NOT
FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY IN
OR INTO, OR TO ANY PERSON LOCATED OR RESIDENT IN, ANY JURISDICTION
WHERE IT IS UNLAWFUL TO RELEASE, PUBLISH OR DISTRIBUTE THIS
ANNOUNCEMENT.
October 16, 2024
THE BIDVEST GROUP (UK)
PLC ANNOUNCES Offer to Purchase FOR CASH UP TO THE MAXIMUM TENDER
AMOUNT (AS DEFINED BELOW) IN AGGREGATE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF THE
OUTSTANDING 3.625% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2026
The Bidvest Group (UK) Plc (the
"Issuer") hereby announces
that it has commenced a cash tender offer (the "Tender Offer") for up to $300,000,000
in principal amount of its 3.625% Senior Notes Due 2026
("Notes")
which amount, subject to applicable law, may be
increased or decreased in the sole discretion of the Issuer (such
amount as may be increased or decreased, the "Maximum Tender
Amount"), upon the terms and subject
to the conditions set forth in a separately published offer to
purchase (the "Offer to
Purchase") dated as of the date hereof (the "Tender Offer"), which is available,
subject to registration and eligibility confirmation, on the tender
offer website https://deals.is.kroll.com/bidvest.
The Notes are guaranteed by The Bidvest Group Limited. (the
"Company"). Capitalized
terms used herein but not otherwise defined are as set forth in the
Offer to Purchase.
The following table sets forth
certain information relating to pricing for the Tender
Offer.
Title of the
Notes
|
ISIN / Common
Code/CUSIP
|
Outstanding Principal
Amount
|
Maximum Tender
Amount(1)
|
Tender Offer Consideration
(per $1,000)
|
Early Tender
Payment
(per
$1,000)
|
Total Early Tender Offer
Consideration (per $1,000)(2)
|
3.625% Senior Notes due
2026
|
Reg S
Global Note:
ISIN:
XS2388496247/ Common Code: 238849624
144A
Global Note:
ISIN:
US88332EAA10 / Common Code: 239014089
/ CUSIP: 88332EAA1
|
$800,000,000
|
$300,000,000
|
$952.50
|
$30.00
|
$982.50
|
Note:
1. The Issuer reserves
the right, but is under no obligation, to increase or decrease the
Maximum Tender Amount at any time, subject to compliance with
applicable law.
2. The Total Early Tender
Offer Consideration consists of the Tender Offer Consideration and
the Early Tender Payment and excludes Accrued Interest (as defined
below) which will also be payable in respect of all Notes accepted
for purchase.
If at the Early Tender Deadline, the
aggregate principal amount of Notes validly tendered by Holders
exceeds the Maximum Tender Amount, the Issuer will not accept any
Notes validly tendered by Holders after the Early Tender Deadline.
Acceptance of Notes tendered pursuant to the Tender Offer may be
subject to proration, as described herein.
The Tender Offer
The Tender Offer will expire at 5:00
p.m., New York Time ("NYT"), on 14 November 2024, unless
extended or earlier terminated (such time and date, as the same may
be extended, the "Expiration
Deadline"). Holders who tender their Notes may not withdraw
such Notes prior to the Expiration Deadline. To receive the Total
Early Tender Offer Consideration (as defined below), which includes
an early tender payment of $30.00 per $1,000 principal amount of
the Notes accepted for purchase pursuant to the Tender Offer (the
"Early Tender Payment"),
Holders must validly tender their Notes prior to 5:00 p.m., NYT, on
29 October 2024, unless extended (such time, as the same may be
extended, the "Early Tender
Deadline"). Holders who validly tender their Notes after the
Early Tender Deadline but at or prior to the Expiration Deadline
will be eligible to receive only the Tender Offer Consideration (as
defined below). The Total Early Tender Offer Consideration and the
Tender Offer Consideration does not include Accrued Interest (as
defined below) and any additional amounts.
