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Acquisition and Placing

21st Jun 2013 07:00

RNS Number : 5651H
ISG PLC
21 June 2013
 



NOT FOR PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN, THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA OR ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IS PROHIBITED

 

ISG PLC

("ISG" or the "Group")

 

Acquisition and Placing

 

ISG, the international construction services group, is pleased to announce that it has conditionally agreed to acquire a minority interest in a services company and a construction company which together comprise ACE, a Brazilian fit out and refurbishment business (the "Acquisition"), with an option to acquire the remaining shares in ACE over a four year period.

 

In addition, the Group today announces that Numis Securities Limited ("Numis") on behalf of ISG has placed 5,000,000 new ordinary shares of 1 pence each in the capital of ISG (the "Placing Shares") at a price of 155 pence per new ordinary share (the "Placing Price") raising £7.75m (approximately £7.35m net of expenses) (the "Placing").

 

Highlights

 

 Acquisition

·; ACE, which was established in 1990, provides office fit out and refurbishment services in Brazil's two largest cities of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.

·; ACE provides services to both local clients (60% of its activities) as well as international clients. ACE employs around 115 staff and, in the year ended 31 December 2012, it reported revenue of £10m and profit before tax of £1.1m.

·; The Acquisition is consistent with ISG's stated strategy and will enhance the Group's offering by:

- expanding ISG's international presence into a developing economy with excellent long-term growth prospects;

- providing opportunities to market to ISG's existing international client base; and

- providing opportunities to assist ACE expand into new sectors in which the Group has expertise.

·; Under the terms of the Acquisition, ISG will purchase an initial 20% minority interest in ACE for £1.9m (satisfied by £1.7m cash and £0.2m shares in ISG), and will have a circa twelve month option to acquire the remaining 80% of shares in ACE for a maximum consideration of £12.7m, payable over four years.

·; The Acquisition is conditional only upon completion of the Placing.

 

Placing

·; Gross proceeds of £7.75m (approximately £7.35m net of expenses) through a placing of new ordinary shares of 1 pence each in the capital of ISG at a price of 155 pence per new ordinary share.

·; The Placing Shares will represent approximately 13% of the Enlarged Issued Share Capital.

·; The Placing has been fully underwritten by Numis.

·; It is expected that admission of the Placing Shares to AIM will become effective, and dealings in the Placing Shares will commence on AIM, on 26 June 2013.

·; The proceeds of the Placing will fund the cash element of the ACE consideration due up to March 2015 of circa £4m (assuming exercise of the option), as well as the payments due under a number of bolt-on acquisitions and related costs.

 

 

David Lawther, Chief Executive Officer of ISG, commented:

 

"We are delighted to have been able to find a point of entry into an exciting new geographic area for ISG, Brazil, the sixth largest economy in the world. Our method of entry via an initial minority interest in ACE will permit us to gain a deeper market knowledge and understanding of the business before we exercise our option to acquire the remaining shares over a four year period. We believe that we will be able to assist ACE's future growth by introducing our international client base and enabling the development of new sectors."

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

 

The Appendix to this Announcement (which forms part of this Announcement) sets out the terms and conditions of the Placing. Persons who have chosen to participate in the Placing, by making an oral or written offer to acquire Placing Shares, will be deemed to have read and understood this Announcement in its entirety (including the Appendix) and to be making such offer on the terms and subject to the conditions in the Appendix, and to be providing the representations, warranties and acknowledgements contained in the Appendix.

The distribution of this Announcement and the Placing of the Placing Shares as set out in this Announcement in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law. No action has been taken 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. Persons into whose possession this Announcement comes are required to inform themselves about, and to observe, such restrictions. Any failure to comply with these restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.

Numis Securities Limited, which is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Conduct Authority, is acting for the Company in connection with the Placing and no-one else and will not be responsible to anyone other than the Company for providing the protections afforded to clients of Numis Securities Limited nor for providing advice in relation to the Placing. No representation or warranty, express or implied, is or will be made as to, or in relation to, and no responsibility or liability is or will be accepted by the Company or Numis Securities Limited or by any of their respective 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 therefor is expressly disclaimed.

Certain statements in this Announcement are forward-looking statements which are based on the Company's expectations, intentions and projections regarding its future performance, anticipated events or trends and other matters that are not historical facts. These forward-looking statements, which may use words such as "aim", "anticipates", "believe", "intend", "estimate", "expect" and words of similar meaning, include all matters that are not historical facts. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results of operations, financial condition, liquidity, dividend policy and the development of the industry in which the Company's business operates to differ materially from the impression created by the forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Given these risks and uncertainties, prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of such statements and, except as required by the Financial Conduct Authority, the London Stock Exchange plc or applicable law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

 

Any indication in this Announcement of the price at which Ordinary Shares have been bought or sold in the past cannot be relied upon as a guide to future performance. No statement in this Announcement is intended to be a profit forecast and no statement in this Announcement should be interpreted to mean that earnings per share of the Company for the current or future financial years would necessarily match or exceed the historical published earnings per share of the Company. The price of Ordinary Shares and the income from them may go down as well as up and investors may not get back the full amount invested on disposal of the Ordinary Shares.

Neither the content of the Company's website (or any other website) nor the content of any website accessible from hyperlinks on the Company's website (or any other website) is incorporated into, or forms part of, this Announcement.

 

 

For further information, please contact:

 

ISG plc

+44 (0) 20 7392 5250

David Lawther, Chief Executive Officer

Jonathan Houlton, Group Finance Director

Greg Aldridge, Corporate Development Director

Numis Securities Limited

+44 (0) 20 7260 1000

Nominated Adviser: Michael Meade

Corporate Broking: Ben Stoop

College Hill

+44 (0) 20 7457 2020

Matthew Smallwood

Helen Tarbet

 

 

Introduction

 

ISG has agreed to enter into a two stage process to initially acquire a 20% minority interest in the share capital of a services company and a construction company which together comprise ACE, a Brazilian fit out and refurbishment business, with an option to acquire the remaining 80% of shares. The consideration for the initial 20% minority interest is £1.9m. The option to acquire the remaining 80% of shares in ACE is exercisable between July 2014 and September 2014, for a total maximum additional consideration of £12.7m, to be settled over a phased four year period.

 

Overview of ISG

 

ISG is an international construction services company delivering fit out, construction and a range of specialist services both to a blue chip international client base as well as local clients.

 

Over the last ten years, ISG has changed from being a London centric, financial services sector focused fit out company to a diversified business comprising service: fit out, refurbishment, new build and consultancy; sector: office, retail, data centres and hospitality; and geography: UK, Europe, Middle East and Asia. ISG is a market leader in UK office and retail fit out.

 

ISG's international expansion has been led by the demand from its clients for construction services overseas - this was initially satisfied by the acquisition of minority stakes in local fit out specialists, subsequently increasing to 100% ownership. This has enabled ISG to build on its growing reputation as an international brand with its international client base.

 

In the last financial year ended 30 June 2012, ISG generated an underlying profit before tax of £7.5m on revenue of £1.28bn. ISG has over 30 offices around the world, operates in a total of 26 countries and employs approximately 2,600 people.

 

Information on ACE

 

ACE is a Sao Paulo based office fit out and refurbishment business with an additional office in Rio de Janeiro. The business was established in 1990 by a leading local interiors architect Eduardo Ribeiro Rocha ("ER") and the chief executive officer of ACE, Marcelo Amarante Mendes Filho ("MA").

