Joint Venture, Placing and Trading Update

RNS Number : 7528Q

Benchmark Holdings PLC

08 June 2018

 

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, INCLUDING THE APPENDIX AND THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN IT, IS RESTRICTED AND IS NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION, OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN, INTO OR FROM THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN, SOUTH AFRICA OR ANY OTHER STATE OR JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION WOULD BE UNLAWFUL.  PLEASE SEE THE IMPORTANT NOTICE AT THE END OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT.

Benchmark Holdings plc 

("Benchmark" or the "Company")

Joint Venture with Empresas AquaChile S.A.  (the "JV")

Placing to raise £19.0 million (before expenses)

Trading Update and Notice of Half Year Results

Benchmark (LSE:BMK), the aquaculture health, advanced nutrition, and genetics business , is pleased to announce an agreement to fund a Chilean breeding and genetics joint venture with Empresas AquaChile S.A. ("AquaChile").

Highlights of today's announcement:

·     Acquisition of 49% interest in strategically important Chilean salmon breeding and genetics JV for a total cash consideration of $16.25m:

o  Accelerates and de-risks Benchmark's strategy in Chile, the world's second largest salmon market, where Benchmark currently has a limited presence

o  Partnering with Aquachile, the world's sixth largest salmonid producer, and the largest in Chile

o  JV is expected to be immediately and continuously earnings accretive

o  Benchmark's management anticipates adjusted EBITDA contribution:

§ in the four months to 30 September 2018 of £1.81m

§ for the first full year to 30 September 2019 of approximately £2.4m

§ of £4.1m at full capacity

·     Placing with existing and new investors to raise £19m (before expenses) to fund the total cash consideration of $16.25m (£12.2m), a $5.4m (£4m) loan to the JV and transaction expenses, with the balance being used for general working capital purposes

·     Benchmark is on track to meet its expectations for the year ending 30 September 2018 with strong first half performances in a number of key areas

·     Half year results for the six months ended 31 March 2018 to be announced on 19 June 2018

Malcolm Pye, Chief Executive Officer of Benchmark, commented:

"We are very pleased to announce our Chilean joint venture, which will help us accelerate and de-risk our growth strategy in Chile, the world's second largest salmon market, where we are underrepresented. Furthermore, the JV is expected to deliver attractive returns and be immediately earnings accretive.

"Combining AquaChile's existing high quality land-based production and locally adapted genetics, with Benchmark's breeding and genetics capabilities and IP,  we believe, will create a world class operation. The flexibility to use our facilities in Iceland to support the JV gives us a strong competitive advantage in the market.

"We are also delighted to have received strong support from both new and existing institutional investors for the Placing, which was well subscribed.

"Following a good first half performance, we are on track to meet our expectations for the current financial year. The continued growing global demand for aquaculture products, combined with the disease challenges faced by the industry, puts us in a strong position to drive attractive growth and returns in the  years to come."  

For further information, please contact:
Benchmark Holdings plc	Tel:  [phone]
Malcolm Pye, CEO
Ivonne Cantu, Investor Relations Director
Rachel Aninakwah, Communications
Numis	Tel:  [phone]
Michael Meade, Freddie Barnfield, Freddie Naylor-Leyland  (NOMAD)
James Black  (Corporate Broking)
MHP Communications	Tel:  [phone] Tel:  [phone]
Katie Hunt / Reg Hoare / Alistair de Kare-Silver

There will be a call at 9am today for analysts. To register for the call please contact MHP Communications on [phone] or 8742, or by email on [e-mail]

Joint Venture with Empresas AquaChile S.A

Benchmark (LSE:BMK), the aquaculture health, advanced nutrition, and genetics business , is pleased to announce an agreement to fund a Chilean breeding and genetics joint venture with Empresas AquaChile S.A. ("AquaChile"). AquaChile is the world's sixth largest salmonid producer with revenues of US$633m (2017) and a £560m market capitalisation.  Benchmark will acquire a 49% interest in the JV for a total consideration of $16.25m (the "Transaction"). The JV will enable Benchmark to:

·     Produce and sell Atlantic salmon eggs to AquaChile and into the Chilean market;

·     Develop salmonid genetics in Chile - Atlantic salmon, coho salmon and rainbow trout; and

·     Provide genetics advisory services, R&D and technical support to new customers in Chile.

JV Overview

The JV combines AquaChile's existing high quality land-based production facilities and locally adapted genetics with Benchmark's breeding and genetics capabilities and IP, to create a world class operation. The JV, to be branded as a Benchmark business, will produce eggs in its biosecure land based facilities in Chile, with back-up from Benchmark's breeding operations in Iceland. The JV will supply AquaChile's entire egg requirement for their Atlantic salmon production operations. Benchmark's current egg sales in Chile and AquaChile's existing third party sales will also be channelled through the JV.

Under the terms of the JV, Benchmark will acquire a 49% share in the breeding operation for a total consideration of US$16.25m (payable to AquaChile), made up of:

·     US$7.5m paid upfront in cash; and

·     US$8.75m in cash to be paid in December 2018.

In addition, Benchmark will provide a shareholder loan to the JV of $5.4m to partially refinance existing debt and to fund the JV's working capital and capital expenditure requirements. AquaChile is providing an equivalent loan to the JV.

Benchmark's participation in the JV is expected to be immediately and continuously earnings accretive for Benchmark. The projected revenue and earnings impact of the JV on Benchmark, based on Benchmark's management's expectations and the agreed JV business plan, is summarised in the table below:

(all figures in £m) ⁽¹⁾

JV Highlights	4 m to Sept '18	2019	2020	Annual  result at full capacity (2)
JV revenue	2.4	8.9	11.5	20.9
Net JV earnings	0.1	1.0	2.6	8.1
BMK share of JV earnings	0.05	0.5	1.3	4.0
Other sources of earnings to BMK	4m to Sept'18	2019	2020	At full capacity (2)
Additional products and services	-	0.4	0.3	0.1
Sale of  eggs to JV from Iceland (3)	-	1.5	0.9	0.0
IP  transfer	1.8	0	0	0
Total EBITDA to BMK	1.8	2.4	2.5	4.1

⁽¹⁾ All numbers included in the table are forward looking and are based on Benchmark's management's expectations

⁽²⁾ Capacity expansion from 60m to 100m covered by initial shareholder loan. JV expected to operate at full capacity by 2025

⁽³⁾ Benchmark intends to supply eggs from Iceland to JV during capacity build phase 

The GBP:USD exchange rate used throughout this Announcement is £1: $1.368 (Source: Bloomberg, 10^th May 2018).

