NOT
FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART,
DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY IN, INTO OR FROM ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO
DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OF SUCH
JURISDICTION
For
immediate release
24
October 2024
TRITAX EUROBOX PLC ("Tritax
EuroBox")
Adjournment of Court Meeting
and General Meeting for the SEGRO Offer
On 10 October 2024, the boards of
Tritax EuroBox and Titanium Ruth Bidco Limited (a newly formed
company indirectly owned by one of Brookfield's real estate private
funds) announced that they had reached agreement on the terms of a
recommended cash offer whereby the entire issued and to be issued
share capital of Tritax EuroBox will be acquired by Bidco (the
"Brookfield Offer"),
intended to be implemented by means of a scheme of
arrangement under Part 26 of the Companies Act 2006. The directors
of Tritax EuroBox announced that they consider that the terms of
the Brookfield Offer represent an attractive premium over the
earlier all-share offer by SEGRO for the entire issued and to be
issued share capital of Tritax EuroBox, announced on 4 September
2024 (the "SEGRO Offer").
The shareholder circular in relation to the SEGRO Offer was
published on 26 September 2024 (the "SEGRO Scheme Document").
The Tritax EuroBox Directors
unanimously intend to recommend that Tritax EuroBox Shareholders
vote in favour of the resolutions to implement the Brookfield
Offer. In light of the Tritax EuroBox Directors' intended
recommendation of the Brookfield Offer, the Tritax EuroBox
Directors have withdrawn their recommendation of the SEGRO Offer
and, accordingly, announced on 18 October 2024 that it was proposed
that the Court Meeting and the General Meeting required to
implement the SEGRO Offer be adjourned until further
notice.
Adjournment
The Tritax
EuroBox Directors confirm that the Court
Meeting and the General Meeting required to implement the SEGRO
Offer were adjourned until
further notice earlier today.
Capitalised terms used but not
defined in this announcement have the meanings given to them in the
SEGRO Scheme Document.
Enquiries:
Tritax
EuroBox
|
+44 (0) 20
7290 1616
|
Robert Orr
(Chair)
Phil
Redding (CEO)
Mehdi
Bourassi (CFO)
Charles
Chalkly (Director of Investor Relations)
|
|
Lazard (Lead Financial
Adviser to Tritax EuroBox)
|
+44 (0) 20
7187 2000
|
Patrick
Long
Jolyon
Coates
Sebastian
O'Shea-Farren
|
|
Barclays (Joint Financial
Adviser and Joint Corporate Broker to Tritax
EuroBox)
|
+44 (0) 20
7623 2323
|
Bronson
Albery
Tom
Macdonald
Callum
West
|
|
Jefferies (Joint Financial
Adviser and Joint Corporate Broker to Tritax
EuroBox)
|
+44 (0) 20
7029 8000
|
Rishi
Bhuchar
Ed
Matthews
Gaudi Le
Roux
|
|
Kekst CNC (PR Adviser to
Tritax EuroBox)
|
|
Richard
Campbell
Guy
Bates
Tom
Climie
|
+44 (0)
7775 784 933
+44 (0)
7581 056 415
+44 (0)
7760 160 248
|
Important notices
This announcement does not constitute or form part of an offer
or an invitation to purchase or subscribe for any securities, or a
solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, whether pursuant to
this announcement or otherwise, in any jurisdiction in which such
offer, invitation or solicitation is or would be
unlawful.
This announcement does not comprise a prospectus or a
prospectus equivalent document or an exempted
document.
The contents of this announcement do not amount to, and should
not be construed as, legal, tax, business or financial
advice.
The statements contained in this announcement are made as at
the date of this announcement, unless some other date is specified
in relation to them, and publication of this announcement shall not
give rise to any implication that there has been no change in the
facts set forth in this announcement since such
date.
Lazard & Co., Limited ("Lazard"), which is authorised and
regulated by the FCA in the United Kingdom, is acting exclusively
for Tritax EuroBox and for no one else in connection with the
Transaction and the matters described in this announcement and will
not be responsible to anyone other than Tritax EuroBox for
providing the protections afforded to clients of Lazard or for
providing advice in connection with the Transaction or any matter
described in this announcement. Neither Lazard nor any of its
affiliates (nor their respective directors, officers, employees or
agents) owes or accepts any duty, liability or responsibility
whatsoever (whether direct or indirect, in contract, in tort, under
statute or otherwise) to any person who is not a client of Lazard
in connection with this announcement, any statement contained
herein, the Transaction or otherwise.
