawful to do
so. Persons (including, without limitation, nominees and trustees)
who have a contractual or other legal obligation to forward a copy
of this Announcement should seek appropriate advice before taking
any such action. Persons into whose possession this Announcement
comes are required by the Company and the Banks to inform
themselves about, and to observe, any such restrictions.
All offers of the Placing Shares
will be made pursuant to an exemption under the Prospectus
Regulation and the UK Prospectus Regulation from the requirement to
produce a prospectus. This Announcement is being distributed and
communicated to persons in the UK only in circumstances to which
section 21(1) of the FSMA does not apply.
The Placing has not been approved
and will not be approved, disapproved or recommended by the U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission, any state securities commission
or any other regulatory authority in the United States, nor have
any of the foregoing authorities passed upon or endorsed the merits
of the Placing or the accuracy or adequacy of this Announcement.
Any representation to the contrary is unlawful.
Subject to certain exceptions, the
securities referred to in this Announcement may not be offered or
sold in any Restricted Territory or to, or for the account or
benefit of, a citizen or resident, or a corporation, partnership or
other entity created or organised in or under the laws of a
Restricted Territory.
This Announcement has been issued
by, and is the sole responsibility of, the Company. No
representation or warranty, express or implied, is or will be made
as to, or in relation to, and no responsibility or liability is or
will be accepted by either of the Banks or any of their respective
Affiliates or any person acting on its or their behalf as to or in
relation to, the accuracy or completeness of this Announcement or
any other written or oral information made available to or publicly
available to any party or its advisers, and any liability therefore
is expressly disclaimed.
None of the Company, the Banks nor
any of their respective Affiliates nor any person acting on its or
their behalf makes any representation or warranty, express or
implied to any Placees regarding any investment in the securities
referred to in this Announcement under the laws applicable to such
Placees. Each Placee should consult its own advisers as to the
legal, tax, business, financial and related aspects of an
investment in the Placing Shares.
By participating in the Placing,
Placees (including individuals, funds or otherwise) by whom or on
whose behalf a commitment to subscribe for Placing Shares has been
given will (i) be deemed to have read and understood this
Announcement, in its entirety; and (ii) be making such offer and
subscribing for Placing Shares on the Terms and Conditions
contained in this Appendix, including being deemed to be providing
(and shall only be permitted to participate in the Placing on the
basis that they have provided) the representations, warranties,
acknowledgements and undertakings set out herein.
In particular each such Placee
represents, warrants and acknowledges that:
a. if it is in a member
state of the EEA, it is a Qualified Investor and undertakes that it
will subscribe for, hold, manage or dispose of any Placing Shares
that are allocated to it for the purposes of its
business;
b. if it is in the
United Kingdom, it is a Relevant Person and undertakes that it will
subscribe for, hold, manage or dispose of any Placing Shares that
are allocated to it for the purposes of its business;
c. it is and, at the
time the Placing Shares are subscribed for, will be, (i) outside
the United States and subscribing for the Placing Shares in an
"offshore transaction" as defined in, and in accordance with,
Regulation S; or (ii) (a) a QIB that has executed and delivered, or
will execute and deliver, a US Investor Letter, and (b) subscribing
for the Placing Shares pursuant to an exemption from, or in a
transaction not subject to, the registration requirements under the
Securities Act, acknowledging that the Placing Shares have not
been, and will not be, registered under the Securities Act or with
any state or other jurisdiction of the United States;
d. if subscribing for
the Placing Shares for the account of one or more other persons, it
has full power and authority to make the representations,
warranties, agreements and acknowledgements herein on behalf of
each such account;
e. it is acquiring the
Placing Shares for its own account or is acquiring the Placing
Shares for an account with respect to which it exercises sole
investment discretion and has the authority to make and does make
the representations, warranties, indemnities, agreements and
acknowledgements, contained in these terms and conditions;
and
f. if it is a
financial intermediary, as that term is used in Article 5(1)
of the Prospectus Regulation and Article 5(1) of the UK Prospectus
Regulation, that it understands the resale and transfer
restrictions set out in this Appendix and that any Placing Shares
subscribed for by it in the Placing will not be subscribed for on a
non-discretionary basis on behalf of, nor will they be subscribed
for with a view to their offer or resale to, persons in
circumstances which may give rise to an offer of securities to the
public other than an offer or resale in a member state of the EEA
to Qualified Investors or in the United Kingdom to Relevant
Persons, or in circumstances in which the prior consent of the
Banks has been given to each such proposed offer or
resale.
Defined terms used in this Appendix
1 are set out in Appendix 2.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR INVITED PLACEES ONLY REGARDING THE
PLACING
Bookbuild
Following this Announcement, the
Banks will commence the Bookbuild to determine demand for
participation in the Placing by Placees. No commissions will be
paid to Placees or by Placees in respect of any Placing Shares. The
book will open with immediate effect. Members of the public are not
entitled to participate in the Placing. This Appendix gives details
of the Terms and Conditions of, and the mechanics of participation
in, the Placing.
Details of the Placing Agreement and of the Placing
Shares
The Banks are acting as joint
bookrunners in connection with the Placing. The Banks have today
entered into an agreement with the Company (the
"Placing
Agreement") under which, subject to
the terms and conditions set out therein, each of the Banks as
agent for and on behalf of the Company, has agreed to use its
respective reasonable endeavours to procure Placees for the Placing
Shares at a price determined following completion of the Bookbuild
(the "Placing Price"), and, subject
to agreement with the Company as to the number of Placing Shares to
be placed with the Placees and the Placing Price, to the extent
that such Placees fail to pay for any of the Placing Shares
allocated to them, to subscribe for those Placing Shares for which
such Placees fail to pay for. The Banks are not acting for the
Company with respect to the Retail Offer or the
Subscription.
The Placing Price and the final
number of Placing Shares will be decided at the close of the
Bookbuild following the execution of an agreement between the
Company and the Banks recording the final details of the Placing
(the "Pricing Agreement"). The timing
of the closing of the book, pricing and allocations are at the
discretion of the Company and the Banks. Details of the Placing
Price and the number of Placing Shares will be announced as soon as
practicable after the close of the Bookbuild.
The Placing Shares have been duly
authorised and will, when issued, be credited as fully paid and
will rank, pari
passu, in all respects with the existing Ordinary Shares,
including the right to receive all dividends and other
distributions declared, made or paid in respect of the Ordinary
Shares after the date of issue. The Placing Shares will be issued
free of any encumbrances, liens or other security
interests.
Application for admission to trading
It is expected that Admission of the
Placing Shares will become effective at 8:00 a.m. (London time) on
26 July 2024 (or such later date as may be agreed between the
Company and the Banks but being no later than 8:00 a.m. (London
time) on 2 August 2024).
Participation in, and principal terms of, the
Placing
1. The Banks are acting
as joint bookrunners on the Placing and as agents of the Company,
in each case severally, and not jointly nor jointly and severally.
Participation in the Placing will only be available to persons who
may lawfully be, and are, invited to participate by either of the
Banks. Each of the Banks and their respective Affiliates and any
person acting on their behalf, are entitled to enter bids as
principal in the Bookbuild.
2. The Bookbuild, if
successful, will establish the Placing Price payable to the Banks
by all Placees whose bids are successful. The Placing Price and the
aggregate proceeds to be raised through the Placing will be agreed
between the Banks and the Company following completion of the
Bookbuild. The Placing Price and the number of Placing Shares will
be announced on a Regulatory Information Service following the
completion of the Bookbuild.
3. To participate in the
Bookbuild, Placees should communicate their bid by telephone or in
writing to their usual sales contact at one of the Banks. Each bid
should state the number of Placing Shares which the prospective
Placee wishes to subscribe for at the Placing Price which is
ultimately established by the Company and the Banks or at prices up
to a price limit specified in its bid. Bids may be scaled down by
the Banks on the basis referred to in paragraph 6 below. Each of the Banks
reserves the right not to accept bids or to accept bids in part
rather than in whole.