Holders of Notes that are validly
tendered at or prior to Early Tender Deadline and accepted for
purchase will receive an aggregate consideration of $982.50 per
$1,000 principal amount of Notes (the "Total Early Tender Offer
Consideration"), which comprises consideration of $952.50
per $1,000 principal amount of Notes ("Tender Offer Consideration") plus the
Early Tender Payment. Holders of Notes that are validly tendered
after the Early Tender Deadline but at or prior to the Expiration
Deadline and accepted for purchase will receive only the Tender
Offer Consideration, which does not include the Early Tender
Payment.
In addition to the Tender Offer
Consideration or the Total Early Tender Offer Consideration, as
applicable, all Holders of Notes accepted for purchase will also
receive accrued and unpaid interest in cash, rounded to the nearest
cent with half a cent rounded upwards, on such $1,000 principal
amount of their Notes accepted for purchase, from the last interest
payment date up to, but not including, the relevant Settlement Date
("Accrued
Interest").
The Issuer may, in its sole
discretion, elect to pay the Total Early Tender Offer Consideration
after the Early Tender Deadline but before the Expiration Deadline
(the date of such payment, the "Early Settlement Date"). In such event,
the Issuer will only purchase, on the Early Settlement Date, such
Notes validly tendered at or prior to the Early Tender Deadline,
subject to proration (if any), as described herein. The applicable
Total Early Tender Offer Consideration will include the applicable
Early Tender Payment will be payable on the Early Settlement Date
(if any) or the final settlement date (if the Issuer elects not to
have an Early Settlement Date) (the "Final Settlement Date", and with the
Early Settlement Date, each a "Settlement Date"). Notes accepted for
purchase pursuant to the Tender Offer will be paid through the
Clearing Systems, assuming that the Tender Offer is not extended or
earlier terminated, on the Early Settlement Date (which is
currently expected to be the third Business Day after the Early
Tender Deadline) or on the Final Settlement Date (which is
currently expected to be the third Business Day after the
Expiration Deadline), as applicable.
Assuming that the Tender Offer is
not extended or earlier terminated, it is expected that 01
November, 2024 will be the Early Settlement Date and that 18
November, 2024, the third business day after the Expiration Time,
will be the Final Settlement Date. No tenders submitted after the
Expiration Time will be valid.
Notes may be subject to proration
if the aggregate principal amount of Notes validly tendered and not
validly withdrawn exceeds the Maximum Tender Amount.
In the event any tendered Notes are not accepted
for purchase due to proration, they will be returned or credited to
the Holder's account on the relevant Settlement Date. Notes
purchased pursuant to the Tender Offer will be
cancelled.
A separate Tender Instruction (as
defined in the Offer to Purchase) must be completed on behalf of
each beneficial owner due to possible proration.
If
the purchase of all Notes that are validly tendered at or prior to
the Early Tender Deadline would cause the Issuer to purchase an
aggregate principal amount of Notes in excess of the Maximum Tender
Amount, then the Tender Offer will be oversubscribed at the Early
Tender Deadline, and, subject to the Issuer's rights to amend the
terms of the Tender Offer, the Issuer will not accept for purchase
any Notes tendered after the Early Tender
Deadline. In such case, the Issuer
will accept for purchase (assuming satisfaction or waiver of the
Conditions of the Tender Offer) Notes tendered by Holders at or
prior to the Early Tender Deadline on a prorated basis using a
single proration factor such that the Issuer will not accept for
purchase an aggregate principal amount of Notes in excess of the
Maximum Tender Amount. If the Tender Offer
is oversubscribed at the Early Tender Deadline, then the Issuer
will issue an announcement promptly after the Early Tender Deadline
stating that Notes tendered after the Early Tender Deadline will
not be purchased pursuant to the Tender Offer.
In each case, acceptance of Notes is
subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Offer to
Purchase, including limitations on the amount of Notes subject to
purchase and proration.
