THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, INCLUDING THE
APPENDIX, AND THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS RESTRICTED AND IS
NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR
INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES,
CANADA, AUSTRALIA, JAPAN, SOUTH AFRICA OR ANY OTHER STATE OR
JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION
WOULD BE UNLAWFUL. PLEASE SEE THE IMPORTANT NOTICE SECTION OF THIS
ANNOUNCEMENT.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS FOR INFORMATION
PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT AN OFFER OF SECURITIES IN ANY
JURISDICTION.
This announcement is released by
Datalex plc and contains inside information for the purposes of
Article 7 of the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) 596/2014
("EU MAR") and is disclosed
in accordance with the Company's obligations under Article 17 of EU
MAR.
28 August 2024
DATALEX PLC ("Datalex" or the
"Company")
Proposed Firm Placing and
Placing and Open Offer
Datalex today announces its
intention to raise approximately €25.0 million in gross proceeds
(approximately €24.3 million net of commissions, fees and expenses)
by way of a Firm Placing (€17.0 million) and Placing and Open Offer
(together c.€8.0 million) (together the "Capital Raise") of newly
issued ordinary shares in the Company (the "New Ordinary Shares").
The New Ordinary Shares will be issued at a price of €0.45 each
(the "Issue Price).
The Firm Placing is being conducted
by way of an accelerated bookbuild (the "Bookbuild"), which will be
launched immediately following this announcement (the
"Announcement") and which is subject to the terms and conditions
set out in the appendix to this Announcement (which forms part of
this Announcement) (the "Appendix"). IIU Nominees, along with other
certain key Shareholders in the Company, intend to support the Firm
Placing.
A further c.€8.0 million is intended
to be raised by way of the Placing and Open. The Open Offer,
participation in which will be available to Qualifying
Shareholders, will commence following publication of a Circular by
the Company. Goodbody has conditionally placed all of the Placed
Shares at the Issue Price to IIU Nominees for in aggregate
approximately €8.0 million (prior to deduction of fees and
expenses). The commitments of IIU Nominees under the Placing are
subject to clawback in respect of valid applications for Open Offer
Shares by Qualifying Shareholders. The Firm Placed Shares are not
subject to clawback and do not form part of the Placing and Open
Offer. Goodbody is acting as Bookrunner in respect of the Firm
Placing and Placing.
Completion of the Capital Raise will
be conditional, amongst other things, on approval by Shareholders
(including
that of Independent Shareholders) at
an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Company which is expected
to be held on 26 September 2024.
Highlights
· Intention to raise approximately €25.0 million by way of a
Firm Placing and Placing and Open Offer (approximately €24.3
million net of fees and expenses)
o approximately €17.0 million by way of a Firm Placing;
and
o approximately €8.0 million by way of a Placing and Open
Offer.
· The
funds will be used to strengthen the Group's balance sheet and
will, in particular, enable a deleveraging of the Group by way of
the repayment of the outstanding Tireragh Loan, and the transition
to a more sustainable capital structure for the Group.
· The
completion of the Capital Raise will be an important step in the
Group's growth strategy, providing the Group with the means to
support the implementation of new revenue opportunities and to
accelerate investment in its product roadmap and activation
projects, while continuing to compete for new revenue
opportunities.
EU
MAR Information
This Announcement contains inside
information for the purposes of EU MAR. The person responsible for
arranging for the release of this Announcement on behalf of Datalex
plc is Neil McLoughlin, Company Secretary. The date and time of
this Announcement is the same as the date and time that it has been
communicated to the media, at 7 a.m. on 28 August 2024.
In addition, market soundings (as
defined in EU MAR) were taken in respect of the Capital Raise with
the result that certain persons became aware of inside information
(as defined in EU MAR) relating to the Company and its securities,
as permitted by EU MAR. That inside information is set out in this
Announcement. Therefore, those persons that received inside
information in a market sounding are no longer in possession of
such inside information relating to the Company and its
securities.
For
further information, please
contact:
Datalex plc
|
Tel: +353 (1) 806 3500
|
Jonathan Rockett
|
Chief Executive Officer
|
|
|
|
|
Steven Moloney
|
Chief Financial Officer
|
|
|
|
|
Neil McLoughlin
|
Chief Commercial & Legal
Officer
|
|
|
|
Goodbody - Euronext Growth Listing Sponsor, Corporate Broker,
Financial Adviser, Bookrunner
|
Tel: +353 (0) 1 667 0420
|
Cameron Duncan
Peter Bennett
William Hall
Xiao Wang
|
|
Expected Key Dates for the Capital Raise
Event
|
Time/Date
|
Record Date and time for
entitlements under the Open Offer
|
7.00 p.m.
on 27 August 2024
|
Announcement of the Capital
Raise
|
28 August
2024
|
Announcement of results of Firm
Placing
|
28 August
2024
|
Posting of Circular and Form of
Proxy to Shareholders (i)
|
30 August
2024
|
Ex-entitlement date in respect of
the Open Offer
|
30 August
2024
|
Open Offer Entitlements enabled by
Euroclear Bank
|
As soon as
practicable after 8.00 a.m. on
2
September 2024
|
Euroclear Subscription Rights
(representing Open Offer Entitlements) credited to accounts of
Admitted Institutions in Euroclear Bank (Euroclear Participants
only)
|
As soon as
practicable after 8.00 a.m. on
2
September 2024
|
CDI Entitlements (representing Open
Offer Entitlements) credited to stock accounts in CREST (CDI
Holders
only)
|
As soon as
practicable after 8.00 a.m. on
2
September 2024
|
Latest time and date for
applications and payment in full in CREST (Qualifying CDI Holders
only)
|
11.00 a.m.
on 18 September 2024
|
Latest time and date for receipt of
applications and payment in full by Euroclear Bank from Admitted
Institutions (Qualifying Euroclear Participants only)
|
10.00 a.m.
on 23 September 2024
|
Latest time and date for receipt of
Forms of Proxy
|
11.00 a.m.
on 24 September 2024
|
Time and Date of EGM
|
11.00 a.m.
on 26 September 2024
|
Announcement of results of Open
Offer
|
26
September 2024
|
Announcements of results of EGM
(ii)
|
26
September 2024
|
Issue of the New Ordinary Shares
pursuant to the Capital Raise and Admission and expected
commencement of dealings in the New Ordinary Shares issued under
the Capital Raise on Euronext Growth
|
27
September 2024
|
Interests in those New Ordinary
Shares issued under the Capital Raise and to be held in the
Euroclear System expected to be credited to accounts of Admitted
Institutions in Euroclear Bank
|
As soon as
practicable after 8.00 a.m. on
27
September 2024
|
Interests in those New Ordinary
Shares issued under the Capital Raise and to be held in CDI Form in
CREST expected to be credited to CREST stock accounts
|
As soon as
practicable after 8.00 a.m. on
27
September 2024
|
(i)
Each of the times and dates shown above and
elsewhere in this document is indicative and accordingly is subject
to change.
(ii) References to time in this document are to Dublin time unless
otherwise stated.
(iii) If any of the above times and/or dates change, the revised
time(s) and/or date(s) will be notified to Shareholders by
announcement through a Regulatory Information Service.
Different deadlines and procedures
for applications may apply in certain cases. All such persons who
are eligible for and wish to participate in the Open Offer and/or
who wish to exercise voting rights in connection with the
Resolutions proposed for consideration at the EGM are recommended
to consult with their stockbroker or other intermediary at the
earliest opportunity given the possibility that earlier deadlines
for actions that those set out in the 'Expected Timetable of
Principal Events' will be applied by relevant service
providers.
Background to and reasons for the Capital
Raise
Implementation of the Capital Raise
will deliver on the Board's stated intention to arrange an equity
fundraising in order to strengthen the Group's balance sheet and
liquidity position. Completion of the Capital Raise will, the Board
believes, provide the Group with financial stability and give it a
firmer platform to implement its business plan and strategic
repositioning.
The Board intends to apply the net
proceeds of the Capital Raise for the repayment of the Tireragh
Loan (together with all accrued and unpaid interest thereon and
related fees) in the amount of approximately €19.1 million, with
the balance of approximately €5.2 million for:
· an
acceleration of the Company's investment in its product roadmap;
and
· the
funding of working capital to support implementation of new revenue
opportunities.
Tireragh Loan
Tireragh is a company ultimately
beneficially owned by Mr. Dermot Desmond and an associate of the
Company's largest shareholder, IIU Nominees, a company ultimately
beneficially owned by Mr. Desmond.
At the Latest Practicable Date,
Datalex owes approximately €18.9 million to Tireragh in principal,
accrued interest and fees under the Facilities
Agreement.
Under the terms of the Facilities
Agreement:
· all
amounts drawn under the Groups facilities with Tireragh are
required to be repaid by 31 December 2024; and
· the
interest payable on loans made under the Facilities Agreement is
currently accruing at a rate of 18 per cent. per annum.
The short-term nature of the
Tireragh Loan constitutes a risk to the viability of the Group.
Completion of the Capital Raise and application of a portion of the
net proceeds to the full repayment of the Tireragh Loan (together
with all accrued and unpaid interest thereon and fees) will
facilitate the Group's objective of removing the Group's
outstanding debt burden and putting in place a more sustainable and
appropriate capital structure for the operation of the Group's
business.
The
Group's Strategy Following Completion of the Capital
Raise
Over the last 30 years, Datalex has
evolved to become an established player in airline retail
technology.
Datalex's core product portfolio is
comprised of offer and order management capabilities. Datalex's
offer management product enables airlines to sell more products,
sell across more channels, optimise their pricing and optimise
e-commerce conversion. Datalex's order management product ensures
that airlines are then able to fulfil these offers, facilitate
payment, enable customers to service their bookings after the
initial booking has been made and enable airlines to update these
bookings in the event that a flight's details have
changed.
Datalex's offer and order management
products are proven at scale. In a normalised year, Datalex's
products and platform can service over one billion shoppers
annually. Datalex's customers include EasyJet, Aer Lingus,
Edelweiss, Air China, Air Transat and JetBlue. Datalex is currently
activating Air Macau on its platform and anticipate that this
customer will go-live in 2024. Datalex is also continuing to
activate more capability for EasyJet, who went live in
2023.
From an industry perspective,
airlines continue to face e-commerce constraints due to their
legacy passenger ticketing systems (passenger service systems).
However, in recent years there has been demonstrable progress to
suggest airlines will start to transition away from these legacy
systems in the coming years. While previously, Datalex sat on top
of these legacy systems, its new platform will be centered on
diluting the reliance on these systems to a point where airlines
can operate in a legacy free position. It is likely that this will
be a multi-year transition for airlines and that most airlines will
opt for a phased approach. Datalex is in a strong position to
support airlines with this transition. Datalex's latest platform
and related offer and order management products will enable
airlines to ensure that they are still realising the retailing
value that can be unlocked from every passenger during the
transition phase, whilst also enabling airlines to move away their
dependency on their underlying legacy systems.
Datalex's strategy is to drive
growth from its anchor offer and order management product
portfolio. In order to create growth from its existing customer
base and to ensure that the Group continues to acquire new
customers for this anchor solution, the Group will prioritise
investment in:
· Activating more functionality for existing
customers
· Building new functionality that enables airlines to increase
their passenger revenues, sell additional products and/or increase
conversion
· Improving the underlying platform to support future
scale
· Improving the underlying platform in order to make it easier
and faster for Datalex to deploy its products to new
customers
Datalex will continue to evaluate
other areas in the airline eco-system where it sees the potential
to create further value for its customers.
Current Trading Prospects and Working
Capital
Current Trading and Prospects
The Company's Annual Report and
Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2023 reported
revenue of US$28.9 million, an Adjusted EBITDA loss of US$2.9
million and a loss after tax of US$9.0 million. Cash as at 31
December 2023 totalled US$5.8 million.
The Company announced its interim
results for the six months ended 30 June 2024 on 28 August 2024,
reporting revenue of US$13.2 million, an Adjusted EBITDA loss of
US$2.0 million and a loss after tax of US$6.1 million. Cash as at
31 July 2024 totalled US$4.7 million.
Working Capital
The Board is confident that, subject
to the completion of the Capital Raise that the Company will have
sufficient working capital for at least the six months following
the date of this document.
Basis of Preparation
In preparing the working capital
statement above, the Company has identified, defined and considered
a reasonable worst case scenario. That has involved making certain
assumptions regarding the performance of the business over the six
months following the date of this Announcement (the "RWC Assessment
Period") and its potential impact on the Group in that reasonable
worst case scenario.
The reasonable worst case
projections prepared by the Company, which take into account the
net proceeds of the Capital Raise, show that a minimum €5 million
of further capital will be required following the RWC Assessment
Period. While the quantum, timing and structure of any additional
fundraising by the Company will be determined by the pace at which
the Board wishes to invest in its anchor solution and in new
product offerings, it is the Board's intention to raise further
capital in the first half of 2025. Accelerated investment would be
supported by a strong pipeline of opportunities and a clear line of
sight on the potential revenue and margin growth.
The Company believes that it is
appropriate to provide additional disclosure on the key assumptions
included in the Group's reasonable worst case scenario.
The key reasonable worst case
assumptions include:
· a 20%
reduction in cash receipts from customers in respect of services
revenue, and no new customer wins;
· project go live delay of 3 months for a major customer, or a
number of smaller customers;
· a
delay in payment by one or more customer in respect of services
already rendered;
· an
unfavourable movement in foreign exchange rates of 5 per cent or
more;
· cost
overruns of $50,000 per month from October 2024; and
· assumption management will take mitigating actions to
partially offset the impact through a series of cost reductions and
invoicing financing.
Summary of principal terms of the Capital
Raise
The Company is proposing to issue
55,469,070 New Ordinary Shares to raise approximately €25.0 million
(approximately €24.3 million net of commissions, fees and expenses)
through the Capital Raise. The Capital Raise is conditional inter
alia on the Resolutions being duly passed at the Extraordinary
General Meeting.