4. The Bookbuild is
expected to close no later than 7:00 a.m. (London time) on 24 July
2024 but may be closed earlier or later, at the discretion of the
Banks and the Company. The Banks may, in agreement with the
Company, accept bids that are received after the Bookbuild has
closed.
5. Each Placee's
allocation will be agreed between the Banks and the Company and
will be confirmed to Placees orally or in writing by the relevant
Bank, acting as agent of the Company, following the close of the
Bookbuild, and an electronic contract note/trade confirmation will
be dispatched as soon as possible thereafter. Subject to
paragraph 9 below, the relevant Bank's oral or written confirmation
to such Placee will constitute an irrevocable legally binding
commitment upon such person (who will at that point become a
Placee) in favour of such Bank and the Company, under which such
Placee agrees to subscribe for the number of Placing Shares
allocated to it and to pay the relevant Placing Price for each such
Placing Share on the Terms and Conditions set out in this Appendix
and in accordance with the Company's articles of association and
each Placee will be deemed to have read and understood this
Announcements (including the appendices) in its
entirety.
6. Subject to
paragraphs 2 and 3 above, the Banks will, in effecting the Placing, agree
with the Company the identity of the Placees and the basis of
allocation of the Placing Shares and may scale down any bids for
this purpose on such basis as it may determine. The Banks may also,
notwithstanding paragraphs 3 and 4 above (i) allocate Placing
Shares after the time of any initial allocation to any person
submitting a bid after that time and (ii) allocate Placing Shares
after the Bookbuild has closed to any person submitting a bid after
that time. The acceptance of offers shall be at the absolute
discretion of the Banks, subject to agreement with the Company. If
within a reasonable time after a request for verification of
identity, the Banks have not received such satisfactory evidence,
the Banks may, in their absolute discretion, terminate the Placee's
Placing participation in which case all funds delivered by the
Placee to the Banks will be returned without interest to the
account of the drawee bank or CREST account from which they were
originally debited.
7. The Placing Shares
are being offered and sold by the Company (a) outside the United
States in "offshore transactions" as defined in, and pursuant to,
Regulation S under the Securities Act; and (b) in the United States
only to persons reasonably believed to be QIBs in transactions
pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to,
the registration requirements of the Securities Act. A potential
Placee and the prospective beneficial owner of the Placing Shares
is, and at the time the Placing Shares are subscribed for will be,
either: (i) outside the United States and subscribing for the
Placing Shares in an "offshore transaction" as defined in, and
pursuant to, Regulation S under the Securities Act; or (ii) (a) a
QIB that has executed and delivered, or will execute and deliver, a
US Investor Letter, and (b) subscribing for the Placing Shares
pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to,
the registration requirements under the Securities Act,
acknowledging that the Placing Shares have not been, and will not
be, registered under the Securities Act or with any state or other
jurisdiction of the United States. With respect to (ii) above, it
is subscribing for the Placing Shares for its own account or for
one or more accounts as to each of which it exercises sole
investment discretion and each of which is a QIB, for investment
purposes only and not with a view to any distribution or for resale
in connection with the distribution thereof in whole or in part, in
the United States, and it has full power to make the
representations, warranties, indemnities, acknowledgements,
agreements and undertakings in this Announcement on behalf of each
such account.
8. Each potential Placee
located or resident in Canada must qualify as both an "accredited
investor" and a "permitted client" under applicable Canadian
securities laws that has either executed and delivered, or will
execute and deliver, a Canadian Investor Letter and satisfy the
eligibility requirements set forth therein.
9. A bid in the
Bookbuild will be made on the terms and subject to the conditions
in this Appendix and will be legally binding on the Placee on
behalf of which it is made and except with the relevant Bank's
consent will not be capable of variation or revocation after the
time at which it is submitted. Each Placee will also have an
immediate, separate, irrevocable and binding obligation, owed to
the relevant Bank, to pay it (or as it may direct) in cleared funds
an amount equal to the product of the Placing Price and the number
of Placing Shares that such Placee has been allocated to it and has
agreed to subscribe for. Each Placee's obligations will be owed to
the relevant Bank. The Company shall, conditional on Admission,
allot such Placing Shares to each Placee following each Placee's
payment to the relevant Bank of such amount.
10. Except as required by law or
regulation, no press release or other announcement will be made by
either of the Banks or the Company using the name of any Placee (or
its agent), in its capacity as Placee (or agent), other than with
such Placee's prior written consent.
11. Irrespective of the time at
which a Placee's allocation(s) pursuant to the Placing is/are
confirmed, settlement for all Placing Shares to be subscribed for
pursuant to the Placing will be required to be made at the same
time, on the basis explained below under "Registration and
Settlement".
12. All obligations under the
Bookbuild and Placing will be subject to fulfilment or (where
applicable) waiver of the conditions referred to below under
"Conditions of the Placing" and to the Placing not being terminated
on the basis referred to below under "Termination of the Placing
Agreement".
13. By participating in the
Bookbuild, each Placee agrees that its rights and obligations in
respect of the Placing will terminate only in the circumstances
described below and will not be capable of rescission or
termination by the Placee after confirmation (oral or otherwise) by
a Bank.
14. To the fullest extent
permissible by law, neither of the Banks nor any of their
respective Affiliates nor any person acting on its or their behalf
shall have any responsibility or liability to any Placee (or to any
other person whether acting on behalf of a Placee or otherwise). In
particular, neither of the Banks nor any of their respective
Affiliates nor any person acting on its or their behalf shall have
any responsibility or liability (including to the fullest extent
permissible by law, any fiduciary duties) in respect of the Banks'
conduct of the Bookbuild or of such alternative method of effecting
the Placing as the Banks and the Company may agree.
Conditions of the Placing
The Placing is conditional upon the
Placing Agreement becoming unconditional and not having been
terminated in accordance with its terms. The Banks' obligations
under the Placing Agreement are conditional on certain conditions,
including (but not limited to):
1. the Pricing Agreement
having been executed by the Company and the Banks;
2. the release by the
Company of the Pricing Announcement;
3. the Company having
allotted the Placing Shares to the Placees, prior to and
conditional only on Admission;
4. each of the
warranties on the part of the Company in the Placing Agreement not
being untrue, inaccurate or misleading (i) as at the date of the
Placing Agreement; (ii) as at the time the Pricing Agreement is
executed (if different from the date of this Announcement); and
(iii) immediately prior to Admission, in each case by reference to
the facts and circumstances then subsisting;
5. the Company having
complied with all of its obligations under the Placing
Agreement;
6. there not having
occurred a material adverse change in relation to the Company and
its subsidiaries (the "Group") at any time prior to
Admission; and
7. Admission of the
Placing Shares occurring at or before 8:00 a.m. (London time) on 26
July 2024, or such later time and/or date as the Company and the
Banks may agree in writing.
If: (i) any of the conditions
contained in the Placing Agreement, including those described
above, is not fulfilled or (where applicable) waived by the Banks
by the relevant time or date specified (or such later time or date
as the Company and the Banks may agree, being not later than 8:00
a.m. (London time) on 2 August 2024); or (ii) the Placing Agreement
is terminated in the circumstances specified below, the Placing
will lapse and the Placees' rights and obligations hereunder in
relation to the Placing Shares shall cease and terminate at such
time and each Placee agrees that no claim can be made by it in
respect thereof.
The Banks may, at their discretion
and upon such terms as they think fit, extend the time for the
satisfaction of any condition or waive compliance by the Company
with the whole or any part of any of the Company's obligations in
relation to the conditions in the Placing Agreement (other than
those conditions described in points 2, 3, 7
and certain other conditions, which may not be
waived under the terms of the Placing Agreement). Any such
extension or waiver will not affect Placees' commitments as set out
in this Announcement.