The Tender Offer is subject to the
satisfaction or waiver of certain conditions, including, without limitation, the pricing of the New
Financing Condition and the conditions set out in the Offer to Purchase. If any of the conditions are not
satisfied, the Issuer will not be obligated to accept for payment,
purchase or pay for, and may delay the acceptance for payment of,
any tendered notes and may terminate the Tender Offer, in each
event subject to applicable laws. The Tender Offer is not
conditioned on the tender of a minimum principal amount of
Notes.
General
The Issuer's obligation to accept
for purchase and to pay for the Notes in the Tender Offer is
subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions to the
Tender Offer described in "Conditions of the Tender Offer" (the
"Conditions"). The Tender
Offer is conditioned upon, among other things, the drawing by the
Issuer of available amounts under the syndicated multicurrency
revolving credit facility agreement (the "Revolving Credit Facility"), between,
amongst others, the Issuer and the lenders name therein (the
"RCF Drawdown"), the RCF
Drawdown being likely to be completed prior to the Early Tender
Deadline and the Issuer (in its sole discretion) being satisfied
that it has received, or will receive, by the relevant Settlement
Date, an amount following the RCF Drawdown sufficient to finance
the payment by the Issuer of the Total Early Tender Offer
Consideration or Tender Offer Consideration (including Accrued
Interest and any additional amounts thereon), as applicable, with
respect to all Notes validly tendered and accepted for purchase
pursuant to this Offer to Purchase (the "New Financing Condition"). No
assurances can be given that the RCF Drawdown will be completed nor
that the RCF Drawdown will be consummated on the terms stated
herein. Additional conditions to the Tender Offer are described
under "Conditions of the Tender
Offer".
Indicative Timetable for the Tender Offer
Date
|
Calendar Date
|
Event
|
Launch
Date
|
16 October
2024
|
Commencement of the Tender Offer.
|
Early
Tender Deadline
|
5:00 p.m.
NYT, on 29 October 2024, unless extended.
|
The
deadline for Holders to tender Notes to be eligible to receive the
Total Early Tender Offer Consideration, (in addition to Accrued
Interest). If, at the Early Tender Deadline, the aggregate
principal amount of Notes validly tendered by Holders exceeds the
Maximum Tender Amount, the Issuer will not accept any Notes validly
tendered by Holders after the Early Tender Deadline.
|
Announcement of early tender results and proration factor (if
any)
|
30 October
2024
|
Announcement of whether the Issuer will, subject to
satisfaction of the New Financing Condition, accept Notes for
purchase pursuant to the Tender Offer, and, if so:
(i)
announcement of the aggregate principal amount of Notes accepted
for purchase;
(ii) announcement of
the proration factor (if any);
(iii) announcement if the
Issuer, in its sole discretion, elects to proceed with the Early
Settlement Date and indication of the Early Settlement
Date.
|
Early
Settlement Date
|
Should the
Issuer elect to have an Early Settlement Date, a date promptly
following the applicable Early Tender Deadline, expected to be 01
November 2024 (but which may change without notice).
|
Subject to
satisfaction of the New Financing Condition and the other
Conditions to the Tender Offer, the date the Issuer will pay to the
Clearing Systems the Total Early Tender Offer Consideration,
together with Accrued Interest, in respect of all Notes validly
tendered at or prior to the Early Tender Deadline and accepted for
purchase.
|
Expiration
Deadline
|
The Tender
Offer will expire at 5:00 p.m., NYT, on 14 November 2024, unless
extended or earlier terminated.
|
The last
time and date for Notes to be tendered pursuant to the Tender
Offer. The Issuer expects to issue an announcement promptly
following the Expiration Deadline announcing the amount of Notes to
be accepted for purchase (if any), subject to New Financing
Condition, on the Final Settlement Date.
|
Final
Settlement Date
|
The Issuer
expects the Final Settlement Date will occur on 18 November 2024,
unless the Tender Offer is extended or earlier
terminated.
|
Subject to
satisfaction of the relevant Conditions of the Tender Offer, the
date the Issuer will pay to the Clearing Systems the aggregate of
Total Early Tender Offer Consideration or the Tender Offer
Consideration (as the case may be) plus Accrued Interest in respect
of Notes validly tendered and accepted for purchase that have not
been previously purchased.
|
The above times and dates are
subject to the right of the Issuer, in its sole discretion, to
extend, re-open amend and/or terminate the Tender Offer (subject to
applicable law and as provided in the Offer to Purchase).
