Convertible Bond Offering and Repurchase - Update

RNS Number : 2918B

Derwent London PLC

05 June 2019

 

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION IN OR TO THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, AUSTRALIA, JAPAN OR SOUTH AFRICA, OR IN OR TO ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH DISTRIBUTION WOULD BE PROHIBITED BY APPLICABLE LAW

Derwent London plc Convertible Bond Offering and Concurrent

Repurchase of Outstanding Convertible Bonds due 2019

Derwent London plc (the "Company", together with its subsidiaries, the "Group") announces the final terms of (i) its offering of £175 million of Convertible Bonds due 2025 (the "Bonds") and (ii)  the results of the concurrent repurchase (the "Concurrent Repurchase") of the outstanding £150 million Convertible Bonds due 2019 (ISIN: XS0954745351) issued by Derwent London Capital No. 2 (Jersey) Limited (the "Outstanding Bonds"), announced earlier today.

The offering aims to fully fund the Concurrent Repurchase through issue of the Bonds with any remaining proceeds used to help fund the Group's development pipeline, provide resources for future acquisitions and otherwise be used for general corporate purposes.

Offering of Bonds

The Bonds will carry a coupon of 1.5% per annum payable semi-annually in arrear and will, subject to certain conditions, be convertible into fully paid ordinary shares of the Company (the "Shares").

The initial conversion price will be set at a premium of 37.5% above the volume weighted average price of a Share for the two consecutive trading days starting on 6 June 2019. The initial conversion price will be subject to adjustment in certain circumstances in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Bonds.

Settlement of the Bonds is expected to take place on or about 12 June 2019.

Concurrent Repurchase

At the close of the reverse bookbuilding process, the Group received indications of interest from holders of the Outstanding Bonds representing £146.2 million in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Bonds (approximately 97.5% of the outstanding principal amount).

Following the reference share price being set, which is expected after close of market on 7 June, the Company will publish a press release announcing the final repurchase price per £100,000 in principal amount of Outstanding Bonds.

Settlement of the Concurrent Repurchase is expected to occur on 13 June 2019.

£3.8 million in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Bonds is expected to remain outstanding immediately following settlement of the Concurrent Repurchase. As 15% or less of the principal amount of the Outstanding Bonds will remain outstanding, the Group understands that Derwent London Capital No. 2 (Jersey) Limited may subsequently elect to redeem the Outstanding Bonds in accordance with their terms and conditions, and if so, a further press release will be published regarding such redemption.

The Group reserves the right to acquire, through open market purchases, privately negotiated transactions or otherwise, Outstanding Bonds from time to time after settlement of the Concurrent Repurchase at a price which may be more or less than the repurchase price and could be for cash or other consideration or otherwise on terms more or less favourable than those contemplated in the Concurrent Repurchase.

Barclays Bank PLC and HSBC Bank plc acted as Joint Global Coordinators and Joint Dealer Managers for the offering and Concurrent Repurchase. Barclays Bank PLC, HSBC Bank plc, J.P. Morgan Securities plc and UBS AG London Branch acted as Joint Bookrunners for the offering. Rothschild & Co is acting as financial adviser to the Company in relation to the offering and the Concurrent Repurchase.

For further information please contact:

Derwent London plc
Tel: [phone]	Quentin Freeman, Head of Investor Relations
	Damian Wisniewski, Finance Director

About Derwent London plc

Derwent London plc owns 86 buildings in a commercial real estate portfolio predominantly in central London valued at £5.2 billion (including joint ventures) as at 31 December 2018, making it the largest London-focused real estate investment trust (REIT).

The Company's experienced team has a long track record of creating value throughout the property cycle by regenerating its buildings via development or refurbishment, effective asset management and capital recycling.

The Company typically acquires central London properties off-market with low capital values and modest rents in improving locations, most of which are either in the West End or the Tech Belt.  The Company capitalises on the unique qualities of each of its properties - taking a fresh approach to the regeneration of every building with a focus on anticipating tenant requirements and an emphasis on design.

Reflecting and supporting the Company's long-term success, the business has a strong balance sheet with modest leverage, a robust income stream and flexible financing.

Landmark schemes in the Company's 5.4 million sq ft portfolio include White Collar Factory EC1, Angel Building EC1, The Buckley Building EC1, 1-2 Stephen Street W1, Horseferry House SW1 and Tea Building E1.

