Reykjavík, Dec. 03, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- THIS ANNOUNCEMENT (INCLUDING THE APPENDICES) AND THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS RESTRICTED AND IS NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES, ICELAND, AUSTRALIA, JAPAN, THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH IT WOULD BE UNLAWFUL TO DO SO. PLEASE SEE THE IMPORTANT NOTICES SECTION WITHIN THIS ANNOUNCEMENT.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY, AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE OR FORM PART OF ANY OFFER OR INVITATION TO SELL OR ISSUE, OR ANY SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO PURCHASE OR SUBSCRIBE FOR, ANY SECURITIES OF AMAROQ MINERALS LTD.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT SHOULD BE READ IN ITS ENTIRETY. IN PARTICULAR, IF YOU WISH TO PARTICIPATE IN THE UK PLACING, YOU SHOULD READ AND UNDERSTAND THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN APPENDIX 1 TO THIS ANNOUNCEMENT.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONTAINS INSIDE INFORMATION AS STIPULATED UNDER THE MARKET ABUSE REGULATION NO 596/2014, WHICH IS PART OF ICELANDIC LAW BY VIRTUE OF THE ACT NO 60/2021 ON MEASURES AGAINST MARKET ABUSE AND ASSIMILATED REGULATION NO 596/2014, AS IT FORMS PART OF THE LAW OF THE UNITED KINGDOM BY VIRTUE OF THE EUROPEAN (WITHDRAWAL) ACT 2018, AS AMENDED. ON PUBLICATION OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT VIA A REGULATORY INFORMATION SERVICE, THIS INFORMATION IS CONSIDERED TO BE IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN.
Amaroq Minerals Ltd.
(“Amaroq” or the “Company”)
Proposed Fundraising to Accelerate Growth
TORONTO, ONTARIO – 3 December 2024 - Amaroq Minerals Ltd. (AIM, TSX-V, NASDAQ Iceland: AMRQ), an independent mining company with a substantial land package of gold and strategic mineral assets in Southern Greenland, announces its intention to conduct a placing and subscription of new common shares (“Common Shares”) to raise gross proceeds of approximately £20.0 million (equivalent to approximately C$35.6 million or ISK 3.5 billion) (the “Fundraising”) at a price of 86 pence (C$1.53, ISK151) per new Common Share (the “Placing Price”), with the net proceeds being used to further strengthen the Company’s working capital position whilst Nalunaq is in the commissioning phase and accelerate growth opportunities across the Company’s portfolio of assets in Greenland.
Highlights
The Fundraising will be affected pursuant to the Company’s existing authorities to allot equity securities and therefore no General Meeting will be required.
Details of the Fundraising
Eldur Olafsson, CEO of Amaroq, commented:
“This fundraising will enable us to accelerate our growth plans across our exciting gold and strategic minerals targets, alongside progressing the ramp-up at Nalunaq to commercial production. Following first gold pour at Nalunaq, and with key offtake agreements in place, we look to 2025 with optimism. Across the wider portfolio, we plan to complete further drilling at the Nanoq gold target following recent assay results which demonstrated exceptional gold potential, alongside evaluating the results from our recent copper and nickel exploration campaign.
We are also considering a potential step-up to listing on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange and will provide an update in due course. Amaroq remains well positioned to unlock the significant resource potential of our portfolio in South Greenland, delivering long-term value for all stakeholders."
Enquiries:
Amaroq Minerals Ltd.
Eldur Olafsson, Executive Director and CEO
+354 665 2003
eo@amaroqminerals.com
Eddie Wyvill, Investor Relations
+44 (0)7713 126727
Panmure Liberum Limited (Nominated Adviser, Joint Bookrunner and Corporate Broker)
Scott Mathieson
Nikhil Varghese
Kieron Hodgson
Josh Moss
+44 (0) 20 7886 2500
Canaccord Genuity Limited (Joint Bookrunner and Corporate Broker)
James Asensio
Harry Rees
George Grainger
+44 (0) 20 7523 8000
Landsbankinn hf. (Joint Bookrunner and Underwriter)
Björn Hákonarson
Sigurður Kári Tryggvason
+354 410 4000
Acro verðbréf hf. (Joint Bookrunner)
Hannes Árdal
Þorbjörn Atli Sveinsson
+354 532 8000
Fossar Investment Bank hf. (Joint Bookrunner)
Steingrímur Arnar Finnsson
Kristín Alexandra Gísladóttir
+354 522 4000
Camarco (Financial PR)
Billy Clegg
Elfie Kent
Fergus Young
+44 (0) 20 3757 4980
Background to and Reasons for the Fundraising
The Company’s strategy is to leverage its first mover advantage in Greenland, underpinned by the Nalunaq project, to build a full-cycle mining company, delivering long term shareholder value and providing significant upside potential through its land bank of high-impact gold and strategic minerals exploration assets. Amaroq has been listed on the TSX-V since July 2017, AIM since July 2020, First North between November 2022 to September 2023 and the Icelandic Exchange since September 2023.
The Company acquired the Nalunaq gold project in 2015 and has made significant progress since this time in expanding the extent of the resource base through drilling, incorporating a new geological model (the Dolerite Dyke model) to better understand the distribution of the high-grade ore, building a new winterized camp to allow full-year activities, and acquiring and otherwise progressing much of the infrastructure required to bring Nalunaq into production. First gold pour at Nalunaq was achieved on 27 November 2024 and the Company intends to ramp-up production throughout 2025 with the aim of reaching nameplate capacity of 260-300 tonnes per day by Q4 2025.
Amaroq has also been able to acquire the largest package of mineral rights in southern Greenland with a number of assets that are highly prospective for gold and strategic minerals. The addition of strategic minerals into the portfolio provides significant growth potential, as these metals and minerals, such as copper, nickel, titanium and graphite, are critical for increased electrification as part of the world’s decarbonisation strategy and as independent supply continues to become an increasing focus for nations globally.
Key developments at Nalunaq since AIM admission in 2020 include:
Following the Company’s progress outlined above, Nalunaq is transitioning from being a cost centre to a cash generator, with first gold pour achieved on 27 November 2024. During 2025, the Company is expecting Phase 1 Commissioning of the Nalunaq plant to complete in Q1 2025, as well as an updated Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE4) for Nalunaq to be published, and for ramp-up to nameplate plant capacity of 260-300 tonnes per day to take place in Q4 2025.
The Company has identified several new investments in its mining equipment and facilities, as it seeks to upgrade and expand its mining fleet as well as improve maritime services. These investments should further optimise operations at Nalunaq. This also lays the groundwork for the Company’s vision of servicing Greenland’s future mining operations. The Company recognises its unique position as a first-mover in the growing Greenlandic mining industry. By investing into its own operations and supply chains, the Company will be able to support and capitalise on Greenland’s growing mining sector (60 – 70% annual growth) by supplying the industry with assets, services, and supplies.
Outside of Nalunaq development, the Company also plans to accelerate certain advanced exploration activities at its high priority gold targets with the overall objective of evaluating options to integrate them into the Nalunaq processing infrastructure. At Nanoq, Stage 1 scout drilling to confirm mineralisation style and potential grades was completed in 2024. Stage 2 across 2025 is expected to include systematic drilling focused on understanding geometry, grade continuity, metallurgy, and resource potential. In Stage 3 across 2026/27, Nanoq is expected to reach a bulk sampling stage through a trial portal extending from the deep-water entry to the mineralized structure, with sample processing conducted at the Nalunaq process plant. Further exploration opportunities have also been identified in the Company’s Gardaq joint venture. The Company has also identified several areas of increased focus to develop its strategic minerals portfolio including a new copper target development, expanded drilling at Josva & Target North, the Stendalen project development, and further new project generation.
The final major initiative identified involves investments in hydropower-based green energy production to lower diesel expenses and emissions. At Nalunaq, it is currently envisioned that the process plant will be powered through hydroelectric power to reduce diesel usage. Nalunaq’s mining operations are envisioned to implement battery run equipment to reduce ventilation and diesel requirements, and its camp and infrastructure is envisioned to be powered through hydroelectric, wind and solar, with a diesel generator as back-up. At other exploration sites across Amaroq’s portfolio, the camp and infrastructure are envisioned to be powered through small scale wind and solar energy to charge batteries and reduce dependency on diesel power generation.
