ROEBUCK FOOD GROUP PLC
THE INFORMATION CONTAINED WITHIN
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS DEEMED BY THE COMPANY TO CONSTITUTE INSIDE
INFORMATION AS STIPULATED UNDER THE MARKET ABUSE REGULATION (EU)
NO. 596/2014 BOTH GENERALLY AND AS IT FORMS PART OF UK DOMESTIC LAW
PURSUANT TO THE EUROPEAN UNION (WITHDRAWAL) ACT 2018, AS AMENDED.
UPON THE PUBLICATION OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT VIA A REGULATORY
INFORMATION SERVICE, THIS INFORMATION IS CONSIDERED TO BE IN THE
PUBLIC DOMAIN.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, INCLUDING THE
APPENDICES TO THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, AND THE INFORMATION CONTAINED
HEREIN, IS RESTRICTED AND IS NOT FOR PUBLICATION, RELEASE OR
DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR
INTO THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN, THE REPUBLIC OF
SOUTH AFRICA OR NEW ZEALAND OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH IT
WOULD BE UNLAWFUL TO DO SO.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, INCLUDING THE
APPENDICES TO THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, IS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY
AND DOES NOT ITSELF CONSTITUTE AN OFFER FOR SALE OR SUBSCRIPTION OF
ANY SECURITIES IN THE COMPANY. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AND THE
APPENDICES DO NOT CONSTITUTE OR CONTAIN ANY INVITATION,
SOLICITATION, RECOMMENDATION, OFFER OR ADVICE TO ANY PERSON TO
SUBSCRIBE FOR, OTHERWISE ACQUIRE OR DISPOSE OF ANY SECURITIES OF
ROEBUCK FOOD GROUP PLC IN ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH ANY SUCH OFFER
OR SOLICITATION WOULD BE UNLAWFUL.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT SHOULD BE READ IN
ITS ENTIRETY. IN PARTICULAR, YOU SHOULD READ AND UNDERSTAND THE
INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE APPENDICES INCLUDING APPENDIX II WHICH
CONTAINS THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE PLACING.
ROEBUCK
FOOD GROUP PLC
("Roebuck" or
"the Company", AIM: RFG)
Proposed
Investment in GlasPort Bio Limited and GlasPort Rumen Tech
Limited
Proposed
Placing and Subscription to raise up to €8.5 million
Extraordinary General Meeting
Investment
Roebuck Food Group plc (AIM: RFG) a group focused on growth and
innovation within the food and agribusiness sectors announces
conditional agreements:
- to acquire
a controlling interest of between 35-38.7% in GlasPort Bio Limited
("GlasPort Bio"), with an
option to increase its holding to 94.47% of voting shares,
exercisable in the period from 18 months to 4 years following
completion; and
- to acquire
an interest of 13-16.7% in GlasPort Rumen Tech Limited
("GlasPort Rumen
Tech").
GlasPort Bio, an early-stage
biotechnology company based in Galway, is focused on Greenhouse Gas
mitigation in agriculture, allowing farmers to increase their
productivity and profitability whilst reducing their carbon
emissions. GlasPort Bio's most developed technology is GasAbate
("GasAbate"). GasAbate is a
market ready manure management additive, proven to reduce methane
emissions by 80%. The technology has been installed on several
demonstration farms around Ireland, and is participating in on-farm
trials in other European countries.
GlasPort Rumen Tech, formerly part
of GlasPort Bio, has a product known as RumenGlas
("RumenGlas") in
an earlier stage of development. RumenGlas is a ruminant feed
additive which has been shown to reduce methane, hydrogen and
carbon dioxide emissions from ruminant livestock.
The RumenGlas business was
transferred to GlasPort Rumen Tech, by way of a restructuring, in
December 2024. These separate ruminant-feed and manure-additive
businesses will continue separately in the two
companies.
Post acquisition, Roebuck will
control the Board of GlasPort Bio and Justin McCarthy, currently a
senior executive in Roebuck will become CEO of GlasPort Bio and
Executive Chair of GlasPort Rumen Tech, and will no longer have
executive responsibilities in RFG.
GlasPort Bio Limited, as at
30th June 2024 as the combined business, had revenue of
€31,999 and had net assets of €368,729.
.
Consideration
The investment in GlasPort Bio is
being made by a combination of purchase of existing shares and
subscription for new shares at a pre-money valuation of €12
million, as follows:
- the
purchase of between 70,757 and 78,619 existing ordinary shares of
€0.00001 each in the share capital of GlasPort Bio from certain of
the existing shareholders for aggregate cash consideration of
between €2.25 million and €2.5 million; and
- the
subscription for between 94,343 and 110,066 new ordinary shares of
€0.00001 each in the share capital of GlasPort Bio for cash
consideration of between €3 million and €3.5 million.
Roebuck will also be granted a call
option to increase its stake in the voting shares of GlasPort Bio
to 94.47%, with the post-fundraising valuation price as the floor
price and valuation uplifts for the achievement of certain
milestones for GasAbate during the option period, being:
•
US Patent Approval;
•
upon inclusion in the greenhouse Gas Submission Inventory
calculation for Ireland or another market of similar size,
and;
•
upon inclusion in a second country's inventory calculation (similar
sized market)
or inclusion
by one of a select group of multinational food processors as the
criteria for sustainability premia payments to farmers.
The call option is exercisable
between 18 months and 4 years post transaction
completion.
The investment in GlasPort Rumen
Tech is at a pre money valuation of €5 million by way of a
subscription for new shares in the share capital of GlasPort Rumen
Tech Limited for cash consideration of between €0.75 million and €1
million.
Placing and Subscription
The Company intends to raise gross
proceeds of up to €8.5 million by means of:
- a placing
of new Ordinary Shares to certain institutional, professional, and
other investors at a price per Ordinary Share to be established
pursuant to the Book Build described below ("the Fundraise Price") (the "Placing");
-
subscriptions for new Ordinary Shares from other investors at the
Fundraise Price (the "Subscription").
The Placing and Subscription (the
"Fundraising") will be
subject to shareholder approval of the Investment and the passing
of a resolution authorising the issue of the Placing Shares and
Subscription Shares at an EGM to be convened following completion
of the Book Build.
The EGM is planned to take place on
23 January 2025 and in any event no later than 31 January
2025. A circular to shareholders containing the proposed
resolution or resolutions to be proposed at the EGM and other
information is planned to be despatched as soon as possible after
the Fundraising and in any event in time for an EGM to be held
within the envisaged timetable. A further announcement will
be made when the circular is posted.
Directors and Senior Management
intend to invest €185,000 as part of the Fundraising. The
proceeds of the Fundraising will be used to pay for the Investment
and costs associated with the transaction and for general working
capital requirements. J&E Davy are acting as broker on the
Placing.
Bookbuild
The Fundraising is to be conducted
by way of an accelerated bookbuild process ("the Book Build") which will commence
immediately following this Announcement and will be on the terms
and conditions of the Placing Agreement described in Appendix 1 to
this Announcement.
A further announcement confirming
the closing of the Book Build, the Fundraise Price, and the number
of Placing Shares and Subscription Shares to be issued is expected
to be made in due course.
Further Information
Commenting on the Investment and the
Placing, Chief Executive Kieran Mahon stated: "This is a great new
step out for Roebuck as we seek to grow in new and exciting areas
of the food and agri business sector. We are energised by the
growth opportunity represented by GlasPort and look forward to
getting innovative products like GasAbate established in the market
as quickly as possible"
Capitalised terms used but not
otherwise defined in this Announcement shall have the meanings
ascribed to such terms in Appendix 3 of this Announcement unless
the context requires otherwise. Particulars of and the
terms and conditions of the Placing are set out in Appendix 1 to
this Announcement. Further particulars of the Investment are set
out in Appendix 4 of this Announcement.
The directors of the Company accept
responsibility for this Announcement.
This Announcement should be read in
its entirety. In particular, your attention is drawn to the
detailed terms and conditions of the Placing and further
information relating to the Book Build described in the Appendices
to this Announcement (which form part of this
Announcement).
By choosing to participate in the
Placing and/or the Subscription and by making an oral and legally
binding offer to acquire Fundraising Shares, investors will be
deemed to have read and understood this Announcement in its
entirety (including the Appendices), and to be making such offer on
the terms and subject to the conditions of the Placing contained
herein, and to be providing the representations, warranties and
acknowledgements contained in the Appendices.
