THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONTAINS
INSIDE INFORMATION AS DEFINED FOR THE
PURPOSES OF ARTICLE 7 OF THE MARKET ABUSE REGULATION (EU) NO. 596/2014 WHICH FORMS PART OF DOMESTIC LAW IN THE
UNITED KINGDOM PURSUANT TO THE EUROPEAN
UNION (WITHDRAWAL) ACT 2018 ("UK MAR").
UPON PUBLICATION OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT THIS
INFORMATION IS NOW CONSIDERED IN THE PUBLIC
DOMAIN.
NOT
FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION,
IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY IN, OR
INTO OR FROM ANY JURISDICTION IN
WHICH THE SAME WOULD BE A VIOLATION
OF THE LAWS OF SUCH JURISDICTION. NEITHER
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, NOR ANYTHING
CONTAINED HEREIN, SHALL FORM THE BASIS
OF, OR BE RELIED UPON IN CONNECTION WITH,
ANY OFFER OR COMMITMENT WHATSOEVER IN ANY
JURISDICTION.
Nexxen Announces Proposed
Cancellation of Admission of Ordinary Shares to Trading on AIM Transition of
its Primary Trading Venue to the Nasdaq Global Market
Proposed Reverse Share
Split
Proposed Amendments to
Articles of Association Proposed Re-election of
Directors
Proposed Reappointment of
Independent External Auditor
Proposed Increase to Share Reserves of the Company's Equity Compensation Plans Proposed
Compensation Package for the Company's
Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director
Proposed Amendment to the
Remuneration Policy for Directors and Executives
and
Notice of General Meeting to
be held on December 20, 2024
November 15, 2024
LONDON, Nexxen International Ltd., AIM:NEXN and
Nasdaq:NEXN ("Nexxen" or
the "Company"), a global
leader in data-driven video and Connected TV ("CTV") advertising technology, offering a unified
platform that enables advertisers to optimize campaigns and media
companies to maximize inventory yield, today announces:
- the Company's
intention to consolidate all trading of the Company's securities on one stock exchange - the NASDAQ
Global Market in the United States ("Nasdaq"). Subject to shareholder
approval, the process for implementing this transition (the
"Transaction") from a
dual listing of the Company's American
Depositary Shares (the "ADSs") on Nasdaq and ordinary shares of
nominal value NIS 0.01 each in the capital of the Company (the
"Shares") on AIM to a sole
listing of Shares on Nasdaq broadly involves: (1) a reverse share
split with respect to all outstanding Shares by means of a 2-for-1
reverse share split (the "Reverse
Share Split"), after which each two existing Shares will be
represented by one new ordinary share of nominal value NIS 0.02
each in the capital of the Company (the "New Shares"), and each ADS will
represent one New Share, (2) a mandatory exchange under the
Company's ADS facility as a result of which ADS holders, upon the
Company's termination of the existing ADS facility, will have their ADSs automatically cancelled
and will be credited with the right to receive the underlying New
Shares represented by their ADSs at a rate of one New Share for
each ADS cancelled (the "Mandatory
ADS Exchange"), (3) a listing of the New Shares on Nasdaq
instead of the ADSs (as the ADSs will be delisted for trading from
Nasdaq), (4) the appointment of Computershare Trust Company, N.A. to act as
the Company's U.S. transfer agent
("Computershare"),
(5) subject to certain formalities, a repositioning
of the New Shares from the trading system used for trading the
Shares on AIM into the trading system used for trading the New
Shares on Nasdaq (the "Market
Repositioning"), (6) the delisting of the Shares from
listing and trading on AIM (the "Delisting"), and (7) the replacement of
the current depositary interests (the "DIs") issued by Link Market Services
Trustees Limited with CREST depositary
interests (the "CDIs").
