`
Leverage Shares
plc
26 March
2024
Notice to the ETP
Securityholders of a Meeting of the Leverage Shares 3x Long China
Tech ETP Securities
THIS NOTICE IS IMPORTANT AND
REQUIRES THE IMMEDIATE ATTENTION OF THE HOLDERS OF THE ETP
SECURITIES. IF ANY ETP SECURITYHOLDER IS IN ANY DOUBT AS TO THE
ACTION THEY SHOULD TAKE, THEY SHOULD CONSULT THEIR OWN INDEPENDENT
PROFESSIONAL ADVISERS IMMEDIATELY. THIS NOTICE MAY CONTAIN INSIDE
INFORMATION FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE MARKET ABUSE REGULATION (EU)
596/2014.
If
you have recently sold or otherwise transferred your entire
holding(s) of ETP Securities referred to below, you should
immediately forward this document to the purchaser or transferee or
to the stockbroker, bank or other agent through whom the sale or
transfer was effected for transmission to the purchaser or
transferee
Leverage
Shares PLC
2nd Floor, Block 5
Irish
Life Centre
Abbey
Street Lower
Dublin
1
D01
P767
Ireland
(the
"Issuer")
Leverage
Shares 3x Long China Tech ETP Securities (ISIN:
XS2399370043)
(together
the "Relevant
Series")
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the
meeting of the ETP Securityholders of the Relevant Series convened
by the Issuer on 25 March 2024 (the "Original Meeting") by Notice dated 1
March 2024 published in accordance with the terms of the Trust Deed
constituting the Relevant Series was adjourned through lack of
quorum and that an adjourned meeting (the "Adjourned Meeting") of the ETP
Securityholders of the Relevant Series will be held at
2nd Floor, Block 5, Irish Life Centre, Abbey Street
Lower, Dublin 1, D01 P767, Ireland on 11 April 2024 at 3.00 pm
Dublin time (which is not less than 14 nor more than 42 calendar
days after the date of the Original Meeting). Such Adjourned
Meeting will be held for the purpose of considering and, if thought
fit, passing the resolution set out in Annex 1 hereto, which will
be proposed as an Extraordinary Resolution, in accordance with the
provisions of Schedule 6 (Provisions for Meetings of the ETP
Securityholders) of the master trust deed originally dated 5
December 2017 as most recently amended and restated on 16 August
2022 and as supplemented by a supplemental trust deed dated 13
December 2021 (the "Trust
Deed") made between the Issuer and Apex Corporate Trustees
(UK) Limited (the "Trustee") and constituting the
Relevant Series.
Capitalised terms used, but
not defined, in this Notice shall have the meaning given thereto in
the Conditions of the ETP Securities set out therein.
BACKGROUND
On 30 January 2024 the ETP Security
Value of the ETP Securities of the Relevant Series fell below 2% of
the Principal Amount.
Condition 8.5(A)(1) provides
"If on any Valuation Date (a
"Threshold Event Date") the
ETP Security Value falls to less than 2.00 per cent. of the
Principal Amount of the ETP Securities… The Issuer shall give
notice convening a meeting of the ETP Securityholders on a date not
more than 30 calendar days after the Threshold Event Date for the
purpose of considering an Extraordinary Resolution which would have
the effect of reducing the Principal Amount of the ETP Securities
to an amount which is not less than 2.00 per cent of the ETP
Security Value as at the time of suspension of redemptions, in
which event the suspension will cease only if such Extraordinary
Resolution is passed". To date, the Issuer has not suspended
redemptions of ETP Securities of the Relevant Series, nor has the
Issuer convened a meeting referred to in Condition 8.5(A)(1) within
30 days of the Threshold Redemption Date (the "First Matter").
Condition 8.7(B) provides
"if on any Valuation Date falling
on or after the 60th calendar day following a Threshold
Event, the ETP Security Value is less than 2.00 per cent. of the
Principal Amount of such ETP Securities, the Issuer shall designate
a Mandatory Redemption Date in respect of the ETP
Securities". To date, the Issuer has not designated a
Mandatory Redemption Event with respect to the Relevant Series (the
"Second
Matter").
