THIS ANNOUNCEMENT (INCLUDING THE APPENDIX) AND THE INFORMATION
CONTAINED HEREIN IS RESTRICTED AND IS NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION
OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN,
INTO OR FROM THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, CANADA, THE
REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA OR JAPAN OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN
WHICH SUCH RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION WOULD BE UNLAWFUL.
PLEASE SEE THE IMPORTANT NOTICES AT THE END OF THIS
ANNOUNCEMENT.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT (INCLUDING THE APPENDIX) IS FOR INFORMATION
PURPOSES ONLY AND DOES NOT ITSELF CONSTITUTE AN OFFER FOR SALE OR
SUBSCRIPTION OF ANY SECURITIES IN THE COMPANY. THIS
ANNOUNCEMENT AND THE APPENDIX DO NOT CONSTITUTE OR CONTAIN ANY
INVITATION, SOLICITATION, RECOMMENDATION, OFFER OR ADVICE TO ANY
PERSON TO PURCHASE AND/OR SUBSCRIBE FOR, OTHERWISE ACQUIRE OR
DISPOSE OF ANY SECURITIES IN HERCULES SITE SERVICES PLC OR ANY
OTHER ENTITY IN ANY JURISDICTION. NEITHER THIS ANNOUNCEMENT NOR THE
FACT OF ITS DISTRIBUTION, SHALL FORM THE BASIS OF, OR BE RELIED ON
IN CONNECTION WITH ANY INVESTMENT DECISION IN RESPECT OF HERCULES
SITE SERVICES PLC.
THE
INFORMATION CONTAINED WITHIN THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS DEEMED BY THE
COMPANY TO CONSTITUTE INSIDE INFORMATION AS STIPULATED UNDER THE
MARKET ABUSE REGULATION (EU) NO. 596/2014 AS IT FORMS PART
OF UK DOMESTIC LAW PURSUANT TO THE EUROPEAN
UNION (WITHDRAWAL) ACT 2018, AS AMENDED. UPON THE
PUBLICATION OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT VIA A REGULATORY INFORMATION
SERVICE, THIS INFORMATION IS CONSIDERED TO BE IN THE PUBLIC
DOMAIN.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT SHOULD BE READ IN ITS ENTIRETY. IN
PARTICULAR, YOU SHOULD READ AND UNDERSTAND THE INFORMATION PROVIDED
IN THE APPENDIX WHICH CONTAINS THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE
PLACING.
Hercules Site Services
plc
("Hercules" or the "Company")
Proposed Placing and
Subscription to raise approximately £8 million
and
Proposed secondary sale of
existing shares of £3 million
Hercules Site Services plc (AIM:
HERC), a leading technology enabled labour supply company for the
UK infrastructure sector, is pleased to announce a proposed placing
and subscription for 16,197,213 new ordinary shares of 0.1p each
("Ordinary Shares") in the
capital of the Company at a price of 49.50p (the "Offer Price") to raise gross proceeds
of approximately £8 million (the "Fundraising").
The Company intends to raise
approximately £6 million by way of a placing of 12,156,809 new
Ordinary Shares ("Placing
Shares") to institutional and other investors (the
"Placing") at the Offer
Price and £2 million via a subscription for 4,040,404 new Ordinary
Shares from a new strategic investor, Wasdell Packaging Limited, a
company majority owned and controlled by Martin Tedham (the
"Subscription") at the
Offer Price.
The Company also announces that it
expects Hercules Real Estate Limited ("HRE"), a company controlled by Brusk
Korkmaz, CEO of Hercules, and his wife, will following this
announcement ("Announcement") sell 6,060,606 existing
Ordinary Shares at the Offer Price (the "Secondary Sale") to Wasdell Packaging
Limited. Following the Secondary Sale and completion of the
Fundraising, HRE is expected to have a 45% holding in Hercules
which will continue to ensure close alignment with
shareholders.
Fundraise Highlights
· The Company
intends to use the net proceeds of the proposed Placing and
Subscription ("Fundraise")
to strengthen its balance sheet to allow it to take advantage of
the many opportunities it is seeing in the UK infrastructure and
construction sector to grow its business both organically and via
selective acquisitions
· A proposed Placing
of 12,156,809 Ordinary Shares ("Placing Shares") at the Offer Price to
raise gross proceeds of £6,017,621
· A proposed
Subscription of 4,040,404 Ordinary Shares at the Offer Price (the
"Subscription Shares") to
raise gross proceeds of £2,000,000
· A proposed
Secondary Sale of 6,060,606 existing Ordinary Shares by HRE at the
Offer Price, thereby bringing a new significant shareholder onto
the register and, in conjunction with the Fundraise, reducing the
CEO's interest in Ordinary Shares to below 50%
· The Placing will
be effected by way of a bookbuild (the "Bookbuild"). The Bookbuild will open
immediately following release of this announcement. A further
announcement confirming closing of the Bookbuild and the number of
Placing Shares to be issued pursuant to the Placing is expected to
be made in due course, together with the closure of the Secondary
Sale
· The Placing and
Subscription are being undertaken in two tranches as the Company
has insufficient authorities to issue all of the Placing Shares and
Subscription Shares. The Company plans to utilise the shareholder
authorities it does have to issue 8,803,943 of the Placing Shares
("First Placing Shares")
and 2,926,055 of the Subscription Shares ("First Subscription Shares"). The
remaining Ordinary Share expected to be issued pursuant to the
Fundraising are conditional upon the Company obtaining new
shareholder authorities at a general meeting of shareholders of the
Company ("General
Meeting"). The Company expects to publish a circular calling
a General Meeting to obtain these authorities in the week
commencing 9 September 2024 ("Circular"). Following the General
Meeting the Company expects to issue the remaining 3,352,866
Placing Shares ("Second Placing
Shares") and 1,114,349 remaining Subscription Shares
("Second Subscription
Shares") and expects to admit these shares shortly after the
General meeting
· The Offer Price of
49.5p equates to the closing mid-market price on 5 September 2024,
being the latest practicable date prior to the date and time of
this Announcement
· Neither the
Placing, Subscription, nor the Secondary Sale are
underwritten
· It is proposed
that Martin Tedham, majority shareholder and controller of Wasdell
Packaging Limited, will join the Company as a Non-Executive
Director
· The Placing has
been arranged by SP Angel Corporate Finance LLP ("SP Angel") and Cavendish Capital
Markets Limited ("Cavendish") (the "Joint Bookrunners" or "Brokers") as Joint Bookrunners in
accordance with the terms and conditions set out in the appendix
("Appendix") to this
Announcement
Details of the Secondary Sale
·
Subject to completion of the Secondary Sale, the
Placing, and Subscription, HRE's anticipated holding will be 45%,
which the Board believes represents a step towards a more
appropriate level of shareholding for the CEO and founder of a
public company. In line with Brusk Korkmaz's ongoing commitment to
the long-term future of Hercules, he continues to be
well-incentivised to drive future growth as his interests remain
closely aligned with shareholders of the Company
·
Brusk Korkmaz founded the Company in 2008 and over
the subsequent 16 years grew the business to its current position
where the most recently reported annual revenues, being the year
ended 30 September 2023, of the group where £84.7m with an adjusted
EBITDA of £4.1m. Brusk also led the Company through its listing on
the AIM Market in February 2022
The Placing is subject to the terms
and conditions set out in the Appendix to this
Announcement.
Brusk Korkmaz, Chief Executive Officer,
commented:
"We are very pleased to be raising these funds which will mean
the Company is in a strong position to execute on a range of
compelling opportunities we are seeing in the UK infrastructure and
construction sector as we build on the track record of year-on-year
growth we have established since listing."
Additional Information on the Subscription
The Subscription is expected to take
place in two tranches, with the First Subscription Shares utilising
the Company's existing shareholder authorities to issue new shares
on a non-pre-emptive basis for cash (the "First Subscription") and the second
tranche of up to 1,114,349 new Ordinary Shares (the "Second Subscription Shares") to be
issued subject to new shareholder approvals to be sought at the
General Meeting (the "Second
Subscription").
The First Subscription is
conditional on admission of the First Subscription Shares to
trading on the AIM Market ("Admission") occurring on or before 8.00
a.m. on 10 September (or such later date and/or time as SP Angel,
Cavendish and the Company may agree, being no later than 8.00 a.m.
on 17 September 2024).
The Second Subscription is
conditional (amongst other things) on the passing of the
resolutions proposed at the General Meeting ("Resolutions") and Admission of the
Second Subscription Shares ("Second Admission") occurring on or
before 8.00 a.m. on the second business day following the passing
of the Resolutions at the General Meeting (or such later date
and/or time as SP Angel, Cavendish and the Company may agree, being
no later than 8.00 a.m. on 31 October 2024).
Additional Information on the Placing
The Placing is expected to take
place in two tranches, with the first tranche of up to 8,803,943
new Ordinary Shares utilising the Company's existing shareholder
authorities to issue new shares on a non-pre-emptive basis for cash
(the "First Placing"). The
second tranche of up to 3,352,866 new Ordinary Shares (the
"Second Placing Shares") to
be issued subject to new shareholder approvals to be sought at the
General Meeting (the "Second
Placing").
The Bookbuild will determine final
demand for and participation in the Placing. The Bookbuild is
expected to close not later than 11.00 a.m. (London time) today but
may be closed at such earlier or later time as the Joint
Bookrunners, in their absolute discretion (following consultation
with the Company), determine.
