NOT
FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART,
DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO OR FROM ANY JURISDICTION WHERE
TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OR
REGULATIONS OF SUCH JURISDICTION
THIS IS AN ANNOUNCEMENT FALLING UNDER RULE 2.4 OF THE CITY
CODE ON TAKEOVERS AND MERGERS (THE "CODE") AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE
AN ANNOUNCEMENT OF A FIRM INTENTION TO MAKE AN OFFER UNDER RULE 2.7
OF THE CODE. THERE CAN BE NO CERTAINTY THAT ANY OFFER WILL BE MADE,
NOR AS TO THE TERMS ON WHICH ANY OFFER MIGHT BE
MADE
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONTAINS INSIDE INFORMATIONFOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
14 October 2024
Mulberry Group plc
("Mulberry" or the "Company")
Statement regarding revised
possible offer from Frasers Group plc
The board of directors of Mulberry
(the "Board") notes the
announcement from Frasers Group plc ("Frasers") on 11 October 2024 regarding
its revised possible cash offer for the entire issued and to be
issued share capital of the Company not already owned by Frasers,
at 150 pence per Mulberry share (the "Revised Possible Offer").
The Board also notes the press
statement by Challice Limited, the Company's 56.4 per cent.
majority shareholder, on 13 October 2024 stating publicly, amongst
other things, that it "has no interest in either selling its
Mulberry Shares to Frasers or providing Frasers with any
irrevocable or other undertaking".
In light of the above, the Board is
working with advisers to consider the Company's position and will
provide a further announcement in due course.
The Board highlights that there can
be no certainty that an offer will be made for the Company nor as
to the terms on which any such offer might be made.
In accordance with Rule 2.6(a) of the
Code, Frasers must by no later than 5.00 p.m. (London time) on 28
October 2024 (or such later time and/or date as may be agreed by
the Takeover Panel (the "Panel"), either announce a firm
intention to make an offer for Mulberry in accordance with Rule 2.7
of the Code, or announce that it does not intend to make an offer
for Mulberry, in which case such announcement will be treated as a
statement to which Rule 2.8 of the Code applies. The deadline will
only be extended with the consent of the Panel in accordance with
Rule 2.6(c) of the Code.
Mulberry is considered to be in an
"offer period" as defined in the Code and the attention of Mulberry
shareholders is drawn to the dealing disclosure requirements of
Rule 8 of the Code, which are summarised below.
Enquiries:
Mulberry Group plc
Charles Anderson (Group Finance Director)
|
Tel: +44
(0) 20 7605 6793
|
|
|
Houlihan Lokey UK Limited (Financial Adviser and
NOMAD)
Tim Richardson
|
Tel: +44
(0) 20 7839 3355
|
|
|
Peel Hunt (Corporate Broker)
James Thomlinson
|
Tel: +44
(0) 20 7418 8900
|
|
|
Headland (Public Relations Adviser)
Lucy Legh / Joanna Clark
mulberry@headlandconsultancy.com
|
Tel: +44
(0) 20 3805 4822
|
Notice relating to Mulberry's
advisers:
Houlihan Lokey UK Limited ("Houlihan Lokey"), which is authorized
and regulated in the United Kingdom
by the Financial Conduct Authority, is acting
exclusively as financial adviser to Mulberry and no one else in
connection with the matters referred to in this announcement
and will not be responsible to anyone other than Mulberry for
providing the protections afforded to clients of Houlihan Lokey or
for providing advice in relation to the matters referred to in this
announcement. Neither Houlihan Lokey nor any of its affiliates owes
or accepts any duty, liability, or responsibility whatsoever
(whether direct or indirect, whether in contract, in tort, under
statute or otherwise) to any person who is not a client of Houlihan
Lokey in connection with this announcement, any statement contained
herein or otherwise.
Dealing disclosure requirements of
the Code:
Under Rule 8.3(a) of the Code, any
person who is interested in 1 per cent. or more of any class of
relevant securities of an offeree company or of any paper 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) of the
Code applies must be made by no later than 3.30 p.m.
(London time) on
the 10th business day 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 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 Code, any
person who is, or becomes, interested in 1per 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, save to the extent that these details
have previously been disclosed under Rule 8 of the Code. A Dealing
Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(b) of the Code applies must
be made by no later than 3.30 p.m. (London time) on the business day
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 of the
Code.
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 of the Code).
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 Takeover 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 (0)
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:
In accordance with Rule 26.1 of the
Code, a copy of this announcement will be made available (subject
to certain restrictions relating to persons resident in restricted
jurisdictions) by no later than 12 noon (London time) on the business day
immediately following the date of this announcement at
www.mulberry.com
The content of the website referred to in this
announcement is not incorporated into and does not form part of
this announcement.