Proposed Placing and Open Offer
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT (INCLUDING THE APPENDIX) AND THE INFORMATION HEREIN IS RESTRICTED AND IS NOT FOR PUBLICATION, RELEASE, TRANSMISSION, DISTRIBUTION OR FORWARDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA, JAPAN OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH PUBLICATION, TRANSMISSION, RELEASE, DISTRIBUTION OR FORWARDING WOULD BE UNLAWFUL.
THE INFORMATION CONTAINED WITHIN THIS ANNOUNCEMENT (THE "ANNOUNCEMENT") IS DEEMED BY THE GROUP TO CONSTITUTE INSIDE INFORMATION AS STIPULATED UNDER THE MARKET ABUSE REGULATION (EU) NO. 596/2014, AS APPLIED IN THE UNITED KINGDOM. UPON THE PUBLICATION OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT VIA A REGULATORY INFORMATION SERVICE, THIS INSIDE INFORMATION IS NOW CONSIDERED TO BE IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN.
1 March 2021
Quadrise Fuels International plc
("Quadrise", "QFI", the "Company" and together with its subsidiaries the "Group")
Proposed Placing of Ordinary Shares and Open Offer
Quadrise Fuels International, the supplier of MSAR® and bioMSAR™ emulsion technology and fuels, which are low-cost, cleaner alternatives to heavy fuel oil, today announces its intention to conduct a placing of new ordinary shares of 1 pence each in the Company ("Ordinary Shares") (the "Placing Shares") at a price of 2.7 pence per Placing Share to institutional and other investors to raise gross proceeds of £6.0 million (the "Placing").
In addition, and in recognition of the continuing support from long-term shareholders, the Company also announces that it will be providing existing Qualifying Shareholders with the opportunity to participate in an open offer of new Ordinary Shares in the Company at the Placing Price to raise additional gross proceeds of up to approximately £1.0 million (the "Open Offer"). The Open Offer will be launched on conclusion of the Placing. The Placing Shares are not subject to clawback and will not be part of the Open Offer.
The total number of Placing Shares will not exceed 20 per cent. of the Company's existing ordinary share capital.
The Placing will be conducted through an accelerated bookbuild (the "Bookbuild") which will be launched immediately following this announcement. The price at which the Placing Shares are to be placed will be 2.7 pence (the "Placing Price"). The Placing is subject to the terms and conditions set out in Appendix 1 to this announcement (which forms part of this announcement, such announcement and its Appendices together being this "Announcement").
Quadrise intends to issue the Placing Shares by way of a non-pre-emptive cashbox placing. This structure has been chosen as it minimises cost, time to completion and use of management time at an important time for the Company and in the context of the Company having no current non pre-emptive share issuance authorities. The Board has consulted with the Company's major shareholders, ahead of the release of this Announcement, who have endorsed this strategy.
Shore Capital Stockbrokers Limited ( "Shore Capital" or the "Bookrunner") is acting as sole bookrunner in connection with the Placing. Cenkos Securities plc ("Cenkos") is acting as nominated adviser to the Company.
For further information, please contact:
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Details of the Placing
Shore Capital is acting as sole Bookrunner in connection with the Placing. The Placing is subject to the terms and conditions set out in Appendix 1 to this Announcement. The Bookrunner will commence the Bookbuild in respect of the Placing immediately following the release of this announcement. The number of Placing Shares will be determined at the close of the Bookbuild and will be announced as soon as practicable after the close of the Bookbuild.
The timing of the closing of the Bookbuild, pricing and allocations are at the absolute discretion of the Bookrunner, in consultation with Cenkos, and the Company.
The Placing Shares, when issued, will be credited as fully paid and will rank pari passu in all respects with each other, with the Open Offer Shares and with the Existing Ordinary Shares, including, without limitation, the right to receive all dividends and other distributions declared, made or paid after the date of issue.
Application will be made to the London Stock Exchange for the Placing Shares and Open Offer Shares to be admitted to trading on AIM ("Admission").
Settlement for the Placing Shares and First Admission are expected to take place on or around 8.00 a.m. on 9 March 2021 (or such later date as may be agreed between Shore Capital and the Company). The Placing is conditional upon, inter alia, First Admission becoming effective and the placing agreement between the Company, Shore Capital and Cenkos (the "Placing Agreement") not being terminated in accordance with its terms. Appendix 1 to this Announcement sets out further information relating to the Bookbuild and the terms and conditions of the Placing.
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Background to and Rationale for the Placing and Open Offer
During 2020 the Group built considerable momentum by implementing its strategy of developing a wider range of MSAR® projects and potential commercial opportunities. This momentum has accelerated into 2021 as demonstrated by progress in a number of key projects - most notably in the industrials, upstream oil and gas and marine bunkering markets.
In addition, the Group has made rapid progress in the development of bioMSAR™, which the Company believe opens up substantial new market opportunities in the rapidly growing renewable, biofuels market. Even with rapid progress towards a net zero carbon target, consensus forecasts still show fossil fuels as a major part of the energy mix through to 2050, so the Company see strong growth opportunities for both MSAR® and bioMSAR™. Quadrise is well positioned to progress these opportunities with its commercial partners in the relevant markets, providing, the Company believe, firm foundations for the Company's future growth.
The net proceeds of the Placing, together with the Company's existing cash resources, are expected to provide the Company with the funds required to progress the Company's current trial programmes through to commercial revenues in order to achieve sustained income and positive cashflows. Additional funds of up to approximately £1.0 million to be raised pursuant to the Open Offer to Qualifying Shareholders for Open Offer Shares at the Placing Price of 2.7 pence per Open Offer Share will further strengthen the Company's balance sheet whilst providing additional project flexibility.
Views of the Board
The net proceeds of the Placing, together with the Company's existing cash resources, are expected to provide the Company with the funds required to achieve sustained income and positive cashflows. Additional funds of up to approximately £1.0 million to be raised pursuant to the Open Offer will further strengthen the Company's balance sheet whilst providing additional project flexibility.
The Board therefore considers the Placing and the Open Offer to be in the best interests of the Company and its Shareholders as a whole.
All bar one of the members of the Board intend to participate in the Placing and/or the Open Offer in respect of an aggregate of up to 944,443 new Ordinary Shares in the Company.
Outlook - Current trading and prospects
The Quadrise team has been able to build on the platform established in 2019 with additional significant momentum achieved during 2020 which has now accelerated in 2021, despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
2021, will be a very busy year as the Company ramp-up our activities across all of our active projects in the industrial, upstream and marine markets, alongside the continued testing and development of our new renewable fuel, bioMSAR™. In all of these projects, the Company have built in contingencies relating to the potential impact of continuing controls and restrictions relating to COVID-19. Whilst there can be no certainty on how and when restriction will be eased - based on our most up to date plans, the Company feel confident that the Company can manage any downside risks appropriately.
· The Company have already put contingency plans in place relating to the manufacture of fuel for the industrial trial in Morocco at Site B by a third party, from where the fuel can be shipped directly to Morocco.
· The PHU that will be used for both the industrial trial at Site B and the subsequent commercial trial at Site A in Morocco has been fabricated and is ready to be sent to Morocco.
· The work on Site A where non-essential access (even for their own staff) is tightly controlled, is planned in the second half of 2021, when COVID-19 restrictions are highly likely to have eased materially.
· Early-stage work on the MSC trial is focused on planning, so the Company are not anticipating any material change to the timing of these activities. This significantly reduces the risk of the operational elements being impacted, as they are expected to be implemented in the second half of the year.
· Pending receipt of samples from Greenfield, the Company can complete the confirmatory testing and issue the report to the client within three weeks. This is the critical path item for the test programme, as the MMU and ancillary equipment are ready to be sent to Utah, once Greenfield confirm they are ready to receive this on-site.
· The Utah test is of very limited duration, with a planned 600 barrels (100mt) of MSAR® being produced. The Company expect the test to be completed within 1 week of being able to commission the MMU on site.
· One of the JV partners in Greenfield, TomCo, has been able to gain regular access to the Utah site for its UK-staff throughout the current restrictions, so the Company do not anticipate that this will adversely impact our plans.