The final number of Placing Shares
to be issued pursuant to the Placing will be determined by the
Company and the Joint Bookrunners following closure of the
Bookbuild. The Placing Shares, when issued, will be fully paid and
will rank pari passu in all respects with the existing Ordinary
Shares in the capital of the Company.
Details of the result of the Placing
will be announced as soon as practicable after closure of the
Bookbuild. Attention is drawn to the detailed terms and conditions
of the Placing described in the Appendix (which forms part of this
Announcement). By choosing to participate in the Placing and by
making an oral and legally binding offer to acquire Placing 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 and
acknowledgements contained in the Appendix.
Issue of Equity and Admission
The First Placing is conditional
(amongst other things) on the Placing Agreement not having been
terminated and Admission of the First Placing Shares ("First Admission") occurring on or
before 8.00 a.m. on 10 September (or such later date and/or time as
SP Angel, Cavendish and the Company may agree, being no later than
8.00 a.m. on 17 September 2024).
The Second Placing is conditional
(amongst other things) on the Placing Agreement not having been
terminated, the passing of the Resolutions at the General
Meeting and Second Admission occurring on or before 8.00 a.m.
on the second business day following the passing of the Resolutions
at the General Meeting (or such later date and/or time as SP Angel,
Cavendish and the Company may agree, being no later than 8.00 a.m.
on 31 October 2024).
Attention is drawn to the section
headed 'Important Information' in this Announcement and the terms
and conditions of the Placing (representing important information
for Placees only) in the Appendix to this Announcement.
For further information and
enquiries, please contact:
Hercules Site Services plc
Brusk Korkmaz (CEO)
Paul Wheatcroft (CFO)
|
c/o SEC Newgate
|
|
|
SP
Angel (Nominated Adviser and Joint
Broker)
Matthew Johnson / Adam Cowl /
Charlie Bouverat (Corporate Finance)
Grant Barker / Rob Rees (Sales and
Broking)
|
+44 (0) 20 3470 0470
|
Cavendish Capital Markets Limited (Joint
Broker)
Adrian Hadden / Charlie Combe /
George Budd (Sales and Broking)
|
+44
(0) 20 7397 8900
|
SEC
Newgate (Financial Communications)
Elisabeth Cowell / Ian Silvera /
Matthew Elliott
|
+44 (0) 20 3757 6882
Hercules@secnewgate.co.uk
|
IMPORTANT
NOTICES
The information in this
Announcement, which includes certain information drawn from public
sources, does not purport to be comprehensive and has not been
independently verified. This Announcement includes statements that
are, or may be deemed to be, "forward-looking statements". These
forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of
forward-looking terminology, including the terms "believes",
"estimates", "forecasts", "plans", "prepares", "anticipates",
"projects", "expects", "intends", "may", "will", "seeks", "should"
or, in each case, their negative or other variations or comparable
terminology, or by discussions of strategy, plans, objectives,
goals, future events or intentions. These forward-looking
statements include all matters that are not historical facts. They
appear in a number of places throughout this Announcement and
include statements regarding the Company's and the Directors'
intentions, beliefs or current expectations concerning, amongst
other things, the Company's prospects, growth and
strategy, planned
work at the Company's projects and the expected results of such
work, mineral grades and mineral reserve and resource
estimates. By their nature, forward-looking
statements involve risks and uncertainties because they relate to
events and depend on circumstances that may or may not occur in the
future. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future
performance. The Company's actual performance, achievements and
financial condition may differ materially from those expressed or
implied by the forward-looking statements in this Announcement. In
addition, even if the Company's results of operations, performance,
achievements and financial condition are consistent with the
forward-looking statements in this Announcement, those results or
developments may not be indicative of results or developments in
subsequent periods. Any forward-looking statements that the Company
makes in this Announcement speak only as of the date of such
statement and (other than in accordance with their legal or
regulatory obligations) neither the Company, nor
SP Angel nor Cavendish nor any of
their respective associates, directors, officers or advisers shall
be obliged to update such statements. Comparisons of results for
current and any prior periods are not intended to express any
future trends or indications of future performance, unless
expressed as such, and should only be viewed as historical
data.
SP Angel, which is authorised and
regulated in the United Kingdom by the FCA, is acting as
nominated adviser and joint broker exclusively for the Company and
no one else in connection with the contents of this Announcement
and will not regard any other person (whether or not a recipient of
this Announcement) as its client in relation to the contents of
this Announcement nor will it be responsible to anyone other than
the Company for providing the protections afforded to its clients
or for providing advice in relation to the contents of this
Announcement. Apart from the responsibilities and liabilities, if
any, which may be imposed on SP Angel by the Financial Services and
Markets Act 2000, as amended ("FSMA") or the regulatory regime
established thereunder, SP Angel accepts no responsibility
whatsoever, and makes no representation or warranty, express or
implied, as to the contents of this Announcement including its
accuracy, completeness or verification or for any other statement
made or purported to be made by it, or on behalf of it, the Company
or any other person, in connection with the Company and the
contents of this Announcement, whether as to the past or the
future. SP Angel accordingly disclaims all and any liability
whatsoever, whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise (save as
referred to above), which it might otherwise have in respect of the
contents of this Announcement or any such statement. The
responsibilities of SP Angel as the Company's Nominated Adviser
under the AIM Rules for Companies ("AIM Rules") and the AIM Rules for
Nominated Advisers are owed solely to the London Stock
Exchange and are not owed to the Company or to any director or
shareholder of the Company or any other person, in respect of its
decision to acquire shares in the capital of the Company in
reliance on any part of this Announcement, or otherwise.
Cavendish, which is authorised and
regulated in the United Kingdom by the FCA, is acting as joint
broker exclusively for the Company and no one else in connection
with the Placing and the contents of this Announcement and will not
regard any other person (whether or not a recipient of this
Announcement) as its client in relation to the Placing nor will it
be responsible to anyone other than the Company for providing the
protections afforded to its clients or for providing advice in
relation to the contents of this Announcement. Apart from the
responsibilities and liabilities, if any, which may be imposed on
Cavendish by FSMA or the regulatory regime established thereunder,
Cavendish accepts no responsibility whatsoever, and makes no
representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the contents
of this Announcement including its accuracy, completeness or
verification or for any other statement made or purported to be
made by it, or on behalf of it, the Company or any other person, in
connection with the Company and the contents of this Announcement,
whether as to the past or the future. Cavendish accordingly
disclaims all and any liability whatsoever, whether arising in
tort, contract or otherwise (save as referred to above), which it
might otherwise have in respect of the contents of this
Announcement or any such statement.
The Placing Shares have not been and
will not be registered under the Securities Act or with any
securities regulatory authority of any state or other jurisdiction
of the United States and may not be offered, sold, pledged, taken
up, exercised, resold, renounced, transferred or delivered,
directly or indirectly, in or into the United
States absent registration under the Securities Act, except
pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to,
the registration requirements of the Securities Act and in
compliance with any applicable securities laws of any state or
other jurisdiction of the United States. The Placing Shares have
not been approved, disapproved or recommended by the U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission, any state securities commission
in the United States or any other U.S. regulatory authority,
nor have any of the foregoing authorities passed upon or endorsed
the merits of the offering of the Placing Shares. Subject to
certain exceptions, the securities referred to herein may not be
offered or sold in the United States, Australia, Canada,
Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of South Africa or to, or for the
account or benefit of, any national, resident or citizen of the
United States, Australia, Canada, Japan,
New Zealand or the Republic of South Africa.
The relevant clearances have not
been, nor will they be, obtained from the securities commission of
any province or territory of Canada; no prospectus has been lodged
with, or registered by, the Australian Securities and Investments
Commission, the Financial Markets Authority of New Zealand or the
Japanese Ministry of Finance; the relevant clearances have not
been, and will not be, obtained from the South Africa Reserve Bank
or any other applicable body in the Republic of South Africa in
relation to the Placing Shares; and the Placing Shares have not
been, and nor will they be, registered under or offered in
compliance with the securities laws of any state, province or
territory of Canada, Australia, Japan, New Zealand or the Republic
of South Africa. Accordingly, the Placing Shares may not (unless an
exemption under the relevant securities laws is applicable) be
offered, sold, resold or delivered, directly or indirectly, in or
into Canada, Australia, Japan, New Zealand or the Republic of South
Africa or any other jurisdiction outside the United Kingdom or
to, or for the account or benefit of any national, resident or
citizen of Australia, Japan, New Zealand or
the Republic of South Africa or to any investor located
or resident in Canada.
No public offering of the Placing
Shares is being made in the United States, the United Kingdom or
elsewhere. All offers of the Placing Shares will be made pursuant
to an exemption under the EU Prospectus Regulation, or the UK
Prospectus Regulation, (as the case may be) from the requirement to
produce a prospectus. This Announcement is being distributed to
persons in the United Kingdom only in circumstances in which
section 21(1) of FSMA does not apply.
The content of this Announcement has
not been approved by an authorised person within the meaning of the
FSMA. Reliance on this Announcement for the purpose of engaging in
any investment activity may expose an individual to a significant
risk of losing all of the property or other assets invested. The
price of securities and any income expected from them may go down
as well as up and investors may not get back the full amount
invested upon disposal of the securities. Past performance is no
guide to future performance, and persons needing advice should
consult an appropriate independent financial adviser.
