THIS ANNOUNCEMENT (INCLUDING THE
APPENDIX) AND THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS RESTRICTED AND IS
NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART,
DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA,
CANADA, JAPAN, THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA OR ANY OTHER
JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A BREACH OF THE
RELEVANT SECURITIES LAWS OF SUCH JURISDICTION. PLEASE SEE THE
IMPORTANT NOTICES AT THE END OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS FOR INFORMATION
PURPOSES AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A PROSPECTUS OR OFFERING
MEMORANDUM OR AN OFFER IN RESPECT OF ANY SECURITIES AND NEITHER
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT NOR THE FACT OF ITS DISTRIBUTION, FORMS OR IS
INTENDED TO FORM THE BASIS FOR ANY INVESTMENT DECISION IN RESPECT
OF INSPIRED PLC OR OTHER EVALUATION OF ANY SECURITIES OF INSPIRED
PLC OR ANY OTHER ENTITY AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS A
RECOMMENDATION THAT ANY INVESTOR SHOULD SUBSCRIBE FOR OR PURCHASE
ANY SUCH SECURITIES.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONTAINS INSIDE
INFORMATION FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE MARKET ABUSE REGULATION (EU
NO. 596/2014) AS IT FORMS PART OF DOMESTIC LAW IN
THE UNITED KINGDOM BY VIRTUE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION (WITHDRAWAL) ACT
2018 ("UK MAR"). IN
ADDITION, MARKET SOUNDINGS (AS DEFINED IN UK MAR) WERE TAKEN IN
RESPECT OF CERTAIN OF THE MATTERS CONTAINED IN THIS ANNOUNCEMENT,
WITH THE RESULT THAT CERTAIN PERSONS BECAME AWARE OF SUCH INSIDE
INFORMATION, AS PERMITTED BY UK MAR. UPON THE PUBLICATION OF THIS
ANNOUNCEMENT, THIS INSIDE INFORMATION IS NOW CONSIDERED TO BE IN
THE PUBLIC DOMAIN AND SUCH PERSONS SHALL THEREFORE CEASE TO BE IN
POSSESSION OF INSIDE INFORMATION.
For immediate release
16 December 2024
Inspired
plc
Proposed Placing with
attached Warrants to raise £21.25 million
Proposed Issue of Convertible
Loan Notes to raise £5 million
Proposed Retail Offer to
raise up to £2 million
Inspired plc ("Inspired" or the "Company") (AIM: INSE), a leading
technology-enabled service provider delivering solutions to enable
businesses to transition to net-zero and manage their response to
climate change, announces that it intends to raise, in aggregate up to
£28.25 million by way of a
Fundraise.
Highlights:
·
|
The Company is
raising, in aggregate, up to £28.25 million
through the Fundraise which consists of:
|
|
o
|
a proposed conditional placing of
ordinary shares of £0.0125 each in the capital of the Company
("Ordinary Shares") to
raise approximately £21.25 million (before fees and expenses) (the
"Placing") at an issue
price of 40 pence per Ordinary Share (the "Issue Price") with warrants attached to
the Placing Shares on a 1 for 1 basis;
|
|
o
|
a proposed issue of Convertible Loan
Notes to raise in aggregate £5 million (before fees and expenses);
and
|
|
o
|
a proposed Retail Offer to raise up
to £2 million (before fees and expenses).
|
·
|
The Issue Price represents a premium
of 1.3 per cent. to the closing mid-market price of 39.5 pence per
Existing Ordinary Share on 13 December 2024, being the latest
practicable date prior to the publication of this
Announcement.
|
·
|
The net proceeds of the Fundraise
will be used to strengthen the Company's balance sheet and will
help Inspired pursue and achieve a consolidated net debt/EBITDA
ratio towards 1:1 (on a LTM basis) by the end of FY25 or
earlier.
|
·
|
On completion of the Placing, the Net
Adjusted Leverage ratio, under the terms of the Group's Banking
Facility is expected to be under 1.5x.
|
·
|
The Directors intend to subscribe, in
aggregate, for £408,880 under the Placing.
|
Reasons for the Fundraise
The Board believes that the
Fundraise, the net proceeds of which will be used to strengthen the
Company's balance sheet, will have the following benefits for the
Company:
·
|
Inspired has a significant
opportunity in its Optimisation division with a pipeline consisting
of projects to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions for
c.130 customers, representing a revenue value of c.£165m and a
potential gross margin contribution of c.£58m. This opportunity
requires working capital investment, particularly in periods of
high growth which is expected to occur in 2025. The Company's
current funding structure is not sufficient to manage the working
capital swings associated with growing the Optimisation business.
Noting the current levels of net debt, the Board believes it is
prudent to ensure it has sufficient liquidity through the
Fundraising to enable the Company to deliver on its strong pipeline
of opportunities into FY25;
|
·
|
the Board considers the Group's debt
levels to be high, with the Company being exposed to a higher
interest environment and little scope to de-leverage following the
Board's decision during Covid to structure acquisitions with
contingent consideration structures in order to protect against
downside risk;
|
·
|
the net proceeds from the
Fundraising will accelerate the reduction of leverage and interest
costs for the Company. The Board believes that the Company's
current market valuation, in part, reflects Inspired's level of net
debt and the Fundraise will help rebuild the equity story of the
Company;
|
·
|
the Company refinanced its revolving
credit facility in November 2023 until October 2026, with options
to enable the Group to extend the term until October 2028. Noting,
that one of the lending banks (The Governor and Company of the Bank
of Ireland) has publicly announced its progressive wind down of its
dedicated British Corporate Banking operation, the Board
anticipates that a refinancing will be required by October 2026 as
no extension of term will be possible. The Board believes that the
Fundraising will be advantageous to these future refinancing
discussions which the Board expects to commence during FY25;
and
|
·
|
noting the delay in the Optimisation
projects as detailed in the Company's trading update on 2 December
2024, the Group agreed with its banking partners in November 2024
to a resetting of the adjusted leverage and interest cover covenant
for the quarter ending 31 December 2024 to 3.00x and 3.50x
respectively, thereby increasing the headroom available to the
Group from a covenant perspective. The Fundraising will help ensure
that any future covenant breach risk should be significantly
diminished.
|
Background to the terms of the
Fundraise
Given the benefits to the Company from the
Fundraise as outlined above, the Board entered into early
discussions with its largest shareholder, Gresham House Asset
Management ("GHAM") (shareholding
of 28.5% of the current issued share capital of the Company), in
order to seek support for a fundraising. The Board decided it was
appropriate to enter into such discussions with GHAM, given the
size of the Fundraise compared to the Company's current market
capitalisation and uncertain market conditions, which meant that
GHAM's support (given its Shareholding) was likely to be very
important to achieving a successful fundraising.
In addition, the Company, separately and
independently, received an inbound and unsolicited proposal from
another shareholder, Regent Gas Holdings Limited
("Regent
Gas") (shareholding of 6.90% of the current
issued share capital of the Company), to commit substantial levels
of funding to the Company to strengthen the Company's balance sheet
(the "Regent Gas
Proposal"). Accordingly, given the timing and
nature of the Regent Gas Proposal, the Company concluded that it
was appropriate to make Regent Gas aware of the GHAM
discussions.
Following such discussions and extensive
negotiations, including on the structure of the Fundraise, GHAM and
Regent Gas each indicated early and substantial support to the
Fundraise, including significant indicative demand in relation to
the Placing and the intention to subscribe for the entire £5
million of Convertible Loan Notes. The Board
believes that this level of support from GHAM and Regent Gas is a
significant and important factor to being able to proceed with the
Fundraise. The Company has also consulted with its other largest
shareholders on the Fundraise and its terms prior to launching the
Fundraise as part of a pre-launch market sounding
exercise.
Fundraise Terms
·
|
Conditional placing of
53,125,000 Ordinary Shares
at the Issue Price to raise gross proceeds (before
fees and expenses) of £21.25
million (the "Placing").
|
|
|
·
|
The Issue Price represents a premium
of approximately 1.3 per cent. to the closing mid-market price of
39.5 pence per Existing
Ordinary Share on 13 December
2024, being the latest practicable date prior to
the publication of this Announcement.
|
|
|
·
|
The Company has also agreed to issue
Warrants to Placees as part of the Fundraise on a 1 for 1 basis
with the Placing Shares. The Warrants may be exercised at a price
of 2.0x the Issue Price. The Warrants are exercisable at any time
up to the second anniversary of the date of the Warrant Instrument,
at which time they will lapse. Please see later in this
Announcement for more information on the Warrants.
|
|
|
·
|
The issue, subject to the passing of
the Resolutions at the General Meeting, of the Convertible Loan
Notes represents an aggregate principal amount of £5 million to
GHAM and Regent Gas. The Convertible Loan Notes can be converted
into new Ordinary Shares in part or full at any time during the
term of the Convertible Loan Notes at a Conversion Price of 2.0x
the Issue Price (subject to customary adjustments). The redemption
date for the Convertible Loan Notes is expected to be, subject to
certain adjustments, the second anniversary of the date of the
Convertible Loan Note Instrument, with a total term of 24 months.
For the avoidance of doubt, the issue of the Convertible Loan Notes
is not part of the Placing.
|
|
|
·
|
A separate retail offer of up to 5,000,000
new Ordinary Shares (the "Retail Offer Shares") at the Issue
Price on the Bookbuild Platform to raise gross proceeds (before
fees and expenses) of up to £2 million (the "Retail Offer"). The Retail Offer will
provide existing retail Shareholders in the United Kingdom with an
opportunity to participate in the Fundraise at the same price as
the Placing although without the Warrants for practical and
logistical reasons. A separate announcement will be
made in due course regarding the Retail Offer and its terms. For
the avoidance of doubt, the Retail Offer is not part of the
Placing.
|
|
|
·
|
Under Rule 9 of the Takeover Code,
given GHAM's expected Participation, on (i) completion of the
Placing, (ii) conversion of the Convertible Loan Notes (in part or
in full) into Conversion Shares and/or (iii) exercise (in part or
in full) of the Warrants by GHAM, it is expected that GHAM would
normally be obliged to make a general offer to all Shareholders to
acquire all the Ordinary Shares not owned by GHAM. The Panel is
expected to waive this obligation subject to the approval (on a
poll) of the Independent Shareholders of the Rule 9 Waiver
Resolution. The Fundraise and the issue of the Warrants is
therefore conditional, inter
alia, on the approval of that resolution by the Independent
Shareholders. Further detail on the Rule 9 Waiver will be set out
in the Circular (defined below).
|
|
|
·
|
Conditional upon the Resolutions
being passed at the General Meeting it is expected that the Placing
Shares and the Retail Shares will be admitted to trading on AIM on
8 January 2025.
|
|
|
·
|
The Company will call a General
Meeting, inter alia, in
order to put the Rule 9 Waiver Resolution to Shareholders. If the
Rule 9 Waiver Resolution is not approved, the Fundraise will not
proceed and the Company will not receive any funds from the
Fundraise.
|
|
|
·
|
A circular (the "Circular"), containing details of the
Fundraise and convening a general meeting of the Company proposed
to be held at the offices of Gateley Legal
at Ship Canal House, 98 King Street, Manchester M2 4WU at 10:00
a.m. on 7 January 2025 (the "General Meeting") in order to pass the
resolutions (the "Resolutions"), is expected to be posted
to Shareholders after the closure of the Bookbuild (as defined
below). The Circular, once published, will be available on the
Company's website at
www.inspiredplc.co.uk.
|
Unless the
context otherwise provides, capitalised terms used in this
announcement (including the appendix (the "Appendix" and together,
this "Announcement")) have the meanings ascribed to them in the
section headed "Definitions" at the end of this
Announcement.
Details of the Placing
Shore Capital Stockbrokers Limited
("SCS") and Panmure Liberum
Limited ("Panmure Liberum")
(together with SCS, the "Joint
Bookrunners") are acting as joint bookrunners in
connection with the Placing and Shore Capital and Corporate
Limited ("SCC", and
together with SCS, "Shore
Capital") is acting as nominated adviser to
Inspired.
The Placing will be effected by way
of an accelerated bookbuild (the "Bookbuild") at the Issue Price. The
Bookbuild will open with immediate effect following the release of
this Announcement in accordance with the
terms and conditions set out in the Appendix.
The Placing and the issue of the Warrants is
conditional upon, inter
alia, the passing of the Resolutions and the Placing
Agreement between the Company and the Joint Bookrunners not having
been terminated in accordance with its terms. The
Retail Offer and the issue of the Convertible Loan Notes are
conditional on the Placing but the Placing, while
conditional on the issue of the Convertible Loan Notes, it is not
conditional on the Retail Offer.
The timing for the close of the Bookbuild and
allocation of the Placing Shares shall be at the absolute
discretion of the Joint Bookrunners, in consultation with the
Company. The final number of Placing Shares to be issued pursuant
to the Placing will be agreed by the Joint Bookrunners and the
Company at the close of the Bookbuild. The result of the Placing
will be announced as soon as practicable thereafter. The Placing is
not being underwritten. The Placing Shares are not
part of the Retail Offer.
Directors'
participation in the Placing
The following Directors have
indicated that they intend to participate in the Placing as set out
below. Further details will be set out in the announcement
regarding the results of the Placing.