· Much of the development and testing activities for bioMSAR™ are to be carried out at third-party dedicated test facilities and at QRF and the Company do not expect these activities will be materially impacted by COVID-19 restrictions.
It is important to emphasise that the Company takes its responsibilities to ensure that all of our colleagues remain safe very seriously. This will always be the main priority when assessing project programmes and our current planning and contingencies fully take this into account.
The Company regard continued progress in the above projects as being instrumental to building momentum which will then significantly improve the engagement with key stakeholders in the Middle East and Central and South America, the Company know that being able to deliver good newsflow will be as important as ever and the Company have invested significant further effort into our PR/IR activities to support this. With White Papers published on the Middle East and the Americas markets and enabling the bulk of our website to be available in Arabic and Spanish, the Company have raised our profile significantly in these markets. This has been further supported by a more comprehensive and consistent approach to the use of social media to supplement and enhance our formal announcements via RNS. The Company will also continue to use a broad spread of routes to engage with shareholders, including interviews with Proactive Investors, and the use of Investor Meet Company to provide regular updates and Q&A sessions for our substantial and loyal retail shareholder base.
On the assumption that the Open Offer is fully subscribed, the funding will enable Quadrise to progress its active projects and their planned migration to commercial contracts - providing a clear path to sustainable commercial revenues. It also supports our business development activities to enable progress in key markets such as the Middle East and Central and South America.
Use of proceeds
During 2020 the Group built considerable momentum in implementing its new strategy of developing a wider range of MSAR® project and commercial opportunities. This momentum has accelerated into 2021. The Company have demonstrated staged progress in a number of key markets for the Group - most notably in the industrials, upstream oil and gas and marine bunkering markets. In addition, the Company have made rapid progress in the development of bioMSAR™ which the Company believe opens up substantial new market opportunities, giving Quadrise access to a rapidly growing market for biofuels. With even the most optimistic of forecasts still seeing fossil fuels as a major part of the energy mix through to 2050, the Company see strong growth opportunities for both MSAR® and bioMSAR™. The Company are well positioned to progress these opportunities with our commercial partners in the relevant markets, providing, the Company believe, firm foundations for the Company's future growth.
As at 30 June 2020, the Group's audited cash balance was approximately £2.4 million and the proceeds of the Placing would provide the Company with the funds required to progress current active programmes through to the successful conclusion of the relevant trials/tests, the negotiation and implementation of commercial supply contracts, and the generation of sustainable positive cashflows.
Should the Open Offer be fully subscribed, the net proceeds from the Open Offer will further strengthen the Company's balance sheet whilst providing additional project flexibility.
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Structure of the Placing
The Placing has been structured using a cash box structure. The Board has consulted with the Company's major shareholders, ahead of the release of this Announcement, who have endorsed this strategy.
The Company and Shore Capital have agreed to subscribe for ordinary shares in Four (Jersey) Limited. Monies received from Placees taking up Placing Shares will bepaidto anaccount with Shore Capital. Shore Capital (acting as principal)willapplythe net proceeds of the Placinginsuchaccounttosubscribeforredeemablepreferencesharesin Four (Jersey) Limited.
The Company will allot and issue the Placing Sharestothosepersonsentitledtotheminconsideration forShore Capitaltransferringitsholdingsofordinarysharesandredeemablepreferencesharesin Four (Jersey) LimitedtotheCompany.Accordingly,insteadofreceivingcashconsiderationfortheissueofPlacingShares, followingcompletionofthePlacing,theCompanywillowntheentireissuedsharecapitalofFour (Jersey) Limited, whose principal assets willbeitscash reserves, whichwill represent an amount approximately equal to the netproceedsof the Placing. The Company will then be ableto accessthose fundsbyredeemingthe redeemable preferenceshares it holds in Four (Jersey) Limited, or,alternatively,during any interim periodbeforeredemption, by procuring thatFour (Jersey) Limitedlends the amounttothe Company.
Accordingly, by taking up or purchasingPlacingSharesunderthePlacingandsubmittingavalidpaymentinrespectthereof, a PlaceeinstructsShore Capitaltoholdsuchpaymentonbehalf ofShore Capitaland:(i)totheextentofasuccessfulapplicationunderthePlacing, to apply such paymentonbehalf ofShore Capitalsolely forShore Capitaltosubscribe(asprincipal) forredeemable preferencesharesinFour (Jersey) Limited;and(ii)tothe extentofanunsuccessfulapplication underthe Placing,to returntherelevant payment without interest tothe applicant.
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This Announcement should be read in its entirety. In particular, Shareholders should read and understand the information provided in the "Important Notices" section of this Announcement.
APPENDIX 1
TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE PLACING
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON THE PLACING FOR INVITED PLACEES ONLY
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO TAKE PART IN THE PLACING. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, INCLUDING THIS APPENDIX AND THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SET OUT HEREIN (TOGETHER, THIS "ANNOUNCEMENT") (WHICH IS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY) ARE DIRECTED ONLY AT PERSONS WHOSE ORDINARY ACTIVITIES INVOLVE THEM IN ACQUIRING, HOLDING, MANAGING AND DISPOSING OF INVESTMENTS (AS PRINCIPAL OR AGENT) FOR THE PURPOSES OF THEIR BUSINESS AND WHO HAVE PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE IN MATTERS RELATING TO INVESTMENTS AND ARE: (A) IF IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, QUALIFIED INVESTORS WHO FALL WITHIN ARTICLE 19(5) OF THE FINANCIAL SERVICES AND MARKETS ACT 2000 (FINANCIAL PROMOTION) ORDER 2005, AS AMENDED (THE "ORDER") (INVESTMENT PROFESSIONALS) OR FALL WITHIN ARTICLE 49(2)(a) TO (d) (HIGH NET WORTH COMPANIES, UNINCORPORATED ASSOCIATIONS, ETC.) OF THE ORDER; OR (B) PERSONS TO WHOM THEY MAY OTHERWISE LAWFULLY BE COMMUNICATED (ALL SUCH PERSONS TOGETHER BEING REFERRED TO AS "RELEVANT PERSONS").
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AND THE INFORMATION IN IT MUST NOT BE ACTED ON OR RELIED ON BY PERSONS WHO ARE NOT RELEVANT PERSONS. PERSONS DISTRIBUTING THIS ANNOUNCEMENT MUST SATISFY THEMSELVES THAT IT IS LAWFUL TO DO SO. ANY INVESTMENT OR INVESTMENT ACTIVITY TO WHICH THIS ANNOUNCEMENT RELATES IS AVAILABLE ONLY TO RELEVANT PERSONS AND WILL BE ENGAGED IN ONLY WITH RELEVANT PERSONS. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT DOES NOT ITSELF CONSTITUTE AN OFFER FOR THE SALE OR SUBSCRIPTION OR A SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY OR ACQUIRE OF ANY SECURITIES IN THE COMPANY.
THE PLACING SHARES HAVE NOT BEEN AND WILL NOT BE REGISTERED UNDER THE US SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "US SECURITIES ACT") OR WITH ANY SECURITIES REGULATORY AUTHORITY OF ANY STATE OR JURISDICTION OF THE UNITED STATES OR UNDER ANY SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION OF THE UNITED STATES AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD, RESOLD, PLEDGED, TRANSFERRED OR DELIVERED, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AN APPLICABLE EXEMPTION FROM, OR IN A TRANSACTION NOT SUBJECT TO, THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE US SECURITIES ACT, IN EACH CASE, AND IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION OF THE UNITED STATES. THE PLACING SHARES ARE BEING OFFERED AND SOLD ONLY OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES IN "OFFSHORE TRANSACTIONS" WITHIN THE MEANING OF, AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH, REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT AND OTHERWISE IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAWS. NO PUBLIC OFFERING OF THE PLACING SHARES IS BEING MADE IN THE UNITED STATES, THE UNITED KINGDOM OR ELSEWHERE WHERE SUCH OFFERING WOULD BE UNLAWFUL.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AND THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS RESTRICTED AND IS NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO OR FROM THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN, NEW ZEALAND, THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH RELEASE PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION WOULD BE UNLAWFUL (THE "RESTRICTED JURISDICTIONS").