The Issuer is proposing to
consolidate the ETP Securities of the Relevant Series into ETP
Securities with a proportionately higher value, as detailed below.
Such consolidation is reasonably expected to improve the liquidity
of the ETPs of the Relevant Series for secondary market
investors.
PROPOSED CONSOLIDATION OF THE ETP SECURITIES OF THE RELEVANT
SERIES
The Issuer is proposing to
consolidate all of the ETP Securities of the Relevant Series into
ETP Securities with a proportionately larger ETP Security Value of
approximately US$ 30.00 per ETP Security (the "Target ETP Security Value"), so that
for every ETP Security of the Relevant Series held by an ETP
Securityholder, they will hold a smaller number of ETP Securities
after the consolidation such that the resulting ETP Security Value
is as close as possible to the Target ETP Security Value. The
number of ETP Securities resulting from the consolidation relative
to the number of ETP Securities before the consolidation (the
"Consolidation Ratio")
would be determined by the Issuer by reference to the ETP Security
Value of the Relevant Series on a Valuation Date following approval
of the Consolidation, as shall be notified to ETP Securityholders,
using the following formula:
Consolidation Ratio = Target ETP
Security Value / Vt
Where:
Vt
is the ETP Security Value on t;
and
t
is the Valuation Date determined and notified by
the Issuer in accordance with the Conditions.
The Consolidation Ratio will be
rounded down to the nearest full integer. If as a result of the
Consolidation of the ETP Securities, an ETP Securityholder would
become entitled to a fraction of an ETP Security, the Issuer will
redeem such fractional ETP Security. The Issuer will notify the
Consolidation Ratio and any resulting fractional shares to ETP
Securityholders in accordance with the Conditions no later than two
(2) Business Days immediately following Vt. (the
"Consolidation").
ETP Securityholders should be aware
that it is not proposed to amend the Principal Amount applicable to
the Relevant Series proportionate to the Consolidation. As the
Consolidation will result in an ETP Securityholder holding less
ETPs (albeit at a proportionately higher ETP Security Value), this
will impact the return an investor would receive on a Mandatory
Redemption, Optional Redemption or Final Redemption (a
"Redemption Event"), if the
Principal Protection Amount is higher than the Pro-rata Liquidation
amount at the time of the Redemption Event (assuming that the same
number of ETPs are held at the Redemption Event as held immediately
after the Consolidation).
The below examples demonstrate the
impact the Consolidation would have (i) on an ETP Securityholder's
economic interest in a Series of ETP Securities; and (ii) on the
value of the Principal Protection Amount.
Example 1 - impact of consolidation (with no fractional ETP
Securities) on an ETP Securityholder's economic interest in a
Series of ETP Securities - for illustration purposes
only
|
# ETP Securities held by an ETP
Securityholder
|
Hypothetical Value per ETP
Security
|
Value
economic interest
|
Pre
consolidation effective date
|
600,000
|
US$0.006
|
US$3,600
|
Consolidation effective
date
|
2,000
[=600,000/300]
|
US$1.80
[0.006*300]
|
US$3,600
|
Example 2- impact of consolidation (with fractional ETP
Securities) on an ETP Securityholder's economic interest in a
Series of ETP Securities- for illustration purposes
only
|
|
# ETP Securities held by an ETP
Securityholder
|
Hypothetical Value per ETP
Security
|
Value economic interest
|
Pre consolidation effective
date
|
|
605,000
|
US$0.006
|
US$3,630
|
Consolidation effective
date
|
New ETP Securities
|
2,016
[=605,000/300 rounded
down]
|
US$1.80
[0.006*300]
|
US$3,628.80
|
|
Fractional ETP Securities
|
200
[=605,000-(2,016*300)]
|
US$0.006
|
US$1.20
|
Examples 1 and 2 demonstrate in two
hypothetical contexts how a consolidation would have no impact on
an investor's economic interest in a Series of ETP
Securities.
