Issue of Shares

RNS Number : 2521J

J.P. Morgan Private Equity Ltd

01 December 2008

 

NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART IN OR INTO AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN OR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA OR TO US PERSONS

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS AN ADVERTISMENT AND NOT A PROSPECTUS AND INVESTORS SHOULD NOT SUBSCRIBE FOR OR PURCHASE ANY SHARES REFERRED TO IN THIS ANNOUNCEMENT EXCEPT ON THE BASIS OF INFORMATION IN THE PROSPECTUS TO BE PUBLISHED BY J.P.MORGAN PRIVATE EQUITY LIMITED IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROPOSED PLACING. COPIES OF THE PROSPECTUS WILL, FOLLOWING PUBLICATION, BE AVAILABLE FROM J.P.MORGAN PRIVATE EQUITY LIMITED'S REGISTERED OFFICE.

1 December 2008 

J.P.MORGAN PRIVATE EQUITY LIMITED - ISSUE OF SHARES 

J.P. Morgan Private Equity Limited (the 'Company') announces that it is targetting a placing for cash of up to £50m in 2015 zero dividend preference shares (the '2015 ZDP Shares') (the 'Placing').   

The Company continues to emphasise the development of a diverse, seasoned pool of private equity assets consistent with its current portfolio of over 1,500 companies held through 168 funds and 7 direct investments. The Company's strategy has been to purchase investments in the secondary market so as to position the Company's portfolio to benefit from a significantly reduced J-Curve from seasoned assets. The Company has implemented a 'just in time' financing policy to capital raising for investments. The Company is now seeking to raise additional finance for the following uses:

• to take advantage of investment opportunities arising from the well-publicised issues relating to the global capital markets;

• potential reduction in the Company's long-term external borrowing; and

• to satisfy unfunded commitments to its existing portfolio.  

Based on an unaudited NAV per ZDP Share of £0.5255 as at 31 October 2008, the NAV per existing ZDP Share has increased by 7.3 per cent. and 26.6 per cent. on an annualised and on a cumulative basis, respectively, since the Company's initial public offering completed on 30 June 2005.  

Based on the unaudited NAV per US$ Equity Share of US$1.75 as at 31 October 2008, the Company has increased NAV per US$ Equity Share by 17.6 per cent. and 71.6 per cent. on an annualised and on a cumulative basis, respectively, since the Company's initial public offering completed on 30 June 2005.  

By maintaining a value-orientated, global macro approach to investing, the Company's portfolio has shifted with the market place and is currently focused on non-US, small to mid-market buyout strategies as well as special situations funds.  The Company's portfolio is relatively well positioned to withstand and potentially benefit from dislocations in the current market environment.

EXPECTED TIMETABLE

	2008 (London time)
Date of Publication of Prospectus, commencement of Offer	10 December
Latest time and date for receipt of Placing commitments	1.00 p.m. on 16 December
Results of Placing announced	3.00 p.m. on 16 December
Admission to listing of the 2015 Shares	8.00 a.m. on 19 December
Dealings in the 2015 Shares to commence on the London Stock Exchange	8.00 a.m. on 19 December
CREST (stock) accounts credited	19 December
Certificates despatched for the ZDP Shares	week commencing 29 December

The times and dates set out in the expected timetable of events above and mentioned throughout this document may be adjusted by the Company, in which event the Company will notify investors of changes to the timetable by publication of a notice through a RIS provider.

All references in this document to time are to London time.

Enquiries: 

J.P. Morgan Asset Management 

Greg Getschow / Troy Duncan [phone] 

JPMorgan Cazenove 

Angus Gordon Lennox [phone] 

Anthony Payne / Max Hilton [phone] 

[e-mail] 

The 'J-Curve' is the economic theory that: (i) the internal rate of a return on a fund is low in its early stages, particularly due to costs uncovered in starting the fund; and (ii) over time, as more investments are made, mature and become profitable, the internal rate of return increases; the shape of the internal rate of return, if graphed over time, resembles a 'J'.

Copies of the prospectus can be obtained, once available, subject to all applicable law, at no cost from the registered office of the Company or from the Document Viewing Facility, UK Listing Authority, The Financial Services Authority, 25 North Colonnade, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5HS.

DISCLAIMER

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT HAS BEEN ISSUED BY, AND IS THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF J.P.MORGAN PRIVATE EQUITY LIMITED. 

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS AN ADVERTISEMENT AND NOT A PROSPECTUS AND IS NOT AN OFFER TO SELL OR SOLICITATION OF ANY OFFER TO BUY ANY SECURITIES IN THE UNITED STATES OR IN ANY OTHER JURISDICTION

This announcement does not constitute or form part of an offer to sell, purchase, exchange or subscribe for any securities or solicitation of such an offer in the United States of America or any other jurisdiction. The Company has not been and will not be registered under the United States Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. The securities referred to in this announcement have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act 1933, as amended, and will not be offered or sold or otherwise transferred within the Unites States or to, or for the account or benefit of US Persons (as defined in Regulations of the Securities Act of 1933 as amended) except in accordance with the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or an exemption therefrom and under the circumstances which will not require the company to register under the United States Investment Act of 1940, as amended.