EACH PLACEE SHOULD CONSULT WITH ITS OWN ADVISORS AS TO LEGAL, TAX, BUSINESS AND RELATED ASPECTS OF A PURCHASE OF 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. The relevant clearances have not been, nor will they be, obtained from the securities commission of any province or territory of Canada, no prospectus has been lodged with, or registered by, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission or the Japanese Ministry of Finance; the relevant clearances have not been, and will not be, obtained for the South Africa Reserve Bank or any other applicable body in the Republic of South Africa in relation to the Placing Shares and the Placing Shares have not been, nor will they be registered under or offered in compliance with the securities laws of any state, province or territory of Australia, Canada, Japan or the Republic of 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, Canada, Japan or the Republic of South Africa.
Persons (including without limitation, nominees and trustees) who have a contractual right or other legal obligations to forward a copy of this Announcement should seek appropriate advice before taking any action.
This Announcement should be read in its entirety. In particular, any Placee should read and understand the information provided in the "Important Notice" section of this Announcement.
By participating in the Bookbuild and the Placing, each Placee will be deemed to have read and understood this Announcement in its entirety, to be participating, making an offer and acquiring Placing Shares on the terms and conditions contained herein and to be providing the representations, warranties, indemnities, acknowledgements and undertakings contained in this Appendix.
In particular, each such Placee represents, warrants, undertakes, agrees and acknowledges (amongst other things) that:
1. it is a Relevant Person and undertakes that it will acquire, hold, manage or dispose of any Placing Shares that are allocated to it for the purposes of its business;
2. it is acquiring the Placing Shares for its own account or is acquiring the Placing Shares for an account with respect to which it exercises sole investment discretion and has the authority to make and does make the representations, warranties, indemnities, acknowledgements, undertakings and agreements contained in this Announcement;
3. it understands (or if acting for the account of another person, such person has confirmed that such person understands) the resale and transfer restrictions set out in this Appendix; and
4. except as otherwise permitted by the Company and subject to any available exemptions from applicable securities laws, it (and any account referred to in paragraph 4 above) is outside the United States acquiring the Placing Shares in offshore transactions as defined in, and in accordance with, Regulation S under the US Securities Act.
No prospectus
The Placing Shares are being offered to a limited number of specifically invited persons only and will not be offered in such a way as to require any prospectus or other offering document to be published. No prospectus or other offering document has been or will be submitted to be approved by the FCA in relation to the Placing or the Placing Shares and Placees' commitments will be made solely on the basis of their own assessment of the Company, the Placing Shares and the Placing based on the information contained in this Announcement, the announcement of the pricing of the Placing (the "Result of Placing Announcement") (together, the "Placing Documents") and any information publicly announced through a regulatory information service ("RIS") by or on behalf of the Company on or prior to the date of this Announcement (the "Publicly Available Information") and subject to any further terms set forth in the Form of Confirmation sent to Placees by Shore Capital to confirm their acquisition of Placing Shares.
Each Placee, by participating in the Placing, agrees that the content of the Placing Documents is exclusively the responsibility of the Company and confirms that it has neither received nor relied on any information (other than the Publicly Available Information), representation, warranty or statement made by or on behalf of Shore Capital or the Company or any other person and none of Shore Capital, the Company nor any other person acting on such person's behalf nor any of their respective affiliates has or shall have any responsibility or liability for any Placee's decision to participate in the Placing based on any other information, representation, warranty or statement (regardless of whether or not such information, representation, warranty or statement was given or made by or on behalf of any such persons). Each Placee acknowledges and agrees that it has relied on its own investigation of the business, financial or other position of the Company in accepting a participation in the Placing. No Placee should consider any information in this Announcement to be legal, tax or business advice. Each Placee should consult its own attorney, tax advisor and business advisor for legal, tax and business advice regarding an investment in the Placing Shares. Nothing in this paragraph shall exclude the liability of any person for fraudulent misrepresentation.
Details of the Placing Agreement and the Placing Shares
Shore Capital is acting as sole bookrunner and placing agent in connection with the Placing and has entered into the Placing Agreement with the Company and Cenkos under which, on the terms and subject to the conditions set out in the Placing Agreement, Shore Capital, as agent for and on behalf of the Company, has agreed to use its reasonable endeavours to procure placees for the Placing Shares. The Placing is not being underwritten by Shore Capital or any other person.
The price per Ordinary Share at which the Placing Shares are to be placed is 2.7 pence per Placing Share (the "Placing Price") and the final number of Placing Shares will be decided at the close of the Bookbuild following the execution of the placing terms by the Company and Shore Capital (the "Placing Results Agreement"). The timing of the closing of the book and allocations are at the discretion of the Company and Shore Capital. Details of the number of Placing Shares will be announced as soon as practicable after the close of the Bookbuild
The issue of the Placing Shares is to be effected by way of a cashbox placing. The Company will allot and issue the Placing Shares on a non-pre-emptive basis to the Placees in consideration for Shore Capital transferring its holdings of redeemable preference shares and ordinary subscriber shares in Four (Jersey) Limited ("JerseyCo") to the Company. Accordingly, instead of receiving cash as consideration for the issue of Placing Shares, at the conclusion of the Placing the Company will own all of the issued ordinary shares and redeemable preference shares of JerseyCo whose only asset will be its cash reserves, which will represent an amount approximately equal to the net proceeds of the Placing.
The Placing Shares have been or will be duly authorised and will, when issued, be credited as fully paid up and will be issued subject to the Company's articles of association and rank pari passu in all respects with the existing Ordinary Shares, including the right to receive all dividends and other distributions declared, made or paid on or in respect of the Ordinary Shares after the date of issue of the Placing Shares, and will on issue be free of all pre-emption rights, claims, liens, charges, encumbrances and equities.
Application for admission to trading on AIM
Application will be made to the London Stock Exchange plc (the "London Stock Exchange") for admission to trading of the Placing Shares on AIM.
It is expected that First Admission will occur at or before 8.00 a.m. BST on 9 March 2021 (or such later time or date as Shore Capital may agree with the Company, being no later than 8.00 a.m. BST on 30 April 2021) and that dealings in the Placing Shares will commence at that time.
Bookbuild
Shore Capital will today commence the accelerated bookbuilding process to determine demand for participation in the Placing by Placees at the Placing Price (the "Bookbuild"). This Announcement gives details of the terms and conditions of, and the mechanics of participation in, the Placing. No commissions will be paid to Placees or by Placees in respect of any Placing Shares.
Shore Capital and the Company shall be entitled to effect the Placing by such alternative method to the Bookbuild as they may, in their sole discretion, determine.
Participation in, and principal terms of, the Placing
1. Shore Capital is arranging the Placing as Bookrunner and placing agent of the Company.
2. Participation in the Placing will only be available to persons who may lawfully be, and are, invited to participate by Shore Capital. Shore Capital may itself agree to be a Placee in respect of all or some of the Placing Shares or may nominate any member of its group to do so.
3. The number of Placing Shares to be issued at the Placing Price will be agreed by Shore Capital (in consultation with the Company) following completion of the Bookbuild. Subject to the execution of the Placing Results Agreement, the Placing Price and the number of Placing Shares to be issued will be announced on an RIS following the completion of the Bookbuild via the Result of Placing Announcement.
4. To bid in the Bookbuild, prospective Placees should communicate their bid orally by telephone or in writing to their usual sales contact at Shore Capital. Each bid should state the number of Placing Shares which the prospective Placee wishes to subscribe for at the Placing Price. Bids may be scaled down by Shore Capital on the basis referred to in paragraph 8 below. Shore Capital reserves the right not to accept bids or to accept bids in part rather than in whole. The acceptance of the bids shall be at Shore Capital' absolute discretion, subject to agreement with the Company.
5. The Bookbuild is expected to close no later than 6.00 p.m. (BST) today (1 March 2021) but may be closed earlier or later at the discretion of Shore Capital. Shore Capital may, in agreement with the Company, accept bids that are received after the Bookbuild has closed. The Company reserves the right (upon the agreement of Shore Capital) to reduce the number of shares to be issued pursuant to the Placing, in its absolute discretion.
