NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN, INTO OR FROM ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OF SUCH JURISDICTION
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
1 November 2019
RECOMMENDED CASH ACQUISITION
of
BCA Marketplace plc ("BCA")
by
BBD Bidco Limited ("Bidco")
UPDATE ON THE FINANCING ARRANGEMENTS
On 26 June 2019, the boards of Bidco and BCA announced the terms of a recommended cash offer for the entire issued and to be issued ordinary share capital of BCA (the "Acquisition") to be made by Bidco, a special purpose vehicle formed by investment funds managed by TDR Capital LLP ("TDR") for the specific purpose of making the Acquisition.
The terms and conditions of the Acquisition were set out in the circular to BCA Shareholders dated 5 July 2019 (the "Scheme Document"). Capitalised terms used but not defined in this announcement have the meanings given to them Scheme Document.
Preference Share Subscription Agreement
As previously disclosed, BBD Holdings S.à r.l. and BBD Group S.à r.l entered into a Preference Share Subscription Agreement with the Subscribers (as defined therein) on 25 June 2019. On 4 September 2019, the Preference Share Subscription Agreement was amended by the parties thereto, and a copy of the amendment agreement relating to the Preference Share Subscription Agreement was uploaded to Bidco's offer website.
On 18 September 2019, a deed of novation was entered into in respect of the Preference Share Subscription Agreement (the "Deed of Novation"), and a copy of the Deed of Novation has been uploaded to Bidco's offer website.
On 31 October 2019, the Preference Share Subscription Agreement was further amended by the parties thereto pursuant to an amendment agreement (the "Preference Share Amendment Agreement"), and the Preference Share Amendment Agreement will be uploaded to Bidco's offer website.
Senior Facilities Agreement
As previously disclosed, BBD Parentco Limited entered into each of (i) the Senior Facilities Agreement on 25 June 2019 with the Mandated Lead Arrangers, the Agent and the Security Agent; and (ii) the Second Lien Facilities Agreement on 25 June 2019 with the Mandated Lead Arrangers, the Agent and the Security Agent. Further details of the arrangements pursuant to the Bidder Facilities are set out in the Scheme Document.
On 4 September 2019, each of the Senior Facilities Agreement and the Second Lien Facilities Agreement were amended and restated by the parties thereto and each of the amended and restated Senior Facilities Agreement and amended and restated Second Lien Facilities Agreement have been uploaded to Bidco's offer website. The Senior Facilities Agreement was further amended on 24 September 2019 pursuant to an amendment agreement, a copy of which has been uploaded to Bidco's offer website.
On 31 October, each of the Senior Facilities Agreement and the Second Lien Facilities Agreement were further amended by the parties thereto pursuant to separate amendment agreements, and copies of the amended Senior Facilities Agreement and amended Second Lien Facilities Agreement will be uploaded to Bidco's offer website.
Intercreditor Agreement
As previously disclosed, Bidco and BBD Parentco Limited entered into the Intercreditor Agreement with, amongst others, Bank of America Merrill Lynch International Designated Activity Company, HSBC and Royal Bank of
On 31 October, the Intercreditor Agreement was amended by the parties thereto pursuant to an amendment agreement (the "Intercreditor Amendment Agreement") and a copy of the Intercreditor Amendment Agreement will be uploaded to Bidco's offer website.
Enquiries:
Bidco |
|
Jonathan Sibun, Suniti Chauhan Tulchan Communications Group |
+44 (0) 20 7353 4200 tdrcapital@tulchangroup.com |
|
|
BofA Merrill Lynch (Lead Financial Adviser to Bidco) |
|
Justin Anstee, Geoff Iles, Joshua Maguire |
+44 (0) 20 7628 1000 |
|
|
HSBC (Financial Adviser to Bidco) |
|
Anthony Parsons, Barry Rose |
+44 (0) 20 7991 8888 |
Important notices relating to financial advisers
Merrill Lynch International ("BofA Merrill Lynch"), which is authorised by the
HSBC Bank plc ("HSBC"), which is authorised by the
Further information
This Announcement is for information purposes only and does not constitute or form part of an offer to sell or an invitation to purchase any securities or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, pursuant to the Acquisition or otherwise.
The Acquisition shall be implemented solely by means of the Scheme Document (or in the event that the Acquisition is to be implemented by means of a Takeover Offer, the Offer Document), which shall contain the full terms and conditions of the Acquisition, including details of how to vote in respect of the Acquisition.
This Announcement has been prepared for the purpose of complying with English law and the Takeover Code 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
This Announcement does not constitute a prospectus or prospectus equivalent document.
Overseas Shareholders
The release, publication or distribution of this Announcement in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law. Persons who are not resident in the
The Acquisition relates to shares of a
Unless otherwise determined by Bidco or required by the Takeover Code, and permitted by applicable law and regulation, the Acquisition shall 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 Acquisition by any such use, means, instrumentality or form within a Restricted Jurisdiction or any other jurisdiction if to do so would constitute a violation of the laws of that 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 where to do so would violate the laws in that jurisdiction, and persons receiving this Announcement and all documents relating to the Acquisition (including custodians, nominees and trustees) must not mail or otherwise distribute or send them in, into or from such jurisdictions where to do so would violate the laws in that jurisdiction. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the companies and persons involved in the Acquisition disclaim any responsibility or liability for violation of such restrictions by any person.
The availability of the Acquisition to BCA Shareholders who are not resident in the
The Acquisition shall be subject to the applicable requirements of the Takeover Code, the Panel, the London Stock Exchange and the Financial Conduct Authority.
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 pm (
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, 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 pm (
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. If you are in any doubt as to whether you are required to make an Opening Position Disclosure or a Dealing Disclosure, you should contact the Panel's Market Surveillance Unit on +44 (0)20 7638 0129.
In accordance with the Takeover Code, normal
Electronic communications
Please be aware that addresses, electronic addresses and certain information provided by BCA Shareholders, persons with information rights and other relevant persons for the receipt of communications from BCA may be provided to Bidco 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.
Publication on website and availability of hard copies
A copy of this Announcement shall be made available subject to certain restrictions relating to persons resident in Restricted Jurisdictions on Bidco's and BCA's websites at www.tdrcapital.com/bca-offer and www.bcamarketplaceplc.com respectively by no later than 12 noon (
Any person who is required to be sent a copy of this Announcement under the Takeover Code may request a hard copy of this Announcement by contacting Link Asset Services or on 0871 664 0300 from inside the
Rounding
Certain figures included in this Announcement have been subjected to rounding adjustments. Accordingly, figures shown for the same category presented in different tables may vary slightly and figures shown as totals in certain tables may not be an arithmetic aggregation of the figures that precede them.
Time
All times shown in this Announcement are
This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the