Enquiries:
Roebuck Food Group plc
Aidan Hughes, Finance
Director
Telephone: + 44 1293 862 498
J & E Davy (Broker)
Anthony
Farrell
Telephone: + 353 1 679 6363
Niall
Gilchrist
Telephone: + 353 1 614 2878
Davy
Davy, which is authorised and
regulated in Ireland by the Central Bank of Ireland, is acting as
the Company's nominated adviser (under the AIM Rules) and broker to
the Company in relation to the Placing. Davy will not be
responsible to any person other than the Company for providing the
protections afforded to clients of Davy or for providing advice to
any other person in connection with the Placing or the
Subscription. Davy accepts no liability whatsoever for the accuracy
of any information or opinions contained in this Announcement or
for the omission of any material information, for which it is not
responsible. Davy has not authorised the contents of, or any part
of, this Announcement and no liability whatsoever is accepted by
Davy for the accuracy of any information.
Information to Distributors
Solely for the purposes of the
product governance requirements contained within:
(a) EU Directive
2014/65/EU on markets in financial instruments, as amended
("MiFID II");
(b) Articles 9 and
10 of Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2017/593 supplementing
MiFID II;
(c) local
implementing measures;
(d) the foregoing as
they form part of the law of the United Kingdom by virtue of the UK
European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018
(together, the "MiFID II Product Governance
Requirements"), and disclaiming all and any liability,
whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise, which any
"manufacturer" (for the purposes of the MiFID II Product Governance
Requirements) may otherwise have with respect thereto, the Placing
Shares have been subject to a product approval process, which has
determined that such Placing Shares are:
(i) 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 MiFID II; and
(ii) eligible for
distribution through all distribution channels as are permitted by
MiFID II (the "Target Market
Assessment").
Notwithstanding the Target Market
Assessment, distributors should note that: the price of the Placing
Shares may decline and investors could lose all or part of their
investment; the Placing Shares offer no guaranteed income and no
capital protection; and an investment in the Placing 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 the requirements of any contractual, legal or
regulatory selling restrictions in relation to the Placing.
Furthermore, it is noted that, notwithstanding the Target Market
Assessment, the Bookrunner will only procure investors who meet the
criteria of professional clients and eligible counterparties or who
are Relevant Persons, as that term is defined in Appendix
1.
For the avoidance of doubt, the
Target Market Assessment does not constitute:
(a) an assessment of
suitability or appropriateness for the purposes of MiFID II;
or
(b) a recommendation
to any investor or group of investors to invest in, or purchase, or
take any other action whatsoever with respect to the Placing
Shares.
Each distributor is responsible for
undertaking its own target market assessment in respect of the
Placing Shares and determining appropriate distribution
channels.
APPENDIX 1
Terms and Conditions of the
Placing
IMPORTANT
INFORMATION REGARDING THE PLACING.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, INCLUDING THE
APPENDICES (TOGETHER, THE "ANNOUNCEMENT") AND THE INFORMATION
CONTAINED HEREIN IS RESTRICTED AND IS NOT FOR PUBLICATION, PUBLIC
RELEASE OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO OR FROM
THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN, NEW ZEALAND, THE
REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA OR ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH THE SAME
WOULD BE UNLAWFUL. PERSONS INTO WHOSE POSSESSION THIS ANNOUNCEMENT
(INCLUDING THE APPENDICES) COMES ARE REQUIRED BY THE COMPANY AND
THE BOOKRUNNER TO INFORM THEMSELVES ABOUT AND TO OBSERVE ANY SUCH
RESTRICTIONS.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT DOES NOT ITSELF
CONSTITUTE AN OFFER OR INVITATION TO UNDERWRITE AN OFFER FOR SALE
OR SUBSCRIPTION OF ANY SECURITIES IN THE COMPANY.
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE NOT
INVITED TO TAKE PART IN THE PLACING.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AND THE TERMS AND
CONDITIONS SET OUT IN THIS APPENDIX ARE FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES
ONLY AND ARE DIRECTED ONLY AT PERSONS WHO ARE:
(A) PERSONS IN MEMBER
STATES OF THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AREA ("EEA") AND THE UNITED KINGDOM WHO ARE
QUALIFIED INVESTORS WITHIN THE MEANING OF ARTICLE 2(E) OF
REGULATION (EU) 2017/1129 (TOGETHER WITH ITS DELEGATED AND
IMPLEMENTING REGULATIONS) (THE "PROSPECTUS REGULATION", WHICH SHALL BE
DEEMED TO INCLUDE EQUIVALENT OR COMPARABLE UNITED KINGDOM LAW)
("QUALIFIED
INVESTORS"),
(B) IF IN THE UNITED
KINGDOM, PERSONS WHO
(I) HAVE
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE IN MATTERS RELATING TO INVESTMENTS WHO FALL
WITHIN THE DEFINITION OF "INVESTMENT PROFESSIONALS" IN ARTICLE
19(5) OF THE FINANCIAL SERVICES AND MARKETS ACT 2000 (FINANCIAL
PROMOTION) ORDER 2005, AS AMENDED ("THE ORDER"), OR ARE HIGH NET WORTH
COMPANIES, UNINCORPORATED ASSOCIATIONS OR PARTNERSHIPS OR TRUSTEES
OF HIGH VALUE TRUSTS AS DESCRIBED IN ARTICLE 49(2) OF THE ORDER
AND
(II) ARE "QUALIFIED
INVESTORS" AS DEFINED IN SECTION 86 OF THE FINANCIAL SERVICES AND
MARKETS ACT 2000, AS AMENDED ("FSMA"), AND
(C) OTHERWISE, TO PERSONS
TO WHOM IT MAY OTHERWISE BE LAWFUL TO COMMUNICATE IT TO AND IN
CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH WOULD NOT TRIGGER THE REQUIREMENT TO PUBLISH A
PROSPECTUS PURSUANT TO THE PROSPECTUS REGULATION,
(EACH A "RELEVANT PERSON").
NO OTHER PERSON SHOULD ACT OR RELY
ON THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AND PERSONS DISTRIBUTING THIS ANNOUNCEMENT
MUST SATISFY THEMSELVES THAT IT IS LAWFUL TO DO SO AND DOING SO
DOES NOT TRIGGER THE REQUIREMENT TO PUBLISH A PROSPECTUS PURSUANT
TO THE PROSPECTUS REGULATION. BY ACCEPTING THE TERMS OF THIS
ANNOUNCEMENT YOU REPRESENT AND AGREE THAT YOU ARE A RELEVANT
PERSON. THIS APPENDIX AND THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SET OUT HEREIN
MUST NOT BE ACTED ON OR RELIED ON BY PERSONS WHO ARE NOT RELEVANT
PERSONS. ANY INVESTMENT OR INVESTMENT ACTIVITY TO WHICH THIS
ANNOUNCEMENT (INCLUDING THIS APPENDIX) AND THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS
SET OUT HEREIN RELATE IS AVAILABLE ONLY TO RELEVANT PERSONS AND
WILL BE ENGAGED IN ONLY WITH RELEVANT PERSONS. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT
(INCLUDING THIS APPENDIX) DOES NOT ITSELF CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO
SELL OR ISSUE OR THE SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY OR ACQUIRE ANY
SECURITIES IN THE COMPANY.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT (AND THE
INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN) DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AND MAY NOT BE
CONSTRUED AS AN OFFER OF SECURITIES FOR SALE IN THE UNITED STATES,
AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN, THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA OR IN ANY
OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH THE SAME WOULD BE UNLAWFUL TO DO
SO.
THE PLACING SHARES HAVE NOT BEEN AND
WILL NOT BE REGISTERED UNDER THE US SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS
AMENDED (THE "SECURITIES
ACT"), OR UNDER THE APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE
OR OTHER JURISDICTION OF THE UNITED STATES, AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED,
SOLD, ACQUIRED, RESOLD, TRANSFERRED OR DELIVERED, DIRECTLY OR
INDIRECTLY WITHIN, INTO OR IN THE UNITED STATES, EXCEPT PURSUANT TO
AN APPLICABLE EXEMPTION FROM, OR IN A TRANSACTION NOT SUBJECT TO,
THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT AND IN
COMPLIANCE WITH THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY RELEVANT STATE OR OTHER
JURISDICTION OF THE UNITED STATES. THERE WILL BE NO PUBLIC OFFER OF
THE PLACING SHARES IN THE UNITED STATES, THE UNITED KINGDOM OR
ELSEWHERE.
EACH PLACEE SHOULD CONSULT WITH ITS
OWN ADVISERS AS TO LEGAL, TAX, BUSINESS AND RELATED ASPECTS OF A
SUBSCRIPTION FOR PLACING SHARES.
