17th Dec 2015 16:22
NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN, INTO OR FROM ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OF SUCH JURISDICTION
17 December 2015
RECOMMENDED CASH OFFER
for
Energy Technique plc ("ETQ")
by
Volution Group plc ("Volution")
Court Sanction of the Scheme of Arrangement
ETQ is pleased to announce that the scheme of arrangement dated 20 November 2015 in order to effect the Acquisition was today sanctioned by the Court.
It is expected that the Scheme will become effective on 21 December 2015 when a copy of the Court order is delivered to the Registrar of Companies.
The last day for dealings and registration of transfers in ETQ Shares was 16 December 2015. Dealings in ETQ Shares were temporarily suspended with effect from 7.30 a.m. today. It is intended that an application will be made by ETQ to cancel the admission to trading of ETQ Shares on the London Stock Exchange's Alternative Investment Market. Such cancellation is expected to occur with effect from 7.00 a.m. on 22 December 2015, the business day following the Effective Date of the Scheme.
The Scheme Record Time, by reference to which the entitlement of Scheme Shareholders to receive the offer consideration of 345 pence per Scheme Share is calculated, is 6.00 p.m. on 18 December 2015.
The consideration of 345 pence per Scheme Share to be paid to Scheme Shareholders pursuant to the Scheme will be despatched (in the case of certificated holders of Scheme Shares) or settled in CREST (in the case of uncertificated holders of Scheme Share) no later than 31 December 2015.
A further announcement will be made when the Scheme becomes effective.
Capitalised terms used but not defined in this announcement have the meaning given to them in the circular posted to shareholders on 23 November 2015.
Internet users will be able to view this announcement, together with other information about ETQ, on the company's website on the business day following this announcement:
www.diffusion-group.com.
Enquiries
Energy Technique plc
Leigh Stimpson +44 (0) 20 8783 0033
Rob Unsworth +44 (0) 20 8783 0033
Cavendish Corporate Finance LLP (Financial Adviser to Energy Technique plc)
Andrew Jeffs/Philip Barker +44 (0) 20 7908 6000
finnCap Ltd (Nominated Adviser and Broker to Energy Technique plc)
Ed Frisby/Scott Mathieson +44 (0) 20 7220 0500
Volution Group plc
Ronnie George +44 (0) 1293 441501
Ian Dew +44 (0) 1293 441536
Liberum Capital Limited (Financial Adviser and Broker to Volution Group plc)
Neil Patel/Richard Bootle +44 (0) 20 3100 2222
Brunswick (Financial Public Relations Adviser to Volution Group plc)
Craig Breheny/Simone Selzer/ +44 (0) 20 7404 5959
Chris Buscombe
Liberum Capital Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the FCA, is acting exclusively for Volution and no-one else in connection with the Acquisition and will not be responsible to anyone other than Volution for providing the protections afforded to clients of Liberum nor for providing advice in relation to the Acquisition or any other matters referred to in this Announcement.
Cavendish Corporate Finance LLP, which is authorised and regulated by the FCA, is acting exclusively for ETQ and no-one else in connection with the Acquisition and will not be responsible to anyone other than ETQ for providing the protections afforded to clients of Cavendish nor for providing advice in relation to the Acquisition or any other matters referred to in this Announcement.
Important notices
This Announcement is for information purposes only and is not intended to and does not constitute, or form part of, an offer, invitation or the solicitation of an offer to purchase, otherwise acquire, subscribe for, sell or otherwise dispose of any securities, or the solicitation of any vote or approval in any jurisdiction, pursuant to the Acquisition or otherwise, nor shall there be any sale, issuance or transfer of securities of ETQ in any jurisdiction in contravention of applicable law. The Acquisition shall be made solely by means of the Scheme Document which shall contain the full terms and Conditions of the Acquisition, including details of how to vote in respect of the Acquisition. Any vote in respect of the Scheme or other response in relation to the Acquisition should be made only on the basis of the information contained in the Scheme Document.