Barclays Bank PLC, acting through its Investment Bank
("Barclays"), which is
authorised by the PRA and regulated by the FCA and the PRA in the
United Kingdom, is acting exclusively for Tritax EuroBox and for no
one else in connection with the Transaction and the matters
described in this announcement and will not be responsible to
anyone other than Tritax EuroBox for providing the protections
afforded to its clients or for providing advice in connection with
the Transaction or the matters described in this announcement. In
accordance with the City Code, normal United Kingdom market
practice and Rule 14e-5(b) of the US Exchange Act, Barclays and its
affiliates will continue to act as exempt principal trader in
Tritax EuroBox and SEGRO securities on the London Stock Exchange.
These purchases and activities by exempt principal traders which
are required to be made public in the United Kingdom pursuant to
the City Code will be reported to a Regulatory Information Service
and will be available on the London Stock Exchange website at
www.londonstockexchange.com. This information will also be publicly
disclosed in the United States to the extent that such information
is made public in the United Kingdom.
Jefferies International Limited ("Jefferies"), which is authorised and
regulated by the FCA in the United Kingdom, is acting exclusively
for Tritax EuroBox and for no one else in connection with the
Transaction and the matters described in this announcement and will
not be responsible to anyone other than Tritax EuroBox for
providing the protections afforded to its clients or for providing
advice in connection with the Transaction or the matters described
in this announcement. Neither Jefferies nor any of its affiliates
(nor their respective directors, officers, employees or agents)
owes or accepts any duty, liability or responsibility whatsoever
(whether direct or indirect, in contract, in tort, under statute or
otherwise) to any person who is not a client of Jefferies in
connection with this announcement, any statement contained herein,
the Transaction or otherwise.
Overseas
jurisdictions
The release, publication or distribution of this announcement
and any formal documentation relating to the Transaction in, into
or from jurisdictions other than the United Kingdom may be
restricted by law and/or regulation and therefore any persons who
are subject to the laws of any jurisdiction other than the United
Kingdom should inform themselves about and observe any applicable
legal or regulatory requirements. In particular, the ability of
persons who are not resident in the United Kingdom to vote their
Tritax EuroBox Shares with respect to the Scheme at the Court
Meeting or the Resolution at the General Meeting, or to execute and
deliver Forms of Proxy appointing another person to vote at the
Court Meeting or the General Meeting on their behalf, may be
affected by the laws of the relevant jurisdictions in which they
are located. Any failure to comply with the applicable restrictions
may constitute a violation of the securities laws of any such
jurisdiction. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law,
the companies and persons involved in the Transaction disclaim any
responsibility or liability for the violation of such restrictions
by any person.
Unless otherwise determined by SEGRO or required by the City
Code, and permitted by applicable law and regulation, the New SEGRO
Shares to be issued pursuant to the Transaction to Scheme
Shareholders will not be made available, directly or indirectly,
in, into or from a Restricted Jurisdiction where to do so would
violate the laws in that jurisdiction and no person may vote in
favour of the Transaction by any such use, means, instrumentality
or form from within a Restricted Jurisdiction or any other
jurisdiction if to do so would constitute a violation of the laws
of that jurisdiction. Accordingly, copies of this announcement and
any formal documentation relating to the Transaction are not being,
and must not be, directly or indirectly, mailed or otherwise
forwarded, distributed or sent in, into or from any Restricted
Jurisdiction or any other jurisdiction where to do so would
constitute a violation of the laws of that jurisdiction, and
persons receiving such documents (including custodians, nominees
and trustees) must not mail or otherwise forward, distribute or
send such documents in, into or from any Restricted Jurisdiction.
Doing so may render invalid any related purported vote in respect
of the Transaction. If the Transaction is implemented by way of an
Offer (unless otherwise permitted by applicable law and
regulation), the Offer may not be made directly or indirectly, in
or into, or by the use of mails or any means or instrumentality
(including, but not limited to, facsimile, e-mail or other
electronic transmission or telephone) of interstate or foreign
commerce of, or of any facility of a national, state or other
securities exchange of, any Restricted Jurisdiction and the Offer
may not be capable of acceptance by any such use, means,
instrumentality or facilities from within any Restricted
Jurisdiction.
The availability of New SEGRO Shares pursuant to the
Transaction to Tritax EuroBox Shareholders who are not resident in
the United Kingdom or the ability of those persons to hold such New
SEGRO Shares may be affected by the laws or regulatory requirements
of the relevant jurisdictions in which they are resident. Persons
who are not resident in the United Kingdom should inform themselves
of, and observe, any applicable legal or regulatory requirements.