Neither of the Banks nor their
respective Affiliates nor any person acting on its or their behalf
shall have any liability or responsibility to any Placee (or to any
other person whether acting on behalf of a Placee or otherwise) in
respect of any decision it may make as to whether or not to waive
or to extend the time and/or date for the satisfaction of any
condition to the Placing nor for any decision it may make as to the
satisfaction of any condition or in respect of the Placing
generally and by participating in the Placing, each Placee agrees
that any such decision is within the absolute discretion of the
Banks.
By participating in the Bookbuild,
each Placee agrees that its rights and obligations hereunder
terminate only in the circumstances described above and under
"Termination of the Placing Agreement" below, and will not be
capable of rescission or termination by the Placee.
Termination of the Placing Agreement
The Banks are entitled, at any time
before Admission, to terminate the Placing Agreement in accordance
with its terms in certain circumstances,
including, inter
alia, if: (i) there has been a breach by the Company of any
of the warranties or any failure by the Company to perform any of
its obligations contained in the Placing Agreement; (ii) there has
been a material adverse change in relation to the Group; (iii)
there is a cancellation or suspension by the FCA or the London
Stock Exchange of trading in the Company's securities; or (iv) upon
the occurrence of certain force majeure events.
If circumstances arise that would
allow the Banks to terminate the Placing Agreement, they may
nevertheless determine to allow Admission to proceed. By
participating in the Placing, each Placee agrees that its rights
and obligations terminate only in the circumstances described above
and under "Conditions of the Placing" above and will not be capable
of rescission or termination by it after oral or written
confirmation by the Banks following the close of the
Bookbuild.
By participating in the Placing,
Placees agree that the exercise or non-exercise by each Bank of any
right of termination or other discretion under the Placing
Agreement shall be within the absolute discretion of the Banks or
for agreement between the Company and the Banks (as the case may
be) and that neither the Company nor the Banks need make any
reference to, or consultation with, Placees and that neither they
nor any of their respective Affiliates nor any person acting on its
or their behalf shall have any liability to Placees whatsoever in
connection with any such exercise or failure to so
exercise.
No
prospectus
No offering document, prospectus,
offering memorandum or admission document has been or will be
prepared or submitted to be approved by the FCA (or any other
authority) or submitted to the London Stock Exchange or in any
other jurisdictions in relation to the Placing or Admission and no
such prospectus is required (in accordance with the Prospectus
Regulation or the UK Prospectus Regulation) to be published in the
United Kingdom or any equivalent document in any
jurisdiction.
Placees' commitments will be made
solely on the basis of publicly available information taken
together with the information contained in this Announcement, and
any Exchange Information (as defined below) previously published by
or on behalf of the Company simultaneously with or prior to the
date of this Announcement and subject to the further terms set
forth in the electronic contract note/trade confirmation to be
provided to individual prospective Placees.
Each Placee, by accepting a
participation in the Placing, agrees that the content of this
Announcement and the publicly available information released by or
on behalf of the Company is exclusively the responsibility of the
Company and confirms to the Banks and the Company that it has
neither received nor relied on any other information,
representation, warranty, or statement made by or on behalf of the
Company (other than publicly available information), the Banks or
their respective Affiliates or any person acting on its or their
behalf. None of the Company, the Banks, any of their respective
Affiliates or any person acting on its or their behalf will be
liable for any Placee's decision to participate in the Placing
based on any other information, representation, warranty or
statement which the Placees may have obtained or received
(regardless of whether or not such information, representation,
warranty or statement was given or made by or on behalf of any such
persons). By participating in the Placing, each Placee acknowledges
and agrees that it has relied on its own investigation of the
business, financial or other position of the Company in accepting a
participation in the Placing. Nothing in this paragraph shall
exclude or limit the liability of any person for fraud or
fraudulent misrepresentation by that person.
Restriction on further issue of securities
The Company has undertaken to the
Banks that, between the date of the Placing Agreement and 180
calendar days after (but including) the date of Admission, it will
not, without the prior written consent of the Banks, directly or
indirectly issue or allot Ordinary Shares, subject to customary
exceptions and waiver by the Banks.
By participating in the Placing,
Placees agree that the exercise by the Banks of any power to grant
consent to waive the aforementioned undertaking by the Company
shall be within the absolute discretion of the Banks and that they
need not make any reference to, or consultation with, Placees and
that they shall have no liability to Placees whatsoever in
connection with any such exercise of the power to grant
consent.
Registration and settlement
Settlement of transactions in the
Placing Shares (ISIN: GB0006928617) following Admission will take
place within the relevant system administered by Euroclear
("CREST"), using the delivery
versus payment mechanism, subject to certain exceptions. Subject to
certain exceptions, the Banks and the Company reserve the right to
require settlement for, and delivery of, the Placing Shares to
Placees by such other means that they deem necessary if delivery or
settlement is not possible or practicable in CREST within the
timetable set out in this Announcement or would not be consistent
with the regulatory requirements in the Placee's
jurisdiction.
Following the close of the Bookbuild
for the Placing, each Placee allocated Placing Shares in the
Placing will be sent an electronic contract note/trade confirmation
in accordance with the standing arrangements in place with the
relevant Bank stating the number of Placing Shares to be allocated
to it at the Placing Price, the aggregate amount owed by such
Placee to the relevant Bank and settlement instructions. It is
expected that such electronic contract note/trade confirmation will
be despatched on or around 24 July 2024 and that this will also be
the trade date.
Each Placee agrees that it will do
all things necessary to ensure that delivery and payment is
completed in accordance with either the standing CREST or
certificated settlement instructions that it has in place with the
relevant Bank. In the event of any difficulties or delays in the
admission of the Placing Shares to CREST or the use of CREST in
relation to the Placing, the Company and the Banks may agree that
the Placing Shares will be issued in certificated form.
The Company will deliver the Placing
Shares to J.P. Morgan (CREST Participant ID: 784, Member Account
ID: PRIMPLAC) as agent for the Company. The Placing Shares will be
credited to J.P. Morgan CREST account by way of a Registrars
Adjustment and therefore J.P. Morgan will not be required to enter
any form of receipt instruction into CREST. The input to CREST by a
Placee of a matching or acceptance instruction will then allow
delivery of the relevant Placing Shares to that Placee on a
delivery against payment basis.
It is expected that settlement will
be on 26 July 2024 on a T+2 basis in accordance with the
instructions given to the Banks.
Interest is chargeable daily on
payments not received from Placees on the due date in accordance
with the arrangements set out above at the rate of two (2)
percentage points above SONIA as determined by the
Banks.
Each Placee agrees that, if it does
not comply with these obligations, the Banks may sell any or all of
the Placing Shares allocated to that Placee on such Placee's behalf
and retain from the proceeds, for the Company's account and
benefit, an amount equal to the aggregate amount owed by the Placee
plus any interest due. The relevant Placee will, however, remain
liable for any shortfall below the aggregate amount owed by it and
shall be required to bear any stamp duty, stamp duty reserve tax or
other stamp, securities, transfer, registration, execution,
documentary or other similar impost, duty or tax (together with any
interest, fines or penalties) imposed in any jurisdiction which may
arise upon the sale of such Placing Shares on such Placee's behalf.
By communicating a bid for Placing Shares, each Placee confers on
the Banks all such authorities and powers necessary to carry out
any such sale and agrees to ratify and confirm all actions which
the Banks lawfully take in pursuance of such sale.