 

The business is very similar in most respects to ISG's other overseas businesses, providing office fit out and refurbishment services and technical services assistance. ACE has established both an international reputation and a local reputation. Its clients include blue chip international businesses such as Diageo, Unilever, Pepsico, Baker Botts, Allianz, RBS, Bank of Tokyo and Accor, as well as a number of large Brazilian corporations including Petrobas (majority Brazilian state owned energy company), TIM (mobile phone operator), JBS (the world's largest meat company) and Banco Votorantim (a leading banking group).

 

ACE comprises two companies: ACE-Engenharia e Construções Ltda and ACE-BIS Serviços de Engenharia Ltda, with MA owning 51% of the share capital of each company and ER the remaining 49%. The two companies comprising ACE offer complementary fit out services to clients; the former construction services and the latter project management and design services.

 

The summary information set out below has been extracted from ACE's historic financial information (adjusted for ISG's accounting policies) for the years ended 31 December 2011 and 31 December 2012.

 

For the purposes of this Announcement and unless otherwise stated, a pound sterling (£) to Brazilian real (R$) exchange rate of 1:3.2 has been applied for illustrative purposes.

 

 

2011

2012

R$m

R$m

Gross Value of Work Performed ("GVWP")

36.5

48.5

Revenue

20.0

31.7

Adjusted Profit Before Tax

1.8

3.4

Net Assets

4.7

4.4

 

The difference between GVWP and Revenue is materials purchased directly by the client with ACE continuing to be responsible for installation.

 

In respect of the year ending 31 December 2013, ACE is forecasting GVWP of R$65.7m. As at the end of April 2013, ACE had secured 56% of its forecast GWVP for 2013.

 

Background to and reasons for the Acquisition

 

Historically, ISG has entered overseas markets in Europe and Asia by acquiring minority stakes, working with local management to introduce best practice, client introductions and new sectors. Once ISG has got to know these markets better it has acquired 100% ownership.

 

The entry into the Brazilian market allows ISG to follow this established business path. Brazil has recently eclipsed the UK as the world's sixth largest economy, has a population of 200m, significant natural resources, a strong emerging middle class and will host the FIFA World Cup in 2014 and the Olympic Games in 2016.

 

These factors are attracting strong inward foreign investment from international companies, an extensive expansion of existing facilities by international companies already in Brazil and the growth of a number of significant substantial local private companies. Many of these companies are either existing or potential clients of ISG.

 

Furthermore, ISG sees the ability to expand ACE's services into new sectors such as retail and engineering services over time. Although further expansion into other Latin American countries is not currently planned, it should be possible to service ISG clients in other jurisdictions from ACE's existing facilities.

 

Principal terms of the Acquisition

 

ISG has agreed to enter into a two stage process to acquire ACE.

 

Under Stage 1, ISG will acquire a 20% minority interest in ACE in equal proportions from ER and MA for a fixed consideration of R$6m (£1.93m). The consideration will be satisfied 90% in cash (£1.74m) and 10% in Consideration Shares (£0.19m) which are to be retained for a minimum of twelve months.

 

Under Stage 2, ISG has the option between July 2014 and September 2014 to acquire the remaining 80% of ACE over the next four years using an average valuation multiple of 5.3 x two year average trailing PBT. 20% of the consideration to be paid under Stage 2 is to be satisfied in Consideration Shares (subject to a 12 month lock-in condition) and 80% is to be paid in cash.

 

The Consideration Shares will rank pari passu in all respects with the existing Ordinary Shares and will have the right to receive all dividends and other distributions declared, made or paid after the relevant allotment date in respect of the issued Ordinary Shares save that they will not rank for any dividend or other distribution declared, made or paid by reference to a record date before the relevant allotment date.

 

The maximum consideration payable under Stage 2 is £12.7m.

In the event that ISG decides not to exercise the option to acquire the remaining 80% of the shares in ACE, ISG can require MA and ER to re-acquire its 20% minority shareholding in equal proportions over a three year period for R$6m plus 8% per annum carrying costs to be funded exclusively via dividends.

 

The proceeds of the Placing will be used to satisfy the cash payments through to March 2015 of circa £4m from the proceeds of the Placing. The balance of the expected cash payments are expected be met from dividends and surplus retained earnings built up over the five year period.

 

The Acquisition is only conditional on completion of the Placing.

 

Reasons for the Placing and use of proceeds

 

ISG is undertaking the Placing of £7.75m to fund Stage 1 and the first two Stage 2 cash payments for ACE (due June 2013 to March 2015) of circa £4m.

 

In addition, the proceeds of the Placing are to be used to fund a number of payments for bolt-on acquisitions (£2.75m) as well as acquisition, due diligence, advisory and Placing costs of £1m. Whilst historically ISG has tended to fund acquisitions using a mixture of bank debt and vendor placements, the conditions currently prevailing in the debt markets mean that this is not viable.

 

The bolt-on acquisitions include the acquisition of the residual 15% shareholding of Realys Group Limited, the Group's Shanghai based design and project management company; the payment of part of the final deferred consideration in respect of Alpha International Sarl, the Group's Paris based retail fit out business; and the proposed acquisition of 90% of the share capital of a specialist German fit out business.

 

In respect of the German business, ISG has signed Heads of Terms and due diligence and legal documentation is in progress, with a likely completion date during Q3 2013. The business is complementary to ISG's existing operations in Germany as it has an entirely local client base of investment and property funds as against ISG's international client base. The historic turnover for the business is circa €8m per annum.

 

ISG believes that, in view of the cost and time required to make a pre-emptive share offer, carrying out the Placing on a non-pre-emptive basis is the most suitable option given the requirement to raise funds for the Acquisition and to provide certainty to the sellers.

 

Financial impact of the Placing, the Acquisition and the bolt-on acquisitions

 

The financial impact of the Placing will be to increase the Group's net assets by £6.75m, net of costs.

 

It is expected that the Acquisition, bolt-on acquisitions and the Placing will in aggregate be earnings neutral in the next financial year and earnings enhancing in the financial year ending 30 June 2015 and thereafter.[1]

 

Details of the Placing

 

Under the terms of the Placing Agreement, Numis has placed, as agent for the Company, 5,000,000 Placing Shares at the Placing Price with institutional shareholders and all of the Directors, who are subscribing for 153,040 Placing Shares in aggregate. The Placing Shares will represent approximately 13% of the Enlarged Issued Share Capital. The Placing as a whole will raise proceeds of £7.75m, before expenses and approximately £7.35m net of expenses. The Placing has been fully underwritten by Numis in accordance with the terms of the Placing Agreement.

The Placing Agreement contains provisions (including customary market related provisions) entitling Numis to terminate the Placing Agreement at any time prior to Admission of the Placing Shares to AIM in certain circumstances.

 

The issue of the Placing Shares is to be effected by way of a cashbox placing. The Company will allot and issue the Placing Shares on a non-pre-emptive basis to the Placees in consideration for Numis transferring its holdings of ordinary shares and redeemable preference shares in Jerseyco to the Company. Accordingly, instead of receiving cash as consideration for the issue of Placing Shares, at the conclusion of the Placing the Company will own the entire issued share capital of Jerseyco whose only asset will be its cash reserves, which will represent an amount approximately equal to the net proceeds of the Placing.