Tritax EuroBox Shareholders who are in doubt about such matters
should consult an appropriate independent professional adviser in
the relevant jurisdiction without delay.
This announcement has been prepared for the purpose of
complying with English law and the City Code and the information
disclosed may not be the same as that which would have been
disclosed if this announcement had been prepared in accordance with
the laws of jurisdictions outside the United
Kingdom.
All Tritax EuroBox Shareholders or other persons (including
nominees, trustees and custodians) who would otherwise intend to or
may have a contractual or legal obligation to forward this
announcement and the accompanying Forms of Proxy to a jurisdiction
outside the United Kingdom should refrain from doing so and seek
appropriate professional advice before taking any
action.
US
investors
Tritax EuroBox Shareholders in the United States should note
that the Transaction relates to the shares of an English company
with a listing on the London Stock Exchange and is proposed to be
implemented pursuant to a scheme of arrangement provided for under
English company law. A transaction effected by means of a scheme of
arrangement is not subject to the proxy solicitation or the tender
offer rules under the US Exchange Act. Accordingly, the Transaction
is subject to the procedural and disclosure requirements, rules and
practices applicable in the United Kingdom to schemes of
arrangement involving a target company incorporated in England and
listed on the London Stock Exchange, which differ from the
requirements of US proxy solicitation or tender offer
rules.
However if, in the future, SEGRO elects, with the consent of
the Panel (where necessary), to implement the Transaction by means
of an Offer and determines to extend such Offer into the United
States, such Offer will be made in compliance with all applicable
laws and regulations, including, without limitation, to the extent
applicable, Section 14(e) of the US Exchange Act and Regulation 14E
thereunder, and subject, in the case of participation by Tritax
EuroBox Shareholders resident in the United States, to the
availability of an exemption (if any) from the registration
requirements of the US Securities Act and of the securities laws of
any state or other jurisdiction of the United States. Such Offer
would be made by SEGRO (or its affiliate) and no one
else.
Financial information included in this announcement (or, if
the Transaction is implemented by means of an Offer, the Offer
Document) has been or will be prepared in accordance with UK IFRS
and thus may not be comparable to financial information of US
companies or companies whose financial statements are prepared in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the
United States. Generally accepted accounting principles in the
United States differ in certain significant respects from UK
IFRS.
In
accordance with normal UK practice and pursuant to Rule 14e-5(b)
under the US Exchange Act (if applicable), SEGRO, certain
affiliated companies and their nominees or brokers (acting as
agents) may from time to time make certain purchases of, or
arrangements to purchase, shares in Tritax EuroBox other than
pursuant to the Transaction, until the date on which the
Transaction becomes Effective, lapses or is otherwise withdrawn.
Also, in accordance with Rule 14e-5(b) under the US Exchange Act
(if applicable), Barclays and its affiliates will continue to act
as exempt principal trader in Tritax EuroBox Shares on the London
Stock Exchange. If such purchases or arrangements to purchase were
to be made, they would occur either in the open market at
prevailing prices or in private transactions at negotiated prices
and would comply with applicable law, including the US Exchange
Act. Any information about such purchases will be disclosed as
required in the United Kingdom, will be reported to a Regulatory
Information Service of the FCA and will be available on the London
Stock Exchange website:
www.londonstockexchange.com.
The New SEGRO Shares have not been and, unless SEGRO otherwise
elects in the event of an Offer, will not be registered under the
US Securities Act or under the securities laws of any state or
other jurisdiction of the United States. Accordingly, the New SEGRO
Shares may not be offered, sold, resold, delivered, distributed or
otherwise transferred, directly or indirectly, in or into or from
the United States absent registration under the US Securities Act
or an exemption therefrom and unless in compliance with the
securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction of the United
States. The New SEGRO Shares are expected to be issued in reliance
upon the exemption from the registration requirements of the US
Securities Act provided by section 3(a)(10)
thereof.
For the purposes of qualifying for the exemption from the
registration requirements of the US Securities Act afforded by
Section 3(a)(10) thereof, Tritax EuroBox will advise the Court that
the Court's sanctioning of the Scheme will be relied on by SEGRO as
an approval of the Scheme following a hearing on the fairness of
the terms and conditions of the Scheme to Tritax EuroBox
Shareholders, at which hearing all such shareholders are entitled
to attend in person or through counsel to support or oppose the
sanctioning of the Scheme and with respect to which notification
has been given to all such shareholders.