If Placing Shares are to be
delivered to a custodian or settlement agent, Placees should ensure
that the electronic contract note/trade confirmation is copied and
delivered immediately to the relevant person within that
organisation. Insofar as Placing Shares are registered in a
Placee's name or that of its nominee or in the name of any person
for whom a Placee is contracting as agent or that of a nominee for
such person, such Placing Shares should, subject to as provided
below, be so registered free from any liability to UK stamp duty or
UK stamp duty reserve tax. If there are any circumstances in which
any other stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax or other similar
taxes (and/or any interest, fines or penalties relating thereto) is
payable in respect of the allocation, allotment, issue or delivery
of the Placing Shares (or for the avoidance of doubt if any stamp
duty or stamp duty reserve tax is payable in connection with any
subsequent transfer of or agreement to transfer Placing Shares),
neither the Banks nor the Company shall be responsible for the
payment of such amounts.
Representations and warranties
By participating in the Placing each
Placee (and any person acting on such Placee's behalf) irrevocably
acknowledges, confirms, undertakes, represents, warrants and agrees
(for itself and for any such prospective Placee) with the Banks (in
their capacity as joint bookrunners, as agents of the Company in
respect of the Placing and as underwriters of the Placing Shares)
and the Company, in each case as a fundamental term of its
application for Placing Shares, that:
1. it has read and
understood this Announcement, in its entirety and that its
participation in the Bookbuild and the Placing and its subscription
for and purchase of Placing Shares is subject to and based upon all
the terms, conditions, representations, warranties, indemnities,
acknowledgements, agreements and undertakings and other information
contained herein and undertakes not to redistribute or duplicate
this Announcement and that it has not relied on, and will not rely
on, any information given or any representations, warranties or
statements made at any time by any person in connection with
Admission, the Bookbuild, the Placing, the Company, the Placing
Shares or otherwise;
2. no offering document,
prospectus, offering memorandum or admission document has been or
will be prepared in connection with the Placing or is required
under the Prospectus Regulation or the UK Prospectus Regulation and
it has not received and will not receive an offering document,
prospectus, offering memorandum or admission document in connection
with the Bookbuild, the Placing, the Company, Admission, the
Placing Shares or otherwise;
3. the Ordinary Shares
are admitted to the premium listing segment of the Official List of
the FCA and are admitted to trading on the main market of the
London Stock Exchange and that the Company is therefore required to
publish certain business and financial information in accordance
with UK MAR and the rules and practices of the London Stock
Exchange and/or the FCA (collectively, the "Exchange
Information"), which includes a
description of the nature of the Company's business and the
Company's most recent balance sheet and profit and loss account,
and similar statements for preceding financial years and that it
has reviewed such Exchange Information and that it is able to
obtain or access such Exchange Information;
4. neither of the Banks,
nor the Company nor any of their respective Affiliates nor any
person acting on its or their behalf has provided, and none of them
will provide, it with any material or information regarding the
Placing Shares, the Bookbuild, the Placing or the Company or any
other person other than this Announcement, such information being
all that it deems necessary to make any investment decision in
respect of the Placing Shares, nor has it requested either of the
Banks, the Company, or any of their respective Affiliates or any
person acting on its or their behalf to provide it with any such
material or information;
5. unless otherwise
specifically agreed with the Banks, that they are not, and at the
time the Placing Shares are subscribed for, neither it nor the
beneficial owner of the Placing Shares will be, a resident of a
Restricted Territory or any other jurisdiction in which it would be
unlawful to make or accept an offer to subscribe for the Placing
Shares; and further acknowledges that the Placing Shares have not
been and will not be registered or otherwise qualified, for offer
and sale nor will an offering document, prospectus, offering
memorandum or admission document be cleared or approved in respect
of any of the Placing Shares under the securities legislation of
the United States, the United Kingdom or any other Restricted
Territory and, subject to certain exceptions, may not be offered,
sold, transferred, delivered or distributed, directly or
indirectly, in or into those jurisdictions or in any country or
jurisdiction where any such action for that purpose is
required;
6. the content of this
Announcement is exclusively the responsibility of the Company and
that neither of the Banks nor any of their respective Affiliates
nor any person acting on its or their behalf has or shall have any
responsibility or liability for any information, representation or
statement contained in this Announcement or any information
previously or subsequently published by or on behalf of the
Company, including, without limitation, any Exchange Information,
and will not be liable for any Placee's decision to participate in
the Placing based on any information, representation or statement
contained in this Announcement or any information previously
published by or on behalf of the Company or otherwise;
7. the only information
on which it is entitled to rely and on which such Placee has relied
in committing itself to subscribe for the Placing Shares is
contained in this Announcement and any Exchange Information, that
it received and reviewed all information that it believes is
necessary or appropriate to make an investment decision in respect
of the Placing Shares, and that it has neither received nor relied
on any other information given or investigations, representations,
warranties or statements made by the Banks or the Company and
neither of the Banks, the Company nor any of their respective
Affiliates nor any person acting on its or their behalf will be
liable for any Placee's decision to accept an invitation to
participate in the Placing based on any other information,
representation, warranty or statement. Each Placee further
acknowledges and agrees that it has relied solely on its own
investigation, examination and due diligence of the business,
financial or other position of the Company in deciding to
participate in the Placing and that neither of the Banks nor any of
their Affiliates nor any person acting on its or their behalf have
made any representations to it, express or implied, with respect to
the Company, the Bookbuild, the Placing and the Placing Shares or
the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the Exchange Information,
and each of them expressly disclaims any liability in respect
thereof;
8. it has not relied on
any information relating to the Company contained in any research
reports prepared by either of the Banks or their respective
Affiliates or any person acting on its or their behalf and
understands that (i) neither of the Banks nor any of their
respective Affiliates nor any person acting on its or their behalf
has or shall have any liability for public information or any
representation; (ii) neither of the Banks nor any of their
respective Affiliates nor any person acting on its or their behalf
has or shall have any liability for any additional information that
has otherwise been made available to such Placee, whether at the
date of publication, the date of this document or otherwise; and
that (iii) neither of the Banks nor any of their respective
Affiliates nor any person acting on its or their behalf makes any
representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the truth,
accuracy or completeness of such information, whether at the date
of publication, the date of this Announcement or
otherwise;
9. the allocation,
allotment, issue and delivery to it, or the person specified by it
for registration as holder, of Placing Shares will not give rise to
a liability under any of sections 67, 70, 93 or 96 of the
Finance Act 1986 (depositary receipts and clearance services) and
that it is not participating in the Placing as nominee or agent for
any person to whom the allocation, allotment, issue or delivery of
the Placing Shares would give rise to such a liability and that the
Placing Shares are not being subscribed for in connection with
arrangements to issue depositary receipts or to issue or transfer
Placing Shares into a clearance service;