6. Allocations of the Placing Shares will be determined by Shore Capital after consultation with the Company (the proposed allocations having been supplied by Shore Capital to the Company in advance of such consultation). Allocations will be confirmed orally by Shore Capital and a Form of Confirmation will be despatched as soon as possible thereafter. Shore Capital' oral confirmation to such Placee constitutes an irrevocable legally binding commitment upon such person (who will at that point become a Placee), in favour of Shore Capital and the Company, to acquire the number of Placing Shares allocated to it and to pay the Placing Price in respect of such shares on the terms and conditions set out in this Appendix and in accordance with the Company's articles of association. A bid in the Bookbuild will be made on the terms and subject to the conditions in this Announcement (including this Appendix) and will be legally binding on the Placee on behalf of which it is made and except with Shore Capital' consent, such commitment will not be capable of variation or revocation after the time at which it is submitted.
7. Each Placee's allocation and commitment will be evidenced by a Form of Confirmation issued to such Placee. The terms of this Appendix will be deemed incorporated in that Form of Confirmation.
8. Irrespective of the time at which a Placee's allocation pursuant to the Placing is confirmed, settlement for all Placing Shares to be subscribed for pursuant to the Placing will be required to be made at the same time, on the basis explained below under "Registration and Settlement".
9. All obligations under the Bookbuild and the Placing will be subject to fulfilment or (where applicable) waiver of the conditions referred to below under "Conditions of the Placing" and to the Placing not being terminated on the basis referred to below under "Right to terminate under the Placing Agreement".
10. By participating in the Placing, each Placee agrees that its rights and obligations in respect of the Placing will terminate only in the circumstances described below and will not be capable of rescission or termination by the Placee.
11. To the fullest extent permissible by law, neither Shore Capital, nor the Company, nor any of their respective affiliates, agents, directors, officers or employees shall have any responsibility or liability to Placees (or to any other person whether acting on behalf of a Placee or otherwise). In particular, none of Shore Capital, the Company, nor any of their respective affiliates, agents, directors, officers or employees shall have any responsibility or liability (including to the extent permissible by law, any fiduciary duties) in respect of Shore Capital' conduct of the Placing.
12. The Placing Shares will be issued subject to the terms and conditions of this Announcement and each Placee's commitment to subscribe for Placing Shares on the terms set out herein will continue notwithstanding any amendment that may in future be made to the terms and conditions of the Placing and Placees will have no right to be consulted or require that their consent be obtained with respect to the Company's or Shore Capital' conduct of the Placing.
13. All times and dates in this Announcement may be subject to amendment. Shore Capital shall notify the Placees and any person acting on behalf of the Placees of any changes.
Conditions of the Placing
The Placing is conditional upon the conditions in the Placing Agreement relating to the Placing being fulfilled and the Placing Agreement not having been terminated in accordance with its terms. Shore Capital' obligations under the Placing Agreement are conditional on customary conditions, including (amongst others) (the "Conditions"):
1. the London Stock Exchange agreeing to admit the Placing Shares to trading on AIM (subject only to allotment);
2. the Placing Results Agreement having been executed by the Company and Shore Capital no later than 7.30 a.m. BST on 2 March 2021 (or such later time or date as Shore Capital may otherwise agree with the Company);
3. the delivery by the Company to Shore Capital of a certificate signed by a Director for and on behalf of the Company not later than 5.00 p.m. BST on the Business Day immediately prior to the date on which First Admission is expected to occur (and dated as of such date);
4. the Company having complied in all material respects with its obligations which fall to be performed on or prior to First Admission under the Placing Agreement, the Option Agreement and the Subscription and Transfer Agreement; and
5. First Admission occurring no later than 8.00 a.m. BST on 9 March 2021 (or such later time or date as Shore Capital may otherwise agree with the Company, being no later than 8.00 a.m. BST on 30 April 2021) (the "Closing Date").
Shore Capital may, at its discretion and upon such terms as they think fit, waive compliance by the Company with the whole or any part of any of the Company's obligations in relation to the Conditions or extend the time or date provided for fulfilment of any such Conditions in respect of all or any part of the performance thereof. Any such extension or waiver will not affect Placees' commitments as set out in this Announcement.
If (i) any of the Conditions are not fulfilled or (where permitted) waived by Shore Capital by the relevant time or date specified (or such later time or date as Shore Capital may agree with the Company, being no later than 8.00 a.m. BST on 30 April 2021) or (ii) the Placing Agreement is terminated in the circumstances specified below under "Right to terminate under the Placing Agreement", the Placing will not proceed and the Placees' rights and obligations hereunder in relation to the Placing Shares shall cease and terminate at such time and each Placee agrees that no claim can be made by it or on its behalf (or any person on whose behalf the Placee is acting) in respect thereof.
Neither Shore Capital, nor the Company, nor any of their respective affiliates, agents, directors, officers or employees shall have any liability to any Placee (or to any other person whether acting on behalf of a Placee or otherwise) in respect of any decision they may make as to whether or not to waive or to extend the time and/or date for the satisfaction of any Condition to the Placing, nor for any decision they may make as to the satisfaction of any Condition or in respect of the Placing generally, and by participating in the Placing each Placee agrees that any such decision is within the absolute discretion of Shore Capital.
Right to terminate under the Placing Agreement
Shore Capital is entitled, at any time before Admission, to terminate the Placing Agreement in accordance with its terms in certain circumstances, including (amongst other things):
1. Shore Capital becomes aware of any fact, matter or circumstance which constitutes or might reasonably be expected to constitute a breach of the warranties in the Placing Agreement or which indicates that any of such warranties has become or might reasonably be expected to become untrue, inaccurate or misleading by reference to the facts and circumstances then subsisting; or
2. the Company fails to comply in any material respect with any of its obligations under the Placing Agreement, the Subscription and Transfer Agreement and/or the Option Agreement, or with the requirements of any laws or regulations in relation to the Placing it comes to the attention of Shore Capital that the Company has failed, in any material respect, to comply with any of its obligations under the Placing Agreement; or
3. it comes to the attention of Shore Capital that any statement contained in the placing documents is untrue, inaccurate or misleading which Shore Capital (acting reasonably) considers to be material in the context of the Placing and Open Offer or that matters have arisen which would, if the Issue Documents were issued at that time, constitute an omission therefrom which Shore Capital (acting reasonably) considers to be material in the context of the Placing and/or Open Offer; or
4. there has occurred a force majeure event, or any material adverse change has occurred in the financial position or prospects or business of the Company and its subsidiary undertakings (taken as whole) which, in the opinion of Shore Capital, will or is likely to be prejudicial to the Placing or Admission.
Upon termination, the parties to the Placing Agreement shall be released and discharged (except for any liability arising before or in relation to such termination) from their respective obligations under or pursuant to the Placing Agreement, subject to certain exceptions.
By participating in the Placing, each Placee agrees that (i) the exercise by Shore Capital of any right of termination or of any other discretion under the Placing Agreement shall be within the absolute discretion of Shore Capital and that it need not make any reference to, or consult with, Placees and that it shall have no liability to Placees whatsoever in connection with any such exercise or failure to so exercise and (ii) its rights and obligations terminate only in the circumstances described above under "Right to terminate under the Placing Agreement" and "Conditions of the Placing", and its participation will not be capable of rescission or termination by it after oral confirmation by Shore Capital of the allocation and commitments following the close of the Bookbuild.
Restriction on Further Issue of Shares
The Company has undertaken to Shore Capital that, between the date of the Placing Agreement and 90 days after the date of Second Admission (the "Restricted Period"), it will not, without the prior written consent of Shore Capital directly or indirectly offer, issue, lend, sell or contract to sell, issue options in respect of or otherwise dispose of or announce an offering or issue of any Ordinary Shares (or any interest therein or in respect thereof) or any other securities exchangeable for or convertible into, or substantially similar to, Ordinary Shares or enter into any transaction with the same economic effect as, or agree to do, any of the foregoing (whether or not legally or contractually obliged to do so) provided that the foregoing restrictions shall not restrict the ability of the Company or any other member of the Group during the Restricted Period to grant of options under, or the allotment and issue of shares pursuant to options under, any employee or non-executive share or option schemes or long term incentive plans of the Company (in accordance with its normal practice), or the allotment and issue of the Open Offer Shares pursuant to the provisions of the Open Offer.