The Placing Price represents a discount of approximately 10% to the middle market price of 172 pence per Ordinary Share at the close of business on 20 June 2013, being the latest practicable date prior to the date of this Announcement.

 

The Placing Shares will, on Admission, rank pari passu in all respects with the existing Ordinary Shares and will have the right to receive all dividends and other distributions thereafter declared, made or paid in respect of the issued Ordinary Shares.

 

Admission and settlement

 

Application will be made to the London Stock Exchange for the Placing Shares to be admitted to trading on AIM. Settlement of the Placing Shares and Admission is expected to take place at 8.00 a.m. on 26 June 2013.

 

Current trading and prospects

 

As a pre-close trading statement, the Board announces that it anticipates trading for the year ending 30 June 2013 will remain in line with management's expectations. Against difficult economic conditions, we have performed well in our core retail and corporate office markets. Overall, we expect to maintain revenues and see a modest improvement in margins on underlying continuing operations.

 

The Group's financial position remains robust with estimated net cash balances (before the impact of the Placing and the Acquisition) as at 30 June 2013 of £25.0m (June 2012: £25.4m).

 

Our UK Fit Out business has maintained its position in a highly competitive London corporate office market, which has continued to impact margins. However, in the last quarter we have seen an increase in order book, having secured, as previously reported, a £50m project to refurbish Bush House. We are also continuing to gain further data center allocations including a second Nordic data center project (circa €150m) that we announced separately today. The pipeline continues to strengthen in both anticipation of significant lease renewals expiring before 2017 and a growing data center market.

 

In our UK Retail business, we remain the number one service provider to the sector. While our volumes have decreased with a reduction in project sizes, we have maintained our position on all frameworks. We have seen some recovery in margins, driven by the reorganisation we put in place in 2012.

 

In our UK Construction business, trading conditions in the year have remained difficult, in particular in our Eastern and Midlands regions, where we are in the process of reorganisation to reflect the current market conditions. Overall for the year we anticipate a small decrease in revenue with a small recovery in margins before reorganisation costs.

 

In Continental Europe, we have consolidated on the strong growth we achieved in 2012. Despite the economic difficulties associated with the Eurozone, our volumes have been maintained as international customers have continued their overseas capital investment programmes, albeit we have seen a reduction in margins.

 

For Asia and the Middle East, we anticipate a small growth in revenue and improving margins. In particular, our North Asia business has performed strongly on the back of the continued growth in the retail sector.

 

Our current order book stands at £843m (May 2012 - £743m) of which £674m (May 2012 - £601m) relates to the year ending 30 June 2014. Of the order book 21% (May 2012 - 12%) relates to our overseas activities.

 

In respect of outlook, in the UK we have positioned the Group to reduce volumes in our UK Construction business. In our core London office market, we anticipate that trading conditions will continue to improve with a growing pipeline of opportunities. We also continue to target sectors of growth in the data center, hospitality and high end residential sectors. With strong current allocations, our UK retail activities will continue to be stable. Overseas, we continue to see robust demand in our core office sector as well as growing demand in both the retail and hospitality sectors.

 

We will continue to position the Group to benefit from the UK recovery, the international growth opportunities and our development of new sectors.

 

APPENDIX

TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE PLACING

 

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR PLACEES ONLY REGARDING THE PLACING

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, INCLUDING THIS APPENDIX (TOGETHER, THE "ANNOUNCEMENT") AND THE INFORMATION IN IT, IS RESTRICTED, AND IS NOT FOR PUBLICATION, RELEASE OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN, THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION WOULD BE UNLAWFUL.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON THE PLACING FOR INVITED PLACEES ONLY.

MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO TAKE PART IN THE PLACING. THIS APPENDIX AND THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SET OUT HEREIN ARE FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND ARE DIRECTED ONLY AT: (A) PERSONS IN MEMBER STATES OF THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AREA WHO ARE QUALIFIED INVESTORS AS DEFINED IN SECTION 86(7) OF THE FINANCIAL SERVICES AND MARKETS ACT 2000, AS AMENDED, ("QUALIFIED INVESTORS") BEING PERSONS FALLING WITHIN THE MEANING OF ARTICLE 2(1)(E) OF THE EU PROSPECTUS DIRECTIVE (WHICH MEANS DIRECTIVE 2003/71/EC AND INCLUDES ANY RELEVANT IMPLEMENTING DIRECTIVE MEASURE IN ANY MEMBER STATE) (THE "PROSPECTUS DIRECTIVE"); (B) IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, QUALIFIED INVESTORS WHO ARE PERSONS WHO (I) FALL WITHIN ARTICLE 19(5) OF THE FINANCIAL SERVICES AND MARKETS ACT 2000 (FINANCIAL PROMOTION) ORDER 2005 (THE "ORDER"); (II) FALL WITHIN ARTICLE 49(2)(A) TO (D) (HIGH NET WORTH COMPANIES, UNINCORPORATED ASSOCIATIONS, ETC) OF THE ORDER; OR (III) ARE PERSONS TO WHOM IT MAY OTHERWISE BE LAWFULLY COMMUNICATED (ALL SUCH PERSONS TOGETHER BEING REFERRED TO AS "RELEVANT PERSONS"). THIS APPENDIX AND THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SET OUT HEREIN MUST NOT BE ACTED ON OR RELIED ON BY PERSONS WHO ARE NOT RELEVANT PERSONS. ANY INVESTMENT OR INVESTMENT ACTIVITY TO WHICH THIS APPENDIX AND THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SET OUT HEREIN RELATES IS AVAILABLE ONLY TO RELEVANT PERSONS AND WILL BE ENGAGED IN ONLY WITH RELEVANT PERSONS.

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, INCLUDING THIS APPENDIX, IS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND DOES NOT ITSELF CONSTITUTE AN OFFER FOR SALE OR SUBSCRIPTION OF ANY SECURITIES IN THE COMPANY. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT HAS BEEN ISSUED BY AND IS THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE COMPANY.

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, INCLUDING THIS APPENDIX, IS NOT AN OFFER FOR SALE OR SUBSCRIPTION IN ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH OFFER, SOLICITATION OR SALE WOULD BE UNLAWFUL UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY SUCH JURISDICTION. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, INCLUDING THIS APPENDIX, IS NOT AN OFFER OF OR SOLICITATION TO PURCHASE OR SUBSCRIBE FOR SECURITIES 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, EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM, OR IN A TRANSACTION NOT SUBJECT TO, THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT. NEITHER THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION NOR ANY SECURITIES REGULATORY AUTHORITY OF ANY STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION OF THE UNITED STATES HAS APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED OF AN INVESTMENT IN THE SECURITIES OR PASSED UPON OR ENDORSED THE MERITS OF THE PLACING OR THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THE CONTENTS OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENCE IN THE UNITED STATES. NO PUBLIC OFFERING OF SECURITIES IS BEING MADE IN THE UNITED STATES. NO MONEY, SECURITIES OR OTHER CONSIDERATION FROM ANY PERSON INSIDE THE UNITED STATES IS BEING SOLICITED AND, IF SENT IN RESPONSE TO THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

EACH PLACEE SHOULD CONSULT WITH ITS OWN ADVISERS AS TO LEGAL, TAX, BUSINESS AND RELATED ASPECTS OF AN INVESTMENT IN PLACING SHARES. THE PRICE OF SHARES IN THE COMPANY AND THE INCOME FROM THEM (IF ANY) MAY GO DOWN AS WELL AS UP AND THE INVESTORS MAY NOT GET BACK THE FULL AMOUNT INVESTED ON DISPOSAL OF SHARES.

