NOT
FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY,
IN WHOLE OR IN PART, TO US PERSONS OR INTO OR WITHIN THE UNITED
STATES, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, NEW ZEALAND, SOUTH AFRICA OR JAPAN, OR
ANY MEMBER STATE OF THE EEA, OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION WHERE, OR TO
ANY OTHER PERSON TO WHOM, TO DO SO MIGHT CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OR
BREACH OF ANY APPLICABLE LAW OR REGULATION. PLEASE SEE THE
IMPORTANT NOTICE AT THE END OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT.
THE
COMMUNICATION OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AND ANY OTHER DOCUMENTS OR
MATERIALS RELATING TO THE RETAIL OFFER AS A FINANCIAL PROMOTION IS
ONLY BEING MADE TO, AND MAY ONLY BE ACTED UPON BY, THOSE PERSONS IN
THE UNITED KINGDOM FALLING WITHIN ARTICLE 43 OF THE FINANCIAL
SERVICES AND MARKETS ACT 2000 (FINANCIAL PROMOTION) ORDER 2005, AS
AMENDED (WHICH INCLUDES AN EXISTING MEMBER OF BOOHOO GROUP PLC).
ANY INVESTMENT OR INVESTMENT ACTIVITY TO WHICH THIS ANNOUNCEMENT
RELATES IS AVAILABLE ONLY TO SUCH PERSONS AND WILL BE ENGAGED IN
ONLY BY SUCH PERSONS. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS FOR INFORMATIONAL
PURPOSES ONLY, AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE OR FORM PART OF ANY OFFER OR
INVITATION TO SELL OR ISSUE, OR ANY SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO
PURCHASE OR SUBSCRIBE FOR, ANY SECURITIES OF BOOHOO GROUP
PLC.
14 November 2024
BOOHOO GROUP
PLC
("Boohoo", the
"Group" or the
"Company")
Launch of Retail
Offer
Further to the Company's "Proposed Fundraise" announcement released
at 5:23 p.m. on 13 November 2024 (the "Launch Announcement") and the Company's
"Result
of oversubscribed Placing &
Subscription" announcement
released earlier today, the Board of Boohoo Group plc is pleased to
announce a retail offer via BookBuild (the "Retail Offer") of new ordinary shares
("Ordinary Shares") of
£0.01 each in the capital of the Company (the "Retail Offer Shares") up to the value
of approximately £6.0 million at an issue price of 31 pence per New
Ordinary Share (as defined below) (the "Issue Price"). The Issue Price
represents a premium of approximately 3.3 per cent to the closing
share price of 30 pence per existing Ordinary Share on 12 November
2024 (being the latest practicable date prior to the release of the
Launch Announcement).
Completion of the Retail Offer is
conditional upon, amongst other things, the consent of its majority
lenders under its Facilities Agreement (as defined in the Launch
Announcement) ("Lender
Consent") and the completion of the Placing.
In addition to the Retail Offer, the
Company has also conducted, at the Issue Price, (i) a conditional
placing of new ordinary shares (the "Placing Shares") (the "Placing"), and (ii) a subscription
for new Ordinary Shares (the "Subscription Shares"
and, together with the Placing Shares and
the Retail Offer Shares, the "New
Ordinary Shares") pursuant to a
direct subscription agreement (the "Subscription" and, together with the Placing and the Retail Offer, the
"Fundraise"). For the avoidance of doubt, the
Retail Offer is not part of the Placing or the
Subscription.
The Retail Offer is also conditional
upon, amongst other things, the New Ordinary Shares to be issued
pursuant to the Fundraise being admitted to trading on the AIM
market operated by London Stock Exchange plc ("Admission"). Subject to Lender Consent,
Admission is expected to take place at 8:00 a.m. on 26 November
2024 (or such later time as Zeus Capital Limited ("Zeus") may agree with the Company, but
in any event, no later than 5:00 p.m. on 6 December 2024).
The net proceeds from the Fundraise
are expected to be used to reduce Group borrowings.