Example 3 - impact of consolidation on the Principal
Protection Amount - for illustration purposes
only
|
# ETP
Securities
|
Principal
Amount
|
Principal Protection Amount per ETP
Security
|
Total Value of Principal Protection
Amount
|
Pre consolidation
|
600,000
|
US$20
|
US$0.40
[2% of $20]
|
US$240,000
[600,000*$0.40]
|
Post consolidation
|
2,000
|
US$20
|
US$0.40
[2% of $20]
|
US$800
[2,000*$0.40]
|
Example 3 illustrates in a
hypothetical context the impact a consolidation would have on the
total value of the Principal Protection Amount. The Principal
Protection Amount is relevant as it would be the amount payable per
ETP Security on a Redemption Event in circumstances where the
Principal Protection Amount is higher than the Pro-rata Liquidation
amount. Such a scenario might arise where a significant decrease in
the value of the Reference Asset underlying the Relevant Series has
occurred.
The Consolidation would be effected
by a deed supplemental to the Trust Deed prepared by the Issuer and
in such form as the Issuer considers necessary, appropriate or
expedient to give effect to the Consolidation (the "Consolidation Supplemental Trust
Deed").
PROPOSAL
The purpose of the Adjourned Meeting
is for the ETP Securityholders to consider and, if thought fit,
approve the Consolidation and to waive any breaches of the
Conditions which have occurred to date in relation to the First
Matter and the Second Matter (the "Proposal"):
The
Issuer is aware of 2 holders of ETP Securities, together holding
10,000 ETP Securities of the Relevant Series, who have indicated
their intention to vote in favour of the Proposal.
Accordingly, if such indications are correct and if no other ETP
Securityholders of the Relevant Series choose to vote, it is
anticipated that the Proposal will ultimately be
approved.
If the Proposal is approved by the
Adjourned Meeting, the Consolidation would become effective on such
date as shall be notified to the ETP Securityholders of the
Relevant Series by the Issuer.
FORM OF THE EXTRAORDINARY
RESOLUTION
The resolution that will be put to
the ETP Securityholders of the Relevant Series at the Adjourned
Meeting in order to pass the Proposal is set out in Annex 1 hereto. The Proposal is set out in a single
Extraordinary Resolution.
DOCUMENTATION
The
Trustee has not been involved in the formulation or negotiation of
the Proposal (as defined herein) and, in accordance with normal
practice, the Trustee expresses no opinion on the merits of the
Proposal (which it was not involved in negotiating) or the
Extraordinary Resolution (as set out herein) and no opinion on
whether the ETP Securityholders would be acting in their best
interests voting for or against the Proposal or the Extraordinary
Resolution but on the basis of the information contained in this
Notice has authorised it to be stated that it has no objection to
the Extraordinary Resolution being submitted to the ETP
Securityholders for their consideration. The Trustee makes no
representation that all relevant information has been disclosed to
the ETP Securityholders in connection with the Proposal in this
Notice or otherwise. The Trustee is not responsible for the
accuracy, completeness, validity or correctness of the statements
made in this Notice or omissions therefrom. Nothing in this Notice
should be construed as a recommendation to the ETP Securityholders
from the Trustee to vote in favour of, or against, any of the
Proposal or the Extraordinary Resolution. The Trustee recommends
that the ETP Securityholders take their own independent
professional advice on the merits and the consequences of voting in
favour of, or against, each of the Extraordinary Resolution and the
Proposal.
No
person has been authorised to make any recommendation on behalf of
the Issuer, the Trustee or the Issuing and Paying Agent as to
whether or how the ETP Securityholders should vote pursuant to the
Proposal. No person has been authorised to give any information, or
to make any representation in connection therewith, other than
those contained herein. If made or given, such recommendation or
any such information or representation must not be relied upon as
having been authorised by the Issuer, the Trustee or the Issuing
and Paying Agent.
This Notice is issued and directed only to the ETP
Securityholders of the Relevant Series and no other person shall,
or is entitled to, rely or act on, or be able to rely or act on,
its contents.
Each person receiving this Notice must make its own analysis
and investigation regarding the Proposal and make its own voting
decision, with particular reference to its own investment
objectives and experience, and any other factors which may be
relevant to it in connection with such voting decision. If such
person is in any doubt about any aspect of the Proposal and/or the
action it should take in respect of it, it should consult its
professional advisers.
