Notice of Dividend & Introduction of Scrip Scheme

RNS Number : 4179I

Assura PLC

09 December 2015

 

9 December 2015

Assura plc

Notice of Dividend & Introduction of Scrip Scheme

Assura plc ("Assura" or "the Company"), the UK's leading primary care property investor and developer, today announces that the next quarterly interim dividend will be paid on 20 January 2016 to shareholders on the register on 18 December 2015 (the "Record Date"). The Ex-dividend Date will be 17 December 2015. As announced on 19 November 2015, this quarterly interim dividend will be paid at the increased rate of 0.55 pence per share.

No Property Income Distribution ("PID") is included in this interim dividend.

At the Company's annual general meeting held on 21 July 2015, Shareholders authorised the Directors to introduce a scrip dividend scheme and, at their discretion in respect of any future dividend, to provide Shareholders with the option to receive fully paid new shares in the Company in place of their cash dividend. The Directors confirm that they are now implementing the Assura Scrip Dividend Scheme and intend to offer Shareholders a Scrip Dividend Alternative in respect of this quarterly interim dividend. The Scrip Dividend Alternative will provide Shareholders with an opportunity to invest the cash they would otherwise receive on their Ordinary Shares in respect of this quarterly interim dividend in the purchase of New Shares, without incurring stamp duty or dealing expenses.

The entitlement to New Shares in respect of this Scrip Dividend Alternative is to be calculated using the average of the middle market quotations for an Ordinary Share, as derived from the Daily Official List of the London Stock Exchange, for the five consecutive business days commencing on the Ex-dividend Date of 17 December 2015. For this interim dividend, the Scrip Calculation Price will be announced by the Company and detailed on the Company's website on 24 December 2015.

Any shareholders wishing to take up the Scrip Dividend Alternative will have until 4.30pm on 6 January 2016 either to return their completed mandate form to the Company registrars, Capita Asset Services at The Registry, 34 Beckenham Road, Beckenham, Kent BR3 4TU (in the case of shareholdings in certificated form) or to take the necessary action via the CREST system (in the case of shareholdings in uncertificated form).

The Circular concerning this Scrip Dividend Alternative will shortly be sent to Shareholders and will also be made available on the Company's website, www.assuraplc.com. A copy of the Circular will be submitted to the National Storage Mechanism and will be available for inspection at http://www.morningstar.co.uk/uk/NSM. 

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For more information, please contact:

Assura plc	Tel: [phone]
Orla Ball Carolyn Jones
Finsbury	Tel: [phone]
Gordon Simpson

Notes to Editors

Assura is a UK REIT and long-term investor in and developer of primary care property. The company, headquartered in Warrington and listed on the London Stock Exchange, works with GPs, health professionals and the NHS to create innovative property solutions in order to facilitate delivery of high quality patient care in the community. At 30 September 2015, Assura's property portfolio was valued at £1,030 million.

Further information is available at www.assuraplc.com 

 

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