Strategic rationale of the JV

The Directors believe the strategic rationale for entering into the JV is compelling as it:

·     Establishes a platform to develop a leading position in breeding and genetics in the world's second largest Atlantic salmon production market;

·     Accelerates Benchmark's growth strategy in Chile;

·     Allows the optimisation of eggs for local conditions and disease challenges by using the best genetic material from Benchmark's and AquaChile's genetic strains;

·     Reduces the current risk to Benchmark from border closures in Chile whilst creating a competitive advantage for the JV from back-up security of supply from Iceland;

·     Strengthens Benchmark's platform in Chile for the roll-out of Ectosan/CleanTreat and other products, including vaccines and diagnostics;

·     Enhances Benchmark's capabilities in other species including trout and coho salmon; and

·     Results in lower capital commitment and risk versus greenfield operation.

Placing of New Ordinary Shares

The JV is being funded by a placing of 34,545,455 new ordinary shares (the "Placing Shares") at a price of 55 pence per share (the "Placing Price") to raise £19m before expenses (the "Placing").

The Placing Shares represent approximately 6.6% of the issued share capital of the Company prior to the Placing, which is within the Group's existing non-preemptive share issuance authorities. The Placing Price represents an approximately 8.5% discount to the closing middle market price of 60.1 pence per Ordinary Share on 7 June 2018, being the last trading day immediately preceding the date of this Announcement and an approximately 0.1% discount to the 30 day volume weighted average price up to and including 7 June 2018 of 55.1p.

The Placing proceeds are intended to be used by the Company to fund the total cash consideration for the JV, the loan to the JV and transaction costs.

As the Company has entered the close period in respect of the announcement and publication of its interim results for the 6 months ended 31 March 2018, the directors of the Company are not permitted to participate in the Placing. 

Conditionality

The establishment of the JV is conditional upon amongst other things, Bank Approval and Admission. The Placing is conditional upon, amongst other things, Admission becoming effective and the Placing Agreement not being terminated in accordance with its terms. Bank Approval is expected to be given no later than 15 June 2018. Admission is expected to occur four Business Days after Bank Approval is obtained.

Details of the Placing

The Placing Shares, when issued, will be credited as fully paid and will rank pari passu in all respects with the existing ordinary shares of 0.1 pence each in the capital of the Company, including the right to receive all dividends and other distributions declared, made or paid on or in respect of such ordinary shares after the date of issue. Application will be made for the Placing Shares to be admitted to trading on AIM ("Admission") after the conditions required for the establishment of the JV, other than Admission, have been satisfied (including Bank Approval having been received).

The Company's total issued share capital following completion of the Placing will consist of 557,069,304 ordinary shares of 0.1 pence each with one voting right per share (assuming no options or warrants are exercised in the period between this announcement and Admission). The above figure of 557,069,304 may be used by shareholders as the denominator for the calculations by which they can determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in, the Company following Admission.

This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of EU Regulation 956/2014.

Numis is acting as Nominated Adviser, broker and sole bookrunner in connection with the Placing and Admission, subject to the conditions and termination rights set out in the Placing Agreement. The Placing is fully underwritten by Numis. Further details of the Placing Agreement and the terms and conditions of the Placing are set out in the Appendix to this Announcement.

This Announcement should be read in its entirety. In particular, your attention is drawn to the "Important Notice" section of this Announcement below and to the detailed terms and conditions of the Placing set out in the Appendix. By choosing to participate in the Placing and by making an oral and legally binding offer to acquire Placing Shares, investors will be deemed to have read and understood this Announcement in its entirety and to be making such offer on the terms and subject to the conditions in it, and to be providing the representations, warranties and acknowledgements contained in the Appendix.

First half trading update and notice of half year results

The Board confirms that the Company is on track to meet its expectations for the year ending 30 September 2018, reflecting a good performance in the first half despite currency headwinds.

Animal Health's field trials for the Company's next generation sea lice treatment are ongoing in Norway and are showing excellent results and attracting increasing interest from leading salmon producers.

Performance in Advanced Nutrition was strong in the first half, driven by increased demand for diet and health products, particularly from India. The market environment for shrimp was favourable in the first half with continued signs of recovery in the Asian markets, and growth in other markets including India and Ecuador. The recent artemia harvest from the Great Salt Lakes was particularly strong.

The Genetics division continued to deliver sales growth in the first half and progress across its infrastructure and R&D projects, most notably the new breeding facilities in Norway (Salten) where production is expected to commence in Q3 2018. Trials of specific pathogen resistant ("SPR") shrimp genetics in Vietnam are continuing and extending to Thailand and China; and the Company recently announced an agreement with Grieg Newfoundland to supply sterile salmon eggs. The market environment for salmon continues to be very favourable.

The Board continues to review the Group's non-core activities.

Benchmark's half year results for the six months ended 31 March 2018 will be announced on 19 June 2018.  Please contact [e-mail] if you would like to register your interest in attending the results presentation or conference call.

Notes to Editors:

Benchmark challenges the status quo in aquaculture. Since 2000, Benchmark has consistently worked to build a technology-rich platform in the areas of genetics, advanced nutrition, animal health and knowledge services, to serve its customers, helping them take control of their biological environment to improve yield and efficiency in a sustainable way.

The Company has leading positions in its core markets and established R&D, manufacturing and distribution capabilities to serve all the major aquaculture markets. Benchmark operates in 27 countries in five continents and as at 30 September 2017, it employed 950 people.

IMPORTANT NOTICE

This Announcement has been issued by, and is the sole responsibility of, Benchmark Holdings plc.

The Appendix to this Announcement (which forms part of this Announcement) sets out the terms and conditions of the Placing.

Persons who are invited to and who choose to participate in the Placing, by making (or on whose behalf there is made) an oral or written offer to subscribe for Placing Shares (the "Placees"), will be deemed (i) to have read and understood this Announcement, including the Appendix; (ii) to be making such offer on the terms and conditions herein and in the Appendix; and (iii) to be providing the representations, warranties, acknowledgements, and undertakings contained in the Appendix.

Members of the public are not eligible to take part in the Placing and no public offering of securities will be made.

This Announcement is for information purposes only and is directed only at: (a) persons in Member States of the European Economic Area who are qualified investors as defined in section 86(7) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, as amended, ("Qualified Investors") being persons falling within the meaning of Article 2(1)(e) of the EU Prospectus Directive (which means Directive 2003/71/EC and includes any relevant implementing Directive measure in any Member State) (the "Prospectus Directive"); (b) in the United Kingdom, Qualified Investors who are persons who (i) fall within Article 19(5) ("Investment Professionals") of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended (the "Order"); (ii) fall within article 49(2) (a) to (d) ("High Net Worth Companies, Unincorporated Associations, etc") of the Order; or (iii) are persons to whom it may otherwise be lawfully communicated (all such persons together being referred to as "Relevant Persons"). 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 Placing relates is available only to Relevant Persons and will be engaged in only with Relevant Persons. As regards all persons other than Relevant Persons, the details of the Placing and other matters set out in this Announcement are for information purposes only.

