Result of Placing

RNS Number : 3809Z

Metro Bank PLC

17 May 2019

 

17 May 2019

Legal Entity Identifier: 213800X5WU57YL9GPK89

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AND THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS RESTRICTED AND NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, JAPAN, SOUTH AFRICA OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION WOULD BE UNLAWFUL. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS AN ADVERTISEMENT AND NOT A PROSPECTUS AND INVESTORS SHOULD NOT SUBSCRIBE FOR OR PURCHASE ANY SECURITIES REFERRED TO IN THIS ANNOUNCEMENT EXCEPT ON THE BASIS OF INFORMATION TO BE CONTAINED IN THE PROSPECTUS.

PLEASE SEE THE IMPORTANT NOTICE CONTAINED WITHIN THIS ANNOUNCEMENT.

Metro Bank PLC

Result of Placing

Following strong demand from both existing and new shareholders, Metro Bank PLC ("Metro Bank" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has successfully raised gross proceeds of approximately £375 million through its placing launched yesterday, 16 May 2019 (the "Placing"), upsizing from an initial target of £350 million.  The Placing Price of 500 pence per Placing Share represents a 5.2% discount to the preceding five day average closing price as at 16 May 2019⁽¹⁾.

Vernon Hill, Chairman and Founder at Metro Bank said:

"I am really pleased with the support we have received from both existing and new shareholders, and for their confidence and belief in Metro Bank's strategy. The Placing was significantly oversubscribed and as a consequence we raised a total of £375 million. Although we've faced challenges in the past few months, we remain fully focused on providing the outstanding service and convenience that our customers expect of us. This growth capital will enable us to continue to expand the business and implement our strategic initiatives."

A total of 75,000,000 new ordinary shares of 0.0001 pence each in Metro Bank (the "Placing Shares") have been underwritten and conditionally placed by RBC Capital Markets, Jefferies International Limited and Keefe, Bruyette & Woods with existing and new investors at a price of 500 pence per Placing Share (the "Placing Price").

Application will be made to the FCA for admission of the Placing Shares to the Premium listing segment of the Official List of the FCA and to London Stock Exchange plc for admission to trading of the Placing Shares on its main market for listed securities ("Admission"). It is expected that Admission of the Placing Shares will become effective at or around 8.00 a.m. on 5 June 2019 and that dealings in the Placing Shares will commence at that time.

The Placing Shares will, when issued, be credited as fully paid and will rank pari passu in all respects with the existing ordinary shares of the Company, including the right to receive all dividends and other distributions declared, made or paid after the date of issue, and will on issue be free of all claims, liens, charges, encumbrances and equities.

Following Admission, the total number of shares of the Company in issue will be 172,420,458 and the total number of voting shares in the Company will be 172,420,458.  This figure may be used by shareholders as the denominator for the calculations by which they will determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change in their interest in, the Company under the FCA's Disclosure and Transparency Rules.

The Placing is conditional, inter alia, on the Transaction Resolutions which include the terms of the Placing as well as Shareholder approval to grant the Directors authority to allot and issue the Placing Shares as if the applicable statutory pre-emption rights did not apply. Approval will be sought for the Transaction Resolutions at a general meeting to be convened at One Southampton Row, London WC1B 5HA on 3 June 2019 at 3 p.m. (the "General Meeting"), notice of which will be set out in a combined circular and prospectus (the "Prospectus") which is expected to be published today, 17 May 2019. The Prospectus will, following publication, be sent to Shareholders that have elected to receive hard copies of shareholder documentation and made available on the Company's website.

