Company Announcements

Regulatory Clearance & Scheme Timetable Update

Source: RNS
RNS Number : 0112M
TP Group PLC
09 January 2023
 

9 January 2023

NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY (IN WHOLE OR IN PART) IN, INTO OR FROM ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OR REGULATIONS OF THAT JURISDICTION

RECOMMENDED CASH ACQUISITION

of

TP Group plc
("TP Group" or the "Company")

by

Science Group plc
("Science Group")

to be effected by way of scheme of arrangement
under Part 26 of the Companies Act 2006 ("Companies Act")

Receipt of regulatory clearance & scheme timetable update

On 14 December 2022, the Company announced that the requisite majority of Scheme Shareholders voted in favour of the Scheme at the Court Meeting and the requisite majority of TP Group Shareholders voted in favour of the Special Resolution to implement the Scheme in connection with the Acquisition at the General Meeting. The Company also announced that Completion of the Scheme remained conditional on the satisfaction or (if capable of waiver) waiver of the other Conditions set out in the Scheme Document, including the sanction of the Court at the Court Hearing, subject to Science Group obtaining (or waiving) the NSIA and FATA clearances.

The Company announces that Science Group has now attained the requisite NSIA clearance. It is anticipated that the condition relating to FATA clearance will be satisfied or waived prior to the Court Hearing which has been scheduled for 24 January 2023. Accordingly, the Scheme is expected to become effective on 26 January 2023, subject to the sanction of the Court at the Court Hearing.

The last day of dealings in TP Group Shares is expected to be 25 January 2023, with TP Group Shares expected to be suspended from trading on AIM at 7.30 a.m. (London time) on 26 January 2023, being the expected Effective Date of the Scheme. Cancellation of admission to trading on AIM of TP Group Shares is expected to take place by 7.00 a.m. on 27 January 2023. Following the Scheme becoming Effective, it is intended that TP Group will be re-registered as a private company limited by shares under the relevant provisions of the Companies Act.

Event*

Date/time

Court Hearing

24 January 2023

Last day of dealings in, and for registration of transfers of, and disablement in CREST of, Shares

25 January 2023

Scheme Record Time

6.00 p.m. on 25 January 2023

Effective Date ("ED") of the Scheme

26 January 2023

Suspension of Shares to trading on AIM

7.30 a.m. on 26 January 2023

Cancellation of admission to trading of Shares on AIM

by 7.00 a.m. on 27 January 2023

Latest date for despatch of cheques or settlement through CREST in respect of the cash consideration.

by 9 February 2023

Long-stop Date

20   April 2023

* All times shown are London times unless otherwise stated. All dates and times are based on TP Group's and Science Group's current expectations and are subject to change. If any of the dates and/or times in this expected timetable change, the revised dates and/or times will be notified to TP Group Shareholders by announcement through a Regulatory Information Service.

A further announcement will be made when the Scheme becomes Effective.

Capitalised terms used in this announcement (the "Announcement") shall, unless otherwise defined, have the same meanings as set out in the Scheme Document.

All references to times in this Announcement are to London, United Kingdom times unless stated otherwise.

Enquiries:


TP Group plc

Tel: +44 (0) 1753 285802

Derren Stroud, Chief Financial Officer and Company Secretary


Cenkos Securities plc, financial adviser, nominated adviser and broker to TP Group

Tel: +44 (0) 20 7397 8980

Stephen Keys, Mark Connelly, Callum Davidson


Science Group plc


Sarah Cole, Group Legal Counsel & Company Secretary

Jon Brett, Group Finance Director

Tel: +44 (0) 1223 875 200

Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited, exclusive financial adviser, nominated adviser and joint broker to Science Group ("Stifel")


Nick Adams, Alex Price, Richard Short

Tel: +44 (0) 207710 7600





Publication on website

In accordance with Rule 26.1 of the Code, a copy of this Announcement will be available (subject to certain restrictions relating to persons resident in restricted jurisdictions) on TP Group's website at www.tpgroupglobal.com/investors and on Science Group's website at www.sciencegroup.com/investor-information/, by no later than 12.00 noon (London time) on 10 January 2023.

The content of the website referred to above is not incorporated into and does not form part of this Announcement.

Important notice

 

This Announcement is for information purposes only and is not intended to, and does not, constitute or form part of any offer, invitation or the solicitation of an offer to purchase, otherwise acquire, subscribe for, sell or otherwise dispose of, any securities, whether pursuant to this Announcement or otherwise, or the solicitation of any vote or approval of any offer in any jurisdiction where to do so would constitute a violation of the laws of such jurisdiction and any such offer (or solicitation) may not be extended in any such jurisdiction.

Any securities referred to herein have not been and will not be registered under the US Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or with any securities regulatory authority of any state of the United States and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration thereunder.

This Announcement has been prepared in accordance with the laws of England and Wales, the AIM Rules 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 England and Wales. The distribution of this Announcement in jurisdictions outside the United Kingdom may be restricted by law and therefore persons into whose possession this Announcement comes should inform themselves about, and observe, such restrictions. Any failure to comply with the restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities law of any such jurisdiction.

Cenkos, which is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Conduct Authority, is acting as financial adviser exclusively to TP Group and no one else in connection with the Acquisition and the other matters referred to in this Announcement. In connection with such matters, Cenkos will not regard any other person as their client, nor will they be responsible to any other person for providing the protections afforded to clients of Cenkos or for providing advice in relation to the Acquisition or any other matters referred to in this Announcement.

Stifel, which is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Conduct Authority, is acting as financial adviser and joint broker exclusively to Science Group and no one else in connection with the Acquisition and the other matters referred to in this Announcement. In connection with such matters, Stifel will not regard any other person as their client, nor will they be responsible to any other person for providing the protections afforded to clients of Stifel or for providing advice in relation to the Acquisition or any other matters referred to in this Announcement.

Liberum, which is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Conduct Authority, is acting as joint broker exclusively for Science Group and no one else in connection with the Acquisition and the other matters referred to in this Announcement. In connection with such matters, Liberum will not regard any other person as their client, nor will they be responsible to any other person for providing the protections afforded to clients of Liberum or for providing advice in relation to the Acquisition or any other matters referred to in this Announcement.

Disclosure requirements of the Takeover Code (the "Code")

Disclosure requirements of the Code

Under Rule 8.3(a) of the Code, any person who is interested in 1% 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 (London time) on the 10th business day following the commencement of the offer period and, if appropriate, by no later than 3.30 pm (London time) on the 10th business day following the announcement in which any securities exchange offeror is first identified. Relevant persons who deal in the relevant securities of the offeree company or of a securities exchange offeror prior to the deadline for making an Opening Position Disclosure must instead make a Dealing Disclosure.

Under Rule 8.3(b) of the Code, any person who is, or becomes, interested in 1% 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 pm (London time) on the business day following the date of the relevant dealing.

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 Takeover 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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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