Of the New Ordinary Shares being
issued, 37,777,777 will be issued through the Firm Placing raising
gross proceeds of c.€17.0 million and 17,691,293 will be issued
through the Placing and Open Offer raising gross proceeds of €8.0
million. The Firm Placing and the Placing and Open Offer are
inter-conditional.
Qualifying Shareholders are being
offered the right, subject to the Terms and Conditions of the Open
Offer, to subscribe for Open Offer Shares. With the exception of
the Firm Placees, Qualifying Shareholders were not offered the
right to subscribe for the Firm Placed Shares or the Placed Shares.
IIU Nominees has irrevocably agreed to subscribe for all of the
Placed Shares at the Issue Price on and subject to the terms of the
IIU Subscription Agreement.
The Firm Placing
The Company is proposing to issue
37,777,777 New Ordinary Shares pursuant to the Firm Placing, the
terms and conditions of which are as set out in this Announcement.
The Firm Placed Shares will be issued at the Issue
Price.
Goodbody has conditionally placed
all of the Placed Shares with IIU Nominees, subject to clawback as
described below. IIU Nominees is also expected to participate in
the Firm Placing and accordingly is expected to hold between
75,871,413 and 98,726,085 Ordinary Shares representing between 40.3
and 52.5 per cent. of the Enlarged Issued Ordinary Share Capital of
the Company.
The Firm Placed Shares are not
subject to clawback and do not form part of the Placing and Open
Offer. The Firm Placing will raise approximately €17.0 million
(prior to deduction of fees and expenses). The Firm Placing is
subject to the same conditions and termination rights which apply
to the Placing and Open Offer (as set out in the Appendix of this
Announcement).
The Firm Placed Shares, when issued
and fully paid, will be identical to, and rank pari passu with, the
Existing Ordinary Shares, including with respect to the right to
receive all dividends or other distributions made, paid or
delivered after Admission.
The Firm Placed Shares will not
carry an entitlement to participate in the Open Offer.
The Placing
Goodbody has conditionally placed
all of the Placed Shares at the Issue Price to IIU Nominees for in
aggregate approximately €8.0 million (prior to deduction of fees
and expenses). The commitments of IIU Nominees are subject to
clawback in respect of valid applications for Open Offer Shares by
Qualifying Shareholders pursuant to the Open Offer. Subject to
Independent Shareholders' approval and the Placing and Open Offer
not being terminated, any Open Offer Shares which are not applied
for in respect of the Open Offer will be issued to IIU Nominees,
with the net proceeds retained for the benefit of the
Company.
The Placed Shares, when issued and
fully paid, will be identical to, and rank pari passu with, the
Existing Ordinary Shares, including with respect to the right to
receive all dividends or other distributions made, paid or
delivered after Admission.
The Open Offer
The Company considers it important
that Shareholders who have not taken part in the Firm Placing have
an opportunity to participate in the proposed fundraising at the
same price as those participating in the Firm Placing. The size of
the Open Offer is capped at €8.0 million which is the maximum
amount which can be raised by way of an open offer without the need
to produce a prospectus, which is a costly and time-consuming
exercise. Unfortunately, due to the legal requirements of
Regulation (EU) No 909/2014 of the European Parliament and of the
Council of 23 July 2014 and as indicated by the Company in its AGM
trading update on 18 July 2024, Shareholders who hold their Shares
in certificated form as at close of business on the Record Date are
not eligible to participate in the Open Offer.
Subject to the terms and conditions
set out in the Circular, Qualifying Shareholders (i.e. those who
hold in uncertificated form only) are being given the opportunity
to apply for any number of Open Offer Shares at the Issue Price
(payable in full on application and free of all expenses) in
respect of their pro rata entitlement which shall be calculated on
the basis of:
2 New Ordinary Shares for
every 15 Existing Ordinary Shares
registered in the name of each
Qualifying Shareholder on the Record Date and so in proportion for
any greater or lesser number of Existing Ordinary Shares then
registered.
Any fractional entitlements to Open
Offer Shares will be disregarded in calculating Qualifying
Shareholders' Open Offer Entitlements and will be aggregated with
any Open Offer Entitlements in respect of Ordinary Shares held by
Firm Placees and made available under the Excess Application
Facility. The total number of Open Offer Shares is fixed and will
not be increased in response to any applications under the Excess
Application Facility.
Applications under the Excess
Application Facility shall be allocated in such manner as the
Directors may determine, at their absolute discretion, and no
assurance can be given that the application by Qualifying
Shareholders for Excess Open Offer Shares will be met in full or in
part or at all.
The Open Offer Shares, when issued
and fully paid, will be identical to, and rank pari passu with the
Existing Ordinary Shares including the right to receive all
dividends or other distributions declared, made or paid after
Admission. The Open Offer Shares are not being made available in
whole or in part to the public except under the terms of the Open
Offer.
The Placing and Open Offer will
raise approximately €8.0 million (prior to deduction of
commissions, fees and expenses).
As the Issue Price is higher than
the price of Existing Ordinary Shares traded on Euronext Growth on
the Latest Practicable Date, Qualifying Shareholders should be
aware that they may have the opportunity to purchase Ordinary
Shares other than pursuant to the Open Offer at a price lower than
the Issue Price.
Waiver of obligations under Rule 9 of Takeover
Rules
As a consequence of the expected
issue of New Ordinary Shares to IIU Nominees under the Firm Placing
and the conditional placing to IIU Nominees under the Placing, IIU
Nominees and/or its ultimate beneficial owner, Mr Desmond, would
normally be required to make a general offer to Shareholders
pursuant to Rule 9 of the Irish Takeover Rules.
In accordance with the "Whitewash
Guidance Note" to the Irish Takeover Rules, the Panel has been
consulted and has agreed, subject to the Waiver Resolution being
passed by the Independent Shareholders (on a poll) at the
Extraordinary General Meeting and subject to the Panel's approval
of the Circular for the purpose of the "Whitewash Guidance Note" to
the Irish Takeover Rules only, to waive the requirement that would
otherwise arise under Rule 9 of the Irish Takeover Rules as a
result of the issue of New Ordinary Shares to IIU Nominees under
the Firm Placing and the Placing and Open Offer. The Waiver
Resolution will be passed if approved by a simple majority of votes
cast by Independent Shareholders on a poll, the Independent
Shareholders being all Shareholders other than Mr Desmond or any
shareholders acting, or deemed under the Takeover Rules to be
acting, in concert with Mr Desmond, including IIU
Nominees.
In the event that the Capital Raise
completes, Mr Desmond (and persons acting, or deemed under the
Takeover Rules to be acting, in concert with Mr Desmond, including
IIU Nominees) will not be restricted from making an offer for the
Company.
Shareholders should be aware that if the Waiver Resolution is
passed by Independent Shareholders, IIU Nominees may pursuant to
the Capital Raise increase its voting rights in the Company up to
52.5 per cent. of the voting rights of the Company without
triggering an obligation under the Takeover Rules on Mr Desmond (or
any party acting in concert or deemed to be acting in concert with
him) to make a general offer for the balance of the issued ordinary
shares of the Company. If IIU Nominees holds more than 49.95 per
cent. of the voting rights in the Company following completion of
the Capital Raise, it might be permitted by the Panel (and if it
holds more than 50% it will be permitted under the Irish Takeover
Rules) to increase its holding of securities in the Company without
incurring any obligation to make an offer under Rule 9 of the Irish
Takeover Rules.
Important Notices
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 Goodbody or by any of its affiliates or agents
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 in connection with the Firm Placing, Placing and
Admission, and any liability therefor is expressly
disclaimed.
Goodbody Stockbrokers UC
("Goodbody"), which is authorised and regulated in Ireland by the
CBI, is acting for the Company as Bookrunner in connection with the
Capital Raise and no-one else in connection with the Capital Raise
and is not, and will not be, responsible to anyone other than the
Company for providing the protections afforded to its clients nor
for providing advice in relation to the Firm Placing and Placing
and/or any other matter referred to in this
Announcement.
Apart from the responsibilities and
liabilities, if any, which may be imposed on the Bookrunner by the
Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 of the United Kingdom or by
the regulatory regime established under it, neither Goodbody nor
any of its affiliates owes or accepts any duty, liability or
responsibility whatsoever to any person who is not a client for the
contents of the information contained in this Announcement or for
any other statement made or purported to be made by or on behalf of
the Bookrunner or its affiliates in connection with the Company,
the Firm Placing or Placing. Goodbody and each of its affiliates
accordingly disclaim all and any liability, whether arising in
tort, contract or otherwise (save as referred to above) in respect
of any statements or other information contained in this
Announcement and no representation or warranty, express or implied,
is made by the Goodbody or any of its affiliates as to the
accuracy, completeness or sufficiency of the information contained
in this Announcement. Neither Goodbody nor any of its affiliates,
directors, officers, employees, agents or advisors have authorised
the contents of, or any part of, this Announcement.
In connection with the Firm Placing
and Placing, Goodbody and any of its affiliates may take up a
portion of the shares in the Firm Placing or Placing as a principal
position and in that capacity may retain, purchase, sell, offer to
sell for its own account such shares and other securities of the
Company or related investments in connection with the Firm Placing,
Placing or otherwise. Accordingly, references to Firm Placing
Shares and Placed Shares being offered, acquired, placed or
otherwise dealt in should be read as including any issue or offer
to, or acquisition, placing or dealing by Goodbody and any of its
affiliates acting in such capacity. In addition, Goodbody and any
of its affiliates may enter into financing arrangements (including
swaps, warrants or contracts for differences) with investors in
connection with which Goodbody and any of its affiliates may from
time to time acquire, hold or dispose of shares. Goodbody does not
intend to disclose the extent of any such investment or
transactions otherwise than in accordance with any legal or
regulatory obligations to do so.
Goodbody and its affiliates may have
engaged in transactions with, and provided various commercial
banking, investment banking, financial advisory transactions and
services in the ordinary course of its business with the Company
and/or its affiliates for which they would have received customary
fees and commissions. Goodbody and its affiliates may provide such
services to the Company and/or its affiliates in the
future.
Members of the public are not
eligible to take part in the Firm Placing or Placing. All offers of
the Firm Placing Shares and Placed Shares will be made pursuant to
an exemption under Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 (the "Prospectus Regulation") from the
requirement to produce a prospectus for offers of the Firm Placing
Shares and Placed Shares. This Announcement is directed only at and
may only be communicated to: (A) persons in a Member State of the
European Economic Area who are qualified investors ("Qualified Investors") within the
meaning of Article 2(e) of the Prospectus Regulation; or (B) in the
United Kingdom, Qualified Investors who are also (A) persons having
professional experience in matters relating to investments who fall
within the definition of "investment professional" in Article 19(5)
of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial
Promotion) Order 2005 of the United Kingdom, as amended (the
"Order"), (B) persons who
fall within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) ("High Net Worth Companies,
Unincorporated Associations, etc") of the Order; or (C) persons to
whom it may otherwise be lawfully communicated including the
Company Placing Participants (all such persons referred to in (A),
(B) and (C) above together being referred to as "Relevant Persons").
This Announcement is not for
publication or distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the
United States of America. This Announcement is not an offer of
securities for sale into the United States. The offer and sale
of the securities referred to herein have not been and will not be
registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and
such securities may not be offered or sold in the United States,
except pursuant to an applicable exemption from registration.
No public offering of securities is being made in the United
States.
This Announcement must not be acted
on or relied on by persons who are not Relevant Persons. Persons
distributing this Announcement must satisfy themselves that it is
lawful to do so. Any investment or investment activity to which
this Announcement relates is available only to Relevant Persons and
will be engaged in only with Relevant Persons. This Announcement is
for information purposes only and shall not constitute an offer to
sell or issue or the solicitation of an offer to buy, subscribe for
or otherwise acquire securities in any jurisdiction in which any
such offer or solicitation would be unlawful. Any failure to comply
with this restriction may constitute a violation of the securities
laws of such jurisdictions. Persons needing advice should consult
an independent financial adviser.
This Announcement and the
information contained herein is restricted and is not for release,
publication or distribution, directly or indirectly, in whole or in
part, in, into or from Australia, Canada, Japan, the Republic of
South Africa or any other state or jurisdiction in which the same
would be restricted, unlawful or unauthorised (each a "Restricted Territory"). In addition,
the offering of the Firm Placing Shares or Placed Shares in certain
jurisdictions may be restricted by law. This Announcement is for
information purposes only and does not constitute an offer to buy,
sell, issue, acquire or subscribe for, or the solicitation of an
offer to buy, sell, issue, acquire or subscribe for shares in the
capital of the Company in any Restricted Territory or to any person
to whom it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation. No
action has been taken by the Company or the Bookrunner that would
permit an offering of such shares or possession or distribution of
this Announcement or any other offering or publicity material
relating to such shares in any jurisdiction where action for that
purpose is required. Persons into whose possession this
Announcement comes are required by the Company and the Bookrunner
to inform themselves about, and to observe, such restrictions. Any
failure to comply with these restrictions may constitute a
violation of the securities laws of such jurisdictions.
The information in this Announcement
may not be forwarded or distributed to any other person and may not
be reproduced in any manner whatsoever. Any forwarding,
distribution, reproduction, or disclosure of this information in
whole or in part is unauthorised. Failure to comply with this
directive may result in a violation of the Securities Act or the
applicable laws of other jurisdictions.
This Announcement does not identify
or suggest, or purport to identify or suggest, the risks (direct or
indirect) that may be associated with an investment in the Firm
Placing Shares and Placed Shares. Any investment decision to buy
Firm Placing Shares or Placed Shares in the Placing must be made
solely on the basis of publicly available information, which has
not been independently verified by the Bookrunner. The contents of
this Announcement are not to be construed as legal, financial or
tax advice. Persons needing advice should consult an independent
financial adviser.
