Pricing of Convertible Bond Offering

RNS Number : 4094V

Ocado Group PLC

02 December 2019

 

NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES OR IN OR INTO JAPAN, AUSTRALIA, SOUTH AFRICA OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH OFFERS OR SALES OF THE SECURITIES WOULD BE PROHIBITED BY APPLICABLE LAW

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONTAINS INSIDE INFORMATION

Ocado Group plc

2 December 2019

Ocado Group plc Convertible Bond Offering

Ocado Group plc (the "Issuer" or "Ocado Group") today announces the pricing and final terms of the offering (the "Offering") of £600 million of guaranteed senior unsecured Convertible Bonds due 2025 (the "Bonds").

The initial amount of £500 million has been increased to £600 million on the back of strong investor demand.

The net proceeds of the issue of the Bonds will be used to fund capital expenditure in relation to Ocado Solutions' commitments and general corporate purposes. The offering enables Ocado Group to diversify its funding sources and capitalize on attractive issuance conditions.

The Bonds will be issued by Ocado Group and initially guaranteed by Ocado Operating Limited, Ocado Innovation Limited, Ocado Central Services Limited, Ocado Solutions Limited and Ocado Holdings Limited (the "Guarantors"), with the Guarantors subject to change in certain circumstances.

The Bonds will be issued at par and will carry a coupon of 0.875% per annum payable semi-annually in arrear on 9 June and 9 December in each year, with the first interest payment date being 9 June 2020. The Bonds will be convertible into ordinary shares of the Issuer (the "Ordinary Shares"). The initial conversion price shall be £17.9308, representing a premium of 45.0% above the reference price of £12.3661, being the volume weighted average price (VWAP) of an Ordinary Share on the London Stock Exchange between opening and pricing of the Offering on 2 December 2019.  The conversion price will be subject to adjustment in certain circumstances in line with market practice.

Settlement and delivery of the Bonds is expected to take place on or about 9 December 2019 (the "Closing Date"). If not previously converted, redeemed or purchased and cancelled, the Bonds will be redeemed at par on 9 December 2025.

Application is intended to be made for the Bonds to be admitted to trading on the unregulated open market (Freiverkehr) of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange after the Closing Date but prior to the first interest payment date.

In the context of the Offering, the Issuer has agreed to a lock-up relating to equity and equity-related securities  for a period commencing on pricing and ending 90 calendar days following the Closing Date, subject to certain exceptions.

Goldman Sachs International and J.P. Morgan Cazenove acted as Joint Bookrunners for the Offering.

Person responsible for arranging release of this announcement:

Neill Abrams
Company Secretary
Ocado Group plc
Buildings One & Two
Trident Place
Mosquito Way
Hatfield

Hertfordshire AL10 9ULFax: [phone]

email: [e-mail]

LEI: 213800LO8F61YB8MBC74

IMPORTANT NOTICE IN RELATION TO THE BONDS

NO ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN BY THE ISSUER, THE GUARANTORS, 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. PERSONS INTO WHOSE POSSESSION THIS PRESS RELEASE COMES ARE REQUIRED BY THE ISSUER, THE GUARANTORS 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.

THE BONDS MAY BE SOLD IN CANADA ONLY TO PURCHASERS IN THE PROVINCES OF CANADA PURCHASING, OR DEEMED TO BE PURCHASING, AS PRINCIPAL THAT ARE ACCREDITED INVESTORS, AS DEFINED IN NATIONAL INSTRUMENT 45-106 PROSPECTUS EXEMPTIONS OR SUBSECTION 73.3(1) OF THE SECURITIES ACT (ONTARIO), AND ARE PERMITTED CLIENTS, AS DEFINED IN NATIONAL INSTRUMENT 31-103 REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS, EXEMPTIONS AND ONGOING REGISTRANT OBLIGATIONS.

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 THE PROSPECTUS REGULATION ("QUALIFIED INVESTORS"). FOR THESE PURPOSES, THE EXPRESSION "PROSPECTUS REGULATION" MEANS REGULATION (EU) 2017/1129.

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 (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. 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 GUARANTORS' PUBLICLY AVAILABLE INFORMATION. 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 GUARANTORS' 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 GUARANTORS 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 GUARANTORS AND NO ONE ELSE IN CONNECTION WITH THE BONDS 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.

Each of the Issuer, the GuarantorS, 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.

 

END

 

 

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