No prospectus will be made available
in connection with the matters contained in this Announcement and
no such prospectus is required (in accordance with the EU
Prospectus Regulation or the UK Prospectus Regulation) to be
published. This Announcement and the terms and conditions set out
herein are for information purposes only and are directed only at
persons whose ordinary activities involve them in acquiring,
holding, managing and disposing of investments (as principal or
agent) for the purposes of their business and who have professional
experience in matters relating to investments and who are: (a) in
Member States of the European Economic Area, Qualified
Investors as defined in article 2(e) of the
Prospectus Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2017/1129) as amended from
time to time; and (b) in the United Kingdom, Qualified
Investors as defined in article 2(e) of the Prospectus
Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2017/1129) which forms part of domestic
UK law pursuant to the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (acting
as principal or in circumstances to which section 86(2) of FSMA
applies) who are persons who (i) have professional experience in
matters relating to investments falling within the definition of
"investment professionals" in article 19(5) of the Financial
Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as
amended (the "Order"); (ii)
are persons falling within article 49(2)(a) to (d) ("high net worth
companies, unincorporated associations, etc") of the Order; or
(iii) are persons to whom it may otherwise be lawfully
communicated; (all such persons together being referred to as
relevant persons").
This Announcement and the terms and
conditions set out herein 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
and the terms and conditions set out herein relates is available
only to relevant persons and will be engaged in only with relevant
persons.
No representation or warranty,
express or implied, is or will be made as to, or in relation to,
and no responsibility or liability is or will be accepted by either
SP Angel or Cavendish or by any of their respective 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, and any liability therefore is expressly
disclaimed.
No statement in this Announcement is
intended to be a profit forecast or estimate, 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.
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.
Information to Distributors
UK product
governance
Solely for the purposes of the
product governance requirements contained within of Chapter 3 of
the FCA Handbook Production Intervention and Product Governance
Sourcebook (the "UK Product Governance Requirements"), and
disclaiming all and any liability, whether arising in tort,
contract or otherwise, which any "manufacturer" (for the purposes
of the UK Product Governance Requirements) may otherwise have with
respect thereto, the Placing Shares have been subject to a product
approval process by SP Angel and Cavendish, which has determined
that such securities are: (i) compatible with an end target market
of investors who meet the criteria of retail investors and
investors who meet the criteria of professional clients and
eligible counterparties, each as defined in Chapter 3 of the FCA
Handbook Conduct of Business Sourcebook; and (ii) eligible for
distribution through all permitted distribution channels
(the "UK Target Market Assessment"). Notwithstanding the UK
Target Market Assessment, distributors should note that: (a) the
price of the Placing Shares may decline and investors could lose
all or part of their investment; (b) the Placing Shares offer no
guaranteed income and no capital protection; and (c) an investment
in the Placing Shares is compatible only with investors who do not
need a guaranteed income or capital protection, who (either alone
or in conjunction with an appropriate financial or other adviser)
are capable of evaluating the merits and risks of such an
investment and who have sufficient resources to be able to bear any
losses that may result therefrom. The UK Target Market Assessment
is without prejudice to the requirements of any contractual, legal
or regulatory selling restrictions in relation to the Placing.
Furthermore, it is noted that, notwithstanding the UK Target Market
Assessment, the Brokers will only procure investors who meet
the criteria of professional clients and eligible
counterparties.
For the avoidance of doubt, the UK
Target Market Assessment does not constitute: (a) an assessment of
suitability or appropriateness for the purposes of Chapter 9A or
10A respectively of the FCA Handbook Conduct of Business
Sourcebook; or (b) a recommendation to any investor or group of
investors to invest in, or purchase, or take any other action
whatsoever with respect to the Placing Shares.
Each distributor is responsible for
undertaking its own target market assessment in respect of the
Placing Shares and determining appropriate distribution
channels.
EEA product governance
Solely for the purposes of the
product governance requirements contained within: (a) EU Directive
2014/65/EU on markets in financial instruments, as amended ("MiFID
II"); (b) Articles 9 and 10 of Commission Delegated Directive (EU)
2017/593 supplementing MiFID II; and (c) local implementing
measures (together, the "MiFID II Product Governance
Requirements"), and disclaiming all and any liability, whether
arising in tort, contract or otherwise, which any "manufacturer"
(for the purposes of the MiFID II Product Governance Requirements)
may otherwise have with respect thereto, the Placing Shares have
been subject to a product approval process, which has determined
that the Placing Shares are: (i) compatible with an end target
market of retail investors and investors who meet the criteria of
professional clients and eligible counterparties, each as defined
in MiFID II; and (ii) eligible for distribution through all
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
Placing Shares may decline and investors could lose all or part of
their investment; the Placing Shares offer no guaranteed income and
no capital protection; and an investment in the Company's ordinary
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 Joint Bookrunners 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 (b)
a recommendation to any investor or group of investors to invest
in, or purchase, or take any other action whatsoever with respect
to the Placing Shares.
Each distributor is responsible for
undertaking its own target market assessment in respect of the
Placing Shares and determining appropriate distribution
channels.
APPENDIX
Terms and conditions of the
Placing
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE NOT
ELIGIBLE TO TAKE PART IN THE PLACING AND NO
PUBLIC OFFERING OF THE PLACING SHARES WILL BE
MADE. THIS APPENDIX AND
THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SET OUT HEREIN ARE
FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND ARE DIRECTED ONLY AT PERSONS
WHOSE ORDINARY ACTIVITIES INVOLVE THEM IN ACQUIRING, HOLDING,
MANAGING AND DISPOSING OF INVESTMENTS (AS PRINCIPAL OR AGENT) FOR
THE PURPOSES OF THEIR BUSINESS AND WHO HAVE PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
IN MATTERS RELATING TO INVESTMENTS AND ARE: (A) PERSONS WHO ARE IN
A MEMBER STATE OF THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AREA AND ARE QUALIFIED
INVESTORS (FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT REFERRED TO AS
"EEA QUALIFIED
INVESTORS"), AS DEFINED IN ARTICLE
2(E) OF THE PROSPECTUS REGULATION (REGULATION (EU) 2017/1129) AS
AMENDED FROM TIME TO TIME (THE "EU
PROSPECTUS REGULATION"); AND/OR (B) IN THE UNITED
KINGDOM, PERSONS WHO ARE QUALIFIED INVESTORS (FOR THE PURPOSES OF
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT REFERRED TO AS "UK QUALIFIED INVESTORS"), AS DEFINED IN
ARTICLE 2(E) OF THE PROSPECTUS REGULATION (REGULATION (EU)
2017/1129) WHICH FORMS PART OF DOMESTIC UK LAW PURSUANT TO THE
EUROPEAN UNION (WITHDRAWAL) ACT 2018 (THE "UK PROSPECTUS REGULATION") (ACTING AS PRINCIPAL OR IN
CIRCUMSTANCES TO WHICH SECTION 86(2) OF FSMA APPLIES) WHO ARE (I)
"INVESTMENT PROFESSIONALS"
WITHIN THE MEANING OF ARTICLE 19(5) OF THE FINANCIAL SERVICES AND
MARKETS ACT 2000 (FINANCIAL PROMOTION) ORDER 2005 (AS AMENDED) (THE
"ORDER"); (II) PERSONS
FALLING WITHIN ARTICLE 49(2)(A) TO (D) ("HIGH NET WORTH COMPANIES, UNINCORPORATED
ASSOCIATIONS, ETC") OF THE ORDER; OR (III) PERSONS TO WHOM
IT MAY OTHERWISE BE LAWFULLY COMMUNICATED (ALL SUCH PERSONS
TOGETHER BEING REFERRED TO AS "RELEVANT PERSONS").
THIS APPENDIX, AND THE TERMS AND
CONDITIONS SET OUT HEREIN, IS A FINANCIAL PROMOTION AND IS EXEMPT
FROM THE GENERAL RESTRICTION IN SECTION 21 OF FSMA ON THE
COMMUNICATION OF INVITATIONS OR INDUCEMENTS TO ENGAGE IN INVESTMENT
ACTIVITY, ON THE GROUNDS THAT IT IS ONLY BEING DISTRIBUTED TO
RELEVANT PERSONS. ACCORDINGLY, THIS APPENDIX AND THE TERMS AND
CONDITIONS SET OUT HEREIN MUST NOT BE ACTED ON OR RELIED ON BY
PERSONS WHO ARE NOT RELEVANT PERSONS. DISTRIBUTION OF THIS
ANNOUNCEMENT IN CERTAIN JURISDICTIONS MAY BE RESTRICTED OR
PROHIBITED BY LAW. PERSONS DISTRIBUTING THIS ANNOUNCEMENT MUST
SATISFY THEMSELVES THAT IT IS LAWFUL TO DO SO. ANY INVESTMENT OR
INVESTMENT ACTIVITY TO WHICH THIS APPENDIX AND THE TERMS AND
CONDITIONS SET OUT HEREIN RELATE IS AVAILABLE ONLY TO RELEVANT
PERSONS AND WILL BE ENGAGED IN ONLY WITH RELEVANT
PERSONS.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT AN OFFER
FOR SALE OR SUBSCRIPTION IN ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH OFFER,
SOLICITATION OR SALE WOULD BE UNLAWFUL UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF
ANY JURISDICTION. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT DOES NOT ITSELF CONSTITUTE AN
OFFER FOR SALE OR SUBSCRIPTION OF ANY SECURITIES IN THE COMPANY.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT AN OFFER OF OR SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO
PURCHASE OR SUBSCRIBE FOR SECURITIES IN THE UNITED STATES. THE
SECURITIES REFERRED TO HEREIN HAVE NOT BEEN AND WILL NOT BE
REGISTERED UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS
AMENDED (THE "SECURITIES
ACT"), AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD IN THE UNITED
STATES, EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AN APPLICABLE EXEMPTION FROM, OR AS PART
OF A TRANSACTION NOT SUBJECT TO, THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF
THE SECURITIES ACT. NEITHER THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION NOR ANY SECURITIES REGULATORY AUTHORITY OF
ANY STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION OF THE UNITED STATES HAS
APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED OF AN INVESTMENT IN THE SECURITIES OR
PASSED UPON OR ENDORSED THE MERITS OF THE PLACING OR THE ACCURACY
OR ADEQUACY OF THE CONTENTS OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. ANY
REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENCE IN THE
UNITED STATES. NO PUBLIC OFFERING OF SECURITIES IS BEING MADE
IN THE UNITED STATES.
