Ferguson completes $1.0 billion bond financing

RNS Number : 8173I

Ferguson PLC

21 April 2022

 

April 21, 2022

NOT FOR PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN OR INTO CANADA, JAPAN OR AUSTRALIA.

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY, AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE OR FORM PART OF ANY OFFER OR INVITATION TO SELL OR ISSUE, OR ANY SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO PURCHASE OR SUBSCRIBE FOR, ANY SECURITIES OF FERGUSON PLC. PLEASE SEE THE IMPORTANT NOTICE AT THE END OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT.

FERGUSON PLC

ferguson COMPLETES $1.0 Billion BOND FINANCING

On April 20, 2022, Ferguson closed a two-tranche $1.0 billion bond offering comprised of $300 million aggregate principal amount 4.25% notes due April 20, 2027 and $700 million aggregate principal amount 4.65% notes due April 20, 2032. The net proceeds will be for general corporate purposes, including the repayment of existing debt.

"This successful bond offering demonstrates investors' confidence in our business model, solid cash generation and balance sheet, and provides additional flexibility to continue to invest in our capital priorities" said Bill Brundage, Group Chief Financial Officer.

About Ferguson plc

Ferguson is a $23B leading North American value-added distributor providing expertise, solutions, and products from infrastructure, plumbing and appliances to HVAC, fire, fabrication and more. We exist to make our customers' complex projects simple, successful and sustainable. Ferguson is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: FERG) and the London Stock Exchange (LSE: FERG). For more information, please visit fergusonplc.com or follow us on LinkedIn  www.linkedin.com/company/ferguson-enterprises .

Important Information

NOT FOR PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN OR INTO CANADA, JAPAN OR AUSTRALIA.

Certain information included in this announcement is forward-looking, including within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and involves risks, assumptions and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements cover all matters which are not historical facts and speak only as of the date on which they are made. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "will" or other variations or comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding the Company's intentions for the use of proceeds from the bond financing. Many factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to: risks associated with the relocation of our primary listing to the United States, expected to take effect May 12, 2022, and any volatility in our share price and shareholder base in connection therewith; weakness in the economy, market trends, uncertainty and other conditions in the markets in which we operate, and other factors beyond our control, including any macroeconomic or other consequences of the current conflict in Ukraine; adverse impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic (or related variants) or by any current or future vaccination and/or testing mandates; unsuccessful execution of our operational strategies; and the risks set forth in our Form 20-F filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 28, 2021, under the heading "Risk Factors." Forward-looking statements regarding past trends or activities should not be taken as a representation that such trends or activities will continue in the future. Other than in accordance with our legal or regulatory obligations we undertake no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

This announcement is not an offer of securities for sale in the United States. The securities referred to herein have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration under the Securities Act. There is no intention to register any securities referred to herein in the United States and no public offering of the securities was made in the United States. Securities sold in the United States were sold only to qualified institutional buyers (as defined in Rule 144A under the Securities Act) pursuant to Rule 144A.

This announcement is only being distributed to, and is only directed at persons who (i) are outside the United Kingdom; (ii) have professional experience in matters relating to investments who fall within the definition of "investment professionals" in Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the "Order"); (iii) are high net worth entities falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order; or (iv) other persons to whom it may otherwise be lawfully communicated (all such persons together being referred to as "relevant persons").  Any investment or investment activity to which this announcement relates is available only to, and will be engaged in only with relevant persons. Persons who are not relevant persons should not take any action on the basis of this communication and should not act or rely on it.

The notes were not offered, sold or otherwise made available to and should not be offered, sold or otherwise made available to any retail investor in the United Kingdom. For these purposes, a retail investor means a person who is one (or more) of: (i) a retail client, as defined in point (8) of Article 2 of Regulation (EU) No 2017/565 as it forms part of domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, as amended ("EUWA"); or (ii) a customer within the meaning of the provisions of the FSMA and any rules or regulations made under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (as amended, (the "FSMA") to implement Directive (EU) 2016/97, where that customer would not qualify as a professional client, as defined in point (8) of Article 2(1) of Regulation (EU) No 600/2014 as it forms part of domestic law by virtue of the EUWA; or (iii) not a qualified investor as defined in Article 2 of Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 as it forms part of domestic law by virtue of the EUWA. Consequently no key information document required by Regulation (EU) No 1286/2014 as it forms part of domestic law by virtue of the EUWA (the "UK PRIIPs Regulation") for offering or selling the notes or otherwise making them available to retail investors in the United Kingdom has been prepared and therefore offering or selling the notes or otherwise making them available to any retail investor in the United Kingdom may be unlawful under the UK PRIIPs Regulation.

The notes 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 European Economic Area ("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 Directive 2014/65/EU (as amended, "MiFID II") or (ii) a customer within the meaning of Directive (EU) 2016/97, where that customer would not qualify as a professional client as defined in point (10) of Article 4(1) of MiFID II; or (iii) not a qualified investor as defined in Regulation (EU) 2017/1129. Consequently no key information document required by Regulation (EU) No 1286/2014 (as amended, the "PRIIPs Regulation") for offering or selling the notes or otherwise making them available to retail investors in the EEA has been prepared and therefore offering or selling the notes or otherwise making them available to any retail investor in the EEA may be unlawful under the PRIIPs Regulation.

For further information please contact:

Ferguson plc

Brian Lantz, Vice President IR and Communications                   Mobile:   [phone]

Pete Kennedy, Director of Investor Relations                               Mobile:   [phone]

Media enquiries

Mike Ward, Head of Corporate Communications Mobile:  [phone]

Nina Coad, David Litterick (Brunswick)                                         Tel:          [phone]

Jonathan Doorley (Brunswick)                                                       Tel:          [phone]

 

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