Numis, which is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the FCA, is acting as Nominated Adviser, broker and sole bookrunner to Benchmark for the purposes of the AIM Rules for Companies and the AIM Rules for Nominated Advisers in connection with the Placing and Admission and is not acting for, and will not be responsible to, any person other than Benchmark for providing the protections afforded to customers of Numis or for advising any other person on any transaction or arrangement referred to in this Announcement.

Certain statements in this Announcement are forward-looking statements which are based on Benchmark's expectations, intentions and projections regarding its future performance, anticipated events or trends and other matters that are not historical facts. These forward-looking statements, which may use words such as "anticipates", "believe", "intend", "expect" and words of similar meaning, include all matters that are not historical facts. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results of operations, financial condition, liquidity, dividend policy and the development of the industry in which the Group's business operates to differ materially from the impression created by the forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Given these risks and uncertainties, prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of such statements and, except as required by the FCA, the London Stock Exchange or applicable law, neither Benchmark nor Numis undertakes any obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Neither the content of the Company's website (or any other website), nor the content of any website accessible from hyperlinks in the Company's website (or any other website) is incorporated into, or forms part of, this Announcement.

APPENDIX

TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE PLACING

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR PLACEES ONLY REGARDING THE PLACING

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, INCLUDING THIS APPENDIX (TOGETHER, THE "ANNOUNCEMENT") AND THE INFORMATION IN IT, IS RESTRICTED, AND IS NOT FOR PUBLICATION, RELEASE OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, JAPAN OR THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION WOULD BE UNLAWFUL.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON THE PLACING FOR INVITED PLACEES ONLY.

MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO TAKE PART IN THE PLACING. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT (INCLUDING THE APPENDIX) AND THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SET OUT HEREIN ARE FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND ARE DIRECTED ONLY AT: (A) PERSONS IN MEMBER STATES OF THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AREA WHO ARE QUALIFIED INVESTORS AS DEFINED IN SECTION 86(7) OF THE FINANCIAL SERVICES AND MARKETS ACT 2000, AS AMENDED, ("QUALIFIED INVESTORS") BEING PERSONS FALLING WITHIN THE MEANING OF ARTICLE 2(1)(E) OF THE EU PROSPECTUS DIRECTIVE (WHICH MEANS DIRECTIVE 2003/71/EC AND INCLUDES ANY RELEVANT IMPLEMENTING DIRECTIVE MEASURE IN ANY MEMBER STATE) (THE "PROSPECTUS DIRECTIVE"); (B) IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, QUALIFIED INVESTORS WHO ARE PERSONS WHO (I) FALL WITHIN ARTICLE 19(5) ("INVESTMENT PROFESSIONALS") OF THE FINANCIAL SERVICES AND MARKETS ACT 2000 (FINANCIAL PROMOTION) ORDER 2005, AS AMENDED (THE "ORDER"); (II) FALL WITHIN ARTICLE 49(2)(A) TO (D) ("HIGH NET WORTH COMPANIES, UNINCORPORATED ASSOCIATIONS, ETC") OF THE ORDER; OR (III) ARE PERSONS TO WHOM IT MAY OTHERWISE BE LAWFULLY COMMUNICATED (ALL SUCH PERSONS TOGETHER BEING REFERRED TO AS "RELEVANT PERSONS"). THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AND THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SET OUT HEREIN MUST NOT BE ACTED ON OR RELIED ON BY PERSONS WHO ARE NOT RELEVANT PERSONS. ANY INVESTMENT OR INVESTMENT ACTIVITY TO WHICH THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AND THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SET OUT HEREIN RELATES IS AVAILABLE ONLY TO RELEVANT PERSONS AND WILL BE ENGAGED IN ONLY WITH RELEVANT PERSONS.

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, INCLUDING THIS APPENDIX, IS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND DOES NOT ITSELF CONSTITUTE AN OFFER FOR SALE OR SUBSCRIPTION OF ANY SECURITIES IN THE COMPANY. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT HAS BEEN ISSUED BY AND IS THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE COMPANY.

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, INCLUDING THIS APPENDIX, IS NOT AN OFFER FOR SALE OR SUBSCRIPTION IN ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH OFFER, SOLICITATION OR SALE WOULD BE UNLAWFUL UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY SUCH JURISDICTION. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, INCLUDING THIS APPENDIX, IS NOT AN OFFER OF OR SOLICITATION TO PURCHASE OR SUBSCRIBE FOR SECURITIES IN THE UNITED STATES. 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") OR WITH ANY SECURITIES REGULATORY AUTHORITY OF ANY STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION OF THE UNITED STATES, AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD OR TRANSFERRED, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN THE UNITED STATES, EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM, OR IN A TRANSACTION NOT SUBJECT TO, THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT. NEITHER THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION NOR ANY SECURITIES REGULATORY AUTHORITY OF ANY STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION OF THE UNITED STATES HAS APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED OF AN INVESTMENT IN THE SECURITIES OR PASSED UPON OR ENDORSED THE MERITS OF THE PLACING OR THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THE CONTENTS OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENCE IN THE UNITED STATES. NO PUBLIC OFFERING OF SECURITIES IS BEING MADE IN THE UNITED STATES. NO MONEY, SECURITIES OR OTHER CONSIDERATION FROM ANY PERSON INSIDE THE UNITED STATES IS BEING SOLICITED AND, IF SENT IN RESPONSE TO THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

EACH PLACEE SHOULD CONSULT WITH ITS OWN ADVISERS AS TO LEGAL, TAX, BUSINESS AND RELATED ASPECTS OF AN INVESTMENT IN PLACING SHARES. THE PRICE OF SHARES IN THE COMPANY AND THE INCOME FROM THEM (IF ANY) MAY GO DOWN AS WELL AS UP AND INVESTORS MAY NOT GET BACK THE FULL AMOUNT INVESTED ON DISPOSAL OF SHARES. THE DISTRIBUTION OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, ANY PART OF IT OR ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED IN IT MAY BE RESTRICTED BY LAW IN CERTAIN JURSIDICTIONS, AND ANY PERSON INTO WHOSE POSESSION THIS ANNOUNCEMENT OR ANY PART OF IT OR ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED IN IT, COMES SHOULD INFORM THEMSELVES ABOUT, AND OBSERVE, SUCH RESTRICTIONS.