QUORUM AND
VOTING
The provisions governing the
convening and holding of the Adjourned Meetings are set out in
Schedule 6 to the Trust Deed (Provisions for Meetings of ETP
Securityholders).
Quorum
The quorum required at the Adjourned Meeting
called to pass the Extraordinary Resolution is two or more ETP
Securityholders or agents present in person holding or representing
ETP Securities, whatever the number of ETP Securities so held or
represented.
If a quorum is not present within 15 minutes
from the time initially fixed for the Adjourned Meeting, the
Adjourned Meeting will be dissolved.
Voting
The provisions for meetings of the
ETP Securityholders is set out in Schedule 6 of the Master Trust
Deed. A holder of an ETP Security may appoint a proxy in
accordance with the relevant rules and procedures of the Relevant
Clearing System.
In order to exercise voting
instructions an ETP Securityholder must request the Relevant
Clearing System to block the ETPs of the Relevant Series in his own
account and to hold the same to the order or under the control of a
Paying Agent not later than 48 hours before the time fixed for the
Adjourned Meeting in order to give voting instructions to the
relevant Paying Agent in respect of the votes attributable to the
blocked Relevant ETP Securities. Unless an ETP Securityholder
instructs otherwise, the chairman of the Adjourned Meeting shall be
deemed to be appointed as the ETP Securityholder's proxy for the
Adjourned Meeting. The Relevant ETP Securities so blocked will not
be released until the earlier of (i) the conclusion of the
Adjourned Meeting; and (ii) in respect of a form of proxy, not less
than 48 hours before the time for which the Adjourned Meeting is
convened or the revocation of such form of proxy where notice of
such revocation has been given to the relevant Paying Agent.
Any voting instructions received by
the Registrar with respect to the Original Meeting, shall, unless
revoked in accordance with the provisions set out herein, remain
valid for the Adjourned Meeting.
Voting instructions must
therefore be received by the Registrar by
3.00 pm on Tuesday, 9 April 2024. The deadlines set by any
intermediary, broker, dealer, commercial bank, custodian, trust
company or other nominee institution and each Relevant Clearing
System for the submission and (in the limited circumstances where
permitted) revocation of voting instructions may be earlier than
the relevant deadlines specified above. You should check with your
relevant custodian or nominee immediately to understand what
earlier deadlines are set by your nominee institution or
institutions.
Any proxy so appointed or
representative so appointed shall so long as such appointment
remains in full force be deemed, for all purposes in connection
with the Adjourned Meeting of the ETP Securityholders, to be the
holder of the ETP Securities to which such appointment relates and
the holder of the ETP Securities shall be deemed for such purposes
not to be the holder or owner, respectively.
Each question submitted to the Adjourned
Meeting shall be decided by a show of hands unless a poll is
(before, or on the declaration of the result of, the show of hands)
demanded by the chairman, the Issuer, the Trustee or one or more
persons representing 2 per cent. of the aggregate number of the ETP
Securities outstanding.
Unless a poll is demanded, a declaration by the
chairman that a resolution has or has not been passed shall be
conclusive evidence of the fact, without proof of the number or
proportion of the votes cast in favour of or against it.
If a poll is demanded, it shall be taken in
such manner and (subject as provided below) either at once or after
such adjournment as the chairman directs. The result of the poll
shall be deemed to be the resolution of the Adjourned Meeting as at
the date it was taken. A demand for a poll shall not prevent the
Adjourned Meeting continuing for the transaction of business other
than the question on which it has been demanded.
A poll demanded on the election of a chairman
or on a question of adjournment shall be taken at once.
On a poll, every such person has one vote in
respect of each ETP Security of such Series of ETP Securities so
produced or represented by the voting certificate so produced or
for which he is a proxy or representative. Without prejudice to the
obligations of proxies, a person entitled to more than one vote
need not use them all or cast them all in the same way.
To be passed at the Adjourned
Meeting, an Extraordinary Resolution requires a majority of at
least 75 per cent. of the votes
cast.