Sources and Uses of Proceeds
The net use of proceeds from the Fundraising will be to help the Company strengthen its working capital position whilst Nalunaq is in commissioning phase and accelerate growth opportunities within the Company’s portfolio of assets in Greenland in Greenland. More specifically, the net proceeds from the Fundraising will be to fund further resource drilling at Nalunaq to expand resource and provide mining flexibility, further exploration drilling at Nanoq to define resource potential and the development opportunity, investments in mining equipment, other facilities and green energy production to further optimise operations in Nalunaq, and advancement of the Company’s strategic portfolio, alongside JV partners with further target exploration, and to provide additional working capital.
Use of Proceeds | GBP millions | ISK millions | CAD$ millions |
Exchange rate | | GBP:ISK 176.00 | GBP:CAD 1.7781 |
Gold portfolio drilling | 4.5 | 792.0 | 8.0 |
Operational investment at Nalunaq | 3.5 | 616.0 | 6.2 |
Targeted exploration programme | 4.0 | 704.0 | 7.1 |
Hydropower-based green energy production at Nalunaq | 1.5 | 264.0 | 2.7 |
Additional working capital | 6.5 | 1,144.0 | 11.6 |
Total Use of Proceeds | 20.0 | 3,520.0 | 35.6 |
Bookbuild
Panmure Liberum is acting as nominated adviser, joint bookrunner and joint broker on the UK Placing, alongside Canaccord which is also acting as joint bookrunner and joint broker. Landsbankinn, Acro and Fossar are acting as joint bookrunners on the Icelandic Placing and Landsbankinn is acting as underwriter.
The Bookbuild for the UK Placing will launch immediately following the release of this Announcement. The Bookbuild is expected to close no later than 7.00 a.m. on 4 December 2024, but the UK Joint Bookrunners and the Company reserve the right to close the Bookbuild earlier or later, without further notice.
The UK Placing is subject to the terms and conditions set out in Appendix 1 to this Announcement.
The number of Fundraising Shares will be determined following completion of the Bookbuild by agreement between the Company and the UK Joint Bookrunners. Allocations in the UK Placing are at the absolute discretion of the UK Joint Bookrunners, in consultation with the Company, and will be confirmed orally or by email following the close of the Bookbuild. Details of the Fundraising Shares will be announced as soon as practicable after the close of the Bookbuild.
By choosing to participate in the UK Placing and by making an oral and legally binding offer to acquire UK Placing Shares, investors will be deemed to have read and understood this Announcement in its entirety (including the Appendices) and to be making such offer on the terms and subject to the conditions of the UK Placing contained here, and to be providing the representations, warranties and acknowledgements contained in Appendix 1 to this Announcement.
Applications will be made for admission of the Fundraising Shares to trading on (a) AIM; (b) the Nasdaq Iceland Main Market (the “Icelandic Exchange”); and (c) the TSX-V, with listing subject to the conditional approval of the TSX-V and the Company satisfying all of the requirements of the TSX-V. It is currently expected that admission will become effective, and that dealings in the Fundraising Shares will commence on AIM, at 8.00 a.m. GMT on 16 December 2024, on the Icelandic Exchange at 9.30 a.m. UTC on 16 December 2024 and on the TSX-V at 9:30 a.m. ET on 16 December 2024 (or in each case such other date as may be agreed between the Company and the UK Joint Bookrunners).
Related Party Transaction
Certain of the Directors have indicated their intention to participate in the Canadian Subscription for approximately £2.1 million (equivalent to ISK 369.6 million, or C$3.7 million) in aggregate. As such, the Canadian Subscription will constitute a "related party transaction" within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 – Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101") and within the meaning of Policy 5.9 of the TSX-V rules.
Related party transactions require the Company to obtain a formal valuation and minority shareholder approval unless exemptions from these requirements are available under applicable Canadian securities laws. With respect to the Canadian Subscription, the Company is relying on the exemption from the formal valuation requirements and minority approval requirements in sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a), respectively, of MI 61-101, as the fair market value of the securities distributed to, and the consideration received from, interested parties does not exceed 25% of the Company's market capitalization. The Company did not file a material change report at least 21 days prior to the expected closing of the Canadian Subscription as participation of the insiders had not been confirmed at that time and the Company wishes to close on an expedited basis for business reasons.
This Announcement should be read in its entirety. In particular, you should read and understand the information provided in the “Important Notices” section of this Announcement. Unless otherwise stated, defined terms in this Announcement have the meanings ascribed to them in Appendix 2.
Unless stated otherwise, all amounts are based on GBP:ISK of 176.00 and GBP:C$ of 1.7781 as at 2 December 2024.
About Amaroq
Amaroq’s principal business objectives are the identification, acquisition, exploration, and development of gold and strategic metal properties in South Greenland. The Company’s principal asset is a 100% interest in the Nalunaq Gold mine. The Company has a portfolio of gold and strategic metal assets in Southern Greenland covering the two known gold belts in the region as well as advanced exploration projects at Stendalen and the Sava Copper Belt exploring for Strategic metals such as Copper, Nickel, Rare Earths and other minerals. Amaroq Minerals is continued under the Business Corporations Act (Ontario) and wholly owns Nalunaq A/S, incorporated under the Greenland Companies Act.
Qualified Person Statement
The Mineral Resource Estimate was prepared by Dr Lucy Roberts, MAusIMM (CP), Principal Consultant (Resource Geology), SRK Consulting (UK) Limited an independent Qualified Person in accordance with the requirements of NI 43-101. Dr Roberts has approved the disclosure herein.
The technical information presented in this press release has been approved by James Gilbertson Cgeol, VP Exploration for the Company and a Chartered Geologist with the Geological Society of London, and as such, is a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101.
Use of a Standard
The resource information included within this Announcement is reported in accordance with the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM) Definition Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves (May 2014) as required by CIM Definition Standards.
Inside Information
The information contained within this Announcement is considered to be inside information prior to its release, as defined in Article 7 the Market Abuse Regulation No 596/2014, which is part of Icelandic law by virtue of the Act No 60/2021 on Measures Against Market Abuse and Article 7 of assimilated Regulation No. 596/2014 as it forms part of the law of the United Kingdom by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, as amended, and is disclosed in accordance with the Company’s obligations under Article 17 of that Regulation. Upon the publication of this Announcement, this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain and will no longer constitute inside information.
IMPORTANT NOTICES
This Announcement does not constitute, or form part of, a prospectus relating to the Company, nor does it constitute or contain an invitation or offer to any person, or any public offer, to subscribe for, purchase or otherwise acquire any shares in the Company or advise persons to do so in any jurisdiction, nor shall it, or any part of it form the basis of or be relied on in connection with any contract or as an inducement to enter into any contract or commitment with the Company.
This Announcement is not for publication or distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States of America, Iceland, Australia, The Republic of South Africa (“South Africa”), Japan or any other jurisdiction in which such release, publication or distribution would be unlawful. This Announcement is for information purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or issue, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, subscribe for or otherwise acquire any securities in the United States (including its territories and possessions, any state of the United States and the District of Columbia (collectively, the “United States”)), Iceland, Australia, Canada, South Africa, Japan or any other jurisdiction in which such offer or solicitation would be unlawful or to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation.
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 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, or under the securities laws of Iceland, Australia, Canada, South Africa, Japan, or any state, province or territory thereof or any other jurisdiction outside the United Kingdom, except pursuant to an applicable exemption from the registration requirements and in compliance with any applicable securities laws of any state, province or other jurisdiction of Iceland, Australia, Canada, South Africa or Japan (as the case may be). No public offering of securities is being made in the United States, Iceland, Australia, Canada, South Africa, Japan or elsewhere.
No action has been taken by the Company, Panmure Liberum, Canaccord, Landsbankinn, Acro, Fossar or any of their respective affiliates, or any of its or their respective directors, officers, partners, employees, consultants, advisers and/or agents (collectively, “Representatives”) that would permit an offer of the Fundraising Shares or possession or distribution of this Announcement or any other publicity material relating to such Fundraising Shares in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required. Persons receiving this Announcement are required to inform themselves about and to observe any restrictions contained in this Announcement. Persons (including, without limitation, nominees and trustees) who have a contractual or other legal obligation to forward a copy of this Announcement should seek appropriate advice before taking any action. Persons distributing any part of this Announcement must satisfy themselves that it is lawful to do so.