Persons who are invited to and who choose to participate in the Placing, by making (or on whose behalf there is made) an oral or written offer to subscribe for Placing Shares (the "Placees"), will be deemed to have read and understood this Announcement, including this Appendix, in its entirety and to be making such offer on the terms and conditions, and to be providing the representations, warranties, acknowledgements, and undertakings contained in this Appendix. In particular, each such Placee represents, warrants and acknowledges that:

1. it is a Relevant Person (as defined above) and undertakes that it will acquire, hold, manage or dispose of any Placing Shares that are allocated to it for the purposes of its business;

2. in the case of any Placing Shares acquired by it as a financial intermediary, as that term is used in Article 3(2) of the Prospectus Directive:

(i) the Placing Shares acquired by it in the Placing have not been acquired on behalf of, nor have they been acquired with a view to their offer or resale to, persons in any Member State of the European Economic Area which has implemented the Prospectus Directive other than Qualified Investors or in circumstances in which the prior consent of Numis has been given to the offer or resale; or

(ii) where Placing Shares have been acquired by it on behalf of persons in any member state of the European Economic Area other than Qualified Investors, the offer of those Placing Shares to it is not treated under the Prospectus Directive as having been made to such persons; and

3. (i) (a) it is not in the United States; and (b) it is not acting for the account or benefit of a person in the United States;

(ii) it is a dealer or other professional fiduciary in the United States acting on a discretionary basis for a non-US person (other than an estate or trust) in reliance on Regulation S under the Securities Act; or

(iii) it is otherwise acquiring the Placing Shares in an "offshore transaction" meeting the requirements of Regulation S under the Securities Act.

The Company and Numis will rely upon the truth and accuracy of the foregoing representations, acknowledgements and agreements.

This Announcement does not constitute an offer, and may not be used in connection with an offer, to sell or issue or the solicitation of an offer to buy or subscribe for Placing Shares in any jurisdiction in which such offer or solicitation is or may be unlawful. This Announcement and the information contained herein is not for publication or distribution, directly or indirectly, to persons in the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan or the Republic of South Africa or in any other jurisdiction in which such publication or distribution is unlawful. Persons into whose possession this Announcement may come are required by the Company to inform themselves about and to observe any restrictions of transfer of this Announcement. No public offer of securities of the Company is being made in the United Kingdom, the United States or elsewhere.

In particular, the Placing Shares referred to in this Announcement have not been and will not be registered under the Securities Act or any laws of, or with any securities regulatory authority of, any state or other jurisdiction of the United States, and may not be offered, sold, pledged or otherwise transferred within the United States except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act and the securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States. The Placing Shares are being offered and sold outside the United States in accordance with Regulation S under the Securities Act.

The Placing Shares have not been approved or disapproved by the US Securities and Exchange Commission, any state securities commission or other regulatory authority in the United States, nor have any of the foregoing authorities passed upon or endorsed the merits of the Placing or the accuracy or adequacy of this Announcement. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offence in the United States.

The relevant clearances have not been, nor will they be, obtained from the securities commission of any province or territory of Canada; no prospectus has been lodged with or registered by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission or the Japanese Ministry of Finance; and the Placing Shares have not been, nor will they be, registered under or offered in compliance with the securities laws of any state, province or territory of Australia, Canada, Japan or the Republic of South Africa. Accordingly, the Placing Shares may not (unless an exemption under the relevant securities laws is applicable) be offered, sold, resold or delivered, directly or indirectly, in or into Australia, Canada, Japan or the Republic of South Africa or any other jurisdiction outside the United Kingdom.

Persons (including, without limitation, nominees and trustees) who have a contractual or other legal obligation to forward a copy of this Appendix or the Announcement of which it forms part should seek appropriate advice before taking any action.

In this Appendix, unless the context otherwise requires, "Placee" means a Relevant Person (including individuals, funds or others) on whose behalf a commitment to subscribe for Placing Shares has been given.

Details of the Placing

Numis has entered into a Placing Agreement with the Company under which Numis has, on the terms and subject to the conditions set out therein, undertaken to use its reasonable endeavours to procure, as agent for the Company, subscribers for the Placing Shares. To the extent it does not procure subscribers for the total number of the Placing Shares at the Placing Price, Numis has agreed pursuant to the Placing Agreement itself to subscribe as principal for those Placing Shares at the Placing Price.

The issue of the Placing Shares is to be effected by way of a cashbox placing. The Company will allot and issue the Placing Shares on a non-pre-emptive basis to the Placees in consideration for Numis transferring its holdings of ordinary shares and redeemable preference shares in Jerseyco to the Company. Accordingly, instead of receiving cash as consideration for the issue of Placing Shares, at the conclusion of the Placing the Company will own the entire issued share capital of Jerseyco whose only asset will be its cash reserves, which will represent an amount approximately equal to the net proceeds of the Placing.

The Placing Shares will, when issued, be credited as fully paid and will rank pari passu in all respects with the existing issued Ordinary Shares, including the right to receive all dividends and other distributions (if any) declared, made or paid on or in respect of the Ordinary Shares after the date of issue of the Placing Shares.

 

Application for admission to trading

Application will be made to the London Stock Exchange for Admission. It is expected that settlement of the Placing Shares and Admission will become effective on or around 26 June 2013 and that dealings in the Placing Shares will commence at that time.

Participation in, and principal terms of, the Placing

1. Numis (whether through itself or any of its affiliates) is arranging the Placing as Nomad, Bookrunner and Broker of the Company for the purpose of using reasonable endeavours to procure Placees at the Placing Price for the Placing Shares.

2. Participation in the Placing will only be available to persons who may lawfully be, and are, invited to participate by Numis. Numis and its affiliates may participate in the Placing as principal.

3. This Appendix gives details of the terms and conditions of, and the mechanics of participation in, the Placing. No commissions will be paid to Placees or by Placees in respect of any Placing Shares.

4. The placing price will be a fixed price of 155 pence per Placing Share.

5. Each Placee's allocation will be confirmed to Placees orally by Numis, and a trade confirmation or contract note will be despatched as soon as possible thereafter. The oral confirmation to such Placee will constitute an irrevocable legally binding commitment upon such person (who will at that point become a Placee) in favour of Numis and the Company, under which it agrees to acquire the number of Placing Shares allocated to it at the Placing Price on the terms and conditions set out in this Appendix and in accordance with the Company's Articles of Association.

6. Except as required by law or regulation, no press release or other announcement will be made by Numis or the Company using the name of any Placee (or its agent), in its capacity as Placee (or agent), other than with such Placee's prior written consent.

7. Irrespective of the time at which a Placee's allocation pursuant to the Placing is confirmed, settlement for all Placing Shares to be acquired pursuant to the Placing will be required to be made at the same time, on the basis explained below under "Registration and Settlement".

8. All obligations under the Placing will be subject to fulfilment or (where applicable) waiver of, amongst other things, the conditions referred to below under "Conditions of the Placing" and to the Placing not being terminated on the basis referred to below under "Right to terminate under the Placing Agreement".

