London,
28 October 2024
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONTAINS INSIDE
INFORMATION
Not for release, publication or
distribution, in whole or in part, in or into any jurisdiction
where to do so would constitute a violation of the relevant laws of
such jurisdiction.
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
GEORGIA CAPITAL
PLC
DISPOSAL OF THE BEER AND
DISTRIBUTION BUSINESS
Georgia Capital PLC ("GCAP"), the
ultimate owner of a 92.4% equity stake in its beer and distribution
business (the "Business"), today announces that it has entered into
an agreement with a subsidiary of Royal Swinkels N.V. (the latter
"Royal Swinkels") for the disposal of the Business (the
"Transaction"). Following the disposal, the Business will be held
through a new holding company domiciled in the Netherlands (the
"Dutch Holdco"). GCAP will obtain a 20% holding in the Dutch Holdco
(and Royal Swinkels 80%). The parties have put in place a put/call
structure relating to the remaining GCAP 20% holding.
GCAP will realise net proceeds from
the Transaction amounting to at least US$ 63.0 million. The
disposal is subject to customary closing conditions, including the
approval of the Georgian Competition and Consumer Agency.
Completion of the Transaction and the receipt of full sales
proceeds is expected before 31 December 2024.
The Transaction is in line with
GCAP's capital-light investment strategy and represents another
successful completion of the full investment cycle of our private
assets: to invest, to grow, and finally to monetise the investment
via a cash exit. This disposal also marks further progress toward
GCAP's key strategic priority of divesting from subscale portfolio
companies: we have now monetised almost 60% of the
"Other[1]" portfolio value, representing
more than 5% of GCAP's total NAV as at 30 June 2024. In addition,
the disposal will:
·
Realise material cash proceeds which, in line with
GCAP's 360-degree capital management framework, are intended to be
deployed in a combination of capital returns, potential investments
and further enhancing GCAP's liquidity position;
·
Create significant value for GCAP shareholders,
translating into a premium to the Business' latest investment
value, and a 1.8% uplift to GCAP's NAV per share as at 30 June
2024;
·
Bring an important international investor and
significant industry expertise into Georgia, that will strengthen
the beer and distribution business to the benefit of its customers,
employees and other stakeholders; and
·
Form a strategic partnership between GCAP and
Royal Swinkels that will support the business at least until such
time as either the put option or call option is
exercised.
Under the agreement, GCAP's 20%
holding in the Dutch Holdco will be subject to an ongoing put/call
option structure. The put option granted to GCAP can be exercised
at a pre-agreed EV/EBITDA multiple, in each of the twelve-month
periods following the approval of the audited consolidated accounts
of the Dutch Holdco by shareholders for each of the financial years
ended 31 December in 2028, 2029 and 2030.
The call option granted to Royal
Swinkels can be exercised at a pre-agreed multiple in each
twelve-month period commencing on the date of expiry of the put
option and expiring twelve months after the audited consolidated
annual accounts of the Dutch Holdco have been adopted by
shareholders for the financial years ended 2031, 2032 and
2033.
Following the disposal, the value of
GCAP's put option will be presented under the "Listed and
Observable" portfolio category on GCAP's NAV statement.
Irakli
Gilauri, Georgia Capital's Chairman
and CEO commented: "I am delighted to have agreed the sale of
GCAP's beer and distribution business to such a high-quality
international investor and strategic purchaser, Royal Swinkels. The
strong Royal Swinkels management team can add substantial value to
the Business in its new period of ownership and can count fully on
our support as a minority shareholder. I would like to thank our
exceptional management team in the beer and distribution business,
whose outstanding abilities have transformed the Business into its
current successful state. Over the past three years, the Business
has achieved a revenue growth rate of 29% per annum and an
impressive 79% CAGR in EBITDA, significantly exceeding our
expectations. For Georgia Capital, this transaction represents
another successful monetisation of its private businesses, yielding
significant net cash proceeds of US$ c.63.0 million.
The use of the Transaction proceeds will be
announced following the completion of the Transaction and receipt
of the proceeds, which is expected to take place prior to the end
of 2024."
Peer
Swinkels, CEO of Royal Swinkels
commented: "We are excited to partner with Georgia Capital and the
talented people in the beer and distribution business, who have
played a vital role in shaping the Business into what it is today.
This acquisition offers a portfolio of strong brand names, a modern
brewery, strong distribution capabilities, and numerous growth
opportunities. We have complete confidence in the teams and look
forward to collaborating with them to drive the Business' continued
success."
Information on the beer and distribution
business
The Business manages the production,
distribution, and sale of beer and lemonade, both in Georgia and in
export markets. The Business is also engaged in the import and
distribution of coffee and the distribution of drinking water. The
Business' brands include Heineken, Black Lion (the leading Georgian
craft beer producer, acquired in 2018), ICY (its flagship
mainstream beer brand), Kazbegi, which was acquired in 2019, Amstel
and Krusovice beer, for which the Business acquired a licence in
2019, and Kayaki (the Business's light beer brand). The Business
operates through JSC Georgian Beverages Holdings and its
subsidiaries: Global Beer Georgia LLC, Georgia Distribution &
Logistics Ltd, Genuine Brewing Company LLC and Global Coffee
Georgia LLC. The beer and distribution business is a part of the
wider beverages business, which also includes the wine business,
the latter being outside of the scope of this disposal.
Information on Royal Swinkels N.V.
Royal Swinkels, is an independent
family business in malting and brewing with over 300 years of rich
heritage. For seven generations, the Swinkels family has led a
group of companies that consists of 8 breweries and 2 malt houses.
This ensures a presence in a broad playing field within various
domains, including beer, soft drinks, craft soda, energy drinks,
malt, malt extract and real estate. Royal Swinkels is active in 150
countries with a portfolio that contains over 300 beers. Worldwide,
approximately 2,000 employees work at Royal Swinkels on its
ambition to continuously do business in a smarter and more
sustainable way.