Expected Timetable in relation to the Retail
Offer
Retail Offer opens
|
12:00 p.m.
on 14 November 2024
|
Latest date for commitments under the Retail
Offer
|
5:00 p.m.
on 15 November 2024
|
Results of the Retail Offer announced
|
18
November 2024
|
Admission and dealings in New Ordinary Shares issued
pursuant to the Retail Offer commence
|
26
November 2024
|
Any changes to the expected
timetable set out above will be notified by the Company through a
Regulatory Information Service. References to times are to London
times unless otherwise stated.
Dealing Codes
Ticker
|
BOO
|
ISIN for the Ordinary Shares
|
JE00BG6L7297
|
SEDOL for the Ordinary Shares
|
BG6L729
|
Retail Offer
The Company values its retail
shareholder base, which has supported the Company alongside
institutional investors since IPO in March 2014. Given the support
of retail shareholders, the Company believes that it is appropriate
to provide its retail shareholders in the United Kingdom the
opportunity to participate in the Retail Offer. The Company is
therefore making the Retail Offer available in the United Kingdom
through the financial intermediaries which will be listed, subject
to certain access restrictions, on the following website:
https://www.bookbuild.live/deals/JQYVRQ/authorised-intermediaries
Zeus will be acting as retail offer
coordinator in relation to this Retail Offer (the "Retail Offer Coordinator").
Existing retail shareholders can
contact their broker or wealth manager ("Intermediary") to participate in the
Retail Offer. In order to participate in the Retail Offer, each
Intermediary must be on-boarded onto the BookBuild platform and
agree to the terms and conditions of the Retail Offer, which
regulate, inter alia, the
conduct of the Retail Offer on market standard terms and provide
for the payment of commission to any Intermediary that elects to
receive a commission and/or fee (to the extent permitted by the FCA
Handbook Rules) from the Retail Offer Coordinator (on behalf of the
Company). Should any Intermediary or its underlying client fail to
meet the terms and conditions of the Retail Offer, Zeus retains the
right to deny participation on this basis.
Any expenses incurred by any
Intermediary are for its own account. Investors should confirm
separately with any Intermediary whether there are any commissions,
fees or expenses that will be applied by such Intermediary in
connection with any application made through that Intermediary
pursuant to the Retail Offer.
The Retail Offer will be open to
eligible investors in the United Kingdom at 12:00 p.m. on 14 November 2024. The
Retail Offer is expected to close at 5:00 p.m. on 15 November 2024.
Investors should note that financial Intermediaries may have
earlier closing times. The Retail Offer may close early if it is
oversubscribed.
If any Intermediary has any
questions about how to participate in the Retail Offer on behalf of
existing retail shareholders, please contact the Retail Offer
Coordinator or BookBuild at email:
support@bookbuild.live.
The Retail Offer is and will, at all
times, only be made to, directed at and may only be acted upon by
those persons who are, shareholders in the Company. To be eligible
to participate in the Retail Offer, applicants must meet the
following criteria before they can submit an order for Retail Offer
Shares: (i) be a customer of one of the participating
Intermediaries listed on the above website; (ii) be resident in the
United Kingdom and (iii) be a shareholder in the Company (which may
include individuals aged 18 years or over, companies and other
bodies corporate, partnerships, trusts, associations and other
unincorporated organisations and includes persons who hold their
shares in the Company directly or indirectly through a
participating Intermediary). For the
avoidance of doubt, persons who only hold CFDs, Spreadbets and/or
similar derivative instruments in relation to shares in the Company
are not eligible to participate in the Retail Offer.
Each of the Company and Zeus
reserves the right to scale back any order at its discretion. The
Company reserves the right to reject any application for
subscription under the Retail Offer without giving any reason for
such rejection.
It is vital to note that once an
application for Retail Offer Shares has been made and accepted via
an Intermediary, it cannot be withdrawn.
