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
28 July 2022
RECOMMENDED CASH ACQUISITION
of
ULTRA ELECTRONICS HOLDINGS PLC
by
COBHAM ULTRA ACQUISITIONS LIMITED
(a wholly-owned indirect subsidiary of Cobham Group Holdings Limited)
to be effected by means of a Scheme of Arrangement under
Part 26 of the Companies Act 2006
COURT SANCTION OF SCHEME OF ARRANGEMENT
On 16 August 2021, Ultra Electronics Holdings plc (the "Company" or "Ultra") and Cobham Ultra Acquisitions Limited ("Cobham"), a wholly-owned indirect subsidiary of Cobham Group Holdings Limited, announced that they had reached agreement on the terms and conditions of a recommended all cash acquisition by Cobham of the entire issued, and to be issued, share capital of Ultra (the "Acquisition"), to be effected by means of a Court-sanctioned scheme of arrangement under Part 26 of the Companies Act (the "Scheme"). The circular in relation to the Scheme (the "Scheme Document") was published on 8 September 2021.
Further to the announcement made on 4 October 2021 in relation to the results of the Court Meeting and General Meeting and the announcement made on 7 July 2022 in relation to the satisfaction or (where applicable) waiver of anti-trust and regulatory conditions, Ultra and Cobham are pleased to announce that the Court has today issued the Court Order sanctioning the Scheme pursuant to which the Acquisition is being implemented.
The Scheme remains conditional on delivery of the Court Order to the Registrar of Companies for
Applications have been made for the suspension of: (i) trading in Ultra Shares on the London Stock Exchange's main market for listed securities and (ii) the listing of Ultra Shares on the premium listing segment of the Official List of the Financial Conduct Authority, and such suspensions are expected to take effect from 7:30 a.m. on 1 August 2022. The last day of dealings in, and for the registration and transfer of, Ultra Shares, will be 29 July 2022.
The de-listing of Ultra Shares from the premium listing segment of the Official List of the Financial Conduct Authority and the cancellation of the admission to trading of Ultra Shares on the London Stock Exchange's main market for listed securities have also been applied for and will, subject to the Scheme becoming effective, take effect at 7:30 a.m. on 2 August 2022.
A further announcement will be made when the Scheme has become Effective.
Full details of the Acquisition are set out in the Scheme Document published on 8 September 2021.
Capitalised terms used but not defined in this announcement have the meanings given to them in the Scheme Document. All references to times in this announcement are to
Enquiries:
Ultra
Gabriella Colley, Senior Vice President, Investor Relations & Communications
|
+44 (0) 78 9120 6239
Investor.relations@ultra-electronics.com |
J.P. Morgan Cazenove (Lead Financial Adviser and Corporate Broker to Ultra)
Robert Constant / James Robinson / Richard Perelman / Chris Gallagher
|
+44 (0) 20 7742 4000 |
Numis (Financial Adviser and Corporate Broker to Ultra)
Stuart Ord / George Price
|
+44 (0) 20 7260 1000 |
Engine MHP (Financial PR Adviser to Ultra)
Tim Rowntree / Pete Lambie
|
+44 (0) 20 3128 8570
|
Tulchan Communications (Financial PR Adviser to Cobham)
Graeme Wilson / Harry Cameron
|
+44 (0) 20 7353 4200 |
Rothschild & Co (Financial Adviser to Cobham)
Aadeesh Aggarwal / Ravi Gupta / Nick Ivey / Sabina Pennings
|
+44 (0) 20 7742 4000 |
Credit Suisse (Financial Adviser to Cobham)
Joe Hannon / Ben Deary / David Watkins
|
+44 (0)20 7888 8888 |
Goldman Sachs (Financial Adviser to Cobham)
Mark Sorrell / Nick Harper / Bertie Whitehead
|
+44 (0) 20 7774 1000 |
Morgan Stanley & Co. (Financial Adviser to Cobham)
Hossein Amir-Aslani / Gwen Billon / Tom Perry |
+44 (0) 20 7245 8000 |
Slaughter and May is acting as legal adviser to Ultra in connection with the Acquisition.
Kirkland & Ellis International LLP is acting as legal adviser to Cobham in connection with the Acquisition.
Important notice
This Announcement is not intended to, and does not, constitute, represent or form part of any offer, invitation or solicitation of any 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, whether pursuant to the Acquisition or otherwise.