This Announcement, as it relates to the UK Placing, is directed at and is only being distributed to: (a) if in a member state of the EEA, persons who are qualified investors (“EEA Qualified Investors”), being persons falling within the meaning of Article 2(e) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 (the “EU Prospectus Regulation”); or (b) if in the United Kingdom, persons who are qualified investors (“UK Qualified Investors”), being persons falling within the meaning of Article 2(e) of assimilated Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 as it forms part of the law of the United Kingdom by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, as amended (the “UK Prospectus Regulation”), and who are (i) persons falling within the definition of “investment professional” in Article 19(5) of the Financial Services And Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended (the “Order”) or (ii) persons who fall within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) (high net worth companies, unincorporated associations, etc.) of the Order, or (c) persons to whom it may otherwise be lawfully communicated (all such persons referred to in (a), (b) and (c) together being referred to as “Relevant Persons”).
The Fundraising Shares have not been qualified for distribution by prospectus in Canada and may not be offered or sold in Canada except in reliance on exemptions from the requirements to provide the relevant purchaser with a prospectus and, as a consequence of acquiring securities pursuant to this exemption or exemptions, certain protections, rights and remedies provided by the applicable Canadian securities laws will not be available to the relevant purchaser. The Fundraising Shares will be subject to statutory resale (hold) restrictions for a period of four months and one day in Canada under the applicable Canadian securities laws and any resale of the Common Shares must be made in accordance with such resale restrictions or in reliance on an available exemption therefore. Such restrictions shall not apply to any Fundraising Shares acquired outside of Canada.
For the attention of residents of Australia: This Announcement is not a prospectus or product disclosure statement or otherwise a disclosure document for the purposes of Chapter 6D or Part 7.9 of the Australian Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (“Corporations Act”) and does not constitute an offer, or an invitation to purchase or subscribe for the Fundraising Shares offered by this Announcement except to the extent that such an offer or invitation would be permitted under Chapter 6D or Part 7.9 of the Corporations Act without the need for a lodged prospectus or product disclosure statement. In addition, for a period of 12 months from the date of issue of the Fundraising Shares, no transfer of any interest in the Fundraising Shares may be made to any person in Australia except to “sophisticated investors” or “professional investors” within the meaning of sections 708(8) and (11) of the Corporations Act or otherwise in accordance with section 707(3) of the Corporations Act.
No other person should act on or rely on this Announcement as it relates to the UK Placing and persons distributing this Announcement must satisfy themselves that it is lawful to do so. By accepting the terms of this Announcement, you represent and agree that you are a Relevant Person. This Announcement must not be acted on or relied on by persons who are not Relevant Persons. Any investment or investment activity to which this Announcement or the Fundraising relates is available only to Relevant Persons and will be engaged in only with Relevant Persons.
No offering document or prospectus will be made available in any jurisdiction in connection with the matters contained or referred to in this Announcement or the UK Placing or the Fundraising, unless applicable in relation to admission to trading in Iceland and no such prospectus is required (in accordance with either the EU Prospectus Regulation for the purpose of the offer or sale of the Common Shares, the UK Prospectus Regulation or Canadian securities laws) to be published. The offering as it relates to the Icelandic Placing is subject to the exemptions from the obligation to publish a prospectus provided for in Articles 1(4)(a) and 1(4)(b) of the EU Prospectus Regulation.
Panmure Liberum, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the United Kingdom is acting exclusively for the Company and for no one else in connection with the UK Placing and will not regard any other person (whether or not a recipient of this Announcement) as a client in relation to the UK Placing and will not be responsible to anyone other than the Company in connection with the UK Placing or for providing the protections afforded to their clients or for giving advice in relation to the UK Placing, the Fundraising or any other matter referred to in this Announcement. The responsibilities of Panmure Liberum, as nominated adviser, are owed solely to the London Stock Exchange and are not owed to the Company or to any director or any other person and accordingly no duty of care is accepted in relation to them. No representation or warranty, express or implied, is made by Panmure Liberum as to, and no liability whatsoever is accepted by Panmure Liberum in respect of, any of the contents of this Announcement (without limiting the statutory rights of any person to whom this Announcement is issued).
Canaccord, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the United Kingdom is acting exclusively for the Company and for no one else in connection with the UK Placing and will not regard any other person (whether or not a recipient of this Announcement) as a client in relation to the UK Placing and will not be responsible to anyone other than the Company in connection with the UK Placing or for providing the protections afforded to their clients or for giving advice in relation to the UK Placing, the Fundraising or any other matter referred to in this Announcement.
Acro, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Supervisory Authority of the Central Bank of Iceland, is acting exclusively for the Company and for no one else in connection with the Icelandic Placing and will not regard any other person (whether or not a recipient of this Announcement) as a client in relation to the Icelandic Placing and will not be responsible to anyone other than the Company in connection with the Icelandic Placing or for providing the protections afforded to their clients or for giving advice in relation to the Icelandic Placing, the Fundraising or any other matter referred to in this Announcement. Some Icelandic Placees may however be customers of Acro.
Fossar, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Supervisory Authority of the Central Bank of Iceland, is acting exclusively for the Company and for no one else in connection with the Icelandic Placing and will not regard any other person (whetheror not a recipient of this Announcement) as a client in relation to the Icelandic Placing and will not be responsible to anyone other than the Company in connection with the Icelandic Placing or for providing the protections afforded to their clients or for giving advice in relation to the Icelandic Placing, the Fundraising or any other matter referred to in this Announcement. Some Icelandic Placees may however be customers of Fossar.
Landsbankinn, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Supervisory Authority of the Central Bank of Iceland, is acting exclusively for the Company and for no one else in connection with the Icelandic Placing and will not regard any other person (whether or not a recipient of this Announcement) as a client in relation to the Icelandic Placing and will not be responsible to anyone other than the Company in connection with the Icelandic Placing or for providing the protections afforded to their clients or for giving advice in relation to the Icelandic Placing, the Fundraising or any other matter referred to in this Announcement. Some Icelandic Placees may however be customers of Landsbankinn.
This Announcement is being 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 or on behalf of Panmure Liberum, Canaccord, Landsbankinn, Acro and/or Fossar (apart from in the case of Panmure Liberum and Canaccord the responsibilities or liabilities that may be imposed by the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, as amended (“FSMA”) or the regulatory regime established thereunder) and/or by any of their respective affiliates and/or any of their respective Representatives as to, or in relation to, the accuracy, adequacy, fairness or completeness of this Announcement or any other written or oral information made available to or publicly available to any interested party or their respective advisers or any other statement made or purported to be made by or on behalf of Panmure Liberum, Canaccord, Landsbankinn, Acro and/or Fossar and/or any of their respective affiliates and/or by any of their respective Representatives in connection with the Company, the UK Placing Shares, the UK Placing, the Common Shares or any part of the Fundraising and any responsibility and liability whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise therefor is expressly disclaimed. No representation or warranty, express or implied, is made by Panmure Liberum, Canaccord, Landsbankinn, Acro and/or Fossar and/or any of their respective affiliates and/or any of their respective Representatives as to the accuracy, fairness, verification, completeness or sufficiency of the information or opinions contained in this Announcement or any other written or oral information made available to or publicly available to any interested party or their respective advisers, and any liability therefor is expressly disclaimed.
The information in this Announcement may not be forwarded or distributed to any other person and may not be reproduced in any manner whatsoever. Any forwarding, distribution, reproduction or disclosure of this Announcement, in whole or in part, is not authorised. Failure to comply with this directive may result in a violation of the Securities Act or the applicable laws of other jurisdictions.
This Announcement does not constitute a recommendation concerning any investor’s options with respect to the UK Placing or any part of the Fundraising. Recipients of this Announcement should conduct their own investigation, evaluation and analysis of the business, data and other information described in this Announcement. This Announcement does not identify or suggest, or purport to identify or suggest, the risks (direct or indirect) that may be associated with an investment in the UK Placing Shares or the Common Shares. The price and value of securities can go down as well as up and investors may not get back the full amount invested upon the disposal of the shares. Past performance is not a guide to future performance. The contents of this Announcement are not to be construed as legal, business, financial or tax advice. Each investor or prospective investor should consult his or her or its own legal adviser, business adviser, financial adviser or tax adviser for legal, business, financial or tax advice.
Any indication in this Announcement of the price at which the Company’s shares have been bought or sold in the past cannot be relied upon as a guide to future performance. Persons needing advice should consult an independent financial adviser. No statement in this Announcement is intended to be a profit forecast or profit estimate for any period and no statement in this Announcement should be interpreted to mean that earnings, earnings per share or income, cash flow from operations or free cash flow for the Company for the current or future financial periods would necessarily match or exceed the historical published earnings, earnings per share or income, cash flow from operations or free cash flow for the Company.