Persons who are invited to and who choose to participate in the Placing, by making (or on whose behalf there is made) an oral or written offer to subscribe for Placing Shares (the "Placees"), will be deemed to have read and understood this Announcement, including this Appendix, in its entirety and to be making such offer on the terms and conditions contained herein, and to be providing the representations, warranties, acknowledgements, and undertakings contained in this Appendix. In particular, each such Placee represents, warrants, undertakes, agrees and acknowledges (amongst other things) that:

1.            it is a Relevant Person (as defined above) and undertakes that it will acquire, hold, manage or dispose of any Placing Shares that are allocated to it for the purposes of its business;

2.            in the case of any Placing Shares acquired by it as a financial intermediary, as that term is used in Article 3(2) of the Prospectus Directive, (i) the Placing Shares acquired by it have not been acquired on behalf of, nor have they been acquired with a view to their offer or resale to, persons in any Member State of the European Economic Area ("EEA") which has implemented the Prospectus Directive other than Qualified Investors or in circumstances in which the prior consent of Numis has been given to the offer or resale; or (ii) where Placing Shares have been acquired by it on behalf of persons in any Member State of the EEA other than Qualified Investors, the offer of those Placing Shares to it is not treated under the Prospectus Directive as having been made to such persons; and/or

3.            (a) (i) it is not in the United States and (ii) it is not acting for the account or benefit of a person in the United States, (b) it is a dealer or other professional fiduciary in the United States acting on a discretionary basis for a non-US person (other than an estate or trust) in reliance on Regulation S under the Securities Act; or (c) it is otherwise acquiring the Placing Shares in an "offshore transaction" meeting the requirements of Regulation S under the Securities Act.

The Company and Numis will rely upon the truth and accuracy of the foregoing representations, acknowledgements and agreements.

This Announcement does not constitute an offer, and may not be used in connection with an offer, to sell or issue or the solicitation of an offer to buy or subscribe for Placing Shares in any jurisdiction in which such offer or solicitation is or may be unlawful. This Announcement and the information contained herein is not for publication or distribution, directly or indirectly, to persons in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan or the Republic of South Africa or in any jurisdiction in which such publication or distribution is unlawful. Persons into whose possession this Announcement may come are required by the Company to inform themselves about and to observe any restrictions of transfer of this Announcement. No public offer of securities of the Company is being made in the United Kingdom, the United States or elsewhere.

In particular, the Placing Shares referred to in this Announcement have not been and will not be registered under the Securities Act or any laws of, or with any securities regulatory authority of, any state or other jurisdiction of the United States, and may not be offered, sold, pledged or otherwise transferred within the United States except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act and the securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States. The Placing Shares are being offered and sold outside the United States in accordance with Regulation S under the Securities Act.

The Placing Shares have not been approved or disapproved by the US Securities and Exchange Commission, any state securities commission or other regulatory authority in the United States, nor have any of the foregoing authorities passed upon or endorsed the merits of the Placing or the accuracy or adequacy of this Announcement, including this Appendix. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offence in the United States.

The relevant clearances have not been, nor will they be, obtained from the securities commission of any province or territory of Canada; no prospectus has been lodged with or registered by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission or the Japanese Ministry of Finance; and the Placing Shares have not been, nor will they be, registered under or offered in compliance with the securities laws of any state, province or territory of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan or the Republic of South Africa. Accordingly, the Placing Shares may not (unless an exemption under the relevant securities laws is applicable) be offered, sold, resold or delivered, directly or indirectly, in or into Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan or the Republic of South Africa or any other jurisdiction outside the United Kingdom.

Persons (including, without limitation, nominees and trustees) who have a contractual or other legal obligation to forward a copy of this Appendix or the Announcement of which it forms part should seek appropriate advice before taking any action.

In this Appendix, unless the context otherwise requires, "Placee" means a Relevant Person (including individuals, funds or otherwise) by whom or on whose behalf a commitment to subscribe for Placing Shares has been given.

Details of the Placing

Numis has entered into the Placing Agreement with the Company under which Numis has, on the terms and subject to the conditions set out therein, undertaken to use its reasonable endeavours to procure, as agent for the Company, subscribers for the Placing Shares at the Placing Price. In accordance with the terms of the Placing Agreement, if Placees fail to subscribe for all of the Placing Shares, Numis has agreed to take up such shares and the Company has agreed to allot and issue such Shares to Numis, at the Placing Price and on the terms set out in the Placing Agreement.

The Placing Agreement contains customary warranties given by the Company to Numis as to matters relating to the Company and its business and a customary indemnity given by the Company to Numis in respect of liabilities arising out of or in connection with the Placing. The Placing is conditional upon, amongst other things, Admission becoming effective and the Placing Agreement not being terminated in accordance with its terms.

The Placing Shares will, when issued, be subject to the articles of association of the Company and credited as fully paid and will rank pari passu in all respects with the existing issued Ordinary Shares, including the right to receive all dividends and other distributions (if any) declared, made or paid on or in respect of the Ordinary Shares after the date of issue of the Placing Shares.

The Company, subject to certain exceptions, has agreed not to allot, issue or grant any rights in respect of its Ordinary Shares in the period of 90 days from the date of Admission without the prior written consent of Numis (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed).

Application for admission to trading

Application will be made to the London Stock Exchange for Admission. It is expected that settlement of any such shares and Admission will become effective no later than 4 Business Days after the conditions required for the establishment of the JV, other than Admission, have been satisfied (including Bank Approval having been received).

Participation in, and principal terms of, the Placing

1.            Numis (whether through itself or any of its affiliates) is arranging the Placing as placing agent of the Company and has agreed to use its reasonable endeavours to procure Placees at the Placing Price for the Placing Shares.

2.            Participation in the Placing will only be available to persons who may lawfully be, and are, invited to participate by Numis. Numis and its affiliates may participate in the Placing as principal.

3.            This Appendix gives details of the terms and conditions of, and the mechanics of participation in, the Placing. No commissions will be paid to Placees or by Placees in respect of any Placing Shares.

4.            The Placing Price will be a fixed price of 55 pence per new Ordinary Share.

5.            An offer to acquire Placing Shares which has been communicated by a prospective Placee to Numis which has not been withdrawn or revoked prior to publication of this Announcement shall not be capable of withdrawal or revocation immediately following the publication of this Announcement without the consent of Numis.

6.            Each Placee's allocation will be confirmed to Placees orally or in writing by Numis, and a trade confirmation or contract note will be dispatched as soon as practicable thereafter (once there is greater visibility on the trade and settlement date, following final bank approval of the JV's local bank debt). The terms of this Appendix will be deemed incorporated by reference therein. The confirmation (whether oral or written) to such Placee will constitute an irrevocable legally binding commitment upon such person (who will at that point become a Placee) in favour of Numis and the Company, under which it agrees to acquire the number of Placing Shares allocated to it at the Placing Price on the terms and conditions set out in this Appendix and in accordance with the Company's Articles of Association.

7.            Except as required by law or regulation, no press release or other announcement will be made by Numis or the Company using the name of any Placee (or its agent), in its capacity as Placee (or agent), other than with such Placee's prior written consent.

8.            Each Placee will have an immediate, separate, irrevocable and binding obligation, owed to Numis, to pay in cleared funds immediately on the settlement date, In accordance with the registration and settlement requirements set out below, an amount equal to the product of the Placing Price and the number of Placing Shares such Placee has agreed to take up. Numis will procure the allotment of the Placing Shares to each place following each Placee's payment to Numis of such amount.

9.            Irrespective of the time at which a Placee's allocation pursuant to the Placing is confirmed, settlement for all Placing Shares to be acquired pursuant to the Placing will be required to be made at the same time, on the basis explained below under "Registration and settlement".