Persons (including individuals,
funds or otherwise) who are invited to and who have chosen to
participate in the Placing (and any person acting in such person's
behalf), by making an oral or written offer to subscribe for
Placing Shares will be deemed to have read and understood this
Announcement, including this Appendix, in its entirety and to be
making such offer on the terms and conditions, and to be providing
the representations, warranties, acknowledgements, and undertakings
contained in this Appendix.
Preliminary Representations by Placees
In this Appendix, unless the context
otherwise requires, "Placee" means a Relevant Person
(including individuals, funds or others) by whom or on whose behalf
a commitment to subscribe for Placing Shares has been given. In
particular, each such Placee represents, warrants and acknowledges
that:
1. it is a
Relevant Person (as defined above) and undertakes that it will
acquire, hold, manage or dispose of any Placing Shares that are
allocated to it for the purposes of its business;
2 in the
case of any Placing Shares acquired by it as a financial
intermediary, as that term is used in Article 5(1) of the
Prospectus Regulation,
(i) the
Placing Shares acquired by it in the Placing have not been acquired
on behalf of, nor have they been acquired with a view to their
offer or resale to, persons in any member state of the EEA or the
UK or to which the Prospectus Regulation otherwise applies other
than Qualified Investors or in circumstances in which the prior
written consent of the Bookrunner has been given to the offer or
resale; or
(ii) where Placing
Shares have been acquired by it on behalf of persons in any member
state of the EEA or the UK other than Qualified Investors, the
offer of those Placing Shares to it is not treated under the
Prospectus Regulation as having been made to such
persons;
3 except
as otherwise permitted by the Bookrunner,
(i) it and the
person(s), if any, for whose account or benefit it is acquiring the
Placing Shares are purchasing the Placing Shares in an "offshore
transaction" as defined in Regulation S under the Securities
Act;
(ii) it is aware of
the restrictions on the offer and sale of the Placing Shares
pursuant to Regulation S; and
(iii) the Placing Shares
have not been offered to it by means of any "directed selling
efforts" as defined in Regulation S;
4 it is
acquiring the Placing Shares for its own account or as a financial
intermediary (as that term is used in Article 5(1) of the
Prospectus Regulation) or is acquiring the Placing Shares for an
account with respect to which it exercises sole investment
discretion and has the authority to make and does make the
representations, warranties, indemnities, acknowledgements and
agreements contained in this Announcement;
5 it
understands (or, if acting for the account of another person, such
person understands) the resale and transfer restrictions set out in
this Appendix;
6 it
acknowledges that:
(i) the
Placing Shares have not been and will not be registered under the
Securities Act or with any securities regulatory authority of any
state or other jurisdiction of the United States and may not be
offered, sold or transferred, directly or indirectly, 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;
and
(ii) the Placing
Shares have not been approved or disapproved by the US Securities
and Exchange Commission, any state securities commission or other
regulatory authority in the United States, nor have any of the
foregoing authorities passed upon or endorsed the merits of the
Placing or the accuracy or adequacy of this Announcement and any
representation to the contrary is a criminal offence in the United
States.
7 the
Company and the Bookrunner will rely upon the truth and accuracy of
the foregoing representations, acknowledgements and
agreements.
Notice to intermediaries
Persons (including, without
limitation, nominees and trustees) who have a contractual or other
legal obligation to forward a copy of this Appendix (or the
Announcement of which it forms part) should seek appropriate advice
before taking any action.
Details of the Placing
The Bookrunner has entered into a
placing agreement with the Company (the "Placing Agreement") under
which, subject to the conditions set out therein, the Bookrunner
has agreed to use its reasonable endeavours to procure subscribers
for the Placing Shares at the Fundraise Price.
The Placing is conditional upon the
Placing Agreement becoming unconditional in all
respects.
The New Ordinary Shares will, when
issued, rank pari passu in all respects with the existing Ordinary
Shares in the Company, including the right to receive dividends and
other distributions declared, made or paid after the date of their
allotment.
Application for admission to trading
Application for Admission in respect
of the New Ordinary Shares will be made to London Stock Exchange.
It is expected that Admission will become effective and that
dealings in the New Ordinary Shares will commence on AIM at 8.00am
on 24th January 2025, and in any event no later than 31
January 2025.
Book Build
The Bookrunner will today commence
the Book Building process in respect of the Placing (the
"Book Build") to determine
demand for participation in the Placing by Placees. This Appendix
gives details of the terms and conditions of, and the mechanics of
participation in, the Placing. No commissions will be paid to
Placees or by Placees in respect of any Placing Shares.
The Bookrunner and the Company shall
be entitled to effect the Placing by such alternative method to the
Book Build as they may, in their sole discretion,
determine.
Participation in, and principal terms of, the
Placing
The Bookrunner is arranging the
Placing as agent for and on behalf of the Company. Participation in
the Placing will only be available to Placees who may lawfully be,
and are, invited to participate by the Bookrunner or otherwise
lawfully participate in the Placing. The Bookrunner's agents and
its respective affiliates are each entitled to enter bids in the
Book Build as principal.
The number of Placing Shares to be
issued will be agreed between the Bookrunner and the Company
following completion of the Book Build. The number of Placing
Shares will be announced on a Regulatory Information Service
following the completion of the Book Build.
To bid in the Book Build, Placees
should communicate their bid by telephone or in writing to their
usual sales contact at Davy. Each bid should state the number of
Placing Shares which the prospective Placee wishes to acquire at
the Fundraise Price to be established by the Company and the
Bookrunner. The minimum bid must be for Placing Shares with an
aggregate subscription amount of €50,000 which bids may be scaled
down by the Bookrunner on the basis referred to below.
The Book Build is expected to close
on 20th December 2024, but may be closed earlier at the absolute
discretion of the Bookrunner. The Bookrunner may, in agreement with
the Company, accept bids that are received after the Book Build has
closed. The Company reserves the right (upon the agreement of the
Bookrunner) to reduce or seek to increase (subject to the maximum
size referred to in the Announcement) the amount to be raised
pursuant to the Placing.
The Bookrunner will determine in its
absolute discretion (in consultation with the Company) the extent
of each Placee's participation in the Placing, which will not
necessarily be the same for each Placee and this will be confirmed
orally or in writing by the Bookrunner as agent of the Company
("Confirmation"). No
element of the Placing will be underwritten. Confirmation will
constitute an irrevocable legally binding commitment upon that
person (who will at that point become a Placee) to subscribe for
the number of Placing Shares allocated to it at the Fundraise Price
on the terms and conditions set out in this Appendix (a copy of the
terms and conditions having been provided to the Placee prior to or
at the same time as such oral or written confirmation) and in
accordance with the Articles. Each prospective Placee's allocation
and commitment will be evidenced by a contract note or an
electronic trade confirmation issued to such Placee by the
Bookrunner. The terms of this Appendix will be deemed incorporated
by reference therein. For the avoidance of doubt, the Confirmation
constitutes each Placee's irrevocable legally binding agreement,
subject to the Placing Agreement not having been terminated, to pay
the aggregate settlement amount for the Placing Shares to be
subscribed for by that Placee regardless of the total number of
Placing Shares (if any) subscribed for by any other investor(s)
and, except with the consent of the Bookrunner, the Confirmation
will not be capable of variation or revocation after the time at
which it is submitted.
The Bookrunner reserves the right to
scale back the number of Placing Shares to be subscribed by any
Placee in the event of an oversubscription under the Placing. The
Bookrunner also reserves the right not to accept offers for Placing
Shares or to accept such offers in part rather than in
whole.
Each Placee will be required to pay
to the Bookrunner (or as it may direct), on the Company's behalf,
the Fundraise Price for each Placing Share agreed to be acquired by
it under the Placing in accordance with the terms set out herein.
Each Placee's obligation to acquire and pay for Placing Shares
under the Placing will be owed to the Bookrunner and the Company.
Each Placee has an immediate, separate, irrevocable and binding
obligation, owed to the Bookrunner, to pay to the Bookrunner (or as
it may direct) in cleared funds an amount equal to the product of
the Fundraise Price and the number of Placing Shares such Placee
has agreed to subscribe for. Each Placee will be deemed to have
read and understood this Appendix in its entirety, to be
participating in the Placing upon the terms and conditions
contained in this Appendix, and to be providing the
representations, warranties, agreements, acknowledgements and
undertakings, in each case as contained in this
Appendix.
To the fullest extent permitted by
law and applicable FCA rules (the "FCA Rules") and CBI rules, neither (i)
the Bookrunner, nor (ii) any of its directors, officers, employees
or consultants, nor (iii) to the extent not contained within (i) or
(ii), any person connected with the Bookrunner as defined in the
FCA Rules ((i), (ii) and (iii) being together "affiliates" and individually an
"affiliate"), shall have
any liability to Placees or to any person other than the Company in
respect of the Placing.