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 Firm Placing Shares and Placed Shares have been subject to a
product approval process, which has determined that such Firm
Placing and Placed 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
"Target Market
Assessment"). Notwithstanding the Target Market Assessment,
distributors should note that: the price of the Firm Placing Shares
and Placed Shares may decline and investors could lose all or part
of their investment; the Firm Placing Shares and Placed Shares
offer no guaranteed income and no capital protection; and an
investment in the Firm Placing Shares or Placed 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 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 Target Market
Assessment, The Bookrunner will only procure investors who meet the
criteria of professional clients and eligible counterparties or who
are Company Placing Participants. For the avoidance of doubt, the
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 Firm Placing Shares and Placed Shares. Each distributor is
responsible for undertaking its own target market assessment in
respect of the Firm Placing Shares and Placed Shares and
determining appropriate distribution channels.
Certain statements contained in this
Announcement are or may constitute "forward-looking statements". By
their nature, forward-looking statements involve risk and
uncertainty because they relate to events and depend upon future
circumstances that may or may not occur, many of which are beyond
the control of the Company and all of which are based on its
current beliefs and expectations about future events. Such
forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks,
uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the actual
results, performance or achievements of the Group, or industry
results, to be materially different from any future results,
performance or achievements expressed or implied by such
forward-looking statements. Such forward- looking statements are
based on numerous assumptions regarding the present and future
business strategies of the Group and the environment in which the
Group will operate in the future. These forward-looking statements
speak only as at the date of this Announcement.
Forward-looking statements are
typically identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such
as "believes", "expects", "may", "will", "would", "should",
"intends", "estimates", "plans", "assumes" or "anticipates" or the
negative of such words or other variations on them or comparable
terminology, or by discussions of strategy which involve risks and
uncertainties. Such risks, uncertainties and other factors include,
among others: the macroeconomic and other impacts of COVID-19,
general economic and business conditions, changes in technology,
government policy and ability to attract and retain personnel.
Except as required by applicable law, the Listing Rules and other
regulations, Euronext Dublin or by any appropriate regulatory body,
Datalex plc expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to
release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking
statements contained herein to reflect any change in the Group's
expectations with regard thereto or any change in events,
conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is
based.
Past performance may not be a
reliable guide to future performance. Investments may fall as well
as rise in value. Income may fluctuate in accordance with market
conditions and taxation arrangements. Changes in exchange rates may
have an adverse effect on the value, price or income of the
Ordinary Shares, including the New Ordinary Shares the subject of
the Open Offer.
Euronext Growth is a market designed
primarily for emerging or smaller companies to which a higher
investment risk tends to be attached than to larger or more
established companies. Euronext Growth securities are not admitted
to the Official List of Euronext Dublin. The Euronext Growth Rules
are less demanding than those of the Official List of Euronext
Dublin. A prospective investor should be aware of the risks of
investing in such companies and should make the decision to invest
only after careful consideration and, if appropriate, consultation
with an independent financial advisor.
Certain numbers in this Announcement
have been rounded up or down. There may therefore be discrepancies
between the actual totals of the individual amounts in this
Announcement and the underlying data.
The New Ordinary Shares to be issued
pursuant to the Firm Placing and Placing will not be admitted to
trading on any stock exchange other than the Euronext Growth Market
of Euronext Dublin. Persons (including individuals, funds or
otherwise) by whom or on whose behalf a commitment to acquire Firm
Placing Shares or Placed Shares has been given ("Placees") will be deemed to have read
and understood this Announcement in its entirety (including the
Appendix) and to be making such offer on the Terms and Conditions
in it, and to be providing the representations, warranties,
indemnities, acknowledgements, and undertakings contained in the
Appendix.
In particular, each such Placee will
be asked to represent, warrant and acknowledge that: (i) it is a
Relevant Person (as defined in the Appendix) and undertakes that it
will acquire, hold, manage or dispose of any Firm Placing Shares
and Placed Shares that are allocated to it for the purposes of its
business and it is acquiring such shares for its own account; (ii)
it and any account with respect to which it exercises sole
investment discretion, is either (a) outside the United States, or
(b) a QIB; and (iii) if it is a financial intermediary, as that
term is used in Article 2(d) of the Prospectus Regulation, that it
understands the resale and transfer restrictions set out in the
Appendix and that any Firm Placing Shares or Placed Shares
acquired by it in the Firm Placing or Placing will not be acquired
on a non-discretionary basis on behalf of, nor will they be
acquired 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
Bookrunner has been given to each such proposed offer or
resale.
Persons (including, without
limitation, nominees and trustees) who have a contractual or other
legal obligation to forward a copy of the Appendix or this
Announcement should seek appropriate advice before taking any
action.
No prospectus or offering document
will be made available in connection with the matters contained in
this Announcement and no such prospectus or offering document is
required (in accordance with the Prospectus Regulation) to be
published. This Announcement has not been approved by the Central
Bank of Ireland, Euronext Dublin, or any other competent regulatory
authority.
The most recent Annual Report,
trading update and other information relating to the Company are
available on the Datalex website at www.datalex.com. Neither the content
of the Company's website nor any website accessible by hyperlinks
on the Company's website is incorporated in, or forms part of, this
Announcement.
This Announcement does not
constitute a recommendation concerning the Firm Placing or
Placing.
By choosing to participate in the
Firm Placing and Placing and by making an oral and legally binding
offer to acquire Firm Placing and Placed Shares, investors will be
deemed to have read and understood this Announcement in its
entirety (including the Appendix) and to be making such offer on
the terms and subject to the conditions in it, and to be providing
the representations, warranties, indemnities, acknowledgements and
undertakings contained in the Appendix.
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.
References in this Announcement to
IIU's pro rata entitlement to participate in the Open Offer exclude
any entitlement in respect of certain Ordinary Shares in the
Company held by IIU Nominees in the form of American Depositary
Receipts in respect of which, for U.S. securities law reasons, IIU
Nominees shall not qualify to participate in the Open
Offer.
Defined terms used in this
Announcement and the Appendix have the meaning set out under
'Definitions'.
APPENDIX
TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE
PLACING
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR
PLACEES ONLY
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE NOT
ELIGIBLE TO TAKE PART IN THE FIRM PLACING. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT
(INCLUDING THE APPENDIX) AND THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SET OUT
HEREIN (THE "ANNOUNCEMENT")
ARE DIRECTED ONLY AT PERSONS SELECTED BY THE BOOKRUNNER WHOSE
ORDINARY ACTIVITIES INVOLVE 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 WHO ARE:
(A) PERSONS IN A MEMBER STATE OF THE ECONOMIC AREA ("EEA") WHO ARE "QUALIFIED INVESTORS" FOR
THE PURPOSES OF REGULATION (EU) 2017/1129 OF THE EUROPEAN
PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL (THE "PROSPECTUS REGULATION");
(B) PERSONS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM (I) WHO ARE "QUALIFIED
INVESTORS" AS DEFINED IN ARTICLE 2(E) OF THE PROSPECTUS REGULATION
AS IT FORMS PART OF DOMESTIC LAW BY VIRTUE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION
(WITHDRAWAL) ACT 2018 (AS AMENDED) ("EUWA") ("UK PROSPECTUS REGULATION"); (II) WHO
HAVE PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE IN MATTERS RELATING TO INVESTMENTS AND
WHO ARE "INVESTMENT
PROFESSIONALS" AND INVESTMENT PERSONNEL OF THE SAME EACH
WITHIN THE MEANING OF ARTICLE 19 OF THE FINANCIAL SERVICES AND
MARKETS ACT 2000 (FINANCIAL PROMOTION) ORDER 2005 (AS AMENDED) (THE
"ORDER"); (III) WHO ARE
HIGH NET WORTH BODIES CORPORATE, UNINCORPORATED ASSOCIATIONS AND
PARTNERSHIPS AND TRUSTEES OF HIGH VALUE TRUSTS AS DESCRIBED IN
ARTICLE 49(2) OF THE ORDER; (IV) TO WHOM ''NON-MAINSTREAM
INVESTMENTS'' (AS DEFINED IN THE FCA HANDBOOK) MAY BE PROMOTED IN
THE UNITED KINGDOM; OR (V) TO WHOM AN INVITATION OR INDUCEMENT TO
ENGAGE IN INVESTMENT ACTIVITY (WITHIN THE MEANING OF SECTION 21 OF
THE FINANCIAL SERVICES AND MARKETS ACT 2000 (AS AMENDED)) (THE
"FSMA") IN CONNECTION WITH
THE ISSUE OR SALE OF ANY SECURITIES MAY OTHERWISE BE LAWFULLY
COMMUNICATED OR CAUSED TO BE COMMUNICATED; OR
(C) OTHERWISE PERSONS TO WHOM IT MAY OTHERWISE LAWFULLY BE
COMMUNICATED, (ALL SUCH PERSONS TOGETHER BEING REFERRED TO AS
"RELEVANT
PERSONS").
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT MUST NOT BE ACTED
ON OR RELIED ON BY PERSONS WHO ARE NOT RELEVANT PERSONS. ANY
INVESTMENT OR INVESTMENT ACTIVITY TO WHICH THIS ANNOUNCEMENT
RELATES IS AVAILABLE ONLY TO AND WILL BE ENGAGED IN ONLY WITH
RELEVANT PERSONS. BY ACCEPTING THE TERMS OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, YOU
REPRESENT AND AGREE THAT YOU ARE A RELEVANT PERSON.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS FOR INFORMATION
PURPOSES ONLY AND DOES NOT OF ITSELF 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
COMPANY.
DISTRIBUTION OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT
(OR ANY PART THEREOF) IN CERTAIN JURISDICTIONS MAY BE RESTRICTED OR
PROHIBITED BY LAW. PERSONS DISTRIBUTING THIS ANNOUNCEMENT (OR ANY
PART THEREOF) MUST SATISFY THEMSELVES THAT IT IS LAWFUL TO DO
SO.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT (AND THE
INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN) CONTAINED HEREIN IS NOT FOR RELEASE,
PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (INCLUDING ITS TERRITORIES AND
POSSESSIONS, ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF
COLUMBIA) (THE "UNITED
STATES"), AUSTRALIA, THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA, CANADA,
NEW ZEALAND OR JAPAN OR ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH RELEASE,
PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION WOULD BE UNLAWFUL. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT
(AND THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN) IS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES
ONLY AND 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, AUSTRALIA, THE
REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA, CANADA, NEW ZEALAND OR JAPAN OR IN ANY
OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH THE SAME WOULD BE UNLAWFUL (EACH A
"RESTRICTED
TERRITORY").
ALL OFFERS OF THE FIRMED PLACED
SHARES (I) IN THE EEA, WILL BE MADE PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION UNDER
THE PROSPECTUS REGULATION FROM THE REQUIREMENT TO PRODUCE A
PROSPECTUS AND (II) IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, WILL BE MADE PURSUANT TO
AN EXEMPTION UNDER THE UK PROSPECTUS REGULATION AND CORRESPONDING
UNITED KINGDOM DOMESTIC LAW, FROM THE REQUIREMENT TO PRODUCE A
PROSPECTUS. IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS BEING
DIRECTED SOLELY AT PERSONS IN CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH SECTION 21(1)
OF FSMA DOES NOT APPLY.
This announcement does not
constitute or form part of any offer to sell, or any solicitation
of an offer to buy, securities in the United States. Securities may
not be offered or sold in the United States absent (i) registration
under the US Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") or (ii) an available
exemption from registration under the Securities Act. The Firm
Placed Shares have not been and will not be registered under the
Securities Act or under the applicable securities laws of any state
or other jurisdiction of the United States and may not be offered
or sold in or into the United States absent registration except
pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the
Securities Act. No public offering of the Firm Placed Shares is
being made in the United States.
This Announcement and the
information contained herein are not for publication or
distribution, directly or indirectly, to persons in a Restricted
Territories unless permitted pursuant to an exemption under the
relevant local law or regulation in any such jurisdiction. No
action has been taken by Datalex plc (the "Company" or "Datalex"), the Bookrunner, or any of
their respective Affiliates (as defined below at paragraph 4.6) or
any person acting on their behalf that would permit an offer of the
Firm Placed Shares or possession or distribution of this
Announcement or any other publicity material relating to such Firm
Placed 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 Bookrunner to inform
themselves about, and to observe, any such restrictions. 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
action.
This Announcement does not identify
or suggest, or purport to identify or suggest, the risks (direct or
indirect) that may be associated with an investment in the Firm
Placed Shares. Any investment decision to buy Firm Placed Shares in
the Placing must be made solely on the basis of publicly available
information, which has not been independently verified by the
Bookrunner.
This Announcement contains (or may
contain) certain forward-looking statements with respect to certain
of the Company's current expectations and projections about future
events and the Company's future financial condition and
performance. These statements, which sometimes use words such as
"aim", "anticipate", "believe", "may", "will", "should", "intend",
"plan", "assume", "estimate", "expect" (or the negative thereof)
and words of similar meaning, reflect the directors' current
beliefs and expectations and involve known and unknown risks,
uncertainties and assumptions, many of which are outside the
Company's control and difficult to predict, that could cause actual
results and performance to differ materially from any expected
future results or performance expressed or implied by the
forward-looking statement. Statements contained in this
Announcement regarding past trends or activities should not be
taken as a representation that such trends or activities will
continue in the future. 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, the macroeconomic
environment, 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 and trends in the
Company's principal industries. Due to such uncertainties and
risks, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance 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. The information contained in this Announcement,
including the forward-looking statements, speaks only as of the
date of this Announcement and is subject to change without notice
and the Company does not assume any responsibility or obligation
to, and does not intend to, update or revise publicly or review any
of the information contained herein, whether as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent
required by Euronext Dublin, the Central Bank of Ireland or by
applicable law.