IMPORTANT NOTICE
This Announcement is released by Georgia Capital PLC and
contains inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of the
Market Abuse Regulation (EU) 596/2014 (MAR) (as it forms part of
domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act
2018), and is disclosed in accordance with the GCAP's obligations
under Article 17 of MAR.
This announcement has been issued by, and is the sole
responsibility of, Georgia Capital PLC.
Name of authorised official of issuer responsible for making
notification: Giorgi Alpaidze, Chief Financial
Officer.
Baker & McKenzie LLP is acting as legal adviser to GCAP
and Allen Overy Shearman Sterling LLP is acting as legal adviser to
Royal Swinkels in connection with the matters set out in this
Announcement.
Forward looking
statements
This announcement (including information incorporated by
reference in this announcement), oral statements made regarding the
Disposal, and other information published by GCAP contain
statements which are, or may be deemed to be, "forward-looking
statements". Forward-looking statements are prospective in nature
and are not based on historical facts, but rather on current
expectations and projections of GCAP about future events and are
therefore subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause
actual results to differ materially from the future results
expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. The
forward-looking statements contained in these documents include
statements relating to the expected effects of the Disposal on
GCAP, the expected timing and scope of the Disposal and other
statements other than historical facts. Often, but not always,
forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of
forward-looking words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not
expect", "is expected", "is subject to", "budget", "scheduled",
"estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not
anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases
or statements that certain actions, events or results "may",
"could", "should", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be
achieved. Although GCAP believes that the expectations reflected in
such forward-looking statements are reasonable, GCAP can give no
assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. By their
nature, forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainty
because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that will
occur in the future. There are a number of factors that could cause
actual results and developments to differ materially from those
expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These
factors include the satisfaction of certain conditions, as well as
additional factors, such as fluctuations in the capital markets;
fluctuations in interest and exchange rates; increased regulation
or regulatory scrutiny; the occurrence of unforeseen disasters or
catastrophes; political or economic instability in principal
markets; adverse outcomes in litigation; and general, local and
global economic, political, business and market conditions. Other
unknown or unpredictable factors could cause actual results to
differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements.
Such forward-looking statements should therefore be construed in
the light of such factors. Neither GCAP nor any of its respective
associates or directors, officers or advisers, provides any
representation, assurance or guarantee that the occurrence of the
events expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements in
this announcement will actually occur. You are cautioned not to
place undue reliance on these forward-looking
statements.
Other than in accordance with their legal or regulatory
obligations (including under the UK Listing Rules and the
Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules of the Financial Conduct
Authority (the "FCA"), the Prospectus Regulation Rules, the Market
Abuse Regulation (EU No. 596/2014) and the Market Abuse Regulation
(EU No. 596/2014) as it forms part of domestic law by virtue of the
European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018), GCAP is not under any
obligation, and GCAP and its advisors (acting in their capacity as
such) expressly disclaim any intention or obligation or
undertaking, to update or revise any forward-looking statements,
whether as a result of new information, future events or
otherwise.
All forward looking statements contained in this announcement
are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary
statements contained or referred to in this
section.
No profit forecasts or
quantified benefits statement
No
statement in this announcement is intended as a profit forecast,
profit estimate or quantified benefits statement and no statement
in this announcement should be interpreted to mean that earnings
per GCAP share for the current or future financial years would
necessarily match or exceed the respective historical published
earning per GCAP share or to mean that the continuing group's
earnings in the first 12 months following the Disposal, or in any
subsequent period, would necessarily match or be greater than those
of GCAP for the relevant preceding financial period or any other
period.
This news report is presented for general informational
purposes only and should not be construed as an offer to sell or
the solicitation of an offer to buy any
securities
About Georgia Capital PLC
Georgia Capital (LEI:
213800Q65T5GNBOW7H65) is a
platform for buying, building and developing businesses in Georgia
with holdings in sectors that are expected to benefit from the
continued growth and further diversification of the Georgian
economy. The Company's focus is typically on larger-scale
investment opportunities in Georgia, which have the potential to
reach at least GEL 300 million equity value over 3-5 years from the
initial investment and to monetise them through exits, as
investments mature. Georgia Capital currently has the following
portfolio businesses: (i) a retail (pharmacy) business, (ii) an
insurance business (P&C and medical insurance), (iii) a
hospitals business, (iv) a renewable energy business (hydro and
wind assets), (v) an education business and (vi) a clinics and
diagnostics business; Georgia Capital also holds other small
private businesses across different industries in Georgia; a 20%
equity stake in the water utility business and a c.20% equity stake
in LSE listed Bank of Georgia Group PLC ("BoG"), a leading
universal bank in Georgia and a bank in Armenia.
JSC
Georgia Capital has, as of the date hereof, the following credit
rating:
|
|
|
S&P Global
|
'BB-'/FC & 'BB-'/LC
|
For further information, please visit
www.georgiacapital.ge
or
contact:
Irakli Gilauri
|
Giorgi Alpaidze
|
Giorgi Ketiladze
|
Michael Oliver
|
Shalva Bukia
|
Chairman and Chief
Executive
|
Chief Financial Officer
|
Managing Director, Head of
Investments
|
Adviser to the Chairman &
CEO
|
Head of Investor
Relations
|
ir@gcap.ge
|
+995 322 005 000
|
+995 322 005 000
|
+44 203 178 4034
|
+ 995 322 005 045
|
|
ir@gcap.ge
|
ir@gcap.ge
|
ir@gcap.ge
|
ir@gcap.ge
|
This news report is presented for general informational
purposes only and should not be construed as an offer to sell or
the solicitation of an offer to buy any
securities.