Holding(s) in Company

RNS Number : 5070R

WH Smith PLC

29 October 2019

 

TR-1: Standard form for notification of major holdings

NOTIFICATION OF MAJOR HOLDINGS (to be sent to the relevant issuer and to the FCA in Microsoft Word format if possible)i
1a. Identity of the issuer or the underlying issuer of existing shares to which voting rights are attachedii:			WH Smith plc
1b. Please indicate if the issuer is a non-UK issuer  (please mark with an "X" if appropriate)
Non-UK issuer
2. Reason for the notification (please mark the appropriate box or boxes with an "X")
An acquisition or disposal of voting rights						X
An acquisition or disposal of financial instruments
An event changing the breakdown of voting rights
Other (please specify)iii:
3. Details of person subject to the notification obligationiv
Name			Marathon Asset Management LLP
City and country of registered office (if applicable)			London, UK
4. Full name of shareholder(s) (if different from 3.)v
Name			See attached breakdown
City and country of registered office (if applicable)
5. Date on which the threshold was crossed or reachedvi:			17 October 2019
6. Date on which issuer notified (DD/MM/YYYY):			29 October 2019
7. Total positions of person(s) subject to the notification obligation
	% of voting rights attached to shares (total of 8. A)	% of voting rights through financial instruments (total of 8.B 1 + 8.B 2)		Total of both in % (8.A + 8.B)	Total number of voting rights of issuervii
Resulting situation on the date on which threshold was crossed or reached	5.21	0		5.21	115,058,942
Position of previous notification (if applicable)	4.95	0		4.95

8. Notified details of the resulting situation on the date on which the threshold was crossed or reachedviii
A: Voting rights attached to shares
Class/type of shares ISIN code (if possible)		Number of voting rightsix					% of voting rights
		Direct (Art 9 of Directive 2004/109/EC) (DTR5.1)		Indirect (Art 10 of Directive 2004/109/EC) (DTR5.2.1)			Direct (Art 9 of Directive 2004/109/EC) (DTR5.1)		Indirect (Art 10 of Directive 2004/109/EC) (DTR5.2.1)
Ordinary shares ISIN: GB00B2PDGW16				6,002,055					5.21
SUBTOTAL 8. A		6,002,055					5.21
B 1: Financial Instruments according to Art. 13(1)(a) of Directive 2004/109/EC (DTR5.3.1.1 (a))
Type of financial instrument		Expiration datex	Exercise/ Conversion Periodxi			Number of voting rights that may be acquired if the instrument is exercised/converted.			% of voting rights
N/A
			SUBTOTAL 8. B 1
B 2: Financial Instruments with similar economic effect according to Art. 13(1)(b) of Directive 2004/109/EC (DTR5.3.1.1 (b))
Type of financial instrument	Expiration datex		Exercise/ Conversion Period xi		Physical or cash settlementxii			Number of voting rights	% of voting rights
N/A
					SUBTOTAL 8.B.2

9. Information in relation to the person subject to the notification obligation (please mark the applicable box with an "X")
Person subject to the notification obligation is not controlled by any natural person or legal entity and does not control any other undertaking(s) holding directly or indirectly an interest in the (underlying) issuerxiii				X
Full chain of controlled undertakings through which the voting rights and/or the financial instruments are effectively held starting with the ultimate controlling natural person or legal entityxiv (please add additional rows as necessary)
Namexv	% of voting rights if it equals or is higher than the notifiable threshold	% of voting rights through financial instruments if it equals or is higher than the notifiable threshold	Total of both if it equals or is higher than the notifiable threshold
10. In case of proxy voting, please identify:
Name of the proxy holder
The number and % of voting rights held
The date until which the voting rights will be held
11. Additional informationxvi
Breakdown of shares controlled by Marathon Asset Management LLP: Custodian Nominal Bank of America Merrill Lynch 36,684 Bank of New York Mellon 1,163,373 BNP Paribas 4,637 Brown Brothers Harriman 3,082 JP Morgan Chase 166,037 Northern Trust 2,605,760 Royal Bank of Canada 4,588 State Street Bank & Trust Company, Boston 2,577,905 Total 6,562,066 The shares referred to in this disclosure correspond to a number of funds and accounts managed by portfolio managers under the control of Marathon Asset Management LLP.  The provided breakdown of holdings refer to the total number of shares in the issuer controlled by Marathon Asset Management LLP but the firm only has authority to vote in connection with 6,002,055 shares.

Place of completion	London
Date of completion	29 October 2019

 

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