Publication of Prospectus

NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, TO US PERSONS OR INTO OR FROM THE UNITED STATES, OR INTO OR FROM AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN OR THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA This announcement is an advertisement and not a prospectus. This announcement does not constitute or form part of, and should not be construed as, any offer for sale or subscription of, or solicitation of any offer to buy or subscribe for, any shares in BlackRock North American Income Trust plc (the "Company") or securities in any other entity, in any jurisdiction, including the United States, nor shall it, or any part of it, or the fact of its distribution, form the basis of, or be relied on in connection with, any contract or investment decision whatsoever, in any jurisdiction. This announcement does not constitute a recommendation regarding any securities. Any investment decision must be made exclusively on the basis of the Prospectus (defined below) which has been published today by the Company and any supplement thereto in connection with the admission of ordinary shares of the Company to the premium segment of the Official List of the UK Listing Authority and to trading on the London Stock Exchange's main market for listed securities. 16 September 2013 BlackRock North American Income Trust plc Placing, Open Offer and Offer for Subscription of C Shares and Implementation of a new Placing Programme of Ordinary Shares Placing, Open Offer and Offer for Subscription of C Shares Further to the announcement on 12 August 2013, the Company has today published a prospectus (the "Prospectus") and circular (the "Circular") with details in relation to a proposed Open Offer, Placing and Offer for Subscription of C Shares (together the "Issue") and implementation of a new placing programme (the "Placing Programme") of up to 45 million Ordinary Shares. The target size of the Issue is in excess of £50 million before expenses. Key Features of the Company UK listed investment trust (LSE Premium Listing). Investment objective is to provide an attractive and growing level of income with capital appreciation over the long term, predominantly through investment in a diversified portfolio of primarily large-cap US equities. Dividend target of 4 pence per annum. Dividends paid quarterly in Sterling. Management fee of 1% of market capitalisation. Discretionary semi-annual tender at 2% discount to NAV for up to 20% of the shares in issue. 14.99% buyback authority. ISA/SIPP qualifying. Key Features of the Issue 1 C Share for every 1 Ordinary Share pre-emptive Open Offer for existing shareholders with an excess entitlement facility. A non pre-emptive Placing of C Shares for new and existing investors. A non pre-emptive Offer for Subscription of C Shares. C Share issue price of 100 pence. C Share opening NAV 98.25 pence (costs fixed at 1.75% of gross proceeds). C Share conversion expected within one month of admission of the C Shares. C Share investors (post conversion) expected to be entitled to dividends declared for the period from 1 November 2013 to 31 January 2014. Key features of the Placing Programme The Company has also today published a Circular convening a General Meeting to propose resolutions to seek further authorities to allot new Ordinary Shares and to disapply pre-emption rights in respect of the issue of such Ordinary Shares. The existing share allotment authorities granted by Shareholders in February 2013 in relation to the existing placing programme are shortly expected to be substantially utilised, which means the Company will shortly not have the capacity to issue further Ordinary Shares under a placing programme without renewing Shareholder authorities. In the light of the continuing demand for the Ordinary Shares and having regard to the benefits of enlarging the Company, the Directors have resolved to convene the General Meeting in order to seek Shareholder authority to issue further Ordinary Shares on a non-pre-emptive basis. The Circular calls a General Meeting of Shareholders to be held at 12 noon on 10 October 2013 to consider and approve (1) an ordinary resolution to give the Directors the authority to allot up to 21,122,125 new Ordinary Shares (equal to 25 per cent. of the issued share capital as at the date of this announcement); and (2) a special resolution to give the Directors the authority to allot such Shares for cash on a non-pre-emptive basis. The Company will not issue any Ordinary Shares under its current placing programme and the Placing Programme until admission of the C Shares pursuant to the Issue. Publication of Documents The Prospectus will shortly be available for inspection at the National Storage Mechanism which is