TIDMJNY

RNS Number : 0094O

Jaguar Holdings Limited

01 November 2016

For immediate release

Not for release, publication or distribution, in whole or in part, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY in, into or from any RESTRICTED jurisdiction (INCLUDING THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA) where to do so would constitute a violation of the relevant laws or regulations of such jurisdiction. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONTAINS INSIDE INFORMATION.

1 November 2016

RECOMMED MANDATORY CASH OFFER

FOR

JOURNEY GROUP PLC

BY

JAGUAR HOLDINGS LIMITED

1. Introduction

On 11 October 2016, the Independent Directors and the Jaguar Holdings Directors announced that they had reached agreement on the terms of a recommended cash offer (the "Offer") pursuant to which Jaguar Holdings will acquire the entire issued and to be issued share capital of Journey under the provisions of Part 28 of the Companies Act for 240 pence per Journey Share, which values the existing issued share capital of Journey at approximately GBP28.4 million. This Offer was a new and separate offer from that which was announced on 23 August 2016 and which lapsed on 3 October 2016 despite the support of 68.77 per cent. of those Journey Shares voted by Journey Shareholders at the Court Meeting.

On 21 October 2016, Jaguar Holdings posted an offer document to Journey Shareholders setting out the full terms and conditions of the Offer (the "Original Offer Document"), together (where appropriate) with the Form of Acceptance. The Original Offer Document and a pro forma Form of Acceptance are available on Journey's website at www.journeygroup.plc.uk.

Jaguar Holdings announces that it has today acquired 1,557,771 Journey Shares (representing approximately 13.15 per cent. of the existing issued share capital of Journey) from Kestrel Partners LLP, at a price of 240 pence per Journey Share (the "Share Purchase"). The Share Purchase, when aggregated with the Journey Shares already held by the Existing Harwood Investors, results in Jaguar Holdings together with the Harwood Funds being interested, in aggregate, in 5,104,082 Journey Shares, representing approximately 43.09 per cent. of the existing issued share capital of Journey.

As a result of the Share Purchase, Jaguar Holdings and the Harwood Funds have increased their interest in Journey Shares, in aggregate, to more than 30 per cent. of the existing issued share capital of Journey and Jaguar Holdings is therefore required to revise the terms and conditions of the Offer in accordance with, inter alia, Rule 9 of the Code.

Accordingly, Jaguar Holdings announces that the Offer has now become a recommended mandatory cash offer, pursuant to Rule 9 of the Code, for the entire issued and to be issued share capital of Journey not already held by Jaguar Holdings (the "Recommended Mandatory Offer").

The Irrevocable Undertakings to accept the Offer, provided by certain of the Independent Directors, and, in respect of Dimitri Goulandris, the trustee of the trust in which he is a named beneficiary, (further details of which are set out in paragraph 9 of Appendix V to the Original Offer Document) amount, in aggregate, to 1,236,353 Journey Shares representing approximately 10.44 per cent. of the existing issued Journey Shares. Jaguar Holdings and the Harwood Funds, are therefore together interested in, or have obtained Irrevocable Undertakings in respect of, in aggregate, 6,340,435 Journey Shares, representing approximately 53.52 per cent. of the existing issued Journey Shares.

Accordingly, it is highly probable that the Revised Condition (as defined and set out below) to the Recommended Mandatory Offer, being the only condition to the Recommended Mandatory Offer, will be met within 14 days of the date of posting of the revised offer document.

2. The Revised Condition to the Recommended Mandatory Offer

In accordance with Rule 9 of the Code, all of the Conditions set out in Part A of Appendix I to the Original Offer Document shall immediately cease to apply and shall be replaced with the following revised condition:

"Valid acceptances of the Recommended Mandatory Offer being received (and not, where permitted, withdrawn) by no later than 1.00 p.m. (London time) on 15 November 2016 (or such later time(s) and/or date(s) as Jaguar Holdings may, subject to the rules of the Code or with the consent of the Panel, decide) in respect of such number of Journey Shares which, when aggregated with the Journey Shares held by Jaguar Holdings and any person acting in concert with Jaguar Holdings at the date of the Offer and any Journey Shares acquired or agreed to be acquired by Jaguar Holdings or any person acting in concert with Jaguar Holdings on or after such date, carry more than 50 per cent. of the voting rights then normally exercisable at a general meeting of Journey, including for this purpose any such voting rights attaching to Journey Shares which have been unconditionally allotted or issued before the Recommended Mandatory Offer becomes or is declared unconditional (whether pursuant to the exercise of any outstanding subscription or conversion rights or otherwise (the "Revised Condition"). For the purposes of the Revised Condition, Journey Shares which have been unconditionally allotted but not issued shall be deemed to carry the voting rights which they will carry upon issue."