Any indication in this Announcement
of the price at which the Ordinary Shares of the Company have been
bought or sold in the past cannot be relied upon as a guide to
future performance. The price of shares and the income from them
may go down as well as up and investors may not get back the full
amount invested on disposal of shares acquired. Past performance is
no guide to future performance and persons needing advice should
consult an independent financial adviser. Persons needing advice
should consult an independent financial adviser. No statement in
this Announcement is intended to be a profit forecast and no
statement in this Announcement should be interpreted to mean that
earnings per share of the Company for the current or future
financial years would necessarily match or exceed the historical
published earnings per share of the Company.
Information to distributors
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 the product governance
requirements contained within the FCA Handbook Product Intervention
and Product Governance Sourcebook (the "UK Product Governance Rules"), and
disclaiming all and any liability, whether arising in tort,
contract or otherwise, which any "manufacturer" (for the purposes
of the MiFID II and the UK Product Governance Requirements) may
otherwise have with respect thereto, the Firm Placed Shares have
been subject to a product approval process, which has determined
that the Firm Placed Shares are: (i) compatible with an end target
market of (a) retail investors, as defined in MiFID II and
Regulation (EU) NO 2017/565 as it forms part of domestic law by
virtue of the EUWA, (b) investors who meet the criteria of
professional clients, as defined in MiFID II and Regulation (EU) NO
600/2014 as it forms part of domestic law by virtue of the EUWA, or
(c) eligible counterparties, as defined in MiFID II and the FCA's
Conduct of Business Sourcebook ("COBS"); and (ii) eligible for
distribution through all distribution channels as are permitted by
MiFID II (the "Target Market
Assessment").
Notwithstanding the Target Market
Assessment, distributors should note that: the price of the Firm
Placed Shares may decline and investors could lose all or part of
their investment; the Firm Placed Shares offer no guaranteed income
and no capital protection; and an investment in the Firm Placed
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 Target Market Assessment is without
prejudice to the requirements of any contractual, legal or
regulatory selling restrictions in relation to the Firm Placed
Shares. Furthermore, it is noted that, notwithstanding the Target
Market Assessment, the Bookrunner will only procure investors who
meet the criteria of professional clients and eligible
counterparties.
For the avoidance of doubt, the
Target Market Assessment does not constitute: (a) an assessment of
suitability or appropriateness for the purposes of MiFID II or
COBS; 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 Firm Placed Shares.
Each distributor is responsible for
undertaking its own target market assessment in respect of the Firm
Placed Shares and determining appropriate distribution
channels.
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 the Bookrunner or its
Affiliates, or any person acting on behalf of any of it 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 therefor
is expressly disclaimed.
Goodbody Stockbrokers UC, which is
authorised and regulated in Ireland by the CBI, is acting as
Bookrunner for the Company and no-one else in connection with the
Firm Placed Shares and is not, and will not be, responsible to
anyone other than the Company for providing the protections
afforded to its clients nor for providing advice in relation to the
Placings any other matter referred to in this
Announcement.
Neither the Company nor the
Bookrunner makes any representation to any Firm Placees regarding
an investment in the securities referred to in this Announcement
under the laws applicable to such Firm Placees. EACH FIRM PLACEE
SHOULD CONSULT WITH ITS OWN ADVISERS AS TO LEGAL, REGULATORY, TAX,
BUSINESS AND RELATED ASPECTS OF AN ACQUISITION OF FIRM PLACED
SHARES.
By
participating in the Firm Placing, each person who is invited to
and who chooses to participate in the Firm Placing (including
individuals, funds or otherwise) (a "Firm Placee")
will (i) be deemed to have read and understood this
Announcement, in its entirety; and (ii) be bound by the terms and
conditions contained in this Appendix, including being deemed to
provide (and shall only be permitted to participate in the Firm
Placing on the basis that they have provided) the representations,
warranties, acknowledgements, indemnities, undertakings,
confirmations and agreements set out herein.
Notwithstanding their respective Open Offer Entitlements, and
subject to the IIU Nominees Subscription Agreement, by
participating in the Firm Placing each Firm Placee shall
irrevocably commit, undertake and warrant not to participate in the
Open Offer and not to take up their Open Offer
Entitlement.
1
DETAILS OF THE FIRM PLACING, PLACING AND OPEN
OFFER AGREEMENT AND FIRM PLACED SHARES
1.1 The
Company has today entered into a Firm Placing, and Placing and Open
Offer Agreement (the "Firm
Placing, Placing and Open
Offer Agreement") with the Bookrunner. Pursuant to the Firm
Placing, Placing and Open Offer Agreement, the Bookrunner has,
amongst other things and on the terms and subject to the conditions
set out therein, agreed to use its reasonable endeavours, as agent
of the Company, to procure Firm Placees for the Firm Placed Shares
in respect of the Firm Placing. No element of the Firm Placing is
underwritten by Goodbody.
1.2 The
Firm Placed Shares will when issued, be subject to the constitution
of the Company, be credited as fully paid and will rank
pari passu in all respects
with each other and with the existing Ordinary Shares in the
capital of the Company, including the right to receive dividends
and other distributions declared, made or paid in respect of the
Ordinary Shares after the date of issue of the Firm Placed
Shares.
1.3 The
Firm Placed Shares will be issued free of any pre-emption rights,
encumbrance, lien or other security interest.
1.4 Each
person or entity who is invited to and confirms its agreement
(whether orally or in writing) to the Bookrunner to subscribe for
Ordinary Shares (the "Firm
Placee Confirmation") will
be bound by these terms and conditions and will be deemed to have
accepted these terms and conditions. The Firm Placee Confirmation
will constitute an irrevocable legally binding commitment upon the
person or entity who gave the Firm Placee Confirmation (who at that
point will become a Firm Placee) in favour of the Company and the
Bookrunner to subscribe for Ordinary Shares under these terms and
conditions.
1.5 The
Company and/or the Bookrunner may require a Firm Placee to agree to
such further terms and/or conditions and/or give such additional
warranties and/or representations as the Company and/or the
Bookrunner (in their absolute discretion) sees fit and/or may
require a Firm Placee to execute a separate placing letter or
placing confirmation (a "Firm Placing Letter").
2
APPLICATION FOR LISTING AND ADMISSION TO
TRADING
The Company will apply to Euronext
Dublin for Admission of the New Ordinary Shares to trading on
Euronext Growth. It is expected that Admission will become
effective on or around 8.00 am (Dublin time) on 27 September 2024,
and that dealings in the Firm Placed Shares will commence at that
time.
3
BOOKBUILD
Commencing today, the Bookrunner
will be conducting a bookbuilding process (the "Bookbuilding Process") to determine
demand for participation in the Firm Placing.
This Announcement gives details of the terms
and conditions of, and the mechanics of participation in, the Firm
Placing.
4
PARTICIPATION IN, AND PRINCIPAL TERMS OF,
BOOKBUILDING PROCESS FOR THE FIRM PLACING
4.1 Participation in the Firm Placing will only be available to
persons who may lawfully be, and are, invited to participate by the
Bookrunner. The Bookrunner and its Affiliates or any person acting
on its behalf are entitled to participate as Firm Placees in the
Bookbuilding Process.
4.2 The
books will open with immediate effect. The Bookbuilding Process in
respect of the Firm Placing is expected to close not later than
4.30 p.m. (Dublin time) on 28 August 2024 but may be closed earlier
at the discretion of the Bookrunner. The Company will make a
further announcement following the close of the Bookbuild detailing
the number of Firm Placed Shares to be issued (the "Firm Placing Results Announcement").
The Bookrunner may, in agreement with the Company, accept bids that
are received after the Bookbuilding Process for the Firm Placing
has closed.
4.3 A
bid in the Bookbuilding Process will be made on the terms and
conditions in this Announcement and will be legally binding on the
Firm Placee on behalf of which it is made and, except with the
Bookrunner's consent, will not be capable of variation or
revocation after the close of the Bookbuilding Process.
4.4 A
Firm Placee who wishes to participate in the Bookbuilding Process
should communicate its bid by email/telephone to the usual sales
contact at Goodbody. Each bid should state the number of Firm
Placed Shares which the prospective Firm Placee wishes to subscribe
for at the Issue Price. If successful, the Bookrunner will
re-contact and confirm orally to Firm Placee following the close of
the Bookbuilding Process the size of their respective allocations
and a trade confirmation will be dispatched as soon as possible
thereafter. The Bookrunner's oral confirmation of the size of
allocations and each Firm Placee's oral commitments to accept the
same will constitute an irrevocable legally binding agreement upon
such person (who will at that point become a Firm Placee) in favour
of the Company and the Bookrunner pursuant to which each such Firm
Placee will be required to accept the number of Firm Placed Shares
as appropriate, allocated to the Firm Placee at the Issue Price and
otherwise on the terms and subject to the conditions set out herein
and in accordance with the Company's constitution. Each Firm
Placee's allocation and commitment will be evidenced by a trade
confirmation issued to such Firm Placee by the Bookrunner. The
terms of this Appendix will be deemed incorporated in that trade
confirmation. Each such Firm Placee will have an immediate,
separate, irrevocable and binding obligation, owed to the Company
and the Bookrunner, to pay to the Bookrunner or (as it may direct)
one of its Affiliates or any person acting on its behalf in cleared
funds an amount equal to the product of the Issue Price and the
number of Firm Placed Shares allocated to such Firm Placee.
Following each Firm Placee's payment to the Bookrunner of such
amount, the Bookrunner will procure (via the Company) the allotment
of the relevant number of Firm Placed Shares and will be deposited
in book-entry form in the Euroclear Bank securities clearance
account of the Bookrunner (Goodbody EC 95436), as nominee for the
Firm Placees, pending transfer thereof to such persons through the
Euroclear System or CREST, with the Company procuring that the
Registrar will register Euroclear Nominees Limited as the
registered holder of the Firm Placed Shares in the register of
members of the Company.
By participating in the Bookbuilding
Process, each Firm Placee agrees that its rights and obligations in
respect of the Firm Placing will terminate only in the
circumstances described below and will not be capable of rescission
or termination by the Firm Placee after confirmation (oral or
otherwise) by the Bookrunner.
4.5 The
Bookrunner reserves the right to scale back the number of Firm
Placed Shares to be subscribed by any Firm Placee in the event of
an oversubscription under the Firm Placing. The Bookrunner also
reserves the right not to accept offers to subscribe for Firm
Placed Shares or to accept such offers in part rather than in
whole. The acceptance of offers shall be at the absolute discretion
of the Bookrunner. The Bookrunner shall be entitled to effect the
Firm Placing by such alternative method to the Bookbuilding Process
as it shall in its absolute discretion determine. The Company
reserves the right (upon agreement with the Bookrunner) to reduce
or seek to increase the amount to be raised pursuant to the Firm
Placing.
4.6 To
the fullest extent permissible by law, neither the Bookrunner, nor
any holding company thereof, any subsidiary thereof, any subsidiary
of any such holding company, any branch, affiliate or associated
undertaking of any such company nor any of their respective
directors, officers and employees (each an "Affiliate") nor any person acting on
their behalf shall have any liability to Firm Placees (or to any
other person whether acting on behalf of a Firm Placee or
otherwise). In particular, neither the Bookrunner, nor any of its
Affiliates nor any person acting on its behalf shall have any
liability (including, to the extent legally permissible, any
fiduciary duties), in respect of its conduct of the Bookbuilding
Process or of such alternative method of effecting the Firm Placing
as the Bookrunner and the Company may determine.
4.7 All
obligations of the Bookrunner under the Firm Placing will be
subject to fulfilment of the conditions referred to below under
"Conditions of the Firm
Placing ".
5
CONDITIONS OF THE FIRM PLACING
5.1 The
Firm Placing is conditional upon the Firm Placing, Placing and Open
Offer Agreement becoming unconditional and not having been
terminated in accordance with its terms.