9. By participating in the Placing, each Placee will agree that its rights and obligations in respect of the Placing will terminate only in the circumstances described below and will not be capable of rescission or termination by the Placee.

10. To the fullest extent permissible by law, none of the Company, Numis or any of their respective affiliates shall have any liability to Placees (or to any other person whether acting on behalf of a Placee or otherwise). In particular, none of the Company, Numis or any of their respective affiliates shall have any liability (including to the fullest extent permissible by law, any fiduciary duties) in respect of Numis' conduct of the Placing. Each Placee acknowledges and agrees that the Company is responsible for the allotment of the Placing Shares to the Placees and Numis shall have no liability to the Placees for the failure of the Company to fulfil those obligations.

 

Conditions of the Placing

Numis' obligations under the Placing Agreement in respect of the Placing Shares are conditional on, inter alia:

(a) none of the warranties contained in the Placing Agreement being untrue, inaccurate or misleading in any material respect;

(b) the Company allotting, subject only to Admission, the Placing Shares in accordance with the Placing Agreement;

(c) the London Stock Exchange agreeing to admit the Placing Shares to trading on AIM (subject only to allotment);

(d) the Acquisition Agreement having been duly executed and delivered by the Company and remaining in full force and effect and being conditional only on completion of the Placing and the receipt by the Company of funds from the Placing to enable it to complete the Acquisition Agreement;

(e) Admission taking place not later than 8.00 a.m. on 26 June 2013, or such later date as the Company and Numis may otherwise agree but not being later than 8.00 a.m. on 10 July 2013;

(f) the Subscription and Transfer Agreement (as defined in the Placing Agreement) having been duly executed and delivered by the Company and Jerseyco and there having occurred no material default or material breach by the Company or Jerseyco of its terms by the time immediately prior to Admission;

(g) the Option Agreement (as defined in the Placing Agreement) having been duly executed and delivered by the Company and Jerseyco and there having occurred no material default or material breach by the Company or Jerseyco of its terms by the time immediately prior to admission; and

(h) the Company having performed all of its obligations under the Placing Agreement in all material respects.

If (i) any of the conditions contained in the Placing Agreement in relation to the Placing Shares are not fulfilled or waived by Numis by the respective time or date where specified (or such later time or date as the Company and Numis may agree but not being later than 8.00 a.m. on 10 July 2013 (the "Final Date")); or (ii) the Placing Agreement is terminated as described below, the Placing in relation to the Placing Shares will lapse and the Placee's rights and obligations hereunder in relation to the Placing Shares shall cease and terminate at such time and each Placee agrees that no claim can be made by the Placee in respect thereof.

Numis may, at its discretion and upon such terms as it thinks fit, waive, or extend the period (up to the Final Date) for, compliance by the Company with the whole or any part of any of the Company's obligations in relation to the conditions in the Placing Agreement, save that the above condition relating to Admission taking place may not be waived. Any such extension or waiver will not affect Placees' commitments as set out in this Announcement.

Neither Numis nor the Company shall have any liability to any Placee (or to any other person whether acting on behalf of a Placee or otherwise) in respect of any decision they may make as to whether or not to waive or to extend the time and/or date for the satisfaction of any condition to the Placing nor for any decision they may make as to the satisfaction of any condition or in respect of the Placing generally and by participating in the Placing each Placee agrees that any such decision is within the absolute discretion of Numis.

Right to terminate under the Placing Agreement

Numis is entitled, at any time before Admission, to terminate the Placing Agreement in relation to Numis' obligations in respect of the Placing Shares by giving notice to the Company in certain circumstances, including a material breach of the warranties given to Numis in the Placing Agreement, the failure of the Company to comply with its obligations in any material respect under the Placing Agreement, a material adverse change (or prospective change) in the Company's condition or prospects or the occurrence of a force majeure event which, in the opinion of Numis, seriously and adversely affects or will or is reasonably likely to seriously and adversely affect the business of the Company.

By participating in the Placing, Placees agree that the exercise by Numis of any right of termination or other discretion under the Placing Agreement shall be within the absolute discretion of Numis and that it need not make any reference to Placees and that it shall have no liability to Placees whatsoever in connection with any such exercise.

No Admission Document or Prospectus

The Placing Shares are being offered to a limited number of specifically invited persons only and will not be offered in such a way as to require an admission document or prospectus in the United Kingdom or in any other jurisdiction. No offering document, admission document or prospectus has been or will be submitted to be approved by the FCA or submitted to the London Stock Exchange in relation to the Placing, and Placees' commitments will be made solely on the basis of the information contained in the Announcement (including this Appendix) and the Exchange Information (as defined further below). Each Placee, by accepting a participation in the Placing, agrees that the content of this Announcement is exclusively the responsibility of the Company and confirms that it has neither received nor relied on any other information (other than the Exchange Information), representation, warranty, or statement made by or on behalf of the Company or Numis or any other person and neither Numis nor the Company nor any other person will be liable for any Placee's decision to participate in the Placing based on any other information, representation, warranty or statement which the Placees may have obtained or received and, if given or made, such information, representation, warranty or statement must not be relied upon as having been authorised by Numis, the Company, or their respective officers, directors, employees or agents. Each Placee acknowledges and agrees that it has relied on its own investigation of the business, financial or other position of the Company in accepting a participation in the Placing. Neither the Company, nor Numis are making any undertaking or warranty to any Placee regarding the legality of an investment in the Placing Shares by such Placee under any legal, investment or similar laws or regulations. Each Placee should not consider any information in this Announcement to be legal, tax or business advice. Each Placee should consult its own solicitor, tax adviser and financial adviser for independent legal, tax and financial advice regarding an investment in the Placing Shares. Nothing in this paragraph shall exclude the liability of any person for fraudulent misrepresentation.

Registration and Settlement

Settlement of transactions in the Placing Shares (ISIN: GB0002925955) following Admission will take place within CREST provided that, subject to certain exceptions, Numis reserves the right to require settlement for, and delivery of, the Placing Shares (or a portion thereof) to Placees by such other means that it deems necessary if delivery or settlement is not possible or practicable within CREST within the timetable set out in this Announcement or would not be consistent with the regulatory requirements in any Placee's jurisdiction.

Each Placee allocated Placing Shares in the Placing will be sent a trade confirmation or contract note stating the number of Placing Shares allocated to it at the Placing Price, the aggregate amount owed by such Placee to Numis and settlement instructions. Each Placee agrees that it will do all things necessary to ensure that delivery and payment is completed in accordance with the CREST or certificated settlement instructions that have been indicated to Numis.

It is expected that settlement will be on 26 June 2013 on a T+3 basis in accordance with the instructions set out in the trade confirmation.

Interest is chargeable daily on payments not received from Placees on the due date in accordance with the arrangements set out above at the rate of two percentage points above LIBOR as determined by Numis.

Each Placee is deemed to agree that, if it does not comply with these obligations, Numis may sell any or all of the Placing Shares allocated to that Placee on such Placee's behalf and retain from the proceeds, for Numis' account and benefit (as agent for the Company), an amount equal to the aggregate amount owed by the Placee plus any interest due. The relevant Placee will, however, remain liable and shall indemnify Numis on demand for any shortfall below the aggregate amount owed by it and may be required to bear any stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax or securities transfer tax (together with any interest or penalties) which may arise upon the sale of such Placing Shares on such Placee's behalf. By communicating a bid for Placing Shares, each Placee confers on Numis all such authorities and powers necessary to carry out any such sale and agrees to ratify and confirm all actions which Numis lawfully takes in pursuance of such sale.

