FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN, INTO OR FROM ANY JURISDICTION (INCLUDING
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONTAINS INSIDE INFORMATION; THIS INSIDE INFORMATION IS NOW CONSIDERED TO BE IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN.
15 JANUARY 2024
RECOMMENDED ACQUISITION
of
Rotala PLC
("Rotala" or the "Company")
by
Rotala Group Limited
("RGL")
a newly incorporated entity directly and indirectly owned and controlled by Simon Dunn, Robert Dunn, John Gunn, the spouses of Simon Dunn and Robert Dunn, and Wengen Pension Plan
Court Sanction of Scheme of Arrangement
On 20 November 2023, the Boards of Rotala and RGL announced that they had reached agreement on the terms of a recommended cash offer, pursuant to which RGL would acquire the entire issued and to be issued share capital of Rotala for
The Acquisition is to be effected by means of a Court-sanctioned scheme of arrangement under Part 26 of the Companies Act 2006 (the "Scheme"), full details of which were sent to the shareholders of Rotala in the circular dated 11 December 2023 (the "Scheme Document").
On 4 January 2024, the Scheme was approved by the requisite majorities of Scheme Shareholders at the Court Meeting and the Special Resolutions in connection with the implementation of the Scheme were passed by the requisite majorities of Rotala Shareholders at the General Meeting.
Capitalised terms used and not defined in this announcement have the meanings given to them in the Scheme Document.
Sanction of Scheme
The boards of Rotala and RGL are pleased to announce that, earlier today, the High Court of Justice in
The Scheme will become Effective upon the delivery of a copy of the Court Order to the Registrar of Companies, which is expected to occur on 17 January 2024.
Next steps and timetable
Rotala confirms that the last day of dealings in, and for registrations of transfers of, Rotala Shares will be 16 January 2024 and the Scheme Record Time will be 6.00 p.m. on 16 January 2024. Scheme Shareholders on Rotala's register of members at the Scheme Record Time will, upon the Scheme becoming Effective, be entitled to receive the consideration under the Scheme.
Trading on AIM in Rotala Shares will be suspended from 7:30 a.m. on 17 January 2024. The suspension is made pursuant to Rotala's application to the London Stock Exchange and is being effected as part of the Scheme.
It is expected that, subject to the Scheme becoming Effective on 17 January 2024, the cancellation of admission to trading on AIM of Rotala Shares will take effect at 7:00 a.m. on 18 January 2024.
A further announcement will be made when the Scheme becomes Effective.
General
All references in this announcement to times are to
Rotala Group Limited |
|
Simon Dunn, Director Bob Dunn, Director John Gunn, Director |
Tel: +44 (0) 121 322 2222 |
Rotala PLC |
Tel: +44 (0) 121 322 2222 |
Graham Spooner, Deputy Chair and Senior Independent Director Graham Peacock, Independent Non-Executive Director Kim Taylor, Group Finance Director |
|
Shore Capital (Financial Adviser, Nominated Adviser and Corporate Broker to Rotala) |
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7408 4090 |
Tom Griffiths James Thomas Lucy Bowden |
|
KPMG LLP (Financial Adviser to RGL) |
Tel: + 44 (0) 20 7311 1000 |
Helen Roxburgh Khush Purewal Zoë Nateras
|
|
Shoosmiths LLP is acting as legal adviser to RGL. Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP is acting as legal adviser to Rotala.
The person responsible for arranging the release of this announcement on behalf of Rotala is Kim Taylor, a director of Rotala.
IMPORTANT NOTICES:
This announcement is for information purposes only. It does not constitute an offer or form part of any offer or an invitation to purchase, subscribe for, sell or issue any securities or a solicitation of any offer to purchase, subscribe for, sell or issue any securities pursuant to this announcement or otherwise in any jurisdiction in which such offer or solicitation is unlawful. This announcement does not comprise a prospectus or a prospectus exempted document. The Acquisition will be made solely by means of the Scheme Document and the Forms of Proxy, which will contain the full terms and conditions of the Acquisition, including details of how the Acquisition may be accepted.