By participating in the Placing, Placees agree that the exercise by Shore Capital of any power to grant consent to the undertaking by the Company of a transaction which would otherwise be subject to the restrictive provisions on further issuance under the Placing Agreement shall be within the absolute discretion of Shore Capital and that it need not make any reference to, or consult with, Placees and that it shall have no liability to Placees whatsoever in connection with any such exercise of the power to grant consent.
Registration and Settlement
Settlement of transactions in the Placing Shares (ISIN: GB00B11DDB67) following First Admission will take place within the system administered by Euroclear UK & Ireland Limited ("CREST"), subject to certain exceptions. Shore Capital reserve the right to require settlement for, and delivery of, the Placing Shares (or any part thereof) to Placees by such other means that they may deem necessary if delivery or settlement is not possible or practicable within the CREST system or would not be consistent with the regulatory requirements in the Placee's jurisdiction.
Shore Capital is acting as settlement bank. Following the close of the Bookbuild, each Placee to be allocated Placing Shares in the Placing will be sent a Form of Confirmation stating the number of Placing Shares allocated to them at the Placing Price, the aggregate amount owed by such Placee to Shore Capital and settlement instructions. Each Placee agrees that it will do all things necessary to ensure that delivery and payment is completed in accordance with the standing CREST or certificated settlement instructions in respect of the Placing Shares that it has in place with Shore Capital.
The Company will deliver the Placing Shares to a CREST account operated by Shore Capital as agent for the Company and Shore Capital will enter its delivery instruction into the CREST system. The input to CREST by a Placee of a matching or acceptance instruction will then allow delivery of the relevant Placing Shares to that Placee against payment.
It is expected that settlement in respect of the Placing Shares will take place on 9 March 2021 on a delivery versus payment basis.
Interest is chargeable daily on payments not received from Placees on the due date in accordance with the arrangements set out above at the rate of two percentage points above LIBOR as determined by Shore Capital.
Each Placee is deemed to agree that, if it does not comply with these obligations, Shore Capital may sell any or all of the Placing Shares allocated to that Placee on such Placee's behalf and retain from the proceeds, for Shore Capital' account and benefit, an amount equal to the aggregate amount owed by the Placee plus any interest due. The relevant Placee will, however, remain liable for any shortfall below the aggregate amount owed by it and will be required to bear any stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax or other taxes or duties (together with any interest or penalties) imposed in any jurisdiction which may arise upon the sale of such Placing Shares on such Placee's behalf.
If Placing Shares are to be delivered to a custodian or settlement agent, Placees should ensure that the Form of Confirmation is copied and delivered immediately to the relevant person within that organisation. Insofar as Placing Shares are issued in a Placee's name or that of its nominee or in the name of any person for whom a Placee is contracting as agent or that of a nominee for such person, such Placing Shares should, subject as provided below, be so registered free from any liability to UK stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax. If there are any circumstances in which any stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax or other similar taxes or duties (including any interest and penalties relating thereto) is payable in respect of the allocation, allotment, issue, sale, transfer or delivery of the Placing Shares (or, for the avoidance of doubt, if any stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax is payable in connection with any subsequent transfer of or agreement to transfer Placing Shares), neither Shore Capital nor the Company shall be responsible for payment thereof.
Representations, warranties, undertakings and acknowledgements
By participating in the Placing each Placee (and any person acting on such Placee's behalf) irrevocably acknowledges, confirms, undertakes, represents, warrants and agrees (as the case may be) with Shore Capital (in its capacity as bookrunner and placing agent of the Company in respect of the Placing) and the Company, in each case as a fundamental term of their application for Placing Shares, the following:
1. it has read and understood this Announcement in its entirety and its acquisition of Placing Shares is subject to and based upon all the terms, conditions, representations, warranties, acknowledgements, agreements and undertakings and other information contained herein and it has not relied on, and will not rely on, any information given or any representations, warranties or statements made at any time by any person in connection with the Placing, the Company, the Placing Shares or otherwise other than the information contained in the Placing Documents and the Publicly Available Information;
2. the Ordinary Shares are admitted to trading on AIM and that the Company is therefore required to publish certain business and financial information in accordance with the rules and practices of AIM, which includes a description of the Company's business and the Company's financial information, including balance sheets and income statements, and that it is able to obtain or has access to such information without undue difficulty, and is able to obtain access to such information or comparable information concerning any other publicly traded companies, without undue difficulty;
3. to be bound by the terms of the articles of association of the Company;
4. the person whom it specifies for registration as holder of the Placing Shares will be (a) itself or (b) its nominee, as the case may be. Neither Shore Capital nor the Company will be responsible for any liability to stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax or other similar taxes or duties imposed in any jurisdiction (including interest and penalties relating thereto) ("Indemnified Taxes"). Each Placee and any person acting on behalf of such Placee agrees to indemnify the Company and Shore Capital on an after-tax basis in respect of any Indemnified Taxes;
5. neither Shore Capital nor any of its affiliates agents, directors, officers and employees accepts any responsibility for any acts or omissions of the Company or any of the directors of the Company or any other person in connection with the Placing;
6. time is of the essence as regards its obligations under this Announcement;
7. any document that is to be sent to it in connection with the Placing will be sent at its risk and may be sent to it at any address provided by it to Shore Capital;
8. it will not redistribute, forward, transfer, duplicate or otherwise transmit this Announcement or any part of it, or any other presentational or other material concerning the Placing (including electronic copies thereof) to any person and represents that it has not redistributed, forwarded, transferred, duplicated, or otherwise transmitted any such Documents to any person;
9. no prospectus or other offering document is required under the Prospectus Directive, nor will one be prepared in connection with the Bookbuild, the Placing or the Placing Shares and it has not received and will not receive a prospectus or other offering document in connection with the Bookbuild, the Placing or the Placing Shares;
10. in connection with the Placing, Shore Capital and any of its affiliates acting as an investor for its own account may subscribe for Placing Shares in the Company and in that capacity may retain, purchase or sell for its own account such Placing Shares in the Company and any securities of the Company or related investments and may offer or sell such securities or other investments otherwise than in connection with the Placing. Accordingly, references in this Announcement to the Placing Shares being issued, offered or placed should be read as including any issue, offering or placement of such shares in the Company to Shore Capital or any of its affiliates acting in such capacity;
11. Shore Capital and its affiliates may enter into financing arrangements and swaps with investors in connection with which Shore Capital and any of its affiliates may from time to time acquire, hold or dispose of such securities of the Company, including the Placing Shares;
12. Shore Capital does not intend to disclose the extent of any investment or transactions referred to in paragraphs 10 and 11 above otherwise than in accordance with any legal or regulatory obligation to do so;
13. Shore Capital does not owe any fiduciary or other duties to any Placee in respect of any representations, warranties, undertakings or indemnities in the Placing Agreement;
14. its participation in the Placing is on the basis that it is not and will not be a client of any of Shore Capital in connection with its participation in the Placing and that Shore Capital has no duties or responsibilities to it for providing the protections afforded to its clients or customers or for providing advice in relation to the Placing nor in respect of any representations, warranties, undertakings or indemnities contained in the Placing Agreement nor for the exercise or performance of any of its rights and obligations thereunder including any rights to waive or vary any conditions or exercise any termination right;
15. the content of the Placing Documents and the Publicly Available Information has been prepared by and is exclusively the responsibility of the Company and neither Shore Capital nor any of its affiliates agents, directors, officers or employees nor any person acting on behalf of any of them is responsible for or has or shall have any responsibility or liability for any information, representation or statement contained in, or omission from, this Announcement, the Publicly Available Information or otherwise nor will they be liable for any Placee's decision to participate in the Placing based on any information, representation, warranty or statement contained in this Announcement, the Publicly Available Information or otherwise, provided that nothing in this paragraph excludes the liability of any person for fraudulent misrepresentation made by such person;