None of the securities referred to in this announcement have
been approved or disapproved by the SEC, any state securities
commission in the United States or any other US regulatory
authority, nor have such authorities passed upon or determined the
fairness or merits of such securities or the Transaction or upon
the adequacy or accuracy of the information contained in this
announcement. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal
offence in the United States.
It
may be difficult for US holders of Tritax EuroBox Shares to enforce
their rights and claims arising out of the US federal securities
laws, since SEGRO and Tritax EuroBox are each organised in
countries other than the United States, and some or all of their
officers and directors may be residents of, and some or all of
their assets may be located in, jurisdictions other than the United
States. US holders of Tritax EuroBox Shares may have difficulty
effecting service of process within the United States upon those
persons or recovering against judgments of US courts, including
judgments based upon the civil liability provisions of the US
federal securities laws. US holders of Tritax EuroBox Shares may
not be able to sue a non-US company or its officers or directors in
a non-US court for violations of US securities laws. Further, it
may be difficult to compel a non-US company and its affiliates to
subject themselves to a US court's jurisdiction or
judgment.
The receipt of New SEGRO Shares pursuant to the Transaction by
a US Tritax EuroBox Shareholder may be a taxable transaction for US
federal income tax purposes, and may also be a taxable transaction
under applicable state and local tax laws, as well as foreign and
other tax laws. Each Tritax EuroBox Shareholder is urged to consult
its independent professional adviser immediately regarding the tax
consequences of the Transaction
Forward-looking
statements
This announcement (including information incorporated by
reference into this announcement), oral statements regarding the
Transaction and other information published by SEGRO and Tritax
EuroBox contain certain forward-looking statements with respect to
the financial condition, strategies, objectives, results of
operations and businesses of SEGRO and Tritax EuroBox and their
respective groups and certain plans and objectives with respect to
the Combined Group. These forward-looking statements can be
identified by the fact that they do not relate only to historical
or current facts. Forward-looking statements are prospective in
nature and are not based on historical facts, but rather on current
expectations and projections of the management of SEGRO and Tritax
EuroBox about future events, and are therefore subject to risks and
uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially
from the future results expressed or implied by the forward-looking
statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this
announcement include statements relating to the expected effects of
the Transaction on SEGRO and Tritax EuroBox, the expected timing
and scope of the Transaction and other statements other than
historical facts. Forward-looking statements often use words such
as "anticipate", "target", "expect", "estimate", "intend", "plan",
"goal", "believe", "hope", "aims", "continue", "will", "may",
"should", "would", "could", or other words of similar meaning.
These statements are based on assumptions and assessments made by
SEGRO and/or Tritax EuroBox in light of their experience and their
perception of historical trends, current conditions, future
developments and other factors they believe appropriate. By their
nature, forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainty,
because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that are
expected to occur in the future and the factors described in the
context of such forward-looking statements in this announcement
could cause actual results and developments to differ materially
from those expressed in or implied by such forward-looking
statements. Although it is believed that the expectations reflected
in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, no assurance can
be given that such expectations will prove to have been correct and
readers are therefore cautioned not to place undue reliance on
these forward-looking statements.
There are several factors which could cause actual results to
differ materially from those expressed or implied in
forward-looking statements. Among the factors that could cause
actual results to differ materially from those described in the
forward-looking statements are changes in global, political,
economic, business and/or competitive conditions, market and
regulatory forces, future exchange and interest rates, changes in
tax rates and future business combinations or
dispositions.
Each forward-looking statement speaks only as at the date of
this announcement. Neither SEGRO nor Tritax EuroBox, nor their
respective groups, assumes any obligation to update or correct the
information contained in this announcement (whether as a result of
new information, future events or otherwise), except as required by
applicable law or by the rules of any competent regulatory
authority.
Dealing and Opening Position
Disclosure Requirements of the City Code
Under Rule 8.3(a) of the City Code, any person who is
interested in one per cent. or more of any class of relevant
securities of an offeree company or of any securities exchange
offeror (being any offeror other than an offeror in respect of
which it has been announced that its offer is, or is likely to be,
solely in cash) must make an Opening Position Disclosure following
the commencement of the offer period and, if later, following the
announcement in which any securities exchange offeror is first
identified.