Save as set out in this announcement, the Recommended Mandatory Offer will be subject to the same terms and conditions as the Offer set out in the Original Offer Document and, in respect of Journey Shares held in certificated form, the Form of Acceptance. The Recommended Mandatory Offer is a revision to the Offer and shall be construed accordingly.

In accordance with Rule 32.1 of the Code, a revised offer document (the "Mandatory Offer Document") containing details of the Recommended Mandatory Offer is today being posted to Journey Shareholders and will also be made available on Journey's website at www.journeygroup.plc.uk by no later than 12 noon (London time) on 2 November 2016.

Under the terms of the Recommended Mandatory Offer, valid acceptances of the Offer are automatically deemed to be valid acceptances of the Recommended Mandatory Offer. Accordingly, Journey Shareholders who have already validly accepted and not validly withdrawn their acceptances of the Offer will, once the Recommended Mandatory Offer becomes or is declared unconditional as to acceptances, receive the consideration payable under the Recommended Mandatory Offer and need therefore take no further action.

3. First Closing Date of the Recommended Mandatory Offer

The first closing date of the Recommended Mandatory Offer has been extended to 1.00 p.m. (London time) on 15 November 2016 being 14 days after the date of posting of the Mandatory Offer Document.

Any extensions of the Recommended Mandatory Offer will be publicly announced no later than 8.00 a.m. on the Business Day following the date on which the Recommended Mandatory Offer was otherwise due to expire, or such later date or time as the Panel may agree.

   4.   Independent Directors' Recommendation 

The Independent Directors, who have been so advised by Stockdale Securities, continue to consider the terms of the Recommended Mandatory Offer to be fair and reasonable so far as Journey Shareholders are concerned and continue to support the Recommended Mandatory Offer, for the same reasons set out in paragraph 3 of Part I (Letter from the Executive Chairman of Journey) of the Original Offer Document. In providing its advice to the Independent Directors, Stockdale Securities has continued to take into account the commercial assessments of the Independent Directors.

Accordingly, the Independent Directors recommend that Journey Shareholders accept the Recommended Mandatory Offer as soon as possible and, in any event, by no later than 1.00 p.m. (London time) on 15 November 2016 as each of the Independent Directors (save for Joseph Golio) who currently holds or controls Journey Shares has irrevocably undertaken so to do (or procure to be done) in respect of their own beneficial shareholdings (or the shareholdings they control), amounting, in aggregate, to 1,236,353 Journey Shares (representing approximately 10.44 per cent. of the existing issued share capital of Journey). These figures include certain Journey Shares held in trust where Dimitri Goulandris is a named beneficiary, for which a separate irrevocable undertaking from the trustee has been obtained.

The Recommended Mandatory Offer is not being made available in any Restricted Jurisdiction and, consequently, as a US resident, Joseph Golio is unable to provide an irrevocable undertaking to accept the Recommended Mandatory Offer in respect of his beneficial shareholding amounting to 91,045 Journey Shares (representing approximately 0.77 per cent. of the existing issued share capital of Journey).

   5.   Financing of the Recommended Mandatory Offer 

Strand Hanson, financial adviser to Jaguar Holdings, continues to be satisfied that sufficient financial resources are available to Jaguar Holdings to enable it to implement the Recommended Mandatory Offer in full, as detailed in paragraphs 6 and 7 of Part II of the Original Offer Document.

   6.   Cancellation of admission to trading on AIM, compulsory acquisition and re-registration 

If, following the Recommended Mandatory Offer becoming, or being declared, unconditional in all respects, Jaguar Holdings has by virtue of its shareholdings and acceptances of the Recommended Mandatory Offer acquired, or agreed to acquire, Journey Shares representing at least 75 per cent. of the voting rights of Journey, Jaguar Holdings intends to procure that Journey applies to the London Stock Exchange for the cancellation of the admission of Journey Shares to trading on AIM.