Following the Transaction, the New Shares
would be listed on Nasdaq under ticker symbol "NEXN" and all public
trading of securities in the Company will take place on Nasdaq;
and
- the posting of a
circular ("Circular") to
the Company's shareholders ("Shareholders") which contains further
information on (i) the Transaction, and
(ii) notice of a general meeting to be held at 82 Yigal Alon Street, Tel
Aviv, 6789124, Israel at 12.30 p.m. (Israel
time) on December 20, 2024 ("General Meeting") at which shareholder
approval will be sought, inter
alia, for the Delisting and Reverse Share Split and the
other items presented to the Shareholders for approval. If the
resolutions to approve the Delisting ("Delisting Resolution") and Reverse
Share Split (the "Reverse Share
Split Resolution") are approved at the General Meeting, the
Transaction is expected to take effect on
February 14, 2025 and the last day of trading of Shares on AIM will
be February 14, 2025. The Board reserves the right to adjust the
timeline as it deems necessary and may decide in its sole
discretion not to undertake the Transaction
at all.
The Proposed AIM Delisting and the General
Meeting
1. Highlights
• The board of
directors of the Company (the "Board" and the "Directors") believes that the
Transaction should enhance the liquidity of
trading in the Company's securities as all
such trading will be concentrated in a single venue.
• The Company will
reduce its cost base by eliminating the need to comply with rules
and regulations in multiple jurisdictions, and eliminating the
costs related to the administration of the ADS program and DI
program.
The Company will post today the Circular to
Shareholders which will set out further information regarding the
Transaction, as well as containing the
notice of General Meeting. Copies will also be available on
Nexxen's website at https://investors.nexxen.com/.
2. Background to the
Transaction
The Company was incorporated in Israel on 20 March
2007 and its Shares have been admitted to trading on AIM since 28
May 2014, and its ADSs, each representing two DIs, have been
admitted to trading on the Nasdaq Global Market since 18 June
2021.
As at November 13, 2024, being the last practicable
date prior to the date of the Circular,
approximately 7.34 per cent of the Shares were represented by ADSs
tradeable on Nasdaq. Of the balance, approximately 62.83 per cent
of the Company's Shares were held in the computerised settlement
system to facilitate transfer of title to or interest in securities
in uncertificated form operated by Euroclear UK & International
Limited ("CREST") in the
form of DIs. The remaining Shares were held by Shareholders in
certificated form.
3. Shareholder Approval
The AIM Rules for Companies published by London Stock
Exchange PLC (the "AIM Rules for
Companies") require that, unless the London Stock Exchange
otherwise agrees, the cancellation of a company's shares from trading on AIM requires the
consent of not less than 75 per cent of votes cast by its
Shareholders voting in a general meeting. The approval of the
Reverse Share Split Resolution requires the affirmative vote of the
holders of a majority of the voting power represented and voting on
the resolution in person or by proxy.
For the reasons set out below, the Board has determined to seek shareholder
approval for the proposed AIM Delisting.
4. Reasons for the
Transaction
Sole Listing:
The Board has decided to implement the sole listing for the
following reasons:
• The cost of complying
with the AIM Rules for Companies is duplicative of that for
complying with the Nasdaq market rules and the rules and
regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
("SEC") and the Company
sees advantages in reducing its cost base as it progresses its
commercial strategy.
• Internal financial
and legal staff time spent on compliance
with the AIM Rules for Companies is duplicative of that required
for compliance with the Nasdaq market rules and the rules and
regulations of the SEC.
• The Board believes
the sole listing can better align the Company's shares with other
U.S.-listed AdTech companies;
increase the potential
for the
Company to attract
new
U.S. investors; widen the base of U.S. investors that
can hold Nexxen's shares which have been precluded from ownership
due to the Company's ADR structure; reduce
trading volatility which can arise from being dual-listed; reduce
the Company's trading structure complexity
which can potentially lead to added U.S. investor and sell side
coverage interest; significantly increase Nexxen's potential to be
included in some of the world's largest indices, potentially
driving capital appreciation; and save significant costs associated
with listing, compliance, regulatory,
legal, consulting and other fees across two markets, the
combination of which can potentially increase the Company's capital appreciation potential.
• A Nasdaq-only listing
structure will simplify investor communications.
• As a result of the
Delisting, the Shares will no longer be traded on AIM. Holders of
Shares currently traded on AIM will have, however, the ability prior to the Delisting and after
the Delisting, to reposition the New Shares resulting from the
Reverse Share Split so that they can be traded on Nasdaq.