All offers of the Fundraising Shares will be made pursuant to an exemption under the EU Prospectus Regulation and the UK Prospectus Regulation from the requirement to produce a prospectus. This Announcement is being distributed and communicated to persons in the United Kingdom only in circumstances in which section 21(1) of FSMA does not apply.
The Fundraising Shares to be issued pursuant to the Fundraising will not be admitted to trading on any stock exchange other than AIM, the TSX-V and the Icelandic Exchange.
Appendix 1 to this Announcement sets out the terms and conditions of the UK Placing (and for the avoidance of doubt, not the Icelandic Placing or Canadian Subscription). By participating in the UK Placing, each Placee will be deemed to have read and understood this Announcement (including the Appendices) in its entirety, to be participating in the UK Placing and making an offer to acquire and acquiring UK Placing Shares on the terms and subject to the conditions set out in Appendix 1 to this Announcement and to be providing the representations, warranties, undertakings and acknowledgements contained in Appendix 1 to this Announcement. Members of the public are not eligible to take part in the UK Placing and no public offering of UK Placing Shares is being or will be made.
Neither the content of the Company’s website (or any other website) nor the content of any website accessible from hyperlinks on the Company’s website (or any other website) is incorporated into, or forms part of, this Announcement.
This Announcement has been prepared for the purposes of complying with applicable law and regulation in the United Kingdom 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 and regulations of any jurisdiction outside the United Kingdom.
UK Product Governance Requirements
Solely for the purposes of the product governance requirements of Chapter 3 of the FCA Handbook Product 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 UK Placing Shares have been subject to a product approval process, which has determined that the UK 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 the FCA Conduct of Business Sourcebook; and (ii) eligible for distribution through all permitted distribution channels (the “Target Market Assessment”). Notwithstanding the Target Market Assessment, distributors should note that: the price of the UK Placing Shares may decline and investors could lose all or part of their investment; the UK Placing Shares offer no guaranteed income and no capital protection; and an investment in the UK 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 Target Market Assessment is without prejudice to any contractual, legal or regulatory selling restrictions in relation to the UK Placing. Furthermore, it is noted that, in relation to the UK Placing, notwithstanding the Target Market Assessment, Panmure Liberum and Canaccord 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 Chapters 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 UK Placing Shares. Each distributor is responsible for undertaking its own target market assessment in respect of the UK Placing Shares and determining appropriate distribution channels.
EU Product Governance Requirements
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/or any equivalent requirements elsewhere to the extent determined to be applicable, 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 and/or any equivalent requirements elsewhere to the extent determined to be applicable) may otherwise have with respect thereto, the UK Placing Shares have been subject to a product approval process, which has determined that the UK 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 “EU Target Market Assessment”). Notwithstanding the EU Target Market Assessment, distributors should note that: the price of the UK Placing Shares may decline and investors could lose all or part of their investment; the UK Placing Shares offer no guaranteed income and no capital protection; and an investment in the UK 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 EU Target Market Assessment is without prejudice to the requirements of any contractual, legal or regulatory selling restrictions in relation to the UK Placing. Furthermore, it is noted that, in relation to the UK Placing, notwithstanding the EU Target Market Assessment, Panmure Liberum and Canaccord will only procure investors who meet the criteria of professional clients and eligible counterparties.
For the avoidance of doubt, the EU 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 UK Placing Shares. Each distributor is responsible for undertaking its own target market assessment in respect of the UK Placing Shares and determining appropriate distribution channels.
Neither the TSX–V nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX-V) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Forward-Looking Information
This Announcement includes statements that are, or may be deemed to be, “forward-looking statements”. In some cases, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the terms “aims”, “anticipates”, “believes”, “could”, “envisages”, “estimates”, “expects”, “intends”, “may”, “plans”, “projects”, “should”, “targets” or “will” or, in each case, their negative or other variations or comparable terminology. 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 and factors which are beyond the Company’s control. The actual results, performance or achievements of the Company or developments in the industry in which the Company operates may differ materially from the future results, performance or achievements or industry developments expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in this Announcement. The forward-looking statements contained in this Announcement speak only as at the date of this Announcement. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly the forward-looking statements contained in this Announcement, except as required in order to comply with its legal and regulatory obligations.
Appendix 1
TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE UK PLACING
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR INVITED PLACEES ONLY.
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO TAKE PART IN THE UK PLACING. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT (INCLUDING THE APPENDICES) AND THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SET OUT HEREIN (TOGETHER, THIS “ANNOUNCEMENT”) 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) IF IN A MEMBER STATE OF THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AREA (“EEA”), PERSONS WHO ARE QUALIFIED INVESTORS (“EEA QUALIFIED INVESTORS”), BEING PERSONS FALLING WITHIN THE MEANING OF ARTICLE 2(E) OF REGULATION (EU) 2017/1129 (THE “EU PROSPECTUS REGULATION”); OR (B) IF IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, PERSONS WHO ARE QUALIFIED INVESTORS (“UK QUALIFIED INVESTORS”), BEING PERSONS FALLING WITHIN THE MEANING OF ARTICLE 2(E) OF ASSIMILATED REGULATION (EU) 2017/1129 AS IT FORMS PART OF THE LAW OF THE UNITED KINGDOM BY VIRTUE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION (WITHDRAWAL) ACT 2018, AS AMENDED (THE “UK PROSPECTUS REGULATION”), AND WHO ARE (I) PERSONS FALLING WITHIN THE DEFINITION OF “INVESTMENT PROFESSIONAL” IN ARTICLE 19(5) OF THE FINANCIAL SERVICES AND MARKETS ACT 2000 (FINANCIAL PROMOTION) ORDER 2005, AS AMENDED (THE “ORDER”) OR (II) PERSONS WHO FALL WITHIN ARTICLE 49(2)(A) TO (D) (HIGH NET WORTH COMPANIES, UNINCORPORATED ASSOCIATIONS, ETC) OF THE ORDER; OR (C) PERSONS TO WHOM IT MAY OTHERWISE BE LAWFULLY COMMUNICATED (ALL SUCH PERSONS REFERRED TO IN (A), (B) AND (C) TOGETHER BEING “RELEVANT PERSONS”).
NO OTHER PERSON SHOULD ACT OR RELY ON THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. BY ACCEPTING THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT YOU REPRESENT AND AGREE THAT YOU ARE A RELEVANT PERSON. 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. 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 (INCLUDING THE APPENDICES) DOES NOT ITSELF CONSTITUTE AN OFFER FOR SALE OR SUBSCRIPTION OF ANY SECURITIES IN THE COMPANY.
EACH PLACEE SHOULD CONSULT WITH ITS OWN ADVISERS AS TO LEGAL, TAX, BUSINESS, ACCOUNTING AND RELATED ASPECTS OF AN INVESTMENT IN THE UK PLACING SHARES.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT AN OFFER OF SECURITIES FOR SALE INTO THE UNITED STATES. THE SECURITIES DESCRIBED HEREIN HAVE NOT BEEN AND WILL NOT BE REGISTERED UNDER THE US SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”) OR WITH ANY SECURITIES REGULATORY AUTHORITY OF ANY STATE OR JURISDICTION OF THE UNITED STATES, AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD OR TRANSFERRED, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES OR TO, OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OR BENEFIT OF US PERSONS (AS DEFINED IN REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT (“REGULATION S”)), EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM 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. NO PUBLIC OFFERING OF THE SECURITIES ARE BEING MADE IN THE UNITED STATES OR ELSEWHERE.
This Announcement, and the information contained herein, is for information only and does not itself constitute or form part of an offer to sell or issue or the solicitation of an offer to buy or subscribe for securities referred to herein in any jurisdiction including, without limitation, the United States, Iceland, Australia, Canada, Japan or the Republic of South Africa or any other jurisdiction where such offer or solicitation is unlawful (each a “Restricted Territory”). No public offering of securities will be made in connection with the shares referred to in this Announcement in the United Kingdom, any Restricted Territory or elsewhere.