Expected timetable of principal events relating to the Placing*

Publication of Prospectus and Form of Proxy	17 May 2019
Posting of Prospectus and Form of Proxy	17 May 2019
Last time and date for receipt of Forms of Proxy for General Meeting	3:00 p.m. on 30 May 2019
General Meeting to approve Placing	3:00 p.m. on 3 June 2019
Announcement of the results of the General Meeting	3 June 2019
Admission and dealings in Placing Shares to commence on the London Stock Exchange	8:00 a.m. on 5 June 2019
Placing Shares credited to CREST stock accounts (uncertificated holders only)	As soon as practicable after 8:00 a.m. on 5 June 2019
Dispatch of definitive share certificates for the Placing Shares in certificated form (where applicable)	By no later than 17 June 2019

*All of the dates and times referred to in this announcement refer to London time and are indicative only and may be subject to change. If any of the details contained in the above expected timetable should change, the revised times and dates will be notified to Shareholders by means of an announcement through the Regulatory Information Service. All events listed in the above timetable scheduled to take place following the General Meeting are conditional on the passing of the Transaction Resolutions at the General Meeting.

Directors' recommendation and participation

The Board considers the Placing to be in the best interests of the Shareholders taken as a whole. Accordingly, the Board unanimously recommends that Shareholders vote in favour of the Transaction Resolutions, as the Directors intend to do in respect of their own beneficial holdings, which amount in aggregate to 6,156,306 ordinary shares and represent approximately 6.3% of the Company's issued ordinary share capital.

Vernon W. Hill, II, the Chairman, has subscribed for 1,000,000 Placing Shares in the Placing and, together with his subscription for shares in the placing carried out by the Company in July 2018, this constitutes a smaller related party transaction for the purposes of Listing Rule 11.1.10R. The Company has obtained written confirmation from RBC, as sponsor, that the terms of the Chairman's participation in the Placing are fair and reasonable as far as the Shareholders are concerned.

Terms used in this announcement shall, unless the context otherwise requires, be as defined in the Placing launch announcement on 16 May 2019.

The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations (EU) No. 596/2014 and was authorised for release by David Arden, Chief Financial Officer.

(1)   The Placing Price of 500 pence per Placing Share also represents a 6.8% discount to the middle market quotation derived from the latest available daily official list of the London Stock Exchange

For further information on this announcement, please contact:

Metro Bank plc

David Arden, Chief Financial Officer                               [phone]

Jo Roberts, Investor Relations                                       [phone]

Media Relations

Tina Coates / Latika Shah / Abigail Whittaker                   [phone] / [phone] /      [phone]

Global Coordinators and Bookrunners

RBC Capital Markets

Oliver Hearsey / Marcus Jackson / Duncan Smith            [phone]

Jefferies International Limited

Paul Nicholls / Graham Davidson / Max Jones                [phone]

Bookrunner

Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, a Stifel company

Tom Michaud / Robin Mann / Stewart Wallace                 [phone]

Teneo

Charlie Armitstead / Anthony Silverman / Haya Herbert Burns                   [phone]

About Metro Bank

Metro Bank is the revolution in British banking. It is celebrated for its exceptional customer experience and achieved the top spot in the Competition and Market Authority's Service Quality Survey among personal current account holders for its overall service and came second among business current account holders in February 2019. It was also awarded 'Best All Round Personal Finance Provider' at the Moneynet Personal Finance Awards 2019, as well as 'Most Trusted Financial Provider' at the Moneywise Customer Service Awards in 2016 and 2017 and 'Financial Services Company of the Year' at the Evening Standard Business Awards 2017. It is recognised by Glassdoor in its 'Best Place to Work UK 2019' top 50 list.

Offering retail, business, commercial and private banking services, it prides itself on using technology to give customers the choice to bank however, whenever and wherever they choose. Whether that's through its growing network of stores open seven days a week, from early in the morning to late at night, 362 days a year; on the phone through its UK-based 24/7 contact centres manned by people not machines; or online through its internet banking or award-winning mobile app: the bank offers customers real choice.

The bank employs over 3,900 colleagues and is headquartered in Holborn, London.

Metro Bank PLC. Registered in England and Wales. Company number: 6419578. Registered office: One Southampton Row, London, WC1B 5HA. 'Metrobank' is the registered trade mark of Metro Bank PLC.