An Extraordinary Resolution shall be binding on
all the ETP Securityholders, whether or not present at the
Adjourned Meeting and each of them shall be bound to give effect to
it accordingly. The passing of an Extraordinary Resolution shall be
conclusive evidence that the circumstances justify its being
passed. The Issuer shall give notice of the passing of an
Extraordinary Resolution to ETP Securityholders within 14 calendar
days but failure to do so shall not invalidate such an
Extraordinary Resolution.
Subject to the quorum for the
Adjourned Meeting being satisfied and the Extraordinary Resolution
being passed at the Adjourned Meeting by a majority of at least 75
per cent. of the votes cast and all relevant documents being
executed, the Proposal will become effective and the ETP
Securityholders will be notified thereof by the Issuer in
accordance with the Conditions.
This notice is given by:
Leverage Shares plc
___________________
Dated 26 March 2024
Contact details:
Apex IFS Limited
2nd Floor, Block
5
Irish Life Centre
Abbey Street Lower
Dublin 1
D01 P767
ANNEX 1
FORM OF EXTRAORDINARY
RESOLUTION
"THAT this meeting of the holders of
the Leverage Shares 3x Long China Tech ETP Securities of Leverage
Shares plc currently outstanding (the "ETP Securityholders", the "ETP Securities" and the "Issuer" respectively) constituted by
the master trust deed originally dated 5 December 2017 as most
recently amended and restated on 16 August 2022 and as supplemented
by a supplemental trust deed dated 13 December 2021 (the
"Trust Deed") made between,
among others, the Issuer and Apex Corporate Trustees (UK) Limited
(the "Trustee") as trustee
for the ETP Securityholders hereby resolves by way of Extraordinary
Resolution to:
1.
assent to the Consolidation and to waive any
breach or default of the Conditions or any of the Programme
Documents occurring up to the date hereof which has arisen in
relation or as a consequence of the First Matter and/or the Second
Matter (collectively the "Proposed
Amendments") and authorise and direct the Trustee to concur
and agree to the Proposed Amendments and authorise and direct the
Trustee and the Issuer, where applicable, to execute the
Consolidation Supplemental Trust Deed (the matters referred to
above, the "Proposal");
2.
sanction every abrogation, modification,
variation, compromise or arrangement in respect of the rights of
the ETP Securityholders appertaining to the ETP Securities, whether
or not such rights arise under the Trust Deed, involved in or
resulting from or effected by the Proposal and its
implementation;
3.
authorise, direct, request and empower the Trustee
and the Issuer to concur in the Proposal and, in order to give
effect thereto and to implement the same, to execute the
Consolidation Supplemental Trust Deed and to execute and do, all
such other deeds, instruments, acts and things as may be necessary,
expedient, desirable or appropriate to carry out and give effect to
this Extraordinary Resolution and the implementation of the
Proposal;
4.
discharge and exonerate the Trustee and the Issuer
from all and any liability for which they may have become or may
become responsible under the Trust Deed or the ETP Securities in
respect of any act or omission in connection with the Proposal, its
implementation or this Extraordinary Resolution and its
implementation;
5.
irrevocably and unconditionally waive any claim
that we may have against the Trustee as a result of anything done
or omitted to be done by the Trustee in good faith in connection
with this (i) Extraordinary Resolution, (ii) the Consolidation,
(iii) the Consolidation Supplemental Trust Deed, (iv) the Proposed
Amendments and/ or (v) the Proposal;
6.
indemnify the Trustee, on demand, against any
cost, loss or liability incurred in connection with (i) any act (or
omission to act) or step implementing this Extraordinary
Resolution, (ii) the Consolidation, (iii) the Consolidation
Supplemental Trust Deed, (iv) the Proposed Amendments and/ or (v)
the Proposal; unless such cost, loss or liability has been caused
by the Trustee's fraud, gross negligence or wilful default;
and
7.
acknowledge that capitalised terms used in this
Extraordinary Resolution have the same meanings as those defined in
the Notice of Adjourned Meeting and/ or the Trust Deed (including
the Conditions of the ETP Securities), unless otherwise defined
herein or unless the context otherwise requires."