TIDMMTA

RNS Number : 6630D

Matra Petroleum PLC

01 April 2014

Matra Petroleum Plc

("Matra" or "the Company")

Proposed Cancellation to trading on AIM

Matra Petroleum Plc (AIM: Matra), the oil & gas focused Investing Company is proposing to cancel the admission of the Company's ordinary shares to trading on AIM in accordance with Rule 41 of the AIM Rules for Companies ("AIM Rules") ("Cancellation").

Reasons for Cancellation

On 31 October 2013 announced that it would be making a series of investments into the US onshore oil and gas sector through its wholly owned subsidiary, Matra Petroleum U.S.A, Inc ("Matra USA"), and the joint venture company PG-M International, LLC ("PG-M JV") (the "Transaction").

As part of the Transaction, Matra USA acquired a 50 per cent. interest in PG-M JV from PSOFEI, LLC with an option (the "Option") to acquire the remaining 50 per cent by 26 April 2014 (the "Acquisition"). Completion of the Acquisition would result in the Company reverting from an Investing Company back to a trading company thereby triggering a reverse takeover under the AIM Rules ("RTO") for which the approval of the Company's shareholders and Re-Admission of the enlarged company to trading on AIM is required. Accordingly the Company's shares were suspended from trading on 31 October 2013 (for a maximum of six months) in order to effect the RTO after which the Company's shares would be re-admitted to trading on AIM ("Re-Admission").

Following discussions between the Company's Nomad, Canaccord Genuity Limited ("Canaccord"), and AIM regulation over recent weeks, it has been determined that Rule 7 of the AIM Rules, which requires the Company's Substantial Shareholders (as defined in the AIM Rules) to agree not to dispose of any interest in their securities for a period of one year from Re-Admission ("Lock-In Agreement"), will apply to Matra's RTO.

On 28 March 2014 the Company received notification from its two major shareholders, Winpro Ventures Corporation (which is 50 per cent. beneficially owned by each of Mr Barskiy and Alltech Capital Limited) and Tricon Energy Finance Limited, that they are unwilling to enter into Lock-In Agreements. As a consequence, the Company is unable to meet the requirements of Rule 7 of the AIM Rules which would apply on Re-Admission and is therefore unable to complete the RTO.

The Company has been in discussions with the grantor of the Option and has secured an extension to the 26 April 2014 Option deadline and must now exercise the Option by 2 May 2014. This extension will allow the Company to effect the Cancellation following which it can proceed to complete the Acquisition as a private company.

Principal Effects of Delisting

The principal effects of the Cancellation would include:

-- Shareholders will no longer be able to buy and sell shares in the Company through a public stock market; that is, liquidity in the Company's shares will be very limited until such time as the Company seeks a listing on an alternative exchange (although at this time there can be no certainty that this will ultimately occur);

-- the Company would not be bound to announce to the market material events, administrative changes or material transactions, nor to announce interim or final results; and

-- the Company would no longer be subject to the AIM Rules; Shareholders would no longer be required to vote on certain matters as provided in the AIM Rules; and the Company would no longer be subject to the provisions of the Disclosure and Transparency Rules relating to the disclosure of changes in significant shareholdings in the Company.

Following the Cancellation the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers, which currently applies to the Company, will continue to apply to the Company.

In reaching the decision to propose the Cancellation to Shareholders, the Directors have considered the following:

-- the effect on the Company and its Shareholders of not proceeding with the Acquisition, which the Board believes to be in the Company's and Shareholders' best interests;

-- the specific near term growth strategy of the Company and the regulatory requirements that would govern the execution of that strategy; and

-- the constraints of the regulatory requirements of the public markets on the Company's ability to grow its portfolio of oil and gas assets, in particular, the necessary speed of execution of this particular strategy.

The Board considers that the Cancellation is in the best interests of the Shareholders' and the Company as a whole and will allow the Company to continue to implement its strategy of acquiring oil and gas interests. The Board further believes that the Cancellation would not alter the Board's strategy for the Company which would be to continue the acquisition of mature oil and gas assets in proven hydrocarbon provinces.

A Circular, including a notice convening a General Meeting will be posted to Shareholders by 7 April 2014. The Circular will contain further information regarding the background and reasons for the proposed the proposed Cancellation.

The General Meeting is expected to be held at 11.00 a.m. on 23 April 2014 at the offices of BDO LLP, 55 Baker Street, London W1U 7EU for the purpose of considering a special resolution to approve the cancellation of admission of the Company's ordinary shares to trading on AIM.

An expected timetable of principal events is set out below

 
Publication of circular, including forms    7 April 2014 
 of proxy, convening a General Meeting by 
 no later than 
General Meeting                            11.00 a.m. on 23 April 
                                            2014 
Cancellation of Admission effective (if    7.00 a.m. on 1 May 2014 
 Resolution passed) 
 

All the above times refer to London time.

If any of the above times and/or dates change, the revised times and/or dates will be notified to Shareholders by announcement through a Regulatory Information Service.

Enquiries:

Matra Petroleum plc c/o Bell Pottinger

   Henry Lerwill                                                                     020 7861 3169 

Canaccord Genuity Limited

   Henry Fitzgerald-O'Connor                                         0207 523 8000 

Neil Elliot

This information is provided by RNS

The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

END

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