Strategic Review, Commencement Formal Sale Process

PRS REIT PLC (The)

23 October 2024

 

This is an announcement made under Rule 2.4 of the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers (the "Takeover Code") and is not an announcement of a firm intention by any party to make an offer under Rule 2.7 of the Takeover Code. There can be no certainty that an offer will be made for The PRS REIT plc, nor as to the terms on which any offer may be made.

This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 as it forms part of UK domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 ("MAR").

PRSR.L

The PRS REIT plc

("PRS REIT" or "the Company")

Strategic Review and Commencement of Formal Sale Process

The PRS REIT plc, the closed-ended real estate investment trust that invests in high-quality, new build, family homes in the private rented sector, announces that it is undertaking a strategic review to consider the future of the Company and to explore all the various strategic options available to enhance value for shareholders which may include a potential sale of the Company (the "Strategic Review").

Background to the Strategic Review

The Board believes that the Company has successfully established the largest build-to-rent single-family home portfolio in the UK, creating significant asset value returns for its Shareholders. As recently announced, the Company's existing portfolio grew to 5,425 completed homes as at 30 September 2024, with an Estimated Rental Value of £67.5 million per annum. PRS REIT continues to demonstrate best-in-class occupancy and rent collection rates, at 98% and 100% respectively. The Company's prospects remain positive against the backdrop of a structural shortage of quality family rental homes in the UK, a situation exacerbated by private landlords exiting the rental market.

Further to the announcement on 13 September 2024, the Board has received feedback from a number of shareholders regarding the options available to the Company to maximise value for shareholders. Following such feedback, the Board wishes to explore these options in a coordinated fashion, alongside engaging with a range of potentially interested parties.

Formal Sale Process & Takeover Code Considerations

The Strategic Review will be undertaken under the mechanism referred to in the Takeover Code as a "Formal Sale Process", which will enable conversations with parties interested in making a proposal to take place on a confidential basis.

Parties interested in submitting an expression of interest should contact Geeta Nanda, Senior Independent Non-Executive Director or Robert Naylor, Non-Executive Director using the contact details below.

It is currently expected that any party interested in submitting any form of proposal for consideration in connection with the Formal Sale Process will, at the appropriate time, enter into a non-disclosure agreement and standstill arrangement with the Company on terms satisfactory to the Board and on the same terms, in all material respects, as other interested parties before being permitted to participate in the process. The Company then intends to provide such interested parties with certain information on its business, following which interested parties shall be invited to submit their proposals. The Company will update the market in due course regarding timings for the Formal Sale Process.

The Board reserves the right to alter or terminate any aspect of the process as outlined above at any time, and to reject any approach or terminate discussions with any interested party at any time, and in such cases will make an announcement as appropriate.

The Company is not currently in discussions with, or in receipt of an approach from, any potential offeror at the date of this announcement. The Takeover Panel has granted a dispensation from the requirements of Rules 2.4(a), 2.4(b) and 2.6(a) of the Takeover Code such that any party participating in the formal sale process will not be required to be publicly identified under Rules 2.4(a) or (b) and will not be subject to the 28 day deadline referred to in Rule 2.6(a) of the Takeover Code for so long as it is participating in the process. Following this announcement, the Company is now considered to be in an "offer period" as defined in the Takeover Code, and the dealing disclosure requirements will apply.

Shareholders are advised that this announcement does not represent a firm intention by any party to make an offer under Rule 2.7 of the Takeover Code and there can be no certainty that any offers will be made as a result of the Formal Sale Process, that any sale, strategic investment or other transaction will be concluded, nor as to the terms on which any offer, strategic investment or other transaction may be made.

For further information, please contact:

The PRS REIT plc Geeta Nanda, Senior Independent Non-Executive Director Robert Naylor, Non-Executive Director	Tel: [phone] (c/o Singer Capital Markets)
Singer Capital Markets James Moat, James Maxwell, Asha Chotai	Tel: [phone]
G10 Capital Limited (AIFM and part of IQ-EQ group) Maria Baldwin	Tel: [phone]
KTZ Communications Katie Tzouliadis, Robert Morton	Tel: [phone]

NOTES TO EDITORS

About The PRS REIT plc www.theprsreit.co.uk  

The PRS REIT plc is a closed-ended real estate investment trust established to invest in the Private Rented Sector ("PRS") and to provide shareholders with an attractive level of income together with the potential for capital and income growth. The Company is investing over £1bn in a portfolio of high-quality homes for private rental across the regions, having raised a total of £0.56bn (gross) through its Initial Public Offering, on 31 May 2017 and subsequent fundraisings in February 2018 and September 2021. The UK Government's Homes England has   supported the Company with direct investments. The Company is listed on the Closed-ended investment funds category of the FCA's Official List and its Ordinary Shares are traded on the London Stock Exchange's Main Market. It is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index. With 5,425 new rental homes as at 30 September 2024, the Company believes its portfolio is the largest build-to-rent single-family rental portfolio in the UK.

LEI: 21380037Q91HU97WZX58

About Sigma PRS Management Ltd

Sigma PRS Management Ltd is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sigma Capital Group Limited and is Investment Adviser to The PRS REIT plc. It sources investments and operationally manages the assets of The PRS REIT plc and advises the Alternative Investment Fund Manager ("AIFM") and The PRS REIT plc on a day-to-day basis in accordance with The PRS REIT plc's Investment Policy. The AIFM is G10 Capital Limited. Sigma PRS Management Ltd is an appointed representative of G10 Capital Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN:648953). 

Disclosure requirements of the Takeover 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) 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(s), save to the extent that these details have previously been disclosed under Rule 8. A Dealing Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(b) 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.

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).

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.

Rule 2.9 disclosure

For the purposes of Rule 2.9 of the Takeover Code, the Company confirms that, as at 23 October 2024, being the last practicable business day prior to the date of this announcement, it has 549,251,458 ordinary shares of £0.01 each in issue (the "Ordinary Shares").  The International Securities Identification Number for the Ordinary Shares is GB00BF01NH51.

Publication on website

For the purposes of Rule 26.1 of the Takeover Code, a copy of this announcement will be made available (subject to certain restrictions relating to persons resident in restricted jurisdictions) on the Company's website https://www.theprsreit.com/ promptly following its publication and in any event no later than 12 noon (London time) on the business day following the release of this announcement. The content of the website referred to in this announcement is not incorporated into and does not form part of this announcement.

 

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