Any offering will only be made in any jurisdiction in compliance with local laws. In the United Kingdom, this announcement is directed only at persons (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') or who fall within Article 49(2) (a) to (d) of the order, or (ii) to whom it may otherwise lawfully be communicated (all such persons being referred to 'RELEVANT PERSONS').

THE RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT INTO CERTAIN JURISDICTIONS OTHER THAN THE UK 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 ANY SUCH RESTRICTIONS. NO ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN BY THE COMPANY OR JPMC THAT WOULD PERMIT AN OFFERING OF SUCH SHARES OR POSSESSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT OR ANY OTHER OFFERING OR PUBLICITY MATERIAL RELATING TO SUCH SHARES IN ANY JURISDICTION WHERE ACTION FOR THAT PURPOSE IS REQUIRED. ANY FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH ANY SUCH RESTRICTIONS MAY CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE SECURITIES LAWS OR REGULATION OF SUCH JURISDICTIONS. 

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT INCLUDES FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS THAT ARE PREDICTIONS OF OR INDICATE FUTURE EVENTS AND FUTURE 

TRENDS. THESE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS INCLUDE ALL MATTERS THAT ARE NOT HISTORICAL FACTS. UNDUE RELIANCE SHOULD NOT BE PLACED ON FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS BECAUSE THEY INVOLVE KNOWN AND UNKNOWN RISKS, UNCERTAINTIES AND OTHER FACTORS THAT ARE IN MANY CASES BEYOND THE COMPANY'S CONTROL. BY THEIR NATURE, FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS INVOLVE RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES BECAUSE THEY RELATE TO EVENTS AND DEPEND ON CIRCUMSTANCES THAT MAY OR MAY NOT OCCUR IN THE FUTURE. 

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS ARE NOT GUARANTEES OF FUTURE PERFORMANCE, AND THE COMPANY'S ACTUAL RESULTS OF OPERATIONS, FINANCIAL CONDITION AND LIQUIDITY, AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE INDUSTRY IN WHICH IT OPERATES MAY DIFFER MATERIALLY FROM THOSE MADE IN OR SUGGESTED BY THE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS CONTAINED IN THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. THE CAUTIONARY STATEMENTS SET FORTH ABOVE SHOULD BE CONSIDERED IN CONNECTION WITH ANY SUBSEQUENT WRITTEN OR ORAL FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS THAT THE COMPANY, OR PERSONS ACTING ON ITS BEHALF, MAY ISSUE. THESE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS ARE MADE AS OF THE DATE OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AND ARE NOT INTENDED TO GIVE ANY ASSURANCES AS TO FUTURE RESULTS. SAVE AS REQUIRED BY LAW OR REGULATION, THE COMPANY UNDERTAKES NO OBLIGATION TO UPDATE THESE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS, AND WILL NOT PUBLICLY RELEASE ANY REVISIONS IT MAY MAKE TO THESE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS THAT MAY RESULT FROM EVENTS OR CIRCUMSTANCES 

ARISING AFTER THE DATE OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. 

JPMC, which is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Services Authority, is acting for the Company and for no one else in connection with the matters referred to in this announcement and will not be responsible to anyone other than the Company for providing the protections afforded to clients of JPMC or for affording advice in relation to the contents of this announcement or on any matters referred to herein. 

This announcement is not for distribution directly or indirectly in or into the United States, Canada, Australia or Japan. No public offering of securities will be made in the United States, Canada, Australia, or Japan. 

This Announcement is only addressed to and directed at persons in member states of the European Economic Area who are 'qualified investors' ('Qualified Investors') within the meaning of Article 2(1)(e) of the EU Prospectus Directive (Directive 2003/71/EC) (the 'Prospectus Directive'). Any person in the EEA who acquires any securities in the Placing or to whom any offer of securities is made will be deemed to have acknowledged and agreed that they are such a Qualified Investor.

In the case of any securities acquired by a financial intermediary as that term is used in Article 3(2) of the Prospectus Directive, such financial intermediary will also be deemed to have represented and warranted that the securities acquired by it in the Placing have not been acquired on a non-discretionary basis on behalf of, nor have they have been acquired with a view to their offer or resale to, persons in circumstances which may give rise to an offer of securities to the public other than an offer or resale in a member state of the EEA which has implemented the Prospectus Directive to Qualified Investors or in circumstances in which the prior consent of JPMC has been given to each such proposed offer or resale.

This Announcement has been issued by and is the sole responsibility of the Company. No representation or warranty express or implied, is or will be made as to, and no responsibility or liability is or will be accepted by JPMC or by any of its affiliates or agents as to or in relation to, the accuracy or completeness of this Announcement or any other written or oral information made available to or publicly available to any interested party or its advisers, and any liability therefore is expressly disclaimed. 

 

END

 

 

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