Irrespective of the time at which a
Placee's participation in the Placing is confirmed, settlement for
all Placing Shares to be acquired pursuant to the Placing will be
required to be made at the same time, on the basis explained below
under 'Registration and Settlement'.
Completion of the Placing will be
subject to the fulfilment of the conditions referred to below under
'Conditions of the Placing' and to the Placing not being terminated
on the basis referred to below under 'Termination of the Placing
Agreement'. In the event that the Placing Agreement does not become
unconditional in any respect or, after having been entered into, is
terminated, the Placing will not proceed, and all funds delivered
by the Placee to the Bookrunner (or as it may direct) in respect of
the Placee's participation will be returned to the Placee at the
Placee's risk without interest.
By participating in the Placing,
each Placee agrees that its rights and obligations in respect of
the Placing will terminate only in the circumstances described
below and will not otherwise be capable of rescission or
termination by the Placee.
By participating in the Placing,
each Placee is deemed to have read and understood this
Announcement, including the Appendices, in its entirety and to be
making such offer on the terms and conditions, and to be providing
the representations, warranties, acknowledgements, and undertakings
contained in the Appendices. To the fullest extent permissible by
law, neither the Company, nor the Bookrunner nor any of its
respective affiliates shall have any liability to Placees (or to
any other person whether acting on behalf of a Placee or
otherwise). In particular, neither the Bookrunner nor any of its
affiliates shall have any liability (including to the extent
permissible by law, any fiduciary duties) in respect of the
Bookrunner's conduct of the Book Build or of such alternative
method of effecting the Placing as the Bookrunner and the Company
may agree.
Conditions of the Issue of the Placing
Shares
The obligations of the Bookrunner
under the Placing Agreement in respect of the Placing Shares are
conditional on, amongst other things:
(a) the Company
having complied with its obligations under the Placing Agreement
(to the extent that such obligations fall to be performed prior to
Admission);
(b) the passing of
the resolutions to be considered at the EGM;
(c) the Placing
Agreement having become unconditional (save for Admission) and not
having been terminated in accordance with its terms prior to
Admission;
(d) Admission having
occurred not later than 8.00am on 31 January 2025 or such later
date as the Company and the Bookrunner may agree in writing, but in
any event not later than 8.00am on the Long Stop Date.
If
(i) any of the
conditions contained in the Placing Agreement are not fulfilled or
waived
by the Bookrunner by the respective time or date where
specified,
(ii) any of such
conditions becomes incapable of being fulfilled or
(iii) the Placing
Agreement is terminated in the circumstances specified
below,
the Placing will not proceed and the
Placee's rights and obligations hereunder in relation to the
Placing Shares shall cease and terminate at such time and each
Placee agrees that no claim can be made by the Placee in respect
thereof. The Bookrunner at its absolute discretion may waive
compliance by the Company with the whole or any part of any of the
Company's obligations in relation to the conditions in the Placing
Agreement or otherwise extend the time for fulfilment of all or any
part of such conditions. Any such waiver or extension will not
affect Placees' commitments as set out in this Announcement
(including this Appendix).
Neither the Bookrunner, the Company
nor any other person shall have any liability to any Placee (or to
any other person whether acting on behalf of a Placee or otherwise)
in respect of any decision they may make as to whether or not to
waive or to extend the time and/or the date for the satisfaction of
any condition to the Placing nor for any decision they (or any one
of them) may make as to the satisfaction of any condition or in
respect of the Placing generally, and by participating in the
Placing each Placee agrees that any such decision is within the
absolute discretion of the Bookrunner.
Termination of the Placing Agreement
The Bookrunner is entitled at any
time before Admission, to terminate the Placing Agreement in
relation to its obligations in respect of the Placing Shares by
giving notice to the Company if, amongst other things:
(a) the Company has
failed to or is unable to comply with any of its obligations under
the Placing Agreement in any material respect; or
(b) any statement in
the placing documents has become or been discovered to be untrue,
inaccurate or misleading or that there has been a material omission
therefrom; or
(c) any warranty
given by the Company in the Placing Agreement is, or would be if
repeated at any time up to Admission (by reference to the facts
then subsisting), untrue, inaccurate or misleading; or
(d) there shall have
occurred
(i) any
change, or development involving a prospective change, in national
or international, military, diplomatic, monetary, economic,
political, financial, industrial or market conditions or exchange
rates or exchange controls, or any incident of terrorism or
outbreak or escalation of hostilities or any declaration by the UK,
the Republic of Ireland or the US of a national emergency or war or
any other calamity or crisis; or
(ii) a suspension of
trading in securities generally on the London Stock Exchange, or
New York Stock Exchange or trading is limited, or minimum prices
established on any such exchange; or
(iii) a declaration of a
banking moratorium in London, Dublin or by the US federal or New
York State authorities or any material disruption to commercial
banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the US,
the Republic of Ireland or the UK,
which, in each case, in the opinion
of the Bookrunner acting in good faith, would or would be likely to
prejudice materially the Company or the Placing, or make the
success of the Placing doubtful or makes it impracticable or
inadvisable to proceed with the Placing.
Upon such termination, the parties
to the Placing Agreement shall be released and discharged (except
for any liability arising before or in relation to such
termination) from their respective obligations under or pursuant to
the Placing Agreement, subject to certain exceptions.
By participating in the Placing,
Placees agree that the exercise by the Bookrunner of any right of
termination or other discretion under the Placing Agreement shall
be within the absolute discretion of the Bookrunner and that the
Bookrunner shall not make any reference to Placees in relation
thereto and that the Bookrunner shall have no liability to
Placees whatsoever in connection with any such exercise or failure
so to exercise.
No
Prospectus
No offering document, prospectus or
admission document has been or will be submitted to be approved by
the FCA, CBI or submitted to the London Stock Exchange in relation
to the Placing and Placees' commitments will be made solely on the
basis of their own assessment of the Company, the Placing Shares
and the Placing based on the Company's publicly available
information taken together with the information contained in this
Announcement (including this Appendix) released by the Company
today and any information publicly announced to a Regulatory
Information Service by or on behalf of the Company on or prior to
the date of this Announcement, and subject to the further terms set
forth in the contract note to be provided to individual prospective
Placees.
Each Placee, by accepting a
participation in the Placing, agrees that the content of this
Announcement (including this Appendix) is exclusively the
responsibility of the Company and confirms that it has neither
received nor relied on any other information, representation,
warranty, or statement made by or on behalf of the Company, the
Bookrunner or any other person and neither the Bookrunner nor the
Company nor any other person will be liable for any Placee's
decision to participate in the Placing based on any other
information, representation, warranty or statement which such
Placee may have obtained or received.
Each Placee acknowledges and agrees
that it has relied on its own investigation of the business,
financial or other position of the Company in accepting a
participation in the Placing. No Placee should consider any
information in this Announcement (including this Appendix) to be
legal, tax or business advice. Each Placee should consult its own
legal adviser, tax adviser and/or business adviser for legal, tax
and business advice regarding an investment in the Placing Shares.
Nothing in this paragraph shall exclude the liability of any person
for fraudulent misrepresentation.
Registration and Settlement
Settlement of transactions in the
Placing Shares (ISIN IE0006447985) following Admission will
take place within the central securities depositary system
administered by Euroclear Bank SA/NV ("Euroclear Bank") (the "Euroclear System"), using the delivery
versus payment mechanism, subject to certain exceptions. Subject to
certain exceptions, the Bookrunner reserves the right to require
settlement for and delivery of the Placing Shares to Placees by
such other means that it deems necessary, if delivery or settlement
is not possible or practicable within the Euroclear System within
the timetable set out in this Announcement or would not be
consistent with the regulatory requirements in the Placee's
jurisdiction.
Each Placee which is allocated
Placing Shares in the Placing will be sent a trade confirmation
stating the number of Placing Shares allocated to it, the Fundraise
Price, the aggregate amount owed by such Placee and settlement
instructions.
Placees should settle against
Euroclear ID: EC 66909 for Davy. It is expected that such trade
confirmation will be despatched on or before 23 December 2024 and
that this will also be the trade date. Each Placee agrees that it
will do all things necessary to ensure that delivery and payment is
completed in accordance with either the standing Euroclear System
or certificated settlement instructions which it has in place with
the Bookrunner.
It is expected that settlement will
be on 24 January 2025 on a delivery versus payment basis in
accordance with the instructions set out in the trade confirmation
unless otherwise notified by the Bookrunner.
Each Placee agrees that it will do
all things necessary to ensure that delivery and payment is
completed no later than 23 January 2025 in accordance with those
instructions or other certificated settlement instructions that it
has in place with the Bookrunner.