This Announcement, and the information contained herein, is not for release, publication or distribution, directly or indirectly, to persons in any Restricted Territory or in any jurisdiction in which such release, publication or distribution is unlawful. The distribution of this Announcement and the UK Placing and/or the offer or sale of the UK Placing Shares in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law. No action has been taken by the Company or by Panmure Liberum Limited (“Panmure Liberum”) or Canaccord Genuity Limited (“Canaccord” and, together with Panmure Liberum, the “UK Joint Bookrunners”) or any of their respective Affiliates, or any of their or their respective Affiliates’ directors, officers, members, employees, agents or advisers which would permit an offer of the UK Placing Shares or possession or distribution of this Announcement or any other offering or publicity material relating to such UK Placing Shares in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required. Persons distributing any part of this Announcement must satisfy themselves that it is lawful to do so. Persons (including, without limitation, nominees and trustees) who have a contractual or other legal obligation to forward a copy of this Announcement should seek appropriate advice before taking any such action. Persons into whose possession this Announcement comes are required by the Company and the UK Joint Bookrunners to inform themselves about, and to observe, any such restrictions.
All offers of the UK Placing Shares will be made pursuant to an exemption under the EU Prospectus Regulation or the UK Prospectus Regulation, as applicable, from the requirement to produce a prospectus. This Announcement is being distributed and communicated to persons in the UK only in circumstances to which section 21(1) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, as amended (“FSMA”) does not apply.
The UK Placing Shares have not been qualified for distribution by prospectus in Canada and may not be offered or sold in Canada except in reliance on exemptions from the requirements to provide the relevant purchaser with a prospectus and, as a consequence of acquiring securities pursuant to this exemption or exemptions, certain protections, rights and remedies provided by the applicable Canadian securities laws will not be available to the relevant purchaser. The UK Placing Shares will be subject to statutory resale (hold) restrictions for a period of four months and one day in Canada under the applicable Canadian securities laws and any resale of the Common Shares must be made in accordance with such resale restrictions or in reliance on an available exemption therefore. Such restrictions shall not apply to any UK Placing Shares acquired outside of Canada.
The UK Placing has not been approved and will not be approved or disapproved by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, any State securities commission or any other regulatory authority in the United States, nor have any of the foregoing authorities passed upon or endorsed the merits of the UK Placing or the accuracy or adequacy of this Announcement. Any representation to the contrary is unlawful.
Subject to certain exceptions, the securities referred to in this Announcement may not be offered or sold in any Restricted Territory or in any other jurisdiction where such offer or sale is unlawful or to, or for the account or benefit of, a citizen or resident, or a corporation, partnership or other entity created or organised in or under the laws of a Restricted Territory or in any other jurisdiction where such offer or sale is unlawful.
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 UK Joint Bookrunner or any of its Affiliates, nor any of its or its their directors, officers, employees, agents or advisers as to or in relation to, the accuracy or completeness of this Announcement or any other written or oral information made available to or publicly available to any party or its advisers, and any liability therefore is expressly disclaimed.
The UK Joint Bookrunners are acting exclusively for the Company and no-one else in connection with the UK Placing and are not, and will not be, responsible to anyone (including the Placees) other than the Company for providing the protections afforded to their clients nor for providing advice in relation to the UK Placing and/or any other matter referred to in this Announcement.
None of the Company or the UK Joint Bookrunners or any of their respective Affiliates or Representatives nor any of its or their respective Affiliates’ directors, officers, employees, agents or advisers makes any representation or warranty, express or implied to any Placees regarding any investment in the securities referred to in this Announcement under the laws applicable to such Placees. Each Placee should consult its own advisers as to the legal, tax, business, financial and related aspects of an investment in the UK Placing Shares.
Any information that a prospective Placee provides in documents in relation to the UK Placing or subsequently by whatever means which relates to the prospective investor (if they are an individual) or a third party individual (“personal data”) will be held and processed by the Company and/or either UK Joint Bookrunner for the following purposes: (a) verifying the identity of the prospective Placee to comply with statutory and regulatory requirements in relation to anti-money laundering procedures; (b) contacting the prospective Placee with information about products and services, or its Affiliates, which may be of interest to the prospective Placee; (c) carrying out the business of the Company or either UK Joint Bookrunner and the administering of interests in the Company; (d) meeting the legal, regulatory, reporting and/or financial obligations of the Company and/or either UK Joint Bookrunner; and (e) disclosing personal data to other functionaries of, or advisers to, the Company or either UK Joint Bookrunner to operate and/or administer its business. In providing such personal data, prospective Placees will be deemed to have agreed to the processing of such personal data in the manner described above.
By participating in the UK Placing, Placees (including individuals, funds or otherwise) by whom or on whose behalf a commitment to subscribe for UK Placing Shares has been given will (i) be deemed to have read and understood this Announcement, in its entirety and (ii) be making any such offer on the Terms and Conditions contained in this Appendix, including being deemed to be providing (and shall only be permitted to participate in the UK Placing on the basis that they have provided) the representations, warranties, indemnities, acknowledgements and undertakings set out herein.
In particular, each such Placee represents, warrants, undertakes, agrees and acknowledges (amongst other things) that:
1. it has read and understood this Announcement in its entirety (including the Appendices) and acknowledges that its participation in the UK Placing will be governed by, and subject to, the Terms and Conditions of the UK Placing as referred to and included in this Announcement;
2. it undertakes that it will acquire, hold, manage or dispose of any UK Placing Shares that are allocated to it for the purposes of its business;
3. in the case of a Relevant Person in a member state of the EEA which is subject to the EU Prospectus Regulation (each a “Relevant Member State”) who acquires any UK Placing Shares pursuant to the UK Placing:
(a) it is an EEA Qualified Investor; and
(b) in respect of any UK Placing Shares acquired by it as a “financial intermediary”, as that term is used in Article 5(1) of the EU Prospectus Regulation:
(i) the UK Placing Shares acquired by and/or subscribed for by it in the UK Placing will not be acquired and/or subscribed for on a non-discretionary basis on behalf of, nor will they be acquired or subscribed for with a view to their offer or resale to persons in any Relevant Member State other than to EEA Qualified Investors, or in circumstances which may give rise to an offer of securities to the public other than an offer or resale in any Relevant Member State to EEA Qualified Investors, or in circumstances in which the prior consent of the UK Joint Bookrunners has been given to each such proposed offer or resale; or
(ii) where UK Placing Shares have been acquired or subscribed for by it on behalf of persons in any Relevant Member State other than EEA Qualified Investors, the offer of those UK Placing Shares to it is not treated under the EU Prospectus Regulation as having been made to such persons;
4. in the case of a Relevant Person in the United Kingdom who acquires any UK Placing Shares pursuant to the UK Placing:
(a) it is a UK Qualified Investor;
(b) in respect of any UK Placing Shares acquired by it as a “financial intermediary”, as that term is used in Article 5(1) of the UK Prospectus Regulation:
(i) the UK Placing Shares acquired by and/or subscribed for by it in the UK Placing will not be acquired and/or subscribed for on a non-discretionary basis on behalf of, nor will they be acquired or subscribed for with a view to their offer or resale to persons in the United Kingdom other than to UK Qualified Investors, or in circumstances which may give rise to an offer of securities to the public other than an offer or resale in the United Kingdom to UK Qualified Investors, or in circumstances in which the prior consent of the UK Joint Bookrunners has been given to each such proposed offer or resale; or
(ii) where the UK Placing Shares have been acquired or subscribed for by it on behalf of persons in the United Kingdom other than UK Qualified Investors, the offer of those UK Placing Shares to it is not treated under the UK Prospectus Regulation as having been made to such persons;
5. it is acquiring the UK Placing Shares for its own account or is acquiring the UK Placing Shares for an account with respect to which it exercises sole investment discretion and has the authority to make and does make the representations, warranties, indemnities, acknowledgements, undertakings and agreements contained in this Announcement;
6. it understands (or if acting for the account of another person, such person has confirmed that such person understands) the resale and transfer restrictions set out in this Announcement;
7. except as otherwise permitted by the Company and the UK Joint Bookrunners and subject to any available exemptions from applicable securities laws, it (and each person, if any, for whose account or benefit it is acquiring the UK Placing Shares) is either:
(a) outside the United States and not a US person acquiring the UK Placing Shares in an “offshore transaction” as defined in, and in accordance with, Regulation S; or
(b) a “qualified institutional buyer” as defined in Rule 144A under the Securities Act (a “QIB”); and
8. it understands that the allocation of UK Placing Shares to it if it is in the United States shall be conditional on the execution by it of an investor representation letter in the form provided to it.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR PLACEES ONLY REGARDING THE UK PLACING
Bookbuild
Following this Announcement, the UK Joint Bookrunners will commence a bookbuild process in respect of the UK Placing (the “Bookbuild”) to determine demand for participation in the UK Placing by Placees. The book will open with immediate effect following release of this Announcement. This Appendix gives details of the terms and conditions of, and the mechanics of participation in, the UK Placing. No commissions will be paid to Placees or by Placees in respect of any UK Placing Shares.
