NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO OR FROM THE UNITED STATES, ANY MEMBER STATE OF THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AREA (OTHER THAN THE REPUBLIC OF IRELAND), AUSTRALIA, CANADA, SOUTH AFRICA OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION WHERE IT IS UNLAWFUL TO DO SO.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONTAINS INSIDE INFORMATION. PLEASE SEE THE IMPORTANT NOTICE AT THE END OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT.
This announcement is an advertisement for the purposes of the Prospectus Regulation Rules of the UK Financial Conduct Authority (the "FCA") and not a prospectus and not an offer of securities for sale in any jurisdiction. Neither this announcement nor anything contained herein shall form the basis of, or be relied upon in connection with, any offer or commitment whatsoever in any jurisdiction.
Investors should not purchase or subscribe for any shares referred to in this announcement except on the basis of information in the prospectus published on 24 June 2019 (the "Prospectus") and the supplementary prospectuses published on 19 December 2019 and 20 April 2020 (the "Supplementary Prospectuses"). Copies of the Prospectus and the Supplementary Prospectuses are available from the Company's website (www.EJFI.com), subject to applicable securities laws, and at its registered office at IFC 1, The Esplanade, St. Helier, Jersey, JE1 4BP, Channel Islands.
17 June 2020
EJF Investments Ltd ("EJFI" or the "Company")
Results of Placing
Further to its announcement of 12 June 2020, the Company is pleased to announce that the Company has raised gross proceeds of £6.0 million pursuant to a placing of 6,000,000 new zero dividend preference shares (the "2025 ZDP Shares") at a price of 100 pence per 2025 ZDP Share under the Company's placing programme (the "Placing Programme") as detailed in the Company's Prospectus and Supplementary Prospectuses.
The 2025 ZDP Shares have a gross redemption yield of 7.0%, with a final capital entitlement of 140 pence per 2025 ZDP Share on the repayment date of 18 June 2025. The 2025 ZDP Shares will have an initial cover of 16 times and a final cover of at least 12 times. The minimum cover amount for the 2025 ZDP Shares will be 3.33 times and the dividends minimum cover amount for the 2025 ZDP Shares will be 2.0 times.
Application will be made to the London Stock Exchange for the 2025 ZDP Shares to be admitted to trading on the Specialist Fund Segment of the London Stock Exchange's Main Market ("Admission"). It is expected that Admission will become effective at 8.00 a.m. on 22 June 2020 and that dealings in the 2025 ZDP Shares will commence at that time.
Copies of the Prospectus and the Supplementary Prospectus are available for inspection at: https://data.fca.org.uk/#/nsm/nationalstoragemechanism , as well as on the Company's website at www.EJFI.com, subject to applicable securities laws, and at its registered office at IFC 1 The Esplanade St. Helier Jersey JE1 0BP Channel Islands.
Terms used but not defined in this announcement shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Prospectus. The 2025 ZDP Shares constitute New ZDP Shares for the purposes of the Prospectus.
The dealing codes for the 2025 ZDP Shares will be as follows:
ISIN JE00BK1WV903
SEDOL Code BK1WV90
Ticker EJF0
ENQUIRIES
For the Investment Manager
EJF Investments Manager LLC
Peter Stage / Hammad Khan / Matt Gill
pstage@ejfcap.com / hkhan@ejfcap.com / mgill@ejfcap.com
+44 203 752 6775 / +44 203 752 6771 / +44 203 752 6774
For the Company Secretary and Administrator
BNP Paribas Securities Services S.C.A. Jersey Branch
jersey.bp2s.ejf.cosec@bnpparibas.com
+44 1534 709 181/ +44 1534 813 996
For the Broker
Numis Securities Limited
David Luck
d.luck@numis.com
+44 20 7260 1301
About EJF Investments Ltd
EJFI is a registered closed-ended limited liability company incorporated in Jersey under the Companies (Jersey) Law 1991, as amended, on 20 October 2016 with registered number 122353. The Company is regulated by the Jersey Financial Services Commission (the "JFSC"). The JFSC is protected by both the Collective Investment Funds (Jersey) Law 1988 and the Financial Services (Jersey) Law 1998, as amended, against liability arising from the discharge of its functions under such laws.