EACH PLACEE SHOULD CONSULT WITH ITS
OWN ADVISERS AS TO THE LEGAL, TAX, BUSINESS AND RELATED
IMPLICATIONS OF AN INVESTMENT IN THE PLACING SHARES AND THE INCOME
FROM THEM (IF ANY) MAY GO DOWN AS WELL AS UP AND INVESTORS MAY NOT
GET BACK THE FULL AMOUNT INVESTED ON A DISPOSAL OF THEIR
SHARES.
The relevant clearances have not
been, nor will they be, obtained from the securities commission of
any province or territory of Canada; no prospectus has been lodged
with or registered by, the Australian Securities and Investments
Commission or the Japanese Ministry of Finance or the South African
Reserve Bank; and the Placing Shares have not been, nor will they
be, registered or qualified for distribution, as applicable under
or offered in compliance with the securities laws of any state,
province or territory of the United States, Australia, Canada,
Japan, New Zealand, or South Africa. Accordingly, the Placing
Shares may not (unless an exemption under the relevant securities
laws is applicable) be offered, sold, resold or delivered, directly
or indirectly, in or into the United States, Australia,
Canada, Japan, New Zealand, or South Africa or any other
jurisdiction in which such offer, sale, resale or delivery would be
unlawful.
Market Abuse Regulation
Market soundings, as defined in the
UK version ("UK
MAR") of the Market Abuse
Regulation No. 596/2014 ("EU MAR"), which is part of English law by
virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (as
amended) were taken in respect of the Placing, with the result
that certain persons became aware of inside information, as
permitted by UK MAR. That inside information is set out
in this announcement and has been disclosed as soon as possible in
accordance with paragraph 7 of article 17 of UK MAR. Therefore,
those persons that received inside information in a market sounding
are no longer in possession of inside information relating to the
Company and its securities.
These terms and conditions apply to
persons making an offer to acquire Placing Shares and should be
read in their entirety. Each participant in the Placing
("Placee") hereby agrees
with each of the Brokers and the Company to be bound by these terms
and conditions. A Placee shall, without limitation, become so bound
if the relevant Broker confirms to such Placee its allocation of
Placing Shares.
Upon being notified of its
allocation of Placing Shares, a Placee shall be contractually
committed to acquire the number of Placing Shares allocated to it
at the Offer Price and otherwise on the terms and conditions set
out in this Announcement and, to the fullest extent permitted by
law, will be deemed to have agreed not to exercise any rights to
rescind or terminate or otherwise withdraw from such
commitment.
In this Appendix, unless the context
otherwise requires, "Placee" means a Relevant Person (including
individuals, funds or others) on whose behalf a commitment to
subscribe for or acquire Placing Shares has been given.
Details of the Placing Agreement and the Placing
Shares
SP Angel, Cavendish and the Company
have entered into the Placing Agreement, under which SP Angel and
Cavendish have, on the terms and subject to the conditions set out
therein, undertaken to use their respective reasonable endeavours
to procure subscribers for the Placing Shares at the Offer Price.
The Placing is not being underwritten by SP Angel or Cavendish or
any other person.
The number of the Placing Shares
will be determined following completion of the Placing. The
timing of the closing of the Placing and the number and allocation
of Placing Shares to Placees and as between the tranches of the
Placing, are at the discretion of the Brokers, following
consultation with the Company. Allocations will be confirmed orally
or by email by the relevant Broker following the close of the
Placing. The Commitment of Placees will be evidenced by two
contract notes (the "Contract
Notes") issued to such Placee by the relevant Broker with
one Contact Note relating to the First Placing Shares and with one
Contact Note relating to the Second Placing Shares. The terms of
this Appendix will be deemed incorporated in those Contract Notes.
A further announcement confirming these details will then be made
as soon as practicable following completion of the
Placing.
The Placing Shares will, when
issued, be subject to the Articles of Association of the Company
("Articles"), will be
credited as fully paid and rank pari passu in all respects with the
existing Ordinary Shares, including the right to receive all
dividends and other distributions (if any) declared, made or paid
on or in respect of Ordinary Shares after the date of issue of the
Placing Shares.
Application for admission to trading on AIM
An application has been made to the
London Stock Exchange for admission to trading on AIM of the First
Placing Shares and First Subscription Shares ("First Application"). It is
expected that settlement of the First Placing Shares and First
Admission will become effective at 8.00 a.m. on 10
September 2024 and that dealings in the First Placing Shares
and First Subscription Shares will commence at that
time.
An application will be made to the
London Stock Exchange for admission to trading on AIM of the Second
Placing Shares and Second Subscription Shares ("Second Application"). It is
expected that settlement of the Second Placing Shares and Second
Admission will become effective at 8.00 a.m. on the
second business day following the passing of the Resolutions at the
General Meeting that dealings in the Second Placing Shares and
Second Subscription Shares will commence at that time.
Placing
The Brokers will today commence an
accelerated bookbuilding process to determine demand for
participation in the Placing by potential Placees at the Offer
Price. This Appendix gives details of the terms and conditions of,
and the mechanics of participation in, the Placing. No commissions
will be paid to Placees or by Placees in respect of any Placing
Shares.
The Brokers and the Company shall be
entitled to effect the Placing by such alternative method to the
Placing as they may, in their discretion, determine.
The principal terms of the Placing
are as follows:
1. SP Angel
and Cavendish are arranging the Placing as agents for, and joint
broker of, the Company.
2.
Participation in the Placing is only available to persons who are
lawfully able to be, and have been, invited to participate by SP
Angel or Cavendish.
3. The
bookbuild, if successful, will establish the number of Placing
Shares to be issued at the Offer Price, which will be determined by
the Brokers, in consultation with the Company, following completion
of the Placing. The results of the Placing, including the number of
Placing Shares, will be announced on a Regulatory Information
Service following completion of the Placing.
4. To bid in
the Placing, prospective Placees should communicate their bid by
telephone to their usual contact at the relevant Broker. Each bid
should state the number of Placing Shares which the prospective
Placee wishes to subscribe. Bids may be scaled down by the Brokers
on the basis referred to in paragraph 8 below.
5. The timing
of the closing of the Placing will be at the discretion of the
Brokers
6. Allocations
of the Placing Shares to Placees will be determined by the Brokers
following consultation with the Company. Each Placee's allocation
will be confirmed to Placees orally, or by email, by the relevant
Broker following the close of the Placing and a trade confirmation
and the Contract Note will be dispatched as soon as possible
thereafter. Oral or emailed confirmation from the relevant Broker
will give rise to an irrevocable, legally binding commitment by
that person (who at that point becomes a Placee), in favour of the
relevant Broker and the Company, under which it agrees to acquire
by subscription the number of Placing Shares allocated to it at the
Offer Price and otherwise on the terms and subject to the
conditions set out in this Appendix and in accordance with the
Articles. Except with consent of both Brokers, such commitment will
not be capable of variation or revocation.
7. The Company
will make a further announcement following the close of the Placing
detailing the results of the Placing and the number of Placing
Shares to be issued at the Offer Price.
8. Subject to
paragraphs 4 and 5 above,
the Broker may choose not to accept bids and/or to accept bids,
either in whole or in part, on the basis of allocations determined
at its discretion (after consultation with the Company) and may
scale down any bids for this purpose on such basis as it may
determine.
9. A bid in
the Placing will be made on the terms and subject to the conditions
in the Announcement (including this Appendix) and will be legally
binding on the Placee on behalf of which it is made and, except
with the Brokers consent, will not be capable of variation or
revocation from the time at which it is submitted.
10. Except as required by
law or regulation, no press release or other announcement will be
made by either the Brokers or the Company using the name of any
Placee (or its agent), in its capacity as Placee (or agent), other
than with such Placee's prior written consent.
11. Irrespective of the
time at which a Placee's allocation pursuant to the Placing is
confirmed, settlement for all Placing Shares to be acquired
pursuant to the Placing will be required to be made at the same
time, on the basis explained below under "Registration and
Settlement".
12. All obligations of the
Brokers under the Placing will be subject to fulfilment of the
conditions referred to below under "Conditions of the Placing" and
to the Placing not being terminated on the basis referred to below
under "Right to terminate the Placing Agreement".
13. By participating in
the Placing, each Placee agrees that its rights and obligations in
respect of the Placing will terminate only in the circumstances
described below and will not be capable of rescission or
termination by the Placee.