Disclaimers
Shore Capital and Corporate Limited and Shore Capital Stockbrokers Limited (together "Shore Capital"), which are authorised and regulated in the
KPMG LLP ("KPMG"), which is authorised and regulated in the
This announcement is for information purposes only and is not intended to, and does not constitute, or form part of any offer, invitation, inducement or the solicitation of an offer to purchase, otherwise acquire, subscribe for, sell or otherwise dispose of or exercise rights in respect of any securities or the solicitation of any vote or approval in any jurisdiction pursuant to the Acquisition or otherwise. The Acquisition will be made solely through the Scheme Document and the accompanying Forms of Proxy (or by any other document by which the Acquisition is made), which will together contain the full terms and conditions of the Acquisition and the Scheme, including details of how to vote in respect of the Acquisition and the Scheme. Any decision 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 any document by which the Acquisition is made.
To the extent permitted by applicable law, in accordance with normal
Overseas Shareholders
The availability of the Acquisition to Overseas Shareholders and the distribution of this announcement in, into or from jurisdictions other than the
Failure to comply with any such restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the companies and persons involved in the Acquisition disclaim any responsibility or liability for the violation of such restrictions by any person. This announcement has been prepared for the purposes of complying with the law of
Additional Information for US Investors
The Acquisition is being made to acquire the securities of an English company by means of a scheme of arrangement provided for under the law of
The receipt of cash pursuant to the Acquisition by a US holder as consideration for the transfer of its Rotala Shares pursuant to the Scheme will likely be a taxable transaction for US federal income tax purposes and under applicable US state and local, as well as foreign and other, tax laws. Each Rotala Shareholder is urged to consult his legal, tax and financial advisers immediately regarding the tax consequences of the Acquisition applicable to him/her, including under applicable US state and local, as well as foreign and other, tax laws.
It may be difficult for US holders to enforce their rights and claims arising out of the US federal securities laws in connection with the Acquisition, since RGL and Rotala are located in countries other than
In the event that the Acquisition is implemented by way of Takeover Offer, in compliance with applicable
Neither the Acquisition nor this announcement have been approved or disapproved by the US Securities and Exchange Commission, any state securities commission in
Forward-Looking Statements
This announcement (including any information that is incorporated by reference into this announcement) contains statements about the Wider RGL Group and the Wider Rotala Group that are or may be forward-looking statements which are prospective in nature. All statements other than statements of historical facts may be forward-looking statements. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as "targets", "plans", "believes", "expects", "aims", "intends", "will", "should", "could", "would", "may", "anticipates", "estimates", "synergy", "cost-saving", "projects", "goal" or "strategy" or, words or terms of similar substance or the negative thereof. 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 the operations of the Wider RGL Group or the Wider Rotala Group and potential synergies resulting from the Acquisition; and (iii) the effects of government regulation on the businesses of the Wider RGL Group or the Wider Rotala Group.
These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and speak only at the date of this announcement. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could significantly affect expected results and are based on certain key assumptions. Many factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or implied in any forward-looking statements. Due to such uncertainties and risks, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this announcement. All subsequent oral or written forward-looking statements attributable to the Wider RGL Group or the Wider Rotala Group or any of their respective members, directors, officers or employees or any persons acting on their behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statement above. RGL and Rotala disclaim any obligation to update any forward-looking or other statements contained in this announcement, except as required by applicable law.
No Profit Forecasts or Estimates
No statement 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 for Rotala or RGL for the current or future financial years would necessarily match or exceed the historical published earnings or earnings per share for Rotala or RGL.
Disclosure Requirements of the Takeover 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 will 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 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 and availability of Hard Copies
Pursuant to Rule 26.1 of the Code, a copy of this announcement will be available free of charge (subject to any applicable restrictions with respect to persons resident in Restricted Jurisdictions) on Rotala's website (www.rotalaplc.com/our-investors/recommended-offer-for-the-company), by no later than 12 noon on 16 January 2024, the Business Day following this announcement. The Panel have consented to the sole use of this website in accordance with Rule 26 of the Takeover Code.
Neither the content of this website nor the content of any other website accessible from hyperlinks on any such website is incorporated into, or forms part of, this announcement.
Rotala Shareholders, persons with information rights and participants in the Rotala Share Scheme may request a hard copy of this announcement (and any information incorporated by reference in this announcement), free of charge, by contacting Neville Registrars during business hours on +44 (0)121 585 1131 or by submitting a request in writing to Neville Registrars, Neville House, Steelpark Road, Halesowen B62 8HD. Calls are charged at the standard geographic rate and will vary by provider. Calls outside the
If Rotala Shareholders are in any doubt about the contents of this Announcement or what action they should take, they are recommended to seek their own personal financial, tax and legal advice immediately from their stockbroker, bank manager, solicitor, accountant or other independent financial adviser duly authorised under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (as amended) if they are resident in the
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