It is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority. Most relevant deposits are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. For further information about the Scheme refer to the FSCS website www.fscs.org.uk.

All Metro Bank products are subject to status and approval.

Metro Bank PLC is an independent UK bank - it is not affiliated with any other bank or organisation (including the METRO newspaper or its publishers) anywhere in the world. Please refer to Metro Bank using the full name.

Important Notice

No action has been taken by the Company or RBC Europe Limited (trading as RBC Capital Markets), Jefferies International Limited or Keefe, Bruyette & Woods (acting through Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited) (together, the "Bookrunners"), or any of their respective affiliates or any other person acting on their behalf, that would, or which is intended to, permit a public offer of the Placing Shares in any jurisdiction, or possession or distribution of this Announcement or any other offering or publicity material relating to the Placing Shares in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required. Any failure to comply with these restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws of such jurisdictions. Persons into whose possession this Announcement comes shall inform themselves about, and observe, such restrictions. Persons needing advice should consult an independent financial adviser.

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER OR INVITATION TO UNDERWRITE, BUY, SUBSCRIBE, SELL OR ISSUE OR THE SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY, SELL, ACQUIRE, DISPOSE OR SUBSCRIBE FOR THE PLACING SHARES OR ANY OTHER SECURITY IN THE UNITED STATES (INCLUDING ITS TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS, ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, COLLECTIVELY THE "UNITED STATES"), AUSTRALIA, JAPAN, SOUTH AFRICA OR IN ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH, OR TO ANY PERSONS TO WHOM, SUCH OFFERING, SOLICITATION OR SALE WOULD BE UNLAWFUL.

The Placing Shares have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") or under the securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States, and may not be offered, sold or transferred, directly or indirectly, in or into or from the United States except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act and in compliance with any applicable securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States. There is no public offering of the Placing Shares in the United States, the United Kingdom or elsewhere. No representation is being made as to the availability of any exemption under the Securities Act for the reoffer, resale, pledge or transfer of the Placing Shares.

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. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offence in the United States.

No prospectus has been lodged with, or registered by, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission or the Japanese Ministry of Finance; no approval has been sought from the South African Reserve Bank in relation to restrictions applicable to residents and non-residents as to the remittance of funds from South Africa to a foreign country; and the Placing Shares have not been, and nor will they be, registered under or offered in compliance with the securities laws of any state, province or territory of Australia, Japan or 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 Australia, Japan, South Africa or any other jurisdiction outside the United Kingdom or to, or for the account or benefit of any national, resident or citizen of Australia, Japan, South Africa.

Solely for the purposes of the product governance requirements contained within: (a) EU Directive 2014/65/EU on markets in financial instruments, as amended ("MiFID II"); (b) Articles 9 and 10 of Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2017/593 supplementing MiFID II; and (c) local implementing measures (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 Product Governance Requirements) may otherwise have with respect thereto, the Placing Shares have been subject to a product approval process, which has determined that the Placing Shares are: (i) compatible with an end target market of (a) retail investors, (b) investors who meet the criteria of professional clients and (c) eligible counterparties, each as defined in MiFID II; and (ii) eligible for distribution through all distribution channels as are permitted by MiFID II (the "Target Market Assessment"). Notwithstanding the Target Market Assessment, distributors should note that: the price of the Placing Shares may decline and investors could lose all or part of their investment; the Placing Shares offer no guaranteed income and no capital protection; and an investment in the Placing 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 risks 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. Furthermore, it is noted that, notwithstanding the Target Market Assessment, the Bookrunners will only procure investors 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 Placing Shares.

Each distributor is responsible for undertaking its own target market assessment in respect of the Placing Shares and determining appropriate distribution channels. RBC Europe Limited (trading as RBC Capital Markets), which is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority ("PRA") and regulated in the United Kingdom by the FCA and the PRA, and Jefferies International Limited and Keefe, Bruyette & Woods (acting through Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited) which are authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the FCA, are acting exclusively for the Company and no one else in connection with the Placing and will not regard any other person as a client in relation to the Placing and will not be responsible to anyone other than the Company for providing the protections afforded to their respective clients nor for providing advice in relation to the Placing and/or any other matter referred to in this Announcement.