14. To the fullest extent
permissible by law and the applicable rules of the FCA, neither SP
Angel, nor Cavendish, nor the Company, nor any of their respective
affiliates, agents, directors, officers or employees shall have any
liability to Placees (or to any other person whether acting on
behalf of a Placee or otherwise whether or not a recipient of these
terms and conditions) in respect of the Placing. In particular,
neither SP Angel, nor Cavendish, nor the Company, nor any of their
respective affiliates, agents, directors, officers or employees
shall have any liability (including to the extent permissible by
law, any fiduciary duties) in respect of the Brokers' conduct of
the Placing or of such alternative method of effecting the Placing
as the Brokers and the Company may determine.
15. The Placing is not
subject to any minimum fundraising and no element of the Placing is
underwritten by either of the Brokers or any other
person.
Conditions of the Placing
The Placing is conditional upon the
Placing Agreement becoming unconditional and not having been
terminated in accordance with its terms.
The Brokers' obligations under the
Placing Agreement in respect of the First Admission are conditional
on, inter
alia:
1. the Announcement
being released through a Regulatory Information Service (as defined
in the AIM Rules) by no later than 5.00 pm on 6 September 2024 or
such later time and/or date agreed between the Company and the
Brokers;
2. the announcement
by the Company of the completion of the Bookbuild in respect of the
Placing being released through a Regulatory Information Service (as
defined in the AIM Rules) by no later than 5.00 pm on the day of
the release of the Announcement or such later time and/or date
agreed between the Company and the Brokers;
3. the First
Application and all other documents required to be submitted with
the First Application, together with payment for the relevant AIM
fee (as defined in the AIM Rules) payable to the London Stock
Exchange, being delivered to the London Stock Exchange not later
than 4.00 pm on 9 September 2024 or such later time and/or date
agreed between the Company and the Brokers;
4. the Company
having fully performed its obligations under this Agreement to the
extent that such obligations fall to be performed prior to First
Admission;
5. none of the
warranties in the Placing Agreement ("Warranties") being untrue or inaccurate
in any material respect or misleading at any time between the date
of this Agreement and First Admission and no fact or circumstance
having arisen which would render any of the Warranties untrue or
inaccurate in any material respect or misleading if it was repeated
as at any time up to First Admission by reference to such facts or
circumstances;
6. the obligations
of the Brokers not being terminated before First Admission under
the Placing Agreement;
7. the Brokers
having received, in terms satisfactory to them, legally binding
confirmations on the basis of set out in this Announcement from
Placees at the Offer Price in respect of all Placing
Shares;
8. a meeting of the
Board taking place to approve, amongst other things, the Placing,
the Subscription, the Secondary Sale and (subject only to First
Admission) the allotment of the First Subscription Shares and the
First Placing Shares;
9. the delivery by
the Company to the Brokers of certain documents listed in the
Placing Agreement at agreed times;
10.
First Admission taking place no later than 8.00 am on 10 September
2024 (as agreed with the Brokers) or such later time as may be
agreed between the Company and the Brokers not being later than
8.00 am on the 17 September 2024 ("First Long Stop Date");
11.
the delivery by the Company to the Brokers of a duly executed
warranty certificate no later than 4.00 pm on the Business Day
prior to the date on which First Admission occurs;
12.
the Brokers (acting reasonably) being satisfied that, at least two
Business Day prior to the intended date for First Admission, the
Company has received, in immediately available cleared funds free
from Encumbrances, all sums payable to it by Wasdell pursuant to
the agreement between the Company and Wasdell relating to the
Subscription;
13.
the Brokers (acting reasonably) being satisfied that, at least two
Business Day prior to the intended date for First Admission, the
sale and purchase agreement in relation to the Secondary Sale
between Hercules Real Estate Limited and Wasdell ("Sale and Purchase Agreement") has been
completed or the solicitors for Hercules Real Estate Limited have
received the funds free from encumbrances, all sums payable to them
by Wasdell pursuant to the Sale and Purchase Agreement;
and
14.
between the date of the Placing Agreement and immediately prior to
First Admission, the Subscription Agreement and the Sale and
Purchase Agreement each being valid, subsisting, in full force and
effect, free from Encumbrances, and all conditions applicable to
either the Subscription Agreement or the Sale and Purchase
Agreement that are required to have been fulfilled as at
immediately prior to First Admission (other than the occurrence of
First Admission) having been fulfilled and, as at immediately prior
to First Admission, there not having been or occurred any event
that constitutes a default under either the Subscription Agreement
or the Sale and Purchase Agreement, neither the Subscription
Agreement nor the Sale and Purchase Agreement having been lapsed or
been breached, amended or terminated by any of the parties thereto
and there being no event in existence which could provide a right
of termination, rescission or nullification of either the
Subscription Agreement or the Sale and Purchase
Agreement.
The Brokers' obligations under the
Placing Agreement in respect of the Second Admission are
conditional on, inter
alia:
1. the First
Admission having occurred;
2. the Circular
having been sent out to the Company's shareholders entitled to
receive it by first class post by no later than 13 September 2024
or such later time and/or date agreed between the Company and the
Brokers;
3. the passing at
the General Meeting of the Resolutions by the requisite majority
under the Companies Act 2006 and such Resolutions remaining in full
force and effect as at Second Admission;
4. the Second
Application and all other documents required to be submitted with
the Second Application, together with payment for the relevant AIM
fee (as defined in the AIM Rules) payable to the London Stock
Exchange, being delivered to the London Stock Exchange not later
than 8.00 am on 11 October 2024 or such later time and/or date
agreed between the Company and the Brokers;
5. the Company
having fully performed its obligations under the Placing Agreement
to the extent that such obligations fall to be performed prior to
Second Admission;
6. none of the
Warranties being untrue or inaccurate in any material respect or
misleading at any time between the date of this Agreement and
Second Admission and no fact or circumstance having arisen which
would render any of the Warranties untrue or inaccurate in any
material respect or misleading if it was repeated as at any time up
to Second Admission by reference to such facts or
circumstances;
7. the obligations
of the Brokers not being terminated before Second Admission under
the Placing Agreement;
8. a meeting of the
Board taking place to approve, (subject to Second Admission and
Resolutions being passed at the General Meeting ) the allotment of
the Second Subscription Shares and the Second Placing
Shares;
9. the delivery by
the Company to the Brokers of certain documents listed in the
Pacing Agreement;
10.
Second Admission taking place no later than 8.00 am on the second
business day following the passing of the Resolutions at the
General Meeting (as agreed with the Brokers) or such later time as
may be agreed between the Company and the Brokers not being later
than 8.00 am on the 18 October 2024 ("Second Long Stop Date");
11.
the delivery by the Company to the Brokers of a duly executed
warranty certificate no later than 4.00 pm on the Business Day
prior to the date on which Second Admission occurs;
12.
the Brokers (acting reasonably) being satisfied that, at least two
Business Day prior to the intended date for Second Admission, the
Company has received, in immediately available cleared funds free
from encumbrances, all sums for the Second Subscription Shares
payable to it by Wasdell pursuant to the Subscription Agreement or
that the Company's solicitors are holding pursuant to an
undertaking cleared funds payable by Wasdell for the Second
Subscription Shares;
13.
between the date of this Agreement and immediately prior to Second
Admission, the Subscription Agreement being valid, subsisting, in
full force and effect, free from Encumbrances, and all conditions
applicable to the Subscription Agreement that are required to have
been fulfilled as at immediately prior to Second Admission (other
than the occurrence of Second Admission) having been fulfilled and,
as at immediately prior to Second Admission, there not having been
or occurred any event that constitutes a default under the
Subscription Agreement, the Subscription Agreement having not been
lapsed or been breached, amended or terminated by any of the
parties thereto and there being no event in existence which could
provide a right of termination, rescission or nullification of the
Subscription Agreement.
If: (i) any of the conditions in
respect of the First Admission contained in the Placing Agreement,
including those described above, are not fulfilled or (where
applicable) waived by the Brokers by the respective time or date
where specified (or such later time or date as the Brokers may
notify to the Company, being not later than the First Long Stop
Date; (ii) any of the conditions in respect of the Second Admission
contained in the Placing Agreement, including those described
above, are not fulfilled or (where applicable) waived by the
Brokers by the respective time or date where specified (or such
later time or date as the Brokers may notify to the Company, being
not later than the Second Long Stop Date; (iii) any of such
conditions becomes incapable of being fulfilled; or (iv) the
Placing Agreement is terminated in the circumstances specified
below, the Placing will not proceed and the Placees' rights and
obligations hereunder in relation to the Placing Shares shall cease
and terminate at such time and each Placee agrees that no claim can
be made by the Placee in respect thereof.
The Brokers may, at its discretion
and upon such terms as it thinks fit, waive, or extend the period
for (subject to the First Long Stop Date and the Second Long Stop
Date), compliance by the Company with the whole or any part of any
of the Company's obligations in relation to the conditions in the
Placing Agreement, save that the conditions relating to either
First Admission or Second Admission taking place may not be waived.
Any such extension or waiver will not affect Placees' commitments
as set out in this Announcement.
Neither SP Angel, nor Cavendish nor
the Company nor any of their respective affiliates, agents,
directors, officers or employees shall have any liability to any
Placee (or to any other person whether acting on behalf of a Placee
or otherwise) in respect of any decision they may make as to
whether or not to waive or to extend the time and/or date for the
satisfaction of any condition to the Placing nor for any decision
they may make as to the satisfaction of any condition or in respect
of the Placing generally and, by participating in the Placing, each
Placee agrees that any such decision is within the absolute
discretion of the Brokers.