This Announcement has been prepared for the purpose of complying with the laws of England and Wales and the Code and the information disclosed may not be the same as that which would have been disclosed if this Announcement had been prepared in accordance with the laws of jurisdictions outside the United Kingdom.
This Announcement does not constitute a prospectus or prospectus equivalent document.
Overseas Shareholders
The release, publication or distribution of this Announcement in or into jurisdictions other than the UK may be restricted by law and therefore any persons who are subject to the law of any jurisdiction other than the UK should inform themselves about, and observe, any applicable requirements. Any failure to comply with the applicable restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the companies and persons involved in the Acquisition disclaim any responsibility or liability for the violation of such restrictions by any person.
This Announcement has been prepared for the purposes of complying with English law, the AIM Rules, the rules of the London Stock Exchange and the Code and the information disclosed may not be the same as that which would have been disclosed if this Announcement had been prepared in accordance with the laws of jurisdictions outside of England.
The Acquisition will not be made, directly or indirectly, in, into or from any jurisdiction where to do so would violate the laws in that jurisdiction.
The Acquisition relates to shares of a UK company and is proposed to be effected by means of a scheme of arrangement under the laws of England and Wales. A transaction effected by means of a scheme of arrangement is not subject to proxy solicitation or tender offer rules under the US Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Accordingly, the Acquisition is subject to the disclosure requirements, rules and practices applicable in the United Kingdom to schemes of arrangement, which differ from the requirements of US proxy solicitation or tender offer rules. Financial information included in the relevant documentation will have been prepared in accordance with accounting standards applicable to the UK that may not be comparable to the financial statements of US companies.
Unless otherwise determined by Volution or required by the Code, and permitted by applicable law and regulation, the Acquisition will not be made available, directly or indirectly, in, into or from a jurisdiction where to do so would violate the laws in that jurisdiction (each a "Restricted Jurisdiction") and no person may vote in favour of the Acquisition by any such use, means, instrumentality or from within a Restricted Jurisdiction if to do so would constitute a violation of the laws of that jurisdiction. Accordingly, copies of this Announcement and all documents relating to the Acquisition are not being, and must not be, directly or indirectly, mailed or otherwise forwarded, distributed or sent in, into or from a Restricted Jurisdiction where to do so would violate the laws in that jurisdiction, and persons receiving this Announcement and all documents relating to the Acquisition (including custodians, nominees and trustees) must not mail or otherwise distribute or send them in, into or from such jurisdictions where to do so would violate the laws in that jurisdiction.
The availability of the Acquisition to ETQ Shareholders who are not resident in the United Kingdom may be affected by the laws of the relevant jurisdictions in which they are resident. Persons who are not resident in the United Kingdom should inform themselves of, and observe, any applicable requirements.
The receipt of cash pursuant to the Acquisition by a direct or indirect US Holder as consideration for the transfer of its Scheme Shares pursuant to the Scheme may be a taxable transaction for US federal income tax purposes and under applicable US state and local, as well as foreign and other, tax laws. Each ETQ Shareholder is urged to consult his independent professional adviser immediately regarding the tax consequences of the Acquisition applicable to him.
It may be difficult for US Holders to enforce their rights and claims arising out of the US federal securities laws, since Volution and ETQ are located in countries other than the US, and some or all of their officers and directors may be residents of countries other than the US. US Holders may not be able to sue a non-US company or its officers or directors in a non-US court for violations of US securities laws. Further, it may be difficult to compel a non-US company and its affiliates to subject themselves to a US court's judgement.
In accordance with normal UK practice and pursuant to Rule 14e-5(b) of the US Exchange Act, Volution or its nominees, or its brokers (acting as agents), may from time to time make certain purchases of, or arrangements to purchase, ETQ Shares outside of the United States, other than pursuant to the Acquisition, until the date on which the Acquisition and/or Scheme becomes effective, lapses or is otherwise withdrawn. These purchases may occur either in the open market at prevailing prices or in private transactions at negotiated prices. Any information about such purchases will be disclosed as required in the UK, will be reported to a Regulatory Information Service of the London Stock Exchange and will be available on the London Stock Exchange website, www.londonstockexchange.com.