If Placing Shares are to be delivered to a custodian or settlement agent, Placees should ensure that the trade confirmation or contract note is copied and delivered immediately to the relevant person within that organisation.

Insofar as Placing Shares are registered in a Placee's name or that of its nominee or in the name of any person for whom a Placee is contracting as agent or that of a nominee for such person, such Placing Shares should, subject as provided below, be so registered free from any liability to UK stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax or securities transfer tax. Placees will not be entitled to receive any fee or commission in connection with the Placing.

Representations, Warranties and Further Terms

By participating in the Placing each Placee (and any person acting on such Placee's behalf) makes the following representations, warranties, acknowledgements, agreements and undertakings (as the case may be) to the Company and Numis:

1. represents and warrants that it has read and understood the Announcement, including this Appendix, in its entirety and that its subscription of Placing Shares is subject to and based upon all the terms, conditions, representations, warranties, acknowledgements, agreements and undertakings and other information contained herein and undertakes not to redistribute or duplicate this Announcement;

2. acknowledges that no offering document, admission document or prospectus has been prepared in connection with the Placing and represents and warrants that it has not received and will not receive a prospectus, admission document or other offering document in connection therewith;

3. acknowledges that the Ordinary Shares are admitted to trading on AIM, and the Company is therefore required to publish certain business and financial information in accordance with the AIM Rules for Companies (collectively "Exchange Information"), which includes the Company's most recent balance sheet and profit and loss account and the Company's announcements and circulars published in the past 12 months and that it is able to obtain or access such information without undue difficulty;

4. acknowledges that none of Numis, the Company, any of their respective affiliates or any person acting on behalf of any of them has provided it, and will not provide it, with any material information regarding the Placing Shares or the Company other than this Announcement; nor has it requested any of Numis, the Company, their respective affiliates or any person acting on behalf of any of them to provide it with any such information;

5. acknowledges that the content of this Announcement is exclusively the responsibility of the Company, and that none of Numis, its affiliates or any person acting on its or their behalf has or shall have any liability for any information, representation or statement contained in this Announcement or any information previously or concurrently published by or on behalf of the Company, and will not be liable for any Placee's decision to participate in the Placing based on any information, representation or statement contained in this Announcement or otherwise. Each Placee further represents, warrants and agrees that the only information on which it is entitled to rely and on which such Placee has relied in committing itself to acquire the Placing Shares is contained in this Announcement and any Exchange Information, such information being all that it deems necessary to make an investment decision in respect of the Placing Shares and that it has neither received nor relied on any other information given or representations, warranties or statements made by Numis, the Company or any of their respective directors, officers or employees or any person acting on behalf of any of them, or, if received, it has not relied upon any such information, representations, warranties or statements (including any management presentation that may have been received by any prospective Placee or any material prepared by the Research Department of Numis (the views of such Research Department not representing and being independent from those of the Company and the Corporate Finance Department of Numis and not being attributable to the same)), and neither Numis nor the Company will be liable for any Placee's decision to accept an invitation to participate in the Placing based on any other information, representation, warranty or statement. Each Placee further acknowledges and agrees that it may not place the same degree of reliance as it may otherwise place on a prospectus or admission document. Each Placee further acknowledges and agrees that it has relied solely on its own investigation of the business, financial or other position of the Company in deciding to participate in the Placing and it will not rely on any investigation that Numis, its affiliates or any other person acting on its or their behalf has or may have conducted;

6. represents and warrants that it has neither received nor relied on any confidential price sensitive information concerning the Company in accepting this invitation to participate in the Placing;

7. acknowledges that Numis does not have any duties or responsibilities to it, or its clients, similar or comparable to the duties of "best execution" and "suitability" imposed by the Conduct of Business Sourcebook in the FCA's Handbook of Rules and Guidance and that Numis is not acting for it or its clients and that Numis will not be responsible for providing protections to it or its clients;

8. acknowledges that none of Numis, any of its affiliates or any person acting on behalf of it or them has or shall have any liability for the Exchange Information, any publicly available or filed information or any representation relating to the Company, provided that nothing in this paragraph excludes the liability of any person for fraudulent misrepresentation made by that person;

9. that, save in the event of fraud on the part of Numis (and to the extent permitted by the Rules of the FCA), neither Numis, its ultimate holding company nor any direct or indirect subsidiary undertakings of that holding company, nor any of their respective directors and employees shall be liable to Placees for any matter arising out of Numis' role as placing agent or otherwise in connection with the Placing and that where any such liability nevertheless arises as a matter of law Placees will immediately waive any claim against any of such persons which Placees may have in respect thereof;

10. represents and warrants that (i) (a) it is not in the United States; and (b) it is not acting for the account or benefit of a person in the United States; or (ii) it is a dealer or other professional fiduciary in the United States acting on a discretionary basis for a non-US person (other than an estate or trust) in reliance on Regulation S under the Securities Act; or (iii) it is otherwise acquiring the Placing Shares in an "offshore transaction" meeting the requirements of Regulation S under the Securities Act;

11. acknowledges that the Placing Shares are being offered and sold only pursuant to Regulation S under the Securities Act in a transaction not involving a public offering of securities in the United States and the Placing Shares have not been and will not be registered under the Securities Act or with any state or other jurisdiction of the United States, nor approved or disapproved by the US Securities and Exchange Commission, any state securities commission in the United States or any other United States regulatory authority, and that the offer and sale of the Placing Shares to it has been made outside of the United States in an "offshore transaction" (as such term is defined in Regulation S under the Securities Act) and agrees not to reoffer, resell, pledge or otherwise transfer the Placing Shares except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act and otherwise in accordance with any applicable securities laws of any state or jurisdiction of the United States;

12. acknowledges that none of the Company nor any of its subsidiary undertakings or Affiliates, nor any person acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiary undertakings or Affiliates has engaged or will engage in any directed selling efforts, as defined in Regulation S of the Securities Act, with respect to the Placing Shares. For the purposes of this clause, Affiliates shall have the meaning given in Rule 405 or Rule 501(b) under the Securities Act;

13. acknowledges that neither Numis nor any of its Affiliates nor any person acting on behalf of Numis or its Affiliates has engaged or will engage in any directed selling efforts, as defined in Regulation S of the Securities Act, with respect to the Placing Shares. For the purposes of this clause, Affiliates shall have the meaning given in Rule 405 or Rule 501(b) under the Securities Act;

14. unless otherwise specifically agreed in writing with Numis, represents and warrants that neither it nor the beneficial owner of such Placing Shares will be a resident of Australia, Canada, Japan or the Republic of South Africa;

15. acknowledges that the Placing Shares have not been and will not be registered under the securities legislation of the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan or the Republic of South Africa and, subject to certain exceptions, may not be offered, sold, taken up, renounced or delivered or transferred, directly or indirectly, within those jurisdictions;

16. represents and warrants that the issue to it, or the person specified by it for registration as holder, of the Placing Shares will not give rise to a liability under any of sections 67, 70, 93 or 96 of the Finance Act 1986 (depositary receipts and clearance services) and that the Placing Shares are not being acquired in connection with arrangements to issue depositary receipts or to transfer Placing Shares into a clearance system;