16. the only information on which it is entitled to rely and on which such Placee has relied in committing itself to subscribe for Placing Shares is contained in the Placing Documents or any Publicly Available Information (save that in the case of Publicly Available Information, a Placee's right to rely on that information is limited to the right that such Placee would have as a matter of law in the absence of this paragraph 15(a)), such information being all that such Placee deems necessary or appropriate and sufficient to make an investment decision in respect of the Placing Shares;
17. it has neither received nor relied on any other information given, or representations, warranties or statements, express or implied, made, by Shore Capital or the Company nor any of their respective affiliates, agents, directors, officers or employees acting on behalf of any of them (including in any management presentation delivered in respect of the Bookbuild) with respect to the Company, the Placing or the Placing Shares or the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of any information contained in the Placing Documents, or the Publicly Available Information or otherwise;
18. neither Shore Capital, nor the Company, nor any of their respective affiliates, agents, directors, officers or employees or any person acting on behalf of any of them has provided, nor will provide, it with any material or information regarding the Placing Shares or the Company or any other person other than the information in the Placing Documents or the Publicly Available Information; nor has it requested any of Shore Capital, the Company, any of their respective affiliates or any person acting on behalf of any of them to provide it with any such material or information;
19. neither Shore Capital nor the Company will be liable for any Placee's decision to participate in the Placing based on any other information, representation, warranty or statement, provided that nothing in this paragraph excludes the liability of any person for fraudulent misrepresentation made by that person;
20. it may not rely, and has not relied, on any investigation that Shore Capital, any of its affiliates or any person acting on its behalf, may have conducted with respect to the Placing Shares, the terms of the Placing or the Company, and none of such persons has made any representation, express or implied, with respect to the Company, the Placing, the Placing Shares or the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information in the Placing Documents, the Publicly Available Information or any other information;
21. in making any decision to subscribe for Placing Shares it:
(a) has such knowledge and experience in financial and business matters to be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of subscribing for the Placing Shares;
(b) will not look to Shore Capital for all or part of any such loss it may suffer;
(c) is experienced in investing in securities of this nature in this sector and is aware that it may be required to bear, and is able to bear, the economic risk of an investment in the Placing Shares;
(d) is able to sustain a complete loss of an investment in the Placing Shares;
(e) has no need for liquidity with respect to its investment in the Placing Shares;
(f) has made its own assessment and has satisfied itself concerning the relevant tax, legal, currency and other economic considerations relevant to its investment in the Placing Shares; and
(g) has conducted its own due diligence, examination, investigation and assessment of the Company, the Placing Shares and the terms of the Placing and has satisfied itself that the information resulting from such investigation is still current and relied on that investigation for the purposes of its decision to participate in the Placing;
22. it is subscribing for the Placing Shares for its own account or for an account with respect to which it exercises sole investment discretion and has the authority to make and does make the acknowledgements, representations and agreements contained in this Announcement;
23. it is acting as principal only in respect of the Placing or, if it is acting for any other person, it is:
(a) duly authorised to do so and has full power to make the acknowledgments, representations and agreements herein on behalf of each such person; and
(b) will remain liable to the Company and/or Shore Capital for the performance of all its obligations as a Placee in respect of the Placing (regardless of the fact that it is acting for another person);
24. it and any person acting on its behalf is entitled to subscribe for the Placing Shares under the laws and regulations of all relevant jurisdictions that apply to it and that it has fully observed such laws and regulations, has capacity and authority and is entitled to enter into and perform its obligations as a subscriber of Placing Shares and will honour such obligations, and has obtained all such governmental and other guarantees, permits, authorisations, approvals and consents which may be required thereunder and complied with all necessary formalities to enable it to commit to this participation in the Placing and to perform its obligations in relation thereto (including, without limitation, in the case of any person on whose behalf it is acting, all necessary consents and authorities to agree to the terms set out or referred to in this Announcement) and will honour such obligations and that it has not taken any action or omitted to take any action which will or may result in Shore Capital, the Company or any of their respective directors, officers, agents, employees or advisers acting in breach of the legal or regulatory requirements of any jurisdiction in connection with the Placing;
25. where it is subscribing for Placing Shares for one or more managed accounts, it is authorised in writing by each managed account to subscribe for the Placing Shares for each managed account;
26. it irrevocably appoints any duly authorised officer of Shore Capital as its agent for the purpose of executing and delivering to the Company and/or its registrars any documents on its behalf necessary to enable it to be registered as the holder of any of the Placing Shares for which it agrees to subscribe for upon the terms of this Announcement;
27. the Placing Shares have not been and will not be registered or otherwise qualified and that a prospectus will not be cleared in respect of any of the Placing Shares under the securities laws or legislation of the Restricted Jurisdictions, or any state, province, territory or jurisdiction thereof;
28. the Placing Shares may not be offered, sold, or delivered or transferred, directly or indirectly, in or into the above jurisdictions or any jurisdiction (subject to certain exceptions) in which it would be unlawful to do so and no action has been or will be taken by any of the Company, Shore Capital or any person acting on behalf of the Company or Shore Capital that would, or is intended to, permit a public offer of the Placing Shares in the Restricted Jurisdictions or any country or jurisdiction, or any state, province, territory or jurisdiction thereof, where any such action for that purpose is required;
29. no action has been or will be taken by any of the Company, Shore Capital or any person acting on behalf of the Company or Shore Capital that would, or is intended to, permit a public offer of the Placing Shares in the United States or in any country or jurisdiction where any such action for that purpose is required;
30. unless otherwise specifically agreed with Shore Capital, it is not and at the time the Placing Shares are subscribed for, neither it nor the beneficial owner of the Placing Shares will be, a resident of, nor have an address in, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, the Republic of South Africa or any province or territory of Canada;
31. it may be asked to disclose in writing or orally to Shore Capital:
(a) if he or she is an individual, his or her nationality; or
(b) if he or she is a discretionary fund manager, the jurisdiction in which the funds are managed or owned;
32. it is and the prospective beneficial owner of the Placing Shares is, and at the time the Placing Shares are subscribed for will be (i) outside the United States and is acquiring the Placing Shares in an "offshore transaction" as defined in, and in accordance with, Regulation S under the US Securities Act or (ii) a QIB and will duly execute a US investor letter and deliver the same Shore Capital or its affiliates;
33. it has not been offered to purchase or subscribe for Placing Shares by means of any "directed selling efforts" as defined in Regulation S under the US Securities Act or by means of any "general solicitation" or "general advertising" within the meaning of Regulation D under the US Securities Act;
34. it understands that the Placing Shares have not been, and will not be, registered under the US Securities Act and may not be offered, sold or resold, pledged or delivered in or into or from the United States except pursuant to (i) an effective registration statement under the US Securities Act; or (ii) pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the US Securities Act and, in each case, in accordance with applicable United States state securities laws and regulations;
35. it (and any account for which it is purchasing) is not acquiring the Placing Shares with a view to any offer, sale or distribution thereof within the meaning of the US Securities Act;
36. it will not distribute, forward, transfer or otherwise transmit this Announcement or any part of it, or any other presentational or other materials concerning the Placing in or into or from the United States (including electronic copies thereof) to any person, and it has not distributed, forwarded, transferred or otherwise transmitted any such materials to any person;
37. it understands that there may be certain consequences under United States and other tax laws resulting from an investment in the Placing and it has made such investigation and has consulted its own independent advisers or otherwise has satisfied itself concerning, without limitation, the effects of United States federal, state and local income tax laws and foreign tax laws generally;
38. it understands that the Company has not undertaken to determine whether it will be treated as a passive foreign investment company ("PFIC") for US federal income tax purposes for the current year, or whether it is likely to be so treated for future years and neither the Company nor Shore Capital make any representation or warranty with respect to the same. Accordingly, neither the Company nor Shore Capital can provide any advice to United States investors as to whether the Company is or is not a PFIC for the current tax year, or whether it will be in future tax years. Accordingly, neither the Company nor Shore Capital undertakes to provide to United States investors or shareholders any information necessary or desirable to facilitate their filing of annual information returns, and United States investors and shareholders should not assume that this information will be made available to them;