5.2 The
obligations of the Bookrunner under the Firm Placing, Placing and
Open Offer Agreement are conditional, inter alia, on:
5.2.1 in the opinion of the Bookrunner (acting in good faith) there
not having been a Material Adverse Change (as such term is defined
in the Firm Placing, Placing and Open Offer Agreement), between the
date of the Firm Placing, Placing and Open Offer Agreement and
Admission (whether or not foreseeable at the date of the Firm
Placing, Placing and Open Offer Agreement);
5.2.2 this Announcement having been released through a Regulatory
Information Service by no later than 6.00pm on the date of the Firm
Placing, Placing and Open Offer Agreement;
5.2.3 the Firm Placing Results Announcement having been released
through a Regulatory Information Service by no later than 6.00pm on
the date of this Announcement;
5.2.4 the Term Sheet (as such term is defined in the Firm Placing,
Placing and Open Offer Agreement), having been duly executed and
delivered by the Company and Goodbody by no later than 5.00pm on 28
August 2024 (or such later time and/or date as may be agreed in
writing between the Bookrunner and the Company);
5.2.5 the Conditional Placing and Open Offer Results Announcement
having been released through a Regulatory Information Service as
soon as practicable following execution of the Term Sheet (or such
other time and/or date as may be agreed in writing between the
Bookrunner and the Company);
5.2.6 the Company having delivered to the Bookrunner (or the
Bookrunner's Irish solicitors) each of the documents required to be
delivered pursuant to the Firm Placing, Placing and Open Offer
Agreement by the times and dates specified therein;
5.2.7 the posting of the EGM Circular and Form of Proxy (as those
terms are defined in the Firm Placing, Placing and Open Offer
Agreement) to Qualifying Shareholders on 30 August 2024 (or such
other time and/or date as may be agreed in writing between the
Bookrunner and the Company);
5.2.8 the passing of the Resolutions, without any amendment not
previously approved by the Bookrunner, at the EGM or at any
adjournment thereof;
5.2.9 the EGM Results Announcement having been released through a
Regulatory Information Service as soon as practicable, and in any
event no later than later than 5.00pm on the EGM Date (or such
later time and/or date as may be agreed in writing between the
Bookrunner and the Company);
5.2.10 each
condition to enable:
(a) the Open Offer Entitlements to be deposited into the Euroclear
System in respect of Qualifying Euroclear Participants;
and
(b) the CDI Entitlements (representing Open Offer Entitlements) to
be admitted and enabled as participating securities within CREST in
respect of Qualifying CDI Holders,
having been satisfied on or before 2
September 2024;
5.2.11 the IIU
Nominees Subscription Agreement having been executed by each of the
parties thereto and continuing to be valid, binding and in full
force and effect at Admission;
5.2.12 the
Relationship Agreement continuing to be valid and binding and
remaining in full force and effect at Admission;
5.2.13 the
application by or on behalf of the Company to Euronext Dublin for
Admission having been delivered to Euronext Dublin by no later than
on the date which is 3 Business Days prior to the Admission
Date;
5.2.14 Admission occurring not later than 8.00 am on the Admission
Date;
5.2.15 each of
the warranties under the Firm Placing, Placing and Open Offer
Agreement being true and accurate and not misleading at all times
prior to Admission by reference to the facts and circumstances from
time to time subsisting;
5.2.16 other
than this Announcement, the Firm Placing Results Announcement, the
Conditional Placing and Open Offer Agreement and the EGM Results
Announcement, no supplementary announcement being required to be
published in connection with the Issue prior to Admission other
than would not, in the good faith opinion of the Bookrunner, be
expected to be materially adverse to the Issue;
5.2.17 the
delivery by the Company to the Bookrunner of a duly executed
certificate in the form set out in the Firm Placing, Placing and
Open Offer Agreement and dated the date of Admission not later than
5.00pm on the Business Day immediately preceding Admission and
effective as of Admission;
5.2.18 the
Company having complied with its obligations and undertakings under
the Firm Placing, Placing and Open Offer Agreement which fall to be
performed on or before Admission;
5.2.19 each
condition to enable:
(a) the New Ordinary Shares to be deposited into the Euroclear
System; and
(b) the New Ordinary Shares to be held in CDI Form to be admitted
to and enabled as participating securities within CREST,
(other than Admission) being
satisfied on or before 8.00 am on the Admission Date;
5.2.20 the
issue and allotment of the New Ordinary Shares, conditional only
upon Admission; and
5.2.21 the
Bookrunner not having exercised its right to terminate the Firm
Placing, Placing and Open Offer Agreement pursuant to clause 18
thereof prior to Admission.
5.3 If
(a) any conditions contained in the Firm Placing, Placing and Open
Offer Agreement, including those described above, is not satisfied
in all respects (or, to the extent permitted under the Firm
Placing, Placing and Open Offer Agreement, waived by the
Bookrunner), or (b) the Firm Placing, Placing and Open Offer
Agreement is terminated in the circumstances specified below, the
Firm Placing will lapse and each Firm Placee's rights and
obligations hereunder shall cease and determine at such time and
each Firm Placee agrees that no claim may be made by a Firm
Placee in respect thereof. Neither the Bookrunner, nor the Company,
nor any of their respective Affiliates nor any person acting on
their behalf shall have any liability to any Firm Placee (or
to any other person whether acting on behalf of a Firm 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 in the Firm Placing, Placing and Open Offer
Agreement or in respect of the Firm Placing generally.
5.4 By
participating in the Firm Placing, each Firm Placee agrees that its
rights and obligations hereunder terminate only in the
circumstances described below under "Right to terminate under the Firm Placing,
Conditional Placing and
Open Offer Agreement", and will not be capable of rescission
or termination by the Firm Placee.
6
RIGHT TO TERMINATE UNDER THE firm placing,
CONDITIONAL PLACING AND OPEN OFFER AGREEMENT
6.1 The
Bookrunner may, at any time before Admission, in its absolute
discretion acting in good faith, terminate the Firm Placing,
Placing and Open Offer Agreement by giving notice to the Company
if, inter alia:
6.1.1 any of the Conditions (as such term is defined in the Firm
Placing, Placing and Open Offer Agreement) has ceased to be capable
of being satisfied;
6.1.2 any statement contained in any Issue Document (as such term is
defined in the Firm Placing, Placing and Open Offer Agreement) is
or has become or has been discovered to be untrue, incorrect or
misleading, or any matter has arisen which would, if an Issue
Document was to be issued at that time, constitute an inaccuracy or
omission therefrom which, in the good faith opinion of the
Bookrunner, is material in the context of the Issue or
Admission;
6.1.3 there has been a breach or an alleged breach by the Company of
any of the undertakings contained in the Firm Placing, Placing and
Open Offer Agreement or any other provisions of the Firm Placing,
Placing and Open Offer Agreement or any of the warranties in the
Firm Placing, Placing and Open Offer Agreement were not true or
accurate or were misleading at any time prior to Admission by
reference to the facts and circumstances from time to time
subsisting which breach, in the good faith opinion of the
Bookrunner, is material in the context of the Issue or
Admission;
6.1.4 an event has occurred or matter has arisen on or after the
date hereof and before Admission which, if it had occurred or
arisen before the date hereof, would have rendered any of the
warranties in the Firm Placing, Placing and Open Offer Agreement
untrue, inaccurate or misleading in any respect which, in the good
faith opinion of the Bookrunner, is material in the context of the
Issue or Admission;
6.1.5 in the good faith opinion of the Bookrunner there has been a
Material Adverse Change (as such term is defined in the Firm
Placing, Placing and Open Offer Agreement);
6.1.6 the application for Admission is refused by Euronext Dublin
or, in the good faith opinion of the Bookrunner, after consultation
with the Company, will not be granted;
6.1.7 the IIU Nominees Subscription Agreement is terminated,
materially amended or ceases to be valid and binding in accordance
with its terms at any time prior to Admission.
6.1.8 there shall have occurred or, in the opinion of the Bookrunner
it is likely that there will occur:
(a) (A) any material adverse change in the financial markets of
Ireland, the United Kingdom, United States or any member of the
European Union; (B) any material adverse change in the
international financial markets; (C) any outbreak or escalation of
hostilities, war, act of terrorism, declaration of emergency or
martial law or other calamity or crisis or event in the United
Kingdom, United States, Ireland, or any member of the European
Union; or (D) any change or development involving a prospective
change in national or international political, financial, economic,
monetary or market conditions or currency exchange rates or
controls; or
(b) suspension of, or occurrence of material limitations to
trading in any securities of the Company by Euronext Dublin or any
exchange or over the counter market, or of trading generally on the
New York Stock Exchange, the NASDAQ National Market, Euronext
Dublin or the London Stock Exchange or minimum or maximum prices
for trading having been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices of
securities having been required, by any of said exchanges or by
order of any governmental authority, or a material disruption in
commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services
in the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland or otherwise in
Europe; or
(c) any actual or prospective change or development in United
States, United Kingdom or Ireland taxation adversely affecting any
Group Company, the Ordinary Shares or the transfer thereof, or
exchange controls having been imposed by the United States or the
United Kingdom or Ireland; or
(d) declaration of a banking moratorium by the United Kingdom,
United States, Ireland or any Member State of the European
Union,
which either singly or in
conjunction with any other event referred to in this clause 6.1
such as to make it in the opinion of the Bookrunner (acting in good
faith) impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the Placings or
the delivery of the Placing Shares pursuant to this
Agreement,
6.2 By
participating in the Firm Placing, each Firm Placee
agrees with the Bookrunner that the exercise (or the refraining
from exercise) by the Bookrunner of any right of termination or
other discretion under the Firm Placing, Placing and Open Offer
Agreement shall be within the absolute discretion of the Bookrunner
and that the Bookrunner need not make any reference to the
Firm Placees in this regard and that, to the fullest
extent permitted by law, the Bookrunner shall have no liability
whatsoever to the Firm Placees in connection with any such
exercise.
7
LOCK-UP
7.1 The
Company has undertaken to the Bookrunner that, between the date of
the Firm Placing, Placing and Open Offer Agreement and 180 days
after completion of the Placings, it will not, without the prior
written consent of the Bookrunner (acting in good faith) enter into
certain transactions involving or relating to the Ordinary Shares,
subject to certain carve-outs agreed between the Bookrunner and the
Company.
7.2 By
participating in the Firm Placing, Placees agree that the
exercise by the Bookrunner of any power to grant consent to waive
the undertaking by the Company of a transaction which would
otherwise be subject to the lock-up under the Firm Placing, Placing
and Open Offer Agreement shall be within the absolute discretion of
the Bookrunner and that they need not make any reference to, or
consultation with, Firm Placees and that they shall have no
liability to Firm Placees whatsoever in connection with any
such exercise of the power to grant consent.
8
NO PROSPECTUS OR ADMISSION DOCUMENT
No prospectus or admission document
has been or will be prepared in relation to the Firm Placing, the
Conditional Placing or the Open Offer and no such prospectus or
admission document is required in accordance with the Prospectus
Regulation, the Euronext Dublin or Euronext Growth Rules to be
published, and Firm Placees' commitments will be made solely on the
basis of the information contained in this Announcement and any
information previously published by or on behalf of the Company by
notification to or via a Regulatory Information Service. Each Firm
Placee, by accepting a participation in the Firm Placing, agrees
that the content of this Announcement is exclusively the
responsibility of the Company and confirms to the Bookrunner and
the Company that it has neither received nor relied on any
information, representation, warranty or statement made by or on
behalf of the Bookrunner (other than the amount of the relevant
Firm Placing participation in the oral confirmation given to Firm
Placees by the Bookrunner and the trade confirmation referred to
below), any of its Affiliates, nor any person acting on its behalf
or the Company and neither the Bookrunner nor any of its
Affiliates, nor any person acting on its behalf, nor the Company
will be liable for the decision of any Firm Placee to participate
in the Firm Placing based on any other information, representation,
warranty or statement which the Firm Placee 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 Firm Placing,
each Firm Placee acknowledges to and agrees with the Bookrunner for
itself and as agent for the Company that, except in relation to the
information contained in this Announcement, it has relied on its
own investigation of the business, financial or other position of
the Company in deciding to participate in the Firm Placing. Nothing
in this paragraph shall exclude the liability of any person for
fraudulent misrepresentation.
9
REGISTRATION AND SETTLEMENT
9.1 Settlement of transactions in the Firm Placed Shares (ISIN
IE0000527006) following Admission will take place within the
Euroclear System and/or CREST, subject to certain
exceptions.
9.2 Following the close of the Bookbuilding Process for the Firm
Placing, each Firm Placee allocated Firm Placed Shares in the Firm
Placing will be sent a trade confirmation stating the number of
Firmed Placed Shares in the Firm Placing allocated to it, the Issue
Price, the aggregate amount owed by such Firm Placee to the
Bookrunner and settlement instructions. Firm Placees should settle
against Euroclear System IDs: Goodbody EC 95436. Each Firm Placee
agrees that it will do all things necessary to ensure that delivery
and payment is completed in accordance with either the standing
Euroclear System or CREST settlement instructions which it has in
place with the Bookrunner.
9.3 It
is expected that settlement will be on 27 September 2024, or as
soon as practicable thereafter, in accordance with the instructions
set out in the trade confirmation unless otherwise notified by the
Bookrunner.
9.4 Interest is chargeable daily on payments not received from
Firm Placees on the due date in accordance with the arrangements
set out above at the rate of two percentage points above the base
rate of LIBOR as determined by the Bookrunner.
9.5 Each
Firm Placee must pay the relevant subscription price for the
Ordinary Shares allocated to the Firm Placee (the "Subscription Payment") in the manner
and by the time directed by the Bookrunner.
9.6 If
any Firm Placee fails to pay the Subscription Payment by the time
required, the relevant Firm Placee's application for Ordinary
Shares may at the discretion of the Bookrunner either be rejected
or accepted, and, where accepted, paragraph 9.7 will
apply.
9.7 Each Firm Placee is deemed to agree that if it does not
comply with these obligations (to include the obligation to make
the Subscription Payment), the Bookrunner may sell any or all of
the Firm Placed Shares allocated to the Firm Placee and
the relevant Firm Placee shall be deemed hereby to have
appointed the Bookrunner or any nominee of the Bookrunner as its
agent to use its reasonable endeavours to sell (in one or more
transactions) any or all of the Ordinary Shares allocated to
the Firm Placee in respect of which payment shall not have
been made as directed, and to indemnify the Bookrunner and its
Affiliates and any person acting on their behalf on demand in
respect of any liability for stamp duty and/or stamp duty reserve
tax or any other liability whatsoever arising in respect of any
such sale or sales. A sale of all or any of such Ordinary Shares
shall not release the relevant Firm Placee from the
obligation to make such payment for relevant Ordinary Shares to the
extent that the Bookrunner or its nominee has failed to sell such
Ordinary Shares at a consideration which, after deduction of the
expenses of such sale and payment of stamp duty and/or stamp duty
reserve tax as aforementioned, at least equals the Issue
Price.
9.8 If
Firm Placed Shares are to be delivered to a custodian or settlement
agent, the Firm Placee should ensure that the trade confirmation is
copied and delivered immediately to the relevant person within that
organisation. Insofar as Firm Placed Shares are registered in
the Firm Placee's name or that of its nominee or in the name
of any person for whom the Firm Placee is contracting as
agent or that of a nominee for such person, such Firm Placed
Shares will, subject as provided below, be so registered free from
any liability to stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax. If there are
any circumstances in which any other stamp duty or stamp duty
reserve tax is payable in respect of the issue of the Firm Placed
Shares, neither the Bookrunner nor the Company shall be responsible
for the payment thereof.