10.          All obligations under the Placing will be subject to fulfilment or (where applicable) waiver of, amongst other things, the conditions referred to below under "Conditions of the Placing" and to the Placing not being terminated on the basis referred to below under "Right to terminate under the Placing Agreement".

11.          By participating in the Placing, each Placee will agree that its rights and obligations in respect of the Placing will terminate only in the circumstances described below and will not be capable of rescission or termination by the Placee.

12.          To the fullest extent permissible by law, none of the Company, Numis or any of their respective affiliates shall have any liability to Placees (or to any other person whether acting on behalf of a Placee or otherwise) under these terms and conditions. In particular, none of the Company, Numis or any of their respective affiliates shall have any responsibility or liability (including to the fullest extent permissible by law, any fiduciary duties) in respect of Numis' conduct of the Placing. Each Placee acknowledges and agrees that the Company is responsible for the allotment of the Placing Shares to the Placees and Numis shall have no liability to the Placees for the failure of the Company to fulfil those obligations.

Conditions of the Placing

Numis' obligations under the Placing Agreement in respect of the Placing Shares are conditional on, inter alia:

(a)              the Company allotting, subject only to Admission, the Placing Shares in accordance with the Placing Agreement;

(b)              Bank Approval; and

(c)              Admission taking place not later than 8.00 a.m. on 21 June 2018.

If (i) any of the conditions contained in the Placing Agreement in relation to the Placing Shares are not fulfilled or waived by Numis by the respective time or date where specified (or such later time or date as the Company and Numis may agree not being later than 8.30 a.m. on 8 July 2018 (the "Final Date")), or (ii) the Placing Agreement is terminated as described below, the Placing in relation to the Placing Shares will lapse and the Placee's rights and obligations hereunder in relation to the Placing Shares shall cease and terminate at such time and each Placee agrees that no claim can be made by the Placee (or any person on whose behalf the Placee is acting) in respect thereof.

Numis may, at its absolute discretion and upon such terms as it thinks fit, waive, or extend the period (up to the Final Date) for compliance by the Company with the whole or any part of any of the Company's obligations in relation to the conditions in the Placing Agreement, save that the condition relating to Admission taking place may not be waived and the period for compliance with such conditions may not be extended. Any such extension or waiver will not affect Placees' commitments as set out in this Announcement.

Neither Numis nor the Company 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 they 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 Placing nor for any decision they may make as to the satisfaction of any condition or in respect of the Placing generally and by participating in the Placing each Placee agrees that any such decision is within the absolute discretion of Numis.

Right to terminate under the Placing Agreement

Numis is entitled in its absolute discretion, at any time before Admission, to terminate the Placing Agreement by giving notice to the Company in certain circumstances, including, inter alia:

(a)          in the opinion of Numis (acting in good faith), the warranties given by the Company to Numis are not true and accurate or have become misleading (or would not be true and accurate or would be misleading if they were repeated at any time before Admission) by reference to the facts subsisting at the time when the notice referred to above is given; or

(b)          in the opinion of Numis (acting in good faith), the Company fails to comply with any of its obligations under the Placing Agreement; or

(c)          in the opinion of Numis, there has been a development or event (or any development or event involving a prospective change of which the Company is, or might reasonably be expected to be, aware) which will or is likely to have a material adverse effect on or affecting the operations, the condition (financial, operational, legal or otherwise), prospects, management, results of operations, financial position or business of the Company or of the Company's group (taken as a whole) respectively whether or not foreseeable and whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business; or

(d)          there has been a change in national or international financial, political, economic or stock market conditions (primary or secondary); an incident of terrorism, outbreak or escalation of hostilities, war, declaration of martial law or any other calamity or crisis; a suspension or material limitation in trading of securities generally on any stock exchange; any change in currency exchange rates or exchange controls or a disruption of settlement systems or a material disruption in commercial banking, in each case as would be likely in the opinion of Numis (acting in good faith) to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the Placing and/or Admission.

Following Admission, the Placing Agreement is not capable of termination to the extent that it relates to the Placing of the Placing Shares.

The rights and obligations of the Placees shall terminate only in the circumstances described in these terms and conditions and in the Placing Agreement and will not be subject to termination by the Placee or any prospective Placee at any time or in any circumstances. By participating in the Placing, Placees agree that the exercise by Numis of any right of termination or other discretion under the Placing Agreement shall be within the absolute discretion of Numis, and that it need not make any reference to Placees and that it shall have no liability to Placees whatsoever in connection with any such exercise or decision not to exercise. Placees will have no rights against Numis, the Company or any of their respective directors or employees under the Placing Agreement pursuant to the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 (as amended).

No Admission Document or Prospectus

The 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 an admission document or prospectus in the United Kingdom or in any other jurisdiction. No offering document, admission document or prospectus has been or will be submitted to be approved by the FCA or submitted to the London Stock Exchange in relation to the Placing, and Placees' commitments will be made solely on the basis of the information contained in the Announcement (including this Appendix) and the Exchange Information published in the past 12 months (as defined further below). Each Placee, by accepting a participation in the Placing, agrees that the content of this Announcement is exclusively the responsibility of the Company and confirms that it has neither received nor relied on any other information (other than the Exchange Information), representation, warranty, or statement made by or on behalf of the Company or Numis or any other person and neither Numis nor the Company nor any other person will be liable for any Placee's decision to participate in the Placing based on any other information, representation, warranty or statement which the Placees may have obtained or received and, if given or made, such information, representation, warranty or statement must not be relied upon as having been authorised by Numis, the Company, or their respective officers, directors, employees or agents. 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 Placing. Neither the Company, nor Numis are making any undertaking or warranty to any Placee regarding the legality of an investment in the Placing Shares by such Placee under any legal, investment or similar laws or regulations. Each Placee should not consider any information in this Announcement to be legal, tax or business advice. Each Placee should consult its own solicitor, tax adviser and financial adviser for independent legal, tax and financial advice regarding an investment in the Placing Shares. Nothing in this paragraph shall exclude the liability of any person for fraudulent misrepresentation.

Registration and settlement

Settlement of transactions in the Placing Shares (ISIN: GB00BGHPT808) following Admission will take place within CREST provided that, subject to certain exceptions, Numis reserves the right to require settlement for, and delivery of, the Placing Shares (or a portion thereof) to Placees by such other means that it deems necessary if delivery or settlement is not possible or practicable within CREST within the timetable set out in this Announcement or would not be consistent with the regulatory requirements in any Placee's jurisdiction.

Each Placee allocated Placing Shares in the Placing will be sent a trade confirmation or contract note stating the number of Placing Shares allocated to it at the Placing Price, the aggregate amount owed by such Placee to Numis (as agent for the Company) and settlement instructions. Each Placee agrees that it will do all things necessary to ensure that delivery and payment is completed in accordance with either the CREST or certificated settlement instructions that it has in place with Numis.