In 2019 to date, the Group has won the CoStar West End Deal of the Year for Brunel Building.  In 2018, the Group won EG Offices Company of the Year, whilst White Collar Factory scooped RIBA National and London awards, RICS National and London awards, two BCO awards for Commercial Workplace and Innovation, an EG Creative Places award and an NLA Wellbeing award.  25 Savile Row also won RIBA National and London awards and SKA Gold for the fit-out.  In 2013 the Company launched a voluntary Community Fund and has to date supported 76 community projects in Fitzrovia and the Tech Belt.

The Company is a public limited company, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange and incorporated and domiciled in the UK. The address of its registered office is 25 Savile Row, London, W1S 2ER.

IMPORTANT NOTICE IN RELATION TO THE BONDS

NO ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN BY THE ISSUER, THE COMPANY, THE JOINT BOOKRUNNERS OR ANY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE AFFILIATES THAT WOULD PERMIT AN OFFERING OF THE BONDS OR POSSESSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF THIS PRESS RELEASE OR ANY OFFERING OR PUBLICITY MATERIAL RELATING TO THE BONDS IN ANY JURISDICTION WHERE ACTION FOR THAT PURPOSE IS REQUIRED OTHER THAN IN JERSEY. PERSONS INTO WHOSE POSSESSION THIS PRESS RELEASE COMES ARE REQUIRED BY THE ISSUER, THE COMPANY AND THE JOINT BOOKRUNNERS TO INFORM THEMSELVES ABOUT, AND TO OBSERVE, ANY SUCH RESTRICTIONS.

THIS PRESS RELEASE IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES. THIS PRESS RELEASE IS NOT AN OFFER TO SELL SECURITIES OR THE SOLICITATION OF ANY OFFER TO BUY SECURITIES, NOR SHALL THERE BE ANY OFFER OF SECURITIES IN ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH OFFER OR SALE WOULD BE UNLAWFUL.

THIS PRESS RELEASE AND THE OFFERING WHEN MADE ARE ONLY ADDRESSED TO, AND DIRECTED IN MEMBER STATES OF THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AREA (THE "EEA") AT PERSONS WHO ARE "QUALIFIED INVESTORS" WITHIN THE MEANING OF ARTICLE 2(1)(E) OF THE PROSPECTUS DIRECTIVE ("QUALIFIED INVESTORS"). FOR THESE PURPOSES, THE EXPRESSION "PROSPECTUS DIRECTIVE" MEANS DIRECTIVE 2003/71/EC, AS AMENDED.

SOLELY FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE PRODUCT GOVERNANCE REQUIREMENTS CONTAINED WITHIN: (A) EU DIRECTIVE 2014/65/EU ON MARKETS IN FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS, AS AMENDED ("MIFID II"); (B) ARTICLES 9 AND 10 OF COMMISSION DELEGATED DIRECTIVE (EU) 2017/593 SUPPLEMENTING MIFID II; AND (C) LOCAL IMPLEMENTING MEASURES (TOGETHER, THE "MIFID II PRODUCT GOVERNANCE REQUIREMENTS"), AND DISCLAIMING ALL AND ANY LIABILITY, WHETHER ARISING IN TORT, CONTRACT OR OTHERWISE, WHICH ANY "MANUFACTURER" (FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE MIFID II PRODUCT GOVERNANCE REQUIREMENTS) MAY OTHERWISE HAVE WITH RESPECT THERETO, THE BONDS HAVE BEEN SUBJECT TO A PRODUCT APPROVAL PROCESS, WHICH HAS DETERMINED THAT: (I) THE TARGET MARKET FOR THE BONDS IS ELIGIBLE COUNTERPARTIES AND PROFESSIONAL CLIENTS ONLY, EACH AS DEFINED IN MIFID II; AND (II) ALL CHANNELS FOR DISTRIBUTION OF THE BONDS TO ELIGIBLE COUNTERPARTIES AND PROFESSIONAL CLIENTS ARE APPROPRIATE. ANY PERSON SUBSEQUENTLY OFFERING, SELLING OR RECOMMENDING THE BONDS (A "DISTRIBUTOR") SHOULD TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE MANUFACTURERS' TARGET MARKET ASSESSMENT; HOWEVER, A DISTRIBUTOR SUBJECT TO MIFID II IS RESPONSIBLE FOR UNDERTAKING ITS OWN TARGET MARKET ASSESSMENT IN RESPECT OF THE BONDS (BY EITHER ADOPTING OR REFINING THE MANUFACTURERS' TARGET MARKET ASSESSMENT) AND DETERMINING APPROPRIATE DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS.