10 REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
10.1
By participating in the Firm Placing, each Firm
Placee (for itself and any person(s) procured by it to subscribe
for Ordinary Shares and any nominee(s) for any such person(s)) is
deemed to agree, represent, warrant and acknowledge to each of the
Company and the Bookrunner that:
10.1.1 in
agreeing to subscribe for Ordinary Shares under the Firm Placing,
the Firm Placee:
(a) is
relying solely on this Announcement, the Exchange Information (as
hereinafter defined) and any supplementary announcement issued by
the Company and not on any other information given, or
representation or statement made at any time (including, without
limitation, the "roadshow" presentation prepared by the Company or
research by any third parties containing information about the
Company) by any person concerning the Company, the Ordinary Shares,
the Capital Raise or Admission (the "Other Information");
(b) agrees that none of the Company, the Bookrunner nor any of
their respective Affiliates nor any person acting on their behalf,
will have any liability for any Other Information, and irrevocably
and unconditionally waives any rights or claims of any nature
whatsoever which the Firm Placee may have in respect of any Other
Information;
(c) acknowledges that neither the Bookrunner nor any of its
Affiliates nor any person acting on its behalf has provided, and
will not provide it, with any material or information regarding the
Firm Placed Shares or the Company; nor has it requested the
Bookrunner, nor any of its Affiliates nor any person acting on
their behalf to provide it with any such material or
information;
(d) acknowledges and agrees that it has not relied on any
information relating to the Company contained in any research
reports prepared by the Bookrunner, any of its Affiliates or any
person acting on the Bookrunner's or any of its Affiliates' behalf
and understands that (i) neither the Bookrunner, nor any of its
Affiliates nor any person acting on its behalf has or shall have
any liability for public information or any representation; (ii)
neither the Bookrunner, nor any of its Affiliates nor any person
acting on its behalf has or shall have any liability for any
additional information that has otherwise been made available to
such Firm Placee, whether at the date
of publication, the date of this document or otherwise; and that
(iii) neither the Bookrunner, nor any of its Affiliates nor any
person acting on its 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;
(e) acknowledges that the Firm Placed Shares will be issued and/or
transferred subject to the terms and conditions set out in this
Announcement (including this Appendix); and
(f) that its commitment to subscribe for Firm Placed Shares on the
terms set out herein will continue notwithstanding any amendment
that may in future be made to the terms of the Firm Placing
and that Firm Placees will have no right to be consulted or
require that their consent be obtained with respect to the
Company's conduct of the Firm Placing;
10.1.2 the
content of this Announcement and any supplementary announcement
published by the Company prior to Admission is exclusively the
responsibility of the Company and apart from the liabilities and
responsibilities, if any, which may be imposed on the Bookrunner
under any regulatory regime, none of the Bookrunner nor any of its
Affiliates nor any person acting on its behalf makes any
representation, express or implied, nor accepts any responsibility
whatsoever for the contents of this Announcement nor for any other
statement made or purported to be made by any of them or on their
behalf in connection with the Company, the Ordinary Shares, the
Placings or Admission and none of the Bookrunner, nor any of its
Affiliates nor any person acting on its behalf will be liable for
any decision by a Firm Placee to participate in the Firm Placing
based on any information, representation or statement contained in
this Announcement and any supplemental announcement published by
the Company prior to Admission or otherwise provided that nothing
in this paragraph 10.1.2 shall exclude any liability of any person
for fraud;
10.1.3 if the
laws of any territory or jurisdiction outside Ireland are
applicable to the Firm Placee's agreement to subscribe for Ordinary
Shares under the Firm Placing:
(a) the Firm Placee has complied with all applicable laws and
regulations, obtained all governmental and other consents which may
be required, complied with all requisite formalities and paid any
issue, transfer or other taxes due in any relevant territory or
jurisdiction as a result of, whether directly or indirectly, the
Firm Placee's application for the Firm Placing; and
(b) the Firm Placee has not taken any action, or omitted to take
any action, which will result in the Company, the Bookrunner or any
of their respective directors, officers, agents, members or
employees acting in breach of any regulatory or legal requirement
of any territory or jurisdiction outside Ireland, whether directly
or indirectly, in connection with the Firm Placing;
10.1.4 (i) it
is entitled to acquire the Firm Placed Shares under the laws and
regulations of all relevant jurisdictions which apply to it; (ii)
it has fully observed such laws and regulations and obtained all
such governmental and other guarantees and other consents and
authorities which may be required thereunder and complied with all
necessary formalities; (iii) it has all necessary capacity to
commit to participate in the Firm Placing and to perform its
obligations in relation thereto and will honour such obligations;
(iv) it has paid any issue, transfer or other taxes due in
connection with its participation in any territory; (v) any person
who confirms to Bookrunner on behalf of a Firm Placee an
agreement to subscribe for Firm Placed Shares and/or who
authorises the Bookrunner to notify the Firm Placee's name to the
Company's Registrar, has authority to do so on behalf of the
Firm Placee and (vi) it has not taken any action which will or may
result in the Company, the Bookrunner, any of their respective
Affiliates or any person acting on their behalf being in breach of
the legal and/or regulatory requirements of any territory in
connection with the Firm Placing;
10.1.5 it has
read carefully and understood this Announcement in its entirety
(including this Appendix), and the Firm Placee shall be
deemed to have had notice of all information, undertakings,
representations and warranties contained in this Announcement that
the Firm Placee is acquiring Ordinary Shares solely on the
basis of this Announcement, the Exchange Information and any
supplementary announcement issued by the Company and no other
information and that in accepting a participation in the Firm
Placing, the Firm Placee has had access to all information the Firm
Placee believes necessary or appropriate in connection with the
Firm Placee's decision to subscribe for Ordinary Shares;
10.1.6 no
prospectus, admission document or offering document has been or
will be prepared in connection with the Capital Raise; and it has
not received and will not receive a prospectus, admission document
or other offering document in connection with the Capital Raise or
the New Ordinary Shares;
10.1.7 no
person is authorised in connection with the Placings to give any
information or make any representation other than as contained in
this Announcement and any supplementary announcement and, if given
or made, any information or representation must not be relied upon
as having been authorised by the Company or the
Bookrunner;
10.1.8 the
Firm Placed Shares will be admitted to trading on Euronext Growth,
and the Company is therefore required to publish certain business
and financial information in accordance with the rules and
practices of Euronext Growth and EU MAR, the Prospectus Regulation
and the Companies Act 2014 of Ireland (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 without undue
difficulty;
10.1.9 if it
has received any inside information (for the purposes of EU MAR or
other applicable law) about the Company in advance of the Capital
Raise, it has not (a) dealt (or attempted to deal) in the
securities of the Company; (b) encouraged, recommended or induced
another person to deal in the securities of the Company; or (c)
unlawfully disclosed such information to any person, prior to the
information being made publicly available;
10.1.10
the Firm Placee is not, nor is the Firm Placee
applying as nominee or agent for, a person who is or may be liable
to notify and account for tax under the UK Stamp Duty Reserve Tax
Regulations, 1986 at any of the increased rates referred to in
section 67, 70, 93 or 96 (depositary receipts and clearance
services) of the UK Finance Act, 1986;
10.1.11
the Firm Placee accepts that none of the Ordinary
Shares have been, or will be, registered under the laws of any
Restricted Territory and accordingly, the Ordinary Shares may not
be offered, sold, issued or delivered, directly or indirectly,
within any Restricted Territory unless an exemption from any
registration requirement is available;
10.1.12
the Firm Placee has knowledge and experience in
financial, business and international investment matters as is
required to evaluate the merits and risks of subscribing for the
Firm Placed Shares. It further acknowledges that it is experienced
in investing in securities of this nature and is aware that it may
be required to bear, and is able to bear, the economic risk of, and
is able to sustain, a complete loss in connection with the Firm
Placing. It has had sufficient time to consider and conduct its own
investigation with respect to the offer and subscription for the
Firm Placed Shares, including the tax, legal and other economic
considerations and has relied upon its own examination and due
diligence of the Company and its affiliates taken as a whole, and
the terms of the Firm Placing, including the merits and risks
involved;
10.1.13
the Firm Placee understands and agrees that
it may not rely on any investigation that the Bookrunner or any
person acting on its behalf may or may not have conducted with
respect to the Company and its Affiliates or the Firm Placing
and the Bookrunner has not made any representation or warranty to
it, express or implied, with respect to the merits of the
Firm Placing, the subscription for or purchase or acquisition of
the Firm Placed 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 a
recommendation to it to acquire the Firm Placed Shares;
10.1.14
the Firm Placee acknowledges and agrees that
it will not hold the Bookrunner or any of its Affiliates or any
person acting on its 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 (the
"Public Information") and that neither the
Bookrunner nor any person acting on behalf of the Bookrunner, makes
any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the
truth, accuracy or completeness of such Public Information or
accepts any responsibility for any of such Information;
10.1.15
that it is acting as principal only in respect of
the Firm 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 Bookrunner and the Company for the performance of all its
obligations as a Firm Placee in respect of the Firm
Placing (regardless of the fact that it is acting for another
person);
10.1.16
that in connection with the Firm Placing, the
Bookrunner and any of its Affiliates acting as an investor for its
own account may take up shares in the Company and in that capacity
may retain, purchase or sell for its own account such shares in the
Company and any securities of the Company or related investments
and may offer or sell such securities or other investments
otherwise than in connection with the Firm Placing. Accordingly,
references in this Announcement to shares being issued, offered or
placed should be read as including any issue, offering or placement
of such shares in the Company to the Bookrunner and any of its
Affiliates acting in such capacity. In addition the Bookrunner may
enter into financing arrangements and swaps with investors in
connection with which the Bookrunner may from time to time acquire,
hold or dispose of such securities of the Company, including the
Firm Placed Shares. Neither the Bookrunner nor any of its
Affiliates intend to disclose the extent of any such investment or
transactions otherwise than in accordance with any legal or
regulatory obligation to do so;
10.1.17
if the Firm Placee is located in the United
Kingdom, the Firm Placee (i) is a "qualified investor" as defined
in the UK Prospectus Regulation (ii) has professional experience in
matters relating to investments and is an "investment professional"
and investment personnel of the same each within the meaning of
Article 19 of the Order; (iii) is a high net worth body corporate,
unincorporated association, partnership or trustee of a high value
trust as described in Article 49(2) of the Order; (iv) is a person
to whom ''non-mainstream investments'' (as defined in the FCA
Handbook) may be promoted in the United Kingdom; or (v) is a person
to whom an invitation or inducement to engage in investment
activity (within the meaning of section 21 of the FSMA in
connection with the issue or sale of any securities may otherwise
be lawfully communicated or caused to be communicated;
10.1.18
if the Firm Placee is a resident in a Member State
of the EEA, the Firm Placee is a "qualified investor" within the
meaning of the Prospectus Regulation and that it is either (i)
acquiring the Firm Placed Shares for its own account, or (ii)
acting as a financial intermediary to which paragraph 10.1.19 below
applies;
10.1.19
if the Firm Placee is a resident outside the EEA
or the United Kingdom, the Firm Placee has notified the Bookrunner
and the Company of this;
10.1.20
if the Firm Placee is a financial intermediary, as
that term is used in the Prospectus Regulation and the UK
Prospectus Regulation, the Firm Placed Shares subscribed for by it
in the Firm Placing will not be subscribed for on a
non-discretionary basis on behalf of, nor will they be acquired
with a view to their offer or resale to, persons in a Member State
of the EEA or the United Kingdom other than to persons (i) who are:
"qualified investors" as defined in Article 2.1(e) of the
Prospectus Regulation or Article 2.1(e) of the UK Prospectus
Regulation (as the case may be) or who otherwise fall within
Article 3(2) of the Prospectus Regulation or Article 3(2) of the UK
Prospectus Regulation (as the case may be) (and which circumstances
do not result in any requirement for the publication of a
prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Regulation or
the UK Prospectus Regulation (as the case may be));
10.1.21
if the Firm Placee is acquiring the Firm Placed
Shares for one or more managed accounts, it represents, warrants
and undertakes that it is authorised in writing by each managed
account to acquire the Firm Placed Shares for each managed account
and it has full power to make the acknowledgements, representations
and agreements herein on behalf of each such account;
10.1.22
if the Firm Placee is a pension fund or investment
company, it represents, warrants and undertakes that its
acquisition of Firm Placed Shares is in full compliance with
applicable laws and regulations;
10.1.23
if the Firm Placee is receiving the offer in
circumstances under which the laws or regulations of a jurisdiction
other than the Ireland would apply, it is a person to whom the
Ordinary Shares may be lawfully offered under that other
jurisdiction's laws and regulations;
10.1.24
the Firm Placee does not have a registered
address in, and is not a citizen, resident or national of, any
jurisdiction in which it is unlawful to make or accept an offer of
the Ordinary Shares and the Firm Placee is not acting on a
non-discretionary basis for any person that has a registered
address in or is a citizen, resident or national of, any such
jurisdiction;
10.1.25
if the Firm Placee is located outside Ireland,
neither this Announcement nor any other offering, marketing or
other material in connection with the Firm Placing constitutes an
invitation, offer or promotion to, or arrangement or agreement
with, the Firm Placee or any person whom the Firm Placee is
procuring to subscribe for Ordinary Shares pursuant to the Firm
Placing unless, in the relevant territory, such offer, invitation
or other course of conduct could lawfully be made to the Firm
Placee or such person and such documents or materials could
lawfully be provided to the Firm Placee or such person and Ordinary
Shares could lawfully be distributed to and subscribed and held by
the Firm Placee or such person without compliance with any