Director
|
Position
|
Amount (£)
|
|
Mark
Dickinson
Paul
Connor
Richard
Logan
Sangita
Shah
Dianne
Walker
David
Cockshott
Peter
Tracey
|
Chief
Executive Officer
Chief
Financial Officer
Non-
Executive Chairman
Non-Executive Director
Non-Executive Director
Chief
Commercial Officer
Non-Executive Director
|
157,945.00
55,000.00
14,210.00
100,000.00
1,725.00
30,000.00
50,000.00
|
|
Total
|
|
408,880.00
|
|
GHAM and Regent Gas expected participation in the
Fundraise
GHAM and Regent Gas have each
independently given sizeable indications of demand in relation to
the Fundraise. Accordingly, given this and noting the early
cornerstone support to the Fundraise as described earlier in this
Announcement, GHAM and Regent Gas are expected (i) to subscribe for
a substantial amount of the Placing Shares (final subscription
amount is to be determined by the allocation of the Placing Shares
following the closure of the Bookbuild) and (ii) to subscribe for
the entire £5 million in principal amount of Convertible Loan
Notes. GHAM is also expected to receive, in
recognition of its cornerstone support to the Fundraise,
commission/arrangement fees payable by the Company in cash of 2.5
per cent. of the aggregate value of its subscription of Placing
Shares and Convertible Loan Note. Regent Gas will not receive any
commission/arrangement fees from the Company in relation to its
participation in the Fundraise.
The GHAM participation in the
Fundraise (the "Expected GHAM
Participation"), is expected to be
deemed to be a related party transaction for the purposes of AIM
Rule 13. The Directors, having consulted with the
Company's nominated adviser, Shore Capital and Corporate Limited,
consider that the terms of Expected GHAM Participation in the
Fundraise are fair and reasonable insofar as Shareholders are
concerned.
The Fundraise is expected to result in GHAM
being capable of being interested in shares carrying 30 per cent.
or more of the Company's voting share capital but not capable of
being interested in shares carrying more than 50 per cent. of such
voting rights. As a result, under Rule 9 of the Takeover Code, the
Expected GHAM Participation requires a Rule 9 Waiver.
Admission,
settlement and dealings
Application will be made to the London Stock
Exchange for the Placing Shares and the Retail Offer Shares to be
admitted to trading on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange
("Admission").
Admission is expected to take place at 8.00
a.m. on 8 January 2025 and
dealings in the Placing Shares and the Retail Offer Shares are
expected to commence at 8.00 a.m. on 8 January 2025 or, in
each case, such later time and/or date as the Joint Bookrunners and
the Company agree (being in any event no later than 8.00 a.m.
on 31 January 2025).
The Placing Shares and the Retail Offer Shares,
when issued, will be credited as fully paid and will rank
pari passu in all respects
with the Existing Ordinary Shares, including the right to receive
all dividends and other distributions declared, made or paid after
the date of issue.
The Placing Shares and the Retail Offer Shares
will be in registered form and will be capable of being held in
either certificated or uncertificated form (i.e. in CREST).
Accordingly, following Admission, settlement of transactions in the
Ordinary Shares may take place within the CREST system if a
Shareholder so wishes. Shareholders who wish to receive and retain
share certificates are able to do so.
The ISIN number of the Company's Ordinary
Shares is GB00BR2Q0V58. The TIDM is INSE.
This
Announcement should be read in its entirety. In particular, you
should read and understand the information provided in the
"Important Notices" section of this Announcement and the "Further
information relating to the Fundraise" section. The Appendix to
this Announcement sets out further information relating to the
terms and conditions of the Placing. It is intended that the Retail
Offer Shares will be subscribed for on the basis of the terms and
conditions of the Retail Offer, rather than pursuant to the terms
and conditions of the Placing contained in the Appendix to this
Announcement.
The person responsible for arranging the
release of this Announcement on behalf of the Company is Paul
Connor, Chief Financial Officer of the Company.
For
further information please contact:
Inspired
PLC
|
|
Mark Dickinson, Chief Executive
Officer
|
+44 (0) 1772 689
250
|
Paul Connor, Chief Financial Officer
|
|
David Cockshott, Chief Commercial
Officer
|
|
|
|
Shore Capital
(Nomad, Joint Bookrunner &
Joint
Broker)
|
+44 (0) 20 7408 4090
|
Patrick Castle
James Thomas
Sophie Collins
|
|
Panmure Liberum
(Joint Bookrunner & Joint Broker)
Edward Mansfield
Satbir Kler
Joshua Borlant
|
+44 (0) 20 3100 2000
|
Alma Strategic
Communications
|
+44 (0) 20 3405 0205
|
Justine James
Hannah Campbell
Will Ellis Hancock
|
+44 (0) 7525 324431
Inspired@almastrategic.com
|
|
|
EXPECTED TIMETABLE OF
PRINCIPAL EVENTS
Announcement of the
Placing
|
16
December 2024
|
Announcement of the Retail Offer
|
16
December 2024
|
Announcement of the results of the
Placing
|
17
December 2024
|
Announcement of the results of the
Retail Offer
|
7:00 a.m.
on 19 December 2024
|
Publication and posting of the
Circular (including the Notice of General Meeting) and Form of
Proxy
|
During
week ending 20 December 2024
|
Latest time and date for receipt of
completed Forms of Proxy and
|
10:00 a.m.
on
|
receipt of electronic proxy
appointments via the CREST system
|
3 January
2025
|
General Meeting
|
10:00
a.m.
on
|
|
7 January
2025
|
Announcement of results of General
Meeting
|
7 January
2025
|
Admission and commencement of dealings in the
Placing Shares
|
from 8:00
a.m. on
|
on AIM
|
8 January
2025
|
CREST accounts credited in respect of Placing
Shares in uncertificated
|
On or soon after 8:00
a.m. on
|
form
|
8 January
2025
|
Dispatch of certificates for the Warrants and
Convertible Loan Notes
|
by 22
January 2025
|
|
|
Notes:
1.
All references to times in this Announcement are
to London time.
2.
The dates and times set out in the above timetable
and in the rest of this Announcement are indicative only and may be
subject to change. If any such dates and times should change, the
revised times and/or dates will be notified by the Company by announcement via a Regulatory Information
Service.
3.
All events in the above timetable scheduled to
take place after the General Meeting are conditional on the
approval by the Shareholders of the Resolutions.
FURTHER INFORMATION RELATING
TO THE FUNDRAISE
Company
Overview
Inspired provides market-leading
commercial energy and sustainability advisory services to help
clients to manage and benefit from the transition to net-zero. The
Company's services range from utility data management and
procurement to consumption reduction and intelligent ESG
strategies. Inspired offers a wide range of integrated
sustainability solutions through the Company's four
divisions.
The Company offers customised and
practical solutions to clients, which help them manage risks and
succeed in the future net-zero economy. Energy is a
mission-essential item for businesses, playing a crucial role in
achieving business goals and reducing carbon emissions with the
transition to net-zero.
The Company's focus is on helping
its clients improve cost control, reduce energy consumption and
carbon emissions and comply with regulations. In the six month
period to 30 June 2024, Inspired won 48 well known new customers,
with the Group winning 257 new clients to the group across the
Assurance, ESG and Optimisation divisions at HY24 (FY23: 405).
Further, there were 125 cross sells across the Assurance, ESG and
Optimisation divisions at HY24 (FY23: 301).
The Company has four
divisions:
· Assurance Services
Helps businesses negotiate and
manage energy supply contracts, validate bills and account for
energy costs
· ESG
Services
Aiding large corporate businesses
with preparing and auditing ESG disclosures and developing ESG
improvement strategies in the structural market
tailwinds from increasing regulatory requirements and stakeholder
pressures. ESG Services
leverages existing data-led energy / environmental analysis
capabilities.
· Optimisation Services
At the forefront of delivering UK net-zero
commitments, advising corporate clients
about on-site measures to reduce energy usage (e.g. LED lighting
upgrades, BMS installation) and decarbonise energy sources (e.g.
installation of solar PV or heat pumps.
· Software Services
Provides technology solutions that
support delivery of Inspired's services, which are also
sold externally to Inspired customers (to enable self-delivery) and
other TPIs (to deliver similar services).
The Assurance and ESG divisions
provide a platform for Optimisation services and presents a blue
chip customer base with more than 3,500 customers.
Key market drivers and the Group's
strategy to address them includes:
· helping clients manage their cost in the face of
ever-increasing utility costs caused by higher energy prices/recent
energy crisis;
· to
deliver ESG disclosures to ensure clients comply with their
regulatory obligations and support them with protecting their
revenues in the face of increased ESG disclosure requirements;
and
· to
provide and implement the solutions for clients that actually
remove units of carbon and energy consumption from their business
operations in the face of corporate net-zero
commitments.
Current
Trading
On 2 December 2024, the Company
announced a trading update for the year ending 31 December 2024,
which read as follows:
Summary
· FY24 adjusted EBITDA revised down to
c.£23m due to timing of optimisation projects
commencement
· Increased confidence in FY25 as project
revenue moves into FY25
· Group has made good progress on
diversifying the risk of larger projects
Trading Update
Inspired
reported in its interim results, announced on 12 September 2024,
(the "Interim
Results"),
that delivering full year results in line with market consensus was
dependent on delivering three significant optimisation services
projects (the "Optimisation
Projects"),
one of which had commenced and the two others were expected to be
contracted and commence on-site in Q4 2024. The Interim Results
also highlighted that if there were delays in the start time of two
of the three projects, the result could be a significant portion of
their profit contribution shifting into H1 2025. The Group stated
that these two projects had a total estimated gross margin of
c.£5m, most of which would fall through to adjusted
EBITDA.
The Board now
has further clarity on timing of these three significant projects,
all of which are now contracted and two
commenced:
· Project #1: Contracted and commenced at
the time of the Interim Results, the project involves installations
across the European portfolio of the client. Work is ongoing,
however, there have been unexpected delays due to a client issue
which Inspired is helping them to resolve. This is expected to be
solved imminently, enabling installations to complete and the
remaining gross profit contribution from this project will be
recognised as the project is delivered in H1
2025.
· Project #2: Verbally awarded at the
time of the Interim Results, this has been contracted but now has a
later than expected start date of January 2025 and is expected to
be delivered in H1 2025.
· Project #3: Now contracted and
commenced on site, this is the fourth phase of a multi-phase roll
out, with the majority of the implementation and therefore gross
profit contribution, being delivered in H1 2025.
The deferred
gross profit contribution from the Optimisation Projects has to
date largely been offset by a better-than-expected performance in
other optimisation service lines. However, given the greater
clarity on the timing for the Optimisation Projects as outlined
above, the Board now expects the Group to report FY2024 Adjusted
EBITDA of approximately £23m*.
The delay in
the timing of delivery of the Optimisation Projects has resulted in
a movement in gross margin across financial years, and not a loss
of projects. Accordingly, the Board has increased confidence in
delivering market consensus for FY2025 Adjusted
EBITDA*. The
current Optimisation Project pipeline consists of projects to
reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions for c.130 customers,
with a revenue value of c.£165m and a potential gross margin
contribution of c.£58m.
The
impact of the delay in the Optimisation Projects on net debt
outturn is limited as there is a reduced working capital
requirement to fund the Optimisation Projects in FY2024. As such,
the Group expects market consensus for Net
Debt* to be broadly unchanged at
c.£58.0m as at 31 December 2024. Since 30 June 2024, the
Company has paid the final £2.2m in contingent consideration and
now has no further contingent consideration payments
due.
As previously
stated, the Board is focused on de-leveraging the balance sheet to
reduce net debt with cash generated from operations being primarily
allocated towards reducing the Group's net debt position and the
pursuit of organic growth opportunities, to deliver the opportunity
afforded by the Optimisation Division during FY25. Accordingly, the
Group's leverage ratio is expected to reduce throughout
FY2025.
Given the
uncertainty around the timing of the Optimisation Projects, the
Group has prudently agreed with its banking partners to a resetting
of the adjusted leverage and interest cover covenant for the
quarter ending 31 December 2024 to 3.00x and 3.50x respectively,
increasing the headroom available to the Group from a covenant
perspective.
The Group
expects to issue its year-end trading update in January
2025.
* The Company considers that
current market consensus for year ended 31 December 2024 referred
to in this announcement is £27.5m of Adjusted EBITDA and net debt
of £57.9m and for the year ended 31 December 2025 consensus
Adjusted EBITDA is £30.1m.
Effects of the
Fundraise
The Board considers that, as a result of and
following completion of the Fundraise, there will be no significant
adverse impact on the Company's earnings, assets or liabilities and
the Company does not intend to change its business strategy and
that, as a result of and following completion of the Fundraise,
there is no intention to discontinue the employment of its existing
employees and management, nor will there be any material change in
their conditions of employment.
Use of
Funds
The gross proceeds of the Placing
(before fees and expenses) will be £21.25 and the gross proceeds of
the Convertible Loan Notes (before fees and expenses) will be £5
million. The proceeds of the Retail Offer (before fees and
expenses) will be up to £2 million. The
Company intends to utilise the proceeds of the Placing, the Retail
Offer and the Convertible Loan Notes to strengthen the Company's
balance sheet. Further, the Fundraise will help Inspired pursue and
achieve a consolidated net debt/EBITDA ratio towards 1:1 (on a LTM
basis) by the end of FY25 or earlier (final ratio and timing will
depend on the total amount raised). The Board believes this will be
beneficial to the Group's business.
The Placing Shares will, when
issued, rank pari passu in all respects with each other and the
Existing Ordinary Shares, including the right to receive dividends
and other distributions declared following
The Placing Shares will, when
issued, rank pari passu in all respects with each other and the
Existing Ordinary Shares, including the right to receive dividends
and other distributions declared following Admission.
Terms of the Convertible Loan
Notes
GHAM and Regent Gas are expected to
conditionally subscribe, in aggregate, for £5 million in principal
amount of Convertible Loan Notes pursuant to the Convertible Loan
Note Instrument. The Convertible Loan Notes will be convertible
into new Ordinary Shares in part or in full at any time at the
discretion of Convertible Loan Note holders, with drag-tag rights
for any non-GHAM Convertible Loan Note holders during the term of
the Convertible Loan Note at the option of the noteholder at a
conversion price of 2.0x the Issue Price (the "Conversion Price") (subject to
customary adjustments).
