NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN, INTO OR FROM ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OR REGULATIONS OF SUCH JURISDICTION
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
30 September 2024
Recommended Cash Acquisition
of
Virgin Money
by
Nationwide Building Society ("Nationwide")
Suspension of Listing and Trading of Virgin Money Ordinary Shares
The boards of Virgin Money and Nationwide are pleased to announce that, in advance of the scheme of arrangement between Virgin Money and its shareholders under Part 26 of the Companies Act (the "Scheme") to implement the recommended cash acquisition of the entire issued and to be issued share capital of Virgin Money by Nationwide (the "Acquisition") becoming Effective, the listing of Virgin Money Ordinary Shares on the Official List and the trading of Virgin Money Ordinary Shares on the London Stock Exchange's main market for listed securities were suspended with effect from 7.30 a.m. today, 30 September 2024.
The Acquisition is subject to the terms and conditions set out in the scheme document relating to the Acquisition published on 22 April 2024 (the "Scheme Document").
Unless otherwise defined, all capitalised terms in this announcement have the meaning given to them in the Scheme Document. All references to times are to
Next steps
The Scheme remains conditional on, and will become Effective upon, the delivery of a copy of the Court Order to the Registrar of Companies which is expected to occur on 1 October 2024.
It is expected that, subject to the Scheme becoming Effective on 1 October 2024, the listing of Virgin Money Ordinary Shares on the Official List and the trading of Virgin Money Ordinary Shares on the London Stock Exchange's main market for listed securities will each be cancelled with effect from 8.00 a.m. on 1 October 2024. It is further expected that, subject to the Scheme becoming Effective on 1 October 2024, the listing of Virgin Money on the Australian Securities Exchange will be cancelled with effect from 1 October 2024.
Further announcements will be made when the Scheme has become Effective and when the listing and trading of the Virgin Money Ordinary Shares have been cancelled.
If any of the expected times and dates set out above change, Virgin Money will give notice of this change by issuing an announcement through a Regulatory Information Service and the ASX Market Announcements Platform and, if required by the Panel, posting notice of the change(s) to Virgin Money Shareholders and persons with information rights. Such announcement will be made available on Virgin Money's website at www.virginmoneyukplc.com/investor-relations/announcements/ and on Nationwide's website at https://www.nationwide.co.uk/investor-relations/virgin-money-terms-of-access/.
Full details of the Acquisition are set out in the Scheme Document.
Virgin Money's LEI Number is 213800ZK9VGCYYR6O495.
Announcement authorised for release by Lorna McMillan, Group Company Secretary of Virgin Money.
Enquiries:
Virgin Money Richard Smith Head of Investor Relations & Sustainability
Company Secretary Lorna McMillan Group Company Secretary
Media Relations Press Office
Goldman Sachs International (joint Rule 3 independent financial adviser and joint corporate broker to Virgin Money) Anthony Gutman Nimesh Khiroya Ronan Breen Bertie Whitehead
J.P. Morgan Cazenove (joint Rule 3 independent financial adviser and joint corporate broker to Virgin Money) Conor Hillery Dwayne Lysaght Claire Brooksby Ravin Mehta
Teneo (public relations adviser to Virgin Money) Douglas Campbell ( Julia Henkel (
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+44 (0)7483 399303 richard.smith@virginmoney.com
+44 (0)7834 585436 lorna.mcmillan@virginmoney.com
+44 (0)800 066 5998 press.office@virginmoney.com
+44 (0)20 7774 1000
+44 (0)20 3493 8000
+44 (0)7753 136628 +61 406 918080
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Nationwide Building Society |
+44 (0) 7587 886 500 |
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Sarah Abercrombie, Head of Treasury Funding & External Relations |
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Media enquiries: |
Nationwide-UK@fgsglobal.com |
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Investor enquiries: |
Nationwide.treasury@Nationwide.co.uk |
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UBS (financial adviser to Nationwide) Ben Crystal David Sissons
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+44 (0)20 7567 8000
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FGS Global (public relations adviser to Nationwide) |
+44 (0)20 7251 3801 |
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Clifford Chance LLP is acting as legal adviser to Virgin Money in connection with the Acquisition.