Right to terminate the Placing Agreement
The Brokers are entitled, at any
time before Second Admission, to terminate the Placing Agreement by
giving notice to the Company in certain circumstances,
including, inter
alia:
1. there
has been a breach of any
Warranty, and where a materiality threshold is not specified in
such Warranty such breach is material;
2. any Warranty
would be untrue, inaccurate (in each case where a materiality
threshold is not specified in such Warranty, in any material
respect) or misleading if it were to be repeated at any time prior
to First Admission or Second Admission (as the case
maybe);
3. any statement
in the Placing Documents (as defined in the Placing Agreement) has
become, or an omission in the Placing Documents results in them
being, untrue, inaccurate in any material respect or
misleading;
4. either of the
First Application or Second Application is withdrawn or refused by
the London Stock Exchange;
5. a Material
Adverse Change (as defined in the Placing Agreement) has occurred
after entry into of the Placing Agreement (whether or not
foreseeable at the date of the Placing Agreement);
6. the London
Stock Exchange, the FCA, or any authority in any jurisdiction
launches or threatens to launch an investigation into the affairs
of the Group (as defined in the Placing Agreement) or the trading
of the Ordinary Shares, or either the SP Angel or Cavendish ceases
to be the Company's nominated adviser or the Company's broker (as
the case may be) or notice is otherwise given by SP Angel pursuant
to the Nominated Adviser Agreement (as defined in the Placing
Agreement) to terminate their appointment as the Company's
nominated adviser;
7. there has been
a material breach of any of the warranties, undertakings,
indemnities, covenants, agreements or other obligations on the part
of any party to the Subscription Agreement or the Sale and Purchase
Agreement or any matter, fact, circumstance or event has arisen or
occurred after entry into of the Subscription Agreement which, had
it arisen or occurred prior to entry into the Subscription
Agreement, would constitute such a breach or any party to the
Subscription Agreement has become entitled to terminate or rescind
the Subscription Agreement;
8. the
Subscription Agreement or the Sale and Purchase Agreement being
terminated or rescinded, or is otherwise not capable of being
completed;
9. the
Subscription Agreement or the Sale and Purchase Agreement ceases to
be valid, subsisting, in full force and effect and free from
Encumbrances, rights of pre-emption and all other third party
rights; or
10. any condition applicable
to the Subscription Agreement or the Sale and Purchase Agreement
that is required to have been complied with or fulfilled has not
been complied with or fulfilled.
The rights and obligations of the
Placees will not be subject to termination by the Placees or any
prospective Placees at any time or in any circumstances. By
participating in the Placing, Placees agree that the exercise by
either of the Brokers of any right of termination or other
discretion under the Placing Agreement shall be within the absolute
discretion of the relevant Brokers and that the Brokers need not
make any reference to Placees in this regard and that neither of
the Brokers nor any of its respective affiliates shall have any
liability to Placees whatsoever in connection with any such
exercise or failure so to exercise.
No
Admission Document or Prospectus
The Placing Shares are being offered
to a limited number of specifically invited persons only and have
not been nor will they be offered in such a way as to require the
publication of a prospectus in the United Kingdom or in any other
jurisdiction. No offering document, admission document or
prospectus has been or will be submitted to be approved by the FCA
or the London Stock Exchange in relation to the Placing or the
Placing Shares, and
Placees' commitments will be made
solely on the basis of the information contained in the
Announcement (including this Appendix) and the information in the
public domain ("Publicly Available
Information"). Each Placee, by accepting a
participation in the Placing, agrees that the content of this
Announcement is exclusively the responsibility of the Company and
confirms that it has not relied on any other information (other
than the Publicly Available Information), representation, warranty,
or statement made by or on behalf of the Company, SP Angel or
Cavendish or any other person and neither of the Brokers, the
Company nor any other person will be liable for any Placee's
decision to participate in the Placing based on any other
information, representation, warranty or statement which the
Placees may have obtained or received and, if given or made, such
information, representation, warranty or statement must not be
relied upon as having been authorised by either of the Brokers, the
Company or their respective officers, directors, employees or
agents. Each Placee acknowledges and agrees that it has relied on
its own investigation of the business, financial or other position
of the Company in accepting a participation in the Placing. Neither
the Company nor the Brokers are making any undertaking or warranty
to any Placee regarding the legality of an investment in the
Placing Shares by such Placee under any legal, investment or
similar laws or regulations. Each Placee should not consider any
information in this Announcement to be legal, tax or business
advice. Each Placee should consult its own solicitor, tax adviser
and financial adviser for independent legal, tax and financial
advice regarding an investment in the Placing Shares. Nothing in
this paragraph shall exclude the liability of any person for
fraudulent misrepresentation.
Registration and Settlement
Following closure of the First
Placing, each Placee allocated First Placing Shares in the First
Placing will be sent a Contract Note in accordance with the
standing arrangements in place with the relevant Broker, stating
the number of First Placing Shares allocated to it at the Offer
Price, the aggregate amount owed by such Placee (in pounds
sterling) and a form of confirmation in relation to settlement
instructions.
Following closure of the Second
Placing, each Placee allocated Second Placing Shares in the Second
Placing will be sent a Contract Note in accordance with the
standing arrangements in place with the relevant Broker, stating
the number of Second Placing Shares allocated to it at the Offer
Price, the aggregate amount owed by such Placee (in pounds
sterling) and a form of confirmation in relation to settlement
instructions.
Each Placee will be deemed to agree
that it will do all things necessary to ensure that delivery and
payment is completed as directed by the relevant Broker in
accordance with the standing CREST settlement instructions which
they have in place with the relevant Broker.
Settlement of transactions in the
First Placing Shares (ISIN: GB00BPVBVZ82)
will follow Frist Admission and settlement of transactions in the
Second Placing Shares will follow Second Admission will take place
within CREST provided that, subject to certain exceptions, the
Brokers reserves the right to require settlement for, and delivery
of, the Placing Shares (or a portion thereof) to Placees by such
other means that it deems necessary if delivery or settlement is
not possible or practicable within CREST within the timetable set
out in this Announcement or would not be consistent with the
regulatory requirements in any Placee's jurisdiction.
It is expected that settlement will
take place in accordance with the instructions set out in the
Contract Note.
Interest is chargeable daily on
payments not received from Placees on the due date(s) in accordance
with the arrangements set out above at the rate of 4 percentage
points above the prevailing Bank of England base rate as determined
by the relevant Broker.
Each Placee is deemed to agree that,
if it does not comply with these obligations, the Brokers may sell
any or all of the Placing Shares allocated to that Placee on such
Placee's behalf and retain from the proceeds, for the relevant
Broker's account and benefit (as agent for the Company), an amount
equal to the aggregate amount owed by the Placee plus any interest
due. The relevant Placee will, however, remain liable and shall
indemnify the relevant Broker on demand for any shortfall below the
aggregate amount owed by it and may be required to bear any stamp
duty or stamp duty reserve tax or securities transfer tax (together
with any interest or penalties) which may arise upon the sale of
such Placing Shares on such Placee's behalf. By communicating a bid
for Placing Shares, each Placee confers on the relevant Broker such
authorities and powers necessary to carry out any such sale and
agrees to ratify and confirm all actions which the relevant Broker
lawfully takes in pursuance of such sale. Legal and/or beneficial
title in and to any Placing Shares shall not pass to the relevant
Placee until it has fully complied with its obligations
hereunder.
If Placing Shares are to be
delivered to a custodian or settlement agent, Placees should ensure
that the form of confirmation is copied and delivered immediately
to the relevant person within that organisation.
Insofar as Placing Shares are
registered in a Placee's name or that of its nominee or in the name
of any person for whom a Placee is contracting as agent or that of
a nominee for such person, such Placing Shares should, subject as
provided below, be so registered free from any liability to UK
stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax or securities transfer tax.
Neither of the Brokers nor the Company will be liable in any
circumstances for the payment of stamp duty, stamp duty reserve tax
or securities transfer tax in connection with any of the Placing
Shares. Placees will not be entitled to receive any fee or
commission in connection with the Placing.
Representations, Warranties and Further
Terms
By participating in the Placing,
each Placee (and any person acting on such Placee's behalf)
irrevocably makes the following representations, warranties,
acknowledgements, agreements and undertakings (as the case may be)
to the Broker for themselves and on behalf of the
Company:
1. that it has
read and understood this announcement, including this Appendix, in
its entirety and that its subscription for Placing Shares is
subject to and based upon all the terms, conditions,
representations, warranties, acknowledgements, agreements and
undertakings and other information contained herein and undertakes
not to redistribute or duplicate this announcement;
2. that its
obligations are irrevocable and legally binding and shall not be
capable of rescission or termination by it in any
circumstances;
3. that the
exercise by the Brokers of any right or discretion under the
Placing Agreement shall be within the absolute discretion of the
relevant Broker, and the relevant Broker need not have any
reference to it and shall have no liability to it whatsoever in
connection with any decision to exercise or not to exercise any
such right and each Placee agrees that it has no rights against the
relevant Broker or the Company, or any of their respective
officers, directors, employees agents or advisers, under the
Placing Agreement pursuant to the Contracts (Rights of Third
Parties Act) 1999;
4. that these
terms and conditions represent the whole and only agreement between
it, the relevant Broker and the Company in relation to its
participation in the Placing and supersedes any previous agreement
between any of such parties in relation to such participation.