The Acquisition shall be implemented solely by means of the Scheme Document (or, if the Acquisition is implemented by way of a Takeover Offer, the offer document) which, together with the Forms of Proxy, shall contain the full terms and Conditions of the Acquisition, including details of how to vote in respect of the Acquisition. Any vote in respect of the Scheme or other response to the Acquisition should be made only on the basis of the information in the Scheme Document (or, if the Acquisition is implemented by way of a Takeover Offer, the offer document).
This Announcement does not constitute a prospectus or prospectus-equivalent document.
Disclaimers
J.P. Morgan Cazenove, which is authorised in the
Numis, which is authorised and regulated in the
N.M. Rothschild & Sons Limited ("Rothschild & Co"), which is authorised and regulated by the FCA in the
Credit Suisse International ("Credit Suisse"), which is authorised by the PRA and regulated by the FCA and the PRA in the
Goldman Sachs International ("Goldman Sachs"), which is authorised in the
Morgan Stanley & Co. International plc ("Morgan Stanley") which is authorised by the PRA and regulated by the FCA and the PRA in the
No person has been authorised to give any information or make any representations other than those contained in this Announcement and, if given or made, such information or representations must not be relied upon as having been authorised by Ultra, the Ultra Directors, Cobham, the Cobham Directors or by J.P. Morgan Cazenove, Numis Securities, Credit Suisse, Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs or Rothschild & Co or any other person involved in the Acquisition. Neither the delivery of this Announcement nor holding the Meetings, the Scheme Court Hearing, or filing the Court Order shall, under any circumstances, create any implication that there has been no change in the affairs of the Ultra Group or the Cobham Group since the date of this document or that the information in, or incorporated into, this document is correct as at any time subsequent to its date.
Overseas Jurisdictions
This Announcement has been prepared for the purposes of complying with English law, the Takeover Code, the Market Abuse Regulation, the Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules and the Listing Rules and the information disclosed may not be the same as that which would have been disclosed if this Announcement had been prepared in accordance with the laws of jurisdictions outside
The availability of the Acquisition to Ultra Shareholders who are not resident in and citizens of the
Unless otherwise determined by Cobham 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 where to do so would violate the laws in that jurisdiction and no person may vote in favour of the Scheme by any such use, means, instrumentality or from within a Restricted Jurisdiction or any other jurisdiction if to do so would constitute a violation of the laws of that jurisdiction.
Copies of this Announcement and any formal documentation relating to the Acquisition are not being, and must not be, directly or indirectly, mailed or otherwise forwarded, distributed or sent in or into or from any Restricted Jurisdiction and persons receiving such documents (including custodians, nominees and trustees) must not mail or otherwise forward, distribute or send it in or into or from any Restricted Jurisdiction. Doing so may render invalid any related purported vote in respect of the Acquisition. If the Acquisition is implemented (with the consent of the Panel and subject to and in accordance with the terms of the Cooperation Agreement) by way of a Takeover Offer (unless otherwise permitted by applicable law and regulation), the Takeover Offer may not be made directly or indirectly, in or into, or by the use of mails or any means or instrumentality (including, but not limited to, facsimile, e-mail or other electronic transmission, telex or telephone) of interstate or foreign commerce of, or of any facility of a national, state or other securities exchange of any Restricted Jurisdiction and the Takeover Offer may not be capable of acceptance by any such use, means, instrumentality or facilities.
Notice to US investors
The Acquisition relates to shares in an English company and is proposed to be made by means of a scheme of arrangement under English company law. US Ultra Shareholders should note that the Scheme relates to the shares of an English company and will be governed by English law. Neither the US proxy solicitation rules nor the tender offer rules under the US Exchange Act will apply to the Acquisition and the Scheme. Moreover, the Acquisition and the Scheme are subject to the disclosure requirements and practices applicable in
Financial information included in this Document has been prepared in accordance with accounting standards applicable in the
Neither the SEC nor any securities commission of any state of the US nor any other US regulatory authority has approved the Acquisition, passed upon the fairness of the Acquisition or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this Document. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offence in the US.
To the extent permitted by applicable law, in accordance with normal
In accordance with the Takeover Code, normal
The receipt of consideration by a US Ultra Shareholder for the transfer of its Ultra Shares pursuant to the Acquisition will likely be a taxable transaction for
It may be difficult for US Ultra Shareholders to enforce their rights and any claim arising out of the US federal securities laws, since Ultra is located in a non-US jurisdiction, and some or all of its officers and directors are residents of non-US jurisdictions. US Ultra Shareholders may not be able to sue a non-US company or its officers or directors in a non-US court for violations of US securities laws. Further, it may be difficult to compel a non-US company and its affiliates to subject themselves to a US court's judgement.
