NOT FOR
RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION: (A) IN OR INTO OR TO ANY
PERSON LOCATED OR RESIDENT IN THE UNITED STATES, ITS TERRITORIES
AND POSSESSIONS (INCLUDING PUERTO RICO, THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS,
GUAM, AMERICAN SAMOA, WAKE ISLAND AND THE NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS,
ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA)
(THE "UNITED STATES")
OR TO ANY U.S. PERSON (AS DEFINED BELOW); OTHER
THAN TO QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYERS (AS DEFINED IN RULE 144A
UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "SECURITIES
ACT")) HOLDING USD NOTES (AS DEFINED BELOW) WHO PROVIDE CERTAIN
CONFIRMATIONS AS TO THEIR STATUS; OR (B) IN OR INTO ANY OTHER
JURISDICTION WHERE IT IS UNLAWFUL TO RELEASE, PUBLISH OR DISTRIBUTE
THIS DOCUMENT
PARAGON MORTGAGES (NO.12) PLC
(Incorporated in England and Wales with
limited liability under registered number 5386924) (the
"Issuer")
announces
invitations to all the holders (the "Noteholders")
of its
outstanding
U.S.$1,500,000,000 Class A1 Notes due
2038 (ISIN: XS0261644941, the "Class A1 Notes")
£145,000,000 Class A2a Notes due
2038 (ISIN: XS0261646136, the "Class A2a Notes")
€245,000,000 Class A2b Notes due
2038 (ISIN: XS0261646565, the "Class A2b Notes")
U.S.$311,000,000 Class A2c Notes due
2038 (Rule 144A Note CUSIP: US69913BAB27, Reg S
Note ISIN: XS0261647027, the "Class A2c Notes")
£25,000,000 Class B1a Notes due
2038 (ISIN: XS0261647886, the "Class B1a Notes")
€126,000,000 Class B1b Notes due
2038 (ISIN: XS0261648850, the "Class B1b Notes")
£17,000,000 Class C1a Notes due
2038 (ISIN: XS0261650161, the "Class C1a Notes")
€106,000,000 Class C1b Notes due
2038 (ISIN: XS0261650674, the "Class C1b Notes")
(together, the
"Notes", and each a
"Class" of
Notes).
3 October
2024
The Issuer today announces invitations (the
"Consent Solicitation")
to the Noteholders to consent to the
modification of the terms and conditions of
the Class A2c Notes (the "USD
Notes") and consequential or related amendments to certain
transaction documents relating to the USD Notes such that the
existing USD LIBOR interest basis is replaced by a Compounded
Secured Overnight Financing Rate ("SOFR") interest basis and new fallbacks
are included to address the non-availability of SOFR or the
replacement of SOFR, as proposed by the Issuer (the "Proposal") for approval by
extraordinary resolution of the Noteholders of each Class (each an
"Extraordinary Resolution"
and together, the "Extraordinary
Resolutions").
Unless otherwise indicated, capitalised terms
used but not otherwise defined in this announcement have the
meanings given in the Consent Solicitation Memorandum, which is
available on the consent website (the "Consent Website"):
https://projects.sodali.com/paragon.
The Proposal constitutes a Basic
Terms Modification under the terms and conditions of the USD Notes,
and therefore the holders of each Class are invited to approve the
Proposal, even though only the interest rate applicable to the USD
Notes (and no other Notes) will be amended if the Proposal is
implemented. If an Extraordinary Resolution in respect of any Class
is not successfully passed or (in the case of the USD Notes) the
Eligibility Condition is not satisfied, then the Issuer will not
implement the Proposal and neither the USD Notes nor any
transaction documents relating to the USD Notes will be amended
(irrespective of whether or not the relevant Extraordinary
Resolution(s) for any of the other Classes passes).
