CLS Holdings PLC Dividend Policy Update (0247L)
11 May 2022 - 4:02PM
UK Regulatory
TIDMCLI
RNS Number : 0247L
CLS Holdings PLC
11 May 2022
Release date: 11 May 2022
Embargoed until: 07:00 am
CLS Holdings plc ("CLS" or the "Group")
Updated Dividend Policy, Proposed Tender Offer and Trading
Update
CLS, a leading FTSE250 office space specialist with a GBP2.3
billion portfolio in the UK, Germany and France, today announces an
updated dividend policy, a proposed tender offer following the
publication of the Group's half yearly financial results on 10
August 2022 and a trading update.
Updated Dividend Policy
Following the conversion of its UK business to a REIT, CLS has
updated its dividend policy for the 2022 financial year onwards.
The company will maintain a progressive dividend policy, with a
dividend cover of 1.2 to 1.6 times EPRA earnings (previously 1.5 to
2.0 times). It is expected that FY2022 dividend cover will be
around the middle of the new range.
Proposed Tender Offer
CLS remains committed to its strategy and business model to
drive long-term value including its planned 2022 disposals, which
to date have been at or above valuations. Nevertheless, the Board
of CLS believes the share price discount to its net tangible assets
("NTA") is unjustified and believes that it is in the best
interests of all shareholders to take steps to reduce this
discount.
Subject to the completion of a number of property sales by the
end of the first half of 2022, and the significant share price
discount to NTA persisting, CLS intends to undertake a tender offer
of its ordinary shares, the terms of which will be announced
following the publication of the Group's half yearly financial
results on 10 August 2022. The quantum of any tender offer will be
scaled to ensure the Group's loan-to-value is still within an
acceptable level by the year-end.
Trading Update
CLS continues to trade in line with market expectations.
Fredrik Widlund, Chief Executive Officer of CLS, commented:
"I am pleased to announce an enhancement to our dividend policy
following the conversion of our UK business to a REIT, which will
be applied to all future dividends until further notice.
"The Board is clear that the current share price discount to NTA
is unjustified given that we are in the process of disposing of a
number of properties at or above 31 December 2021 valuations and
the quality of our portfolio is proving resilient in a challenging
macro environment. Consequently, CLS intends to undertake a tender
offer following the 2022 half yearly financial results."
This announcement contains inside information.
-ends-
For further information, please contact:
CLS Holdings plc
(LEI: 213800A357TKB2TD9U78)
www.clsholdings.com
Fredrik Widlund, Chief Executive Officer
Andrew Kirkman, Chief Financial Officer
+44 (0)20 7582 7766
Liberum Capital
Richard Crawley
Jamie Richards
+44 (0)20 3100 2222
Panmure Gordon
Hugh Rich
+44 (0)20 7886 2733
Berenberg
Matthew Armitt
Richard Bootle
+44 (0)20 3207 7800
Edelman Smithfield (Financial PR)
Alex Simmons
Hastings Tarrant
+44 (0)20 3047 2000
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END
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