Forward looking statements
This Announcement (including information incorporated by reference in this Announcement), oral statements made regarding the Acquisition, and other information published by Ultra, any member of the Ultra Group, Cobham, or any member of the Cobham Group contain statements which are, or may be deemed to be, "forward-looking statements", including for the purposes of the US Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements are prospective in nature and are not based on historical facts, but rather on current expectations and on numerous assumptions regarding the business strategies and the environment in which Ultra, any member of the Ultra Group, Cobham, or any member of the Cobham Group or the Combined Group shall operate in the future and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by those statements.
The forward-looking statements contained in this Announcement may relate to Ultra, any member of the Ultra Group, Cobham, or any member of the Cobham Group or the Combined Group's future prospects, developments and business strategies, the expected timing and scope of the Acquisition and all other statements in this Announcement other than statements of historical facts. In some cases, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the terms 'intend', 'aim', 'project', 'anticipate', 'estimate', 'target', 'plan', 'believe', 'expect', 'may', 'should', 'will', 'continue' or, in each case, their negative and other variations or other similar or comparable words and expressions. Forward-looking statements may include statements relating to the following: (i) future capital expenditures, expenses, revenues, earnings, synergies, economic performance, indebtedness, financial condition, dividend policy, losses and future prospects; (ii) business and management strategies and the expansion and growth of Ultra, any member of the Ultra Group, Cobham, or any member of the Cobham Group's operations and potential synergies resulting from the Acquisition; and (iii) the effects of global economic conditions and governmental regulation on Ultra, any member of the Ultra Group, Cobham, or any member of the Cobham Group's business.
By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainty because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that may occur in the future. These events and circumstances include changes in the global, political, economic, business, competitive, market and regulatory forces, future exchange and interest rates, changes in tax rates and future business combinations or disposals. If any one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialises or if any one or more of the assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may differ materially from those expected, estimated or projected. Such forward-looking statements should therefore be construed in the light of such factors.
None of Ultra, any member of the Ultra Group, Cobham, nor any member of the Cobham Group, nor any of their respective associates or directors, officers or advisers, provides any representation, assurance or guarantee that the occurrence of the events expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements in this Announcement shall actually occur. Given these risks and uncertainties, potential investors should not place any reliance on forward-looking statements.
The forward-looking statements speak only at the date of this Announcement. All subsequent oral or written forward-looking statements attributable to Ultra, any member of the Ultra Group, Cobham, or any member of the Cobham Group, or any of their respective associates, directors, officers, employees or advisers, are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statement above.
Ultra, each member of the Ultra Group, Cobham, and each member of the Cobham Group expressly disclaims any obligation to update such statements other than as required by law or by the rules of any competent regulatory authority, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
No statement in this Announcement is intended as a profit forecast, profit estimate or quantified benefits statement for any period and no statement in this Announcement should be interpreted to mean that earnings or earnings per share for Cobham or Ultra, as appropriate, for the current or future financial years would necessarily match or exceed the historical published earnings or earnings per share for Cobham or Ultra, as appropriate.
Disclosure requirements of the Code
Under Rule 8.3(a) of the Takeover 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 securities exchange 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) applies must be made by no later than 3.30 p.m. (
Under Rule 8.3(b) of the Takeover Code, any person who is, or becomes, interested in 1 per 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(s), save to the extent that these details have previously been disclosed under Rule 8. A Dealing Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(b) applies must be made by no later than 3.30 p.m. (
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 shall be deemed to be a single person for the purpose of Rule 8.3.
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).
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 Panel's website at http://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 a website
This Announcement and the documents required to be published pursuant to Rule 26.3 of the Takeover Code, will be available, subject to certain restrictions relating to persons resident in Restricted Jurisdictions, on Ultra and Cobham's websites at www.ultra.group and www.cobham.com respectively. For the avoidance of doubt, the contents of these websites are not incorporated into and do not form part of this Announcement
Requesting hard copy documents
Ultra Shareholders may request a hard copy of this Announcement, the Scheme Document or information incorporated into the Scheme Document by reference to another source, free of charge, by calling the Company's registrar, Equiniti Group plc, on +44 (0) 371 384 2050 or by writing to Equiniti at Aspect House, Spencer Road, Lancing,
Electronic communications
Please be aware that addresses, electronic addresses and certain information provided by Ultra Shareholders, persons with information rights and other relevant persons for the receipt of communications from Ultra may be provided to Cobham, members of the Cobham Group and/or their respective advisers during the Offer Period as requested under Section 4 of Appendix 4 of the Takeover Code to comply with Rule 2.11(c) of the Takeover Code.
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