Should Jaguar Holdings proceed with the intended cancellation, a notice period of not less than 20 Business Days will be given on or after the date on which the Recommended Mandatory Offer becomes, or is declared, unconditional in all respects. Should Jaguar Holdings not receive acceptances to the Recommended Mandatory Offer of equal to, or greater than, 75 per cent. of the voting rights of Journey, then Jaguar Holdings intends to seek the cancellation of the admission of Journey Shares to trading on AIM under the provisions set out in Rule 41 of the AIM Rules.

The cancellation of admission to trading of Journey Shares on AIM would significantly reduce the liquidity and marketability of any Journey Shares for which the Recommended Mandatory Offer is not accepted.

Once the Recommended Mandatory Offer has become, or is declared, unconditional in all respects, even if the admission to trading of the Journey Shares on AIM is not subsequently cancelled, Jaguar Holdings shall retain control over the management and governance of the Wider Journey Group and the holders of other Journey Shares shall not be able to block ordinary resolutions of Journey and the ability of such shareholders, through the exercise of shareholder rights, to influence the day-to-day management or governance of the Wider Journey Group, to direct its future strategy or to direct the declaration or payment of dividends or other distributions shall accordingly be significantly reduced.

If Jaguar Holdings receives acceptances under the Recommended Mandatory Offer in respect of, and/or otherwise acquires, 90 per cent. or more of the Journey Shares: (i) by nominal value; and (ii) by voting rights attaching to such shares, in each case to which the Offer relates, Jaguar Holdings intends to exercise its rights pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 3 of Part 28 of the Companies Act to acquire compulsorily the remaining Journey Shares in respect of which the Recommended Mandatory Offer has not been accepted on the same terms as the Recommended Mandatory Offer.

It is also proposed that, following the Recommended Mandatory Offer becoming or being declared unconditional in all respects and admission to trading on AIM of Journey Shares having been cancelled, Journey will be re-registered as a private company under the relevant provisions of the Companies Act.

   7.   Action to be taken 

Under the terms of the Recommended Mandatory Offer, valid acceptances of the Offer are automatically deemed to be valid acceptances of the Recommended Mandatory Offer. Accordingly, Journey Shareholders who have already validly accepted and not validly withdrawn their acceptances of the Offer will, once the Recommended Mandatory Offer becomes or is declared unconditional as to acceptances, receive the consideration payable under the Recommended Mandatory Offer and need therefore take no further action.

Journey Shareholders who have not yet accepted the Offer and who wish to accept the Recommended Mandatory Offer are urged to do as soon as possible and, in any event, by no later than 1.00 p.m. (London time) on 15 November 2016. To do so:

- Journey Shareholders who hold their Journey Shares in certificated form (that is, not in CREST), should complete and return the Form of Acceptance which was enclosed with the Original Offer Document in accordance with the instructions set out in paragraph 13.1 of the letter from Jaguar Holdings to Journey Shareholders in Part II of the Original Offer Document and the instructions printed on the Form of Acceptance as soon as possible and, in any event, not later than 1.00 p.m. (London time) on 15 November 2016. You should complete a separate Form of Acceptance for Journey Shares held in certificated form but under different designations.

- Journey Shareholders who hold their Journey Shares in uncertificated form (that is, in CREST) should follow the procedure for Electronic Acceptance through CREST in accordance with the instructions set out in paragraph 13.2 of the letter from Jaguar Holdings to Journey Shareholders in Part II of the Original Offer Document so that a TTE Instruction settles as soon as possible and, in any event, not later than 1.00 p.m. (London time) on 15 November 2016. If Journey Shareholders hold their Journey Shares as a CREST sponsored member, they should refer to their CREST sponsor as only their CREST sponsor will be able to send the necessary TTE instruction to Euroclear.

If you hold Journey Shares in both certificated and uncertificated forms and wish to accept the Recommended Mandatory Offer in respect of any or all of such shares, you should complete the Form of Acceptance which was enclosed with the Original Offer Document in respect of your Journey Shares held in certificated form only and follow the procedure for Electronic Acceptance through CREST in respect of your Journey Shares held in uncertificated form.

With respect to Journey Shareholders who hold their shares in certificated form, the Form of Acceptance enclosed with the Original Offer Document should be used to accept the Recommended Mandatory Offer. If, for whatever reason, you did not receive or have mislaid your Form of Acceptance you may request a new Form of Acceptance by telephoning the Receiving Agent, Capita Asset Services, between 9.00 a.m. and 5.30 p.m. (London time) Monday to Friday on +44 (0)371 664 0321. Calls are charged at the standard geographic rate and will vary by provider. Calls to the helpline from outside the United Kingdom will be charged at applicable international rates. Calls may be recorded and randomly monitored for security and training purposes. The helpline cannot provide advice on the merits of the Recommended Mandatory Offer nor give any financial, legal or tax advice.