Beneficial owners of Notes are advised to check with any bank,
securities broker or other intermediary through which they hold
Notes when such intermediary would need to receive instructions
from a beneficial owner in order for that beneficial owner to be
able to participate in the Tender Offer before the deadlines
specified in the Offer to Purchase. The deadlines set by any such intermediary and
the clearing systems for the submission of tender instructions may
be earlier than the relevant deadlines specified
above.
Noteholders are advised to read carefully the
Offer to Purchase for full details of and information on the
procedures for participating in the Tender Offer.
Further Information
Questions and requests for
assistance in connection with the Tender Offer may be directed to
the Tender and Information Agent for the Tender Offer or the Dealer
Managers:
The Tender and Information
Agent for the Tender Offer is:
|
|
|
|
Kroll
Issuer Services Limited
The
Shard
32 London
Bridge Street
London
SE1 9SG
United
Kingdom
Attention: Jacek Kusion
Telephone: + 44 20 7704 0880
|
|
|
Email: bidvest@is.kroll.com
Tender
Offer Website: https://deals.is.kroll.com/bidvest
|
|
The Dealer Managers for the
Tender Offer are:
|
|
Goldman
Sachs International
Plumtree
Court
25 Shoe
Lane
London
EC4A 4AU
United
Kingdom
Attention: Liability Management Group
Email: liabilitymanagement.eu@gs.com
|
Telephone: +4420 7774 4836
|
|
HSBC Bank
plc
8 Canada
Square
London
E14 5HQ
United
Kingdom
Attention: Liability Management, DCM
Email:
lm_emea@hsbc.com
|
Telephone:
Europe:
+44 (0)20 7992 6237
United
States: +1 (212) 525-5552 (Collect)
/ +1 (888) HSBC-4LM (Toll Free)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Each Holder is solely responsible
for making its own independent appraisal of all matters as such
Holder deems appropriate (including those relating to the Tender
Offer) and each Holder must make its own decision as to whether to
tender any or all of its Notes for purchase pursuant to the Tender
Offer.
None of the Offeror, the Dealer
Managers, the Tender and Information Agent, Citibank, N.A., London Branch as trustee (the "Trustee") or any
of their respective directors, officers, employees, agents or
affiliates assumes any responsibility for the accuracy or
completeness of the information concerning the Issuer, the Company,
the Notes or the Tender Offer contained in this announcement or in
the Offer to Purchase. None of the Offeror, the Dealer Managers,
the Tender and Information Agent, the Trustee or any of their
respective directors, officers, employees, agents or affiliates is
acting for any Holder, or will be responsible to any Holder for
providing any protections which would be afforded to its clients or
for providing advice in relation to the Tender Offer, and
accordingly none of the Offeror, the Dealer Managers, the Tender
and Information Agent or any of their respective directors,
officers, employees, agents or affiliates assumes any
responsibility for any failure by the Issuer or the Company to
disclose information with regard to themselves or the Notes which
is material in the context of the Tender Offer and which is not
otherwise publicly available.
None of the Issuer, the Dealer
Managers, the Information and Tabulation Agent, the Company, the
Trustee or any of their respective directors, officers, employees,
agents or affiliates make any representation or recommendation
whatsoever regarding the Tender Offer, or any recommendation as to
whether Holders should tender Notes in the Tender Offer.
Disclaimer
This announcement must be read in
conjunction with the Offer to Purchase. This announcement and the
Offer to Purchase contain important information which should be
read carefully before any decision is made with respect to the
Tender Offer. If any Holder is in any doubt as to the contents of
this announcement or the Offer to Purchase or the action it should
take, it is recommended to seek its own financial and legal advice,
including in respect of any tax consequences, immediately from its
stockbroker, bank manager, solicitor, accountant or other
independent financial, tax or legal adviser.