The New Ordinary Shares will, when
issued, be credited as fully paid and will rank pari passu in all respects with
existing Ordinary Shares including the right to receive all
dividends and other distributions declared, made or paid after
their date of issue.
The Retail Offer is an offer to
subscribe for transferable securities, the terms of which ensure
that the Company is exempt from the requirement to issue a
prospectus under Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 as it forms part of UK
law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (as
amended). It is a term of the Retail Offer that the aggregate total
consideration payable for the Retail Offer Shares will not exceed
£6.0 million (or the equivalent in Euros). The exemption from the
requirement to publish a prospectus, set out in section 86(1)(e) of
the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (as amended), will
apply to the Retail Offer.
The Retail Offer is not being made
(i) into any jurisdiction other than the United Kingdom or (ii) to,
or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons (as defined in
Regulation S of the US Securities Act 1933, as amended).
No offering document, prospectus or
admission document has been or will be prepared or submitted to be
approved by the Financial Conduct Authority (or any other
authority) in relation to the Retail Offer, and investors'
commitments will be made solely on the basis of the information
contained in this announcement and information that has been
published by or on behalf of the Company prior to the date of this
announcement by notification to a Regulatory Information Service in
accordance with the Financial Conduct Authority's Disclosure
Guidance and Transparency Rules and the Market Abuse Regulation (EU
Regulation No. 596/2014) ("MAR") as it forms part of United Kingdom
law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (as
amended).
There is a minimum subscription of
£100.00 per investor under
the terms of the Retail Offer which is open to investors in the
United Kingdom subscribing via the Intermediaries which will be
listed, subject to certain access restrictions, on the following
website:
https://www.bookbuild.live/deals/JQYVRQ/authorised-intermediaries
There is no maximum application
amount to apply in the Retail Offer. The terms and conditions on
which investors subscribe will be provided by the relevant
financial Intermediaries including relevant commission or fee
charges.
Investors should make their own investigations into the merits
of an investment in the Company. Nothing in this announcement
amounts to a recommendation to invest in the Company or amounts to
investment, taxation or legal advice.
It
should be noted that a subscription for Retail Offer Shares and
investment in the Company carries a number of risks. Investors
should take independent advice from a person experienced in
advising on investment in securities such as the Retail Offer
Shares if they are in any doubt.
For further information, please
contact:
Enquiries
|
|
boohoo group plc
|
|
Stephen Morana, Chief Financial
Officer
|
Tel: +44 (0)161 233 2050
|
Mike Cooper, Head of Investor
Relations
|
Tel: +44 (0)161 233 2050
|
|
|
Zeus - Joint Financial Adviser,
Nominated adviser,
Joint Broker and Sole
Bookrunner
|
Nick Cowles / Dan Bate / James Edis
|
Tel: +44 (0)161 831 1512
|
Benjamin Robertson
|
Tel: +44 (0)20 3829 5000
|
|
|
Headland -
Financial PR Adviser
|
|
Susanna
Voyle / Will Smith
|
Tel: +44
(0)20 3725 7514
|
Further information on the Company
can be found on its website at:
https://www.boohooplc.com/
The Company's LEI is
213800SZF3KFCECWY243.
This announcement should be read in
its entirety. In particular, the information in the "Important
Notices" section of the announcement should be read and
understood.
Important Notices
The content of this announcement has
been prepared by and is the sole responsibility of the
Company.
The Retail Offer is only open to
investors in the United Kingdom who fall within Article 43 of the
Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order
2005, as amended (which includes an existing member of the
Company).
This announcement and the
information contained herein is not for release, publication or
distribution, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, in or
into or from the United States (including its territories and
possessions, any state of the United States and the District of
Columbia (the "United States" or "US")), Australia, Canada, Japan,
New Zealand, the Republic of South Africa, any member state of the
EEA or any other jurisdiction where to do so might constitute a
violation of the relevant laws or regulations of such
jurisdiction.