   8.   General 

Save as set out in this announcement and as will be further explained in the Mandatory Offer Document, the Recommended Mandatory Offer will be subject to the same terms and conditions as the Offer as set out in the Original Offer Document, the Offer Announcement and, where Journey Shares are held in certificated form, the Form of Acceptance. Accordingly, your attention is drawn to the Original Offer Document and the pro forma Form of Acceptance, both of which are available on Journey's website at www.journeygroup.plc.uk and the Offer Announcement.

Capitalised terms and expressions used in this announcement shall, unless otherwise defined herein and save as the context otherwise requires, have the same meanings as given to them in the Offer Announcement and the Original Offer Document which was posted to Journey Shareholders on 21 October 2016.

Enquiries:

 
 Jaguar Holdings Limited                Tel: +44 (0) 207 
  Christopher Mills, Director            640 3200 
  Tim Sturm, Director 
 Strand Hanson Limited                  Tel: +44 (0) 207 
  (Financial Adviser to Jaguar           409 3494 
  Holdings and Harwood Capital) 
  Stuart Faulkner 
  Matthew Chandler 
  James Dance 
 Journey Group plc                      Tel: +44 (0) 208 
  Stephen Yapp, Executive Chairman       606 1300 
  Alison Whittenbury, Chief Financial 
  Officer 
 Stockdale Securities Limited           Tel: +44 (0) 207 
  (Financial adviser to Journey)         601 6100 
  Tom Griffiths 
  Edward Thomas 
 
 

Strand Hanson Limited, which is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Conduct Authority, is acting exclusively as financial adviser to Jaguar Holdings and Harwood Capital and no-one else in connection with the Recommended Mandatory Offer and other matters described in this announcement and will not be responsible to anyone other than Jaguar Holdings and Harwood Capital for providing the protections afforded to clients of Strand Hanson Limited or for providing advice in relation to the Recommended Mandatory Offer, the contents of this announcement or any other matter referred to herein.

Stockdale Securities Limited, which is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Conduct Authority, is acting exclusively as financial adviser to Journey and no-one else in connection with the Recommended Mandatory Offer and other matters described in this announcement and will not be responsible to anyone other than Journey for providing the protections afforded to clients of Stockdale Securities Limited or for providing advice in relation to the Recommended Mandatory Offer, the contents of this announcement or any other matter referred to herein.

In accordance with Rule 30.3 of the Code, you may request a hard copy of this announcement by contacting the Receiving Agent, Capita Asset Services, during business hours on 0371 664 0321 from within the UK or +4420 8639 3399 if calling from outside the UK or by submitting a request in writing to Capita Asset Services at The Registry, 34 Beckenham Road, Kent, BR3 4TU. It is important that you note that unless you make a request, a hard copy of this announcement and any such information incorporated by reference in it will not be sent to you. You may also request that all future documents, announcements and information to be sent to you in relation to the Recommended Mandatory Offer should be sent in hard copy form.

SHAREHOLDERS ARE ADVISED TO READ THE MANDATORY OFFER DOCUMENT (ONCE RECEIVED) AND THE ORIGINAL OFFER DOCUMENT CAREFULLY. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT INTENDED TO, AND DOES NOT, CONSTITUTE OR FORM ANY PART OF AN OFFER TO SELL OR AN INVITATION TO SUBSCRIBE FOR OR PURCHASE ANY SECURITIES OR THE SOLICITATION OF ANY VOTE OR APPROVAL IN ANY JURISDICTION, NOR SHALL THERE BE ANY SALE, ISSUANCE OR TRANSFER OF THE SECURITIES REFERRED TO IN THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IN ANY JURISDICTION IN CONTRAVENTION OF APPLICABLE LAW. THE RECOMMENDED MANDATORY OFFER IS BEING MADE SOLELY BY MEANS OF THE MANDATORY OFFER DOCUMENT AND THE ORIGINAL OFFER DOCUMENT (TO THE EXTENT NOT REVISED BY THE MANDATORY OFFER DOCUMENT), WHICH CONTAIN THE FULL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE RECOMMENDED MANDATORY OFFER, AND IN THE CASE OF JOURNEY SHARES HELD IN CERTIFICATED FORM, THE FORM OF ACCEPTANCE. ANY ACCEPTANCE IN RELATION TO THE RECOMMENDED MANDATORY OFFER SHOULD BE MADE ONLY ON THE BASIS OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THESE DOCUMENTS.