The terms of the Convertible Loan Notes will
include:
·
A principal amount of £5,000,000 split into denominations of
£1 per Convertible Loan Note.
·
Interest is payable on the Convertible Loan Notes at 12 per
cent. per annum, payable quarterly in arrears and is to be paid in
kind (PIK).
·
The Convertible Loan Notes may be redeemed in whole or in
part at any time prior to the Redemption Date. Any outstanding
principal amount of the Convertible Loan Notes will be required to
be redeemed on the Redemption Date, which will be two years after
the date of execution of the Convertible Loan Note
Instrument.
·
On the Redemption Date, the Convertible Loan Notes are
convertible into Ordinary Shares at the Conversion Price, at the
election of the noteholders. The Conversion Price is subject to
customary adjustments. Conversion is also subject to any Takeover
Code restrictions that may apply at the time of such
conversion.
·
Redemption premium of 5% if repaid within the first 12
months, 10% if repaid within 12 to 24 months and 25% thereafter if
not repaid or converted within 24 months.
·
Subject to limited exceptions, the Convertible Loan Notes
will not be transferable.
·
The Convertible Loan Notes will be unsecured and therefore
subordinated to the Group's banking facilities.
·
Certain protections for the Convertible Loan Note
holders including that the consent of the majority
Convertible Loan Note holders will required for the issuance of
additional debt in excess of total debt of £75m that would rank
above the Convertible Loan Notes.
·
Prior to conversion, the Convertible Loan Notes do not
entitle the holder to any voting rights in the Company.
·
The Conversion Price is subject to customary adjustments.
These apply in the case of a sub-division or consolidation of the
Ordinary Shares, the making of a dividend or other distribution to
Shareholders payable in Ordinary Shares, the payment of a dividend
other than in Ordinary Shares, the making of a distribution of
share capital (including share premium account and capital
redemption legal reserve) to Shareholders and the issue of new
Ordinary Shares or options, warrants or other rights to subscribe
for new Ordinary Shares at a discount of greater than 5 per
cent. to the then market price per Ordinary Share (subject to
certain exclusions, including for Ordinary Shares issued on
conversion of the Convertible Loan Note, for employee or
non-executive share or option schemes or long-term incentive plans
of the Company and in respect of other existing share
options).
The issue of the Convertible Loan Notes is
subject to consent from the Company's existing lenders. Such
consent is expected to be formally granted and received shortly
following the release of this announcement.
GHAM will receive an arrangement fee 2.5% of
the value subscribed for by GHAM.
The issue of the New Convertible Loan Notes is
conditional, inter alia, upon the passing (without amendment) of
the Resolutions at the General Meeting.
Each holder of the Convertible Loan Notes is
required to give 5 business days' notice for a conversion. The
Conversion Shares will be fully paid and will rank pari passu in
all respects with the existing Ordinary Shares in issue on the date
of conversion, except that they will not be entitled to any
dividends or other distributions declared, paid or made by
reference to a record date prior to the relevant date of
conversion.
The Convertible Loan Note Instrument is
governed by English law.
Warrants
The Company expects to
issue warrants to Placees which shall create the right for such
Placees to subscribe in cash for one new Ordinary Share per Placing
Share on the terms of the Warrant Instrument as summarised in this
Part 4 (the "Subscription
Rights").
The Warrants may be exercised at a
price of 2.0x the Issue Price (the "Subscription Price"). The Warrants are
exercisable at any time up to the second anniversary of the date of
the Warrant Instrument (the "Exercise Period"), at which time they
will lapse.
If (assuming full take up of the
Placing) all of the Warrants are issued and subsequently exercised
in full, the Company will receive gross proceeds of £42.5
million.
The issue and validity of the
Warrants is conditional on the passing of the
Resolutions.
The Warrants shall be issued subject to the
Articles and the other key terms and conditions of
the Warrants are set out below:
·
The Subscription Rights and/or the Subscription Price
conferred by the Warrants may be adjusted on the occurrence of
certain events in relation to the Company, including:
a) a
subdivision, consolidation or reclassification of the Ordinary
Shares;
b)
a reduction of capital or any other reduction in the number of
Ordinary Shares in issue from time to time;
c)
an issue of Ordinary Shares by way of dividend or distribution or
by way of capitalisation of profits or reserves; or
d)
a consolidation, amalgamation or merger of the Company with or into
another entity in certain circumstances,
with the intention, in broad terms, that any
such adjustment will leave the holder(s) of the Warrant(s) in a
similar position to the position they were in immediately before
the event giving rise to the adjustment.
·
The Warrants are non-transferable by the holders
without the prior consent of the Company.
·
The Company may amend the provisions of the instrument
constituting the Warrants without the consent of the holders of the
Warrants where such amendment is of a minor nature or to correct a
manifest error. Otherwise, no amendment or abrogation to the terms
of the instrument are permitted without the consent of holders of
at least 75 per cent. of the Warrants in issue at the
time.
·
The Warrants are not secured.
·
Any Subscription Rights not exercised before the end of the
Exercise Period shall automatically lapse and cease to be
exercisable on the expiry of the Exercise Period.
·
The Warrants are in certificated form and the
Company will maintain a register of the holders of Warrants. There
are also provisions in the Warrant Instrument for convening
meetings of the holders of Warrants.
·
The Warrant Instrument is governed by English law.
IMPORTANT NOTICES
SCC which is authorised and regulated in the UK
by the FCA, is acting as nominated adviser to the Company in
connection with the matters described in this Announcement and is
not acting for any other persons in relation to the Fundraise and
Admission. SCC is acting exclusively for the Company and for no one
else in relation to the contents of this Announcement and persons
receiving this Announcement should note that SCC will not be
responsible to anyone other than the Company for providing the
protections afforded to clients of SCC or for advising any other
person on the arrangements described in this Announcement. The
responsibilities of SCC as the Company's nominated adviser under
the AIM Rules and the AIM Rules for Nominated Advisers are owed
solely to the London Stock Exchange and are not owed to the Company
or to any Director, Shareholder, holder of Convertible Loan Notes
or other person in respect of their decision to acquire shares in
the capital of the Company or Convertible Loan Notes in reliance on
any part of this Announcement, or otherwise.
SCS which is authorised and regulated in the UK
by the FCA, is acting as joint bookrunner to the Company in
connection with the matters described in this Announcement and is
not acting for any other persons in relation to the Fundraise and
Admission. SCS is acting exclusively for the Company and for no one
else in relation to the contents of this Announcement and persons
receiving this Announcement should note that SCS will not be
responsible to anyone other than the Company for providing the
protections afforded to clients of SCS or for advising any other
person on the arrangements described in this
Announcement.
Panmure Liberum which is authorised and
regulated in the UK by the FCA, is acting as joint bookrunner to
the Company in connection with the matters described in this
Announcement and is not acting for any other persons in relation to
the Fundraise and Admission. Panmure Liberum is acting exclusively
for the Company and for no one else in relation to the contents of
this Announcement and persons receiving this Announcement should
note that Panmure Liberum will not be responsible to anyone other
than the Company for providing the protections afforded to clients
of Panmure Liberum or for advising any other person on the
arrangements described in this Announcement
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 Joint
Bookrunners or by any of their respective Representatives 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 therefore is expressly disclaimed.
This Announcement may contain, or may be deemed
to contain, "forward-looking statements" with respect to certain of
Inspired's plans and its current goals and expectations relating to
its future financial condition, performance, strategic initiatives,
objectives and results. Forward-looking statements sometimes use
words such as "aim", "anticipate", "target", "expect", "estimate",
"intend", "plan", "goal", "believe", "seek", "may", "could",
"outlook" or other words of similar meaning. By their nature, all
forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainty because
they relate to future events and circumstances which are beyond the
control of Inspired, including amongst other things, United Kingdom
domestic and global economic business conditions, market-related
risks such as fluctuations in interest rates and exchange rates,
the policies and actions of governmental and regulatory
authorities, the effect of competition, inflation, deflation, the
timing effect and other uncertainties of future acquisitions or
combinations within relevant industries, the effect of tax and
other legislation and other regulations in the jurisdictions in
which Inspired and its affiliates operate, the effect of volatility
in the equity, capital and credit markets on Inspired 's
profitability and ability to access capital and credit, a decline
in Inspired 's credit ratings; the effect of operational risks; and
the loss of key personnel. As a result, the actual future financial
condition, performance and results of Inspired may differ
materially from the plans, goals and expectations set forth in any
forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statements made in
this Announcement by or on behalf of Inspired speak only as
of the date they are made. Except as required by applicable law or
regulation, Inspired expressly disclaims any obligation or
undertaking to publish any updates or revisions to any
forward-looking statements contained in this Announcement to
reflect any changes in Inspired 's expectations with regard thereto
or any changes in events, conditions or circumstances on which any
such statement is based.
No statement in this Announcement is intended to
be a profit forecast or estimate, and no statement in this
Announcement should be interpreted to mean that earnings per share
of Inspired for the current or future financial years would
necessarily match or exceed the historical published earnings per
share of Inspired .
The Placing Shares to be issued pursuant to the
Placing will not be admitted to trading on any stock exchange other
than the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange.
Investors who have chosen to participate in the
Fundraise, by making or accepting an oral, electronic or written
and legally binding offer to acquire Placing Shares and/or
Convertible Loan Notes, will be deemed to have read and understood
this Announcement in its entirety and to be making an offer and
acquiring the Placing Shares and/or Convertible Loan Notes on the
terms and subject to the conditions contained herein and to be
providing the confirmations, representations, warranties,
agreements, acknowledgements and undertakings contained in the
Appendix.
The Placing Shares and attached Warrants 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; the relevant clearances have not been, and
will not be, obtained from the South Africa Reserve Bank or any
other applicable body in the Republic of South Africa in relation
to the Placing Shares and attached Warrants; and the Placing Shares
and attached Warrants have not been, nor will they be, registered
under or offered in compliance with the securities laws of any
state, province or territory of the United States, Australia,
Canada, the Republic of South Africa or Japan. Accordingly,
the Placing Shares and attached Warrants may not (unless an
exemption under the relevant securities laws is applicable) be
offered, sold, resold or delivered, directly or indirectly, in or
into the United States, Australia, Canada, the Republic of South
Africa or Japan or any other jurisdiction outside the United
Kingdom or the EEA.
Neither the content of Inspired's website (or
any other website) nor the content of any website accessible by
hyperlinks on the Company's website (or any other website) is
incorporated in, or forms part of, this Announcement.
INFORMATION TO
DISTRIBUTORS
UK product governance
Solely for the
purposes of the product governance requirements contained within
Chapter 3 of the FCA Handbook Product Intervention and Product
Governance Sourcebook (the "UK Product Governance Requirements"),
and disclaiming all and any liability, whether arising in tort,
contract or otherwise, which any "manufacturer" (for the purposes
of the UK Product Governance Requirements) may otherwise have with
respect thereto, the Placing Shares have been subject to a product
approval process, which has determined that such securities are:
(i) compatible with an end target market of investors who meet the
criteria of retail investors and investors who meet the criteria of
professional clients and eligible counterparties, each as defined
in paragraph 3 of the FCA Handbook Conduct of Business Sourcebook;
and (ii) eligible for distribution through all distribution
channels (the "Target Market Assessment"). Notwithstanding the
Target Market Assessment, distributors (for the purposes of UK
Product Governance Requirements) should note that: (a) the price of
the Placing Shares may decline and investors could lose all or part
of their investment; (b) the Placing Shares offer no guaranteed
income and no capital protection; and (c) an investment in the
Placing Shares is compatible only with investors who do not need a
guaranteed income or capital protection, who (either alone or in
conjunction with an appropriate financial or other adviser) are
capable of evaluating the merits and risks of such an investment
and who have sufficient resources to be able to bear any losses
that may result therefrom. The Target Market Assessment is without
prejudice to the requirements of any contractual, legal or
regulatory selling restrictions in relation to the Placing.
Furthermore, it is noted that, notwithstanding the Target Market
Assessment, the Joint Bookrunners will only procure investors who
meet the criteria of professional clients and eligible
counterparties.
For the
avoidance of doubt, the Target Market Assessment does not
constitute: (a) an assessment of suitability or appropriateness for
the purposes of Chapter 9A or 10A respectively of the FCA Handbook
Conduct of Business Sourcebook; or (b) a recommendation to any
investor or group of investors to invest in, or purchase, or take
any other action whatsoever with respect to the Placing
Shares.
Each
distributor is responsible for undertaking its own target market
assessment in respect of the Placing Shares and determining
appropriate distribution channels.
EEA product governance
Solely for the
purposes of the product governance requirements contained within:
(a) EU Directive 2014/65/EU on markets in financial instruments, as
amended ("MiFID II"); (b) Articles 9 and 10 of Commission Delegated
Directive (EU) 2017/593 supplementing MiFID II; and (c) local
implementing measures in the European Economic Area (together, the
"MiFID II Product Governance Requirements"), and disclaiming all
and any liability, whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise,
which any "manufacturer" (for the purposes of the MiFID II Product
Governance Requirements) may otherwise have with respect thereto,
the Placing Shares have been subject to a product approval process,
which has determined that the Placing Shares are: (i) compatible
with an end target market of (a) retail investors, (b) investors
who meet the criteria of professional clients and (c) eligible
counterparties, each as defined in MiFID II; and (ii) eligible for
distribution through all distribution channels as are permitted by
MiFID II (the "EU Target Market Assessment"). Notwithstanding the
EU Target Market Assessment, distributors should note that: the
price of the Placing Shares may decline and investors could lose
all or part of their investment; the Placing Shares offer no
guaranteed income and no capital protection; and an investment in
the Placing Shares is compatible only with investors who do not
need a guaranteed income or capital protection, who (either alone
or in conjunction with an appropriate financial or other adviser)
are capable of evaluating the merits and risks of such an
investment and who have sufficient resources to be able to bear any
losses that may result therefrom. The Target Market Assessment is
without prejudice to the requirements of any contractual, legal or
regulatory selling restrictions in relation to the Placing.
