NOT FOR
RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN
WHOLE OR IN PART, INTO OR WITHIN THE UNITED STATES, NEW ZEALAND,
CHINA, SINGAPORE, HONG KONG, SOUTH AFRICA, JAPAN, THE UNITED ARAB
EMIRATES AND ANY OTHER JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE
A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OR REGULATIONS OF SUCH
JURISDICTION.
THIS
ANNOUNCEMENT IS AN ADVERTISEMENT FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE PROSPECTUS
REGULATION RULES OF THE FINANCIAL CONDUCT AUTHORITY ("FCA") AND
DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A PROSPECTUS OR PROSPECTUS EQUIVALENT DOCUMENT.
NOTHING HEREIN SHALL CONSTITUTE AN OFFERING OF ANY SECURITIES.
NOTHING IN THIS ANNOUNCEMENT SHOULD BE INTERPRETED AS A TERM OR
CONDITION OF THE RIGHTS ISSUE. ANY DECISION TO PURCHASE, SUBSCRIBE
FOR, OTHERWISE ACQUIRE, SELL OR OTHERWISE DISPOSE OF ANY NIL PAID
RIGHTS, FULLY PAID RIGHTS OR NEW ORDINARY SHARES MUST BE MADE ONLY
ON THE BASIS OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE PROSPECTUS. PLEASE
SEE THE IMPORTANT NOTICE AT THE END OF THIS
ANNOUNCEMENT.
PENNON GROUP PLC
RESULTS OF RIGHTS
ISSUE
18 February
2025
Pennon Group plc (the "Company") announces that the 13 for 20
Rights Issue of 185,928,002 New Ordinary Shares at 264 pence per
New Ordinary Share announced on 29 January 2025 has closed for
acceptances. The Company received valid acceptances in respect of
172,143,766 New Ordinary Shares, representing approximately 92.586
per cent. of the total number of New Ordinary Shares to be issued
pursuant to the fully underwritten Rights Issue.
It is expected that the New Ordinary Shares
will commence trading, fully paid, on the London Stock Exchange
plc's main market for listed securities at 8:00 a.m.
today.
It is expected that the New Ordinary Shares in
uncertificated form will be credited to CREST accounts as soon as
possible after 8:00 a.m. today, that definitive share certificates
in respect of the New Ordinary Shares held in certificated form
will be despatched no later than 4 March 2025, and that the online
accounts for Shareholders who hold their New Ordinary Shares
through the WaterShare+ Nominee and the Corporate Sponsored Nominee
will be credited no later than 4 March 2025.
In accordance with their obligations as
underwriters in respect of the Rights Issue as set out in the
prospectus dated 29 January 2025 (the "Prospectus"), Barclays Bank PLC and
Morgan Stanley & Co. International plc (together, the
"Underwriters") will use
reasonable endeavours to procure subscribers for the remaining
13,729,631 New Ordinary Shares not taken up by Qualifying
Shareholders at the Rights Issue Price, failing which the
Underwriters have agreed to subscribe themselves (in the agreed
proportions), on a several basis, for any remaining New Ordinary
Shares at the Rights Issue Price.
In addition to the New Ordinary Shares not
taken up at the Rights Issue Price, the Underwriters will also
place 54,605 New Ordinary Shares resulting from the aggregation of
fractional entitlements of New Ordinary Shares following the Right
Issue. Holdings of Existing Ordinary Shares in certificated and
uncertificated form, holdings of Existing Ordinary Shares through
the Corporate Sponsored Nominee and holdings of Existing Ordinary
Shares through the WaterShare+ Nominee, are each to be treated as
separate holdings for the purpose of calculating entitlements under
the Rights Issue.
The net proceeds from the placing of such New
Ordinary Shares (after the deduction of the Rights Issue Price of
264 pence per New Ordinary Share and the expenses of procuring
subscribers, including any applicable brokerage fees and
commissions and amounts in respect of related irrecoverable VAT)
will be paid (without interest) to those Shareholders whose rights
have lapsed in accordance with the terms of the Rights Issue, pro
rata to their lapsed provisional allotments, save that individual
amounts of less than £5.00 will not be paid to such persons but
will be paid to the Company and will become part of the WaterShare+
Proceeds.
A further announcement as to the number of New
Ordinary Shares for which subscribers have been procured will be
made in due course.
Unless the context requires otherwise,
capitalised terms used but not otherwise defined in this
announcement shall have the meanings set out in the Prospectus,
which is available on the Company's website
at: www.pennon-group.co.uk/investor-information.