The UK Joint Bookrunners and the Company shall be entitled to effect the UK Placing by such alternative method to the Bookbuild as they may, in their sole discretion, determine.
Details of the Placing Agreement and the UK Placing Shares
The UK Joint Bookrunners are acting as placing agents in connection with the UK Placing. The UK Joint Bookrunners have entered into a placing agreement (the “Placing Agreement”) with the Company under which, on the terms and subject to the conditions set out in the Placing Agreement, the UK Joint Bookrunners have severally (and not jointly or jointly and severally), as agents for and on behalf of the Company, agreed to use their respective reasonable endeavours to procure Placees for the UK Placing Shares at a price of 86 pence per UK Placing Share (the “Placing Price”). The number of UK Placing Shares in the UK Placing will be determined following completion of the Bookbuild and set out in a term sheet to be entered into between the UK Joint Bookrunners and the Company (the “Term Sheet”). The final number of UK Placing Shares, Canadian Subscription Shares and the number of Icelandic Placing Shares will be decided at the close of the Bookbuild. The timing of the closing of the book and allocations will be at the discretion of the UK Joint Bookrunners. Details of the number of UK Placing Shares, Canadian Subscription Shares and the number of Icelandic Placing Shares will be announced as soon as practicable after the close of the Bookbuild.
In accordance with the terms and subject to the conditions in the Placing Agreement, the UK Placing is not underwritten by the UK Joint Bookrunners and in the event that subscribers are not obtained for all or any of the UK Placing Shares (being the “Unplaced Shares”) or in the event of a default to make payment by any subscribers procured by either UK Joint Bookrunner, there will be no obligation on either UK Joint Bookrunner to subscribe for any Unplaced Shares or defaulted UK Placing Shares.
The UK Placing Shares will, when issued, be subject to the constitutional documents of the Company and credited as fully paid and will rank pari passu in all respects with the existing issued Common Shares in the capital of the Company, including the Canadian Subscription Shares and the Icelandic Placing Shares, including the right to receive all dividends and other distributions declared, made or paid in respect of such Common Shares after the date of issue of the UK Placing Shares.
Alongside the UK Placing, the Company has proposed a placing in Iceland of new Common Shares at the Placing Price, being the “Icelandic Placing Shares”. Acro, Fossar and Landsbankinn are acting as joint bookrunners in connection with the Icelandic Placing. The Company has entered into a service agreement with Acro, Fossar and Landsbankinn in relation to the Icelandic Placing (“Icelandic Service Agreement”). Landsbankinn has agreed to underwrite up to £10 million of new Common Shares or new depositary receipts representing Common Shares, subject to £10 million being placed in the Fundraising, reducing pound for pound to the extent that the Fundraising raises gross proceeds of more than £10 million.
Pursuant to the Fundraising, the Company is seeking, in aggregate, to raise gross proceeds of approximately £20.0 million (equivalent to approximately C$35.6 million or ISK3.5 billion). Alongside the UK Placing and Icelandic Placing, the Company has also procured certain subscriptions of Canadian Subscription Shares at the Placing Price, being the Canadian Subscription. For the avoidance of doubt, these Terms and Conditions set out in this Appendix apply to the UK Placing, but do not apply to the Icelandic Placing or the Canadian Subscription.
As set out under “Conditions of the UK Placing”, the UK Placing is conditional upon, amongst other things, the Icelandic Subscription Agreements and the Canadian Subscription Agreements being wholly unconditional. The Icelandic Placing is conditional upon, amongst other things, the Service Agreement not having been terminated prior to the subscription for the Icelandic Placing Shares and the conditional approval of the TSX-V.
Applications for admission to trading
Application will be made to the London Stock Exchange for admission of the Fundraising Shares, including the UK Placing Shares, to trading on AIM (“Admission”).
It is expected that Admission will become effective at 8.00 a.m. (London time) on 16 December 2024 (or such later date as may be agreed between the Company and the UK Joint Bookrunners).
The Company will apply for conditional approval of the TSX-V, with respect to the UK Placing Shares, subject to the satisfaction by the Company of any conditions imposed by the TSX-V. It is expected that admission of the UK Placing Shares on the TSX-V will become effective on or around 9.30 a.m. (Toronto time) on 16 December 2024 (or such later date as may be agreed between the Company and the UK Joint Bookrunners).
The Company will apply for listing of the Fundraising Shares, including the UK Placing Shares, on the Icelandic Exchange, with admission expected to become effective at 9.30 a.m. (Reykjavik time) on 16 December 2024.
Participation in, and principal terms of, the UK Placing
Conditions of the UK Placing
The UK Placing is conditional upon the Placing Agreement becoming unconditional and not having been terminated in accordance with its terms. The UK Joint Bookrunners’ obligations under the Placing Agreement are conditional on (but not limited to) the following:
If (a) any of the conditions set out in the Placing Agreement, including those described above, in relation to the UK Placing are not fulfilled or waived by the UK Joint Bookrunners by the respective time or date where specified (or such later time or date as the Company and the UK Joint Bookrunners may agree, save that such time shall not be extended beyond 8.00 a.m. (London time) on the Long Stop Date); (b) any of such conditions becomes incapable of being fulfilled; or (c) the Placing Agreement is terminated in the circumstances specified below, the UK Placing will not proceed and each Placee’s rights and obligations hereunder in relation to the UK Placing Shares shall cease and terminate at such time and each Placee agrees that no claim can be made by the Placee against any of the Company or either UK Joint Bookrunner in respect thereof.
The UK Joint Bookrunners may, in their absolute discretion and upon such terms as they think fit, waive fulfilment of all or any of the conditions in the Placing Agreement in whole or in part, or extend the time provided for fulfilment of one or more conditions, save that certain conditions including the condition relating to Admission may not be waived. Any such extension or waiver will not affect Placees’ commitments as set out in this Announcement. Each UK Joint Bookrunner may terminate the Placing Agreement in certain circumstances, details of which are set out below.
Placees will have no rights against either UK Joint Bookrunner or the Company under the Placing Agreement pursuant to the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 (as amended) or otherwise.
Neither UK Joint Bookrunner, nor any of its Affiliates, nor any of its or its Affiliates’ directors, officers, employees, agents or advisers 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 it 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 UK Placing nor for any decision it may make as to the satisfaction of any condition or in respect of the UK Placing generally and by participating in the UK Placing each Placee agrees that any such decision is within the absolute discretion of the UK Joint Bookrunners.
By participating in the Bookbuild, each Placee agrees that its rights and obligations cease and terminate only in the circumstances described above and under “Termination of the UK Placing” below and will not be capable of rescission or termination by it.
Termination of the UK Placing
Each UK Joint Bookrunner is entitled to terminate the Placing Agreement in accordance with its terms in certain circumstances, including, inter alia, if at any time before Admission in the opinion of either UK Joint Bookrunner (acting in good faith):
On the occurrence of any one or more of the above-mentioned circumstances, either UK Joint Bookrunner may, in its absolute discretion, by notice in writing to the Company (or by orally communicating the same to the Company and the other UK Joint Bookrunner), terminate the Placing Agreement with immediate effect. If circumstances arise that would allow either UK Joint Bookrunner to terminate the Placing Agreement, it may nevertheless determine to allow Admission to proceed. In addition, if both UK Joint Bookrunners do not give notice to terminate the Placing Agreement in circumstances where they are able, the UK Joint Bookrunner who does not give such notice may allow Admission to proceed and will assume the obligations which remain to be performed under the Placing Agreement by the UK Joint Bookrunner who has given notice to terminate.
By participating in the UK Placing, each Placee agrees that its rights and obligations terminate only in the circumstances described above and under the “Conditions of the UK Placing” section above and will not be capable of rescission or termination by it after oral confirmation by the relevant UK Joint Bookrunner following the close of the Bookbuild.
