SIMPLIFICATION OF UNILEVER CORPORATE STRUCTURE

RNS Number : 5211C

Unilever PLC

01 October 2018

 

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

SIMPLIFICATION OF UNILEVER CORPORATE STRUCTURE

London/Rotterdam, 1 October 2018 - Unilever published the shareholder documentation for its Simplification proposal on 11th September 2018.  Since then, some PLC shareholders have sought confirmation regarding a number of governance matters. 

-      Preference shares and ADSs:  It is the intention of the Unilever Board to cancel the NV preference shares acquired earlier this year and this will be effected as part of the Simplification process.  They will not be voted as part of the Simplification proposals in the NV EGM or at any subsequent shareholder meetings.  As has long been our practice, Unilever will not direct the unexercised votes of ADSs. ¹

-      Closure of the Trust Office (Stichting):  Unilever currently has a Trust office which sits as part of the Depositary Receipt structure of NV.  As part of Unilever's Simplification proposal, with the agreement of the Trust Office board and the meeting of Depositary Receipt holders, the existing Trust Office will be closed and the Depositary Receipt structure will be terminated and will not and cannot be put back in place without shareholder approval.

-      No Time-Out Period:  There has been some publicity regarding the possible introduction of a 250 day 'time-out period' into Dutch law.  The Unilever Board would like to state its position that it would not invoke such a time-out period now or in the future.

-      Accountability of Board Members:  The Simplification proposals include provision for the annual re-election of Board members.  A 3% shareholding in New Unilever NV will be able to call a shareholder meeting (within 8 weeks) and a 1% shareholding in New Unilever NV will be able to table a resolution at shareholder meetings, including to propose a change in the directors or to the articles of association.

¹  Note: this right will not be included in the new Depositary Agreement to be entered into following Simplification.

Enquiries Unilever PLC Unilever House 100 Victoria Embankment London EC4Y 0DY United Kingdom

Unilever NV Weena 455 3013 AL Rotterdam The Netherlands

Media:   Media Relations team                                          Investors:  Investor Relations team

UK   [phone]   [e-mail]      [phone] [e-mail]

Or    [phone]   [e-mail]

NL    [phone]    [e-mail]

Safe Harbour

Where relevant, these actions are subject to the appropriate consultations and approvals.

This announcement may contain forward-looking statements, including 'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as 'will', 'aims', 'expects', anticipates', 'intends', 'seeks', 'looks', 'believes', 'vision', or the negative of these terms and other similar expressions of future performance or results and their negatives, are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon current expectations and assumptions regarding anticipated developments and other factors affecting the Unilever Group (the "Group" or "Unilever"). They are not historical facts, nor are they guarantees of future performance.

Because these forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, there are important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Among other risks and uncertainties, the material or principal factors which could cause actual results to differ materially are: Unilever's global brands not meeting consumer preferences; Unilever's ability to innovate and remain competitive; Unilever's investment choices in its portfolio management; inability to find sustainable solutions to support long-term growth; customer relationships; the recruitment and retention of talented employees; disruptions in our supply chain; the cost of raw materials and commodities; the production of safe and high quality products; secure and reliable IT infrastructure; successful execution of acquisitions, divestitures and business transformation projects; economic and political risks and natural disasters; the effect of climate change on Unilever's business; financial risks; failure to meet high and ethical standards; and managing regulatory, tax and legal matters. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this announcement. Except as required by any applicable law or regulation, the Group expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in the Group's expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based. Further details of potential risks and uncertainties affecting the Group are described in the prospectus published today by New Unilever NV and the Group's filings with the London Stock Exchange, the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (Stichting Autoriteit Financiële Markten) and the US Securities and Exchange Commission, including in the Annual Report on Form 20-F 2017 and the Unilever Annual Report and Accounts 2017.