LEI: 549300XZYEQCLA1ZAT25
Important Notice
This announcement is a financial promotion and is not intended to be investment advice.
The contents of this announcement, which have been prepared by and are the sole responsibility of the Company, have been approved by Numis Securities Limited ("Numis") solely for the purposes of section 21(2)(b) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (as amended).
This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of EU Regulation 596/2014. Upon the publication of this announcement, this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain.
The information contained in this announcement is for background purposes only and does not purport to be full or complete. It is also subject to change. Before subscribing for any 2025 ZDP Shares, persons viewing this announcement should ensure that they fully understand and accept the risks which are set out in the Prospectus and the Supplementary Prospectuses. The value of the 2025 ZDP Shares will not be guaranteed and could fall as well as rise due to stock market and currency movements. When you sell your investment you may get back less than you originally invested. The price and value of securities can go down as well as up, and investors may get back less than they invested or nothing at all. There is no guarantee that the gross redemption yield may be achieved. Potential investors should consult an independent financial advisor as to the suitability of the securities referred to in this advertisement for the person concerned.
Neither this announcement nor the information contained herein is for publication, distribution or release, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, in or into or from the United States (including its territories and possessions), any member state of the European Economic Area (other than the Republic of Ireland), Australia, Canada, South Africa or to any person in any of those jurisdictions or any other jurisdiction where to do so would constitute a violation of the relevant laws of such jurisdiction. The Placing and the distribution of this announcement may be restricted by law in certain jurisdictions and persons into whose possession this announcement or any document or other information referred to herein comes should inform themselves about and observe any such restriction. Any failure to comply with these restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.
This announcement does not contain or constitute an offer of, or the solicitation of an offer to buy or subscribe for, the securities referred to herein to any person in any jurisdiction, including the United States, Australia, Canada or South Africa or in any jurisdiction to whom or in which such offer or solicitation is unlawful.
The securities to which this announcement relates have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") or with any regulating authority or under any applicable securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States, and may not be offered, sold, pledged or otherwise transferred within the United States or to US persons unless registered under the Securities Act or pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act and in compliance with applicable state law. There will be no public offer of the securities in the United States. The securities referred to herein have not been registered under the applicable securities laws of Australia, Canada, South Africa or Japan and, subject to certain exceptions, may not be offered or sold within Australia, Canada, South Africa or Japan or to any national, resident or citizen of Australia, Canada, South Africa or Japan.
This announcement is only addressed to and directed at qualified investors within the meaning of Article 2(1)(e) of the Prospectus Directive (Directive 2003/71/EC as amended, including by Directive 2010/73/EC) ("Qualified Investors") (1) in the United Kingdom who (i) are persons who have professional experience in matters relating to investments falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended (the "Order"), (ii) are persons who are high net worth entities falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order and (iii) are persons to whom it may otherwise be lawful to communicate it to (all such persons being referred to as "relevant persons") and (2) in the Republic of Ireland who are "professional investors" under the European Union (Alternative Investment Fund Managers) Regulations 2013 (the "AIFM Regulations") and the requirements of the Central Bank of Ireland. In accordance with regulation 43 of the AIFM Regulations, the intention to market to Professional Investors in Ireland has been notified to the Central Bank of Ireland. Any investment or investment activity to which this announcement relates is available only to relevant persons in the United Kingdom and "professional investors" in the Republic of Ireland and will be engaged in only with such persons. Other persons should not rely or act upon this announcement or any of its contents.
This announcement is not intended to be an offer or placement for the purposes of the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive ("AIFMD"), and any "marketing" as defined in AIFMD will, in due course, take place in accordance with the national private placement regimes of the applicable European Economic Area jurisdictions in which the Manager registers under AIFMD for marketing.
The timetable, including the date of Admission, may be influenced by a range of circumstances such
as market conditions. There is no guarantee that Admission will take place and you should not base your financial decisions on the Company's intentions in relation to Admission. This announcement does not constitute a recommendation concerning the Placing. The Company is not regulated by the FCA and FCA protection does not apply to the Placing.
Numis, which is authorised and regulated by the FCA in the United Kingdom, is acting exclusively for the Company and no one else in connection with the matters described in this announcement. Numis will not regard any other person (whether or not a recipient of this document) as a client in relation thereto and will not be responsible to anyone other than the Company for providing the protections afforded to its clients nor for giving advice in relation to the Placing, the contents of this announcement or any transaction or arrangement or other matter referred to herein.
