1st Dec 2017 10:49
NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY IN, INTO OR FROM ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OF SUCH JURISDICTION
For immediate release
1 December 2017
RECOMMENDED CASH OFFER
for
Servelec Group PLC ("Servelec" or the "Group")
by
Scarlet Bidco Limited ("Scarlet Bidco")
to be implemented pursuant to a scheme of arrangement
Posting of the Scheme Document
On 23 November 2017, the boards of Servelec and Scarlet Bidco announced that they had reached agreement on the terms of a recommended cash offer to be made by Scarlet Bidco for the entire issued and to be issued ordinary share capital of Servelec (the "Offer"). The Offer is being implemented by means of a Court-sanctioned scheme of arrangement under Part 26 of the Companies Act 2006 (the "Scheme").
The boards of Servelec and Scarlet Bidco are pleased to announce that Servelec is today posting to Servelec Shareholders a circular in relation to the Offer (the "Scheme Document"), setting out, amongst other things, the full terms and conditions of the Scheme, an explanatory statement pursuant to section 897 of the Companies Act 2006, an expected timetable of principal events, notices of the Court Meeting and General Meeting and details of the actions to be taken by Servelec Shareholders, together with the Forms of Proxy for the Court Meeting and the General Meeting. Servelec is also posting to participants in the Servelec Share Schemes details of the proposals being made to such participants.
Notices of the Court Meeting and General Meeting
As further detailed in the Scheme Document, to become effective the Scheme requires, amongst other things, that the required majority of Scheme Shareholders vote in favour of the Scheme at the Court Meeting and that the required majority of Servelec Shareholders vote in favour of the Resolution to be proposed at the General Meeting.
Notices convening the Court Meeting and the General Meeting for 10.00 a.m. and 10.15 a.m. (or, if later, as soon as the Court Meeting has been concluded or adjourned) respectively on 22 December 2017 to be held at the offices of Investec Bank plc, 2 Gresham Street, London, EC2V 7QP, United Kingdom, are set out in the Scheme Document. Forms of Proxy for use at such meetings are enclosed with the Scheme Document. If the Scheme is approved by the Scheme Shareholders, the Resolution is approved by Servelec Shareholders, all other Conditions to the Offer are satisfied or (if capable of waiver) waived and the Court sanctions the Scheme, then under the anticipated timetable it is expected that dealings in Servelec Shares will be suspended at 5.00 p.m. on 12 January 2017. If the Scheme becomes effective in accordance with its terms, Servelec Shares will subsequently be cancelled from listing on the premium listing segment of the Official List and trading on the London Stock Exchange's main market for listed securities at 8:00 a.m. on 16 January 2017. Further details of the expected timetable of principal events are set out below and in the Scheme Document.
It is important that, for the Court Meeting, as many votes as possible are cast so that the Court may be satisfied that there is a fair and reasonable representation of the Scheme Shareholders' opinion. Scheme Shareholders are therefore strongly urged to submit their Forms of Proxy (or the electronic equivalent) (once received) as soon as possible in accordance with the instructions provided.
Capitalised terms used in this announcement (the "Announcement") shall, unless otherwise defined, have the same meanings as set out in the Scheme Document. Copies of this Announcement and the Scheme Document will be available (subject to certain restrictions relating to persons in Restricted Jurisdictions (as defined below)) on Servelec's website at https://www.servelec-group.com/investor-relations/ and Scarlet Bidco's website at www.montagu.com/news up to and including the Effective Date. The contents of Servelec's website are not incorporated into, and do not form part of, this Announcement.
Timetable
The current expected timetable of principal events for the implementation of the Scheme is set out in the Scheme Document and repeated below. If any of the key dates set out in the expected timetable change, an announcement will be made through a Regulatory Information Service.
EXPECTED TIMETABLE OF PRINCIPAL EVENTS
The following indicative timetable sets out expected dates for the implementation of the Scheme.
If any of the dates and/or times in this expected timetable change, the revised dates and/or times will be notified to Servelec Shareholders by announcement through a Regulatory Information Service.
Event Time and/or date
Latest time for lodging Forms of Proxy for the:
Court Meeting (blue form) 10.00 a.m. on 20 December 2017
General Meeting (yellow form) 10.15 a.m. on 20 December 2017
Voting Record Time for the Court Meeting and the General Meeting 6.00 p.m. on 20 December 2017(1)
Court Meeting 10.00 a.m. on 22 December 2017
General Meeting 10.15 a.m. on 22 December 2017(2)
The following dates are indicative only and are subject to change(3)
Court Hearing 12 January 2018
Last day of dealings in Servelec Shares 12 January 2018
Suspension of listing of and dealings in, Servelec Shares 5.00 p.m. on 12 January 2018
Scheme Record Time 6.00 p.m. on 12 January 2018
Effective Date of the Scheme 15 January 2018 ("D")
Cancellation of listing of Servelec Shares by 8.00 a.m. on D+1
Latest date for despatch of cheques and crediting of CREST for cash
consideration due under the Scheme by D+14
Long Stop Date 28 February 2018
(1) If either the Court Meeting or the General Meeting is adjourned, the Voting Record Time for the relevant adjourned meeting will be the close of business on the day which is two days (excluding non-working days) prior to the date of the adjourned meeting.