Accordingly, each Placee, in accepting its participation in the
Placing, is not relying on any information or representation or
warranty in relation to the Company or any of its subsidiaries or
any of the Placing Shares other than as contained in this
Announcement and the Publicly Available Information, such
information being all that it deems necessary to make an investment
decision in respect of the Placing Shares. Each Placee agrees that
neither the Company, nor either of the Brokers, nor any of
their respective officers, directors or employees will have any
liability for any such other information, representation or
warranty, express or implied;
5. that in the
case of any Placing Shares acquired by it as a financial
intermediary, as that term is used in Article 5(1) of the EU
Prospectus Regulation and Article 5(1) of the UK Prospectus
Regulation, (i) the Placing Shares acquired by it in the Placing
have not been acquired on behalf of, nor have they been acquired
with a view to their offer or resale to, persons in any Member
State of the European Economic Area which has implemented the EU
Prospectus Regulation or the UK, respectively, other
than EEA Qualified Investors or UK Qualified Investors (as the
case may be) or in circumstances in which the prior consent of
WHI has been given to the offer or resale; or (ii) where Placing
Shares have been acquired by it on behalf of persons in any member
state of the EEA, or the UK respectively, other
than EEA Qualified Investors or UK Qualified Investors (as the
case may be), the offer of those Placing Shares to it is not
treated under the EU Prospectus Regulation or
the UK Prospectus Regulation as having been made to such
persons;
6. that
neither it nor, as the case may be, its clients expect either of
the Brokers to have any duties or responsibilities to such persons
similar or comparable to the duties of "best execution" and
"suitability" imposed by the FCA's Conduct of Business Source Book,
and that neither of the Brokers is acting for it or its clients,
and that neither of the Brokers will be responsible for providing
the protections afforded to customers of the relevant Broker or for
providing advice in respect of the transactions described
herein;
7. that it has
made its own assessment of the Placing Shares and has relied on its
own investigation of the business, financial or other position of
the Company in accepting a participation in the Placing and that it
shall not be entitled to rely upon any material regarding the
Placing Shares or the Company (if any) that either of the Brokers
or the Company or any of their respective affiliates, agents,
directors, officers or employees or any person acting on behalf of
any of them has provided, other than the information in this
Announcement and the Publicly Available Information; nor has it
requested any of the Brokers, the Company or any of their
respective affiliates, agents, directors, officers or employees or
any person acting on behalf of any of them to provide it with any
such information;
8. that it is:
(i) located outside the United States and is not a US
Person as defined in Regulation S under the Securities Act
("Regulation S") and is subscribing for and/or purchasing the
Placing Shares only in "offshore transactions" as defined in and
pursuant to Regulation S, and (ii) it is not subscribing for and/or
purchasing Placing Shares as a result of any "directed selling
efforts" as defined in Regulation S or by means of any form of
"general solicitation" or "general advertising" as such terms are
defined in Regulation D under the Securities Act;
9. that the
Placing Shares have not been and will not be registered under the
Securities Act, or under the securities legislation of, or with any
securities regulatory authority of, any state or other jurisdiction
of the United States and accordingly the Placing Shares may
not be offered, sold, pledged, resold, transferred, delivered or
distributed into or within the United States except in
compliance with the registration requirements of the Securities Act
and applicable state securities requirements or pursuant to
exemptions therefrom;
10. that the only
information on which it is entitled to rely on and on which it has
relied in committing to subscribe for the Placing Shares is
contained in this announcement and the Publicly Available
Information, such information being all that it deems necessary to
make an investment decision in respect of the Placing Shares and it
has made its own assessment of the Company, the Placing Shares and
the terms of the Placing based on this Announcement and the
Publicly Available Information only;
11. that neither of the
Brokers, nor the Company, nor any of their respective affiliates,
agents, directors, officers or employees has made any
representation or warranty to it, express or implied, with respect
to the Company, the Placing or the Placing Shares or the accuracy,
completeness or adequacy of the Publicly Available
Information;
12. that, unless
specifically agreed with both Brokers, it is not and was not acting
on a non-discretionary basis for the account or benefit of a person
located within the United States or any US Person at the
time the undertaking to subscribe for and/or purchase Placing
Shares was given and it is not acquiring Placing Shares with a view
to the offer, sale, resale, transfer, delivery or distribution,
directly or indirectly, of any Placing Shares into the United
States or to any US Person and it will not reoffer, resell,
pledge or otherwise transfer the Placing Shares except pursuant to
an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the
registration requirements of the Securities Act and otherwise in
accordance with any applicable securities laws of any state or
jurisdiction of the United States;
13. that it is not a
national or resident of Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, the
Republic of South Africa or a corporation, partnership or other
entity organised under the laws of Australia, Canada, Japan, New
Zealand, the Republic of South Africa and that it will not (unless
an exemption under the relevant securities laws is applicable)
offer, sell, renounce, transfer or deliver, directly or indirectly,
any of the Placing Shares in Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand
or the Republic of South Africa or to or for the benefit of any
person resident in Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand,
the Republic of South Africa and each Placee acknowledges
that the relevant clearances or exemptions are not being obtained
from the Securities Commission of any province or
territory of Canada, that no prospectus has been or will be lodged
with, filed with or registered by the Australian Securities and
Investments Commission, the Canadian Securities Administrators,
the Japanese Ministry of Finance, the Securities Commission of
New Zealand or the South African Reserve Bank and that the Placing
Shares are not being offered for sale and may not (unless an
exemption under the relevant securities laws is applicable) be
offered, sold, resold or delivered, directly or indirectly, in or
into the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, the
Republic of South Africa or any other jurisdiction in which such
offer, sale, resale or delivery would be unlawful;
14. that it 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 Placing Shares and it is not acting on a
non-discretionary basis for any such person;
15. that it has not,
directly or indirectly, distributed, forwarded, transferred or
otherwise transmitted, and will not, directly or indirectly,
distribute, forward, transfer or otherwise transmit, any
presentation or offering materials concerning the Placing or the
Placing Shares to any persons within the United States or
to any US Persons;
16. that it is entitled to
subscribe for and/or purchase Placing Shares under the laws of all
relevant jurisdictions which apply to it and that it has fully
observed such laws and obtained all governmental and other consents
which may be required thereunder or otherwise and complied with all
necessary formalities and that it has not taken any action which
will or may result in the Company or either of the Brokers or any
of their respective directors, officers, employees or agents acting
in breach of any regulatory or legal requirements of any territory
in connection with the Placing or its acceptance;
17. that it has obtained
all necessary consents and authorities to enable it to give its
commitment to subscribe for and/or purchase the Placing Shares and
to perform its subscription and/or purchase obligations;
18. that where it is
acquiring Placing Shares for one or more managed accounts, it is
authorised in writing by each managed account: (a) to acquire the
Placing Shares for each managed account; (b) to make on its behalf
the representations, warranties, acknowledgements, undertakings and
agreements in this Appendix and the Announcement of which it forms
part; and (c), if applicable, to receive on its behalf any
investment letter relating to the Placing in the form provided to
it by the Brokers;
19. that
if in the United Kingdom it is a UK Qualified Investor (acting
as principal or in circumstances to which section 86(2) of FSMA
applies) and a person who has professional experience in matters
relating to investments and it is either:
(a) a person of a kind described in paragraph 5 of Article 19
(persons having professional experience in matters relating to
investments and who are investment professionals) of the Order; or
(b) a person of a kind described in paragraph 2 of Article 49(2)(A)
to (D) (high net worth companies, unincorporated associations,
partnerships or trusts or their respective directors, officers or
employees) of the Order; or (c) a person to whom it is otherwise
lawful for this Announcement to be communicated and in the case of
(a) and (b) undertakes that it will acquire, hold, manage or
dispose of any Placing Shares that are allocated to it for the
purposes of its business;
20. if in a member
state of the EEA, it is a
EEA Qualified Investor; and, if in Switzerland, represents and
warrants that it is entitled to subscribe the
Placing Shares under the laws and regulations of Switzerland
without the need for a prospectus or offering memorandum or the
taking of any other action on the part of the Company or either of
the Brokers, and that its subscription of the Placing Shares will
not result in the Company, either of the Brokers, their respective
Affiliates (as defined in the Placing Agreement) or any person
acting on their behalf being in breach of the legal and/or
regulatory requirements of Switzerland or any canton or other
sub-division thereof;
21. that, unless otherwise
agreed by the Brokers, it is a "professional client" or an
"eligible counterparty" within the meaning of Chapter 3 of the
FCA's Conduct of Business Sourcebook and it is purchasing Placing
Shares for investment only and not with a view to resale or
distribution;
22. that it has only
communicated or caused to be communicated and will only communicate
or cause to be communicated any invitation or inducement to engage
in investment activity (within the meaning of section 21 of FSMA)
relating to the Placing Shares in circumstances in which section
21(1) of FSMA does not require approval of the communication by an
authorised person;
23. that any money held in
an account with the relevant Broker (or its nominee) on its behalf
and/or any person acting on its behalf will not be treated as
client money within the meaning of the rules and regulations of the
FCA. Each Placee further acknowledges that the money will not be
subject to the protections conferred by the FCA's client money
rules. As a consequence, this money will not be segregated from the
Broker's (or its nominee's) money in accordance with such client
money rules and will be used by the Broker in the course of its own
business and each Placee will rank only as a general creditor of
the relevant Broker;
24. that it will (or will
procure that its nominee will) if applicable, make notification to
the Company of the interest in its Ordinary Shares in accordance
with the requirements of Chapter 5 of the Disclosure Guidance and