17. represents and warrants that: (i) it has complied with its obligations under the Criminal Justice Act 1993 and Part VIII of FSMA; (ii) in connection with money laundering and terrorist financing, it has complied with its obligations under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (as amended), the Terrorism Act 2000 (as amended), the Terrorism Act 2006 and the Money Laundering Regulations 2007; and (iii) it is not a person: (a) with whom transactions are prohibited under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 or any economic sanction programmes administered by, or regulations promulgated by, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury; (b) named on the Consolidated List of Financial Sanctions Targets maintained by HM Treasury of the United Kingdom; or (c) subject to financial sanctions imposed pursuant to a regulation of the European Union or a regulation adopted by the United Nations (together, the "Regulations"); and, if making payment on behalf of a third party, that satisfactory evidence has been obtained and recorded by it to verify the identity of the third party as required by the Regulations and, if making payment on behalf of a third party, that satisfactory evidence has been obtained and recorded by it to verify the identity of the third party as required by the Regulations and has obtained all governmental and other consents (if any) which may be required for the purpose of, or as a consequence of, such purchase, and it will provide promptly to Numis such evidence, if any, as to the identity or location or legal status of any person which Numis may request from it in connection with the Placing (for the purpose of complying with such Regulations or ascertaining the nationality of any person or the jurisdiction(s) to which any person is subject or otherwise) in the form and manner requested by Numis on the basis that any failure by it to do so may result in the number of Placing Shares that are to be purchased by it or at its direction pursuant to the Placing being reduced to such number, or to nil, as Numis may decide at its sole discretion;

18. if a financial intermediary, as that term is used in Article 3(2) of the Prospectus Directive, represents and warrants that the Placing Shares purchased by it in the Placing will not be acquired on a non-discretionary basis on behalf of, nor will they be acquired with a view to their offer or resale to, persons in a Member State of the European Economic Area which has implemented the Prospectus Directive other than Qualified Investors, or in circumstances in which the prior consent of Numis has been given to the offer or resale;

19. represents and warrants that it has not offered or sold and will not offer or sell any Placing Shares to persons in the European Economic Area prior to Admission except to persons whose ordinary activities involve them in acquiring, holding, managing or disposing of investments (as principal or agent) for the purposes of their business or otherwise in circumstances which have not resulted in and which will not result in an offer to the public in any member state of the European Economic Area within the meaning of the Prospectus Directive (including any relevant implementing measure in any member state);

20. represents and warrants that it has only communicated or caused to be communicated and will only communicate or cause to be communicated any invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of section 21 of the FSMA) relating to the Placing Shares in circumstances in which section 21(1) of the FSMA does not require approval of the communication by an authorised person;

21. represents and warrants that it has complied and will comply with all applicable provisions of the FSMA with respect to anything done by it in relation to the Placing Shares in, from or otherwise involving, the United Kingdom;

22. if in a Member State of the European Economic Area, unless otherwise specifically agreed with Numis in writing, represents and warrants that it is a Qualified Investor within the meaning of the Prospectus Directive;

23. if in the United Kingdom, represents and warrants that it is a person (i) who has professional experience in matters relating to investments falling within Article 19(1) of the Order; (ii) falling within Article 49(2)(A) to (D) (High Net Worth Companies, Unincorporated Associations, etc) of the Order; or (iii) to whom this Announcement may otherwise be lawfully communicated;

24. represents and warrants that it and any person acting on its behalf is entitled to acquire the Placing Shares under the laws of all relevant jurisdictions and that it has all necessary capacity and has obtained all necessary consents and authorities and taken any other necessary actions to enable it to commit to this participation in the Placing and to perform its obligations in relation thereto (including, without limitation, in the case of any person on whose behalf it is acting, all necessary consents and authorities to agree to the terms set out or referred to in this Announcement) and will honour such obligations;

25. where it is acquiring Placing Shares for one or more managed accounts, represents and warrants that it is authorised in writing by each managed account: (a) to acquire the Placing Shares for each managed account; (b) to make on its behalf the representations, warranties, acknowledgements, undertakings and agreements in this Appendix and the Announcement of which it forms part; and (c) to receive on its behalf any investment letter relating to the Placing in the form provided to it by Numis;

26. undertakes that it (and any person acting on its behalf) will make payment for the Placing Shares allocated to it in accordance with this Announcement on the due time and date set out herein, failing which the relevant Placing Shares may be placed with other subscribers or sold as Numis may in its sole discretion determine and without liability to such Placee and it will remain liable and will indemnify Numis on demand for any shortfall below the net proceeds of such sale and the placing proceeds of such Placing Shares and may be required to bear the liability for any stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax or security transfer tax (together with any interest or penalties due pursuant to or referred to in these terms and conditions) which may arise upon the placing or sale of such Placee's Placing Shares on its behalf;

27. acknowledges that none of Numis, any of its affiliates, or any person acting on behalf of any of them, is making any recommendations to it, advising it regarding the suitability of any transactions it may enter into in connection with the Placing and that participation in the Placing is on the basis that it is not and will not be treated for these purposes as a client of Numis and that Numis has no duties or responsibilities to it for providing the protections afforded to their respective clients or customers or for providing advice in relation to the Placing nor in respect of any representations, warranties, undertakings or indemnities contained in the Placing Agreement nor for the exercise or performance of any of their rights and obligations thereunder including any rights to waive or vary any conditions or exercise any termination right;

28. undertakes that the person whom it specifies for registration as holder of the Placing Shares will be (i) itself; or (ii) its nominee, as the case may be. Neither Numis nor the Company will be responsible for any liability to stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax resulting from a failure to observe this requirement. Each Placee and any person acting on behalf of such Placee agrees to participate in the Placing and it agrees to indemnify the Company and Numis in respect of the same on the basis that the Placing Shares will be allotted to the CREST stock account of Numis who will hold them as nominee on behalf of such Placee until settlement;

29. acknowledges that these terms and conditions and any agreements entered into by it pursuant to these terms and conditions and any non-contractual obligations arising out of or in connection with such agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales and it submits (on behalf of itself and on behalf of any person on whose behalf it is acting) to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts as regards any claim, dispute or matter (including non-contractual matters) arising out of any such contract, except that enforcement proceedings in respect of the obligation to make payment for the Placing Shares (together with any interest chargeable thereon) may be taken by the Company or Numis in any jurisdiction in which the relevant Placee is incorporated or in which any of its securities have a quotation on a recognised stock exchange;

30. acknowledges that time shall be of the essence as regards to obligations pursuant to this Appendix;

31. agrees that the Company, Numis and their respective affiliates and others will rely upon the truth and accuracy of the foregoing representations, warranties, acknowledgements and undertakings which are given to Numis on its own behalf and on behalf of the Company and are irrevocable and are irrevocably authorised to produce this Announcement or a copy thereof to any interested party in any administrative or legal proceeding or official inquiry with respect to the matters covered hereby;

32. agrees to indemnify on an after-tax basis and hold the Company, Numis and their respective affiliates harmless from any and all costs, claims, liabilities and expenses (including legal fees and expenses) arising out of or in connection with any breach of the representations, warranties, acknowledgements, agreements and undertakings in this Appendix and further agrees that the provisions of this Appendix shall survive after completion of the Placing;

33. acknowledges that no action has been or will be taken by any of the Company, Numis or any person acting on behalf of the Company or Numis that would, or is intended to, permit a public offer of the Placing Shares in any country or jurisdiction where any such action for that purpose is required;