It is expected that following Admission, settlement in respect of the Placing Shares will be on a T+2 basis in accordance with the instructions set out in the trade confirmation. It is expected that Admission will take place no later than 4 Business Days following the date on which Bank Approval is received.

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 LIBOR as determined by Numis.

Each Placee is deemed to agree that, if it does not comply with these obligations, Numis may sell any or all of the Placing Shares allocated to that Placee on such Placee's behalf and retain from the proceeds, for Numis' account and benefit (as agent for the Company), an amount equal to the aggregate amount owed by the Placee plus any interest due. The relevant Placee will, however, remain liable and shall indemnify Numis (as agent for the Company) on demand for any shortfall below the aggregate amount owed by it and may be required to bear any stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax or securities transfer tax (together with any interest or penalties) which may arise upon the sale of such Placing Shares on such Placee's behalf. By communicating a bid for Placing Shares to Numis, each Placee confers on Numis all such authorities and powers necessary to carry out any such sale and agrees to ratify and confirm all actions which Numis lawfully takes in pursuance of such sale.

If Placing Shares are to be delivered to a custodian or settlement agent, Placees should ensure that the trade confirmation or contract note is copied and delivered immediately to the relevant person within that organisation.

Insofar as 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 Placing Shares should, subject as provided below, be so registered free from any liability to UK stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax or securities transfer tax. Placees will not be entitled to receive any fee or commission in connection with the Placing.

Representations, warranties and further terms

By participating in the Placing each Placee (and any person acting on such Placee's behalf) makes the following representations, warranties, acknowledgements, agreements and undertakings (as the case may be) to the Company and Numis, namely that each Placee (and any person acting on such Placee's behalf):

1.            represents and warrants that it has read and understood the Announcement, including this Appendix, in its entirety and that its subscription of Placing Shares is subject to and based upon all the terms, conditions, representations, warranties, acknowledgements, agreements and undertakings and other information contained herein and undertakes not to redistribute or duplicate this Announcement;

2.            acknowledges that no offering document, admission document or prospectus has been prepared in connection with the Placing and represents and warrants that it has not received and will not receive a prospectus, admission document or other offering document in connection therewith;

3.            acknowledges that the Ordinary Shares are admitted to trading on AIM, and the Company is therefore required to publish certain business and financial information in accordance with the AIM Rules for Companies (collectively "Exchange Information"), which includes a description of the nature of the Company's business and the Company's most recent balance sheet and profit and loss account and the Company's announcements and circulars published in the past 12 months and that it is able to obtain or access such information or comparable information concerning other publicly traded company without undue difficulty;

4.            acknowledges that none of Numis, the Company, any of their respective affiliates or any person acting on behalf of any of them has provided it, and will not provide it, with any material regarding the Placing Shares or the Company other than this Announcement; nor has it requested any of Numis, the Company, their respective affiliates or any person acting on behalf of any of them to provide it with any such information and has read and understood the Exchange Information;

5.            acknowledges that the content of this Announcement is exclusively the responsibility of the Company, and that none of Numis, its affiliates or any person acting on its or their behalf has or shall have any liability for any information, representation or statement contained in this Announcement or any information previously or concurrently published by or on behalf of the Company, and will not be liable for any Placee's decision to participate in the Placing based on any information, representation or statement contained in this Announcement or otherwise. Each Placee further represents, warrants and agrees that the only information on which it is entitled to rely and on which such Placee has relied in committing itself to acquire the Placing Shares is contained in this Announcement and any Exchange Information, such information being all that it deems necessary to make an investment decision in respect of the Placing Shares and that it has neither received nor relied on any other information given or representations, warranties or statements made by Numis, the Company or any of their respective directors, officers or employees or any person acting on behalf of any of them, or, if received, it has not relied upon any such information, representations, warranties or statements (including any management presentation that may have been received by any prospective Placee or any material prepared by the Research Department of Numis (the views of such Research Department not representing and being independent from those of the Company and the Corporate Finance Department of Numis and not being attributable to the same)), and neither Numis nor the Company will be liable for any Placee's decision to accept an invitation to participate in the Placing based on any other information, representation, warranty or statement. Each Placee further acknowledges and agrees that it may not place the same degree of reliance on this Announcement as it may otherwise place on a prospectus or admission document. Each Placee further acknowledges and agrees that it has relied solely on its own investigation of the business, financial or other position of the Company in deciding to participate in the Placing and it will not rely on any investigation that Numis, its affiliates or any other person acting on its or their behalf has or may have conducted;

6.            represents and warrants that it has neither received nor relied on any confidential price sensitive information concerning the Company in accepting this invitation to participate in the Placing;

7.            acknowledges that Numis does not have any duties or responsibilities to it, or its clients, similar or comparable to the duties of "best execution" and "suitability" imposed by the Conduct of Business Sourcebook in the FCA's Handbook of Rules and Guidance and that Numis is not acting for it or its clients and that Numis will not be responsible for providing protections to it or its clients;

8.            acknowledges that none of Numis, any of its affiliates or any person acting on behalf of it or them has or shall have any liability for the Exchange Information, any publicly available or filed information or any representation relating to the Company, provided that nothing in this paragraph excludes the liability of any person for fraudulent misrepresentation made by that person;

9.            that, save in the event of fraud on the part of Numis (and to the extent permitted by the Rules of the FCA), neither Numis, its ultimate holding company nor any direct or indirect subsidiary undertakings of that holding company, nor any of their respective directors and employees shall be liable to Placees for any matter arising out of Numis' role as placing agent or otherwise in connection with the Placing and that where any such liability nevertheless arises as a matter of law, Placees will immediately waive any claim against any of such persons which the relevant Placee(s) may have in respect thereof;

10.          represents and warrants that (i) it is not in the United States and (ii) it is not acting for the account or benefit of a person in the United States;

11.          acknowledges that the Placing Shares are being offered and sold only pursuant to Regulation S under the Securities Act in a transaction not involving a public offering of securities in the United States and the Placing Shares have not been and will not be registered under the Securities Act or with any state or other jurisdiction of the United States, nor approved or disapproved by the US Securities and Exchange Commission, any state securities commission in the United States or any other United States regulatory authority, and that the offer and sale of the Placing Shares to it has been made outside of the United States in an 'offshore transaction' (as such term is defined in Regulation S under the Securities Act) and agrees not to reoffer, resell, pledge or otherwise transfer the Placing Shares except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act and otherwise in accordance with any applicable securities laws of any state or jurisdiction of the United States;

12.          unless otherwise specifically agreed in writing with Numis, represents and warrants that neither it nor the beneficial owner of such Placing Shares will be a resident of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan or the Republic of South Africa;

13.          acknowledges that the Placing Shares have not been and will not be registered under the securities legislation of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan or the Republic of South Africa and, subject to certain exceptions, may not be offered, sold, taken up, renounced or delivered or transferred, directly or indirectly, within those jurisdictions;