THE TARGET MARKET ASSESSMENT IS WITHOUT PREJUDICE TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF ANY CONTRACTUAL OR LEGAL SELLING RESTRICTIONS IN RELATION TO ANY OFFERING OF THE BONDS.

FOR THE AVOIDANCE OF DOUBT, THE TARGET MARKET ASSESSMENT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE: (A) AN ASSESSMENT OF SUITABILITY OR APPROPRIATENESS FOR THE PURPOSES OF MIFID II; OR (B) A RECOMMENDATION TO ANY INVESTOR OR GROUP OF INVESTORS TO INVEST IN, OR PURCHASE, OR TAKE ANY OTHER ACTION WHATSOEVER WITH RESPECT TO THE BONDS.

THE BONDS ARE NOT INTENDED TO BE OFFERED, SOLD OR OTHERWISE MADE AVAILABLE TO AND SHOULD NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD OR OTHERWISE MADE AVAILABLE TO ANY RETAIL INVESTOR IN THE EEA. FOR THESE PURPOSES, A RETAIL INVESTOR MEANS A PERSON WHO IS ONE (OR MORE) OF: (I) A RETAIL CLIENT AS DEFINED IN POINT (11) OF ARTICLE 4(1) OF MIFID II; OR (II) A CUSTOMER WITHIN THE MEANING OF DIRECTIVE 2002/92/EC, WHERE THAT CUSTOMER WOULD NOT QUALIFY AS A PROFESSIONAL CLIENT AS DEFINED IN POINT (10) OF ARTICLE 4(1) OF MIFID II. CONSEQUENTLY, NO KEY INFORMATION DOCUMENT REQUIRED BY REGULATION (EU) NO 1286/2014, AS AMENDED (THE "PRIIPS REGULATION") FOR OFFERING OR SELLING THE BONDS OR OTHERWISE MAKING THEM AVAILABLE TO RETAIL INVESTORS IN THE EEA HAS BEEN PREPARED AND THEREFORE OFFERING OR SELLING THE BONDS OR OTHERWISE MAKING THEM AVAILABLE TO ANY RETAIL INVESTOR IN THE EEA MAY BE UNLAWFUL UNDER THE PRIIPS REGULATION.

IN ADDITION, IN THE UNITED KINGDOM THIS PRESS RELEASE IS BEING DISTRIBUTED ONLY TO, AND IS DIRECTED ONLY AT, QUALIFIED INVESTORS (I) WHO HAVE PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE IN MATTERS RELATING TO INVESTMENTS FALLING WITHIN ARTICLE 19(5) OF THE FINANCIAL SERVICES AND MARKETS ACT 2000 (FINANCIAL PROMOTION) ORDER 2005, AS AMENDED (THE "ORDER") AND QUALIFIED INVESTORS FALLING WITHIN ARTICLE 49(2)(A) TO (D) OF THE ORDER, AND (II) TO WHOM IT MAY OTHERWISE LAWFULLY BE COMMUNICATED (ALL SUCH PERSONS TOGETHER BEING REFERRED TO AS "RELEVANT PERSONS"). THIS PRESS RELEASE MUST NOT BE ACTED ON OR RELIED ON (I) IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, BY PERSONS WHO ARE NOT RELEVANT PERSONS, AND (II) IN ANY MEMBER STATE OF THE EEA OTHER THAN THE UNITED KINGDOM, BY PERSONS WHO ARE NOT QUALIFIED INVESTORS. ANY INVESTMENT OR INVESTMENT ACTIVITY TO WHICH THIS PRESS RELEASE RELATES IS AVAILABLE ONLY TO (A) RELEVANT PERSONS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND WILL BE ENGAGED IN ONLY WITH RELEVANT PERSONS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND (B) QUALIFIED INVESTORS IN MEMBER STATES OF THE EEA (OTHER THAN THE UNITED KINGDOM).

