Long Term Incentive Plan

Equals Group PLC

18 October 2024

 

For immediate release

18 October 2024

Equals Group plc

('Equals', the 'Group' or the 'Company')

Long Term Incentive Plan

Equals Group PLC (AIM:EQLS), the fintech payments group focused on the Enterprise and SME marketplace, announces that the Company has issued 1,838,800 ordinary shares in the capital of the Company ('Ordinary Shares'). These shares have been allotted following the vesting of the Company's LTIP as announced on 18 October 2021 and where relevant, the necessary performance criteria have been met or exceeded. In order to minimise the dilution impact of these shares, the Company has arranged to net settle the awards with the tax liabilities settled out of the Company's cash reserves.

The awards are made to 31 individuals, of which nine are PDMRs as outlined below, and will be subject to a two year lock up period.

PDMR	Existing holding of ordinary shares	Existing holding in the Share Incentive Plan of 2021	Number of shares awarded	New total holding	% of issued shares
Ian Strafford-Taylor CEO	2,200,250	10,000	750,000 minus liability of 352,500	2,607,750	1.370%
Richard Cooper CFO	1,183,334	10,000	500,000 minus liability of 235,000	1,458,334	0.766%
James Simcox Chief Product Officer	4,000	10,000	250,000 minus liability of 117,500	146,500	0.077%
Matthijs Boon Chief Operating Officer	-	10,000	250,000 minus liability of 117,500	142,500	0.075%
Andrew Phillips Chief Technology Officer	-	10,000	250,000 minus liability of 117,500	142,500	0.075%
Simon England Chief Infrastructure Officer	-	10,000	250,000 minus liability of 117,500	142,500	0.075%
Darren Kilner Diector of Dealing	-	10,000	70,000 minus liabilityof 32,900	47,100	0.025%
Jack Bryant Director of Operations	152,686	10,000	70,000 minus liability of 32,900	199,786	0.105%
Stephen Paul Deputy CFO	-	6,000	50,000 minus liability of 23,500	32,500	0.017%

Application has been made to the London Stock Exchange for these Ordinary Shares to be admitted to trading on AIM ('Admission'). It is expected that Admission will occur at 8:00 a.m. on 23 October 2024. The Ordinary Shares will rank pari passu with the existing ordinary shares in the Company.

Following Admission, the Company will have 190,371,498 ordinary shares of 1 pence each in issue admitted to trading on AIM. The Company holds no shares in Treasury. Accordingly, the figure of 190,371,498 may be used as the denominator for the calculations by which shareholders will determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in, the Company under the FCA's Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules.

Further information is provided below in accordance with Article 19(3) of the UK Market Abuse Regulation No 596/2014.

- Ends -

For more information, please contact:

Equals Group plc
Ian Strafford-Taylor, CEO Richard Cooper, CFO	Tel: [phone] www.equalsplc.com
Canaccord Genuity (Nominated Adviser & Broker)
Max Hartley / Harry Rees	Tel: [phone]
Burson Buchanan (Financial Communications)
Henry Harrison-Topham / Steph Whitmore / Toto Berger [e-mail]	Tel: [phone] www.bursonbuchanan.com

Notes to Editors:

Equals Group plc is a technology-led international payments group augmented by highly personalised service for the payment needs of SME's whether these be FX, card payments or via Faster Payments. Founded in 2007, the Group listed on AIM in 2014. For more information, please visit www.equalsplc.com.

Notification and public disclosure of transactions by persons discharging managerial responsibilities and persons closely associated with them

1	Details of the person discharging managerial responsibilities / person closely associated
a)	Name	Ian Straffod-Taylor
2	Reason for the notification
a)	Position/status	Chief Executive Officer
b)	Initial notification /Amendment	Initial notification
3	Details of the issuer, emission allowance market participant, auction platform, auctioneer or auction monitor
a)	Name	Equals Group plc
b)	LEI	213800CPI5S2GYB3RI27
4	Details of the transaction(s): section to be repeated for (i) each type of instrument; (ii) each type of transaction; (iii) each date; and (iv) each place where transactions have been conducted
a)	Description of the financial instrument, type of instrument Identification code	Ordinary Shares of £0.01 each ISIN: GB00BLS0XX25
b)	Nature of the transaction	Award of ordinary shares
c)	Price(s) and volume(s)	Price No. of shares £0.01 397,500
d)	Aggregated information - Aggregated volume - Price	n/a single transaction
e)	Date of the transaction	18 October 2024
f)	Place of the transaction	Outside a trading venue