Dealing disclosure requirements
Under Rule 8.3(a) of the Code, any person who is interested in one per cent. or more of any class of relevant securities of an offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror (being any offeror other than an offeror in respect of which it has been announced that its offer is, or is likely to be, solely in cash) must make an Opening Position Disclosure following the commencement of the offer period and, if later, following the announcement in which any securities exchange offeror is first identified.
An Opening Position Disclosure must contain details of the person's interests and short positions in, and rights to subscribe for, any relevant securities of each of (i) the offeree company and (ii) any securities exchange offeror(s). An Opening Position Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(a) of the Code applies must be made by no later than 3.30 p.m. on the 10th Business Day following the commencement of the offer period and, if appropriate, by no later than 3.30 p.m. on the 10th Business Day following the announcement in which any securities exchange offeror is first identified. Relevant persons who deal in the relevant securities of the offeree company or of a securities exchange offeror prior to the deadline for making an Opening Position Disclosure must instead make a Dealing Disclosure.
Under Rule 8.3(b) of the Code, any person who is, or becomes, interested in one per cent. or more of any class of relevant securities of the offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror must make a Dealing Disclosure if the person deals in any relevant securities of the offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror. A Dealing Disclosure must contain details of the dealing concerned and of the person's interests and short positions in, and rights to subscribe for, any relevant securities of each of (i) the offeree company and (ii) any securities exchange offeror(s), save to the extent that these details have previously been disclosed under Rule 8 of the Code. A Dealing Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(b) of the Code applies must be made by no later than 3.30 p.m. on the Business Day following the date of the relevant dealing.
If two or more persons act together pursuant to an agreement or understanding, whether formal or informal, to acquire or control an interest in relevant securities of an offeree company or a securities exchange offeror, they will be deemed to be a single person for the purpose of Rule 8.3.
Opening Position Disclosures must also be made by the offeree company and by any offeror and Dealing Disclosures must also be made by the offeree company, by any offeror and by any persons acting in concert with any of them (see Rules 8.1, 8.2 and 8.4).
Details of the offeree and offeror companies in respect of whose relevant securities Opening Position Disclosures and Dealing Disclosures must be made can be found in the Disclosure Table on the Panel on Takeovers and Mergers' website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk, including details of the number of relevant securities in issue, when the offer period commenced and when any offeror was first identified. You should contact the Panel's Market Surveillance Unit on +44 (0)20 7638 0129 if you are in any doubt as to whether you are required to make an Opening Position Disclosure or a Dealing Disclosure.
Publication on website
A copy of this announcement will be made available, subject to certain restrictions relating to persons resident in Restricted Jurisdictions, on Volution's website at www.volutiongroupplc.com and ETQ's website at www.diffusion-group.com by no later than 12.00 noon (London time) on the business day following this announcement. For the avoidance of doubt, the contents of these websites are not incorporated by reference and do not form part of this announcement.
Electronic Communications
Please be aware that addresses, electronic addresses and certain other information provided by ETQ Shareholders, persons with information rights and other relevant persons for the receipt of communications from ETQ may be provided to Volution during the Offer Period as required under Section 4 of Appendix 4 of the Code to comply with Rule 2.12(c).
Requesting hard copy documents
In accordance with Rule 30.2 of the Code, a person so entitled may request a copy of this Announcement and any information incorporated into it by reference to another source in hard copy form. A person may also request that all future documents, announcements and information to be sent to that person in relation to the Acquisition should be in hard copy form. For persons who receive a copy of this Announcement in electronic form or via a website notification, you may request a hard copy of this Announcement by contacting Capita Asset Services on +44 (0)371 664 0321.
Related Shares:
ETQ.LVolution Group PLS