Update on Possible Offer

RNS Number : 6067N

Marston's PLC

01 February 2021

 

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

THIS IS AN ANNOUNCEMENT FALLING UNDER RULE 2.4 OF THE CITY CODE ON TAKEOVERS AND MERGERS (THE "CODE") AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN ANNOUNCEMENT OF A FIRM INTENTION TO MAKE AN OFFER UNDER RULE 2.7 OF THE CODE. THERE CAN BE NO CERTAINTY THAT ANY FIRM OFFER WILL BE MADE NOR AS TO THE TERMS ON WHICH ANY FIRM OFFER MIGHT BE MADE.

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONTAINS INSIDE INFORMATION

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

1^st February 2021
Marston's PLC

UPDATE ON POSSIBLE OFFER

Further to the announcement on Friday, 29th January 2021 that the Board of Marston's PLC ("Marston's" or the "Company") had received an unsolicited non-binding proposal from Platinum Equity Advisors, LLC ("Platinum") for the entire issued, and to be issued, share capital of Marston's (the "Proposal"), the Company provides the following update.

The Board of Marston's has considered the Proposal of 105 pence per Marston's share with its advisers, and unanimously rejected the Proposal on the basis that it very significantly undervalues Marston's. The Proposal followed two earlier proposals at 88 pence and 95 pence per share in December 2020, both of which were received prior to the Brains transaction, and were unanimously rejected by the Board.

The Proposal represents a 19% discount to the Company's share price at the start of 2020, pre-COVID 19; and since that time the Company has completed the transformative joint venture with Carlsberg to create the Carlsberg Marston's Brewing Company, which realised significant value on completion and is anticipated to continue to do so as the benefits of the joint venture are realised. In December 2020 the Company also announced an agreement to operate 156 high quality pubs within the SA Brain estate in South and West Wales, in a transaction which is expected to be accretive to earnings in the first full year of trading.

In accordance with Rule 2.6(a) of the Code, Platinum, is required, by no later than 5.00 p.m. (London time) on Friday, 26^th February 2021, being 28 days after Friday's announcement, to either announce a firm intention to make an offer for the Company in accordance with Rule 2.7 of the Code or announce that it does not intend to make an offer, in which case the announcement will be treated as a statement to which Rule 2.8 of the Code applies. This deadline can be extended with the consent of the Takeover Panel (the "Panel") in accordance with Rule 2.6(c) of the Code.

This announcement has been made by Marston's without the prior agreement or approval of Platinum.

Enquiries:

Marston's PLC	Tel: [phone]
Ralph Findlay, CEO
Andrew Andrea, CFO

J.P. Morgan Cazenove	Tel: [phone]
James Mitford / Anastasia Volnova
Dwayne Lysaght / Jonty Edwards
Instinctif Partners	Tel: [phone]
Justine Warren
Matthew Smallwood

Disclaimer

J.P. Morgan Securities PLC, which conducts its UK investment banking business as J.P. Morgan Cazenove ("J.P. Morgan Cazenove"), is authorised in the United Kingdom by the Prudential Regulation Authority (the "PRA") and regulated in the United Kingdom by the PRA and the Financial Conduct Authority. J.P. Morgan Cazenove is acting as financial adviser exclusively for Marston's and no one else in connection with the matters set out in this announcement and will not regard any other person as its client in relation to the matters in this announcement and will not be responsible to anyone other than Marston's for providing the protections afforded to clients of J.P. Morgan Cazenove, or for providing advice in relation to any matter referred to herein.

Rule 26.1 Disclosure

In accordance with Rule 26.1 of the Code, a copy of this announcement will be available at www.marstons.co.uk, by no later than 12 noon (London time) on Tuesday, 2^nd February 2021. The content of the website referred to in this announcement is not incorporated into and does not form part of this announcement.

Disclosure requirements of the Code

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

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

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

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

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

 

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