14.          represents and warrants that the issue to it, or the person specified by it for registration as holder, of Placing Shares will not give rise to a liability under any of sections 67, 70, 93 or 96 of the Finance Act 1986 (depositary receipts and clearance services) and that the Placing Shares are not being acquired in connection with arrangements to issue depositary receipts or to transfer Placing Shares into a clearance system;

15.          represents and warrants that: (i) it has complied with its obligations under the Criminal Justice Act 1993 and MAR; (ii) in connection with money laundering and terrorist financing, it has complied with its obligations under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (as amended), the Terrorism Act 2000 (as amended), the Terrorism Act 2006 and the Money Laundering, terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (information on Payer) Regulations 2017; and (iii) it is not a person: (a) with whom transactions are prohibited under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 or any economic sanction programmes administered by, or regulations promulgated by, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury; (b) named on the Consolidated List of Financial Sanctions Targets maintained by HM Treasury of the United Kingdom; or (c) subject to financial sanctions imposed pursuant to a regulation of the European Union or a regulation adopted by the United Nations (together, the "Regulations"); and, if making payment on behalf of a third party, that satisfactory evidence has been obtained and recorded by it to verify the identity of the third party as required by the Regulations and has obtained all governmental and other consents (if any) which may be required for the purpose of, or as a consequence of, such purchase, and it will provide promptly to Numis such evidence, if any, as to the identity or location or legal status of any person which Numis may request from it in connection with the Placing (for the purpose of complying with such Regulations or ascertaining the nationality of any person or the jurisdiction(s) to which any person is subject or otherwise) in the form and manner requested by Numis on the basis that any failure by it to do so may result in the number of Placing Shares that are to be purchased by it or at its direction pursuant to the Placing being reduced to such number, or to nil, as Numis may decide in its sole discretion;

16.          if a financial intermediary, as that term is used in Article 3(2) of the Prospectus Directive, represents and warrants that the Placing Shares purchased by it in the Placing will not be acquired on a non-discretionary basis on behalf of, nor will they be acquired with a view to their offer or resale to, persons in a Member State of the EEA which has implemented the Prospectus Directive other than Qualified Investors, or in circumstances in which the prior consent of Numis has been given to the offer or resale;

17.          represents and warrants that it has not offered or sold and will not offer or sell any Placing Shares to persons in the EEA prior to Admission except to persons whose ordinary activities involve them in acquiring, holding, managing or disposing of investments (as principal or agent) for the purposes of their business or otherwise in circumstances which have not resulted in and which will not result in an offer to the public in any member state of the EEA within the meaning of the Prospectus Directive (including any relevant implementing measure in any member state);

18.          represents and warrants that it has only communicated or caused to be communicated and will only communicate or cause to be communicated any invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of section 21 of FSMA) relating to the Placing Shares in circumstances in which section 21(1) of FSMA does not require approval of the communication by an authorised person;

19.          represents and warrants that it has complied and will comply with all applicable provisions of FSMA and MAR with respect to anything done by it in relation to the Placing Shares in, from or otherwise involving, the United Kingdom;

20.          if in a Member State of the EEA, unless otherwise specifically agreed with Numis in writing, represents and warrants that it is a Qualified Investor within the meaning of the Prospectus Directive;

21.          if in the United Kingdom, represents and warrants that it is a person (i) who has professional experience in matters relating to investments falling within Article 19(1) of the Order; (ii) falling within Article 49(2)(A) to (D) ("High Net Worth Companies, Unincorporated Associations, etc.") of the Order; or (iii) to whom this Announcement may otherwise be lawfully communicated;

22.          represents and warrants that it and any person acting on its behalf is entitled to acquire the Placing Shares under the laws of all relevant jurisdictions and that it has all necessary capacity and has obtained all necessary consents and authorities and taken any other necessary actions to enable it to commit to this participation in the Placing and to perform its obligations in relation thereto (including, without limitation, in the case of any person on whose behalf it is acting, all necessary consents and authorities to agree to the terms set out or referred to in this Announcement) and will honour such obligations;

23.          where it is acquiring Placing Shares for one or more managed accounts, represents and warrants that it is authorised in writing by each managed account: (a) to acquire the Placing Shares for each managed account; (b) to make on its behalf the representations, warranties, acknowledgements, undertakings and agreements in this Appendix and the Announcement of which it forms part; and (c) to receive on its behalf any investment letter relating to the Placing in the form provided to it by Numis;

24.          undertakes that it (and any person acting on its behalf) will make payment to Numis for the Placing Shares allocated to it in accordance with this Announcement on the due time and date set out herein, failing which the relevant Placing Shares may be placed with other subscribers or sold as Numis may in its sole discretion determine and without liability to such Placee and it will remain liable and will indemnify Numis on demand for any shortfall below the net proceeds of such sale and the placing proceeds of such Placing Shares and may be required to bear the liability for any stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax or security transfer tax (together with any interest or penalties due pursuant to or referred to in these terms and conditions) which may arise upon the placing or sale of such Placee's Placing Shares on its behalf;

25.          acknowledges that none of Numis, any of its affiliates, or any person acting on behalf of it or any of them, is making any recommendations to it, advising it regarding the suitability of any transactions it may enter into in connection with the Placing and that participation in the Placing is on the basis that it is not and will not be treated for these purposes as a client of Numis and that Numis has no duties or responsibilities to it for providing the protections afforded to its clients or customers or for providing advice in relation to the Placing nor in respect of any representations, warranties, undertakings or indemnities contained in the Placing Agreement nor for the exercise or performance of any of their rights and obligations thereunder including any rights to waive or vary any conditions or exercise any termination right;

26.          undertakes that the person whom it specifies for registration as holder of the Placing Shares will be (i) itself or (ii) its nominee, as the case may be. Neither Numis nor the Company will be responsible for any liability to stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax resulting from a failure to observe this requirement. Each Placee and any person acting on behalf of such Placee agrees to participate in the Placing and it agrees to indemnify the Company and Numis in respect of the same on the basis that the Placing Shares will be credited to the CREST stock account of Numis who will hold them as nominee on behalf of such Placee until settlement in accordance with its standing settlement instructions;

27.          acknowledges that these terms and conditions and any agreements entered into by it pursuant to these terms and conditions and any non-contractual obligations arising out of or in connection with such agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales and it submits (on behalf of itself and on behalf of any person on whose behalf it is acting) to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts as regards any claim, dispute or matter (including non-contractual matters) arising out of any such contract, except that enforcement proceedings in respect of the obligation to make payment for the Placing Shares (together with any interest chargeable thereon) may be taken by the Company or Numis in any jurisdiction in which the relevant Placee is incorporated or in which any of its securities have a quotation on a recognised stock exchange;

28.          acknowledges that time shall be of the essence as regards to obligations pursuant to this Appendix;