The Retail Offer Shares have not
been and will not be registered under the US Securities Act of
1933, as amended (the "US Securities Act") or under the applicable
state securities laws of the United States and may not be offered
or sold directly or indirectly in or into the United States or to
or for the account or benefit of any U.S. person (within the meaning
of Regulation S under the US Securities Act). No public offering of
the Retail Offer Shares is being made in the United States. The
Retail Offer Shares are being offered and sold only outside the
United States in "offshore transactions", as defined in, and in
compliance with, Regulation S under the US Securities Act. In
addition, the Company has not been, and will not be, registered
under the US Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
This announcement does not
constitute an offer to sell or issue or a solicitation of an offer
to buy or subscribe for Retail Offer Shares in the United States,
Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Japan, the Republic of South
Africa, any member state of the EEA or any other jurisdiction in
which such offer or solicitation is or may be unlawful. No public
offer of the securities referred to herein is being made in any
such jurisdiction.
The distribution of this
announcement may be restricted by law in certain jurisdictions and
persons into whose possession any document or other information
referred to herein comes should inform themselves about and observe
any such restriction. Any failure to comply with these restrictions
may constitute a violation of the securities laws of any such
jurisdiction.
Zeus Capital Limited ("Zeus") is authorised and regulated in
the United Kingdom by the Financial Conduct Authority, is acting
exclusively for the Company and for no-one else and will not regard
any other person (whether or not a recipient of this announcement)
as its client in relation to the Retail Offer. or any other
transactions and arrangements described in this announcement and
will not be responsible to anyone other than the Company for
providing the protections afforded to its clients, nor for
providing advice in connection with the Retail Offer, Admission and
the other arrangements referred to in this announcement.
The value of Ordinary Shares and the
income from them is not guaranteed and can fall as well as rise due
to stock market and currency movements. When you sell your
investment, you may get back less than you originally invested.
Figures refer to past performance and past performance is not a
reliable indicator of future results. Returns may increase or
decrease as a result of currency fluctuations.
Certain statements in this
announcement are forward-looking statements which are based on the
Company's expectations, intentions and projections regarding its
future performance, anticipated events or trends and other matters
that are not historical facts. These forward-looking statements,
which may use words such as "aim", "anticipate", "believe",
"intend", "estimate", "expect" and words of similar meaning,
include all matters that are not historical facts. These
forward-looking statements involve risks, assumptions and
uncertainties that could cause the actual results of operations,
financial condition, liquidity and dividend policy and the
development of the industries in which the Company's businesses
operate to differ materially from the impression created by the
forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of
future performance and are subject to known and unknown risks,
uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to
differ materially from those expressed or implied by such
forward-looking statements. Given those risks and uncertainties,
prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on
forward-looking statements.
These forward-looking statements
speak only as at the date of this announcement and cannot be relied
upon as a guide to future performance. Each of the Company and Zeus
expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update or
revise any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect
actual results or any change in the assumptions, conditions or
circumstances on which any such statements are based unless
required to do so by the Financial Conduct Authority, the London
Stock Exchange or applicable law.
The information in this announcement
is for background purposes only and does not purport to be full or
complete. None of Zeus or any of its affiliates accepts any
responsibility or liability whatsoever for, or makes any
representation or warranty, express or implied, as to this
announcement, including the truth, accuracy or completeness of the
information in this announcement (or whether any information has
been omitted from the announcement) or any other information
relating to the Company or associated companies, whether written,
oral or in a visual or electronic form, and howsoever transmitted
or made available or for any loss howsoever arising from any use of
the announcement or its contents or otherwise arising in connection
therewith. Each of Zeus and its affiliates, accordingly disclaim
all and any liability whether arising in tort, contract or
otherwise which it might otherwise be found to have in respect of
this announcement or its contents or otherwise arising in
connection therewith.
Any indication in this announcement
of the price at which the Ordinary Share have been bought or sold
in the past cannot be relied upon as a guide to future performance.