The availability of the Recommended Mandatory Offer and the release, publication and distribution of this announcement in jurisdictions other than the United Kingdom may be restricted by the laws of those jurisdictions and therefore persons who are not resident in the United Kingdom into whose possession this announcement comes should inform themselves about and observe any such restrictions. Failure to comply with any such restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the companies and persons involved in the Recommended Mandatory Offer disclaim any responsibility or liability for the violation of such restrictions by any person. Copies of this announcement and any formal documentation relating to the Recommended Mandatory Offer are not being, and must not be, directly or indirectly, mailed or otherwise forwarded, distributed or sent in or into or from any Restricted Jurisdiction and persons receiving such documents (including custodians, nominees and trustees) must not mail or otherwise forward, distribute or send them in, into or from any Restricted Jurisdiction.

This announcement has been prepared for the purpose of complying with English law, the Code and the AIM Rules and the information disclosed may not be the same as that which would have been disclosed if this announcement had been prepared in accordance with the laws of jurisdictions outside the United Kingdom.

Disclosure Requirements of the Code

Under Rule 8.3(a) of the Code, any person who is interested in one per cent. or more of any class of relevant securities of Journey or of any securities exchange offeror (being any offeror other than an offeror in respect of which it has been announced that its offer is, or is likely to be, solely in cash) must make an Opening Position Disclosure following the commencement of the offer period and, if later, following the announcement in which any securities exchange offeror is first identified.

An Opening Position Disclosure must contain details of the person's interests and short positions in, and rights to subscribe for, any relevant securities of each of (i) Journey and (ii) any securities exchange offeror(s). An Opening Position Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(a) applies must be made by no later than 3.30 p.m. (London time) on the 10th business day following the commencement of the offer period and, if appropriate, by no later than 3.30 p.m. (London time) on the 10th business day following the announcement in which any securities exchange offeror is first identified. Relevant persons who deal in the relevant securities of Journey or of a securities exchange offeror prior to the deadline for making an Opening Position Disclosure must instead make a Dealing Disclosure.

Under Rule 8.3(b) of the Code, any person who is, or becomes, interested in one per cent. or more of any class of relevant securities of Journey or of any securities exchange offeror must make a Dealing Disclosure if the person deals in any relevant securities of Journey or of any securities exchange offeror. A Dealing Disclosure must contain details of the dealing concerned and of the person's interests and short positions in, and rights to subscribe for, any relevant securities of each of (i) Journey and (ii) any securities exchange offeror(s), save to the extent that these details have previously been disclosed under Rule 8. A Dealing Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(b) applies must be made by no later than 3.30 p.m. (London time) on the business day following the date of the relevant dealing.

If two or more persons act together pursuant to an agreement or understanding, whether formal or informal, to acquire or control an interest in relevant securities of Journey or a securities exchange offeror, they will be deemed to be a single person for the purpose of Rule 8.3.

Opening Position Disclosures must also be made by Journey and by any offeror and Dealing Disclosures must also be made by Journey, by any offeror and by any persons acting in concert with any of them (see Rules 8.1, 8.2 and 8.4).

Details of the offeree and offeror companies in respect of whose relevant securities Opening Position Disclosures and Dealing Disclosures must be made can be found in the Disclosure Table on the Takeover Panel's website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk, including details of the number of relevant securities in issue, when the offer period commenced and when any offeror was first identified. You should contact the Panel's Market Surveillance Unit on +44 (0)20 7638 0129 if you are in any doubt as to whether you are required to make an Opening Position Disclosure or a Dealing Disclosure.

A copy of this announcement will be made available, subject to certain restrictions relating to persons resident in any Restricted Jurisdiction, on Journey's website at www.journeygroup.plc.uk until the end of the offer period (or, if later, the end of any competition reference period). For the avoidance of doubt, the contents of the website referred to above are not incorporated into and do not form part of this announcement.

This information is provided by RNS

The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

END

OFBUAVARNKAARAA

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November 01, 2016 08:03 ET (12:03 GMT)

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