1	Details of the person discharging managerial responsibilities / person closely associated
a)	Name	Richard Cooper
2	Reason for the notification
a)	Position/status	Chief Finance Officer
b)	Initial notification /Amendment	Initial notification
3	Details of the issuer, emission allowance market participant, auction platform, auctioneer or auction monitor
a)	Name	Equals Group plc
b)	LEI	213800CPI5S2GYB3RI27
4	Details of the transaction(s): section to be repeated for (i) each type of instrument; (ii) each type of transaction; (iii) each date; and (iv) each place where transactions have been conducted
a)	Description of the financial instrument, type of instrument Identification code	Ordinary Shares of £0.01 each ISIN: GB00BLS0XX25
b)	Nature of the transaction	Award of ordinary shares
c)	Price(s) and volume(s)	Price No. of shares £0.01 265,000
d)	Aggregated information - Aggregated volume - Price	n/a single transaction
e)	Date of the transaction	18 October 2024
f)	Place of the transaction	Outside a trading venue

1	Details of the person discharging managerial responsibilities / person closely associated
a)	Name	Matthijs Boon
2	Reason for the notification
a)	Position/status	Chief Operating Officer
b)	Initial notification /Amendment	Initial notification
3	Details of the issuer, emission allowance market participant, auction platform, auctioneer or auction monitor
a)	Name	Equals Group plc
b)	LEI	213800CPI5S2GYB3RI27
4	Details of the transaction(s): section to be repeated for (i) each type of instrument; (ii) each type of transaction; (iii) each date; and (iv) each place where transactions have been conducted
a)	Description of the financial instrument, type of instrument Identification code	Ordinary Shares of £0.01 each ISIN: GB00BLS0XX25
b)	Nature of the transaction	Award of ordinary shares
c)	Price(s) and volume(s)	Price No. of shares £0.01 132,500
d)	Aggregated information - Aggregated volume - Price	n/a single transaction
e)	Date of the transaction	18 October 2024
f)	Place of the transaction	Outside a trading venue

1	Details of the person discharging managerial responsibilities / person closely associated
a)	Name	Jack Bryant
2	Reason for the notification
a)	Position/status	Director of Operations
b)	Initial notification /Amendment	Initial notification
3	Details of the issuer, emission allowance market participant, auction platform, auctioneer or auction monitor
a)	Name	Equals Group plc
b)	LEI	213800CPI5S2GYB3RI27
4	Details of the transaction(s): section to be repeated for (i) each type of instrument; (ii) each type of transaction; (iii) each date; and (iv) each place where transactions have been conducted
a)	Description of the financial instrument, type of instrument Identification code	Ordinary Shares of £0.01 each ISIN: GB00BLS0XX25
b)	Nature of the transaction	Award of ordinary shares
c)	Price(s) and volume(s)	Price No. of shares £0.01 37,100
d)	Aggregated information - Aggregated volume - Price	n/a single transaction
e)	Date of the transaction	18 October 2024
f)	Place of the transaction	Outside a trading venue

1	Details of the person discharging managerial responsibilities / person closely associated
a)	Name	Simon England
2	Reason for the notification
a)	Position/status	Chief Infrastructure Officer
b)	Initial notification /Amendment	Initial notification
3	Details of the issuer, emission allowance market participant, auction platform, auctioneer or auction monitor
a)	Name	Equals Group plc
b)	LEI	213800CPI5S2GYB3RI27
4	Details of the transaction(s): section to be repeated for (i) each type of instrument; (ii) each type of transaction; (iii) each date; and (iv) each place where transactions have been conducted
a)	Description of the financial instrument, type of instrument Identification code	Ordinary Shares of £0.01 each ISIN: GB00BLS0XX25
b)	Nature of the transaction	Award of ordinary shares
c)	Price(s) and volume(s)	Price No. of shares £0.01 132,500
d)	Aggregated information - Aggregated volume - Price	n/a single transaction
e)	Date of the transaction	18 October 2024
f)	Place of the transaction	Outside a trading venue