10. it acknowledges that no action
has been or will be taken by the Company, the Banks or their
respective Affiliates or any person acting on its or their behalf
that would, or is intended to, permit a public offer of the Placing
Shares in the United States or in any country or jurisdiction where
any such action for that purpose is required;
11. it and any person acting on its
behalf is entitled to subscribe for the Placing Shares under the
laws of all relevant jurisdictions which apply to it and that it
has fully observed such laws and obtained all such governmental and
other guarantees, permits, authorisations, approvals and consents
which may be required thereunder and complied with all necessary
formalities and that it has not taken any action or omitted to take
any action which will or may result in the Banks, the Company or
any of their respective Affiliates or any person acting on its or
their behalf acting in breach of the legal or regulatory
requirements of any jurisdiction in connection with the
Placing;
12. it (and any person acting on its
behalf) has all necessary capacity and has obtained all necessary
consents and authorities to enable it to commit to its
participation in the Placing and to perform its obligations in
relation thereto (including, without limitation, in the case of any
person on whose behalf it is acting, all necessary consents and
authorities to agree to the terms set out or referred to in this
Announcement) and will honour such obligations;
13. it has complied with its
obligations under the Criminal Justice Act 1993, UK MAR and in
connection with money laundering and terrorist financing under the
Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, the Terrorism Act 2000, the
Anti-Terrorism Crime and Security Act 2001, the Terrorism Act 2006,
the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds
(Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017 and the Money
Laundering Sourcebook of the FCA and any related or similar rules,
regulations or guidelines issued, administered or enforced by any
government agency having jurisdiction in respect thereof (the
"Regulations") and, if making
payment on behalf of a third party, that satisfactory evidence has
been obtained and recorded by it to verify the identity of the
third party as required by the Regulations;
14. it is acting as principal only
in respect of the Placing or, if it is acting for any other person:
(i) it is duly authorised to do so and has full power to make, and
does make, the acknowledgments, representations and agreements
herein on behalf of each such person; and (ii) it is and will
remain liable to the Banks and the Company for the performance of
all its obligations as a Placee in respect of the Placing
(regardless of the fact that it is acting for another
person);
15. if it is in a member state of
the EEA, it is a Qualified Investor and undertakes that it will
subscribe for, hold, manage or dispose of any Placing Shares that
are allocated to it for the purposes of its business
only;
16. if it is in the United Kingdom,
it is a Relevant Person and undertakes that it will subscribe for,
hold, manage or dispose of any Placing Shares that are allocated to
it for the purposes of its business only;
17. it understands that any
investment or investment activity to which this Announcement
relates is available only to, in the United Kingdom, Relevant
Persons, and in any member state of the EEA, Qualified Investors,
and will be engaged in only with such persons, and further
understands that this Announcement must not be acted on or relied
on by persons who are not, in the United Kingdom, Relevant Persons
and, in any member state of the EEA, Qualified
Investors;
18. it will not distribute, forward,
transfer or otherwise transmit this Announcement or any part of it,
or any other presentational or other materials concerning the
Placing in or into the United States (including electronic copies
thereof) to any person, and it has not distributed, forwarded,
transferred or otherwise transmitted any such materials to any
person;
19. where it is subscribing for the
Placing Shares for one or more managed accounts, it represents,
warrants and undertakes that it is authorised in writing by each
managed account to subscribe for the Placing Shares for each
managed account and it has full power to make the acknowledgements,
representations and agreements herein on behalf of each such
account;
20. if it is a pension fund or
investment company, it represents, warrants and undertakes that its
subscription for Placing Shares is in full compliance with
applicable laws and regulations;
21. if it is acting as a financial
intermediary, as that term is used in Article 5(1) of the
Prospectus Regulation and Article 5(1) of the UK Prospectus
Regulation, that the Placing Shares subscribed for by it in the
Placing will not be subscribed for on a non-discretionary basis on
behalf of, nor will they be subscribed for with a view to their
offer or resale to, persons in a member state of the EEA other than
Qualified Investors or persons in the United Kingdom other than
Relevant Persons, or in circumstances in which the prior consent of
the Banks has been given to the proposed offer or
resale;
22. any offer of Placing Shares may
only be directed at persons in member states of the EEA who are
Qualified Investors and represents, warrants and undertakes that it
has not offered or sold and will not offer or sell any Placing
Shares to persons in the EEA prior to Admission except to Qualified
Investors or otherwise in circumstances which have not resulted in
and which will not result in an offer to the public in any member
state of the EEA within the meaning of the Prospectus
Regulation;
23. any offer of Placing Shares may
only be directed at persons in the United Kingdom who are Relevant
Persons and represents, warrants and undertakes that it has not
offered or sold and will not offer or sell any Placing Shares to
persons in the United Kingdom prior to Admission except to Relevant
Persons or otherwise in circumstances which have not resulted in
and which will not result in an offer to the public in the United
Kingdom within the meaning of the UK Prospectus Regulation and
section 85(1) of FSMA;
24. it has only communicated or
caused to be communicated and will only communicate or cause to be
communicated any invitation or inducement to engage in investment
activity (within the meaning of section 21 of the FSMA)
relating to the Placing Shares in circumstances in which
section 21(1) of the FSMA does not require approval of the
communication by an authorised person and agrees that this
Announcement has not been approved by either of the Banks in their
respective capacity as an authorised person under section 21
of FSMA and it may not therefore be subject to the controls which
would apply if it was made or approved as financial promotion by an
authorised person;
25. it has complied and will comply
with all applicable laws (including without limitation, all
relevant provisions of the FSMA in the UK) with respect to anything
done by it in relation to the Placing Shares;
26. if it has received any inside
information (as defined under the Market Abuse Regulation) about
the Company in advance of the Placing, it has not: (i) dealt in the
securities of the Company; (ii) encouraged or required another
person to deal in the securities of the Company; or (iii) disclosed
such information to any person except as permitted by the Market
Abuse Regulation, prior to the information being made publicly
available;
27. (i) it (and any person acting on
its behalf) has the funds available to pay for, and has capacity
and authority and is otherwise entitled to purchase the Placing
Shares under the laws of all relevant jurisdictions which apply to
it; (ii) it has paid any issue, transfer or other taxes due in
connection with its participation in any territory; (iii) it has
not taken any action which will or may result in the Company, the
Banks or any of their respective Affiliates or any person acting on
its or their behalf being in breach of the legal and/or regulatory
requirements and/or any anti-money laundering requirements of any
territory in connection with the Placing; and (iv) that the
subscription for and purchase of the Placing Shares by it or any
person acting on its behalf will be in compliance with applicable
laws and regulations in the jurisdiction of its residence, the
residence of the Company, or otherwise;
28. it (and any person acting on its
behalf) will make payment for the Placing Shares allocated to it in
accordance with the Terms and Conditions of this Announcement on
the due time and date set out herein against delivery of such
Placing Shares to it, failing which the relevant Placing Shares may
be placed with other Placees or sold as the Banks may in their
absolute discretion determine and without liability to such Placee.