By participating in the Bookbuild, each Placee agrees with the Company and the UK Joint Bookrunners that the exercise by the Company or the UK Joint Bookrunners of any right of termination or any other right or other discretion under the Placing Agreement shall be within the absolute discretion of the Company or the UK Joint Bookrunners or for agreement between the Company and the UK Joint Bookrunners (as the case may be) and that neither the Company nor the UK Joint Bookrunners need make any reference to, or undertake any consultation with, Placees and that neither they 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) whatsoever in connection with any such exercise.
No prospectus
The UK Placing Shares are being offered to a limited number of specifically invited persons only and will not be offered in such a way as to require any prospectus or other offering document to be published. No prospectus or other offering document has been or will be submitted to be approved by the FCA in relation to the UK Placing or the UK Placing Shares and Placees’ commitments will be made solely on the basis of publicly available information taken together with the information contained in this Announcement, and any Exchange Information previously published by or on behalf of the Company simultaneously with or prior to the date of this Announcement and subject to any further terms set forth in the contract note sent to individual Placees.
Each Placee, by participating in the UK Placing, agrees that the content of this Announcement and the publicly available information released by or on behalf of the Company is exclusively the responsibility of the Company and confirms to the UK Joint Bookrunners and the Company that it has neither received nor relied on any other information, representation, warranty, or statement made by or on behalf of the Company (other than publicly available information) or the UK Joint Bookrunners or their respective Affiliates or any other person and none of the UK Joint Bookrunners or the Company, or any of their respective Affiliates or any other person will be liable for any Placee’s decision to participate in the UK Placing based on any other information, representation, warranty or statement which the Placees may have obtained or received (regardless of whether or not such information, representation, warranty or statement was given or made by or on behalf of any such persons). 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 UK Placing. No Placee should consider any information in this Announcement to be legal, tax or business advice. Nothing in this paragraph shall exclude the liability of any person for fraudulent misrepresentation.
Lock-up
The Company has undertaken to the UK Joint Bookrunners that, between the date of the Placing Agreement and 120 calendar days after the Closing Date, it will not, without the prior written consent of the UK Joint Bookrunners, enter into certain transactions involving or relating to the Common Shares, subject to certain customary carve-outs agreed between the UK Joint Bookrunners and the Company.
By participating in the UK Placing, Placees agree that the exercise by the UK Joint Bookrunners of any power to grant consent to waive the undertaking by the Company of a transaction which would otherwise be subject to the lock-up under the Placing Agreement shall be within the absolute discretion of the UK Joint Bookrunners and that they need not make any reference to, or consult with, Placees and that they shall have no liability to Placees whatsoever in connection with any such exercise of the power to grant consent.
Registration and settlement
Settlement of transactions in the UK Placing Shares (ISIN: CA00108V1022) following Admission will take place within the relevant system administered by Euroclear (“CREST”), using the delivery versus payment mechanism, subject to certain exceptions. Subject to certain exceptions, the UK Joint Bookrunners and the Company reserve the right to require settlement for, and delivery of, the UK Placing Shares to Placees by such other means that they deem necessary if delivery or settlement is not practicable in CREST within the timetable set out in this Announcement or would not be consistent with the regulatory requirements in the Placee’s jurisdiction.
In order to enable Placees in the United Kingdom to settle their securities through CREST, the Company has appointed Computershare Investor Services plc to act as a depositary (the “Depositary”) to hold the Common Shares and issue dematerialised depositary interests representing the underlying Common Shares (“Depositary Interests”). The Depositary will hold the Common Shares on trust for the relevant shareholders.
The Depositary Interests are independent English securities and held on a register maintained by the Depositary. The Depositary Interests have the same security code and ISIN number as the underlying Common Shares which they represent and do not require a separate admission to AIM. Any references to UK Placing Shares in this Announcement shall include any Depositary Interests issued in relation to the same.
Following the close of the Bookbuild for the UK Placing, each Placee allocated UK Placing Shares in the UK Placing will be sent a contract note stating the number of UK Placing Shares to be allocated to it at the Placing Price, the aggregate amount owed by such Placee to the relevant UK Joint Bookrunner and settlement instructions. It is expected that such contract note will be despatched on or around 4 December 2024 and that this will also be the trade date.
Each Placee agrees that it will do all things necessary to ensure that delivery and payment is completed in accordance with either the standing CREST or certificated settlement instructions that it has in place with the relevant UK Joint Bookrunner. The Company will deliver the UK Placing Shares to a CREST account or account operated by each UK Joint Bookrunner as agent for the Company and the relevant Bank will enter its delivery instruction into the CREST system. Each UK Joint Bookrunner will hold any UK Placing Shares delivered to this account as nominee for the Placees. The input to CREST by a Placee of a matching or acceptance instruction will then allow delivery of the relevant UK Placing Shares to that Placee against payment. It is expected that settlement will be on 16 December 2024 on a T+8 basis in accordance with the instructions given to the UK Joint Bookrunners.
Interest is chargeable daily on payments not received from Placees on the due date in accordance with the arrangements set out above at the rate of two percentage points above SONIA as determined by the UK Joint Bookrunners.
Each Placee agrees that, if it does not comply with these obligations, the UK Joint Bookrunners (or either of them) may sell any or all of their UK Placing Shares on their behalf and retain from the proceeds, for the Company’s own account and benefit, an amount equal to the aggregate amount owed by the Placee plus any interest due. The relevant Placee will, however, remain liable for any shortfall below the Placing Price and for any stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax (together with any interest or penalties) which may arise upon the sale of its UK Placing Shares on its behalf.
If UK Placing Shares are to be delivered to a custodian or settlement agent, Placees must ensure that, upon receipt, the conditional contract note is copied and delivered immediately to the Relevant Person within that organisation. Insofar as UK 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 UK Placing Shares should, subject as provided below, be so registered free from any liability to United Kingdom stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax. Placees will not be entitled to receive any fee or commission in connection with the UK Placing.
Representations and warranties
By participating in the Bookbuild, each Placee (and any person acting on such Placee’s behalf) irrevocably acknowledges, confirms, undertakes, represents, warrants and agrees (for itself and for any such prospective Placee) with each UK Joint Bookrunner (in its capacity as placing agent of the Company in respect of the UK Placing) and the Company, in each case as a fundamental term of its application for UK Placing Shares, the following:
The foregoing acknowledgements, agreements, undertakings, representations, warranties and confirmations are given for the benefit of the Company as well as each UK Joint Bookrunner (for its own benefit and, where relevant, the benefit of its Affiliates and any person acting on its or their behalf) and are irrevocable. Each Placee, and any person acting on behalf of a Placee, acknowledges that neither UK Joint Bookrunner nor the Company owes any fiduciary or other dues to any Placee in respect of any representations, warranties, undertakings or indemnities in the Placing Agreement.
Please also note that the agreement to allot and issue UK Placing Shares to Placees (or the persons for whom Placees are contracting as nominee or agent) free of stamp duty and stamp duty reserve tax relates only to their allotment and issue to Placees, or such persons as they nominate as their agents, direct from the Company for the UK Placing Shares in question. Neither the Company, nor either Bank will be responsible for any UK stamp duty or UK stamp duty reserve tax (including any interest and penalties relating thereto) arising in relation to the UK Placing Shares in any other circumstances.
Such agreement is subject to the representations, warranties and further terms above and also assumes, and is based on a warranty from each Placee, that the UK Placing Shares are not being acquired in connection with arrangements to issue depositary receipts or to issue or transfer the UK Placing Shares into a clearance service. Neither UK Joint Bookrunner nor the Company are liable to bear any stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax or any other similar dues or taxes (“transfer taxes”) that arise: (a) if there are any such arrangements (or if any such arrangements arise subsequent to the acquisition by Placees of UK Placing Shares); or (b) on a sale of UK Placing Shares; or (c) for transfer taxes arising otherwise than under the laws of the United Kingdom. Each Placee to whom (or on behalf of whom, or in respect of the person for whom it is participating in the UK Placing as an agent or nominee) the allocation, allotment, issue or delivery of UK Placing Shares has given rise to such transfer taxes undertakes to pay such transfer taxes forthwith, and agrees to indemnify on an after-tax basis and hold each UK Joint Bookrunner and/or the Company and their respective Affiliates harmless from any such transfer taxes, and all interest, fines or penalties in relation to such transfer taxes. Each Placee should, therefore, take its own advice as to whether any such transfer tax liability arises.