29.          agrees that the Company, Numis and their respective affiliates and others will rely upon the truth and accuracy of the foregoing representations, warranties, acknowledgements and undertakings which are given to Numis on its own behalf and on behalf of the Company and are irrevocable and are irrevocably authorised to produce this Announcement or a copy thereof to any interested party in any administrative or legal proceeding or official inquiry with respect to the matters covered hereby;

30.          agrees to indemnify on an after-tax basis and hold the Company, Numis and their respective affiliates harmless from any and all costs, claims, liabilities and expenses (including legal fees and expenses) arising out of or in connection with any breach of the representations, warranties, acknowledgements, agreements and undertakings in this Appendix and further agrees that the provisions of this Appendix shall survive after completion of the Placing;

31.          acknowledges that no action has been or will be taken by any of the Company, Numis or any person acting on behalf of the Company or Numis that would, or is intended to, permit a public offer of the Placing Shares in any country or jurisdiction where any such action for that purpose is required;

32.          acknowledges that it is an institution that has knowledge and experience in financial, business and international investment matters as is required to evaluate the merits and risks of subscribing for the Placing Shares. It further acknowledges that it is experienced in investing in securities of this nature and in this sector and is aware that it may be required to bear, and it, and any accounts for which it may be acting, are able to bear, the economic risk of, and is able to sustain, a complete loss in connection with the Placing. It has relied upon its own examination and due diligence of the Company and its associates taken as a whole, and the terms of the Placing, including the merits and risks involved;

33.          acknowledges that its commitment to subscribe for Placing Shares on the terms set out herein and in the trade confirmation or contract note will continue notwithstanding any amendment that may in future be made to the terms of the Placing and that Placees will have no right to be consulted or require that their consent be obtained with respect to the Company's conduct of the Placing;

34.          acknowledges that Numis or any of its affiliates acting as an investor for its own account may take up shares in the Company and in that capacity may retain, purchase or sell for its own account such shares and may offer or sell such shares other than in connection with the Placing;

35.          represents and warrants that, if it is a pension fund or investment company, its purchase of Placing Shares is in full compliance with all applicable laws and regulation; and

36.          to the fullest extent permitted by law, it acknowledges and agrees to the disclaimers contained in the Announcement including this Appendix.

The representations, warranties, acknowledgments and undertakings contained in this Appendix are given to Numis and the Company and are irrevocable and shall not be capable of termination in any circumstances.

The agreement to settle a Placee's subscription (and/or the subscription of a person for whom such Placee is contracting as agent) free of stamp duty and stamp duty reserve tax depends on the settlement relating only to a subscription by it and/or such person direct from the Company for the Placing Shares in question. Such agreement assumes that the Placing Shares are not being subscribed for in connection with arrangements to issue depositary receipts or to transfer the Placing Shares into a clearance service. If there are any such arrangements, or the settlement relates to any other subsequent dealing in the Placing Shares, stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax may be payable, for which neither the Company nor Numis will be responsible, and the Placee to whom (or on behalf of whom, or in respect of the person for whom it is participating in the Placing as an agent or nominee) the allocation, allotment, issue or delivery of Placing Shares has given rise to such UK stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax undertakes to pay such UK stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax forthwith and to indemnify on an after-tax basis and to hold harmless the Company and Numis in the event that any of the Company and/or Numis has incurred any such liability to UK stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax. If this is the case, each Placee should seek its own advice and notify Numis accordingly.

In addition, Placees should note that they will be liable for any stamp duty and all other stamp, issue, securities, transfer, registration, documentary or other duties or taxes (including any interest, fines or penalties relating thereto) payable outside the UK by them or any other person on the subscription by them of any Placing Shares or the agreement by them to subscribe for any Placing Shares.

Each Placee, and any person acting on behalf of the Placee, acknowledges that Numis does not owe any fiduciary or other duties to any Placee in respect of any representations, warranties, undertakings or indemnities in the Placing Agreement.

Each Placee and any person acting on behalf of the Placee acknowledges and agrees that Numis or any of its affiliates may, at their absolute discretion, agree to become a Placee in respect of some or all of the Placing Shares.

When a Placee or person acting on behalf of the Placee is dealing with Numis, any money held in an account with Numis 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 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 Numis' money in accordance with the client money rules and will be used by Numis in the course of its own business and the Placee will rank only as a general creditor of Numis.

All times and dates in this Announcement may be subject to amendment. Numis shall notify the Placees and any person acting on behalf of the Placees of any changes.

Past performance is no guide to future performance and persons needing advice should consult an independent financial adviser.

DEFINITIONS

In this Appendix to the Announcement and, as the context shall admit, in the Announcement:

'Admission' means the admission of the Placing Shares to trading on AIM becoming effective in accordance with the AIM Rules for Companies;

'AIM' means the market of that name operated by the London Stock Exchange;

'AIM Rules for Companies' means the provisions of the London Stock Exchange's AIM Rules for Companies as amended from time to time governing, inter alia, admission to AIM and the continuing obligations of AIM companies;

'Announcement' means this announcement (including the appendix to this announcement);

"Aquachile" means Empresas Aquachile S.A.;

'Benchmark' or 'Company' means Benchmark Holdings plc;

'Bank Approval' means Aquachile receiving credit committee approval for the refinancing of the JV from its / JV's existing bankers;

'Business Day' means any day which is not a Saturday or Sunday or a bank holiday or other public holiday in England;

'CREST' means the relevant system (as defined in the CREST Regulations) in respect of which Euroclear UK & Ireland Limited is the Operator (as defined in the CREST Regulations);

'CREST Regulations' means the Uncertificated Securities Regulations 2001 (SI 2001/3755) as amended from time to time;

'FCA' means the Financial Conduct Authority of the United Kingdom;

'FSMA' means the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (as amended);

'JV' means the proposed joint venture with AquaChile;

'London Stock Exchange' means London Stock Exchange plc;

'MAR' the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No. 596/2014;

'Numis' means Numis Securities Limited, registered in England and Wales with number 2285918, whose registered office is at 10 Paternoster Square, London EC4M 7LT;

'Ordinary Shares' means the ordinary shares of 0.1 pence each in the capital of the Company;

'Placee' means any person (including individuals, funds or otherwise) by whom or on whose behalf a commitment to acquire Placing Shares has been given;

'Placing' means the placing of the Placing Shares by Numis, on behalf of the Company, with Placees;

'Placing Agreement' means the placing agreement dated 8 June 2018 between the Company and Numis in respect of the Placing;

'Placing Price' means 55 pence per Placing Share;

'Placing Shares' means the 34,545,455 Ordinary Shares to be issued pursuant to the Placing;

'Prospectus Directive' means the Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council of the European Union 2003/71/EC;

'Securities Act' means the US Securities Act of 1933, as amended;

'United Kingdom' or 'UK' means the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; and

'United States' or 'US' means the United States of America, its territories and possessions, any state of the United States and the District of Columbia.

 

END

 

 

MSCEASKPEDDPEEF