It will, however, remain liable for any shortfall below the net
proceeds of such sale and the placing proceeds of such Placing
Shares and may be required to bear any stamp duty or stamp duty
reserve tax or other similar taxes (together with any interest,
fines or penalties) due pursuant to the terms set out or referred
to in this Announcement which may arise upon the sale of such
Placee's Placing Shares on its behalf;
29. its allocation (if any) of
Placing Shares will represent a maximum number of Placing Shares to
which it will be entitled, and required, to subscribe for, and that
the Banks or the Company may call upon it to subscribe for a lower
number of Placing Shares (if any), but in no event in aggregate
more than the aforementioned maximum;
30. neither of the Banks nor any of
their respective Affiliates nor any person acting on its or their
behalf is making any recommendations to it, or advising it
regarding the suitability or merits of any transactions it may
enter into in connection with the Placing and that participation in
the Placing is on the basis that it is not and will not be a client
of the Banks and that the Banks do not have any duties or
responsibilities to it for providing the protections afforded to
their respective clients or customers or for providing advice in
relation to the Placing nor in respect of any representations,
warranties, undertakings or indemnities contained in the Placing
Agreement nor for the exercise or performance of either of the
Banks' rights and obligations thereunder including any rights to
waive or vary any conditions or exercise any termination right. In
addition, it acknowledges and agrees that none of the Banks nor
their Affiliates are acting for the Company with respect to the
Subscription and will have no responsibilities, duties or
liabilities, whether direct or indirect, whether arising in tort,
contract or otherwise in connection with the Subscription or to any
person in connection with the Subscription;
31. the person whom it specifies for
registration as holder of the Placing Shares will be (i) itself or
(ii) its nominee, as the case may be. Neither the Company, the
Banks nor any of their respective Affiliates nor any person acting
on its or their behalf will be responsible for any liability to
stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax or other similar duties or
taxes (together with any interest, fines or penalties) resulting
from a failure to observe this requirement. Each Placee and any
person acting on behalf of such Placee agrees to indemnify each of
the Company, the Banks and any of their respective Affiliates and
any person acting on its or their behalf in respect of the same on
an after-tax basis on the basis that the Placing Shares will be
allotted to the CREST stock account of J.P. Morgan who will hold
them as nominee on behalf of such Placee until settlement in
accordance with its standing settlement instructions with payment
for the Placing Shares being made simultaneously upon receipt of
the Placing Shares in the Placee's stock account on a delivery
versus payment basis;
32. these Terms and Conditions and
any agreements entered into by it pursuant to these Terms and
Conditions, and any non-contractual obligations arising out of or
in connection with such agreements, shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales and it
subjects (on behalf of itself and on behalf of any person on whose
behalf it is acting) to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English
courts as regards any claim, dispute or matter arising out of any
such contract, except that enforcement proceedings in respect of
the obligation to make payment for the Placing Shares (together
with any interest chargeable thereon) may be taken by the Banks or
the Company in any jurisdiction in which the relevant Placee is
incorporated or in which any of its securities have a quotation on
a recognised stock exchange;
33. each of the Banks, the Company,
their respective Affiliates and any person acting on its or their
behalf will rely upon the truth and accuracy of the
representations, warranties, agreements, undertakings and
acknowledgements contained in this Announcement and which are given
to each of the Banks on their own behalf and on behalf of the
Company and are irrevocable and it irrevocably authorises each of
the Banks and the Company to produce this Announcement, pursuant
to, in connection with, or as may be required by any applicable law
or regulation, administrative or legal proceeding or official
inquiry with respect to the matters contained in this
Announcement;
34. it will indemnify on an
after-tax basis and hold each of the Banks, the Company and their
respective Affiliates and any person acting on its or their behalf
harmless from any and all costs, claims, liabilities and expenses
(including legal fees and expenses) arising out of, directly or
indirectly, or in connection with any breach by it of the
representations, warranties, acknowledgements, agreements and
undertakings in this Appendix and further agrees that the
provisions of this Appendix 1 shall survive after completion of the
Placing;
35. it acknowledges that it
irrevocably appoints any director or authorised signatories of the
Banks as its agent for the purposes of executing and delivering to
the Company and/or its registrars any documents on its behalf
necessary to enable it to be registered as the holder of any of the
Placing Shares agreed to be taken up by it under the
Placing;
36. it acknowledges that its
commitment to subscribe for Placing Shares on the terms set out
herein and in the electronic contract note/trade confirmation will
continue notwithstanding any amendment that may in future be made
to the terms and conditions of the Placing and that Placees will
have no right to be consulted or require that their consent be
obtained with respect to the Company's or the Banks' conduct of the
Placing;
37. in making any decision to
subscribe for the Placing Shares (i) it has sufficient knowledge,
sophistication and experience in financial, business and
international investment matters as is required to evaluate the
merits and risks of subscribing for or purchasing the Placing
Shares, (ii) it is experienced in investing in securities of this
nature in this sector and is aware that it may be required to bear,
and is able to bear, the economic risk of participating in, and is
able to sustain a complete loss in connection with, the Placing,
(iii) it has relied on its own examination, due diligence and
analysis of the Company and its Affiliates taken as a whole,
including the markets in which the Group operates, and the terms of
the Placing, including the merits and risks involved and not upon
any view expressed or information provided by or on behalf of the
Banks, (iv) it has had sufficient time and access to information to
consider and conduct its own investigation with respect to the
offer and purchase of the Placing Shares, including the legal,
regulatory, tax, business, currency and other economic and
financial considerations relevant to such investment and has so
conducted its own investigation to the extent it deems necessary to
enable it to make an informed and intelligent decision with respect
to making an investment in the Placing Shares, (v) it is aware and
understands that an investment in the Placing Shares involves a
considerable degree of risk and (vi) it will not look to the Banks
or any of their respective Affiliates or any person acting on its
or their behalf for all or part of any such loss or losses it or
they may suffer;
38. it acknowledges and agrees that
neither the Company, the Banks, their respective Affiliates nor any
person acting on its or their behalf owe any fiduciary or other
duties to it or any Placee in respect of any representations,
warranties, undertakings or indemnities in the Placing
Agreement;
39. it understands and agrees that
it may not rely on any investigation that either of the Banks or
their respective Affiliates or any person acting on its or their
behalf may or may not have conducted with respect to the Company
and its Affiliates or the Placing and each of the Banks has not
made any representation or warranty to it, express or implied, with
respect to the merits of the Placing, the subscription for or
purchase of the Placing Shares, or as to the condition, financial
or otherwise, of the Company and its Affiliates, or as to any other
matter relating thereto, and nothing herein shall be construed as
any investment or other recommendation to it to subscribe for the
Placing Shares. It acknowledges and agrees that no information has
been prepared by, or is the responsibility of, either of the Banks
or their respective Affiliates or any person acting on its or their
behalf for the purposes of this Placing;
40. it acknowledges and agrees that
it will not hold either of the Banks and/or any of their respective
Affiliates or any person acting on its or their behalf responsible
or liable for any misstatements in or omission from any publicly
available information relating to the Group or information made
available (whether in written or oral form) relating to the Group
and that no such person makes any representation or warranty,
express or implied, as to the truth, accuracy or completeness of
such information or accepts any responsibility for any of such
information;
41. in connection with the Placing,
each of the Banks and any of their respective Affiliates and any
person acting on its or their behalf may take up a portion of the
Placing Shares as a principal position and in that capacity may
retain, purchase or sell for its own account such shares in the
Company and any other securities of the Company or related
investments and may offer or sell such shares, securities or other
investments otherwise than in connection with the Placing.
Accordingly, references in this Announcement to Placing Shares
being issued, offered or placed should be read as including any
issue, offering or placement of such shares in the Company to the
Banks or any of their respective Affiliates or any person acting on
its or their behalf, in each case, acting in such capacity. In
addition either of the Banks and any of their respective Affiliates
and any person acting on its or their behalf may enter into
financing arrangements (including swaps, warrants or contracts for
difference) with investors in connection with which such person(s)
may from time to time subscribe for, hold or dispose of such
securities of the Company, including the Placing Shares. Neither of
the Banks nor any of their respective Affiliates nor any person
acting on its or their behalf intends to disclose the extent of any
such investment or transactions otherwise than in accordance with
any legal or regulatory obligation to do so;
42. a communication that the
transaction or the book is "covered" (i.e. indicated demand from
investors in the book equals or exceeds the amount of the
securities being offered) is not any indication or assurance that
the book will remain covered or that the transaction and securities
will be fully distributed by the Bank(s). Each of the Banks