39. if in a member state of the EEA, unless otherwise specifically agreed with Shore Capital in writing, it is a Qualified Investor;
40. it has not offered or sold and will not offer or sell any Placing Shares to persons in the EEA except to Qualified Investors or otherwise in circumstances which have not resulted in and which will not result in an offer to the public in any member state of the EEA within the meaning of the Prospectus Directive;
41. if a financial intermediary, as that term is used in Article 3(2) of the Prospectus Directive, the Placing Shares subscribed for by it in the Placing will not be acquired on a non-discretionary basis on behalf of, nor will they be acquired with a view to their offer or resale to, persons in a member state of the EEA which has implemented the Prospectus Directive other than Qualified Investors, or in circumstances in which the prior consent of Shore Capital has been given to each proposed offer or resale;
42. if in the United Kingdom, that it is a person (i) having professional experience in matters relating to investments who falls within the definition of "investment professionals" in Article 19(5) of the Order or (ii) who falls within Article 49(2) (a) to (d) ("High Net Worth Companies, Unincorporated Associations, etc") of the Order, or (iii) to whom it may otherwise lawfully be communicated;
43. it has not offered or sold and will not offer or sell any Placing Shares to persons in the United Kingdom, except to persons whose ordinary activities involve them in acquiring, holding, managing or disposing of investments (as principal or agent) for the purposes of their business or otherwise in circumstances which have not resulted and which will not result in an offer to the public in the United Kingdom within the meaning of section 85(1) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, as amended ("FSMA");
44. it has only communicated or caused to be communicated and will only communicate or cause to be communicated any invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of section 21 of FSMA) relating to the Placing Shares in circumstances in which section 21(1) of FSMA does not require approval of the communication by an authorised person and it acknowledges and agrees that the Placing Documents have not and will not have been approved by Shore Capital in its capacity as an authorised person under section 21 of the FSMA and it may not therefore be subject to the controls which would apply if it was made or approved as a financial promotion by an authorised person;
45. it has complied and will comply with all applicable laws with respect to anything done by it or on its behalf in relation to the Placing Shares (including all applicable provisions in FSMA and MAR) in respect of anything done in, from or otherwise involving, the United Kingdom);
46. if it is a pension fund or investment company, its subscription for Placing Shares is in full compliance with applicable laws and regulations;
47. it has complied with its obligations under the Criminal Justice Act 1993 and Articles 8, 10 and 12 of MAR and in connection with money laundering and terrorist financing under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (as amended), the Terrorism Act 2000, the Terrorism Act 2006 and the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017 and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any government agency having jurisdiction in respect thereof (the "Regulations") and the Money Laundering Sourcebook of the FCA and, if making payment on behalf of a third party, that satisfactory evidence has been obtained and recorded by it to verify the identity of the third party as required by the Regulations;
48. in order to ensure compliance with the Regulations, Shore Capital (for itself and as agent on behalf of the Company) or the Company's registrars may, in their absolute discretion, require verification of its identity. Pending the provision to Shore Capital or the Company's registrars, as applicable, of evidence of identity, definitive certificates in respect of the Placing Shares may be retained at Shore Capital' absolute discretion or, where appropriate, delivery of the Placing Shares to it in uncertificated form may be delayed at Shore Capital' or the Company's registrars', as the case may be, absolute discretion. If within a reasonable time after a request for verification of identify Shore Capital (for itself and as agent on behalf of the Company) or the Company's registrars have not received evidence satisfactory to them, either Shore Capital and/or the Company may, at its absolute discretion, terminate its commitment in respect of the Placing, in which event the monies payable on acceptance of allotment will, if already paid, be returned without interest to the account of the drawee's bank from which they were originally debited;
49. the allocation, allotment, issue and delivery to it, or the person specified by it for registration as holder, of Placing Shares will not give rise to a stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax liability under (or at a rate determined under) any of sections 67, 70, 93 or 96 of the Finance Act 1986 (depositary receipts and clearance services) and that the Placing Shares are not being acquired in connection with arrangements to issue depositary receipts or to issue or transfer Placing Shares into a clearance service;
50. it (and any person acting on its behalf) has the funds available to pay for the Placing Shares for which it has agreed to subscribe and acknowledges and agrees that it will make payment in respect of the Placing Shares allocated to it in accordance with this Announcement on the due time and date set out herein, failing which the relevant Placing Shares may be placed with other subscribers or sold as Shore Capital may in its sole discretion determine and without liability to such Placee, who will remain liable for any amount by which the net proceeds of such sale falls short of the product of the relevant Placing Price and the number of Placing Shares allocated to it and will be required to bear any stamp duty, stamp duty reserve tax or other taxes or duties (together with any interest, fines or penalties) imposed in any jurisdiction which may arise upon the sale of such Placee's Placing Shares;
51. any money held in an account with Shore Capital on behalf of the Placee and/or any person acting on behalf of the Placee and/or any person acting on behalf of the Placee will not be treated as client money within the meaning of the relevant rules and regulations of the FCA made under the FSMA. Each Placee acknowledges that the money will not be subject to the protections conferred by the client money rules: as a consequence this money will not be segregated from Shore Capital' money in accordance with the client money rules and will be held by it under a banking relationship and not as trustee;
52. its allocation (if any) of Placing Shares will represent a maximum number of Placing Shares which it will be entitled, and required, to subscribe for, and that Shore Capital or the Company may call upon it to subscribe for a lower number of Placing Shares (if any), but in no event in aggregate more than the aforementioned maximum;
53. Shore Capital nor any of its affiliates, nor any person acting on behalf of them, is making any recommendations to it, advising it regarding the suitability of any transactions it may enter into in connection with the Placing;
54. if it has received any 'inside information' (for the purposes of MAR and section 56 of the Criminal Justice Act 1993) in relation to the Company and its securities in advance of the Placing, it confirms that it has received such information within the market soundings regime provided for in article 11 of MAR and associated delegated regulations and it has not:
(a) used that inside information to acquire or dispose of securities of the Company or financial instruments related thereto or cancel or amend an order concerning the Company's securities or any such financial instruments;
(b) used that inside information to encourage, require, recommend or induce another person to deal in the securities of the Company or financial instruments related thereto or to cancel or amend an order concerning the Company's securities or such financial instruments; or
(c) disclosed such information to any person, prior to the information being made publicly available;
55. the rights and remedies of the Company and Shore Capital under the terms and conditions in this Announcement are in addition to any rights and remedies which would otherwise be available to each of them and the exercise or partial exercise of one will not prevent the exercise of others; and
56. these terms and conditions of the Placing and any agreements entered into by it pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Placing, and all non-contractual or other obligations arising out of or in connection with them, shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and it submits (on behalf of itself and on behalf of any person on whose behalf it is acting) to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts as regards any claim, dispute or matter arising out of any such contract (including any dispute regarding the existence, validity or termination of such contract or relating to any non-contractual or other obligation arising out of or in connection with such contract), except that enforcement proceedings in respect of the obligation to make payment for the Placing Shares (together with any interest chargeable thereon) may be taken by either the Company or Shore Capital in any jurisdiction in which the relevant Placee is incorporated or in which any of its securities have a quotation on a recognised stock exchange.
The foregoing representations, warranties, confirmations, acknowledgements, agreements and undertakings are given for the benefit of the Company as well Shore Capital and are irrevocable. Shore Capital, the Company and their respective affiliates and others will rely upon the truth and accuracy of the foregoing representations, warranties, confirmations, acknowledgements, agreements and undertakings. Each prospective Placee, and any person acting on behalf of such Placee, irrevocably authorises the Company and Shore Capital to produce this Announcement, pursuant to, in connection with, or as may be required by any applicable law or regulation, administrative or legal proceeding or official inquiry with respect to the matters set forth herein.