Interest is chargeable daily on
payments not received from Placees on the due date in accordance
with the arrangements set out above at the rate of two percentage
points above the base rate of SONIA as determined by the
Bookrunner.
Each Placee is deemed to agree that
if it does not comply with these obligations, the Bookrunner may
sell any or all of the Placing Shares allocated to the Placee on
such Placee's behalf and retain from the proceeds, for the
Bookrunner's own account and profit, an amount equal to the
aggregate amount owed by the Placee plus any interest due. The
Placee will, however, remain liable for any shortfall below the
aggregate amount owed by such Placee and it may be required to bear
any stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax (together with any
interest or penalties) which may arise upon the sale of such
Placing Shares on such Placee's behalf.
If Placing Shares are to be
delivered to a custodian or settlement agent, the Placee should
ensure that the trade confirmation is copied and delivered
immediately to the relevant person within that organisation.
Insofar as Placing Shares are registered in the Placee's name or
that of its nominee or in the name of any person for whom the
Placee is contracting as agent or that of a nominee for such
person, such Placing Shares will, subject as provided below, be so
registered free from any liability to stamp duty or stamp duty
reserve tax. If there are any circumstances in which any other
stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax is payable in respect of the
issue of the Placing Shares, neither the Bookrunner nor the Company
shall be responsible for the payment thereof. Placees will not be
entitled to receive any fee or commission in connection with the
Placing.
Further Representations and Warranties
By submitting a bid and/or
participating in the Placing, each Placee (and any person acting on
such Placee's behalf) acknowledges, undertakes, represents,
warrants and agrees (as the case may be) that:
1 it has
read and understood this Announcement, including this Appendix, in
its entirety and that its participation in the Placing and its
acquisition of Placing Shares is subject to and based upon all the
terms, conditions, representations, warranties, acknowledgements,
agreements and undertakings and other information contained
herein;
2 it has
received this Announcement solely for its use and has not
redistributed or duplicated it and it will not redistribute or
duplicate this Announcement or any other materials concerning the
Placing (including any electronic copies thereof);
3 no
offering document, prospectus or admission document has been or
will be prepared in connection with the Placing and it has not
received a prospectus, admission document or other offering
document in connection with the Book Build, the Placing or the
Placing Shares;
4 its
participation in the Placing shall also be subject to the
provisions of the Placing Agreement and the Articles;
5 it has
made its own assessment of the Company, the Placing Shares and the
terms of the Placing based on this Announcement (including this
Appendix) and any information publicly announced to a Regulatory
Information Service by or on behalf of the Company prior to the
date of this Announcement (the "Publicly Available
Information");
6 the
Ordinary Shares are admitted to trading on AIM, and the Company is
therefore required to publish certain business and financial
information in accordance with the rules and practices of AIM
(collectively, the "Exchange
Information"), which includes a description of the nature of
the Company's business and the Company's most recent balance sheet
and profit and loss account and that it is able to obtain or access
such Exchange Information without undue difficulty and is able to
obtain access to such information or comparable information
concerning any other publicly traded company without undue
difficulty;
7 it has
had access to such financial and other information (including the
business, financial condition, prospects, creditworthiness, status
and affairs of the Company, the Placing and the Placing Shares, as
well as the opportunity to ask questions) concerning the Company,
the Placing and the Placing Shares as it has deemed necessary in
connection with its own investment decision to acquire any of the
Placing Shares and has satisfied itself that the information is
still current and relied on that investigation for the purposes of
its decision to participate in the Placing;
8
neither the Bookrunner, the Company nor any of their respective
affiliates, agents, directors, officers, employees or any person
acting on behalf of any of them has provided, and will not provide,
it with any material regarding the Placing Shares or the Company
other than the information included in this Announcement; nor has
it requested the Bookrunner, the Company, any of their respective
affiliates or any person acting on behalf of any of them to provide
it with any such information;
9 the
content of this Announcement (including this Appendix) is
exclusively the responsibility of the Company and that neither the
Bookrunner, nor any person acting on its behalf has or shall have
any liability for any information, representation or statement
contained in this Announcement or any information previously
published by or on behalf of the Company and will not be liable for
any Placee's decision to participate in the Placing based on any
information, representation or statement contained in this
Announcement or otherwise;
10 the only
information on which it is entitled to rely and on which such
Placee has relied in committing itself to subscribe for the Placing
Shares is contained in this Announcement and any Publicly Available
Information (including the Exchange Information), such information
being all that it deems necessary to make an investment decision in
respect of the Placing Shares and that it has neither received nor
relied on any other information given or representations,
warranties or statements made by the Bookrunner or the Company or
their respective affiliates and none of the Bookrunner nor the
Company nor their respective affiliates will be liable for any
Placee's decision to accept an invitation to participate in the
Placing based on any other information, representation, warranty or
statement;
11 it has relied on
its own investigation of the business, financial or other position
of the Company in deciding to participate in the
Placing;
12 to the extent it
has received any inside information (for the purposes of MAR) in
relation to the Company and its securities, it has not:
(i) dealt (or
attempted to deal) in the securities of the Company;
(ii) encouraged,
recommended or induced another person to deal in the securities of
the Company; or
(iii) unlawfully disclosed
inside information to any person, prior to the information being
made publicly available;
13 neither the
Bookrunner nor any person acting on its behalf nor any of its
respective affiliates has or shall have any liability for any
Publicly Available Information (including any Exchange
Information), or any representation relating to the Company,
provided that nothing in this paragraph excludes the liability of
any person for fraudulent misrepresentation made by that
person;
14 it has complied
with its obligations under the Criminal Justice Act 1993 and MAR
and in connection with money laundering and terrorist financing
under the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist
Financing) Act 2010 (as amended), the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002
(as amended), the Terrorism Act 2000 (as amended), the Terrorism
Act 2006 (as amended) and the Money Laundering Regulations 2007,
the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds
(Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017 (the "AML Regulations") and any related or
similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or
enforced by any government agency having jurisdiction in respect
thereof or under or under any other applicable equivalent Irish
legislation and the Money Laundering Sourcebook of the FCA and, if
making payment on behalf of a third party, that satisfactory
evidence has been obtained and recorded by it to verify the
identity of the third party as required by the AML
Regulations;
15 if it is a
financial intermediary, as that term is used in Article 5(1) of the
Prospectus Regulation, the Placing Shares subscribed for by it in
the Placing will not be acquired on a non-discretionary basis on
behalf of, nor will they be acquired with a view to their offer or
resale to, persons in a member state of the EEA or to which the
Prospectus Regulation otherwise applies other than to qualified
investors, or in circumstances in which the prior written consent
of the Bookrunner has been given to the proposed offer or
resale;
16 it has not
offered or sold and will not offer or sell any Placing Shares to
persons in the United Kingdom, except to persons whose ordinary
activities involve them in acquiring, holding, managing or
disposing of investments (as principal or agent) for the purposes
of their business or otherwise in circumstances which have not
resulted and which will not result in an offer to the public in the
United Kingdom within the meaning of section 85(1) of
FSMA;
17 it has not
offered or sold and will not offer or sell any Placing Shares to
persons in the UK or EEA prior to Admission except to persons whose
ordinary activities involve them in acquiring, holding, managing or
disposing of investments (as principal or agent) for the purposes
of their business or otherwise in circumstances which have not
resulted in and which will not result in an offer to the public in
the UK or any member state of the EEA within the meaning of the
Prospectus Regulation (including any relevant implementing measure
in any member state);
18 it has only
communicated or caused to be communicated and will only communicate
or cause to be communicated any invitation or inducement to engage
in investment activity (within the meaning of section 21 of FSMA)
relating to the Placing Shares in circumstances in which section
21(1) of FSMA does not require approval of the communication by an
authorised person;
19 it has complied
and will comply with all applicable provisions of FSMA with respect
to anything done by it in relation to the Placing Shares in, from
or otherwise involving, the United Kingdom;
20 if within the
United Kingdom, it is a person falling within Article 19(5) and/or
Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Financial Services and Markets Act
2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended, and is a
qualified investor as defined in Section 86 of FSMA or is a person
to whom this Announcement may otherwise be lawfully
communicated;
21 any offer of
Placing Shares may only be directed at persons in member states of
the EEA who are "qualified investors" within the meaning of Article
2(e) of the Prospectus Regulation and represents and agrees that,
in the EEA, it is such a qualified investor or otherwise, to
persons to whom it may otherwise be lawful to communicate
it.;
22 it and any person
acting on its behalf is entitled to subscribe for Placing Shares
under the laws of all relevant jurisdictions which apply to
it;
23 it has all
necessary capacity and has obtained all necessary consents and
authorities to enable it to commit to this participation in the
Placing (including executing and delivering all documents necessary