unfulfilled approval, registration or other regulatory or legal
requirements;
10.1.26
if the Firm Placee is a natural person, such
Placee is not under the age of majority (18 years of age in Ireland
and the United Kingdom) on the date of such Placee's application to
subscribe for Ordinary Shares under the Firm Placing and will not
be any such person on the date any such agreement to subscribe
under the Firm Placing is accepted;
10.1.27
the Firm Placee has complied, and will comply,
with all applicable provisions of the Criminal Justice (Money
Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Acts 2010 and 2013 (as amended)
(in Ireland), the Criminal Justice Act, 1993 and FSMA (in the
United Kingdom) and MAR (in respect of both Ireland and the United
Kingdom) with respect to anything done by the Firm Placee in
relation to the Firm Placing and/or the Ordinary Shares;
10.1.28
the Firm Placee has not, directly or indirectly,
distributed, forwarded, transferred or otherwise transmitted this
document or any other materials concerning the Firm Placing or the
Ordinary Shares (including any electronic copies thereof) to any
person in or into any Restricted Territory nor will the Firm Placee
do any of the foregoing;
10.1.29
the Firm Placee 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 FSMA) relating to the
Ordinary Shares in circumstances in which the Firm Placee is
permitted to do so pursuant to section 21 of FSMA;
10.1.30
the Firm Placee acknowledges that neither the
Bookrunner, nor any of its Affiliates, nor any person acting on its
behalf is making any recommendation to the Firm Placee or advising
the Firm Placee regarding the suitability of any transactions the
Firm Placee may enter into in connection with the Firm Placing or
providing any advice in relation to the Firm Placing and the Firm
Placee's participation in the Firm Placing is on the basis that the
Firm Placee is not, and will not be, a client of the Bookrunner, or
its Affiliates or any person acting on its behalf, and that neither
the Bookrunner, nor any of its Affiliates nor any person acting on
its behalf have any duties or responsibilities to the Firm Placee
for providing the protections afforded to their respective clients
or for providing advice in relation to the Firm Placing or in
respect of any representations, warranties, undertakings or
indemnities required to be given by the Firm Placee in connection
with the Firm Placee's application under the Firm Placing
(including those contained in any Placing Letter);
10.1.31
where the Firm Placee is subscribing for Ordinary
Shares for one or more managed, discretionary or advisory accounts,
the Firm Placee is authorised in writing for each such account
to:
(a) subscribe for the Ordinary Shares for each such
account;
(b) make on behalf of each such account the representations,
warranties and agreements set out in this Announcement;
and
(c) receive on behalf of each such account any documentation
relating to the Firm Placing in the form provided by the Company
and/or the Bookrunner, and the Firm Placee agrees the provisions of
this paragraph shall survive any resale of the Ordinary Shares by
or on behalf of any such account;
10.1.32
the Firm Placee irrevocably appoints any Director
and any director and/or authorised signatory of the Bookrunner to
be the Firm Placee's agent and on its behalf (without any
obligation or duty to do so) to sign, execute and deliver any
documents and do all acts, matters and things as may be necessary
for, or incidental to, the Firm Placee's subscription for all or
any of the Ordinary Shares for which the Firm Placee has given a
commitment under the Firm Placing, in the event of the Firm
Placee's own failure to do so;
10.1.33
the Firm Placee accepts that if the Firm Placing
does not proceed or the conditions to the Firm Placing, Placing and
Open Offer Agreement are not satisfied or Admission does not occur
in respect of the Ordinary Shares for which valid application is
received and accepted for any reason whatsoever then none of the
Company nor the Bookrunner, nor any of their respective Affiliates,
nor any person acting on their behalf, shall have any liability
whatsoever to the Firm Placee or any other person and to the extent
that such a liability does exist, the Firm Placee irrevocably and
unconditionally waives any rights or claims the Firm Placee may
have in relation thereto;
10.1.34
the Firm Placee has, in connection with the Firm
Placing, observed all relevant legislation and regulations, in
particular (but without limitation) those relating to anti-money
laundering and countering terrorist financing and that the Firm
Placee's application for Firm Placed Shares is only made on the
basis that the Firm Placee accepts full responsibility for any
requirement to identify and verify the identity of the Firm
Placee's clients and other persons in respect of whom the Firm
Placee has made the application for Firm Placed Shares;
10.1.35
the Firm Placee is a person:
(a) subject to the Money Laundering Regulations 2017 in force in
the United Kingdom (to the extent that an application is received
from a person subject to such regulations);
(b) subject to the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and
Terrorist Financing) Acts 2010 to 2018 (as amended) in Ireland (to
the extent that an application is received from a person subject to
such regulations);
(c) subject to the Money Laundering Directive (2015/849) of the
European Parliament and of the Council on the prevention of the use
of the financial system for the purpose of money laundering or
terrorist financing; or
(d) acting in the course of a business in relation to which an
overseas regulatory authority exercises regulatory functions and is
based or incorporated in, or formed under the law of, a country in
which there are in force provisions at least equivalent to those
required by the Money Laundering Directive;
10.1.36
due to anti-money laundering requirements, any of
the Bookrunner, the Company and/or the Registrar may require proof
of identity and verification of the source of the Subscription
Payment before the Firm Placee's application can be processed and
that, in the event of delay or failure by the Firm Placee to
produce any information required for verification purposes, the
Bookrunner and/or the Company may refuse to accept the application
and Subscription Payment. In addition, the Firm Placee agrees to
hold harmless and indemnify, and shall keep indemnified, the
Bookrunner, the Company and the Registrar against any liability,
loss or cost ensuing due to the failure to process such
application, if such required information has not been provided by
the Firm Placee;
10.1.37
the obligations of the Bookrunner under the Firm
Placing, Placing and Open Offer Agreement are subject to the terms
and conditions set out in the Firm Placing, Placing and Open Offer
Agreement. The Firm Placee further acknowledges and accepts that
the Bookrunner has absolute discretion as to (a) the waiver or
extension of the time for satisfaction of certain conditions of the
Firm Placing, Placing and Open Offer Agreement; (b) the exercise of
any right to terminate the Firm Placing, Placing and Open Offer
Agreement (whether or not in relation to any matter disclosed in
this Announcement); (c) the enforcement of any obligations,
undertakings, representations and warranties of the Company in the
Firm Placing, Placing and Open Offer Agreement; (d) the making of
any amendments to the Firm Placing, Placing and Open Offer
Agreement, and (e) any other right or discretion it may have or be
given to it or which it is entitled to exercise, whether under the
Firm Placing, Placing and Open Offer Agreement or otherwise, and
the Firm Placee further acknowledges that the
Bookrunner shall
not have any obligation to consult with or notify any Firm Placee
and shall have no responsibility or liability to any Firm Placee in
relation to the Bookrunner's exercise of any such rights under the
Firm Placing, Placing and Open Offer Agreement or
otherwise;
10.1.38
the representations, undertakings and warranties
contained in this Announcement are irrevocable and the Firm Placee
further acknowledges that the Company, the Bookrunner, their
respective Affiliates and any person acting on their behalf will
rely upon the truth and accuracy of the foregoing representations
and warranties and the Firm Placee agrees that if any of the
representations or warranties made or deemed to have been made in
connection with the Firm Placee's subscription for Ordinary Shares
are no longer accurate, the Firm Placee shall promptly notify the
Company and/or the Bookrunner and the Firm Placee agrees to
indemnify on an after-tax basis and hold harmless each of the
Company, the Bookrunner, their respective Affiliates and any person
acting on their behalf from any and all costs, claims, liabilities
and expenses (including legal fees and expenses) arising out of or
in connection with any breach of the representations, warranties,
acknowledgements, agreements and undertakings in this Announcement
and further agrees that the provisions of this Announcement shall
survive after completion of the Capital Raise;
10.1.39
where it or any person acting on its behalf is
dealing with the Bookrunner, any money held in an account with the
Bookrunner on behalf of it and/or any person acting on its behalf
will not be treated as client money within the meaning of the
relevant rules and regulations of the CBI and the relevant
Bookrunner shall not be required to segregate such money, as that
money will be held by the Bookrunner under a banking relationship
and not as trustee;
10.1.40
the Firm Placee's clients, whether or not
identified to the Bookrunner or any of its Affiliates or any person
acting on their behalf, will remain the Firm Placee's sole
responsibility and will not become clients of the Bookrunner or any
of its Affiliates or any person acting on their behalf for the
purposes of the rules of the CBI or for the purposes of any other
statutory or regulatory provision;
10.1.41
the Firm Placee: (i) will not make any offer to
the public of the Ordinary Shares; and (ii) will not offer or sell
any Ordinary Shares to persons in the United Kingdom or in the EEA
prior to Admission except to qualified investors located in a
Member State of the EEA or the United Kingdom (as the case may be)
as that term is defined in the Prospectus Regulation and the UK
Prospectus Regulation (as the case may be); or (iii) in
circumstances in which the prior consent of the Bookrunner has been
given to the offer;
10.1.42
the Firm Placee (and any account for which the
Firm Placee is purchasing) is not acquiring the Ordinary Shares
with a view to the offer, sale, resale, transfer, delivery or
distribution, directly or indirectly, of any Ordinary Shares into
the United States;
10.1.43
the Firm Placee accepts the allocation of Ordinary
Shares shall be determined by the Bookrunner and the Company in
their absolute discretion and that the Bookrunner and the Company
may scale down certain commitments for this purpose on such basis
as it may determine;
10.1.44
time shall be of the essence as regards the Firm
Placee's obligations to settle the Subscription Payment for the
Ordinary Shares and to comply with the Firm Placee's other
obligations under the Firm Placing and undertakes that it (and any
person acting on its behalf) will pay for Firm Placed Shares
acquired by it in accordance with this Announcement on the due time
and date set out herein against delivery of such Firm Placed Shares
to it (in such manner as set out herein), failing which the
relevant Firm Placed Shares may be placed with other Placees or
sold as the Bookrunner may, in its absolute discretion, determine
and it will remain liable for any shortfall below the net proceeds
of such sale and the placing proceeds of such Firm Placed Shares
and may be required to bear any stamp duty or stamp duty reserve
tax (together with any interest 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 Firm Placed Shares on its
behalf;
10.1.45
in the case of the Firm Placees, its commitment to
acquire Ordinary Shares will be agreed orally with the Bookrunner
as agent for the Company and that a contract note or placing
confirmation will be issued by the Bookrunner as soon as possible
thereafter. That oral confirmation will constitute an irrevocable,
legally binding commitment upon that person (who at that point will
become a Placee) in favour of the Company and the Bookrunner to
subscribe for the number of Ordinary Shares allocated to it at the
Issue Price on the terms and conditions set out in this
Announcement and, as applicable, in the contract note or placing
confirmation. Except with the consent of the Bookrunner, such oral
commitment will not be capable of variation or revocation after the
time at which it is made;
10.1.46
its allocation of Ordinary Shares under the Firm
Placing will be evidenced by the contract note or placing
confirmation, as applicable, confirming:
(a) the
number of Ordinary Shares that such Firm Placee has agreed to
subscribe for;
(b) the
aggregate amount that such Firm Placee will be required to pay for
such Ordinary Shares;
(c) settlement instructions to pay the Bookrunner as agent for the
Company; and
(d) the
terms of this Announcement shall be deemed to be incorporated into
that contract note or placing confirmation,
and the Company and/or the
Bookrunner reserve the right to reject all or part of any offer to
subscribe for Ordinary Shares for any reason and the Company also
reserves the right to issue fewer than all of the Ordinary Shares
offered by this Announcement or to issue to any subscriber fewer
than all of the Ordinary Shares a subscriber has offered to
subscribe for;
10.1.47
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 Ireland and it submits (on behalf of itself and on
behalf of any person on whose behalf it is acting) to the exclusive
jurisdiction of the Irish 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
Firm Placed Shares (together with any interest chargeable thereon)
may be taken by the Bookrunner or the Company in any jurisdiction
in which the relevant Firm Placee is incorporated or in which any
of its securities have a quotation on a recognised stock
exchange.
10.2
The acknowledgements, agreements, undertakings,
representations and warranties referred to above are given to each
of the Company and the Bookrunner (for their own benefit and, where
relevant, the benefit of their respective Affiliates and any person
acting on their behalf) and are irrevocable. Each Firm Placee, and
any person acting on behalf of a Firm Placee, acknowledges that the
Bookrunner does not owe any fiduciary or other duties to any Firm
Placee in respect of any representations, warranties, undertakings
or indemnities in the Firm Placing, Placing and Open Offer
Agreement.
11 MISCELLANEOUS
11.1
Each Firm Placee agrees to be bound by the
constitution of the Company once the Ordinary Shares, which the
Firm Placee has agreed to subscribe for pursuant to the Firm
Placing, have been acquired by the Firm Placee.
11.2
The Bookrunner and the Company expressly reserve
the right to modify the terms and conditions of, and arrangements
in respect of, the Firm Placing (including, without limitation, its
timetable and settlement) at any time before allocations are
determined thereunder.
11.3
In the case of a joint agreement to subscribe for
Ordinary Shares under the Firm Placing, references to a "Firm
Placee" are to each of the Firm Placees who are a party to that
joint agreement and their liability is joint and
several.
11.4
If the Bookrunner, the Company or any of their
respective agents request any information (a) in connection with a
Firm Placee's agreement to subscribe for Ordinary Shares under the
Firm Placing or (b) to comply with any relevant legislation, rule
or regulation, such Firm Placee must promptly disclose such
information to the Bookrunner, the Company and/or their respective
agents (as the case may be).
11.5
No claim shall be made against the Company, the
Bookrunner, their respective Affiliates or any other person acting
on behalf of any of such persons by a Firm Placee to recover any
damage, cost, charge or expense which it may suffer or incur by
reason of or arising from the carrying out by it of the work to be
done by it pursuant hereto or the performance of its obligations
hereunder or otherwise in connection with the Firm
Placing.
11.6
The acknowledgements, agreements, undertakings,
representations and warranties referred to above may be waived or
modified in whole or in part in respect of any Firm Placee with the
prior agreement of the Company and the Bookrunner.