In connection with the Placing, Numis and any of its affiliates, acting as investors for their own accounts, may subscribe for or purchase 2025 ZDP Shares and in that capacity may retain, purchase, sell, offer to sell or otherwise deal for their own accounts in such 2025 ZDP Shares and other securities of the Company or related investments in connection with the Placing or otherwise. Accordingly, references in the Prospectus and this announcement to the 2025 ZDP Shares being offered, subscribed, issued, acquired, sold, placed or otherwise dealt in should be read as including any offer, subscription, issue, sale, acquisition, placing or dealing in the 2025 ZDP Shares by Numis and any of its affiliates acting as investors for their own accounts. In addition, Numis or its affiliates may enter into financing arrangements and swaps in connection with which it or its affiliates may from time to time acquire, hold or dispose of 2025 ZDP Shares. Neither Numis nor any of its affiliates intend to disclose the extent of any such investment or transactions otherwise than in accordance with any legal or regulatory obligations to do so.
Apart from the responsibilities and liabilities, if any, which may be imposed on Numis by the FSMA or the regulatory regime established thereunder, or under the regulatory regime of any jurisdiction where exclusion of liability under the relevant regulatory regime would be illegal, void or unenforceable, neither Numis nor any of its affiliates, directors, officers, employees, advisors or agents accepts any responsibility or liability whatsoever for, or makes any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the truth, accuracy, completeness or fairness of the information contained in this announcement (or whether any information has been omitted from the announcement) or any other information relating to the Company, its subsidiaries or associated companies, whether written, oral or in a visual or electronic form, and howsoever transmitted or made available or for any loss howsoever arising from any use of this announcement or its contents or otherwise arising in connection therewith.
Information for Distributors
Solely for the purposes of the product governance requirements contained within: (a) EU Directive 2014/65/EU on markets in financial instruments, as amended ("MiFIDII"); (b) Articles 9 and 10 of Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2017/593 supplementing MiFID II; and (c) local implementing measures, in the UK being the FCA's Product Intervention and Governance Sourcebook (PROD) (together the "MiFID II Product Governance Requirements"), and disclaiming all and any liability, whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise, which any "manufacturer" (for the purposes of the MiFID II Product Governance Requirements) may otherwise have with respect thereto, the 2025 ZDP Shares have been subject to a product approval process, which has determined that the 2025 ZDP Shares are: (i) compatible with an end target market of (a) retail investors who do not need a guaranteed income or capital protection, who (either alone or in conjunction with an appropriate financial or other adviser) are capable of evaluating the merits and risks of such an investment and who have sufficient resources to be able to bear any losses that may result therefrom and (b) investors who meet the criteria of professional clients and eligible counterparties each as defined in MiFID II; and (ii) eligible for distribution through all distribution channels as are permitted by MiFID II for each type of investor (the "Target Market Assessment").
Notwithstanding the Target Market Assessment, distributors should note that: the price of the 2025 ZDP Shares may decline and investors could lose all or part of their investment; the 2025 ZDP Shares offer no guaranteed income and no capital protection; and an investment in the 2025 ZDP Shares is compatible only with investors who do not need a guaranteed income or capital protection, who (either alone or in conjunction with an appropriate financial or other adviser) are capable of evaluating the merits and risk of such an investment and who have sufficient resources to be able to bear any losses that may result therefrom. The Target Market Assessment is without prejudice to the requirements of any contractual, legal or regulatory selling restrictions in relation to the Placing Programme (including the Placing). Furthermore, it is noted that, notwithstanding the Target Market Assessment, Numis will only contact prospective investors through the Placing who meet the criteria of professional clients and eligible counterparties.
For the avoidance of doubt, the Target Market Assessment does not constitute: (a) an assessment of suitability or appropriateness for the purposes of MiFID II; or (b) a recommendation to any investor or group of investors to invest in, or purchase, or take any other action whatsoever with respect to the 2025 ZDP Shares.
Each distributor is responsible for undertaking its own target market assessment in respect of the 2025 ZDP Shares and determining appropriate distribution channels.