For
further information, please contact:
Pennon Group plc
|
|
Institutional equity investors and analysts
|
|
Louise Rowe - Compliance, ESG and IR
Director
|
+44 (0)1392 443 260
|
|
|
James Murgatroyd - FGS
Global
|
+44 (0)20 7251 3801
|
Harry Worthington - FGS
Global
|
|
|
|
Debt investors
|
|
Chris Tregenna - Group
Treasurer
|
+44 (0)1392 443 260
|
Joint Global Co-ordinators, Joint Bookrunners, Joint Sponsors
and Joint Corporate Brokers
|
Barclays Bank PLC
Alisdair Gayne
Richard Bassingthwaighte
Iain Smedley
Chris Madderson
|
+44 (0)20 7623 2323
|
Morgan Stanley & Co. International plc
Andrew Foster
Josh Williams
Francesco Puletti
Emma Whitehouse
|
+44 (0)20 7425 8000
|
IMPORTANT
NOTICES
This announcement has been issued by and is the
sole responsibility of the Company. The information contained in
this announcement is for background purposes only and does not
purport to be full or complete. No reliance may or should be placed
by any person for any purpose whatsoever on the information
contained in this announcement or on its accuracy, fairness or
completeness. The information in this announcement is subject to
change without notice.
This announcement is an advertisement for the
purposes of the Prospectus Regulation Rules of the FCA and does not
constitute a prospectus (or prospectus equivalent document) and
investors should not subscribe for, purchase, otherwise acquire,
sell or otherwise dispose of any securities referred to in this
announcement except on the basis of information in the Prospectus.
Neither this announcement nor any part of it should form the basis
of or be relied on in connection with or act as an inducement to
enter into any contract or commitment whatsoever. Nothing in this
announcement should be interpreted as a term or condition of the
Rights Issue.
A copy of the Prospectus is available on the
Company's website at www.pennon-group.co.uk/investor-information.
Neither the content of the Company's website nor any website
accessible by hyperlinks on the Company's website is incorporated
in, or forms part of, this announcement. The Prospectus provides
further details of the securities being offered pursuant to the
Rights Issue.
This announcement is for information purposes
only and is not intended to constitute, and should not be construed
as, an offer to sell or issue, or a solicitation of any offer to
purchase, subscribe for or otherwise acquire, the Nil Paid Rights,
the Fully Paid Rights and the New Ordinary Shares of the Company in
the United States, New Zealand, China, Singapore, Hong Kong, South
Africa, Japan, the United Arab Emirates or in any other
jurisdiction where such offer or sale would be unlawful and,
subject to certain exceptions, should not be distributed, forwarded
to or transmitted in or into any jurisdiction, where to do so might
constitute a violation of local securities laws or regulations. The
distribution of this announcement, the Prospectus, and any other
document relating to the offering or transfer of Nil Paid Rights,
Fully Paid Rights or New Ordinary Shares into jurisdictions other
than the United Kingdom may be restricted by law, and, therefore,
persons into whose possession this announcement, the Prospectus,
and/or any accompanying documents comes should inform themselves
about and observe any such restrictions. Any failure to comply with
any such restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities
laws of such jurisdiction. In particular, subject to certain
exceptions, this announcement, the Prospectus and the provisional
allotment letters should not be distributed, forwarded to or
transmitted in or into the United States, New Zealand, China,
Singapore, Hong Kong, South Africa, Japan, the United Arab
Emirates, or any other jurisdiction where the extension or
availability of the Rights Issue (and any other transaction
contemplated thereby) would breach any applicable law or
regulation.
This announcement does not constitute a
recommendation concerning any investor's options with respect to
the Rights Issue. The price and value of securities can go down as
well as up. Past performance is not a guide to future performance.
The contents of this announcement are not to be construed as legal,
business, financial or tax advice. Each shareholder or prospective
investor should consult his, her or its own legal adviser, business
adviser, financial adviser or tax adviser for legal, financial,
business or tax advice.
NOTICE TO ALL
INVESTORS
Each of Barclays Bank PLC and Morgan Stanley
& Co. International plc is authorised by the Prudential
Regulation Authority ("PRA") and regulated by the FCA and the
PRA in the United Kingdom. Each of Barclays Bank PLC and Morgan
Stanley & Co. International plc is acting exclusively for the
Company and no one else in connection with this announcement and
the Rights Issue and will not regard any other person as a client
in relation to the Rights Issue and will not be responsible to
anyone other than the Company for providing the protections
afforded to its clients nor for providing advice to any person in
relation to the Rights Issue or any other matter, transaction or
arrangement referred to in this announcement.
None of Barclays Bank PLC and Morgan Stanley
& Co. International plc nor any of their respective affiliates,
directors, officers, employees or advisers owes or accepts any
duty, liability or responsibility whatsoever (whether direct or
indirect, whether in contract, in tort, under statute or otherwise)
which they might otherwise have in connection with the Rights
Issue, this announcement, any statement contained herein, or
otherwise.
NOTICE TO US
INVESTORS
This announcement does not constitute an offer
to sell, or a solicitation of offers to purchase or subscribe for,
securities in the United States. The securities being offered
pursuant to the Rights Issue have not been and will not be
registered under the US Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
"U.S. Securities Act"), or with any
securities regulatory authority or under the relevant securities
laws of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States, and
may not be offered, sold, resold, pledged, taken up, exercised,
renounced, delivered, distributed or transferred, directly or
indirectly, into or within the United States except pursuant to an
exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the
registration requirements of the Securities Act and in compliance
with any applicable securities laws of any state or other
jurisdiction of the United States. Any sale in the United States of
the securities mentioned in this communication will be made solely
to "qualified institutional buyers" as defined in Rule 144A under
the U.S. Securities Act. No public offering of the securities has
been or will be made in the United States.