11.7
No stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax should be
payable to the extent that the Firm Placed Shares are issued or
deposited (as the case may be) into the Euroclear System to or
with, or to or with the nominee of, a Firm Placee who holds those
shares beneficially (and not as agent or nominee for any other
person) within the Euroclear System and registered in the name of
such Firm Placee or such Firm Placee's nominee.
11.8
Any arrangements to issue or transfer the Firm
Placed Shares into a depositary receipts system or a clearance
service or to hold the Firm Placed Shares as agent or nominee of a
person to whom a depositary receipt may be issued or who will hold
the Firm Placed Shares in a clearance service, or any arrangements
subsequently to transfer the Firm Placed Shares, may give rise to
stamp duty and/or stamp duty reserve tax, for which neither the
Company nor the Bookrunner will be responsible and the Firm Placee
to whom (or on behalf of whom, or in respect of the person for whom
it is participating in the Firm Placing as an agent or nominee) the
allocation, allotment, issue or delivery of Firm Placed Shares has
given rise to such stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax undertakes
to pay such stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax forthwith and to
indemnify on an after-tax basis and to hold harmless the Company
and the Bookrunner in the event that any of the Company and/or the
Bookrunner have incurred any such liability to stamp duty or stamp
duty reserve tax.
11.9
In addition, Firm Placees should note that they
will be liable for any capital duty, stamp duty and all other
stamp, issue, securities, transfer, registration, documentary or
other duties or taxes (including any interest, fines or penalties
relating thereto) payable outside Ireland by them or any other
person on the acquisition by them of any Firm Placed Shares or the
agreement by them to acquire any Firm Placed Shares.
11.10
Each Firm Placee, and any person acting on behalf
of the Firm Placee, acknowledges that the Bookrunner and Euronext
Growth Listing Sponsor do not owe any fiduciary or other duties to
any Firm Placee in respect of any representations, warranties,
undertakings or indemnities in the Firm Placing, Placing and Open
Offer Agreement.
11.11
Each Firm Placee and any person acting on behalf
of the Firm Placee acknowledges and agrees that the Bookrunner or
any of its Affiliates or any person acting on its behalf may, at
their absolute discretion, agree to become a Firm Placee in respect
of some or all of the Firm Placed Shares.
11.12
The rights and remedies of the Bookrunner, the
Euronext Growth Listing Sponsor 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 or partial exercise of one will not prevent the
exercise of others.
11.13
Each Firm Placee may be asked to disclose in
writing or orally to the Bookrunner:
(a)
if he is an individual, his nationality;
or
(b)
if he is a discretionary fund manager, the
jurisdiction in which the funds are managed or owned.
11.14
All documents provided by, or on behalf of, a Firm
Placee in connection with the Firm Placing will be sent at the Firm
Placee's risk. They may be returned by post to a Firm Placee at the
address notified by such Firm Placee.
11.15
The contract to subscribe for Ordinary Shares
under the Placing and the appointments and authorities mentioned in
this document will be governed by, and construed in accordance
with, the laws of Ireland. For the exclusive benefit of the Company
and the Bookrunner, each Firm Placee irrevocably submits to the
exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Ireland in relation to all
disputes and claims arising out of, or in connection with, the
contract to subscribe for Ordinary Shares or its formation
(including on-contractual disputes or claims) and waives any
objection to proceedings in any such court on the ground of venue
or on the ground that proceedings have been brought in an
inconvenient forum. This does not prevent an action being taken
against a Firm Placee in any other jurisdiction.
DEFINITIONS
"Admission"
|
the admission of the New Ordinary
Shares to trading on Euronext Growth becoming effective in
accordance with the Euronext Growth Markets Rule Book
|
"Admitted Institution"
|
the institutions which hold
interests in Ordinary Shares on behalf of their clients through
Euroclear Bank as an admitted institution of Euroclear Bank or, as
the context so permits, which hold interests in Ordinary Shares on
behalf of their clients through an institution which is an admitted
institution of Euroclear Bank
|
"Articles"
|
the articles of association of the Company
|
"Board"
|
the directors of the
Company
|
"Business Day"
|
any day on which Euronext Growth is
open for the transaction of business
|
"Capital Raise"
|
the Firm Placing, the Placing and
the Open Offer
|
"CDIs" or "CDI Form"
|
CREST depositary interests issued by
CREST Depository Limited in respect of Ordinary Shares
|
"CDI Holders"
|
the holder(s) of CDIs from time to
time and "CDI Holder" means
any one of them
|
"CDI Entitlements"
|
CREST depositary interests issued by
CREST Depository Limited in respect of Open Offer
Entitlements
|
"Circular"
|
the circular to be issued by the
Company on 30 August 2024, including the notice convening the
Extraordinary General Meeting
|
"Company"
|
Datalex plc
|
"Companies Act"
|
the Companies Act 2014 (as
amended)
|
"CREST"
|
the computerised settlement system
operated by Euroclear UK which facilitates the transfer of title to
shares in uncertificated form
|
"Enlarged Issued Ordinary Share Capital"
|
the Existing Ordinary Shares and the
New Ordinary Shares
|
"Euroclear Bank"
|
Euroclear Bank SA/NV, an
international central securities depository and operator of the
Euroclear System
|
"Euroclear UK"
|
Euroclear UK & International
Limited, the operator of CREST
|
"Euroclear Participant"
|
a holder of an interest in Existing
Ordinary Shares in book-entry form through the Euroclear
System
|
"Euroclear Subscription Rights"
|
the subscription rights, created in
Euroclear Bank pursuant to the Open Offer, and exercisable in
accordance with the Euroclear Terms and Conditions, subject to the
terms and conditions of the Open Offer (and, unless expressly
stated, includes the CDI Rights)
|
"Euroclear System"
|
the securities settlement system
operated by Euroclear Bank and governed by Belgian law
|
"Euroclear Terms and Conditions"
|
the document issued by Euroclear
Bank entitled 'Terms and Conditions governing use of Euroclear
dated April 2019, as may be amended, varied, replaced or superseded
from time to time
|
"Euronext Dublin"
|
The Irish Stock Exchange plc,
trading as Euronext Dublin
|
"Euronext Growth"
|
Alternext, a multilateral trading
facility operated by Euronext Dublin under the commercial name
"Euronext Growth"
|
"Euronext Growth Listing Sponsor"
|
a Euronext Growth Listing Sponsor as required by the
Euronext Growth Market Rule Book
|
"Euronext Growth Rules"
|
the rules relating to Euronext
Growth, including under Part I (Harmonised Rules) and Part II
(Non-Harmonised Rules) of the Euronext Growth Markets Rule Book
(Effective Date: 1 April 2022)
|
"Excess Application Facility"
|
means the arrangement pursuant to
which Qualifying Shareholders may apply for Excess Open Offer
Shares in excess of their Open Offer Entitlements
|
"Excess Open Offer Shares"
|
means the New Ordinary Shares which
Qualifying Shareholders will be invited to apply to subscribe for
pursuant to the Excess Application Facility
|
"Excluded Territory''
|
Australia, Canada, Japan,
Switzerland, the Republic of South Africa and any other
jurisdiction where the extension or availability of the Open Offer
would breach any applicable law, or any one of them as the context
requires
|
"Existing Ordinary Shares"
|
the existing ordinary shares of US$0.10 each in
the capital
of the Company as at the Latest Practicable
Date
|
"Extraordinary General Meeting" or "EGM"
|
the extraordinary general meeting of
the Company to be held at 11.00 a.m. on 26 September 2024 at
Block V, Eastpoint Business Park, Dublin 3,
Ireland including any adjournment thereof, and notice of which is
set out at the end of the Circular
|
"Facilities Agreement"
|
the term loan facility agreement
dated 30 October 2019 between Tireragh (as lender) and the Company
(as borrower) and other members of the Group, as amended and
restated from time to time between Tireragh and the Company and
other members of the Group
|
"Firm Placed Shares"
|
the 37,777,777 New Ordinary Shares
which are the subject of the Firm Placing
|
"Firm Placees"
|
the persons with whom the Firm
Placed Shares have been placed in accordance with the Firm
Placing
|
"Firm Placing"
|
the placing of the Firm Placed
Shares with the Firm Placees at the Issue Price
|
"Firm Placing, and Placing and Open Offer
Agreement"
|
the agreement dated
28 August
2024 entered into between the Company and Goodbody
in respect of the Firm Placing and Placing and Open Offer further
details of which are set out in section 8 of Part VI of the
Circular
|
"Form of Proxy"
|
the form of proxy for use by
Shareholders in connection with the Extraordinary General
Meeting
|
"FSMA"
|
the UK Financial Services and
Markets Act 2000, as amended
|
"GDPR"
|
Regulation 2016/679 of the European
Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of
natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and
on the free movement of such data (otherwise known as the General
Data Protection Regulation)
|
"Group"
|
the Company and its subsidiary undertakings
|
"Goodbody"
|
Goodbody Stockbrokers UC
|
"IIU Nominees"
|
IIU Nominees Limited
|
"IIU Subscription Agreement"
|
the subscription agreement relating
to the Placing entered into between the Company and IIU Nominees on
28 August 2024
|
"Independent Shareholders"
|
the Shareholders other than IIU
Nominees and any persons acting or deemed to be acting in concert
with Mr Desmond (as determined under the Irish Takeover
Rules)
|
"Irish Prospectus Regulations"
|
European Union (Prospectus)
Regulations 2019 of Ireland, as amended
|
"Irish Takeover Rules" or "Takeover Rules"
|
the Irish Takeover Panel Act, 1997,
Takeover Rules, 2022
|
"Issue Price"
|
the price at which each New Ordinary
Share is to be issued under the Capital Raise being €0.45 per New
Ordinary Share
|
"Latest Practicable Date"
|
27 August 2024
|
"Market Abuse Regulation"
|
Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 of the
European Parliament and of the Council of 16 April 2014 on market
abuse
|
"New Ordinary Shares"
|
the 55,469,070 New Ordinary Shares
to be issued pursuant to the Capital Raise
|
"Ordinary Shares"
|
the ordinary shares of US$0.10 each in the share capital of the Company
|
"Open Offer"
|
the offer to Qualifying Shareholders
constituting an invitation to apply for the Open Offer Shares at
the Issue Price on the terms and subject to the conditions set out
in the Circular
|
"Open Offer Entitlements"
|
an entitlement of a Qualifying
Shareholder to apply for 2 New Ordinary Shares for every 15
Existing Ordinary Shares held by him on the Record Date, pursuant
to the Open Offer
|
"Open Offer Shares"
|
the 17,691,293 New Ordinary Shares
to be offered to Qualifying Shareholders pursuant to the Open
Offer
|
"Overseas Shareholders"
|
shareholders who are resident in, or
citizens of, or who have registered addresses in territories other
than Ireland or the United Kingdom
|
"Panel"
|
the Irish Takeover Panel
|
"Placing"
|
the conditional placing of the
Placed Shares with IIU Nominees in accordance with the Firm
Placing, and Placing and Open Offer Agreement subject to clawback
to satisfy valid applications by Qualifying Shareholders under the
Open Offer
|
"Placed Shares"
|
the 17,691,293 New Ordinary Shares
which are the subject to the Placing subject to clawback to satisfy valid applications by
Qualifying Shareholders under the Open Offer
|
"Proposals"
|
the proposals the subject of the
Resolutions
|
"Prospectus Regulation"
|
Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 of the
European Parliament and of the Council of 14 June 2017
|
"Qualifying CDI Holder"
|
a registered holder in CREST of CDIs
at close of business on the Record Date with the exclusion (subject
to certain exceptions) of persons with a registered address or
located or resident in an Excluded Territory
|
"Qualifying Euroclear
Participant"
|
a holder of an interest in Existing
Ordinary Shares in book-entry form through the Euroclear System at
close of business on the Record Date with the exclusion (subject to
certain exceptions) of persons with a registered address or located
or resident in an Excluded Territory
|
"Qualifying Shareholder''
|
a Qualifying CDI Holder or a
Qualifying Euroclear Participant, as the case may be, other than
those with a registered address or located or resident in an
Excluded Territory and any Shareholder in the United
States
|
"Record Date"
|
7.00 p.m. on 27 August
2024
|
"Registrar" or "Receiving Agent"
|
Computershare Investor Services
(Ireland) Limited
|
"Regulatory Information Service"
|
one of the regulatory information
services authorised by Euronext Dublin to receive, process and
disseminate regulated information from listed companies
|
"Relationship Agreement"
|
the agreement between the Company
and Mr Dermot Desmond, further details of which are set out in
section 8 of Part VI of the Circular
|
"Shareholders"
|
the holders of Existing Ordinary Shares
|
"Tireragh"
|
Tireragh Limited, a company
incorporated under the laws of the Isle of Man, having its
registered office at the Red House, One the Parade, Castletown,
IM91LG, Isle of Man, a company ultimately beneficially owned by Mr
Desmond and an associate of IIU Nominees
|
"Tireragh Loan"
|
the principal and accrued interest
owed by the Company to Tireragh under the terms of the Facilities
Agreement
|
"UK
Prospectus Regulation Rules"
|
the prospectus rules published by
the FCA pursuant to section 73A of FSMA (as amended from time to
time)
|
"Waiver Proposal"
|
the proposed increase in the
percentage of the issued ordinary shares of the Company owned or
controlled by Mr Dermot F. Desmond, as a result of IIU Nominees
subscribing for New Ordinary Shares pursuant to the Firm Placing
and the Placing and Open Offer (as is more fully described in this
Circular) up to a maximum holding of 52.5 per cent., without
triggering an obligation under the Takeover Rules on Mr Desmond (or
any party acting in concert or deemed to be acting in concert with
him) to make a general offer for the balance of the issued ordinary
shares of the Company
|
"Waiver Resolution"
|
the resolution as set out in the
Circular in the Notice for the approval by Independent Shareholders
of the Waiver Proposal
|