The Issuer has convened the Meetings
for the purpose of enabling the Noteholders to consider and
resolve, if they think fit, to approve the Proposal by way of a
separate Extraordinary Resolution in relation to each Class,
implementing:
(i)
changes in the interest basis specified in the
Conditions of the USD Notes from 3-month USD LIBOR to Compounded
SOFR by means of a supplemental trust deed;
(ii) inclusion of new fallbacks to address the non-availability of
SOFR or the replacement of SOFR based on the Alternative Reference
Rates Committee's recommendations for floating rate bonds;
and
(iii) changes in the floating rate option specified in the Swap
Transaction (which, in effect, hedges the USD Notes) from USD LIBOR
to Compounded SOFR (including corresponding and/or consequential
amendments) and the inclusion of new fallbacks to address the
non-availability of SOFR or the replacement of SOFR by means of a
swap amended and restated confirmation (the "Swap Amended and Restated
Confirmation"),
all as further disclosed in the consent
solicitation memorandum prepared by the Issuer dated 3 October 2024
(the "Consent Solicitation
Memorandum").
This announcement does not contain the full
terms and conditions of the Consent Solicitation which are
contained in the Consent Solicitation Memorandum. The Consent
Solicitation and Proposal are being made on the terms and subject
to the conditions contained in the Consent Solicitation
Memorandum.
The Solicitation Agent
is Lloyds Bank Corporate Markets plc and the Information and
Tabulation Agent is Morrow Sodali Limited, trading as Sodali &
Co.
This announcement should be read in conjunction
with the Consent Solicitation Memorandum which is available from
the Consent Website: https://projects.sodali.com/paragon.
Margin Adjustment
Due to the differences in the nature of USD
LIBOR (including synthetic USD LIBOR) and Compounded SOFR, the
replacement of USD LIBOR with Compounded SOFR as the reference rate
for the USD Notes requires a corresponding credit adjustment spread
to be added to the existing Notes Interest Rate Margin payable in
respect of the USD Notes and to amounts payable under the Swap
Transaction. The Proposal uses the "5-year historical median"
methodology agreed by the International Swaps and Derivatives
Association for determining this credit adjustment spread and
recommended by the Alternative Reference Rates Committee for use in
cash products such as the USD Notes. It involves taking the median
of the daily difference between USD LIBOR and SOFR in the 5 years
leading up to the date of the LIBOR Announcement. Using this
methodology, the credit adjustment spread for 3-month USD LIBOR is
0.26161 per cent., as calculated and published by Bloomberg Index
Services Limited on the date of the LIBOR Announcement and as
referenced on Bloomberg screen YUS0003M Index on the date of the
Consent Solicitation Memorandum.
Notices of Meeting in respect of the
Noteholders
Notices convening meetings (the "Meetings") of the Noteholders, to be
held on 25 October 2024, have been given to the Noteholders in
accordance with the Conditions on the date of this announcement,
including by way of an announcement on the Regulatory News Service
of the London Stock Exchange plc.
Meetings in respect of each Class
of Notes to be held at the offices of Clifford Chance LLP at 10
Upper Bank Street, London E14 5JJ, United Kingdom.
General
The Issuer is convening the Meetings to
consider and, if thought fit, approve by way of an Extraordinary
Resolution of each Class of Notes the modifications of the
Conditions (and the other consequential and related modifications
described in this announcement and the Consent Solicitation
Memorandum).
