30th Mar 2006 17:55
Signet Group PLC30 March 2006 Not for release, distribution or publication into or in Australia, Canada, or Japan. Signet Group plc (LSE: SIG and NYSE: SIG) For immediate release 30 March 2006 Signet to Issue $380 Million Private Placement Senior Notes Signet Group plc (LSE: SIG and NYSE: SIG), the world's largest speciality retailjeweller, today announced that the Group has entered into an agreement to issue$380 million long term fixed rate senior unsecured notes (the "Senior Notes").The Group intends to use the net proceeds of the issue principally to replaceits existing $251 million receivables securitisation (which is due to expire inNovember 2006) and for general corporate purposes. The Senior Notes have three tranches as set out below: Amount Interest rate Term Maturity $100 million 5.95% 7 years 2013 $150 million 6.11% 10 years 2016 $130 million 6.26% 12 years 2018 Funding and Completion is expected on 23rd May 2006. Enquiries: Walker Boyd, Group Finance Director +44(0)20 7317 9700 Tim Jackson, Investor Relations Director +44(0)20 7317 9700 This announcement is not an offer to sell or a solicitation of any offer to buythe securities of Signet Group plc (the "Company," and such securities, the"Securities") in the United States or in any other jurisdiction. The Securities have not been and will not be registered under the US SecuritiesAct of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") and may not be offered or sold inthe United States unless registered under the Securities Act or an exemptionfrom such registration is available. No public offering of Securities of theCompany is being made in the United States. In relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area which hasimplemented the Prospectus Directive (each a Relevant Member State), no offer ofthe Securities to the public is being or will be made in that Relevant MemberState other than to: •legal entities which are authorised or regulated to operate in the financial markets or, if not so authorised or regulated, whose corporate purpose is solely to invest in securities; or •any legal entity which has two or more of (1) an average of at least 250 employees during the last financial year; (2) a total balance sheet of more than €43,000,000 and (3) an annual net turnover of more than €50,000,000, as shown in its last annual or consolidated accounts; •fewer than 100 natural or legal persons (other than "qualified investors" as defined in the Prospectus Directive); or •in any other circumstances falling within Article 3(2) of the Prospectus Directive. For the purposes of this provision, the expression an "offer of the Securitiesto the public" in relation to any Securities in any Relevant Member State meansthe communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on theterms of the offer and the Securities to be offered so as to enable an investorto decide to purchase or subscribe the Securities, as the same may be varied inthat Relevant Member State, and the expression Prospectus Directive meansDirective 2003/71/EC and includes any relevant implementing measure in eachRelevant Member State. This communication is directed only at (i) persons outside the United Kingdom,or (ii) persons having professional experience in matters relating toinvestments who fall within the definition of "investment professionals" inArticle 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FinancialPromotion) Order 2005 or (iii) high net worth bodies corporate, unincorporatedassociations and partnerships and trustees of high value trusts as described inArticle 49(2) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FinancialPromotion) Order 2005. Any investment or investment activity to which thiscommunication relates is only available to and will only be engaged in with suchpersons and persons within the United Kingdom who receive this communication(other than persons falling within (ii) and (iii) above) should not rely on oract upon this communication. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock ExchangeRelated Shares:
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