Furthermore, it is noted that, notwithstanding the EU Target Market
Assessment, the Joint Bookrunners will only procure investors who
meet the criteria of professional clients and eligible
counterparties.
For the
avoidance of doubt, the EU Target Market Assessment does not
constitute: (a) an assessment of suitability or appropriateness for
the purposes of MiFID II; or (b) a recommendation to any investor
or group of investors to invest in, or purchase, or take any other
action whatsoever with respect to the Placing
Shares.
Each
distributor is responsible for undertaking its own target market
assessment in respect of the Placing Shares and determining
appropriate distribution channels.
APPENDIX
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
OF THE PLACING
IMPORTANT
INFORMATION ON THE PLACING FOR INVITED PLACEES ONLY.
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO TAKE
PART IN THE PLACING. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT (INCLUDING THIS APPENDIX)
AND THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SET OUT HEREIN (TOGETHER, THIS
"ANNOUNCEMENT") ARE
DIRECTED ONLY AT PERSONS WHOSE ORDINARY ACTIVITIES INVOLVE THEM IN
ACQUIRING, HOLDING, MANAGING AND DISPOSING OF INVESTMENTS (AS
PRINCIPAL OR AGENT) FOR THE PURPOSES OF THEIR BUSINESS AND WHO HAVE
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE IN MATTERS RELATING TO INVESTMENTS AND ARE:
(A) IF IN A MEMBER STATE ("RELEVANT MEMBER STATE") OF THE EUROPEAN
ECONOMIC AREA ("EEA"),
PERSONS WHO ARE QUALIFIED INVESTORS ("EEA QUALIFIED INVESTORS"), BEING
PERSONS FALLING WITHIN THE MEANING OF ARTICLE 2(e) OF REGULATION
(EU) 2017/1129 (THE "EU PROSPECTUS
REGULATION"); OR (B) IF IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, PERSONS WHO
ARE QUALIFIED INVESTORS ("UK
QUALIFIED INVESTORS"), BEING PERSONS FALLING WITHIN THE
MEANING OF ARTICLE 2(e) OF THE EU PROSPECTUS REGULATION AS IT FORMS
PART OF DOMESTIC LAW IN THE UNITED KINGDOM BY VIRTUE OF THE
EUROPEAN UNION (WITHDRAWAL) ACT 2018 (THE "UK PROSPECTUS REGULATION"), AND WHO
ARE: (I) PERSONS FALLING WITHIN THE DEFINITION OF AN "INVESTMENT
PROFESSIONAL" IN ARTICLE 19(5) OF THE FINANCIAL SERVICES AND
MARKETS ACT 2000 (FINANCIAL PROMOTION) ORDER 2005, AS AMENDED (THE
"ORDER"); OR (II) PERSONS
WHO FALL WITHIN ARTICLE 49(2)(A) TO (D) (HIGH NET WORTH COMPANIES,
UNINCORPORATED ASSOCIATIONS, ETC) OF THE ORDER; OR (C) PERSONS TO
WHOM IT MAY OTHERWISE BE LAWFULLY COMMUNICATED (ALL SUCH PERSONS
REFERRED TO IN (A), (B) AND (C) TOGETHER BEING REFERRED TO AS
"RELEVANT
PERSONS").
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AND THE INFORMATION SET OUT
HEREIN MUST NOT BE ACTED ON OR RELIED ON BY PERSONS WHO ARE NOT
RELEVANT PERSONS. PERSONS DISTRIBUTING THIS ANNOUNCEMENT MUST
SATISFY THEMSELVES THAT IT IS LAWFUL TO DO SO. ANY INVESTMENT OR
INVESTMENT ACTIVITY TO WHICH THIS ANNOUNCEMENT RELATES IS AVAILABLE
ONLY TO RELEVANT PERSONS AND WILL BE ENGAGED IN ONLY WITH RELEVANT
PERSONS. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT DOES NOT ITSELF CONSTITUTE AN OFFER FOR
THE SALE OR SUBSCRIPTION OF ANY SECURITIES IN THE
COMPANY.
THE PLACING SHARES AND ATTACHED WARRANTS HAVE
NOT BEEN AND WILL NOT BE REGISTERED UNDER THE UNITED STATES
SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "SECURITIES ACT") OR WITH ANY SECURITIES
REGULATORY AUTHORITY OF ANY STATE OR JURISDICTION OF THE UNITED
STATES, AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD OR TRANSFERRED, DIRECTLY OR
INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES (INCLUDING ITS TERRITORIES
AND POSSESSIONS, ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF
COLUMBIA) EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM, OR IN A TRANSACTION
NOT SUBJECT TO, THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT
AND IN COMPLIANCE WITH ANY APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE
OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION OF THE UNITED STATES. ACCORDINGLY, THE
PLACING SHARES AND ATTACHED WARRANTS WILL BE OFFERED AND SOLD ONLY
OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES IN "OFFSHORE TRANSACTIONS" (AS SUCH TERM IS
DEFINED IN REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT ("REGULATION S")) PURSUANT TO REGULATION
S AND OTHERWISE IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAWS. NO PUBLIC
OFFERING OF THE PLACING SHARES AND ATTACHED WARRANTS IS BEING MADE
IN THE UNITED STATES OR ELSEWHERE.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT (INCLUDING THE APPENDIX) AND
THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS RESTRICTED AND IS NOT FOR
RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY
OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO OR FROM THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA,
CANADA, JAPAN, THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA OR ANY OTHER
JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION
WOULD BE UNLAWFUL.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT AN OFFER OF SECURITIES
FOR SALE OR SUBSCRIPTION INTO THE UNITED STATES. THE SECURITIES
REFERRED TO HEREIN HAVE NOT BEEN AND WILL NOT BE REGISTERED UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD IN THE UNITED
STATES, EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AN APPLICABLE EXEMPTION FROM
REGISTRATION. NO PUBLIC OFFERING IS BEING MADE IN THE UNITED
STATES.
The distribution of this Announcement and/or the
Placing and/or issue of the Placing Shares and attached Warrants in
certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law. No action has been
taken or will be taken by the Company, the Nominated Adviser, the
Joint Bookrunners or any of their respective affiliates, agents,
directors, officers or employees that would permit an offer of the
Placing Shares and attached Warrants or possession or distribution
of this Announcement or any other offering or publicity material
relating to such Placing Shares and attached Warrants in any
jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required. Persons
into whose possession this Announcement comes are required by the
Company, the Nominated Adviser, and the Joint Bookrunners to inform
themselves about and to observe any such restrictions.
Neither this Announcement nor any part of it
constitutes or forms part of any offer to issue or sell, or the
solicitation of an offer to acquire, purchase or subscribe for, any
securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer or solicitation
is unlawful and, in particular, is not for distribution in or into
the United States (including its territories and possessions, any
state of the United States and the District of Columbia),
Australia, Canada, Japan, the Republic of South Africa or to any
national, resident or citizen of the United States, Australia,
Canada, Japan or the Republic of South Africa or to any
corporation, partnership or other entity created or organized under
the laws thereof, or to any persons in any other country outside
the United Kingdom where such distribution may lead to a breach of
any legal or regulatory requirement. No public offering of the
Placing Shares and attached Warrants is being made in any such
jurisdiction.
All offers of the Placing Shares and attached
Warrants in the United Kingdom or the EEA will be made pursuant to
an exemption under the UK Prospectus Regulation or the EU
Prospectus Regulation, as appropriate, from the requirement to
produce a prospectus. In the United Kingdom, this Announcement is
being directed solely at persons in circumstances in which section
21(1) of Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (as amended) (the
"FSMA") does not require
the approval of the relevant communication by an authorised
person.
The Placing Shares and attached Warrants 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; the relevant clearances have not been, and
will not be, obtained from the South Africa Reserve Bank or any
other applicable body in the Republic of South Africa in relation
to the Placing Shares and attached Warrants; and the Placing Shares
and attached Warrants have not been, nor will they be, registered
under or offered in compliance with the securities laws of any
state, province or territory of the United States, Australia,
Canada, the Republic of South Africa or Japan. Accordingly,
the Placing Shares and attached Warrants may not (unless an
exemption under the relevant securities laws is applicable) be
offered, sold, resold or delivered, directly or indirectly, in or
into the United States, Australia, Canada, the Republic of South
Africa or Japan or any other jurisdiction outside the United
Kingdom or the EEA.
Persons (including, without limitation, nominees
and trustees) who have a contractual right or other legal
obligation to forward a copy of this Announcement should seek
appropriate advice before taking any action.
Each Placee
should consult with its own advisers as to legal, regulatory, tax,
business and related aspects of a subscription for the Placing
Shares and attached Warrants. The price of shares and any income
expected from them may go down as well as up and Placees may not
get back the full amount invested upon disposal of the shares. Past
performance is no guide to future performance.
Placees, including any individuals, funds or
others on whose behalf a commitment to acquire Placing Shares and
attached Warrants is given, will be deemed: (i) to have read and
understood this Announcement, including this Appendix, in its
entirety; and (ii) to be participating and making an offer for
Placing Shares and attached Warrants on the terms and conditions
contained herein and the Warrant Instrument and to be providing the
confirmations, agreements, representations, warranties,
acknowledgements and undertakings contained in this
Appendix.
Details of the
Placing Agreement, the Placing Shares, the Warrants and the
Bookbuild
SCC is acting as nominated adviser and SCS and
Panmure Liberum are acting as Joint Bookrunners in connection with
the Placing and Admission.
Shore Capital and Panmure Liberum have today
entered into the Placing Agreement with the Company under which,
amongst other things, the Joint Bookrunners have agreed, as agents
for and on behalf of the Company, to use their respective
reasonable endeavours to procure subscribers for Placing Shares and
attached Warrants, on the terms and subject to the conditions set
out herein.
The Joint Bookrunners will today commence the
Bookbuild to determine demand for participation in the Placing by
Placees immediately following the publication of this Announcement.
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 and
attached Warrants. The Placing is not being
underwritten.
The Joint Bookrunners shall be entitled to
effect the Placing by such alternative method to the Bookbuild as
they may, in their discretion following consultation with the
Company, determine.
The Placing Shares and any New Ordinary Shares
issued upon exercise of the Warrants will, when issued, be subject
to the articles of association of the Company, be credited as fully
paid up, rank in full for all dividends and other distributions
declared, made or paid on the Ordinary Shares and otherwise rank
pari passu in all respects
with, and be identical to, the Existing Ordinary Shares. The
Placing Shares and attached Warrants are not part of the Retail
Offer.
Subscribers in the Placing shall be issued
warrants to subscribe for New Ordinary Shares on a one Warrant for
one Placing Share basis. The Warrants will be exercisable at 2.0x
the Issue Price for a period of 24 months from Admission. The
Warrants shall not be admitted to trading on AIM or any other stock
market, and will not be transferable or secured. The Warrants will
be issued to Placees pursuant to the terms of the Warrant
Instrument.
Participation
in, and principal terms of, the Bookbuild and
Placing
1. The
Joint Bookrunners are arranging the Placing as joint bookrunners
and agents of the Company for the purpose of procuring Placees at
the Issue Price for the Placing Shares and attached
Warrants.
2.
Participation in the Placing will only be available to persons who
may lawfully be, and are, invited to participate by the Joint
Bookrunners. Each Joint Bookrunner may severally (but is not
obliged to) agree to be a Placee in respect of all or some of the
Placing Shares and attached Warrants or may nominate any member of
its group to do so.
3. The
Issue Price will be a fixed price of 40 pence per Placing Share and
is payable to the Joint Bookrunners (as agents for the Company) by
all Placees whose bids are successful.
4. The
number of Placing Shares to be issued at the Issue Price will be
agreed by the Joint Bookrunners in consultation with the Company
following completion of the Bookbuild and will be recorded in terms
of subscription entered into between the Joint Bookrunners and the
Company. The number of Placing Shares and the number of Warrants to
be issued will be announced by the Company on a Regulatory
Information Service following the completion of the
Bookbuild.
5. Except
as required by law or regulation, no press release or other
announcement will be made by the Joint Bookrunners 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.
6. To bid
in the Bookbuild, Placees should communicate their bid by telephone
or email to their usual sales contact at the applicable Joint
Bookrunner. Each bid should state the number of Ordinary Shares
which the prospective Placee wishes to subscribe for at the Issue
Price. Bids may be scaled down by the Joint Bookrunners on the
basis referred to in paragraph 10 below. The Joint Bookrunners are
arranging the Placing severally and not jointly or jointly and
severally as agents of the Company.
7. A bid
in the Bookbuild will be made on the terms and subject to the
conditions in this Appendix and will be legally binding on the
Placee on behalf of which it is made and, except with the relevant
Joint Bookrunners' consent, will not be capable of variation or
revocation after the time at which it is submitted. Following the
relevant Joint Bookrunner's oral or written confirmation of each
Placee's allocation and commitment to acquire Placing Shares and
attached Warrants, each Placee will also have an immediate,
separate, irrevocable and binding obligation, owed to the relevant
Joint Bookrunner (as agent for the Company), to pay to them (or as
the relevant Joint Bookrunner may direct) in cleared funds an
amount equal to the product of the Issue Price and the number of
Placing Shares that such Placee has agreed to subscribe for and the
Company has agreed to allot and issue to that Placee regardless of
the total number of Placing Shares (if any) subscribed for by any
other investor(s). Each prospective Placee's obligations will be
owed to the Company and the Joint Bookrunners.