When submitting an Electronic Voting
Instruction, via the relevant Clearing Systems, or a Form of DTC
Sub-Proxy, via the relevant DTC Participant, in respect of the USD
Notes, or otherwise participating at the relevant Meeting in
respect of the USD Notes, each Noteholder will be required to
confirm whether they are an Eligible Noteholder or an Ineligible
Noteholder. An Eligible Noteholder is a Noteholder of the USD
Notes (a): (i) who is located and resident
outside the United States and is not a U.S. person (as defined in
Regulation S under the Securities Act); (ii) for Reg S USD Notes
held through Euroclear or Clearstream, a QIB that has provided a
validly signed Qualified Institutional Buyer Confirmation Letter in
the form set out in Annex D of the Consent Solicitation Memorandum
and in the manner described in the Consent Solicitation Memorandum;
or (iii) for 144A USD Notes held through DTC, who has represented
for itself and, if applicable on behalf of nominees or any other
person on whose behalf it is acting, that it is a QIB and has
provided certain confirmations as to its (or their, as the case may
be) status and made certain representations in a duly executed Form
of DTC Sub-Proxy; (b) not a retail investor in either the EEA or
the UK; and (c) otherwise a person to whom the Consent Solicitation
can be lawfully made and that may lawfully participate in the
Consent Solicitation ("Eligible
Noteholder").
The implementation of the Proposal will be
conditional on:
(a) the
Consent Solicitation not having been terminated;
(b) the
passing of the Extraordinary Resolution in relation to each Class;
and
(c)
in respect of the Extraordinary Resolution in respect of the USD
Notes, that the quorum required for, and the requisite majority of
votes cast at, the Meeting (including any adjournment thereof) in
respect of the USD Notes will need to be satisfied by Eligible
Noteholders of the USD Notes, irrespective of any participation at
the relevant Meeting by Ineligible Noteholders (such condition in respect of the USD Notes, the "Eligibility
Condition").
Timetable
The indicative timetable is summarised
below:
|
|
3 October 2024
|
Announcement of Consent
Solicitation
|
|
Notices of Meeting published via RNS and
delivered to Clearing Systems for communication to Direct
Participants and to the Trustee by the Issuer.
|
|
Copies of the Consent Solicitation Memorandum,
the Trust Deed and the current drafts of the Supplemental Trust
Deed and the Swap Amended and Restated Confirmation available from
the Consent Website.
|
8 October 2024
|
DTC
Record Date
For the 144A tranche of the USD Notes (the
"144A USD Notes"), only
Noteholders holding these Notes as of the DTC Record Date are
entitled to participate in the Consent Solicitation.
|
5:00 p.m.,
London time, 23 October 2024
|
Expiration Deadline
Deadline for receipt by the Information and
Tabulation Agent of all valid Electronic Voting Instructions or
Forms of DTC Sub-Proxy in order for
Noteholders to be able to participate in the
Consent Solicitation.
|
|
Deadline for making any other arrangements to
attend or be represented at the relevant Meeting.
|
From 10.00 a.m., London time, 25 October
2024
|
Meetings
Meetings in respect of each Class of Notes to
be held at the offices of Clifford Chance LLP at 10 Upper Bank
Street, London E14 5JJ, United Kingdom.
|
As soon as reasonably practicable after the
Meetings (and in any event within 14 days of such result being
known)
|
Announcement of the results of each
Meeting and, if applicable, satisfaction of the Eligibility
Condition
Announcement of the results of each Meeting
and, if the relevant Extraordinary Resolution is passed in respect
of the USD Notes, whether the Eligibility Condition has been
satisfied.
Such announcement to be published via RNS and
delivered to Clearing Systems for communication to Direct
Participants.
|
As soon as reasonably practicable after the
announcement of the result of the Meetings
|
Implementation Date
If the Extraordinary Resolutions are all passed
and the Eligibility Condition is satisfied in respect of the USD
Notes, the Supplemental Trust Deed and the Swap
Amended and Restated Confirmation are expected to be
executed as soon as reasonably practicable after the announcement
of the result of the Meetings, with the changes coming into effect
from the Effective Date.
|
The Interest Payment Date for the USD Notes
falling in November 2024
|
Effective Date
Date on which the relevant changes in the
Supplemental Trust Deed and the Swap Amended and Restated
Confirmation (as applicable) will come into effect. For the
avoidance of doubt, the first Interest Payment Date on which the
amounts of interest payable on the USD Notes will be determined by
the Reference Agent on the Interest Determination Date by reference
to Compounded SOFR rather than 3-month synthetic USD LIBOR, will be
the Interest Payment Date falling in February 2025 in respect of
the Interest Period from (and including) the Interest Payment Date
falling in November 2024 up to (but excluding) the Interest Payment
Date falling in February 2025.