Reverse Share
Split: The Board has decided to implement the Reverse Share
Split for the following reasons:
• The Company's ADSs,
which are trading on Nasdaq, currently represent outstanding DIs on
a 1-for-2 basis, whereby each ADS represents the right to receive
two Shares. As a result of the Reverse Share Split, the ADSs will
represent New Shares of the Company on a 1-for-1 basis. This will
simplify an exchange of the ADSs for New Shares upon termination of
the ADS facility and a Market Repositioning of the New Shares to
Nasdaq.
• Following the Reverse
Share Split, the Company's Shareholders
will still own the same proportion of the capital of the Company as
immediately prior to the Reverse Share Split, subject to any
fractions of New Shares. As set out in the Frequently Asked
Questions section accompanying the Circular, a process will be put in place so that any
fractional interest resulting from such Reverse Share Split would
entitle the holder of such fractional interest to a cash payment in
lieu thereof.
Mandatory ADS
Exchange: The Board has decided to implement the Mandatory
ADS Exchange for the following reasons:
• As described above,
the main purpose of the Transaction is to
transition to a sole listing of New Shares on Nasdaq. As such, the
Mandatory ADS Exchange is necessary to complete this process.
• Both the Company and
the ADS holders incur annual, transaction-specific and other fees
under the ADS facility. By implementing the
Mandatory ADS Exchange, which will result in ADS holders receiving
New Shares in exchange for their ADSs, these fees will no longer
apply as the ADS facility will be terminated.
5. Effect of
the Transaction on Shareholders
Effects of the Reverse Share Split
• As a result of the
Reverse Share Split, all outstanding Shares will be consolidated at
the ratio of one New Share for two existing Shares, and a process
will be put in place so that any fractional interests resulting
from such share consolidation entitle the holder of such fractional
interest to a cash payment in lieu thereof.
• The Reverse Share
Split will not affect the proportionate
ownership of Shareholders, subject to the treatment of any
fractions of New Shares not being issued but is necessary to ensure
that each ADS represents one New Share, which will simplify an
exchange of the ADSs for Shares upon termination of the ADS program
and a Market Repositioning of the New Shares to Nasdaq.
• No U.K., U.S. or
Israeli income or capital gains tax consequences are expected to
arise as a result of the Reverse Share Split, save in the
circumstances described in the Circular. No
stamp duty or SDRT should be payable as a
result of the Reverse Share Split. However,
it is strongly recommended that Shareholders obtain appropriate
professional advice with respect of these and other taxes.
Effects of the Delisting
• Until the close of
business in the U.K. on February 14, 2025, Shareholders can
continue to trade Shares on AIM.
• Holders of DIs:
o In order to ensure ease of
cross-border movements of shares between the U.K. and
U.S. markets for Shareholders, the Company has
arranged for the current DIs issued by Link
Market Services Trustees Limited (the
"DI
Depositary") to be replaced with
CDIs representing New Shares held through the system of The
Depository Trust Company, a US-based corporation that
is a central securities depository providing electronic
record-keeping of securities balances. The Company has arranged
with the DI Depositary for the current DI facility to be terminated
with effect from the close of business in the U.K. on February 14,
2025. In anticipation of this change, share deposits and
withdrawals will not be possible in CREST from the close of
business on February 12, 2025. All depositary interests in the DI
facility at the close of business in the U.K. on February 14, 2025
will automatically be cancelled and replaced in CREST with CDIs
representing the number of New Shares resulting from the Reverse
Stock Split. Thereafter, Shareholders who
desire to sell their New Shares on Nasdaq would reposition their
New Shares by sending, or instructing their financial intermediary
to send, a CDI withdrawal instruction to CREST, instructing that the underlying securities be
delivered into their accounts for trading. The CDIs will be issued
in accordance with the Euroclear UK & International Limited
deed poll and holders of DIs should note that Euroclear UK &
International Limited will be the contact for the purposes of any
queries in relation to CDIs.
o The CDIs are expected to be enabled for settlement
in CREST during the trading day on February 18, 2025. There are
likely to be delays in settlement of trades in the Company's New Shares on February 18, 2025.