(2) Or as soon thereafter as the Court Meeting is concluded or adjourned.
(3) These dates are indicative only and will depend, amongst other things, on the date upon which (i) the Conditions are satisfied or (if capable of waiver) waived (ii) the Court sanctions the Scheme and (iii) the Court Order is delivered to the Registrar of Companies.
Enquiries:
Servelec Group plc | 01246 437 400 | |
Alan Stubbs, Chief Executive Officer |
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Mike Cane, Chief Financial Officer |
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Pamela Weeks, Head of Corporate Communications |
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Investec Bank plc (Rule 3 financial adviser and corporate broker to Servelec) | 0207 597 5970 | |
Corporate Finance: Andrew Pinder / Sebastian Lawrence Corporate Broking: Patrick Robb / Matt Lewis / Rob Baker |
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Scarlet Bidco | via Greenbrook | |
Edward Shuckburgh / Neil Graham |
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Raymond James (financial adviser to Scarlet Bidco and Montagu) | +44 (0) 20 3798 5700 | |
Dominic Emery / Joel Greenwood Joseph Donnelly / Max Vandewall |
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Greenbrook Communications (PR adviser to Scarlet Bidco and Montagu) | +44 (0) 20 7952 2000 | |
Andrew Honnor / Alex Jones / Ryan Smith |
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Important Notices
Investec Bank plc is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority in the UK. Investec is acting exclusively for Servelec and no one else in connection with the Offer and will not be responsible to anyone other than Servelec for providing the protections afforded to clients of Investec nor for providing advice in connection with the Offer or any matter referred to in this document.
Raymond James Financial International Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the UK. Raymond James is acting exclusively as financial adviser to Scarlet Bidco and Montagu and no one else in connection with the Offer and will not be responsible to anyone other than Scarlet Bidco and Montagu for providing the protections afforded to clients of Raymond James nor for providing advice in connection with the Offer or any matter referred to in this announcement.This Announcement is for information purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or an invitation to purchase or subscribe for any securities or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities or the solicitation of any vote or approval in any jurisdiction, pursuant to the Offer or otherwise. The Offer will be made solely by means of the Scheme Document (or, if Scarlet Bidco so elects, any document by which the Offer is made by way of a takeover offer) which will contain the full terms and conditions of the Offer, including details of how to vote in respect of the acquisition.
This Announcement has been prepared for the purpose of complying with English law and the Takeover 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.
This Announcement does not constitute a prospectus or prospectus equivalent document.
Overseas Shareholders
The release, publication or distribution of this Announcement in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law. Persons who are not resident in the United Kingdom or who are subject to other jurisdictions should inform themselves of, and observe, any applicable requirements.
Unless otherwise determined by Scarlet Bidco or required by the Takeover Code, and permitted by applicable law and regulation, the Offer shall not be made available, directly or indirectly, in, into or from a Restricted Jurisdiction where to do so would violate the laws in that jurisdiction and no person may vote in favour of the Offer by any means, instrumentality or form within a Restricted Jurisdiction or any other 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 Offer 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 of that jurisdiction, and persons receiving this Announcement and all documents relating to the Offer (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 of that jurisdiction.
The availability of the Offer to Servelec Shareholders who are not resident in the United Kingdom may be affected by the laws of the relevant jurisdiction in which they are resident. Persons who are not resident in the United Kingdom should inform themselves of, 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 Offer disclaim any responsibility or liability for the violation of such restrictions by any person.
The Offer shall be subject to the applicable requirements of the Takeover Code, the Panel, the London Stock Exchange, the Financial Conduct Authority and the UKLA.
Disclosure requirements of the Takeover Code
Under Rule 8.3(a) of the Takeover 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) applies must be made by no later than 3.30 p.m. (London time) on the 10th business day following the commencement of the offer period and, if appropriate, by no later than 3.30 p.m. (London time) 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 Takeover Code, any person who is, or becomes, interested in 1 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, save to the extent that these details have previously been disclosed under Rule 8. A Dealing Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(b) applies must be made by no later than 3.30 p.m. (London time) 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's website at http://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.
Related Shares:
Servelec Group