|
If any Meeting is not quorate on the date
stated above or (in the case of the USD Notes) the Eligibility
Condition has not been satisfied, such Meeting will stand adjourned
for such period being not less than 14 days nor more than 42 days,
and notice of any adjourned meeting will be given in the same
manner as notice of the initial Meeting, save that 10 clear days'
notice (containing the information required for the notice of the
initial Meeting) will be given.
Unless stated otherwise, announcements in
connection with the Consent Solicitation will be made via RNS and
by the delivery of notices to the Clearing Systems for
communication to Direct Participants. Copies of all such
announcements, press releases and notices can also be obtained from
the Consent Website or by contacting the Information and Tabulation
Agent, the contact details for whom are below.
Noteholders are advised to check with any bank,
securities broker or other intermediary through which they hold
Notes when such intermediary would require to receive instructions
from a Noteholder in order for that Noteholder to be able to
participate in, or revoke their instruction to participate in, the
Consent Solicitation before the deadlines specified above. The
deadlines set by any such intermediary and each Clearing System for
the submission of Electronic Voting Instructions or Forms of DTC
Sub-Proxy will be earlier than the relevant deadlines specified
above.
No consent or
participation fee will be payable in connection with the Consent
Solicitation.
Further information relating to the Proposal
can be obtained from the Solicitation Agent:
Lloyds Bank Corporate Markets plc
10
Gresham Street
London
EC2V 7AE
Telephone: +44 20
7158 1719/1726
Attention: Liability
Management Team
Email: lbcmliabilitymanagement@lloydsbanking.com
Requests for documentation and information in
relation to the procedures for delivering consent instructions should be directed to the Information and
Tabulation Agent at:
Sodali & Co
Leadenhall Building
122
Leadenhall St
City of
London, EC3V 4AB
Telephone: +44 20
4513 6933 (U.K.) / +1 203 658 9457 (U.S.)
Email: paragon@investor.sodali.com
Consent Website:
https://projects.sodali.com/paragon
DISCLAIMER: This
announcement must be read in conjunction with the Consent
Solicitation Memorandum. The Consent Solicitation Memorandum
contains important information which should be read carefully
before any decision is made with respect to the Consent
Solicitation. If any Noteholder is in any doubt as to the action it
should take or is unsure of the impact of the implementation of the
Consent Solicitation or the Proposal, it is recommended to seek its
own financial and legal advice, including in respect of any tax
consequences, immediately from its broker, bank manager, solicitor,
accountant or other independent financial, tax or legal adviser.
Any individual or company whose Notes are held on
its behalf by a broker, dealer, bank, custodian, trust company or
other nominee or intermediary must contact such entity if it wishes
to participate in the Consent Solicitation or otherwise
participate at any meeting (including any adjourned meeting) at
which an Extraordinary Resolution referred to above is to be
considered.
None of the Issuer, the Administrators, the
Solicitation Agent, the Information and Tabulation Agent, the
Trustee, the Principal Paying Agent, the Reference Agent,the
Registrar or their respective directors, officers, agents,
employees or affiliates makes any recommendation whether
Noteholders should participate in the Consent Solicitation or
otherwise participate at any Meeting.
Nothing in this announcement or the Consent
Solicitation Memorandum constitutes or contemplates an offer of, an
offer to purchase, or the solicitation of an offer to purchase or
sell, any security in any jurisdiction. The distribution of this
announcement and the Consent Solicitation Memorandum in certain
jurisdictions may be restricted by law, and persons into whose
possession this announcement or the Consent
Solicitation Memorandum comes are requested to inform themselves
about, and to observe, any such restrictions.