• Holders of
certificated shares:
o As of the Mandatory ADS Exchange, the Company's share registry will be moved from the current
DI Depositary to the Company's U.S.
transfer agent, Computershare. Immediately following the Reverse
Stock Split, Shareholders' holdings of existing New Shares held in
certificated form will be recorded directly on the Company's share register,
which will be held in the Direct Registration System (DRS) and
maintained by Computershare. Computershare will send DRS statements
to these holders with their new account information.
• The Company will no
longer be subject to the AIM Rules for Companies or be required to
retain the services of an independent nominated adviser. The Company will also no longer be subject to
the QCA Corporate Governance Code or be required to comply with the
continuing obligations set out in the Disclosure Guidance and
Transparency Rules of the FCA or, provided the Company's securities remain outside
the scope of the regulation, UK MAR.
• The Company will be
required to continue to comply with all regulatory requirements
applicable to a foreign private issuer and Nasdaq listed
company, including all applicable rules and
regulations of the SEC, and the Israeli Companies Law, as a company incorporated under the laws of the
State of Israel.
• As the Company is
incorporated under the laws of Israel, Shareholders are not
currently afforded the protections provided by the City Code on
Takeovers and Mergers, and will not be
afforded such protections following the
Delisting.
• Shareholders will
continue to be notified in writing of the availability of key
documents on the Company's website, including publication of annual
reports and annual general meeting documentation in compliance with
SEC and Nasdaq rules and regulations and the Israeli Companies
Law.
• No U.K., U.S. or
Israeli income or capital gains tax consequences are expected to
arise as a result of the Delisting. Shareholders should note that
business relief for inheritance tax purposes will not apply to the
New Shares when they are listed on Nasdaq. It is strongly
recommended that Shareholders obtain appropriate professional
advice with respect of these and other taxes.
• Holders of DIs
currently trading on AIM should contact their financial
intermediary about possible handling fees associated with
repositioning their New Shares as well as costs associated with
holding and trading New Shares listed on Nasdaq.
• Notwithstanding the
Company's decision to proceed with the AIM
Delisting, the Company is highly cognisant that a proportion of its
shareholder base comprises U.K. based investors and therefore the
Company has decided to retain Cavendish as an adviser for the
purposes of providing equity research in order to ensure that U.K.
based investors retain access to research on the Company.
6. Effects of the Transaction on ADS Holders
Effects of the Reverse Share Split and
Delisting
• Other than causing
each ADS to represent one New Share, the Reverse Share Split is not
expected to have any impact on ADS holders.
• The Delisting is not
expected to have any direct impact on ADS holders, as the ADS
facility will be terminated immediately before the Delisting.
• Following the Reverse
Share Split, the Company will proceed with the Mandatory ADS
Exchange pursuant to which holders of ADSs will receive the
underlying New Shares in the context of the Reverse Share Split,
which will have a Committee on Uniform Securities Identification
Procedures Number and will be listed on Nasdaq.
Effects of the Mandatory ADS Exchange
• To facilitate the Mandatory ADS Exchange, Citibank,
N.A. (the "ADS Depositary")
shall close the books to the issuance and cancellation of ADSs at
5.00 p.m. (Eastern time) on February
5, 2025 (the "ADS Books Closure Date"). Therefore, ADS holders who
wish to cancel their ADSs in exchange for the underlying DIs must
do so before the ADS Books Closure Date.
• As a result of the
Mandatory ADS Exchange, each of the Company's outstanding ADSs will be canceled and
exchanged for one New Share it represents as follows:
o ADSs held in brokerage
accounts as well as ADSs in book-entry form on the books of the ADS
Depositarywill
automatically be exchanged for New Shares without holders having to
take any action.
o If there are any holders of
certificated ADSs, Computershare, as transfer agent for purposes of
the Mandatory ADS Exchange, will send such holders a letter of
transmittal calling for surrender of their ADS certificate(s) in
exchange for New Shares.
• The New Shares
received in exchange for ADSs will be listed on Nasdaq and the
Nasdaq ADS listing will be terminated.