An
Opening Position Disclosure must contain details of the person's
interests and short positions in, and rights to subscribe for, any
relevant securities of each of (i) the offeree company and (ii) any
securities exchange offeror(s). An Opening Position Disclosure by a
person to whom Rule 8.3(a) applies must be made by no later than
3.30 p.m. (London time) on the 10th Business Day (as defined in the
City Code) following the commencement of the offer period and, if
appropriate, by no later than 3.30 p.m. (London time) on the 10th
Business Day (as defined in the City Code) following the
announcement in which any securities exchange offeror is first
identified. Relevant persons who deal in the relevant securities of
the offeree company or of a securities exchange offeror prior to
the deadline for making an Opening Position Disclosure must instead
make a Dealing Disclosure.
Under Rule 8.3(b) of the City Code, any person who is, or
becomes, interested in one per cent. or more of any class of
relevant securities of the offeree company or of any securities
exchange offeror must make a Dealing Disclosure if the person deals
in any relevant securities of the offeree company or of any
securities exchange offeror. A Dealing Disclosure must contain
details of the dealing concerned and of the person's interests and
short positions in, and rights to subscribe for, any relevant
securities of each of (i) the offeree company and (ii) any
securities exchange offeror(s), save to the extent that these
details have previously been disclosed under Rule 8. A Dealing
Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(b) applies must be made by
no later than 3.30 p.m. (London time) on the Business Day (as
defined in the City Code) following the date of the relevant
dealing. If two or more persons act together pursuant to an
agreement or understanding, whether formal or informal, to acquire
or control an interest in relevant securities of an offeree company
or a securities exchange offeror, they will be deemed to be a
single person for the purpose of Rule 8.3.
Opening Position Disclosures must also be made by the offeree
company and by any offeror and Dealing Disclosures must also be
made by the offeree company, by any offeror and by any persons
acting in concert with any of them (see Rules 8.1, 8.2 and 8.4).
Details of the offeree and offeror companies in respect of whose
relevant securities Opening Position Disclosures and Dealing
Disclosures must be made can be found in the Disclosure Table on
the Panel's website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk, including
details of the number of relevant securities in issue, when the
offer period commenced and when any offeror was first identified.
You should contact the Panel's Market Surveillance Unit on +44 20
7638 0129 if you are in any doubt as to whether you are required to
make an Opening Position Disclosure or a Dealing
Disclosure.
Publication on
website
A
copy of this announcement and the documents required to be
published pursuant to Rules 26.1, 26.2 and 26.3 of the City Code
will be available, subject to certain restrictions relating to
persons resident in Restricted Jurisdictions, for inspection on
Tritax EuroBox's website at
https://www.tritaxeurobox.co.uk/investors/shareholder-information/SEGRO-offer/
by no later than
12 noon (London time) on the Business Day following the publication
of the Scheme Document..
Save as expressly referred to in this announcement, neither
the contents of these websites nor the content of any other website
accessible from hyperlinks on such websites is incorporated into,
or forms part of, this announcement.
Availability of hard
copies
In
accordance with Rule 30.3 of the City Code, Tritax EuroBox
Shareholders and persons with information rights may request a copy
of this announcement in hard copy form free of charge. Such persons
may also request that all future documents, announcements and
information to be sent to them in relation to the Transaction
should be in hard copy form. For persons who have received a copy
of the Scheme Document in electronic form or via a website
notification, a hard copy of the Scheme Document will not be sent
to you unless you have previously notified Tritax EuroBox's
registrar, Computershare, that you wish to receive all documents in
hard copy form or unless requested in accordance with the procedure
set out below.
If
you would like to request a hard copy of the this announcement
please contact Tritax EuroBox's registrar, Computershare, at The
Pavilions, Bridgwater Road, Bristol, United Kingdom, BS99 6ZY, or
by calling 0370 703 0010 or from overseas +44(0)370 703 0010. Calls
are charged at the standard geographical rate and will vary by
provider. Calls outside the United Kingdom will be charged at the
applicable international rate. Lines are open between 8.30 a.m. and
5.30 p.m. (London time), Monday to Friday (excluding public
holidays in England and Wales). Please note that Computershare
cannot provide any financial, legal or tax advice. Calls may be
recorded and monitored for security and training
purposes.
Scheme
process
In
accordance with Section 5 of Appendix 7 to the City Code, Tritax
EuroBox will announce through a Regulatory Information Service key
events in the Scheme process including the outcomes of the Meetings
and the Scheme Court Hearing.
Unless otherwise consented to by the Court (if required) and
the Panel, any modification or revision to the Scheme will be made
no later than the date which is 14 days prior to the Meetings (or
any later date to which such Meetings are adjourned or
postponed).