Grant of Options and Director/PDMR Dealing

Chapel Down Group PLC

31 May 2024

 

Chapel Down Group plc
("Chapel Down" or the "Company" or the "Group")
EPIC: CDGP

Grant of Options and Director/PDMR Dealing

Chapel Down, England's leading and largest winemaker, announces that, under its Long-Term Incentive Plan ("LTIP"), it has granted zero-cost options (the "LTIP Options") over, in aggregate, 279,905 ordinary shares of 5p in the Company ("Ordinary Shares") to its executive directors and senior management.

The LTIP Options granted to Executive Directors are as detailed below:

Name of Grantee	Title	Number of Ordinary Shares subject to the LTIP Option	Total number of Options over Ordinary Shares held following the grant
Andrew Carter	CEO	63,101	1,980,103
Rob Smith	CFO	42,909	1,812,413

The LTIP Options are intended to reward long term performance that delivers value to shareholders. The grant of the award is 31 May 2024, and vesting occurs on 31 December 2026, subject to continued employment and Group performance conditions in respect of net sales and trading operating profit for the financial year ending 31 December 2026.

Subject to vesting in line with the specified criteria, the LTIP Options are exercisable for up to 10 years from the date of grant and will lapse if not exercised by such date. Following this grant, there is a total of 9,314,051 options over Ordinary Shares outstanding, representing 5.4% of the current issued share capital of the Company.

The executive directors have also been granted a one-off shares bonus due to strong company performance over a sustained period, comprising 111,301 new Ordinary Shares to Andrew Carter and 74,230 new Ordinary Shares to Robert Smith (the "Bonus Shares"). After this award, Andrew Carter owns 430,970 Ordinary Shares, and Robert Smith and dependents own 2,074,230 Ordinary Shares, equivalent to 0.25% and 1.21% of the Company's issued share capital as enlarged by the Bonus Shares respectively.

Admission and Total Voting Rights

Application has been made for the admission of 185,531 Bonus Shares to trading on AIM and admission is expected to occur at 8.00 a.m. on 5 June 2024 ("Admission"). The Bonus Shares will rank pari passu with the existing Ordinary Shares in the Company.

Following Admission, the Company's total issued share capital will comprise 171,524,316 Ordinary Shares with one voting right per share. The Company does not hold any shares in treasury. Accordingly, the total number of voting rights in the Company will be 171,524,316. From Admission, this figure may be used by shareholders as the denominator for the calculations by which they will determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in the Company under the FCA's Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules.

The notifications below, made in accordance with the UK Market Abuse Regulation, provide further detail in relation to the LTIP Options and Bonus Shares.

Contacts

Chapel Down Group plc Andrew Carter Robert Smith	Chief Executive Chief Financial Officer	01580 763 033
Singer Capital Markets Shaun Dobson Tom Salvesen Asha Chotai James Todd	Nominated Adviser and Broker	020 7496 3000
H/Advisors Maitland Sam Cartwright Jonathan Cook		020 73795151

About Chapel Down

Chapel Down (AIM: CDGP) is England's leading and largest winemaker and the power brand of English wine, the world's newest international wine region. From its home in Kent in the heart of the Garden of England, Chapel Down produces a range of sparking and still wines which consistently win prestigious international awards for their quality. Chapel Down has over 1,000 acres of vineyards, of which 750 acres are fully productive.

Chapel Down's status as the most recognised English wine brand is supported by its partnerships with flagship sporting and cultural events including Ascot, The Boat Race and Pub in the Park, and Chapel Down is the 'Official Sparkling Wine' of the England and Wales Cricket Board.

Chapel Down is listed on the London Stock Exchange's AIM and has over 8,000 retail investors who enjoy discounts on Chapel Down's wines, tours and tastings at the brand's home at Tenterden in Kent, which each year attracts c60,000 visitors.

Chapel Down is strongly committed to growing its business in balance with the environment and sustainability is a strong, ongoing focus. The company is a founding member of Sustainable Wines of Great Britain and practices sustainable viticulture

Notification and public disclosure of transactions by persons discharging managerial responsibilities and persons closely associated with them.

1.	Details of the person discharging managerial responsibilities / person closely associated
a)	Name	1. Andrew Carter - Chief Executive Officer (Director / PDMR) 2. Robert Smith - Chief Financial Officer (Director / PDMR)
2.	Reason for the Notification
a)	Position/status	As above
b)	Initial notification/Amendment	Initial notification
3.	Details of the issuer, emission allowance market participant, auction platform, auctioneer or auction monitor
a)	Name	Chapel Down Group plc
b)	LEI	213800BAUCZ4OXC97W72
4.	Details of the transaction(s): section to be repeated for (i) each type of instrument; (ii) each type of transaction; (iii) each date; and (iv) each place where transactions have been conducted
a)	Description of the Financial instrument, type of instrument	Options over Ordinary Shares of 5p each
	Identification code	GB0032706284
b)	Nature of the transaction	Grant of Options under LTIP
c)	Price(s) and volume(s)	PDMR Volume Price 1. Andrew Carter 63,101 N/A - nil cost options 2. Rob Smith 42,909 N/A - nil cost options
d)	Aggregated information: ·       Aggregated volume ·       Price	N/A - single transactions
e)	Date of the transaction	31 May 2024
f)	Place of the transaction	Off market transaction

1.	Details of the person discharging managerial responsibilities / person closely associated
a)	Name	1. Andrew Carter - Chief Executive Officer (Director / PDMR) 2. Robert Smith - Chief Financial Officer (Director / PDMR)
2.	Reason for the Notification
a)	Position/status	As above
b)	Initial notification/Amendment	Initial notification
3.	Details of the issuer, emission allowance market participant, auction platform, auctioneer or auction monitor
a)	Name	Chapel Down Group plc
b)	LEI	213800BAUCZ4OXC97W72
4.	Details of the transaction(s): section to be repeated for (i) each type of instrument; (ii) each type of transaction; (iii) each date; and (iv) each place where transactions have been conducted
a)	Description of the Financial instrument, type of instrument	Ordinary shares of 5p each
	Identification code	GB0032706284
b)	Nature of the transaction	Issue of ordinary shares pursuant to one off bonus
c)	Price(s) and volume(s)	PDMR Volume Price 1. Andrew Carter 111,301 N/A 2. Rob Smith 74,230 N/A
d)	Aggregated information: ·       Aggregated volume ·       Price	N/A - single transactions
e)	Date of the transaction	31 May 2024
f)	Place of the transaction	Off market transaction

 

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