This Announcement is being issued by and is the sole responsibility of the Company. No representation or warranty, express or implied, is or will be made as to, or in relation to, and no responsibility or liability is or will be accepted by the Bookrunners nor any of their respective affiliates or agents (or any of their respective directors, officers, employees or advisers) for the contents of this Announcement, or any other written or oral information made available to or publicly available to any interested party or its advisers, or any other statement made or purported to be made by or on behalf of any of the Bookrunners or any of their respective affiliates in connection with the Company, the Placing Shares or the Placing and any responsibility therefor is expressly disclaimed. The Bookrunners and each of their respective affiliates accordingly disclaim all and any liability, whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise (save as referred to above) in respect of any statements or other information contained in this Announcement and no representation or warranty, express or implied, is made by any of the Bookrunners or any of their respective affiliates as to the accuracy, completeness or sufficiency of the information contained in this Announcement.

This Announcement does not identify or suggest, or purport to identify or suggest, the risks (direct or indirect) that may be associated with an investment in the Placing Shares. Any investment decision to buy Placing Shares in the Placing must be made on the basis of the terms and conditions set out in the Appendix to the placing launch announcement published by the Company on 16 May 2019.

This Announcement contains (or may contain) certain forward-looking statements with respect to certain of the Company's current expectations and projections about future performance, anticipated events or trends and other matters that are not historical facts. These forward-looking statements, which sometimes use words such as "aim", "anticipate", "believe", "intend", "plan" "estimate", "expect" and words of similar meaning, include all matters that are not historical facts and reflect the directors' beliefs and expectations and involve a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results and performance to differ materially from any expected future results or performance expressed or implied by the forward-looking statement. These statements are subject to unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Statements contained in this Announcement regarding past trends or activities should not be taken as a representation that such trends or activities will continue in the future. The information contained in this Announcement is subject to change without notice and, except as required by applicable law, neither the Company nor the Bookrunners assume any responsibility or obligation to update publicly or review any of the forward-looking statements contained herein. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this Announcement. Any indication in this Announcement of the price at which Placing Shares have been bought or sold in the past cannot be relied upon as a guide to future performance. No statement in this Announcement is or is intended to be a profit forecast or profit estimate or to imply that the earnings of the Company for the current or future financial years will necessarily match or exceed the historical or published earnings of the Company. The price of shares and the income from them may go down as well as up and investors may not get back the full amount invested on disposal of the shares. Past performance is no guide for future performance and persons reading this Announcement should consult an independent financial adviser.

In connection with the Placing, each of the Bookrunners and any of their affiliates, acting as investors for their own account, may take up a portion of the shares in the Placing as a principal position and in that capacity may retain, purchase, sell, offer to sell for their own accounts such shares and other securities of the Company or related investments in connection with the Placing or otherwise. Accordingly, references to Placing Shares being offered, acquired, placed or otherwise dealt in should be read as including any issue or offer to, or acquisition, placing or dealing by, the Bookrunners and any of their affiliates acting in such capacity. In addition, the Bookrunners and any of their affiliates may enter into financing arrangements (including swaps) with investors in connection with which the Bookrunners and any of their respective affiliates may from time to time acquire, hold or dispose of shares. The Bookrunners do not intend to disclose the extent of any such investment or transactions otherwise than in accordance with any legal or regulatory obligations to do so.

The Placing Shares to be issued pursuant to the Placing will not be admitted to trading on any stock exchange other than the London Stock Exchange.

The most recent Annual and Interim Reports and other information are available on the Metro Bank website at www.metrobankonline.co.uk/investor-relations. Neither the content of the Company's website nor any website accessible by hyperlinks on the Company's website is incorporated in, or forms part of, this Announcement.

This Announcement does not constitute a recommendation concerning the Placing.

 

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