Each Placee and any person acting on behalf of each Placee acknowledges and agrees that either UK Joint Bookrunner or any of its Affiliates may, at their absolute discretion, agree to become a Placee in respect of some or all of the UK Placing Shares. Each Placee acknowledges and is aware that each UK Joint Bookrunner is receiving a fee in connection with its role in respect of the UK Placing as detailed in the Placing Agreement.
When a Placee or person acting on behalf of the Placee is dealing with either UK Joint Bookrunner, any money held in an account with either UK Joint Bookrunner on behalf of the Placee and/or any person acting on behalf of the Placee will not be treated as client money within the meaning of the rules and regulations of the FCA made under the FSMA. The Placee acknowledges that the money will not be subject to the protections conferred by the client money rules; as a consequence, this money will not be segregated from the relevant UK Joint Bookrunner’s money in accordance with the client money rules and will be used by such UK Joint Bookrunner in the course of its own business; and the Placee will rank only as a general creditor of such UK Joint Bookrunner.
All times and dates in this Announcement may be subject to amendment by the UK Joint Bookrunners (in their absolute discretion). The UK Joint Bookrunners shall notify the Placees and any person acting on behalf of the Placees of any changes.
Time shall be of the essence as regards obligations pursuant to this Announcement.
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.
The price of shares 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 shares. Past performance is no guide to future performance and persons needing advice should consult an independent financial adviser.
The rights and remedies of each UK Joint Bookrunner and the Company under these Terms and Conditions are in addition to any rights and remedies which would otherwise be available to each of them and the exercise or partial exercise of one will not prevent the exercise of others.
Each Placee may be asked to disclose in writing or orally to the UK Joint Bookrunners:
(a) if he or she is an individual, his or her nationality; or
(b) if he or she is a discretionary fund manager, the jurisdiction in which the funds are managed or owned.
Appendix 2
Definitions
The following definitions apply throughout this Announcement unless the context otherwise requires:
Acro | means Acro verðbréf hf.; |
Admission | means the admission of the UK Placing Shares to trading on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange; |
Affiliate | has the meaning given in Rule 501(b) of Regulation D under the Securities Act or Rule 405 under the Securities Act, as applicable and, in the case of the Company, includes its subsidiary undertakings; |
AIM | means the market of that name operated by the London Stock Exchange; |
AIM Rules | means the AIM Rules for Companies published by the London Stock Exchange; |
Announcement | means this announcement (including its Appendices); |
Bookbuild | means the accelerated bookbuilding process to be commenced by the UK Joint Bookrunners to use reasonable endeavours to procure Placees for the UK Placing Shares, as described in this Announcement and subject to the Terms and Conditions and the Placing Agreement; |
Business Day | means a day (other than Saturday, Sunday or public holiday) when commercial banks in London or Toronto are open for business; |
Canaccord | means Canaccord Genuity Limited; |
Canadian Subscription | has the meaning given to it in the main body of this Announcement; |
Canadian Subscription Shares | has the meaning given to it in the main body of this Announcement; |
Closing Date | means the day on which the UK Placing will be settled; |
Common Shares | means the common shares of no par value in the capital of the Company; |
Company or Amaroq | means Amaroq Minerals Ltd., a corporation continued under the Business Corporations Act (Ontario), listed on TSX-V; |
Corporations Act | means the Australian Corporations Act 2001 (Cth); |
CREST | means the relevant system (as defined in the Uncertificated Securities Regulations 2001 (SI 2001 No. 3755)) in respect of which Euroclear is the Operator (as defined in such Regulations) in accordance with which securities may be held and transferred in uncertificated form; |
EEA | means the European Economic Area; |
EEA Qualified Investor | means qualified investors as defined in Article 2(e) of the EU Prospectus Regulation; |
EU Prospectus Regulation | means Regulation (EU) 2017/1129; |
Euroclear | means Euroclear UK & International Limited, a company incorporated under the laws of England and Wales, the operator of CREST; |
Exchange Information | means the business and financial information the Company is required to publish in accordance with MAR, the AIM Rules and the rules of the TSX-V; |
FCA | means the UK Financial Conduct Authority; |
Fossar | means Fossar fjárfestingarbanki hf. |
FSMA | means the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (as amended, including any regulations made pursuant thereto); |
Fundraising | has the meaning given to it in the main body of this Announcement; |
Fundraising Shares | has the meaning given to it in the main body of this Announcement; |
Group | means the Company and its subsidiary undertakings; |
Icelandic Banks | means Acro, Fossar and Landsbankinn; |
Icelandic Exchange | means the Nasdaq Iceland Main Market; |
Icelandic Letter of Commitment | means the letter of commitment entered into between the Company and Landsbankinn; |
Icelandic Listing | has the meaning given to it in the main body of this Announcement; |
Icelandic Placing | has the meaning given to it in the main body of this Announcement; |
Icelandic Placing Shares | has the meaning given to it in the main body of this Announcement; |
Icelandic Service Agreement | means the agreement between the Company and the Icelandic Banks in relation to the Icelandic Placing; |
Icelandic Subscribers | means persons procured by each of the Icelandic Banks pursuant to the Icelandic Service Agreement who agree to subscribe for Icelandic Placing Shares at ISK 151 (being the ISK equivalent of the Placing Price); |
Icelandic Subscription Agreements | means the subscription agreement entered into between the relevant Icelandic Bank and each of the Icelandic Subscribers; |
Landsbankinn | means Landsbankinn hf.; |
London Stock Exchange | means London Stock Exchange plc; |
Long Stop Date | means 23 December 2024; |
MAR | means assimilated Regulation (EU) No.596/2014 as it forms part of the law of the United Kingdom by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, as amended; |
Material Adverse Change | means any material adverse change in, or any event or circumstance that might reasonably result in such a material adverse change in, or having a material adverse effect on, the business, management, operations, assets, liabilities, solvency, credit rating, position or prospects (financial trading or otherwise) or profit of the Company or the Group (as the case may be) whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business; |
Panmure Liberum | means Panmure Liberum Limited; |
Placee | means any person procured by either UK Joint Bookrunner (acting as agent for and on behalf of the Company), on the terms and subject to the conditions of the Placing Agreement, to subscribe for the UK Placing Shares pursuant to the UK Placing; |
Placing Agreement | has the meaning given to it in Appendix 1 to this Announcement; |
Placing Price | means 86 pence per UK Placing Share; |
Placing Results Announcement | means the announcement of the results of the Bookbuild via a Regulatory Information Service; |
QIB | means “qualified institutional buyer” as defined in Rule 144A under the Securities Act; |
Regulation S | means Regulation S promulgated under the Securities Act; |
Regulatory Information Service | means a primary information provider that has been approved by the FCA to disseminate regulated information; |
Relevant Member State | means a member state of the EEA; |
Restricted Territory | means the United States, Iceland, Australia, Canada, Japan or South Africa; |
Securities Act | means the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended; |
subsidiary | has the meaning given to that term in the Companies Act 2006; |
subsidiary undertaking | has the meaning given to that term in the Companies Act 2006; |
Term Sheet | means the term sheet in relation to the UK Placing as may be entered into by the Company and the UK Joint Bookrunners following the Bookbuild; |
Terms and Conditions | means the terms and conditions of the UK Placing set out in Appendix 1 to this Announcement; |
transfer taxes | means stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax or any other similar duties or taxes; |
UK Joint Bookrunners | means Panmure Liberum and Canaccord; |
UK Placing | has the meaning given to it in the main body of this Announcement; |
UK Placing Shares | has the meaning given to it in the main body of this Announcement; |
UK Prospectus Regulation | means assimilated Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 as it forms part of the law of the United Kingdom by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, as amended; |
UK Qualified Investor | means qualified investors as defined in Article 2(e) of the UK Prospectus Regulation; |
uncertificated or in uncertificated form | means in respect of a share or other security, where that share or other security is recorded on the relevant register of the share or security concerned as being held in uncertificated form in CREST and title to which may be transferred by means of CREST; |
United Kingdom or UK | means the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; |
United States or US | means the United States of America, its territories and possessions, any state of the United States of America, the District of Columbia and all other areas subject to its jurisdiction and any political sub-division thereof; and |
US person | has the meaning given such term in Regulation S. |
Unless otherwise indicated in this Announcement, all references to “£”, “GBP”, “pounds”, “pound sterling”, “sterling”, “p”, “penny” or “pence” are to the lawful currency of the UK. All references to “C$”, “CAD” or “Canadian Dollars” are to the lawful currency of Canada. All references to “ISK” are to the lawful currency of Iceland.