Rule 2.9 Announcement

Ascential PLC

01 August 2024

 

NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN, INTO OR FROM ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OR REGULATIONS OF SUCH JURISDICTION

1 August 2024

Ascential plc ("Ascential")

2.9 Announcement

Ascential has issued 3,966 ordinary shares of 1.7 pence each in satisfaction of the exercise of options under Ascential's Sharesave plan. In accordance with Rule 2.9 of the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers (the "Code"),  Ascential confirms that as at the date of this announcement, it has in issue 203,772,181 ordinary shares with a nominal value of 1.7 pence each ("Ascential Shares"). The Ascential Shares are admitted to trading on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange.

Each Ascential Share carries the right to one vote. Ascential does not hold any Ascential Shares in treasury as at the date of this announcement. Therefore, the total number of voting rights is 203,772,181.

The International Securities Identification Number (ISIN) of the Ascential Shares is GB00BQFH6320.

Enquiries

Ascential plc                                                                                                                                       [phone]

Phillip Thomas, Chief Executive Officer

Mandy Gradden, Chief Financial Officer

BofA Securities (Joint financial adviser and joint corporate broker to Ascential)                [phone]

Duncan Stewart, Geoff Iles, Nick Hopkins, Alex Penney

Goldman Sachs International (Joint financial adviser to Ascential)                                        [phone]

Anthony Gutman, Nick Harper, Alex Garner, Nuno Santos

Disclosure requirements of the Code

Under Rule 8.3(a) of the Code, any person who is interested in 1% or more of any class of relevant securities of an offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror (being any offeror other than an offeror in respect of which it has been announced that its offer is, or is likely to be, solely in cash) must make an Opening Position Disclosure following the commencement of the offer period and, if later, following the announcement in which any securities exchange offeror is first identified. An Opening Position Disclosure must contain details of the person's interests and short positions in, and rights to subscribe for, any relevant securities of each of (i) the offeree company and (ii) any securities exchange offeror(s). An Opening Position Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(a) applies must be made by no later than 3.30 pm (London time) on the 10th business day following the commencement of the offer period and, if appropriate, by no later than 3.30 pm (London time) on the 10th business day following the announcement in which any securities exchange offeror is first identified. Relevant persons who deal in the relevant securities of the offeree company or of a securities exchange offeror prior to the deadline for making an Opening Position Disclosure must instead make a Dealing Disclosure.

Under Rule 8.3(b) of the Code, any person who is, or becomes, interested in 1% or more of any class of relevant securities of the offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror must make a Dealing Disclosure if the person deals in any relevant securities of the offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror. A Dealing Disclosure must contain details of the dealing concerned and of the person's interests and short positions in, and rights to subscribe for, any relevant securities of each of (i) the offeree company and (ii) any securities exchange offeror(s), save to the extent that these details have previously been disclosed under Rule 8. A Dealing Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(b) applies must be made by no later than 3.30 pm (London time) on the business day following the date of the relevant dealing.

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

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

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

 

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