8. The
Bookbuild is expected to close on 16 December 2024, but may close
later subject to the agreement of the Joint Bookrunners and the
Company. The Joint Bookrunners may, in agreement with the Company,
accept bids, either in whole or in part, that are received after
the Bookbuild has closed.
9. The
Joint Bookrunners are each acting exclusively for the Company and
no one else in connection with the matters referred to in this
Announcement and will not be responsible to anyone other than the
Company for protections afforded to their respective customers nor
for providing advice in relation to the matters described in this
Announcement or any matter, transaction or arrangement referred to
in it.
10. The Joint
Bookrunners may choose to accept bids, either in whole or in part,
on the basis of allocations determined in consultation with the
Company and may scale down any bids for this purpose on such basis
as they may determine or be directed. The Joint Bookrunners may
also, notwithstanding paragraphs 7 and 8 above, subject to the
prior consent of the Company:
10.1 allocate
Placing Shares and attached Warrants after the time of any initial
allocation to any person submitting a bid after that time;
and
10.2 allocate
Placing Shares and attached Warrants after the Bookbuild has closed
to any person submitting a bid after that time.
11. The Company
reserves the right (upon agreement with the Joint Bookrunners) to
reduce or seek to increase the amount to be raised pursuant to the
Placing at its discretion.
12. Allocations
of the Placing Shares will be determined by the Joint Bookrunners
in their discretion after consultation with the Company in
accordance with the FCA Handbook Conduct of Business Sourcebook
("COBS"). Allocations will
be confirmed (either orally or in writing) by the relevant Joint
Bookrunner and a form of confirmation will be despatched as soon as
possible thereafter. The terms and conditions of this Appendix will
be deemed incorporated therein. The relevant Joint Bookrunner's
confirmation to such Placee constitutes an irrevocable legally
binding commitment upon such person (who will at that point become
a Placee), in favour of the Joint Bookrunners and the Company, to
acquire the number of Placing Shares allocated to it and to pay the
Issue Price in respect of such shares on the terms and conditions
set out in this Appendix and in accordance with the Company's
articles of association.
13.
Irrespective of the time at which a Placee's allocation(s) pursuant
to the Placing is/are confirmed, settlement for all Placing Shares
to be acquired pursuant to the Placing will be required to be made
at the relevant time, on the basis explained below under
"Registration and settlement".
14. All
obligations of the Joint Bookrunners under the Placing will be
subject to fulfilment or (where applicable) waiver of 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".
15. By
participating in the Bookbuild and the Placing, each Placee will
agree that its rights and obligations in respect of the Placing
will terminate only in the circumstances described below under
"Right to terminate under the Placing Agreement" and will not be
capable of rescission or termination by the Placee.
16. To the
fullest extent permissible by law and applicable FCA rules and
regulations, neither:
16.1 the Joint
Bookrunners;
16.2 any of
their respective affiliates, agents, directors, officers or
employees ("Representatives"); nor
16.3 to the
extent not contained within (a) or (b), any person connected with
the Joint Bookrunners as defined in the FSMA ((b) and (c) being
together "affiliates" and
individually an "affiliate"
of the Joint Bookrunners),
shall have any responsibility or liability
(including to the extent permissible by law, any fiduciary duties)
to Placees or to any other person whether acting on behalf of a
Placee or otherwise. In particular, none of the Joint Bookrunners,
the Company, nor any of their respective Representatives shall have
any responsibility or liability (including to the extent
permissible by law, any fiduciary duties) in respect of the conduct
of the Bookbuild and/or the Placing or of such alternative method
of effecting the Placing as the Joint Bookrunners and the Company
may determine. Each Placee acknowledges and agrees that the Company
is responsible for the allotment of the Placing Shares and the
issue of the Warrants to the Placees and the Joint Bookrunners
shall have no liability to the Placees for any failure by the
Company to fulfil those obligations.
17. The Placing
Shares and attached Warrants will be issued subject to the terms
and conditions of this Appendix and each Placee's commitment to
subscribe for Placing Shares and attached Warrants on the terms set
out herein will continue notwithstanding any amendment that may in
future be made to the terms and conditions of the Placing and
Placees will have no right to be consulted or require that their
consent be obtained with respect to the Company's or the Joint
Bookrunners' conduct of the Placing.
18. The times
and dates in this Announcement may be subject to amendment. The
Joint Bookrunners shall notify the Placees and any person acting on
behalf of the Placees of any such changes.
Conditions of
the Placing
The Retail Offer and the issue of the
Convertible Loan Notes are conditional on the Placing but the
Placing, while conditional on the issue of the Convertible Loan
Notes, it is not conditional on the Retail Offer..
The Joint Bookrunner's obligations under the
Placing Agreement in respect of the Placing Shares and attached
Warrants are conditional on, inter alia:
· the Application
and all other documents required to be submitted with the
Application being delivered to the Exchange by the requisition time
and date;
· the placing
results announcement being released through a Regulatory
Information Service by the requisition time and
date;
· the announcement
to launch the Retail Offer being released through a Regulatory
Information Service by the requisition time and date;
· the announcement
of the results of the Retail Offer being released through a
Regulatory Information Service by the requisition time and
date;
· the passing at
the General Meeting of each of the Resolutions by the requisite
majority under the Companies Act 2006 and such Resolutions
remaining in full force and effect as at Admission;
· the passing at
the General Meeting of the Rule 9 Waiver Resolution by the
Independent Shareholders of the Company and such resolution
remaining in full force and effect as at Admission;
· the issue
(subject only to Admission) of the Convertible Loan Notes by the
requisition time and date;
· the consent of
the Company's lending banks to the Fundraise and the entering into
of an inter-creditor agreement relating to the order by which
repayments of the Convertible Loan Notes shall be made by the
Company;
· none of the
warranties being untrue or inaccurate or misleading in any material
respect at any time between the date of the Placing Agreement and
Admission and no fact or circumstance having arisen which would
render any of the warranties untrue or inaccurate or misleading in
any material respect if it was repeated as at any time up to
Admission by reference to such facts or circumstances;
· the obligations
of the Joint Bookrunners not having been terminated before
Admission in accordance with the term of the Placing Agreement;
and
· Admission taking
place no later than 8.00 a.m. 8 January 2025 or such other time
and/or date as may be agreed between the Company and the Joint
Bookrunners, not being later than 8.00 a.m. on 31 January 2025 (the
"Long Stop
Date").
If (i) any of the conditions contained in the
Placing Agreement in relation to the Placing Shares is not
fulfilled or, if permitted, waived by the Joint Bookrunners in
accordance with the Placing Agreement by the respective time or
date where specified (or such later time or date as the Company and
each of the Joint Bookrunners may agree not being later than the
Long Stop Date), or (ii) the Placing Agreement is terminated in
accordance with its terms, the Placing will lapse and the Placees'
rights and obligations hereunder in relation to the Placing Shares
shall cease and terminate at such time. In such instance,
each Placee agrees that no claim can be made by or on behalf of the
Placee (or any person on whose behalf the Placee is acting) in
respect thereof.
The Joint Bookrunners may (acting jointly)
waive, or extend the period (up to the Long Stop 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 certain conditions like that relating to
Admission taking place may not be waived. The period for compliance
with such conditions may not be extended beyond the Long Stop Date.
Any such extension or waiver will not affect Placees' commitments
as set out in this Appendix.
Neither the Joint Bookrunners nor any of their
respective affiliates 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 the Joint Bookrunners.
Right to
terminate under the Placing Agreement
The Joint Bookrunners may, in their absolute
discretion, at any time before Admission, terminate the Placing
Agreement by giving notice to the Company if, inter alia:
· the Company is in
material breach of any provision of the Placing Agreement;
or
· the warranties in
the Placing Agreement or any of them are not true and accurate or
are misleading or would not be true and accurate or would be
misleading if they were repeated at any time before Admission, each
in any material respect; or
· trading in the
Ordinary Shares on AIM is suspended or threatened with suspension;
or
· any statement
contained in any of the fundraising documents (e.g. the Circular,
marketing presentation and announcements) is or has become, or has
been discovered to be, untrue, incorrect or misleading in any
material respect, or any event, fact, circumstance or matter has
arisen or occurred which would, if such fundraising document were
to be issued at that time, constitute a material omission from it
or would otherwise render it untrue or misleading in any material
respect
· it shall come to
the knowledge of SCC and/or the Joint Bookrunners that there has
been a breach by the Company of any of its material obligations
under the Retail Offer and such breach, in the opinion of SCC and
the Joint Bookrunners (acting in good faith) is material in the
context of the Transaction;
· the Retail Offer
is terminated and such termination, in the opinion of SCC and the
Joint Bookrunners (acting in good faith) is material in the context
of the Transaction; or
· in the opinion of
the Joint Bookrunners (acting in good faith) there has been, (i) a
material event, action, state, condition or major financial
occurrence of national or international consequence, (ii) a
material change in law or regulation which has a direct and
material effect on the business or operations of the Group; (iii) a
material change in national or international financial, political,
economic or stock market conditions (primary or secondary),
including any material change in the market for the Placing Shares;
(iv) an incident of terrorism, outbreak or escalation of
hostilities, war, declaration of martial law or any other calamity
or crisis; (v) if any inquiry, investigation or other proceeding
(whether formal or informal) is commenced, threatened or announced
or any order or ruling is issued by any officer of any stock
exchange, market or regulatory authority in the United Kingdom or
elsewhere or under or pursuant to any statute of the United Kingdom
or elsewhere or there is any change of law or the interpretation of
administration thereof by a stock exchange, market or regulatory
authority, which in the reasonable opinion of the Joint
Bookrunners, operates to prevent or materially restrict the trading
of the Company's ordinary shares or the distribution of the Placing
Shares; or (vi) any material change in currency exchange rates or
exchange controls or a disruption of settlement systems or a
material disruption or general moratorium in commercial
banking.
If the Joint Bookrunners cannot agree on a joint
approach as to whether or not to terminate the Placing Agreement if
(i) Shore Capital wishes to terminate the Placing Agreement, the
views of Shore Capital shall prevail and Shore Capital may
terminate the Placing Agreement on behalf of Shore Capital and
Panmure Liberum and (ii) if Shore Capital is not willing to
terminate the Placing Agreement but Panmure Liberum wishes to
terminate the agreement, SCS shall be entitled to continue as sole
broker and shall be given an opportunity to make up any shortfall
in the value of Placees' commitments (given that Panmure Liberum
and its Placees would not be continuing) before confirming to the
Company that it does not wish to terminate the Placing Agreement
and wishes to proceed as sole broker for the purposes of the
Placing.
The rights and obligations of the Placees shall
terminate only in the circumstances described in these terms and
conditions and in the Placing Agreement and will not be subject to
termination by any Placee or any prospective Placee at any time or
in any circumstances and the Placees' participation will not be
capable of rescission or termination by it after oral confirmation
by the Joint Bookrunners of the allocation and commitments
following the close of the Bookbuild. By participating in the
Placing, Placees agree that the exercise of any right of
termination or other discretion under the Placing Agreement shall
be within the absolute discretion of the Joint Bookrunners or Shore
Capital (as the case may be), that they need not make any reference
to Placees and that none of the Company, the Joint Bookrunners nor
any of their respective Representatives shall have any liability to
Placees (or to any other person whether acting on behalf of a
Placee or otherwise) whatsoever in connection with any such
exercise or decision not to exercise.
Placees agree that they will have no rights
against the Joint Bookrunners, the Company or any of their
respective directors or employees under the Placing Agreement
pursuant to the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 (as
amended).
By participating in the Placing, each Placee
agrees that its rights and obligations terminate only in the
circumstances described above and under the "Conditions of the
Placing" section above and will not be capable of rescission or
termination by it after the issue by the Joint Bookrunners of a
contract note, electronic trade confirmation or other (oral or
written) confirmation confirming each Placee's allocation and
commitment in the Placing.
Restriction on
further issue of shares and certain other matters
The Company has undertaken to the Nominated
Adviser and the Joint Bookrunners that it shall not, without their
prior written consent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld
or delayed), between the date of the Placing Agreement and the date
falling 60 days after the date of Admission (the "Restricted Period"): (i) allot, issue,
offer, sell, transfer, create an encumbrance over or otherwise
dispose of, directly or indirectly, any Ordinary Shares (or any
securities convertible into or exchangeable for Ordinary Shares or
which carry rights to subscribe or purchase Ordinary Shares) or any
interest in any Ordinary Shares, or agree to do any of such things
(each a "Relevant
Transaction"); (ii) enter into any transaction (including a
derivative transaction) having the same economic effect as any
Relevant Transaction; or (iii) deposit any Ordinary Shares (or any
securities convertible into or exchangeable for Ordinary Shares or
which carry rights to subscribe or purchase Ordinary Shares) in any
depositary receipt facility. The undertaking shall not apply to (i)
allotment and issue of the Placing Shares or the Retail Offer
Shares; (ii) the issue of the Convertible Loan Notes; (iii)
the issue of the Investor Warrants; or (iv) the grant or exercise
of options under the Company's share option and incentive schemes,
in accordance with the terms of such schemes and normal
practice.
No
prospectus
The Placing Shares and attached Warrants are
being offered to a limited number of specifically invited persons
only and will not be offered in such a way as to require any
prospectus or other offering document to be published. No offering
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 or the Placing Shares and attached Warrants.