reserves the right to take up a portion of the securities in the
Placing as a principal position at any stage at its sole discretion
and will, inter alia, take
account of the Company's objectives, UK MiFIR and MiFID II
requirements and/or its allocation policies;
43. if it is in Australia, it is a
"sophisticated investor" or a "professional investor" within the
meaning of sections 708(8) and (11) of the Corporations Act and it
understands and acknowledges that, for a period of 12 months from
the date of this Announcement, no transfer of any interest in the
Placing Shares may be made to any person in Australia except to
"sophisticated investors" or "professional investors" or otherwise
in accordance with section 707(3) of the Corporations
Act;
44. it acknowledges that the Placing
Shares have not been registered or otherwise qualified, and will
not be registered or otherwise qualified, for offer and sale nor
will a prospectus be prepared in respect of any of the Placing
Shares under the securities laws of the United States, or any state
or other jurisdiction of the United States, nor approved or
disapproved by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, any
state securities commission or other regulatory authority in the
United States, nor have any of the foregoing authorities passed
upon or endorsed the merits of the Placing or the accuracy or
adequacy of this Announcement. The Placing Shares have not been
registered or otherwise qualified for offer and sale nor will a
prospectus be cleared or approved in respect of the Placing Shares
under the securities laws of Australia, Canada, South Africa or
Japan and, subject to certain exceptions, may not be offered, sold,
taken up, renounced or delivered or transferred, directly or
indirectly, within the United States, Australia, Canada, South
Africa or Japan or in any country or jurisdiction where any action
for that purpose is required;
45. it understands and acknowledges
that the Placing Shares are being offered and sold by the Company
(a) outside the United States in offshore transactions as defined
in, and pursuant to, Regulation S; and (b) in the United States
only to persons reasonably believed to be QIBs in transactions
pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to,
the registration requirements of the Securities Act. It and the
prospective beneficial owner of the Placing Shares is, and at the
time the Placing Shares are subscribed for will be, either: (i)
outside the United States and subscribing for the Placing Shares in
an "offshore transaction" as defined in, and pursuant to,
Regulation S; or (ii) (a) a QIB that has executed and delivered, or
will execute or deliver, and agrees to be bound to the terms of,
the US Investor Letter, and (b) subscribing for the Placing Shares
pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to,
the registration requirements under the Securities Act,
acknowledging that the Placing Shares have not been, and will not
be, registered under the Securities Act or with any state or other
jurisdiction of the United States. With respect to (ii) above, a
potential Placee is subscribing for the Placing Shares for its own
account or for one or more accounts as to each of which it
exercises sole investment discretion and each of which is a QIB,
for investment purposes only and not with a view to any
distribution or for resale in connection with the distribution
thereof in whole or in part, in the United States, and it has full
power to make the representations, warranties, indemnities,
acknowledgements, agreements and undertakings herein on behalf of
each such account;
46. the Placing Shares offered and
sold in the United States are "restricted securities" within the
meaning of Rule 144(a)(3) under the Securities Act and for so long
as the Placing Shares are "restricted securities", it will not
deposit such shares in any unrestricted depositary facility
established or maintained by any depositary bank and it agrees to
notify any transferee to whom it subsequently reoffers, resells,
pledges or otherwise transfers the Placing Shares of the foregoing
restrictions on transfer;
47. it will not directly or
indirectly offer, reoffer, resell, transfer, assign, pledge or
otherwise dispose of any Placing Shares except: (a) outside the
United States in "offshore transactions" defined in, and in
accordance with, Regulation S; (b) in the United States to a person
that it and any person acting on its behalf reasonably believes is
a QIB who is purchasing for its own account or for the account of
another person who is a QIB pursuant to Rule 144A under the
Securities Act (it being understood that all offers or
solicitations in connection with such a transfer are limited to
QIBs and do not involve any means of general solicitation or
general advertising); (c) pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities
Act (if available); (d) to the Company; or (e) pursuant to an
exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the
registration requirements of the Securities Act, and, if the
Company shall so require, subject to delivery to the Company of an
opinion of counsel (and such other evidence as the Company may
reasonably require) that such transfer or sale is in compliance
with the Securities Act, in each case in accordance with any
applicable securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction of
the United States; and that that it will notify any transferee to
whom it subsequently reoffers, resells, pledges or otherwise
transfers the Placing Shares of the foregoing restrictions on
transfer; and
48. no representation has been made
as to the availability of the exemption provided by Rule 144 or any
other exemption under the Securities Act for the reoffer, resale,
pledge or transfer of the Placing Shares.
The foregoing acknowledgements,
agreements, undertakings, representations, warranties and
confirmations are given for the benefit of the Company as well as
each of the Banks (for their own benefit and, where relevant, the
benefit of their respective Affiliates and any person acting on its
or their behalf) and are irrevocable. Each Placee, and any person
acting on behalf of a Placee, acknowledges that neither the Company
nor the Banks owe any fiduciary or other duties to any Placee in
respect of any representations, warranties, undertakings or
indemnities in the Placing Agreement or these Terms and
Conditions.
Please also note that the agreement
to allot and issue Placing Shares to Placees (or the persons for
whom Placees are contracting as nominee or agent) free of UK stamp
duty and UK stamp duty reserve tax relates only to their allotment
and issue to Placees, or such persons as they nominate as their
agents, direct from the Company for the Placing Shares in question.
None of the Company, the Banks nor their respective Affiliates nor
any person acting on its or their behalf will be responsible for
any UK stamp duty or UK stamp duty reserve tax (including any
interest, fines and penalties relating thereto) arising in relation
to the Placing Shares in any other circumstances.
Such agreement is subject to the
representations, warranties and further terms above and also
assumes, and is based on a warranty and representation from each
Placee, that the Placing Shares are not being subscribed for in
connection with arrangements to issue depositary receipts or to
issue or transfer the Placing Shares into a clearance service.
Neither the Banks, the Company nor their respective Affiliates nor
any person acting on its or their behalf will be liable to bear any
interest or any stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax or any other
similar duties or taxes (including, without limitation, other
stamp, issue, securities, transfer, registration, capital, or
documentary duties or taxes or any interest) ("transfer
taxes") that arise (i) if there are
any such arrangements (or if any such arrangements arise subsequent
to the subscription by Placees for Placing Shares) or (ii) on a
sale of Placing Shares, or (iii) otherwise than under the laws of
the United Kingdom. Each Placee to whom (or on behalf of whom, or
in respect of the person for whom it is participating in the
Placing as an agent or nominee) the allocation, allotment, issue or
delivery of Placing Shares has given rise to such transfer taxes
undertakes to pay such transfer taxes forthwith (including any
interest, fines and penalties relating thereto), and agrees to
indemnify on an after-tax basis and hold the Banks and/or the
Company (as the case may be) and their respective Affiliates and
any person acting on its or their behalf harmless from any such
transfer taxes, and all interest, fines or penalties in relation to
such transfer taxes. Each Placee should, therefore, take its own
advice as to whether any such transfer tax liability
arises.
Miscellaneous
Each Placee and any person acting on
behalf of each Placee acknowledges and agrees that either of the
Banks or any of their respective Affiliates may, at their absolute
discretion, agree to become a Placee in respect of some or all of
the Placing Shares. Each Placee acknowledges and is aware that the
Banks are receiving a fee in connection with their role in respect
of the Placing as detailed in the Placing Agreement.
When a Placee or person acting on
behalf of the Placee is dealing with either of the Banks, any money
held in an account with either of the Banks on behalf of the Placee
and/or any person acting on behalf of the Placee will not be
treated as client money within the meaning of the rules and
regulations of the FCA made under the FSMA.
The Placee acknowledges that the
money will not be subject to the protections conferred by the
client money rules; as a consequence, this money will not be
segregated from the relevant Bank's money in accordance with the
client money rules and will be used by each of the Banks in the
course of its own business; and the Placee will rank only as a
general creditor of the relevant Bank.
All times and dates in this
Announcement may be subject to amendment by the Banks and the
Company (in their absolute discretion). The Banks shall notify the
Placees and any person acting on behalf of the Placees of any
changes.
The rights and remedies of the Banks
and the Company under these Terms and Conditions are in addition to
any rights and remedies which would otherwise be available to each
of them and the exercise or partial exercise of one will not
prevent the exercise of others.
Time is of the essence as regards
each Placee's obligations under this Appendix.
Any document that is to be sent to
it in connection with the Placing will be sent at its risk and may
be sent to it at any address provided by it to the
Banks.
Each Placee may be asked to disclose
in writing or orally to the Banks:
1. if he or she is an
individual, his or her nationality; or
2. if it is a
discretionary fund manager, the jurisdiction in which the funds are
managed or owned.
Appendix 2 - Definitions
The following definitions apply
throughout this Announcement unless the context otherwise
requires:
"£", "GBP", "pounds", "pound sterling" or "sterling", "p", "penny" or "pence" are to the lawful currency of
the UK.