INFORMATION TO
DISTRIBUTORS
Solely for the purposes of the product
governance requirements of Chapter 3 of the FCA Handbook Product
Intervention and Product Governance Sourcebook (the "UK Product Governance Requirements"),
and disclaiming all and any liability, whether arising in tort,
contract or otherwise, which any "manufacturer" (for the purposes
of the UK Product Governance Requirements) may otherwise have with
respect thereto, the New Ordinary Shares have been subject to a
product approval process, which has determined that the New
Ordinary Shares are: (a) compatible with an end target market of
retail investors and investors who meet the criteria of
professional clients and eligible counterparties, each as defined
in Chapter 3 of the FCA Handbook Conduct of Business Sourcebook;
and (b) eligible for distribution through all permitted
distribution channels (the "Target
Market Assessment"). Notwithstanding the Target Market
Assessment, "distributors" (for the purposes of the UK Product
Governance Requirements) should note that: the price of the New
Ordinary Shares may decline and investors could lose all or part of
their investment; the New Ordinary Shares offer no guaranteed
income and no capital protection; and an investment in the New
Ordinary Shares is compatible only with investors who do not need a
guaranteed income or capital protection, who (either alone or in
conjunction with an appropriate financial or other adviser) are
capable of evaluating the merits and risks of such an investment
and who have sufficient resources to be able to bear any losses
that may result therefrom. The Target Market Assessment is without
prejudice to any contractual, legal or regulatory selling
restrictions in relation to the offer of New Ordinary Shares.
Furthermore, it is noted that, notwithstanding the Target Market
Assessment, the Underwriters will only procure investors who meet
the criteria of professional clients and eligible
counterparties.
For the avoidance of doubt, the Target Market
Assessment does not constitute: (i) an assessment of suitability or
appropriateness for the purposes of Chapters 9A or 10A,
respectively, of the FCA Handbook Conduct of Business Sourcebook;
or (ii) a recommendation to any investor or group of investors to
invest in, or purchase, or take any other action whatsoever with
respect to, the New Ordinary Shares. Each distributor is
responsible for undertaking its own target market assessment in
respect of the New Ordinary Shares and determining appropriate
distribution channels.
FORWARD-LOOKING
STATEMENTS
This announcement may contain projections and
other forward-looking statements. The words "believe", "expect",
"anticipate", "intend", "estimate", "intend" and "plan" and similar
expressions identify forward-looking statements. All statements
other than statements of historical facts included in this
announcement, including, without limitation, those regarding the
Company's financial position, business strategy, potential plans
and potential objectives, are forward-looking
statements.
None of the Company, its officers, advisers or
any other person gives any representation, assurance or guarantee
that the occurrence of the events expressed or implied in any
forward-looking statements in this announcement will actually
occur, in part or in whole.
By their nature, forward-looking statements
involve assumptions, risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking
statements may involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and
other factors, which may cause the Company's actual results,
performance or achievements to be materially different from those
expected, any future results, performance or achievements expressed
or implied by such forward-looking statements. Readers are advised
to read the Prospectus and the information incorporated by
reference therein in their entirety, and, in particular, the
section of the Prospectus headed Part I (Risk Factors), for a further
discussion of the factors that could affect the Group's future
performance and the industry in which it operates. In light of
these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the events described in
the forward-looking statements in this announcement, the Prospectus
and/or the information incorporated by reference into the
Prospectus may not prove to be accurate or may not occur.
Prospective investors should therefore carefully review the
Prospectus. Such forward-looking statements are based on numerous
assumptions regarding the Company's present and future business
strategies and the environment in which the Company will operate in
the future.
Nothing in this announcement is intended as a
profit forecast or estimate for any period, and no statement in
this announcement should be interpreted to mean that earnings or
earnings per share or dividend per share for the Company for the
current or future financial years would necessarily match or exceed
the historical published earnings or earnings per share or dividend
per share for the Company.
The forward-looking statements in this
announcement speak only as at the date of this announcement. To the
extent required by applicable law or regulation (including as may
be required by the Companies Act, the Prospectus Regulation Rules,
the UK Listing Rules, MAR, the Disclosure Guidance and Transparency
Rules and FSMA), the Company will update or revise the information
in this announcement. Otherwise, neither the Company nor the
Underwriters assume any obligation to update or provide any
additional information in relation to such forward-looking
statements. Additionally, statements of the intentions or beliefs
of the Board and/or the Directors reflect the present intentions
and beliefs of the Board and/or Directors, respectively, as at the
date of this announcement and may be subject to change as the
composition of the Board alters, or as circumstances
require.