for such participation);
24 it is and will
remain liable to the Company and/or the Bookrunner for the
performance of all of its obligations in relation thereto
(including, without limitation, in the case of any person on whose
behalf it is acting, all necessary consents and authorities to
agree to the terms set out or referred to in this Announcement) and
will honour such obligations, and that its subscription of the
Placing Shares will be in compliance with applicable laws and
regulations in the jurisdiction of its residence, the residence of
the Company, or otherwise;
25 it has paid any
issue, transfer or other taxes due in connection with its
participation in any territory,
26 it has not taken
any action which will or may result in the Company, the Bookrunner
or any of their respective affiliates or any person acting on their
behalf being in breach of the legal and/or regulatory requirements
of any territory in connection with the Placing. Each Placee agrees
that the provisions of this paragraph 26 shall survive the resale
of the Placing Shares by or on behalf of any person for whom it is
acting;
27 the Placing
Shares have not been and will not be registered under the
Securities Act or with any securities regulatory authority of any
state or jurisdiction of the United States, or the relevant
Australian, Canadian, Japanese, New Zealand or South African
securities legislation and therefore the Placing Shares may not be
offered, sold, transferred or delivered directly or indirectly into
the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand or the
Republic of South Africa or their respective territories and
possessions, except subject to limited exemptions;
28 it has complied
with all relevant laws and regulations of all relevant territories,
obtained all requisite governmental or other consents which may be
required in connection with the Placing Shares, complied with all
requisite formalities and that it has not taken any action or
omitted to take any action which will or may result in the
Bookrunner, the Company or any of its respective directors,
officers, agents, employees or advisers acting in breach of the
legal or regulatory requirements of any territory in connection
with the Placing;
29 its purchase of
Placing Shares does not trigger, in the jurisdiction in which it is
resident or located:
(i) any
obligation to prepare or file a prospectus or similar document or
any other report with respect to such purchase;
(ii) any disclosure
or reporting obligation of the Company; or (iii) any registration
or other obligation on the part of the Company;
30 it (and any
person acting on its behalf) will make payment for the Placing
Shares allocated to it in accordance with this Announcement on the
due time and date set out herein, failing which the relevant
Placing Shares may be placed with other subscribers or sold as the
Bookrunner may in its discretion determine and it will remain
liable for any amount by which the net proceeds of such sale falls
short of the product of the Fundraise Price and the number of
Placing Shares allocated to it and may be required to bear any
stamp duty for stamp duty reserve tax (together with any interest
or penalties due pursuant to the terms set out or referred to in
this Announcement) which may arise upon the sale of such Placee's
Placing Shares on its behalf;
31 neither the
Bookrunner nor any of its respective affiliates, nor any person
acting on behalf of them, is making any recommendations to it,
advising it regarding the suitability of any transactions it may
enter into in connection with the Placing and that participation in
the Placing is on the basis that it is not and will not be a client
of the Bookrunner for the purposes of the Placing and that the
Bookrunner has no duties or responsibilities to it for providing
the protections afforded to its clients or for providing advice in
relation to the Placing nor in respect of any representations,
warranties, undertakings or indemnities contained in the Placing
Agreement nor for the exercise or performance of any of their
rights and obligations thereunder including any rights to waive or
vary any conditions or exercise any termination right;
32 the person whom
it specifies for registration as holder of the Placing Shares will
be
(i) itself;
or
(ii) its nominee, as
the case may be;
33 neither the
Bookrunner nor the Company will be responsible for any liability to
stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax resulting from a failure to
observe this requirement. Each Placee and any person acting on
behalf of such Placee agrees to participate in the Placing and it
agrees to indemnify the Company and the Bookrunner in respect of
the same on the basis that the Placing Shares will be allotted to
the Euroclear Bank securities clearance account of the Bookrunner
who will hold them as nominee on behalf of such Placee;
34 these terms and
conditions and any agreements entered into by it pursuant to these
terms and conditions and any non-contractual obligations arising
out of or in connection with such agreements shall be governed by
and construed in accordance with the laws of Ireland and it submits
(on behalf of itself and on behalf of any person on whose behalf it
is acting) to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Irish courts as
regards any claim, dispute or matter arising out of any such
contract, except that enforcement proceedings in respect of the
obligation to make payment for the Placing Shares (together with
any interest chargeable thereon) may be taken by the Company or the
Bookrunner in any jurisdiction in which the relevant Placee is
incorporated or in which any of its securities have a quotation on
a recognised stock exchange;
35 the Bookrunner
and its affiliates will rely upon the truth and accuracy of the
representations, warranties and acknowledgements set forth herein
and which are irrevocable, and it irrevocably authorises the
Bookrunner to produce this Announcement, pursuant to, in connection
with, or as may be required by any applicable law or regulation,
administrative or legal proceeding or official inquiry with respect
to the matters set forth herein;
36 it agrees to
indemnify on an after-tax basis and hold the Company and the
Bookrunner and their respective affiliates harmless from any and
all costs, claims, liabilities and expenses (including legal fees
and expenses) arising out of or in connection with any breach of
the representations, warranties, acknowledgements, agreements and
undertakings in the Appendices and further agrees that the
provisions of the Appendices shall survive after completion of the
Placing;
37 it will acquire
any Placing Shares subscribed for by it for its account or for one
or more accounts as to each of which it exercises sole investment
discretion, and it has full power to make the acknowledgements,
representations and agreements herein on behalf of each such
account;
38 its commitment to
subscribe for Placing Shares on the terms set out herein and in the
relevant contract notes will continue notwithstanding any amendment
that may in future be made to the terms of the Placing and that
Placees will have no right to be consulted or require that their
consent be obtained with respect to the Company's conduct of the
Placing.
39 in making any
decision to subscribe for the Placing Shares, it has knowledge and
experience in financial, business and international investment
matters as is required to evaluate the merits and risks of
subscribing for the Placing Shares. It further confirms that it is
experienced in investing in securities of this nature in this
sector and is aware that it may be required to bear, and is able to
bear, the economic risk of, and is able to sustain a complete loss
in connection with the Placing. It further confirms that it relied
on its own examination and due diligence of the Company and its
associates taken as a whole, and the terms of the Placing,
including the merits and risks involved;
40 it has
(i) made its
own assessment and satisfied itself concerning legal, regulatory,
tax, business and financial considerations in connection herewith
to the extent it deems necessary;
(ii) had access to
review publicly available information concerning the Company that
it considers necessary or appropriate and sufficient in making an
investment decision;
(iii) reviewed such
information as it believes is necessary or appropriate in
connection with its subscription of the Placing Shares;
and
(iv) made its investment
decision based upon its own judgment, due diligence and analysis
and not upon any view expressed or information provided by or on
behalf of the Company or Bookrunner;
41 it may not rely
on any investigation that the Bookrunner or any person acting on
its behalf may or may not have conducted with respect to the
Company, or the Placing and none of the Company or the Bookrunner
has made any representation to it, express or implied, with respect
to the merits of the Placing, the subscription for the Placing
Shares, or as to the condition, financial or otherwise, of the
Company, or as to any other matter relating thereto, and nothing
herein shall be construed as a recommendation to it to subscribe
for the Placing Shares. It acknowledges and agrees that no
information has been prepared by the Bookrunner or the Company for
the purposes of this Placing;
42 it will not hold
the Company, the Bookrunner or any of their respective affiliates
or any person acting on their behalf responsible or liable for any
misstatements in or omission from any publicly available
information relating to the Company or information made available
(whether in written or oral form) in presentations or as part of
roadshow discussions with investors relating to the Company (the
"Information") and that none of the Company, the Bookrunner nor any
person acting on its behalf makes any representation or warranty,
express or implied, as to the truth, accuracy or completeness of
such Information or accepts any responsibility for any of such
Information;
43 the Placee is
either
(i) a person
located outside the United States and is subscribing for Placing
Shares only in an "offshore transaction" as defined in and pursuant
to Regulation S, or
(ii) within the
United States and a "qualified institutional buyer" within the
meaning of Rule 144A under the Securities Act and is not
subscribing for Placing Shares with a view to the offer, sale,
resale, transfer, delivery or distribution, directly or indirectly,
of any Placing Shares in or into the United States, and has or will
have executed and delivered a U.S. investor representation letter
substantially in the form set out in the letter provided to it by
the Bookrunner to the addressees specified therein;
44 the Placee is not
acquiring Placing Shares as a result of any "directed selling
efforts" as defined in Regulation S or as a result of any form of
"general solicitation" or "general advertising" (within the meaning
of Rule 502(c) of Regulation D of the Securities Act);
45 it is not acting
on a non-discretionary basis for the account or benefit of a person
located within the United States at the time the undertaking to
subscribe for Placing Shares is given; and
46 it acknowledges
that no action has been or will be taken by any of the Company, the
Bookrunner or any person acting on behalf of the Company or the
Bookrunner that would, or is intended to, permit a public offer of
the Placing Shares in any country or jurisdiction where any such
action for that purpose is required.