Placees' commitments will be made solely on the
basis of (i) publicly available information announced through a
Regulatory Information Service by or on behalf of the Company on or
prior to the date of this Announcement, (ii) the information
contained in this Announcement and (iii) business and financial
information published in accordance with the rules and practices
under the AIM Rules and UK MAR (together, the "Publicly Available Information") and
subject to the further terms set forth in the form of
confirmation.
Each Placee, by participating 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 Publicly
Available Information), representation, warranty or statement made
by or on behalf of the Company, the Nominated Adviser or the Joint
Bookrunners or any other person and none of the Company, the
Nominated Adviser, the Joint Bookrunners nor any other person
acting on such person's behalf nor any of their respective
Representatives has or shall have any liability 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. 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. No Placee should consider any
information in this Announcement to be legal, tax or business
advice. Nothing in this paragraph shall exclude the liability of
any person for fraudulent misrepresentation by that
person.
Application for
admission to trading
Application will be made to the London Stock
Exchange for admission of the Placing Shares to trading on AIM. It
is expected that Admission will take place at 8.00 a.m. on 8
January 2025 specified (or such later time or date as the Company
and each of the Joint Bookrunners may agree not being later than
the Long Stop Date) and that dealings in the Placing Shares on AIM
will commence at the same time.
Registration
and settlement
Settlement of transactions in the Placing Shares
following Admission will take place within the CREST system,
subject to certain exceptions. Settlement within CREST is expected
to occur on 8 January 2025 (the "Settlement Date"). Settlement will take
place on a delivery versus payment basis. However, the Joint
Bookrunners and the Company reserve the right to require settlement
for, and delivery of, the Placing Shares (or any part thereof) to
Placees by such other means that they deem 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 the Placee's
jurisdiction.
Each Placee allocated Placing Shares and
attached Warrants in the Placing will be sent a form of
confirmation in accordance with the standing arrangements in place
with the relevant Joint Bookrunner stating the number of Placing
Shares allocated to it at the Issue Price together with the number
of attached Warrants, the aggregate amount owed by such Placee to
the relevant Joint Bookrunner 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 standing
CREST or certificated settlement instructions in respect of the
Placing Shares that it has in place with the relevant Joint
Bookrunner.
Interest is chargeable daily on payments not
received from Placees on the due date in accordance with the
arrangements set out above, in respect of either CREST or
certificated deliveries, at the rate of two percentage points above
the prevailing base rate of Barclays Bank as determined by the
Joint Bookrunners.
Subject to the conditions set out above, payment
in respect of the Placees' allocations is due as set out below.
Each Placee should provide its settlement details in order to
enable instructions to be successfully matched in CREST.
The relevant settlement details for the Placing
Shares are as follows:
CREST Participant ID of SCS:
|
601
|
CREST Participant ID of Panmure
Liberum:
|
4FQAQ
|
Expected trade time and date:
|
8.00 a.m. on 6 January 2025
|
Settlement date:
|
8 January2025
|
ISIN code for the Placing Shares:
|
GB00BR2Q0V58
|
Each Placee is deemed to agree that, if it does
not comply with these obligations, the Joint Bookrunners may sell
any or all of the Placing Shares allocated to that Placee on such
Placee's behalf and retain from the proceeds, for the relevant
Joint Bookrunners' account and benefit, an amount equal to the
aggregate amount owed by the Placee plus any interest due. The
relevant Placee will, however, remain liable for any shortfall
below the aggregate amount owed by it and may be required to bear
any stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax (together with any
interest or penalties) or other similar taxes imposed in any
jurisdiction which may arise upon the sale of such Placing Shares
on such Placee's behalf. By communicating a bid for Placing Shares,
such Placee confers on the Joint Bookrunners all such authorities
and powers necessary to carry out such sale and agrees to ratify
and confirm all actions which the relevant Joint Bookrunner
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 form
of confirmation 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 United Kingdom stamp
duty or stamp duty reserve tax. If there are any circumstances in
which any United Kingdom stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax or
other similar taxes or duties (including any interest and penalties
relating thereto) is payable in respect of the allocation,
allotment, issue, sale, transfer or delivery of the Placing Shares
(or, for the avoidance of doubt, if any stamp duty or stamp duty
reserve tax is payable in connection with any subsequent transfer
of or agreement to transfer Placing Shares), none of the Nominated
Adviser, the Joint Bookrunners nor the Company shall be responsible
for payment thereof.
Representations, warranties,
undertakings and further terms
By submitting a bid in the Bookbuild, each
Placee (and any person acting on such Placee's behalf) irrevocably
confirms, represents, warrants, acknowledges, agrees and undertakes
(as the case may be) with the Company and the Joint Bookrunners (in
their capacity as bookrunners and placing agents of the Company in
respect of the Placing), that (save where the Joint Bookrunners
expressly agree in writing to the contrary):
1. it has
read and understood this Announcement in its entirety and that its
acquisition of the Placing Shares and attached Warrants is subject
to and based upon all the terms, conditions, representations,
warranties, indemnities, acknowledgements, agreements and
undertakings and other information contained herein and it has not
relied on, and will not rely on, any information given or any
representations, warranties or statements made at any time by any
person in connection with the Fundraise including Admission, the
Placing, the Company, the Placing Shares, the Warrants or
otherwise, other than the information contained in this
Announcement and the Publicly Available Information and undertakes
not to redistribute or duplicate this Announcement;
2. its
obligations are irrevocable and legally binding and shall not be
capable of rescission or termination by it in any
circumstances;
3. no
offering document, admission document or prospectus has been or
will be prepared in connection with the Placing (nor is one
required under the UK Prospectus Regulation or other applicable
law) and represents and warrants that it has not received and will
not receive a prospectus, admission document or other offering
document in connection with the Placing or the Placing
Shares;
4. the
Placing does not constitute a recommendation or financial product
advice and the Nominated Adviser and the Joint Bookrunners has had
regard to its particular objectives, financial situation or
needs;
5. none
of the Nominated Adviser, the Joint Bookrunners, the Company nor
any of their respective Representatives has provided, nor will
provide, it with any material regarding the Placing Shares and
attached Warrants or the Company other than the Circular (when
published) and this Announcement; nor has it requested any of the
Nominated Adviser, the Joint Bookrunners, the Company, any of their
respective affiliates or any person acting on behalf of any of them
to provide it with any such information;
6. the
Ordinary Shares are admitted to trading on AIM, and that the
Company is therefore required to publish certain business and
financial information in accordance with the rules and practices
under the AIM Rules and UK MAR, which includes a description of the
Company's business and the Company's financial information,
including balance sheets and income statements, and that it is able
to obtain or access such information, or comparable information
concerning other publicly traded companies, in each case without
undue difficulty;
7. the
content of the Circular (when published), this Announcement and the
Publicly Available Information is exclusively the responsibility of
the Company and that none of the Nominated Adviser, the Joint
Bookrunners, any persons acting on their behalf nor any of their
respective affiliates, has or shall have any liability for any
information, representation, warranty or statement relating to the
Company contained in, or omission from, the Circular (when
published), this Announcement or any Publicly Available
Information, nor will they be liable for any Placee's decision to
participate in the Placing based on any information,
representation, warranty or statement contained in the Circular
(when published), this Announcement, the Publicly Available
Information or otherwise. Nothing in this Appendix shall exclude
any liability of any person for fraudulent
misrepresentation;
8. the
content of this Announcement is exclusively the responsibility of
the Company and the Directors and neither the Nominated Adviser,
the Joint Bookrunners nor any person acting on behalf of either of
them or any of their respective Representatives has or shall have
any liability for any Publicly Available Information or any
representation or statement relating to the Company;
9. it,
and any prospective beneficial owner for whose account or benefit
it is purchasing the Placing Shares and attached Warrants, is and,
at the time the Placing Shares and attached Warrants are subscribed
for, will be located outside the United States and is acquiring the
Placing Shares and attached Warrants in an "offshore transaction"
as defined in, and in accordance with, Regulation S under the
Securities Act;
10. it has not
been offered to purchase or subscribe for Placing Shares and
attached Warrants by means of any "directed selling efforts" as
defined in Regulation S of the Securities Act;
11. it
understands that the Placing Shares and attached
Warrants:
11.1 have not
been and will not be registered or otherwise qualified for offer
and sale and that a prospectus will not be cleared or approved in
respect of any of the Placing Shares and attached Warrants under
the securities laws of the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan,
the Republic of South Africa, or any state, province, territory or
jurisdiction thereof;
11.2 may not be
offered, sold, or delivered or transferred, directly or indirectly,
in or into the above jurisdictions or any jurisdiction (subject to
certain exceptions) in which it would be unlawful to do so and no
action has been or will be taken by any of the Company, the
Nominated Adviser, the Joint Bookrunners or any person acting on
behalf of the Company or, the Nominated Adviser or the Joint
Bookrunners that would, or is intended to, permit a public offer of
the Placing Shares and attached Warrants in the United States,
Australia, Canada, Japan, the Republic of South Africa or any
country or jurisdiction, or any state, province, territory or
jurisdiction thereof, where any such action for that purpose is
required;
12. it is not,
and any person who it is acting on behalf of is not, and at the
time the Placing Shares and attached Warrants are subscribed for,
neither it nor the beneficial owner of the Placing Shares and
attached Warrants will be, a resident of, nor have an address in,
Australia, Japan, the Republic of South Africa or any province or
territory of Canada;
13. it will not
offer, sell, transfer, pledge or otherwise dispose of any Placing
Shares or attached Warrants except:
13.1 in an
offshore transaction in accordance with Rules 903 or 904 of
Regulation S under the Securities Act; or
13.2 pursuant to
another exemption from registration under the Securities Act, if
available,
and in each case in accordance with all
applicable securities laws of the states of the United States and
other jurisdictions;
14. it
understands that the Placing Shares and attached Warrants have not
been, and will not be, registered under the Securities Act and may
not be offered, sold or resold in or into or from the United States
or to, or for the account or benefit of, US Persons (as defined in
Regulation S) except pursuant to an effective registration under
the Securities Act, or pursuant to an exemption from the
registration requirements of the Securities Act and in accordance
with applicable state securities laws;
15. it will not
distribute, forward, transfer or otherwise transmit this
Announcement or any part of it, or any other presentational or
other materials concerning the Placing in or into or from the
United States, Australia, Canada, Japan, the Republic of South
Africa (including electronic copies thereof) to any person, and it
has not distributed, forwarded, transferred or otherwise
transmitted any such materials to any such person;
16. it
understands that there may be certain consequences under United
States and other tax laws resulting from an investment in the
Placing and it has made such investigation and has consulted its
own independent advisers or otherwise has satisfied itself
concerning, without limitation, the effects of United States
federal, state and local income tax laws and foreign tax laws
generally;
17.
it:
17.1 has such
knowledge and experience in financial and business matters to be
capable of evaluating the merits and risks of subscribing for or
purchasing the Placing Shares;
17.2 will not
look to the Nominated Adviser or the Joint Bookrunners for all or
part of any loss it may suffer as a result of any such subscription
or purchase;
17.3 is
experienced in investing in securities of this nature in this
sector and is aware that it may be required to bear, and is able to
bear, the economic risk of an investment in the Placing
Shares;
17.4 is able to
sustain a complete loss of an investment in the Placing Shares;
and
17.5 has no need
for liquidity with respect to its investment in the Placing
Shares;
18. the issue
to it, or the person specified by it, for registration as holder,
of the Placing Shares and attached Warrants will not give rise to a
stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax liability under (or at a rate
determined under) any of sections 67, 70, 93 or 96 of the Finance
Act 1986 (depositary receipts and clearance services) and that the
Placing Shares and attached Warrants are not being acquired in
connection with arrangements to issue depositary receipts or to
issue or transfer Placing Shares and attached Warrants into a
clearance service;
19. it has
complied with its obligations in connection with money laundering
and terrorist financing under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (as
amended), the Terrorism Act 2000 (as amended), the Terrorism Act
2006, the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of
Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017 (as amended) and
all related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued,
administered or enforced by any government agency having
jurisdiction in respect thereof and the Money Laundering Sourcebook
of the FCA (together, the "Money
Laundering 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 Money Laundering Regulations;
20. it is
not:
20.1 an entity
or an individual with whom transactions are prohibited under the US
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 or is the subject of any
economic sanction programmes administered by, or regulations
promulgated by, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S.
