20240724_ASCENTIAL PLC_8.5 EPT RI_MLI

Bank of America Merrill Lynch

25 July 2024

 

FORM 8.5 (EPT/RI)

PUBLIC DEALING DISCLOSURE BY AN EXEMPT PRINCIPAL TRADER WITH RECOGNISED INTERMEDIARY STATUS DEALING IN A CLIENT-SERVING CAPACITY
Rule 8.5 of the Takeover Code (the "Code")

1.	KEY INFORMATION

(a) Name of exempt principal trader:	Merrill Lynch International
(b) Name of offeror/offeree in relation to whose relevant securities this form relates: Use a separate form for each offeror/offeree	ASCENTIAL PLC
(c) Name of the party to the offer with which exempt principal trader is connected:	ASCENTIAL PLC
(d) Date dealing undertaken:	24/07/2024
(e) In addition to the company in 1(b) above, is the exempt principal trader making disclosures in respect of any other party to this offer? If it is a cash offer or possible cash offer, state "N/A"	N/A

2.	DEALINGS BY THE EXEMPT PRINCIPAL TRADER

Where there have been dealings in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(b), copy table 2(a), (b), (c) or (d) (as appropriate) for each additional class
of relevant security dealt in.

The currency of all prices and other monetary amounts should be stated.

(a)	Purchases and sales

Class of relevant security	Purchases/ sales	Total number of securities	Highest price per unit paid/received	Lowest price per unit paid/received
1.7p ordinary	Purchase	10,730,633	5.67 GBP	5.62 GBP
1.7p ordinary	Sale	6,642,569	5.67 GBP	5.607 GBP

(b)	Cash-settled derivative transactions

Class of relevant security	Product description e.g. CFD	Nature of dealing e.g. opening/closing a long/short position, increasing/reducing a long/short position	Number of reference securities	Price per unit
1.7p ordinary	Swaps - Equity Swaps	Opening a Short Position	150,000	5.635 GBP
1.7p ordinary	Swaps - Equity Swaps	Increasing a Short Position	150,000	5.643 GBP
1.7p ordinary	Swaps - Equity Swaps	Increasing a Short Position	150,000	5.628 GBP
1.7p ordinary	Swaps - Equity Swaps	Opening a Short Position	17,272	5.62 GBP
1.7p ordinary	Swaps - Equity Swaps	Reducing a Short Position	346	5.62 GBP
1.7p ordinary	Swaps - Equity Swaps	Opening a Short Position	587	5.65 GBP
1.7p ordinary	Swaps - Equity Swaps	Opening a Long Position	5,753	5.648 GBP
1.7p ordinary	Swaps - Equity Swaps	Closing a Short Position	587	5.648 GBP
1.7p ordinary	Swaps - Equity Swaps	Reducing a Long Position	1,000	5.634 GBP
1.7p ordinary	Swaps - Equity Swaps	Reducing a Long Position	546	5.645 GBP
1.7p ordinary	Swaps - Equity Swaps	Closing a Long Position	315	5.645 GBP
1.7p ordinary	Swaps - Equity Swaps	Reducing a Long Position	245	5.645 GBP
1.7p ordinary	Swaps - Equity Swaps	Increasing a Long Position	596	5.64 GBP
1.7p ordinary	Swaps - Equity Swaps	Increasing a Long Position	923	5.64 GBP
1.7p ordinary	Swaps - Equity Swaps	Increasing a Long Position	970	5.662 GBP
1.7p ordinary	Swaps - Equity Swaps	Increasing a Long Position	341	5.662 GBP
1.7p ordinary	Swaps - Equity Swaps	Closing a Short Position	22,715	5.644 GBP
1.7p ordinary	Swaps - Equity Swaps	Reducing a Short Position	132,806	5.644 GBP
1.7p ordinary	Swaps - Equity Swaps	Reducing a Short Position	27,296	5.664 GBP
1.7p ordinary	Swaps - Equity Swaps	Reducing a Short Position	110,092	5.644 GBP
1.7p ordinary	Swaps - Equity Swaps	Reducing a Short Position	1,230	5.62 GBP
1.7p ordinary	Swaps - Equity Swaps	Reducing a Short Position	1,302	5.62 GBP
1.7p ordinary	Swaps - Equity Swaps	Closing a Short Position	2,490	5.62 GBP
1.7p ordinary	Swaps - Equity Swaps	Reducing a Short Position	20,611	5.607 GBP
1.7p ordinary	Swaps - Equity Swaps	Closing a Short Position	34,600	5.607 GBP
1.7p ordinary	Swaps - Equity Swaps	Reducing a Short Position	7,070	5.607 GBP
1.7p ordinary	Swaps - Equity Swaps	Reducing a Short Position	64,376	5.607 GBP
1.7p ordinary	Swaps - Equity Swaps	Reducing a Short Position	61,963	5.607 GBP
1.7p ordinary	Swaps - Equity Swaps	Reducing a Short Position	4,887	5.607 GBP
1.7p ordinary	Swaps - Equity Swaps	Reducing a Long Position	7,478	5.637 GBP
1.7p ordinary	Swaps - Equity Swaps	Reducing a Long Position	5,770	5.62 GBP
1.7p ordinary	Swaps - Equity Swaps	Opening a Short Position	4,718	5.646 GBP
1.7p ordinary	Swaps - Equity Swaps	Closing a Long Position	17,093	5.646 GBP
1.7p ordinary	Swaps - Equity Swaps	Opening a Long Position	17,093	5.63 GBP
1.7p ordinary	Swaps - Equity Swaps	Increasing a Short Position	50,000	5.655 GBP
1.7p ordinary	Swaps - Equity Swaps	Increasing a Short Position	100,000	5.645 GBP

(c)	Stock-settled derivative transactions (including options)

(i)	Writing, selling, purchasing or varying

Class of relevant security	Product description e.g. call option	Writing, purchasing, selling, varying etc.	Number of securities to which option relates	Exercise price per unit	Type e.g. American, European etc.	Expiry date	Option money paid/ received per unit
N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

(ii)

Exercise

Class of relevant security	Product description e.g. call option	Exercising/ exercised against	Number of securities	Exercise Price per unit
N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

(d)	Other dealings (including subscribing for new securities)

Class of relevant security	Nature of dealing e.g. subscription, conversion	Details	Price per unit (if applicable)
N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

3.	OTHER INFORMATION

(a)	Indemnity and other dealing arrangements

Details of any indemnity or option arrangement, or any agreement or understanding, formal or informal, relating to relevant securities which may be an inducement to deal or refrain from dealing entered into by the exempt principal trader making the disclosure and any party to the offer or any person acting in concert with a party to the offer: Irrevocable commitments and letters of intent should not be included. If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state "none"

None

(b)	Agreements, arrangements or understandings relating to options or derivatives

Details of any agreement, arrangement or understanding, formal or informal, between the exempt principal trader making the disclosure and any other person relating to: (i) the voting rights of any relevant securities under any option; or (ii) The voting rights or future acquisition or disposal of any relevant securities to which any derivative is referenced: If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state "none"

None

Date of disclosure:	25/07/2024
Contact name:	Frank Lui
Telephone number:	[phone]

Public disclosures under Rule 8 of the Code must be made to a Regulatory Information
Service.

The Panel's Market Surveillance Unit is available for consultation in relation to the Code's
dealing disclosure requirements on [phone].

The Code can be viewed on the Panel's website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk.

 

END