located at www.hemscott.com/nsm.do and also on the Company's website which is located at http://www.blackrock.co.uk/intermediaries/literature/prospectus/blackrock-north-american-income-trust-plc-prospectus-2013.pdf The Circular will shortly be available for inspection at the National Storage Mechanism which is located at www.morningstar.co.uk/uk/nsm and also on the Company's website which is located at http://www.blackrock.co.uk/intermediaries/literature/proxy-statement/blackrock-north-american-income-trust-plc-circular-2013.pdf Expected timetable The Open Offer Record Date for entitlement under the Open Offer close of business on 13 September 2013 Ex-entitlement date for the Open Offer 8.00 a.m. on 17 September 2013 Open Offer Entitlements and Excess CREST Open Offer 17 September 2013 Entitlements credited to stock accounts of Qualifying CREST Shareholders into CREST Recommended latest time for requesting withdrawal 4.30 p.m. on 27 September of Open Offer Entitlements and Excess CREST Open 2013 Offer Entitlements from CREST Latest time and date for depositing Open Offer 3.00 p.m. on 30 September Entitlements and Excess CREST Open Offer 2013 Entitlements into CREST Latest time and date for splitting of Open Offer 3.00 p.m. on 1 October 2013 Application Forms to satisfy bona fide market claims only Latest time and date for receipt of completed Open 11.00 a.m. 3 October 2013 Offer Application Forms with payment in full and settlement of relevant CREST instructions (as appropriate) The Placing and Offer for Subscription Placing and Offer for Subscription opens 16 September 2013 Latest time and date for receipt of completed 12 noon on 10 October 2013 Application Forms and payment in full under the Offer for Subscription Latest time and date for receipt of placing 4.00 p.m. on 10 October commitments under the Placing 2013 The Placing Programme Placing Programme opens 11 October 2013 Earliest date for new Ordinary Shares to be issued 11 October 2013 pursuant to the Placing Programme Publication of Placing Price in respect of each as soon as practicable issue pursuant to the Placing Programme following the closing of each issue pursuant to the Placing Programme Admission and crediting of CREST accounts in as soon as practicable on respect of each issue pursuant to the Placing each day Ordinary Shares Programme are issued pursuant to the Placing Programme Share certificates in respect of Ordinary Shares approximately one week issued pursuant to the Placing Programme despatched following the Admission of (if applicable) any Ordinary Shares issued pursuant to the Placing Programme Placing Programme closes and last date for new 15 September 2014* Ordinary Shares to be issued pursuant to the Placing Programme Other key dates Latest time and date for receipt of Forms of 12 noon on 2 October 2013 Direction in relation to the General Meeting Latest time and date for receipt of Forms of Proxy 12 noon on 8 October 2013 in relation to the General Meeting General Meeting 12 noon on 10 October 2013 Results of the Issue announced 11 October 2013 Admission of the C Shares to the Official List of 8.00 a.m. on 16 October the UKLA and dealings in the C Shares commence on 2013 the main market for listed securities of the London Stock Exchange Crediting of CREST stock accounts in respect of the 16 October 2013 C Shares Share certificates despatched in respect of the C the week commencing 21 Shares October 2013 (or as soon as possible thereafter) *or such earlier date on which the authority to issue Ordinary Shares pursuant to the Placing Programme is fully utilised. For further information, please contact: BlackRock Investment Management (UK) Limited Jonathan Ruck Keene 020 7743 2178 Barbara Powley 020 7743 5610 Cenkos Securities Sapna Shah 020 7397 1922 Will Rogers 020 7397 1920 Important Information Save for expressions defined in this announcement, words and expressions defined in the Prospectus and Circular shall have the same meaning in this announcement. Cenkos Securities plc, which is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Conduct Authority, is acting for the Company and for no-one else in connection with the contents of this announcement, and will not be responsible to anyone other than the Company for providing the protections afforded to clients of Cenkos Securities plc nor for providing advice in connection with the contents of this announcement or any other matter referred to herein. Cenkos Securities plc is not responsible for the contents of this announcement. This does not exclude or limit any responsibilities which Cenkos Securities plc may have under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 or the regulatory regime established thereunder.
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