The
representations, warranties and confirmations in this Appendix are
given for the benefit of the Company and for the benefit of the
Bookrunner (for itself and as agent and trustee for and on behalf
of its affiliates) and are irrevocable.
The Company, the Bookrunner and
their respective affiliates, agents, directors, officers and
employees and others will rely upon the truth and accuracy of the
foregoing acknowledgements, representations, warranties and
agreements.
Each Placee agrees that if any of
the acknowledgements, representations, warranties and agreements
made in connection with its acquiring of Placing Shares is no
longer accurate, it shall promptly notify the Company and the
Bookrunner in writing. It irrevocably authorises the Bookrunner and
the Company to produce this Announcement pursuant to, in connection
with, or as may be required by any applicable law or regulation,
administrative or legal proceeding or official inquiry with respect
to the matters set out herein.
Stamp duties etc.
The agreement to allot and issue
Placing Shares to Placees (or the persons for whom Placees are
contracting as nominee or agent) free of stamp duty and stamp duty
reserve tax relates only to their allotment and issue to Placees,
or such persons as they nominate as their agents, direct from the
Company for the Placing Shares in question. Such agreement is
subject to the representations, warranties and further terms above
and assumes, and is based on the warranty from each Placee, that
the Placing Shares are not being acquired in connection with
arrangements to issue depositary receipts or to issue or transfer
the Placing Shares into a clearance service. If there are any such
arrangements, or the settlement relates to any other dealing in the
Placing Shares, stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax or other
similar taxes may be payable, for which neither the Company nor the
Bookrunner will be responsible and each Placee shall indemnify on
an after-tax basis and hold harmless the Company, the Bookrunner
and its respective affiliates, agents, directors, officers and
employees for any stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax paid by them
in respect of any such arrangements or dealings.
The agreement to settle a Placee's
subscription (and/or the subscription of a person for whom such
Placee is contracting as agent) free of stamp duty and stamp duty
reserve tax depends on the settlement relating only to the
subscription by it and/or such person direct from the Company for
the Placing Shares in question. Such agreement assumes, and is
based on a representation and warranty from each Placee, that
neither it, nor the person specified by it for registration as
holder, of Placing Shares is, or is acting as nominee or agent for,
and that the Placing Shares will not be allotted to, a person who
is or may be liable to stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax under
any of sections 67, 70, 93 and 96 of the Finance Act 1986 of the
United Kingdom (depositary receipts and clearance services) or
under applicable Irish legislation. If there are any such
arrangements, or the settlement relates to any other dealing in the
Placing Shares, stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax may be
payable. In that event the Placee agrees that it shall be
responsible for such stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax, and
neither the Bookrunner or the Company shall be responsible for such
stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax. If this is the case, each
Placee should seek its own advice and notify the Bookrunner
accordingly.
In addition, Placees should note
that they will be liable for any stamp duty and all other stamp,
issue, securities, transfer, registration, documentary or other
duties or taxes (including any interest, fines or penalties
relating thereto) payable outside Ireland and the United Kingdom by
them or any other person on the subscription by them of any Placing
Shares or the agreement by them to subscribe for any Placing
Shares. Each Placee agrees to indemnify on an after-tax basis and
hold harmless the Company, the Bookrunner and its respective
affiliates, agents, directors, officers and employees from any and
all interest, fines or penalties in relation to any such duties or
taxes to the extent that such interest, fines or penalties arise
from the unreasonable default or delay of that Placee or its
agent.
Each Placee should seek its own
advice as to whether any of the above tax liabilities arise and
notify the Bookrunner accordingly.
Supplemental
Each Placee and any person acting on
behalf of each Placee acknowledges and agrees that the Bookrunner
or any of its respective affiliates may, at their absolute
discretion, agree to become a Placee in respect of some or all of
the Placing Shares.
When a Placee or person acting on
behalf of the Placee is dealing with the Bookrunner, any money held
in an account with a Bookrunner on behalf of the Placee and/or any
person acting on behalf of the Placee will not be treated as client
money within the meaning of the rules and regulations of the FCA
made under FSMA. The Placee acknowledges that the money will not be
subject to the protections conferred by the client money rules; as
a consequence, this money will not be segregated from the
Bookrunner's money in accordance with the client money rules and
will be used by the Bookrunner in the course of its own business;
and the Placee will rank only as a general creditor of the
Bookrunner.
All times and dates in this
Announcement may be subject to amendment. The Bookrunner shall
notify the Placees and any person acting on behalf of the Placees
of any changes.
Past performance is not a guide to
future performance and persons needing advice should consult an
independent financial adviser.
.
APPENDIX 2
Terms and Conditions of the
Subscription
The provisions of Appendix 2 shall
apply to the Subscription mutandis, subject to the provisions of
this Appendix.
In particular, each of the
covenants, representations, warranties and confirmations by the
Placees shall be deemed given by the Subscriber mutatis
mutandis.
Participation in the Subscription
shall be by individual subscription agreement to be made between
the Subscriber and the Company, rather than by communication with
the Bookrunner as set out in Appendix 2 under "Participation in,
and principal terms of, the Placing".
Where any service is provided by
Davy to Subscribers, it shall be on an execution-only
basis.
APPENDIX 3
Definitions
The following definitions apply
throughout this Announcement, unless otherwise stated or the
context requires otherwise:
"Admission" means admission of the New
Ordinary Shares to trading on AIM becoming effective in accordance
with Rule 6 of the AIM Rules;
"AIM" means the AIM market operated by
the London Stock Exchange;
"AIM Rules" means the London Stock
Exchange's rules and guidance notes contained in its AIM Rules for
Companies publication relating to companies whose securities
are traded on AIM, as amended from time to time;
"Announcement" means this announcement
(including the appendices to this announcement);
"Articles" means the articles of
association of the Company in force on the date hereof;
"Book Build" means the accelerated book
build process to be conducted by the Bookrunner to arrange
participation by the Placees in the Placing;
"Bookrunner" means Davy;
"CBI" means the Central Bank of
Ireland;
"Companies Act" means the Companies Act
2014 of Ireland (as amended);
"Company" means Roebuck Food Group
plc, a public limited company registered in Ireland with number
51842 and its registered office at 6th Floor, South Bank House,
Barrow Street, Dublin 4, D04 TR29, Ireland;
"Davy" means J&E Davy Unlimited
Company;
"Euroclear Bank" means Euroclear Bank
SA/NV;
"Euroclear System" means the central
securities depositary system operated by Euroclear Bank;
"GlasPort Bio" or "GPB" means GlasPort Bio Limited, a
private company limited by shares, registered in Ireland with
number 624970 with its registered office Unit 204, Business
Innovation Centre, University of Galway, Newcastle Road, Galway,
H91 W60E, Ireland;
"GPRT" means GlasPort Rumen Tech
Limited, a private company limited by shares, registered in Ireland
with number 624970 with its registered office Unit 204, Business
Innovation Centre, University of Galway, Newcastle Road, Galway,
H91 W60E, Ireland;
"FCA" means the Financial Conduct
Authority in its capacity as the competent authority for the
purposes of Part VI of FSMA;
"FSMA" means the Financial Services and
Markets Act 2000 (as amended);
"Fundraising" means the Placing and the
Subscription;
"Fundraise Price" means the price
per Placing Share to be established through the Book
Build
"Investments" means the acquisition of
and subscription for shares by the Company of shares in GlasPort
Bio Limited and the subscription for shares by the Company in
GlasPort Rumen Tech Limited;
"London Stock Exchange" means London
Stock Exchange plc;
"Long Stop Date" means 15 February
2025;
"MAR" means the Market Abuse Regulation
(EU) No 596/2014), as amended and equivalent or comparable law in
the United Kingdom;
"New Ordinary Shares" means the Placing
Shares and the Subscription Shares;
"Notice of EGM" means the notice
convening the Extraordinary General Meeting to be issued by the
Company;
"Ordinary Shares" means the ordinary
shares of €0.025 each in the share capital of the
Company;
"Placees" means persons to be procured
or accepted by the Bookrunner to subscribe for Placing Shares
pursuant to the provisions of the Placing Agreement.