Department of the Treasury;
20.2 named on
the Consolidated List of Financial Sanctions Targets maintained by
HM Treasury of the United Kingdom; or
20.3 subject to
financial sanctions imposed pursuant to a regulation of the
European Union or a regulation adopted by the United Nations or
other applicable law,
(together with the Money Laundering
Regulations, 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 the Joint Bookrunners such evidence, if any, as
to the identity or location or legal status of any person which
they may request from it in connection with the Placing (for the
purpose of complying with the 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
the Joint Bookrunners on the basis that any failure by it to do so
may result in the number of Placing Shares and attached Warrants
that are to be acquired by it or at its direction pursuant to the
Placing being reduced to such number, or to nil, as the Joint
Bookrunners may decide at their sole discretion;
21. in order to
ensure compliance with the Regulations, the Joint Bookrunners (for
themselves severally and as agent on behalf of the Company), or the
Company's registrars may, in their absolute discretion, require
verification of its identity, location or legal status. Pending the
provision to the Joint Bookrunners or the Company's registrars, as
applicable, of evidence of identity, location or legal status,
definitive certificates in respect of the Placing Shares and
attached Warrants may be retained at the Joint Bookrunners'
absolute discretion or, where appropriate, delivery of the Placing
Shares to it in uncertificated form may be delayed in either of the
Joint Bookrunner's or the Company's registrars', as the case may
be, absolute discretion. If within a reasonable time after a
request for verification of identity, location or legal status, the
Joint Bookrunners (for themselves severally and as agent on behalf
of the Company), or the Company's registrars have not received
evidence satisfactory to them, either Joint Bookrunner and/or the
Company may, at its absolute discretion, terminate its commitment
in respect of the Placing, in which event the monies payable on the
conditional allocation of Placing Shares allotment will, if already
paid, be returned without interest to the account of the drawee's
bank from which they were originally debited;
22. it
irrevocably appoints any duly authorised officer of each Joint
Bookrunner as its agent for the purpose of executing and delivering
to the Company and/or its registrars any documents on its behalf
necessary to enable it to be registered as the holder of any of the
Placing Shares and attached Warrants for which it agrees to acquire
upon the terms of this Announcement;
23. save in the
case of GHAM, participation in the Placing would not give rise to
an offer being required to be made by it, or any person with whom
it is acting in concert, pursuant to Rule 9 of the City Code on
Takeovers and Mergers;
24. it is
acting as principal only in respect of the Placing or, if it is
acting for any other person: (i) it is duly authorised to do so and
has full power to make the acknowledgements, warranties,
representations, confirmations, undertakings, and agreements herein
on behalf of each such person; and (ii) it is and will remain
liable to the Company and/or Joint Bookrunners for the performance
of all its obligations as a Placee in respect of the Placing
(regardless of the fact that it is acting for another
person);
25. if it is a
financial intermediary, as that term is used in Article 2(d) of the
EU Prospectus Regulation or Article 5(1) the UK Prospectus
Regulation, as applicable, it understands the resale and transfer
restrictions set out in this Appendix and that any Placing Shares
and attached Warrants acquired 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
circumstances which may give rise to an offer of securities to the
public other than an offer or resale in a member state of the EEA
to EEA Qualified Investors or in the United Kingdom to Relevant
Persons, or in circumstances in which the prior consent of the
Joint Bookrunners has been given to each such proposed offer or
resale;
26. it has not
offered or sold and will not offer or sell any Placing Shares nor
any attached Warrants to persons in the EEA, except to Qualified
Investors as defined in Article 2(e) of the EU Prospectus
Regulation or otherwise in circumstances which have not resulted
and which will not result in an offer to the public in any member
state in the EEA within the meaning of Article 2(d) of the EU
Prospectus Regulation;
27. it has not
offered or sold and will not offer or sell any Placing Shares nor
any attached Warrants to persons in the United Kingdom, except to
Qualified Investors as defined in Article 2(e) of the UK Prospectus
Regulation or otherwise in circumstances which have not resulted
and which will not result in an offer to the public in the United
Kingdom within the meaning of Article 2(d) of the UK Prospectus
Regulation;
28. it has not
offered or sold and will not offer or sell any Placing Shares nor
any attached Warrants to persons in the United Kingdom or a member
state of the EEA prior to the expiry of a period of six months from
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 and which will not result
in an offer to the public in the United Kingdom within the meaning
of section 85(1) of the FSMA or within the meaning of the UK
Prospectus Regulation, or an offer to the public in any member
state of the EEA within the meaning of the EU Prospectus
Regulation;
29. 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 and attached Warrants in
circumstances in which section 21(1) of the FSMA does not require
approval of the communication by an authorised person and it
acknowledges and agrees that this Announcement has not been
approved by either Joint Bookrunner in its capacity as an
authorised person under section 21 of the FSMA and it may not
therefore be subject to the controls which would apply if it was
made or approved as financial promotion by an authorised
person;
30. it has
complied and will comply with all applicable laws with respect to
anything done by it or on its behalf in relation to the Placing
Shares and attached Warrants (including all applicable provisions
of the FSMA, the Criminal Justice Act 1993 and UK MAR) with respect
to anything done by it in relation to the Placing Shares and
attached Warrants in, from or otherwise involving the United
Kingdom;
31. unless
otherwise specifically agreed with the Nominated Adviser and the
Joint Bookrunners in writing, in the case of a Relevant Person in
the United Kingdom who acquires any Placing Shares and attached
Warrants pursuant to the Placing, it is a Qualified Investor within
the meaning of Article 2(e) of the UK Prospectus Regulation and in
the case of a Relevant Person in a member state of the EEA who
acquires any Placing Shares and attached Warrants pursuant to the
Placing, that it is a Qualified Investor within the meaning of
Article 2(e) of the EU Prospectus Regulation;
32. if in the
United Kingdom, that it is a person (i) having professional
experience in matters relating to investments who falls within the
definition of "investment professionals" in Article 19(5) of the
Order or (ii) who falls 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 lawfully be
communicated;
33. if in the
United Kingdom, unless otherwise agreed by the Joint Bookrunners,
it is a "professional client" or an "eligible counterparty" within
the meaning of Chapter 3 of COBS and it is acquiring Placing Shares
and attached Warrants for investment only and not with a view to
resale or distribution;
34. either
Joint Bookrunner may choose to invoke the CASS Delivery Versus
Payment exemption (under CASS 7.11.14R within the FCA Handbook
Client Assets Sourcebook) with regard to settlement of funds, in
connection with the Placing, should it see fit;
35. neither it
nor, as the case may be, its clients expect the Joint Bookrunners
to have any duties or responsibilities to such persons similar or
comparable to the duties of "best execution" and "suitability"
imposed by COBS, and that the Joint Bookrunners are not acting for
it or its clients, and that the Joint Bookrunners will not be
responsible for providing the protections afforded to clients of
the Joint Bookrunners or for providing advice in respect of the
transactions described in this Announcement;
36. it and any
person acting on its behalf is entitled to acquire the Placing
Shares and attached Warrants under the laws of all relevant
jurisdictions and that it has fully observed such laws and obtained
all such governmental and other guarantees, permits,
authorisations, approvals and consents which may be required
thereunder and complied with all necessary formalities 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 Appendix) and will honour such obligations and that it
has not taken any action or omitted to take any action which will
or may result in the Nominated Adviser, the Joint Bookrunners, the
Company or any of their respective directors, officers, agents,
employees or advisers acting in breach of the legal or regulatory
requirements of any jurisdiction in connection with the
Placing;
37. it (and any
person acting on its behalf) will make payment in respect of the
Placing Shares allocated to it in accordance with this Appendix on
the due time and date set out herein, failing which the relevant
Placing Shares and attached Warrants may be placed with other
acquirers or sold as the Joint Bookrunners may each in their sole
discretion determine and without liability to such Placee, who will
remain liable for any amount by which the net proceeds of such sale
fall short of the product of the Issue Price and the number of
Placing Shares allocated to it and may be required to bear any
stamp duty, stamp duty reserve tax or other similar taxes (together
with any interest or penalties) which may arise upon such placing
or sale of such Placee's Placing Shares;
38. none of the
Nominated Adviser, the Joint Bookrunners, nor any of their
respective Representatives nor any person acting on behalf of any
of them is making any recommendations to it or advising it
regarding the suitability of any transactions it may enter into in
connection with the Placing and that its participation in the
Placing is on the basis that it is not and will not be a client of
either the Nominated Adviser or the Joint Bookrunners in connection
with its participation in the Placing and that neither the
Nominated Adviser nor the Joint Bookrunners have any duty nor
responsibility to it for providing the protections afforded to its
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 its rights and
obligations thereunder including any rights to waive or vary any
conditions or exercise any termination right;
39. the person
whom it specifies for registration as holder of the Placing Shares
and attached Warrants will be (i) itself or (ii) its nominee, as
the case may be. None of the Nominated Adviser, the Joint
Bookrunners nor the Company will be responsible for any liability
to stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax or other similar taxes
resulting from a failure to observe this requirement ("Indemnified
Taxes"); each Placee and any person acting on behalf of such Placee
agrees to indemnify the Company, the Nominated Adviser and the
Joint Bookrunners, on an after-tax basis in respect of any
Indemnified Taxes;
40. indemnify
on an after tax basis and hold the Company, the Nominated Adviser,
the Joint Bookrunners and each of their respective Representatives
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 its representations, warranties,
acknowledgements, agreements and undertakings in this Appendix or
incurred by the Joint Bookrunners, the Company or each of their
respective Representatives arising from the performance of the
Placee's obligations as set out in this Announcement, and further
agrees that the provisions of this Appendix shall survive after
completion of the Placing;
41. except as
set out in paragraph 42 below, it has neither received nor relied
on any 'inside information' (for the purposes of UK MAR and section
56 of the Criminal Justice Act 1993) concerning the Company prior
to or in connection with accepting the invitation to participate in
the Placing and is not purchasing Placing Shares and attached
Warrants on the basis of material non-public
information;
42. if it has
received any 'inside information' (for the purposes of UK MAR and
section 56 of the Criminal Justice Act 1993 or other applicable
law) in relation to the Company and its securities in advance of
the Placing, it has received such information within the market
soundings regime provided for in Article 11 of UK MAR and
associated delegated regulations and it has not: (i) dealt (or
attempted to deal) in the securities of the Company; (ii)
encouraged, recommended or induced another person to deal in the
securities of the Company; or (iii) unlawfully disclosed inside
information to any person, prior to the information being made
publicly available;
43. if it is a
pension fund or investment company, its purchase of Placing Shares
and attached Warrants is in full compliance with applicable laws
and regulations;
44. the
Company, the Nominated Adviser, the Joint Bookrunners and their
respective affiliates and others will rely upon the truth and
accuracy of the foregoing representations, warranties,
acknowledgements, agreements, and undertakings which are given to
the Nominated Adviser and the Joint Bookrunners for themselves and
on behalf of the Company and are irrevocable and it irrevocably
authorises the Company, the Nominated Adviser and the Joint
Bookrunners to produce this Announcement, pursuant to, in
connection with, or as may be required by, any applicable law or
regulation, administrative or legal proceeding or official inquiry
with respect to the matters set forth herein;
45. none of the
Company, the Nominated Adviser or the Joint Bookrunners owes any
fiduciary or other duties to any Placee in respect of any
acknowledgments, confirmations, undertakings, representations,
warranties or indemnities in the Placing Agreement;
46. its
commitment to take up Placing Shares and attached Warrants on the
terms set out in this Announcement (including this Appendix) will
continue notwithstanding any amendment that may or in the future be
made to the terms and conditions 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, the Nominated Adviser's or
the Joint Bookrunners' conduct of the Placing;
47. its
allocation (if any) of Placing Shares will represent a maximum
number of Placing Shares which it will be entitled, and required,
to subscribe for, and that the Nominated Adviser, the Joint
Bookrunners or the Company may call upon it to subscribe for a
lower number of Placing Shares (if any), but in no event in
aggregate more than the aforementioned maximum;
48. it has the
funds available to pay for the Placing Shares for which it has
agreed to acquire and acknowledges and agrees that it will pay the
total subscription amount in accordance with the terms of this
Announcement on the due time and date set out herein, failing which
the relevant Placing Shares may be placed with other Placees or
sold at such price as the Joint Bookrunners determine;
49. time is of
essence as regards its obligations under this Appendix;
50. it may be
asked to disclose in writing or orally to the Joint Bookrunners:
(i) if he or she is an individual, his or her nationality; or (ii)
if he or she is a discretionary fund manager, the jurisdiction in
which the funds are managed or owned;
51. information
provided by it to the Company and the Registrar will be stored on
the Company's and/or the Registrars' computer system(s), and
acknowledges and agrees that for the purposes of the General Data
Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 and other relevant data
protection legislation which may be applicable (the "Data Protection Law"), the Company and
the Registrars are required to specify the purposes for which they
will hold personal data; and that it has obtained the consent of
any data subjects to the Registrars and the Company and their
respective associates holding and using their personal data for the
Purposes (as defined below). For the purposes of this Announcement,
"data subject", "personal data" and "sensitive personal data" shall
have the meanings attributed to them in the Data Protection Law.
The Company and the Registrars will only use such information for
the purposes set out below (collectively, the "Purposes"), being to:
51.1 process its
personal data (including sensitive personal data) as required by or
in connection with its holding of Ordinary Shares, including
processing personal data in connection with credit and money
laundering checks on it;
51.2 communicate
with it as necessary in connection with its affairs and generally
in connection with its holding of Ordinary Shares;
51.3 provide
personal data to such third parties as the Company or the
Registrars may consider necessary in connection with its affairs
and generally in connection with its holding of Ordinary Shares or
as the Data Protection Law may require, including to third parties
outside the United Kingdom or the EEA;
51.4 without
limitation, provide such personal data to the Company or the
Nominated Adviser or the Joint Bookrunners for processing,
notwithstanding that any such party may be outside the United
Kingdom or the EEA States; and
51.5 process its
personal data for the Company's or Registrars' internal
administration; and
52. these terms
and conditions and any agreements entered into by it pursuant to
the terms and conditions set out in this Appendix, and all
non-contractual or other obligations arising out of or in
connection with them, 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 arising out of any such
contract (including any dispute regarding the existence, validity
or termination of such contract or relating to any non-contractual
or other obligation arising out of or in connection with 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 any of the
Company, the Nominated Adviser or the Joint Bookrunners 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.
The foregoing representations, warranties,
agreements, undertakings, acknowledgements and confirmations are
given for the benefit of the Company as well as the Nominated
Adviser and the Joint Bookrunners, and are irrevocable.
The agreement to allot and issue Placing Shares
together with attached Warrants to Placees (and/or to persons for
whom such Placee is contracting as agent) free of stamp duty and
stamp duty reserve tax in the United Kingdom relates only to their
allotment and issue to Placees, or such persons as they nominate as
their agents, direct from the Company for the Placing Shares and
attached Warrants in question. Such agreement also assumes that the
Placing Shares are not being acquired in connection with
arrangements to issue depositary receipts or to issue or transfer
the Placing Shares into a clearance service. If there are any such
arrangements, or the settlement relates to any other dealing in the
Placing Shares, stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax or other
similar taxes may be payable, the Placee agrees that it shall be
responsible for such stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax and none
of the Company, the Nominated Adviser or the Joint Bookrunners will
be responsible for such stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax.