1	Details of the person discharging managerial responsibilities / person closely associated
a)	Name	Darren Kilner
2	Reason for the notification
a)	Position/status	Director of Dealing
b)	Initial notification /Amendment	Initial notification
3	Details of the issuer, emission allowance market participant, auction platform, auctioneer or auction monitor
a)	Name	Equals Group plc
b)	LEI	213800CPI5S2GYB3RI27
4	Details of the transaction(s): section to be repeated for (i) each type of instrument; (ii) each type of transaction; (iii) each date; and (iv) each place where transactions have been conducted
a)	Description of the financial instrument, type of instrument Identification code	Ordinary Shares of £0.01 each ISIN: GB00BLS0XX25
b)	Nature of the transaction	Award of ordinary shares
c)	Price(s) and volume(s)	Price No. of shares £0.01 37,100
d)	Aggregated information - Aggregated volume - Price	n/a single transaction
e)	Date of the transaction	18 October 2024
f)	Place of the transaction	Outside a trading venue
1	Details of the person discharging managerial responsibilities / person closely associated
a)	Name	Stephen Paul
2	Reason for the notification
a)	Position/status	Deputy CFO
b)	Initial notification /Amendment	Initial notification
3	Details of the issuer, emission allowance market participant, auction platform, auctioneer or auction monitor
a)	Name	Equals Group plc
b)	LEI	213800CPI5S2GYB3RI27
4	Details of the transaction(s): section to be repeated for (i) each type of instrument; (ii) each type of transaction; (iii) each date; and (iv) each place where transactions have been conducted
a)	Description of the financial instrument, type of instrument Identification code	Ordinary Shares of £0.01 each ISIN: GB00BLS0XX25
b)	Nature of the transaction	Award of ordinary shares
c)	Price(s) and volume(s)	Price No. of shares £0.01 26,500
d)	Aggregated information - Aggregated volume - Price	n/a single transaction
e)	Date of the transaction	18 October 2024
f)	Place of the transaction	Outside a trading venue

1	Details of the person discharging managerial responsibilities / person closely associated
a)	Name	Andrew Phillips
2	Reason for the notification
a)	Position/status	Chief Executive Officer
b)	Initial notification /Amendment	Initial notification
3	Details of the issuer, emission allowance market participant, auction platform, auctioneer or auction monitor
a)	Name	Equals Group plc
b)	LEI	213800CPI5S2GYB3RI27
4	Details of the transaction(s): section to be repeated for (i) each type of instrument; (ii) each type of transaction; (iii) each date; and (iv) each place where transactions have been conducted
a)	Description of the financial instrument, type of instrument Identification code	Ordinary Shares of £0.01 each ISIN: GB00BLS0XX25
b)	Nature of the transaction	Award of ordinary shares
c)	Price(s) and volume(s)	Price No. of shares £0.01 132,500
d)	Aggregated information - Aggregated volume - Price	n/a single transaction
e)	Date of the transaction	18 October 2024
f)	Place of the transaction	Outside a trading venue

1	Details of the person discharging managerial responsibilities / person closely associated
a)	Name	James Simcox
2	Reason for the notification
a)	Position/status	Chief Product Officer
b)	Initial notification /Amendment	Initial notification
3	Details of the issuer, emission allowance market participant, auction platform, auctioneer or auction monitor
a)	Name	Equals Group plc
b)	LEI	213800CPI5S2GYB3RI27
4	Details of the transaction(s): section to be repeated for (i) each type of instrument; (ii) each type of transaction; (iii) each date; and (iv) each place where transactions have been conducted
a)	Description of the financial instrument, type of instrument Identification code	Ordinary Shares of £0.01 each ISIN: GB00BLS0XX25
b)	Nature of the transaction	Award of ordinary shares
c)	Price(s) and volume(s)	Price No. of shares £0.01 132,500
d)	Aggregated information - Aggregated volume - Price	n/a single transaction
e)	Date of the transaction	18 October 2024
f)	Place of the transaction	Outside a trading venue

 

END