Offer and Distribution
Restrictions
Neither this announcement nor the
Offer to Purchase constitutes an invitation to participate in the
Tender Offer in any jurisdiction in which, or to any person to or
from whom, it is unlawful to make such invitation or for there to
be such participation under applicable securities laws. The
distribution of this announcement and the Offer to Purchase in
certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law. Persons into whose
possession either this announcement or the Offer to Purchase comes
are required by each of the Company, the Issuer, the Trustee, the
Dealer Managers and the Tender and Information Agent to inform
themselves about, and to observe, any such restrictions.
United Kingdom
The communication of this
announcement and any other documents or materials relating to the
Tender Offer is not being made and such documents and/or materials
have not been approved by an authorized person for the purposes of
section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.
Accordingly, such documents and/or materials are not being
distributed to, and must not be passed on to, the general public in
the United Kingdom. The communication of such documents and/or
materials as a financial promotion is only being made to those
persons in the United Kingdom falling within the definition of
investment professionals (as defined in Article 19(5) of the
Financial Promotion Order) or persons who are within
Article 43(2) of the Financial Promotion Order or any other
persons to whom it may otherwise lawfully be made under the
Financial Promotion Order.
European Economic Area
The communication of this
announcement and any other documents or materials relating to the
Tender Offer is not being made in any member state of the EEA,
other than to persons who are "qualified investors" as defined in
the Prospectus Regulation, or in other circumstances falling within
Article 1(4) of the Prospectus Regulation. This EEA selling
restriction is in addition to any other selling restrictions set
out in this announcement or the Offer to Purchase.
Italy
Neither this announcement, the
Tender Offer, the Offer to Purchase or any other document or
materials relating to the Tender Offer have been or will be
submitted to the clearance procedures of the Commissione Nazionale
per le Società e la Borsa ("CONSOB") pursuant to Italian laws and
regulations. The Tender Offer is being carried out in Italy as
exempted offers pursuant to article 101-bis, paragraph 3-bis of the
Legislative Decree No. 58 of 24 February 1998, as amended (the
"Financial Services Act")
and article 35-bis, paragraph 4 of CONSOB Regulation No. 11971 of
14 May 1999, as amended. Holders or beneficial owners of the Notes
that are located in Italy can tender Notes for purchase in the
Tender Offer through authorized persons (such as investment firms,
banks or financial intermediaries permitted to conduct such
activities in the Republic of Italy in accordance with the
Financial Services Act, CONSOB Regulation No. 16190 of 29 October
2007, as amended from time to time, and Legislative Decree No. 385
of 1 September 1993, as amended) and in compliance with applicable
laws and regulations or with requirements imposed by CONSOB or any
other Italian authority.
Each intermediary must comply with
the applicable laws and regulations concerning information duties
vis-à-vis its clients in connection with the Notes and/or the
Tender Offer.
General
This announcement and the Offer to
Purchase does not constitute an offer to buy or the solicitation of
an offer to sell Notes (and tenders of Notes in the Tender Offer
will not be accepted from Holders) in any circumstances in which
such offer or solicitation is unlawful. In those jurisdictions
where the securities, blue sky or other laws require the Tender
Offer to be made by a licensed broker or dealer and any of the
Dealer Managers or any of the Dealer Managers' respective
affiliates is such a licensed broker or dealer in any such
jurisdiction, the Tender Offer shall be deemed to be made by such
Dealer Manager or affiliates, as the case may be, on behalf of the
Issuer in such jurisdiction.
The Dealer Managers, the Tender and Information Agent
(or their directors, employees or affiliates), the Issuer and the
Company make no representations or recommendations whatsoever
regarding this announcement, the Offer to Purchase, the Tender
Offer or whether or not Holders should participate in the Tender
Offer.