ANY DECISION TO PURCHASE ANY OF THE BONDS SHOULD ONLY BE MADE ON THE BASIS OF AN INDEPENDENT REVIEW BY A PROSPECTIVE INVESTOR OF THE ISSUER'S AND THE COMPANY'S PUBLICLY AVAILABLE INFORMATION. THE COMPANY IS SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONTENTS OF THIS PRESS RELEASE. NEITHER THE JOINT BOOKRUNNERS NOR ANY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE AFFILIATES ACCEPT ANY LIABILITY ARISING FROM THE USE OF, OR MAKE ANY REPRESENTATION AS TO THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF, THIS PRESS RELEASE OR THE ISSUER'S AND THE COMPANY'S PUBLICLY AVAILABLE INFORMATION. THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS PRESS RELEASE IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE IN ITS ENTIRETY WITHOUT NOTICE UP TO THE CLOSING DATE.

EACH PROSPECTIVE INVESTOR SHOULD PROCEED ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT IT MUST BEAR THE ECONOMIC RISK OF AN INVESTMENT IN THE BONDS OR THE ORDINARY SHARES TO BE ISSUED OR TRANSFERRED AND DELIVERED UPON CONVERSION OF THE BONDS AND NOTIONALLY UNDERLYING THE BONDS (TOGETHER WITH THE BONDS, THE "SECURITIES"). NONE OF THE ISSUER, THE COMPANY OR THE JOINT BOOKRUNNERS MAKE ANY REPRESENTATION AS TO (I) THE SUITABILITY OF THE SECURITIES FOR ANY PARTICULAR INVESTOR, (II) THE APPROPRIATE ACCOUNTING TREATMENT AND POTENTIAL TAX CONSEQUENCES OF INVESTING IN THE SECURITIES OR (III) THE FUTURE PERFORMANCE OF THE SECURITIES EITHER IN ABSOLUTE TERMS OR RELATIVE TO COMPETING INVESTMENTS.

THE JOINT BOOKRUNNERS ARE ACTING ON BEHALF OF THE ISSUER AND THE COMPANY AND NO ONE ELSE IN CONNECTION WITH THE BONDS AND IN THE CASE OF THE JOINT GLOBAL COORDINATORS THE CONCURRENT REPURCHASE, AND WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE TO ANY OTHER PERSON FOR PROVIDING THE PROTECTIONS AFFORDED TO CLIENTS OF THE JOINT BOOKRUNNERS OR FOR PROVIDING ADVICE IN RELATION TO THE SECURITIES OR THE OUTSTANDING BONDS.

BARCLAYS BANK PLC, HSBC BANK PLC, J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES PLC AND UBS AG LONDON BRANCH ARE EACH AUTHORISED BY THE PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY AND REGULATED BY THEFINANCIAL CONDUCT AUTHORITY AND PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY IN THE UNITED KINGDOM.

EACH OF THE ISSUER, THE COMPANY, THE JOINT BOOKRUNNERS AND THEIR RESPECTIVE AFFILIATES EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY OBLIGATION OR UNDERTAKING TO UPDATE, REVIEW OR REVISE ANY STATEMENT CONTAINED IN THIS PRESS RELEASE WHETHER AS A RESULT OF NEW INFORMATION, FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS OR OTHERWISE.

Forward-looking statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements about the future outlook of the Company. By their nature, any statements about future outlook involve risk and uncertainty because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that may or may not occur in the future. Actual results, performance or outcomes may differ materially from any results, performance or outcomes expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.

No representation or warranty is given in relation to any forward-looking statements made by the Company or any of the Joint Bookrunners, including as to their completeness or accuracy. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Nothing in this press release should be construed as a profit forecast.

IMPORTANT NOTICE IN RELATION TO THE REPURCHASE

THIS PRESS RELEASE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE an offer to sell or buy or a solicitation of an offer to sell or buy the Outstanding Bonds or any other securities.

N.M. ROTHSCHILD & SONS LIMITED ("ROTHSCHILD & CO") WHICH IS AUTHORISED AND REGULATED BY THE FINANCIAL CONDUCT AUTHORITY IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, IS ACTING FOR THE COMPANY AND NO ONE ELSE IN CONNECTION WITH THE ISSUE OF THE BONDS AND THE REPURCHASE OF THE OUTSTANDING BONDS AND WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE TO ANY PERSON OTHER THAN THE COMPANY FOR PROVIDING PROTECTIONS AFFORDED TO CLIENTS OF ROTHSCHILD & CO NOR FOR PROVIDING ADVICE IN RELATION TO THE ISSUE OF THE BONDS AND THE REPURCHASE OF THE OUTSTANDING BONDS.

 

END

 

 

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