10
April 2024
Midwich Group
plc
("Midwich", the "Company" or the "Group")
Posting of Annual Report and
Notice of AGM
Midwich Group (AIM: MIDW), a global
specialist audio visual ("AV") distributor to the trade market,
today announces that its Annual Report and Accounts and Notice of
Annual General Meeting ("AGM") have been posted to shareholders and
are available on the Group's website http://midwichgroupplc.com.
The AGM will take place at 10.00am
(BST) on 14 May 2024 at the office of Midwich Group plc, Vinces
Road, Diss, Norfolk, IP22 4YT.
Special Resolution and Related Party
Transaction
The Notice of AGM includes a special
resolution relating to a technical issue in respect of the payment
of dividends during the period from 26 October 2018 to 27 October
2023 (the "Relevant Distributions"). The Company at all times had
sufficient profits and other distributable reserves to pay the
Relevant Distributions (as required by the Companies Act 2006), but
such distributable reserves were not justified by the applicable
annual accounts. As such, so as to be compliant with the Companies
Act 2006, interim accounts demonstrating the presence of sufficient
distributable reserves should have been filed with Companies House
prior to each of the Relevant Distributions being made but were
not. The Board has therefore concluded that the Relevant
Distributions were made otherwise than in accordance with Companies
Act 2006.
In order to remedy the potential
consequences of the Relevant Distributions having been made
otherwise than in accordance with the Companies Act 2006, the
Company is proposing, inter
alia, to enter into deeds of release with certain
substantial shareholders and the Directors of the Company to waive
and release them from any and all claims which the Company has or
may have in respect of the Relevant Distributions. The Company
entering into these deeds of release constitute related party
transactions pursuant to Rule 13 of the AIM Rules for Companies, in
respect of (i) Liontrust Asset Management Plc, Octopus Investments
Limited and abrdn plc as substantial shareholders (as defined by
the AIM Rules for Companies); and (ii) Andrew Herbert, Stephen
Fenby, Stephen Lamb, Mike Ashley and Hilary Wright as Directors of
the Company at the time of the Relevant Distributions (collectively
the "Related Parties").
The proposed entry by the Company
into the deeds of release with the Related Parties will not have
any effect on the Company's financial position.
Alison Seekings, as an independent
Director in relation to the related party transaction, has
consulted with Investec Bank plc, in its capacity as the Company's
nominated advisor, and Alison considers that (i) the waiver of
claims against the Related Parties pursuant to this special
resolution; and (ii) the entry into the deed of release with the
Related Parties, are fair and reasonable so far as the shareholders
of the Company are concerned.
Further details in relation to the
special resolution are contained in the Notice of AGM.
The Board encourages shareholders to
submit their proxies as early as possible. The Group will also
provide a conference call facility to enable shareholders to follow
the meeting and ask questions remotely if they wish. Any
shareholders who wish to listen to the meeting by such means should
contact the Company Secretary at
company.secretary@midwich.com.
For further information:
Midwich Group plc
Stephen Fenby, Managing
Director Stephen Lamb, Finance Director
|
+44
(0) 1379 649200
|
Investec Bank plc (NOMAD and Joint Broker to
Midwich)
Carlton Nelson / Ben Griffiths
|
+44
(0) 20 7597 5970
|
Berenberg (Joint Broker to
Midwich) Ben
Wright / Richard Andrews
|
+44
(0) 20 3207 7800
|
FTI
Consulting Alex Beagley / Tom Hufton / Matthew
Young
|
+44 (0) 20 3727
1000
midwich@fticonsulting.com
|
About Midwich Group
Midwich Group is a specialist AV
distributor, with operations in the UK and Ireland, EMEA, Asia
Pacific and North America. The Group's long-standing relationships
with over 800 vendors, including blue-chip organisations, support a
comprehensive product portfolio across major audio visual
categories such as displays, projectors, technical AV, broadcast,
professional audio, lighting and unified communications. The Group
operates as the sole or largest in-country distributor for a number
of its vendors in their respective product sets.
The Directors attribute this
position to the Group's technical expertise, extensive product
knowledge and strong customer service offering built up over a
number of years. The Group has a large and diverse base of over
24,000 trade customers, most of which are professional AV
integrators and IT resellers serving sectors such as corporate,
education, retail, residential and hospitality.
Initially a UK only distributor, the
Group now has approximately 1,900 employees across the UK and
Ireland, EMEA, North America and Asia Pacific. A core component of
the Group's growth strategy is further expansion of its
international operations and footprint into strategically targeted
jurisdictions.
For further information, please
visit www.midwichgroupplc.com