Rule 9 waiver proposal and reverse takeover
A Rule 9 waiver proposal is where the Panel is asked to waive the obligation to make an offer under Rule 9 of the UK Code which would otherwise arise
where, as a result of the issue of new securities as consideration for an acquisition or a cash subscription or in fulfilment of obligations under an agreement to underwrite the issue of new securities, a person or group of persons acting in concert
acquires an interest, or interests, in shares which carry 30% or more of the voting rights of a company (to which the UK Code applies).
A transaction
will be a reverse takeover if an offeror (being a company to which the UK Code applies) might as a result need to increase its existing issued voting equity share capital by more than 100%.
Publication on a website
In accordance with Rule 26.1 of
the Code, a copy of this announcement will be available at https://www.bhp.com promptly and in any event by no later than 12 noon (UK time) on the business day following this announcement. The content of the website referred to in this
announcement is not incorporated into and does not form part of this announcement.
Rule 2.9 of the Code
In accordance with Rule 2.9(c) of the Code, BHP confirms that as at the date of this announcement, it has in issue 5,071,530,817 ordinary shares. There are no
BHP Shares held in treasury. The International Securities Identification Number (ISIN) of the shares is AU000000BHP4. BHPs Legal Entity Identifier is WZE1WSENV6JSZFK0JC28.
BHP has a Level II sponsored ADR programme for which Citibank acts as Depositary. One ADR represents two ordinary BHP shares. The BHP ADRs trade on the New
York Stock Exchange. The trading symbol for these securities is BHP, the CUSIP number is 088606108 and the ISIN is US0886061086.
Disclosure
requirements of the UK Takeover Code
Under Rule 8.3(a) of the Code, any person who is interested in 1% or more of any class of relevant securities of
an offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror (being any offeror other than an offeror in respect of which it has been announced that its offer is, or is likely to be, solely in cash) must make an Opening Position Disclosure following the
commencement of the offer period and, if later, following the announcement in which any securities exchange offeror is first identified. An Opening Position Disclosure must contain details of the persons interests and short positions in, and
rights to subscribe for, any relevant securities of each of (i) the offeree company and (ii) any securities exchange offeror(s). An Opening Position Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(a) applies must be made by no later than 3.30 pm
(London time) on the 10th business day following the commencement of the offer period and, if appropriate, by no later than 3.30 pm (London time) on the 10th business day following the announcement in which any securities exchange offeror is first
identified. Relevant persons who deal in the relevant securities of the offeree company or of a securities exchange offeror prior to the deadline for making an Opening Position Disclosure must instead make a Dealing Disclosure.
Under Rule 8.3(b) of the Code, any person who is, or becomes, interested in 1% or more of any class of relevant securities of the offeree company or of any
securities exchange offeror must make a Dealing Disclosure if the person deals in any relevant securities of the offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror. A Dealing Disclosure must contain details of the dealing concerned and of the
persons interests and short positions in, and rights to subscribe for, any relevant securities of each of (i) the offeree company and (ii) any securities exchange offeror, save to the extent that these details have previously been
disclosed under Rule 8. A Dealing Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(b) applies must be made by no later than 3.30 pm (London time) on the business day following the date of the relevant dealing.
If two or more persons act together pursuant to an agreement or understanding, whether formal or informal, to acquire or control an interest in relevant
securities of an offeree company or a securities exchange offeror, they will be deemed to be a single person for the purpose of Rule 8.3.
Opening
Position Disclosures must also be made by the offeree company and by any offeror and Dealing Disclosures must also be made by the offeree company, by any offeror and by any persons acting in concert with any of them (see Rules 8.1, 8.2 and 8.4).