Persons needing advice should consult an independent financial
adviser. No statement in this announcement is intended to be a
profit forecast and no statement in this announcement should be
interpreted to mean that earnings or target dividend per share of
the Company for the current or future financial years would
necessarily match or exceed the historical published earnings or
dividends per share of the Company.
Further information in respect of
the Company can be found on the Company's website accessible at
https://www.boohooplc.com/ (including copies of its latest annual
report and audited accounts).
Neither the content of the Company's
website (or any other website) nor the content of any website
accessible from hyperlinks on the Company's website (or any other
website) is incorporated into or forms part of this announcement
other than in respect of any information on the website as regards
the principal operating establishments of the Company, details of
the Company's directors and secretary and details of its auditors,
legal advisers and principal bankers. The Retail Offer Shares to be
issued or sold pursuant to the Retail Offer will not be admitted to
trading on any stock exchange other than the London Stock
Exchange.
A copy of this announcement has been
delivered to the registrar of companies in accordance with Article
5 of the Companies (General Provisions) (Jersey) Order 2002, and
the registrar has given, and has not withdrawn, consent to its
circulation. The Jersey Financial Services Commission has given,
and has not withdrawn, its consent under Article 2 of the Control
of Borrowing (Jersey) Order 1958 to the issue of securities in the
Company. It must be distinctly understood that, in giving these
consents, neither the registrar of companies nor the Jersey
Financial Services Commission takes any responsibility for the
financial soundness of the Company or for the correctness of any
statements made, or opinions expressed, with regard to it. If you
are in any doubt about the contents of this announcement you should
consult your stockbroker, bank manager, solicitor, accountant or
other financial adviser. The directors of the Company have taken
all reasonable care to ensure that the facts stated in this
announcement are true and accurate in all material respects, and
that there are no other facts the omission of which would make
misleading any statement in the announcement, whether of facts or
of opinion. All the directors accept responsibility accordingly. It
should be remembered that the price of securities and the income
from them can go down as well as up.
UK
Product Governance Requirements
Solely for the purposes of the
product governance requirements of Chapter 3 of the FCA Handbook
Product Intervention and Product Governance Sourcebook (the "UK
MiFIR Product Governance Requirements"), and disclaiming all and
any liability, whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise,
which any "manufacturer" (for the purposes of the UK MiFIR Product
Governance Requirements) may otherwise have with respect thereto,
the Retail Offer Shares have been subject to a product approval
process, which has determined that the Retail Offer 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 paragraphs 3.5 and 3.6
of COBS; and (ii) eligible for distribution through all permitted
distribution channels (the "Target Market Assessment").
Notwithstanding the Target Market Assessment, distributors should
note that: the price of the Retail Offer Shares may decline and
investors could lose all or part of their investment; the Retail
Offer Shares offer no guaranteed income and no capital protection;
and an investment in the Retail Offer 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 any contractual, legal or
regulatory selling restrictions in relation to the Retail
Offer.
For the avoidance of doubt, the
Target Market Assessment does not constitute: (a) an assessment of
suitability or appropriateness for the purposes of Chapters 9A or
10A respectively of COBS; 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 Retail Offer Shares. Each
distributor is responsible for undertaking its own target market
assessment in respect of the Retail Offer Shares and determining
appropriate distribution channels.
EU
Product Governance Requirements
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; and (c) local implementing
measures (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 Retail Offer Shares
have been subject to a product approval process, which has
determined that the Retail Offer 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 "EU
Target Market Assessment"). Notwithstanding the EU Target Market
Assessment, distributors should note that: the price of the Retail
Offer Shares may decline and investors could lose all or part of
their investment; the Retail Offer Shares offer no guaranteed
income and no capital protection; and an investment in the Retail
Offer 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 EU Target Market Assessment is
without prejudice to the requirements of any contractual, legal or
regulatory selling restrictions in relation to the Retail
Offer.
For the avoidance of doubt, the EU
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 Retail Offer Shares. Each distributor is responsible for
undertaking its own target market assessment in respect of the
Retail Offer Shares and determining appropriate distribution
channels.