"Placing" means the placing of the
Placing Shares at the Fundraise Price by the Bookrunner as agent
for and on behalf of the Company pursuant to the terms of the
Placing Agreement;
"Placing Agreement" means the
conditional agreement dated 13 December 2024 between (1) the
Company and (2) Davy relating to the Placing, further details of
which are set out in this Announcement;
"Placing Shares" means the Ordinary
Shares of the Company of €0.025 each to be issued by the Company
and subscribed for pursuant to the Placing;
"Prospectus Regulation" means Regulation
(EU) 2017/1129 and any equivalent or comparable legal provision of
the United Kingdom;
"Prospectus Rules" or "PR" means the latest edition of the
"Prospectus Rules" made pursuant to section 73A of FSMA;
"Regulation D" means Regulation D as
promulgated under the Securities Act;
"Regulation S" means Regulation S as
promulgated under the Securities Act;
"Regulatory Information Service" or
"RNS" means any of the
services set out in the list of Primary Information Providers
maintained by the FCA and CBI;
"Securities Act" or "U.S. Securities Act" means the United
States Securities Act of 1933, as amended;
"Subscription" means the subscription
for the Subscription Shares at the Fundraise Price by investors
other than Placees;
"Subscription Shares" means the Ordinary
Shares of the Company of €0.025 each to be issued by the Company
and subscribed for pursuant to the Subscription;
"UK" or "United Kingdom" the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Northern Ireland;
"US" or "United States" the United States of
America, its territories and possessions, any state of the United
States of America and the district of Columbia and all other areas
subject to its jurisdiction;
"€" means Euro, the lawful currency of
Ireland; and
"STG" or "£" means Sterling, the lawful currency
of the United Kingdom.
APPENDIX 4
FURTHER PARTICULARS OF THE
INVESTMENT
(a) Particulars of
the transaction, including the name of any other relevant
parties
The Investments are governed by the
following investment documents which Roebuck has conditionally
agreed to enter, subject to the passing of the resolutions to be
proposed at the EGM:
Share Purchase Agreement
A share purchase agreement (the
"SPA") to be entered into
between the founders, Killian O'Briain, Ruairi Friel, and Vincent
O'Flaherty, and certain shareholders (together, the "Sellers") and Roebuck, pursuant to
which Roebuck will acquire between 70,757 and 78,619 ordinary
shares in GlasPort Bio from the Sellers for cash consideration of
between €2.25 million and €2.5 million, with the number of shares
to be determined between signing and completion. The Sellers give
certain warranties in respect of GlasPort Bio to Roebuck
certain warranties in respect of GlasPort Bio to
Roebuck, including in relation to the ownership of IP and patent
claims, and to guarantee certain obligations of GlasPort Bio under
the SPA.
GlasPort Bio Subscription Agreement
A subscription agreement (the
"GPB Subscription
Agreement") between Killian O'Briain, Ruairi Friel, Vincent
O'Flaherty (together, the "Founders"), Roebuck and GlasPort Bio,
pursuant to which Roebuck will subscribe for ordinary shares in
GlasPort Bio at a price of €31.80 per ordinary share, such that
along with the shares purchased under the SPA, Roebuck will acquire
between a total of between 35% and 38.7% of issued voting shares in
GlasPort Bio at completion, with the number of shares to be issued
pursuant to the GPB Subscription Agreement to be determined between
signing and completion. The Founders are party to the GPB
Subscription Agreement for the purpose of giving certain warranties
in respect of GlasPort Bio to Roebuck, including in relation to the
ownership of IP and patent claims, and to guarantee certain
obligations of GlasPort Bio under the GPB Subscription
Agreement.
Call Option Agreement
A call option agreement (the
"Call Option Agreement") to
be entered into between Roebuck, GlasPort Bio and the Sellers
granting Roebuck the option to acquire up to 94.47% of voting
shares in GlasPort Bio (the "Call
Option"). The Call Option must be exercised by the fourth
anniversary of the completion of the transaction (unless extended
by mutual agreement). The floor value of GlasPort Bio when
determining the price per share to be transferred pursuant to the
Call Option Agreement is to be in the range of €15 million to €15.5
million, with such floor value subject to increases if GlasPort Bio
meets certain regulatory milestones with the result the ceiling
value of GlasPort Bio for the purposes of the Call Option will be
between €29 million and €29.5 million.
GlasPort Rumen Tech Subscription Agreement
A subscription agreement (the
"GPRT Subscription
Agreement") between Killian O'Briain, Ruairi Friel, Vincent
O'Flaherty (the "Founders"), Roebuck and GlasPort Bio,
pursuant to which Roebuck will subscribe for ordinary shares in
GPRT at a price of €13.20 per ordinary share, such that Roebuck
will acquire between 13% and 16.7% of issued voting shares in GPRT,
with the number of shares to be issued pursuant to the GPRT
Subscription Agreement to be determined between signing and
completion. The company is party to the GPRT Subscription Agreement
for the purpose of giving certain warranties in respect of GPRT to
Roebuck and to guarantee certain obligations of GPRT under the GPRT
Subscription Agreement.
The warranties given by the Founders
and GlasPort Bio to Roebuck in the SPA and GPB Subscription
Agreement are to be covered by a warranties and indemnities
insurance policy, the coverage for which is to be subject to market
exclusions for certain environmental, product recall, and knowledge
warranties.
It is also intended that Roebuck
will enter into new shareholders' agreements in respect of GlasPort
Bio and GPRT on completion with all the other shareholders of each
entity. The shareholders' agreement in respect of GlasPort Bio will
provide that Roebuck will maintain control of the board of
directors of GlasPort Bio for the duration of the option period
under the Call Option Agreement.
Justin McCarthy Arrangements
RFG has agreed for a period of 6
years from closing, (i) to pay GlasPort Bio an amount per annum by
which Justin McCarthy's remuneration exceeds €120,000 and (ii) to
pay GlasPort Rumen Tech an amount per annum by which Justin
McCarthy's remuneration exceeds €30,000. Mr McCarthy, will become
the holder of non-voting growth shares in GlasPort Bio and GlasPort
Rumen Tech which will entitle him to up to 12.5% of the growth in
value over the post-money values of GlasPort Bio and GlasPort Rumen
Tech respectively and are subject to certain restrictions and
performance hurdles. Mr McCarthy will have a conditional right to
exchange some or all of his shares in GlasPort Bio for RFG shares
after 5 years, the exchange ratio being determined by an
independent valuation.
(b) A description of the
assets which are the subject of the transaction, or the
business carried on by, or using, the assets
GlasPort Bio was established in
Galway, Ireland by the Founders in 2018 and developed distinct
technologies to mitigate greenhouse gases (GHG) through the use of ruminant feed
and manure additives, which allow farmers to reduce methane and GHG
emissions and to increase their productivity and profitability
while reducing their carbon footprint.
The RumenGlas business was
transferred to GlasPort Rumen Tech, by way of a restructuring in
December 2024.
The GasAbate business remains in
GlasPort Bio. The RumenGlas business is operated solely through
GPRT.
GlasPort Bio and GlasPort Rumen Tech
share two premises in Galway city, one by way of a licence on the
campus of the University of Galway and another unit at Ballybane in
the city, by way of a lease, which is used for engineering
purposes.
(c) The profits
attributable to the investee companies
In the financial year ended 30 June 2024 GlasPort Bio (then operating
both businesses) had revenue of €31,999 and Loss before tax of
€437,446 which therefore includes profits
attributable to both the RumenGlas and GasAbate
businesses.
(d) The value of the
assets of the acquired company
As at 30 June 2024, GlasPort Bio had
net assets of €368,729, which includes assets relating to both the
RumenGlas and GasAbate businesses.
(e) The full consideration and how it is being
satisfied
The investment in GlasPort Bio by
Roebuck is to be made up of a purchase of shares from existing
shareholders and the subscription of new shares in GlasPort Bio for
total cash consideration of between €5.25 million and €6 million,
comprising of between €2.25 million and €2.5 million for the
purchase of shares under the SPA and between €3 million and €3.5
million for the subscription for new shares under the GlasPort
Subscription Agreement
The investment in GlasPort Rumen
Tech is to be effected by way of a subscription for new shares in
GPRT for cash consideration of between €0.75 million and €1
million.
The exact amounts to be invested in
both GlasPort Bio and GlasPort Rumen Tech are to be determined
after the conclusion of the Fundraising.
(f) The effect of
the Investment on Roebuck Food Group plc
The Investments will result in the
Company expanding into the area of greenhouse gas mitigation. The
Directors estimate the Investment to result in an increase in gross
revenues and an increase in profits as GlasPort Bio makes sales of
its product in the market.
(g) Details of the service
contracts of any proposed directors
There are no appointments of
executive or non-executive directors to the Board of the Company
agreed as a result of the Investments.
END