The Placees shall indemnify the Company, the Nominated Adviser and
the Joint Bookrunners on an after-tax basis for any stamp duty or
stamp duty reserve tax paid by them in respect of any such
arrangements or dealings. If this is the case, each Placee should
seek its own advice and notify the relevant Joint Bookrunner
accordingly. Placees are advised to consult with their own advisers
regarding the tax aspects of the subscription for Placing Shares
with attached Warrants.
The Company, the Nominated Adviser and the Joint
Bookrunners are not liable to bear any transfer taxes that arise on
a sale of Placing Shares subsequent to their acquisition by Placees
or for transfer taxes arising otherwise than under the laws of the
United Kingdom. Each Placee should, therefore, take its own advice
as to whether any such transfer tax liability arises and notify the
relevant Joint Bookrunner accordingly. Furthermore, each Placee
agrees to indemnify on an after-tax basis and hold each of the
Nominated Adviser, the Joint Bookrunners and the Company and their
respective affiliates and to hold harmless each of the Nominated
Adviser, the Joint Bookrunners and the Company and their respective
affiliates from any and all interest, fines or penalties in
relation to stamp duty, stamp duty reserve tax and all other
similar duties or taxes to the extent that such interest, fines or
penalties arise from the default or delay of that Placee or its
agent.
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 United Kingdom by them or any other person on
the acquisition by them of any Placing Shares with attached
Warrants or the agreement by them to acquire any Placing Shares
with attached Warrants.
Each Placee and any person acting on behalf of
the Placee acknowledges and agrees that the Joint Bookrunners and
any of their respective affiliates may, at their absolute
discretion, agree to become a Placee in respect of some or all of
the Placing Shares or by nominating any connected or associated
person to do so.
When a Placee or person acting on behalf of the
Placee is dealing with either Joint Bookrunner, any money held in
an account with the relevant Joint Bookrunner on behalf of a Placee
and/or any person acting on behalf of a 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 the relevant Joint Bookrunner's money in accordance with the
client money rules and will be used by the relevant Joint
Bookrunner in the course of its own business and the Placee will
rank only as a general creditor of the relevant Joint
Bookrunner.
The rights and remedies of the Joint Bookrunners
and the Company under these terms and conditions are in addition to
any rights and remedies which would otherwise be available to each
of them and the exercise or partial exercise or partial exercise of
one will not prevent the exercise of others.
All times and dates in this Announcement are
references to London time and may be subject to amendment. The
relevant Joint Bookrunner shall notify the Placees and any person
acting on behalf of the Placees of any changes.
No statement in this Announcement is intended to
be a profit forecast or estimate, 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 Placing Shares to be issued pursuant to the
Placing will not be admitted to trading on any stock exchange other
than the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange. The Warrants to
be issued pursuant to the Placing will not be admitted to trading
on any stock exchange.
Neither the content of Inspired's website (or
any other website) nor the content of any website accessible by
hyperlinks on the Company's website (or any other website) is
incorporated in, or forms part of, this Announcement.
DEFINITIONS
The following definitions apply
throughout this Announcement unless the context otherwise
requires:
2024 AGM
|
the last annual general meeting of
the Company held on 28 June 2024;
|
acting in
concert
|
has the meaning attributed to it in
the Takeover Code;
|
Adjusted
EBITDA
|
the earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation,
and amortisation for the Company as adjusted by the
Company;
|
Admission
|
admission to trading on AIM of the
Placing Shares becoming effective in accordance with the AIM
Rules;
|
AIM
|
the AIM market operated by the London
Stock Exchange;
|
AIM Rules
|
the AIM Rules for Companies and
guidance notes as published by the London Stock Exchange from time
to time governing the admission to, and operation of,
AIM;
|
Articles
|
the articles of association of the
Company as at the date of this Announcement;
|
Bookbuild
|
the accelerated bookbuilding process
in respect of the Placing to be carried out by the Joint
Bookrunners on behalf of the Company;
|
Bookbuild Platform
|
the online capital markets platform developed by BB
Technology Limited;
|
certificated
or in
certificated form
|
an Ordinary Share recorded on the
Company's share register as being held in
certificated form (namely, not in CREST);
|
Chair
|
the Chair of the Board from time to
time;
|
Circular
|
the circular containing further
details of the Fundraising and the Notice of General Meeting in
order to pass the Resolutions, which is expected to be published by
the Company during the week ending 20 December 2024;
|
Company
|
Inspired plc, a company registered in
England and Wales (company number 07639760);
|
Conversion
Shares
|
the Ordinary Shares to be issued and
allotted pursuant to the Convertible Loan Notes;
|
Convertible Loan
Notes
|
the convertible loan notes due
in 2027 with an
aggregate value of £5 million to be constituted by the Convertible
Loan Note Instrument;
|
Convertible Loan Note
Instrument
|
the deed constituting the Convertible
Loan Notes to be executed by the Company on or around the date of
the General Meeting;
|
CREST
|
the relevant system (as defined in
the CREST Regulations) in respect of which Euroclear is the
operator (as defined in the CREST Regulations), which facilitates
the transfer of title to shares in uncertificated form;
|
Dealing or Dealt
|
in the context of the Takeover Code,
includes:
(a)
acquiring or disposing of relevant securities, of
the right (whether conditional or absolute) to exercise or direct
the exercise of the voting rights attaching to relevant securities,
or of general control of relevant securities;
(b)
taking, granting, acquiring, disposing of,
entering into, closing out, terminating, exercising (by either
party) or varying an option (including a traded option contract) in
respect of any relevant securities;
(c)
subscribing or agreeing to subscribe for relevant
securities;
(d)
exercising or converting, whether in respect of
new or existing relevant securities, any securities carrying
conversion or subscription rights;
(e)
acquiring, disposing of, entering into, closing
out, exercising (by either party) of any rights under, or varying,
a derivative referenced, directly or indirectly, to
securities;
(f)
entering into, terminating or varying the terms of
any agreement to purchase or sell securities;
(g)
redeeming or purchasing, or taking or exercising
an option over, any of its own relevant securities by the offeree
company or an offeror; and
(h)
any other action resulting, or which may result,
in an increase or decrease in the number of relevant securities in
which a person is interested or in respect of which he has a short
position;
|
Euroclear
|
Euroclear UK & International
Limited, the operator of CREST;
|
Existing Ordinary
Shares
|
105,282,535 Ordinary Shares in issue
as at the date of this Announcement;
|
FCA
|
the Financial Conduct
Authority;
|
Financial Promotion
Order
|
the Financial Services and Markets
Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (as amended);
|
Form of
Proxy
|
the form of proxy for use in
connection with the General Meeting;
|
FSMA
|
the Financial Services and Markets
Act 2000 (as amended);
|
Fundraise or
Fundraising
|
the Placing, Retail Offer, issue of
the Convertible Loan Notes and issue of the Warrants;
|
General
Meeting
|
the general meeting of the Company to
be held at the offices of Gateley Legal at Ship Canal House, 98
King Street, Manchester M2 4WU at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday 7 January
2025, or any adjournment thereof, notice of which will be set out
at the end of the Circular;
|
GHAM
|
Gresham House Asset Management
Limited (company number 09447087), having its registered address at
5 New Street Square, London EC4A 3TW;
|
GHAM Shares
|
any Ordinary Shares to be allotted
and issued to GHAM pursuant to the Placing; and, subject to
exercise of conversion rights pursuant to the Convertible Loan
Notes and Warrants;
|
Group
|
together the Company and its
subsidiary undertakings;
|
Independent
Shareholders
|
all of the Shareholders, with the
exception of GHAM;
|
Interest
|
in the context of the Takeover Code,
a person having an interest in relevant securities includes where a
person:
(a) owns
securities;
(b) has
the right (whether conditional or absolute) to exercise or direct
the exercise of the voting rights attaching to securities or has
general control of them;
(c) by
virtue of any agreement to purchase, option or derivative, has the
right or option to acquire securities or call for their delivery or
is under an obligation to take delivery of them, whether the right,
option or obligation is conditional or absolute and whether it is
in the money or otherwise; or
(d) is
party to any derivative whose value is determined by reference to
the prices of securities and which results, or may result, in his
having a long position in them;
|
ISIN
|
International Securities
Identification Number;
|
Issue Price
|
40 pence per Placing
Share;
|
Joint Bookrunners
|
SCS and Panmure Liberum;
|
Latest Practicable
Date
|
13 December 2024 being the latest
practicable date prior to the publication of this
Announcement;
|
London Stock
Exchange
|
London Stock Exchange plc;
|
Net Adjusted Leverage
Ratio
|
the ratio of total net debt (excluding the CLNs) to
Adjusted EBITDA on the last day of the relevant period for the
measurement of covenants;
|
New Ordinary
Shares
|
the new Ordinary Shares, being ordinary shares of
£0.0125 each to be issued by the Company pursuant to the
Fundraising (including those new Ordinary Shares to be issued on a
date in the future pursuant to the Convertible Loan Notes and/or
the Warrants);
|
Notice of General
Meeting
|
the notice of the General Meeting to
be set out at the end of the Circular;
|
Ordinary
Shares
|
ordinary shares of £0.0125 each in
the capital of the Company;
|
Panmure Liberum
|
Panmure Liberum Limited, the
Company's joint broker;
|
Placees
|
the persons who have agreed to
subscribe for Placing Shares pursuant to the Placing;
|
Placing
|
the conditional placing of the
Placing Shares for and on behalf of the Company subject to the
terms of the Placing Agreement;
|
Placing
Agreement
|
the conditional placing agreement
dated 16 December 2024 between (1) the Company (2) Shore Capital
and (3) Panmure Liberum;
|
Placing
Shares
|
the 53,125,000 new Ordinary Shares
which are the subject of the Placing and are being issued at the
Issue Price;
|
Prospectus Regulation
Rules
|
the prospectus regulation rules of
the FCA made under section 73A of FSMA (as amended from time to
time);
|
Redemption
Date
|
is the earlier of (i) 13 May 2027,
(ii) the Senior Discharge Date (as defined in the subordination
date in relation to the Convertible Loan Notes, or (iii) the second
anniversary of the date of the Convertible Loan Note
Instrument;
|
Registrar
|
Equiniti, Aspect House, Spencer Road,
Lancing, West Sussex BN99 6DA;
|
Regulatory Information
Service
|
has the meaning given to it in the
AIM Rules;
|
Relevant
Securities
|
(a)
shares in the Company other than shares allotted
pursuant to:
(i) an
employee share scheme (as defined by section 1166 of the Act);
or
(ii)
a right to subscribe for shares in the Company
where the grant of the right itself constituted a Relevant
Security; or
(iii)
a right to convert securities into shares in the
Company where the grant of the right itself constituted a Relevant
Security.
(b)
any right to subscribe for or to convert any
security into shares in the Company other than rights to subscribe
for or convert any security into shares allotted pursuant to an
employee share scheme (as defined by section 1166 of the Act).
References to the allotment of Relevant Securities include the
grant of such rights;
|
Resolutions
|
the resolutions which will be set out
in the Notice of General Meeting;
|
Retail Investors
|
retail Shareholders, who are resident in the United
Kingdom, and are a customer of one of the intermediaries operating
through the Bookbuild Platform;
|
Retail Offer
|
the separate offer by the Company of the Retail Offer
Shares, through the Bookbuild Platform, for Retail Investors,
further details of which are set out in this announcement and a
separate announcement to be released by the Company in relation to
the Retail Offer;
|
Retail Offer Shares
|
up to 5,000,000 new Ordinary Shares to be issued,
conditional on the passing of the Resolutions, in connection with
the Retail Offer;
|
Rule 9
|
Rule 9 of the Takeover
Code;
|
Rule 9 Panel
Waiver
|
the waiver expected to be granted by
the Takeover Panel, subject to approval of the Independent
Shareholders, of the obligation on GHAM to make a mandatory offer
to Shareholders for the Ordinary Shares not owned by GHAM upon
completion of the issue of the GHAM Shares which would otherwise
arise under Rule 9;
|
Rule 9 Waiver
Resolution
|
the Rule 9 waiver resolution which
will be set out in the Notice of General Meeting;
|
SCC
|
Shore Capital and Corporate Limited,
the Company's nominated adviser for the purpose of the AIM
Rules;
|
SCS
|
Shore Capital Stockbrokers Limited,
the Company's joint broker;
|
Shareholders
|
holders of Ordinary Shares from time
to time;
|
Shore
Capital
|
SCC and/or SCS as the case may
be;
|
Short
position
|
in the context of the Takeover Code,
means any short position (whether conditional or absolute and
whether in the money or otherwise) including any short position
under a derivative, any agreement to sell or any delivery
obligation or right to require another person to purchase or take
delivery;
|
Takeover
Code
|
the City Code on Takeovers and
Mergers;
|
Takeover
Panel
|
the Panel on Takeovers and
Mergers;
|
uncertificated
or uncertificated
form
|
an Ordinary Share recorded on the
Company's share register as being held in uncertificated form in
CREST and title which, by virtue of the CREST Regulations, may be
transferred by means of CREST;
|
UK or United
Kingdom
|
the United Kingdom of England,
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland;
|
US or United
States
|
the United States of America, its
territories and possessions, any state of the United States of
America and the District of Columbia;
|
Warrants
|
the warrants attaching to the Placing
Shares and constituted by the Warrant Instrument;
|
Warrant
Instrument
|
the deed constituting the Warrants to
be executed by the Company on or around the date of the General
Meeting; and
|
£ and p and GBP and pence
|
the legal tender of the United
Kingdom from time to time.
|