Important Information

This announcement is for informational purposes only and does not constitute or form part of an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy or subscribe to any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. It is not an advertisement and not a prospectus for the purposes of Directive 2003/71/EC, as amended.  This announcement is not an offer of securities for sale into the United States. No offering of securities shall be made in the United States except pursuant to registration under the US Securities Act of 1933 (the "Securities Act"), or an exemption therefrom.

Any purchase of securities of New Unilever NV should only be made on the basis of information contained in the prospectus issued in connection with the proposed admission of New Unilever NV's ordinary shares to (i) listing and trading on Euronext in Amsterdam (ii) the Official List of the United Kingdom Listing Authority and (iii) trading on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange (the "EU Prospectus"), and approved by the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (Stichting Autoriteit Financiële Markten) and passported to the United Kingdom, and any supplement or amendment thereto. The EU Prospectus contains detailed information about Unilever and its management, as well as financial statements and other financial data. It may be unlawful to distribute the EU Prospectus in certain jurisdictions.

In connection with the reorganisation of Unilever PLC and Unilever NV and their respective group companies ("Simplification") under a new holding company, New Unilever NV, New Unilever NV has filed a prospectus with the Securities Exchange Commission in the United States (the "US Prospectus") with respect to the legal merger of one of its subsidiaries with Unilever NV (the "Dutch Merger") and Simplification.  The US Prospectus is incorporated in the EU Prospectus by reference. The US Prospectus will be delivered to shareholders of Unilever NV with a registered address in the United States and holders of Unilever NV New York registry shares.

New Unilever NV also expects to issue ordinary shares to security holders of Unilever PLC pursuant to a UK scheme of arrangement (the "UK Scheme") in reliance upon the exemption from the registration requirements of the US Securities Act provided by section 3(a)(10) for which it will not file a registration statement. Unilever PLC has sent or otherwise disseminated a scheme circular (the "Scheme Document") and other relevant documents with respect to the UK Scheme and Simplification to security holders of Unilever PLC.

The release, publication or distribution of this announcement in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law and therefore persons in such jurisdictions into which this announcement is released, published or distributed should inform themselves about and observe such restrictions.

SHAREHOLDERS AND SECURITY HOLDERS OF UNILEVER NV ARE URGED TO READ THE EU PROSPECTUS AND THE US PROSPECTUS REGARDING THE DUTCH MERGER AND SIMPLIFICATION AND OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY, INCLUDING THE EXHIBITS THERETO AND ANY DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE INTO THE EU PROSPECTUS OR THE US PROSPECTUS AS WELL AS ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS TO THOSE DOCUMENTS, BECAUSE THESE DOCUMENTS CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT UNILEVER, THE DUTCH MERGER AND SIMPLIFICATION.

SHAREHOLDERS AND SECURITY HOLDERS OF UNILEVER PLC ARE ADVISED TO READ THE SCHEME DOCUMENT, THE EU PROSPECTUS AND OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS REGARDING THE UK SCHEME AND THE SIMPLIFICATION CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY, INCLUDING ANY DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE INTO THE EU PROSPECTUS AS WELL AS ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS TO THOSE DOCUMENTS, BECAUSE THESE DOCUMENTS CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT UNILEVER, THE UK SCHEME AND SIMPLIFICATION.

Shareholders and security holders can obtain free copies of the US Prospectus, as well as other filings containing information about New Unilever NV, Unilever PLC and Unilever NV, without charge, at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Shareholders and security holders may obtain the EU Prospectus, the US Prospectus and the Scheme Document, without charge, from Unilever's website at www.unilever.com/simplification. Shareholders and security holders may also obtain the EU Prospectus, US Prospectus and Scheme Document, without charge, at the offices of Unilever NV (Weena 455, Rotterdam) or may obtain the Scheme Document or EU Prospectus by contacting Computershare on the Shareholder Helpline on 0370 600 3977 if calling from the UK or [phone] if calling from outside the UK. The helpline is open between 8.30 a.m. and 5.30 p.m., Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays in England and Wales).

 

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