Slaughter and May is acting as legal adviser to Nationwide in connection with the Acquisition.
Further information
This announcement is for information purposes only and is not intended to and does not constitute, or form any part of, any offer, invitation or the solicitation of an offer to purchase, otherwise acquire, subscribe for, sell or otherwise dispose of any securities, or the solicitation of any vote or approval in any jurisdiction, pursuant to the Acquisition or otherwise, nor shall there be any sale, issuance or transfer of securities of Virgin Money in any jurisdiction in contravention of applicable law. The Acquisition is made and implemented solely pursuant to the terms of the Scheme Document (or if the Acquisition is implemented by way of an Offer, the Offer document), which contains the full terms and conditions of the Acquisition, including details of how to vote in respect of the Acquisition. Any vote in respect of, or other response to, the Acquisition should be made only on the basis of the information contained in the Scheme Document (or if the Acquisition is implemented by way of an Offer, the Offer document). This announcement does not constitute a prospectus or a prospectus equivalent document.
The statements contained in this announcement are made as at the date of this announcement, unless some other time is specified in relation to them, and publication of this announcement shall not give rise to any implication that there has been no change in the facts set forth in this announcement since such date.
Disclaimers
Goldman Sachs International, which is authorised by the PRA and regulated by the FCA and the PRA in the
J.P. Morgan Securities plc, which conducts its
UBS AG,
Information for Overseas Shareholders
Unless otherwise determined by Virgin Money and Nationwide or required by the Takeover Code, and permitted by applicable law and regulation, the Acquisition will not be made available, directly or indirectly, in, into or from a Restricted Jurisdiction and no person may vote in favour of the Scheme by any such use, means, instrumentality or form within any Restricted Jurisdiction. Accordingly, copies of this announcement and all documents relating to the Acquisition are not being, and must not be, directly or indirectly, mailed or otherwise forwarded, distributed or sent in, into or from a Restricted Jurisdiction, and persons receiving this announcement and all other documents relating to the Acquisition (including custodians, nominees and trustees) must not mail or otherwise distribute or send them in, into or from any Restricted Jurisdiction.
It is the responsibility of each Overseas Shareholder to satisfy himself or herself as to the full observance of the laws of the relevant jurisdiction in connection with the Acquisition, including the obtaining of any governmental, exchange control or other consents which may be required, or the compliance with other necessary formalities which are required to be observed and the payment of any issue, transfer or other taxes due in such jurisdiction.
If Nationwide were to elect to implement the Acquisition by means of an Offer, such Offer will be made in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, including the US tender offer rules, to the extent applicable.
The financial information included in this announcement has been prepared in accordance with accounting standards applicable in the
Neither the US Securities and Exchange Commission nor any US state securities commission has approved or disapproved of the Acquisition, or passed comment upon the adequacy or completeness of this announcement. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offence.
Notice to Australian Virgin Money Shareholders
This announcement is not a disclosure document for the purposes of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (the "Australian Corporations Act"), and is not required to, and does not, contain all the information which would be required in a disclosure document under the Australian Corporations Act. This announcement has not been and will not be lodged or registered with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, ASX Limited or any other regulatory body or agency in
Share purchases
To the extent permitted by applicable law, in accordance with normal
Publication on website
In accordance with Rule 26.1 of the Takeover Code, a copy of this announcement and the documents required to be published under Rule 26 of the Takeover Code will be made available free of charge, subject to certain restrictions relating to persons resident in Restricted Jurisdictions, on Nationwide's website at www.nationwide.co.uk/investor-relations/virgin-money-terms-of-access/ and Virgin Money's website at www.virginmoneyukplc.com/investor-relations/announcements/ by no later than 12 noon (
Electronic communications
Please be aware that addresses, electronic addresses and certain other information provided by Virgin Money Shareholders, persons with information rights and other relevant persons for the receipt of communications from Virgin Money may be provided to Nationwide during the offer period as required under Section 4 of Appendix 4 to the Takeover Code.
General
If you are in any doubt about the contents of this announcement or the action you should take, you are recommended to seek your own independent financial advice immediately from your stockbroker, bank manager, solicitor, accountant or independent financial adviser duly authorised under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 if you are taking advice in the
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