"Admission" means admission of the
Placing Shares, the Retail Offer Shares and the Subscription Shares
to the premium listing segment of the Official List and to trading
on the London Stock Exchange's main market for listed
securities;
"Affiliate" of any person means any
other person that, directly or indirectly through one or more
intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common
control with, such person and specifically includes subsidiaries,
branches, associated companies and holding companies and the
subsidiaries of such holding companies, branches, associated
companies and subsidiaries; and for these purposes "controlling person" means any person
who controls any other person; "control" (including the terms
"controlling",
"controlled by" and
"under common control
with") means the possession, direct or indirect, of the
power to direct or cause the direction of the management, policies
or activities of a person whether through the ownership of
securities, by contract or agency or otherwise; and the term
"person" is deemed to include a partnership, and this definition
also includes the respective directors, officers, employees, agents
and advisers of all such persons;
"Announcement" means this announcement
and its appendices;
"Banks" means J.P. Morgan and Deutsche
Numis;
"Bookbuild" means the bookbuilding
process to be commenced by the Banks to use reasonable endeavours
to procure placees for the Placing Shares at the Placing Price, as
described in this Announcement and subject to the terms and
conditions set out in this Announcement and the Placing
Agreement;
"Canadian Investor Letter" means the
investor representation letter in the form provided by the Banks to
prospective purchasers of Placing Shares that are located or
resident in Canada;
"Capital Raise" means the Placing, the
Retail Offer and the Subscription;
"COBS" means Chapter 3 of the FCA
Handbook Conduct of Business Sourcebook;
"Company" means The Unite Group
plc;
"Corporations Act" means the Australian
Corporations Act 2001 (Cth);
"CREST" means the relevant system (as
defined in the Uncertificated Securities Regulations 2001 (SI 2001
No. 3755)) in respect of which Euroclear is the Operator (as
defined in such Regulations) in accordance with which securities
may be held and transferred in uncertificated form;
"Deutsche Numis" means Numis Securities Limited
(trading as Deutsche Numis);
"DTRs" means the Disclosure Guidance and
Transparency Rules made by the FCA pursuant to Part VI of
FSMA;
"EU
MAR" means the Market Abuse Regulation (EU)
No.596/2014;
"EU
Target Market Assessment" means the assessment that the
Placing Shares are (i) compatible with an end target market of
retail investors and investors who meet the criteria of
professional clients and eligible counterparties, each as defined
in MiFID II; and (ii) eligible for distribution through all
permitted distribution channels;
"Euroclear" means Euroclear UK &
Ireland Limited, a company incorporated under the laws of England
and Wales;
"Exchange Information" means certain
business and financial information that the Company is required to
publish in accordance with UK MAR and the rules and practices of
the London Stock Exchange and/or the FCA;
"FCA" or "Financial Conduct Authority" means the
UK Financial Conduct Authority;
"FSMA" means the Financial Services and
Markets Act 2000 (as amended);
"Group" means the Company and its
subsidiaries;
"HMO" means Houses of Multiple
Occupancy;
"J.P. Morgan Cazenove" means J.P. Morgan
Securities plc (which conducts its UK investment banking activities
as J.P. Morgan Cazenove);
"Listing Rules" means the rules and
regulations made by the FCA under FSMA;
"LSE" or "London Stock Exchange" means London
Stock Exchange plc;
"Market Abuse Regulation" means EU MAR
or UK MAR (as applicable);
"MiFID II" means EU Directive 2014/65/EU
on markets in financial instruments;
"MiFID II Product Governance
Requirements" means the product governance requirements of
(a) MiFID II; (b) Articles 9 and 10 of Commission Delegated
Directive (EU) 2017/593 supplementing MiFID II; and (c) local
implementing measures;
"Net Proceeds" means the net proceeds of
the Capital Raise;
"New Ordinary Shares" means the Placing
Shares, the Retail Offer Shares and the Subscription
Shares;
"Official List" means the list of
publicly listed companies maintained by the FCA;
"Order" means the Financial Services and
Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as
amended;
"Ordinary Share" means an ordinary share
of 25 pence each in the capital of the Company;
"PBSA" means Purpose Built Student
Accommodation;
"Placee" means a person procured by a
Bank to subscribe for Placing Shares;
"Placing" has the meaning given in the
first paragraph of this Announcement;
"Placing Agreement" has the meaning
given to it in Appendix 1 to this Announcement;
"Placing Price" means the price per
Ordinary Share at which the Placing Shares are placed;
"Placing Shares" means the new Ordinary
Shares to be allotted and issued under the Placing;
"PRA" or "Prudential Regulation Authority" means
the UK Prudential Regulation Authority;
"Pricing Agreement" has the meaning
given to it in Appendix 1 to this Announcement;
"Pricing Announcement" means the
announcement published by the Company confirming the results of the
Placing on a Regulatory Information Service immediately following
the execution of the Pricing Agreement;
"Prospectus Regulation" means the
Prospectus Regulation (EU) 2017/1129;
"QIBs" means "qualified institutional
buyers" as defined in Rule 144A of the Securities Act;
"Qualified Investors" means qualified
investors within the meaning of article 2(e) of the Prospectus
Regulation;
"Regulation S" means Regulation S
promulgated under the Securities Act;
"Regulations" means the Criminal Justice
Act 1993, UK MAR and in connection with money laundering and
terrorist financing under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, the
Terrorism Act 2000, the Anti-Terrorism Crime and Security Act 2001,
the Terrorism Act 2006, the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing
and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017
and the Money Laundering Sourcebook of the FCA and any related or
similar rules, regulations or guidelines issued, administered or
enforced by any government agency having jurisdiction in respect
thereof;
"Regulatory Information Service" means
any of the services set out in Appendix 3 of the Listing
Rules;
"Relevant Person" has the meaning given
to it in Appendix 1 to this Announcement;
"Restricted Territory" has the meaning
given to it in Appendix 1 to this Announcement;
"Retail Offer" means the offer to be
made by the Company on the PrimaryBid platform of new Ordinary
Shares at the Placing Price, the terms of which will be detailed in
a separate announcement by the Company published shortly after this
announcement;
"Retail Offer Shares" means the new
Ordinary Shares to be allotted and issued under the Retail
Offer;
"Securities Act" means the
U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended;
"Subscription" means the subscription
for new Ordinary Shares by certain directors of the
Company;
"Subscription Shares" means the new
Ordinary Shares to be allotted and issued under the
Subscription;
"subsidiary" or "subsidiary undertaking" each have the
meaning given to such term in the Companies Act 2006;
"TDC" means total development
cost;
"Terms and Conditions" means the terms
and conditions of the Placing set out in Appendix 1 to this
Announcement;
"transfer taxes" means any stamp duty or
stamp duty reserve tax or any other similar duties or taxes
(including, without limitation, other stamp, issue, securities,
transfer, registration, capital, or documentary duties or
taxes);
"UK
MAR" means the UK version of the Market Abuse Regulation
(EU) No.596/2014 as it forms part of UK law by virtue of the
European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, as amended and
supplemented;
"UK MiFIR" means the UK version of the
Market in Financial Instruments Regulation (EU) 600/2014 as it
forms part of UK law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal)
Act 2018, as amended and supplemented;
"UK
Product Governance Rules" means the product governance
requirements of Chapter 3 of the FCA Handbook Product Intervention
and Product Governance Sourcebook;
"UK
Prospectus Regulation" means the UK version of the
Prospectus Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 as it forms part of UK law by
virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, as amended and
supplemented;
"UK
Target Market Assessment" means the assessment that the
Placing Shares are (i) compatible with an end target market of
retail investors and investors who meet the criteria of
professional clients and eligible counterparties, each as defined
in Chapter 3 of COBS; and (ii) eligible for distribution through
all permitted distribution channels;
"uncertificated" or "in uncertificated form" means in
respect of a share or other security, where that share or other
security is recorded on the relevant register of the share or
security concerned as being held in uncertificated form in CREST
and title to which may be transferred by means of CREST;
"United Kingdom" or "UK" means the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Northern Ireland;
"United States" or "US" means the United States of America,
its territories and possessions, any state of the United States of
America, the District of Columbia and all other areas subject to
its jurisdiction and any political sub-division thereof;
and
"US
Investor Letter" means the investor representation letter in
the form provided by the Banks to QIBs in the United
States.