By participating in the Placing, each Placee (and any person acting on such Placee's behalf) agrees to indemnify on an after tax basis and hold the Company, Shore Capital and their respective affiliates, agents, directors, officers and employees harmless from any and all costs, claims, liabilities and expenses (including legal fees and expenses) arising out of or in connection with any breach of the representations, warranties, acknowledgements, agreements and undertakings given by the Placee (and any person acting on such Placee's behalf) in this Announcement or incurred by Shore Capital, the Company or any of their respective affiliates, agents, directors, officers or employees arising from the performance of the Placees' obligations as set out in this Announcement, and further agrees that the provisions of this Announcement shall survive after completion of the Placing.
Taxation
The agreement to allot and issue Placing Shares to Placees (and/or to persons for whom such Placee is contracting as agent) free of stamp duty and stamp duty reserve tax relates only to their allotment and issue to Placees, or such persons as they nominate as their agents, direct from the Company for the Placing Shares in question. Such agreement also assumes that the Placing Shares are not being acquired in connection with arrangements to issue depositary receipts or to issue or transfer the Placing Shares into a clearance service. If there are any such arrangements, or the settlement relates to any other dealing in the Placing Shares, stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax or other similar taxes or duties may be payable, for which neither the Company nor Shore Capital will be responsible and the Placees shall indemnify the Company and Shore Capital on an after- tax basis for any stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax or other similar taxes or duties (together with interest, fines and penalties) in any jurisdiction paid by the Company or Shore Capital in respect of any such arrangements or dealings. If this is the case, each Placee should seek its own advice and notify Shore Capital accordingly. Placees are advised to consult with their own advisers regarding the tax aspects of the subscription for Placing Shares.
The Company and Shore Capital are not liable to bear any taxes that arise on a sale of Placing Shares subsequent to their acquisition by Placees, including any taxes arising otherwise than under the laws of any country in the EEA. Each prospective Placee should, therefore, take its own advice as to whether any such tax liability arises and notify Shore Capital and the Company accordingly. Furthermore, each prospective Placee agrees to indemnify on an after-tax basis and hold Shore Capital and/or the Company and their respective affiliates harmless from any and all interest, fines or penalties in relation to stamp duty, stamp duty reserve tax and all other similar duties or taxes in any jurisdiction to the extent that such interest, fines or penalties arise from the unreasonable default or delay of that Placee or its agent.
In addition, Placees should note that they will be liable for any stamp duty and all other stamp, issue, securities, transfer, registration, documentary or other duties or taxes (including any interest, fines or penalties relating thereto) payable, whether inside or outside the UK, by them or any other person on the subscription, acquisition, transfer or sale by them of any Placing Shares or the agreement by them to subscribe for, acquire, transfer or sell any Placing Shares.
No statement in the Placing Documents is intended to be a profit forecast or estimate, and no statement in the Placing Documents should be interpreted to mean that earnings per share of the Company for the current or future financial years would necessarily match or exceed the historical published earnings per share of the Company. Past performance is no guide to future performance and persons needing advice should consult an independent financial adviser.
The price of shares and any income expected from them may go down as well as up and investors may not get back the full amount invested upon disposal of the shares. Past performance is no guide to future performance, and persons needing advice should consult an independent financial adviser.
The Placing Shares to be issued pursuant to the Placing will not be admitted to trading on any stock exchange other than AIM, a market operated by the London Stock Exchange plc.
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, the Placing Documents.
DEFINITIONS
The following definitions apply in this Appendix, and as the context shall admit, in the Announcement:
|
Admission |
First Admission and/or the Second Admission, as the context requires |
|
AIM |
AIM, a market operated by the London StockExchange |
|
AIMRules |
the AIM Rules for Companies published by the London Stock Exchange |
|
Announcement |
this Announcement, including this Appendix and the terms and conditions set outherein |
|
ApplicationForm |
the application form relating to the Open Offer for use by Qualifying non-CREST Shareholders and, in certain limited circumstances, Qualifying CRESTShareholders |
|
Bookbuild |
the bookbuilding process to be conducted by Shore Capital to arrange participation by Placees in thePlacing |
|
BST |
British Summer Time |
|
Cenkos |
Cenkos Securities plc |
|
Circular |
the circular to be published by the Company in connection with, inter alia, the the OpenOffer |
|
Company |
accesso Technology Groupplc |
|
CREST |
the computerised settlement system to facilitate transfer of the title to an interest in securities in uncertificated form operated by Euroclear UK &Ireland |
|
CRESTRegulations |
the Uncertificated Securities Regulations 2001 (S.I. 2001 No 3755) (as amended) |
|
EEA |
the European EconomicArea |
|
Euroclear UK&Ireland |
Euroclear UK & IrelandLimited |
|
ExcludedShareholders |
Shareholders with registered addresses in, or who are located or resident in, citizens of, or corporations, partnerships or other entities created or organised under the applicable laws of any Restricted Territories and to whom Application Forms are not to be sent or whose stock accounts in CREST are not to be credited with Open Offer Entitlements |
|
FCA |
the Financial ConductAuthority |
|
First Admission |
admission of the Placing Shares to trading on AIM becoming effective in accordance with the AIMRules |
|
FormofConfirmation |
the form of confirmation or contract note made between Shore Capital and the Placees which incorporate by reference the terms and conditions of the Placing contained in thisAnnouncement |
|
FSMA |
the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, asamended |
|
Group |
the Company and its subsidiary undertakings (and "Group Company" shall be construedaccordingly) |
|
LondonStockExchange |
London Stock Exchangeplc |
|
MAR |
the EU Market Abuse Regulation(2014/596/EU) (which forms part of domestic UK law pursuant to the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018) |
|
OpenOffer |
the offer by the Company to Qualifying Shareholders to subscribe for the Open Offer Shares on and subject to the terms and conditions set out in the Circular and, in the case of Qualifying non-CREST Shareholders only, in the Application Form |
|
OpenOfferEntitlement |
an entitlement to apply to subscribe for one Open Offer Share allocated to a Qualifying Shareholder pursuant to the Open Offer |
|
OpenOfferShares |
the number of new Ordinary Shares to be offered to Qualifying Shareholders pursuant to the Open Offer as will be set out in the Placing ResultsAnnouncement; |
|
OptionAgreement |
the option agreement entered into on or around the date hereof between the Company, JerseyCo andShore Capital |
|
OrdinaryShares |
ordinary shares of 1 pence each in the capital of theCompany |
|
Placees |
persons who agree to subscribe for Placing Shares at the Placing Price |
|
Placing |
the conditional placing of the Placing Shares by Shore Capital on behalf of the Company at the Placing Price, in accordance with the Placing Agreement |
|
PlacingAgreement |
the conditional placing and open offer agreement dated 1 March 2021 between the Company, Cenkos and Shore Capital in relation to thePlacing |
|
PlacingPrice |
2.7 pence per Ordinary Share |
|
Placing Results Agreement |
the terms of the Placing setting out the Placing Price and the number of Placing Shares to be issued in the Placing, to be executed in accordance with the Placing Agreement by the Company and Shore Capital |
|
PlacingShares |
the new Ordinary Shares to be issued pursuant to the Placing |
|
QualifyingCRESTShareholders |
QualifyingShareholderswhoseOrdinarySharesonthe register of members of the Company on the Record Date are in uncertificated form |
|
Qualifyingnon-CRESTShareholders |
Qualifying Shareholders whose Ordinary Shares on the registerofmembersoftheCompanyontheRecordDateare in certificated form |
|
QualifyingShareholders |
Shareholders whose names appear in the register of members of the Company at the close of business on the Record Date, other than ExcludedShareholders |
|
RecordDate |
has the meaning given to it is theCircular |
|
RIS |
shall have the same meaning as in the AIMRules |
|
Second Admission |
admission of the Open Offer Shares to trading on AIM becoming effective in accordance with the AIM Rules |
|
Shareholder |
a holder of Ordinary Shares from time totime |
|
Shore Capital |
Shore Capital Stockbrokers Limited |
|
Subscription andTransferAgreement |
the subscription and transfer agreement entered into onor around the date hereof between JerseyCo, the Company and Shore Capital |
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