Transparency Rules of the FCA;
25. that it is not, and it
is not acting on behalf of, a person falling within subsections
(6), (7) or (8) of sections 67 or 70 respectively or subsections
(2) and (3) of section 93 or subsection (1) of section 96 of the
Finance Act 1986;
26. that it will not deal
or cause or permit any other person to deal in all or any of the
First Placing Shares which it is subscribing for under the Placing
unless and until First Admission becomes effective;
27. that it will not deal
or cause or permit any other person to deal in all or any of the
Second Placing Shares which it is subscribing for under the Placing
unless and until Second Admission becomes effective;
28. that it appoints
irrevocably any director of either of the Brokers as its agent for
the purpose of executing and delivering to the Company and/or its
registrars any document on its behalf necessary to enable it to be
registered as the holder of the Placing Shares;
29. that the Announcement
does not constitute a securities recommendation or financial
product advice and that neither of the Brokers nor the Company has
considered its particular objectives, financial situation and
needs;
30. that it has sufficient
knowledge, sophistication and experience in financial, business and
investment matters as is required to evaluate the merits and risks
of subscribing for or purchasing the Placing Shares and is aware
that it may be required to bear, and it, and any accounts for which
it may be acting, are able to bear, the economic risk of, and is
able to sustain, a complete loss in connection with the
Placing;
31. that it will indemnify
and hold the Company and each of the Brokers and their respective
affiliates harmless 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 Appendix and
further agrees that the Company and each of the Brokers will rely
on the truth and accuracy of the confirmations, warranties,
acknowledgements and undertakings herein and, if any of the
foregoing is or becomes no longer true or accurate, the Placee
shall promptly notify the Brokers and the Company. All
confirmations, warranties, acknowledgements and undertakings given
by the Placee, pursuant to this Announcement (including this
Appendix) are given to each of the Brokers for itself and on behalf
of the Company and will survive completion of the Placing and
Second Admission;
32. that time shall be of
the essence as regards obligations pursuant to this
Appendix;
33. that it is responsible
for obtaining any legal, financial, tax and other advice that it
deems necessary for the execution, delivery and performance of its
obligations in accepting the terms and conditions of the Placing,
and that it is not relying on the Company or either of the Brokers
to provide any legal, financial, tax or other advice to
it;
34. that all dates and
times in this Announcement (including this Appendix) may be subject
to amendment and that the relevant Broker shall notify it of such
amendments;
35. that (i) it has
complied with its obligations under the Criminal Justice Act 1993,
FSMA and UK MAR, (ii) in connection with money laundering
and terrorist financing, it has complied with its obligations under
the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (as amended), the Terrorism Act 2000
(as amended), the Terrorism Act 2006 and the Money Laundering,
Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (information on the
Payer) Regulations 2017 (as amended) and any related or
similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or
enforced by any government agency having jurisdiction in respect
thereof and the Money Laundering Sourcebook of the FCA and
(iii) it is not a person: (a) with whom transactions are prohibited
under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 or any economic
sanction programmes administered by, or regulations promulgated by,
the Office of Foreign Assets Control of
the U.S. Department of the Treasury or
the United States Department of State; (b) named on the
Consolidated List of Financial Sanctions Targets maintained
by HM Treasury of the United Kingdom; or (c) subject
to financial sanctions imposed pursuant to a regulation of
the European Union or a regulation adopted by
the United Nations (together, the "Regulations"); and, if
making payment on behalf of a third party, that satisfactory
evidence has been obtained and recorded by it to verify the
identity of the third party as required by the Regulations and has
obtained all governmental and other consents (if any) which may be
required for the purpose of, or as a consequence of, such purchase,
and it will provide promptly to the relevant Broker such evidence,
if any, as to the identity or location or legal status of any
person which the Brokers may request from it in connection with the
Placing (for the purpose of complying with such Regulations or
ascertaining the nationality of any person or the jurisdiction(s)
to which any person is subject or otherwise) in the form and manner
requested by relevant Broker on the basis that any failure by it to
do so may result in the number of Placing Shares that are to be
subscribed for by it or at its direction pursuant to the Placing
being reduced to such number, or to nil, as relevant Broker may
decide in its absolute discretion;
36. that it will not make
any offer to the public within the meaning of the EU Prospectus
Regulation or the UK Prospectus Regulation of those Placing Shares
to be subscribed for and/or purchased by it;
37. that it will not
distribute any document relating to the Placing Shares and it will
be acquiring the Placing Shares for its own account as principal or
for a discretionary account or accounts (as to which it has the
authority to make the statements set out herein) for investment
purposes only and it does not have any contract, understanding or
arrangement with any person to sell, pledge, transfer or grant a
participation therein to such person or any third person with
respect of any Placing Shares; save that if it is a private client
stock, broker or fund manager it confirms that in purchasing the
Placing Shares it is acting under the terms of one or more
discretionary mandates granted to it by private clients and it is
not acting on an execution only basis or under specific
instructions to purchase the Placing Shares for the account of any
third party;
38. that it acknowledges
that these terms and conditions and any agreements entered into by
it pursuant to these terms and conditions shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales 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 English
courts as regards any claim, dispute or matter arising out of any
such contract, except that enforcement proceedings in respect of
the obligation to make payment for the Placing Shares (together
with any interest chargeable thereon) may be taken by the Company
or relevant Broker in any jurisdiction in which the relevant Placee
is incorporated or in which its assets are located or any of its
securities have a quotation on a recognised stock
exchange;
39. that any documents
sent to Placees will be sent at the Placees' risk. They may be sent
by post to such Placees at an address notified to the relevant
Broker;
40. that neither Broker
owes no fiduciary or other duties to any Placee in respect of any
representations, warranties, undertakings or indemnities in the
Placing Agreement;
41. that either Broker
may, in its absolute discretion, agree to become a Placee in
respect of some or all of the Placing Shares;
42. that no prospectus or
offering document has been or will be prepared in connection with
the Placing and it has not received and will not receive a
prospectus or other offering document in connection with the
Placing or the Placing Shares;
43. undertakes that it
(and any person acting on its behalf) will make payment in respect
of the Placing Shares allocated to it in accordance with this
Appendix on the due time and date set out herein, failing which the
relevant Placing Shares may be placed with other acquirers or sold
as the relevant Broker may in its sole discretion determine and
without liability to such Placee, who will remain liable for any
amount by which the net proceeds of such sale falls short of the
product of the Offer Price and the number of Placing Shares
allocated to it and may be required to bear any stamp duty, stamp
duty reserve tax or other similar taxes (together with any interest
or penalties) which may arise upon the sale of such Placee's
Placing Shares;
44. that its allocation
(if any) of Placing Shares will represent a maximum number of
Placing Shares which it will be entitled, and required, to acquire,
and that the relevant Broker and/or the Company may call upon it to
acquire a lower number of Placing Shares (if any), but in no event
in aggregate more than the aforementioned maximum; and
45. that if it has
received any confidential price sensitive information concerning
the Company in advance of the publication of this Announcement, it
has not: (i) dealt in the securities of the Company; (ii)
encouraged, required, recommended or induced another person to deal
in the securities of the Company; or (iii) disclosed such
information to any person, prior to such information being made
publicly available.
The Company, the Brokers and their
respective affiliates will rely upon the truth and accuracy of each
of the foregoing representations, warranties, acknowledgements and
undertakings which are given to each of the Brokers for itself and
on behalf of the Company and are irrevocable.
The provisions of this Appendix may
be waived, varied or modified as regards specific Placees or on a
general basis by the Brokers.
The agreement to settle a Placee's
subscription and/or purchase (and/or the subscription of a person
for whom such Placee is contracting as agent) free of stamp duty
and stamp duty reserve tax depends on the settlement relating only
to a subscription by it and/or such person direct from the Company
for the Placing Shares in question. Such agreement assumes that the
Placing Shares are not being subscribed for in connection with
arrangements to issue depositary receipts or to transfer the
Placing Shares into a clearance service. If there are any such
arrangements, or the settlement relates to any other subsequent
dealing in the Placing Shares, stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax
may be payable, for which neither the Company nor either of the
Brokers will be responsible, and the Placee to whom (or on behalf
of whom, or in respect of the person for whom it is participating
in the Placing as an agent or nominee) the allocation, allotment,
issue or delivery of Placing Shares has given rise to such UK stamp
duty or stamp duty reserve tax undertakes to pay such UK stamp duty
or stamp duty reserve tax forthwith and to indemnify on an
after-tax basis and to hold harmless the Company and the Brokers in
the event that any of the Company and/or either of the Brokers have
incurred any such liability to UK stamp duty or stamp
duty reserve tax. If this is the case, each Placee should seek its
own advice and notify the Brokers accordingly.
In addition, Placees should note
that they will be liable for any 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 the UK by them or any other
person on the subscription or purchase by them of any Placing
Shares or the agreement by them to subscribe for or purchase any
Placing Shares.
All times and dates in this
announcement (including the Appendices) may be subject to
amendment. The relevant Broker shall notify the Placees and any
person acting on behalf of the Placees of any changes.
This announcement has been issued
by, and is the sole responsibility, of the Company. No
representation or warranty express or implied, is or will be made
as to, or in relation to, and no responsibility or liability is or
will be accepted by either of the Brokers or by any of their
respective 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, and any liability therefore is
expressly disclaimed. Nothing in this announcement shall be
effective to limit or exclude any liability for fraud or which, by
law or regulator, cannot otherwise be so limited or
excluded.