34. acknowledges that it is an institution that has knowledge and experience in financial, business and international investment matters as is required to evaluate the merits and risks of subscribing for the Placing Shares. It further acknowledges that it is experienced in investing in securities of this nature and in this sector and is aware that it may be required to bear, and that it, and any accounts for which it may be acting, are able to bear, the economic risk of, and is able to sustain, a complete loss in connection with the Placing. It has relied upon its own examination and due diligence of the Company and its associates taken as a whole, and the terms of the Placing, including the merits and risks involved;

35. acknowledges that its commitment to subscribe for Placing Shares on the terms set out herein and in the trade confirmation or contract note will continue notwithstanding any amendment that may in future be made to the terms of the Placing and that Placees will have no right to be consulted or require that their consent be obtained with respect to the Company's conduct of the Placing;

36. acknowledges that Numis or any of its affiliates acting as an investor for its own account may take up shares in the Company and in that capacity may retain, purchase or sell for its own account such shares and may offer or sell such shares other than in connection with the Placing;

37. represents and warrants that, if it is a pension fund or investment company, its purchase of Placing Shares is in full compliance with all applicable laws and regulation;

38. to the fullest extent permitted by law, it acknowledges and agrees to the disclaimers contained in the Announcement including this Appendix.

The representations, warranties, acknowledgments and undertakings contained in this Appendix are given to Numis and the Company and are irrevocable and shall not be capable of termination in any circumstances.

The agreement to settle a Placee's subscription (and/or the subscription of a person for whom such Placee is contracting as agent) free of stamp duty and stamp duty reserve tax depends on the settlement relating only to a subscription by it and/or such person direct from the Company for the Placing Shares in question. Such agreement assumes that the Placing Shares are not being subscribed for in connection with arrangements to issue depositary receipts or to transfer the Placing Shares into a clearance service. If there are any such arrangements, or the settlement relates to any other subsequent dealing in the Placing Shares, stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax may be payable, for which neither the Company nor Numis will be responsible, and the Placee to whom (or on behalf of whom, or in respect of the person for whom it is participating in the Placing as an agent or nominee) the allocation, allotment, issue or delivery of Placing Shares has given rise to such UK stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax undertakes to pay such UK stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax forthwith and to indemnify on an after-tax basis and to hold harmless the Company and Numis in the event that any of the Company and/or Numis has incurred any such liability to UK stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax. If this is the case, each Placee should seek its own advice and notify Numis accordingly.

In addition, Placees should note that they will be liable for any stamp duty and all other stamp, issue, securities, transfer, registration, documentary or other duties or taxes (including any interest, fines or penalties relating thereto) payable outside the UK by them or any other person on the subscription by them of any Placing Shares or the agreement by them to subscribe for any Placing Shares.

Each Placee, and any person acting on behalf of the Placee, acknowledges that Numis does not owe any fiduciary or other duties to any Placee in respect of any representations, warranties, undertakings or indemnities in the Placing Agreement.

Each Placee and any person acting on behalf of the Placee acknowledges and agrees that Numis or any of its affiliates may, at their absolute discretion, agree to become a Placee in respect of some or all of the Placing Shares.

When a Placee or person acting on behalf of the Placee is dealing with Numis, any money held in an account with Numis on behalf of the Placee and/or any person acting on behalf of the Placee will not be treated as client money within the meaning of the rules and regulations of the FCA made under the FSMA. The Placee acknowledges that the money will not be subject to the protections conferred by the client money rules; as a consequence, this money will not be segregated from Numis' money in accordance with the client money rules and will be used by Numis in the course of its own business and the Placee will rank only as a general creditor of Numis.

All times and dates in this Announcement may be subject to amendment. Numis shall notify the Placees and any person acting on behalf of the Placees of any changes.

Past performance is no guide to future performance and persons needing advice should consult an independent financial adviser.

DEFINITIONS

The following definitions apply throughout this Announcement, unless the context requires otherwise:

"ACE" means ACE-Engenharia e Construções Ltda and ACE-BIS Serviços de Engenharia Ltda;

"Acquisition" means the acquisition by a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company of 20% of the issued share capital of ACE in accordance with the terms of the Acquisition Agreement together with an option to acquire the remaining 80% of the issued share capital of ACE;

"Acquisition Agreement" the conditional agreement relating to the Acquisition;

"Admission" means the admission of the Placing Shares to trading on AIM becoming effective in accordance with the AIM Rules for Companies;

"AIM" means the market of that name operated by the London Stock Exchange;

"AIM Rules for Companies" means the provisions of the London Stock Exchange AIM Rules for Companies as amended from time to time governing, inter alia, admission to AIM and the continuing obligations of AIM companies;

"Announcement" means this announcement (including the appendix to this announcement);

"Company" means ISG plc;

"Consideration Shares" means the Ordinary Shares to be issued in respect of the Acquisition;

"CREST" means the relevant system (as defined in the CREST Regulations) in respect of which Euroclear UK & Ireland Limited is the Operator (as defined in the CREST Regulations);

"CREST Regulations" means the Uncertificated Securities Regulations 2001 (SI 2001/3755) as amended from time to time;

"Enlarged Issued Share Capital" means the issued share capital of the Company after the issue of the Placing Shares;

"ER" means Eduardo Ribeiro Rocha (the owner of Tateurg do Brasil Ltda. through which ER owns his ACE shares) who is one of the sellers of ACE;

"FCA" means the Financial Conduct Authority of the United Kingdom acting in its capacity as the competent authority for the purposes of Part IV of FSMA;

"FSMA" means the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (as amended);

"Group" means the Company and its subsidiary undertakings;

"GVWP" means gross value of work performed;

"IFRS" means International Financial Reporting Standards;

"Jerseyco" means HWC Limited, a company which is a subsidiary of ISG plc;

"London Stock Exchange" means the London Stock Exchange plc;

"MA" means Marcelo Amarante Mendes Filho, who is one of the sellers of ACE;

"Numis" means Numis Securities Limited, registered in England and Wales with number 2285918, whose registered office is at 10 Paternoster Square, London EC4M 7LT;

"Ordinary Shares" means the ordinary shares of 1 pence each in the capital of the Company;

"PBT" means profit before tax;

"Placee" means any person (including individuals, funds or otherwise) by whom or on whose behalf a commitment to acquire Placing Shares has been given;

"Placing" means the placing of the Placing Shares by Numis, on behalf of the Company, at the Placing Price;

"Placing Agreement" means the placing agreement dated 21 June 2013 between the Company and Numis in respect of the Placing;

"Placing Price" means 155 pence per Placing Share;

"Placing Shares" means the 5,000,000 Ordinary Shares to be issued pursuant to the Placing;

"Prospectus Directive" means the Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council of the European Union 2003/71/EC;

"R$" means Brazilian real;

"Securities Act" means the US Securities Act of 1933, as amended;

"United Kingdom" or "UK" means the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; and

"United States" or "US" means the United States of America, its territories and possessions, any state of the United States and the District of Columbia.


[1] This statement relates to future actions and circumstances which by their nature involve risks and other uncertain factors. This statement is not a profit forecast and should not be interpreted to mean that earnings per share for any future period would necessarily match or be greater than those in a preceding period. Earnings in this context refers to earnings per share on an IFRS basis excluding the amortisation of intangible assets and exceptional items.

This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
 
END
 
 
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