• The Transaction is not expected to have any tax
consequences for ADS holders residing in the U.S. However, it is strongly recommended that Shareholders
obtain appropriate professional advice with respect of these and
other taxes.
• ADS holders residing
in the U.K. may be treated as having made a disposal of their
holding as a result of the Mandatory ADS Exchange having
implemented and all ADS holders outside the U.S. should seek their
own tax advice on any potential tax consequences.
• The Company will
cover, on behalf of the ADS holders, the
USD 0.05 per ADS cancellation fee due to the ADS Depositary under
the terms of the New York law governed
deposit agreement dated 22 June 2021 by and among the Company, the ADS Depositary and all holders and
beneficial owners of ADSs issued thereunder.
7. Further information in
relation to the AIM Delisting
The Board believes that the proposed Transaction is an appropriate next step for the Company
and is in the best interests of Shareholders as a whole. A set of
Frequently Asked Questions is set out in Appendix A to the Circular.
8. Details of the General
Meeting and action to be taken in respect of the General
Meeting
A notice convening the General Meeting, which is to
be held at 82 Yigal Alon Street,
Tel Aviv, 6789124,
Israel at 12:30 p.m. (Israel time) on December 20, 2024 is set out
in the Circular.
9. Expected timetable for
the AIM Delisting
Dispatch of the Circular and the
enclosed documents
|
November 15, 2024
|
Record Date
|
November 20, 2024
|
Latest date and time for holders of
Depositary Interests to submit proxy instructions through CREST in
respect of the General Meeting
|
December 17, 2024 at 10.30
a.m.
|
Latest date and time for the
certificated Shareholders to submit proxy instructions in respect
of the General Meeting
|
December 18, 2024 at 10.30
a.m.
|
General Meeting
|
December 20, 2024 at 12.30 p.m.
(Israel Time)
|
DI Termination mailing
|
January 13, 2025
|
30 days' notice of the migration to
CDIs
|
January 15, 2025
|
ADS Books Closure Date to the
issuance and cancellation of ADSs
|
February 5, 2025 at 5.00 p.m.
(Eastern Time)
|
Last day of dealings in the Shares
on AIM
|
February 14, 2025
|
Cancellation of admission to trading
on AIM of the Shares
|
February 17, 2025 at 7.00
a.m.
|
Record Date for the Reverse Share
Split and existing DI ISIN IL0011320343
disabled in CREST
|
February 14, 2025 at 6.00 p.m.
(Eastern Time)
|
Effective date for the Reverse Share Split
|
February 14, 2025 at 6.01 p.m.
(Eastern Time)
|
Effective date for Termination of the ADS
facility and Mandatory ADS Exchange
|
February 14, 2025 at 6.02 p.m.
(Eastern Time)
|
Expected date on which CDIs (on new
ISIN) will be enabled in CREST (new ISIN to follow)
|
February 18, 2025
|
New Shares begin trading on
Nasdaq
|
February 18, 2025
|
Expected date for dispatch of DRS
statements
|
February 21, 2025
|
Notes
(1) References to time in this
announcement are to London time unless otherwise stated.
(2) Each of the times and dates in the
above timetable are subject to change. 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.
(3) All steps after the General Meeting
are dependent on the resolutions being passed at the General
Meeting.
(4) Capitalised terms used in this
announcement that are not otherwise defined shall have the meaning
given to them in the Circular published by the Company on November
15, 2024.
Related Party Transaction
The amendments to the compensation package of
Mr. Ofer Druker, a
director of the Company, is deemed to be a
related party transaction pursuant to Rule 13 of the AIM Rules for
Companies. However, the independent
Directors of the Company, who are
independent of the transaction, being all the Directors save for
Mr. Druker consider, having consulted with its nominated
adviser, Cavendish Capital Markets Limited
("Cavendish"), that the
terms of the compensation package to Mr.
Druker are fair and reasonable insofar as the Shareholders are
concerned.
Cavendish noted that the compensation package to
Mr. Druker was being put to Shareholders'
vote in considering the proposal.
Disclaimer
This announcement shall not constitute an
offer to sell or the solicitation of an
offer to buy Shares or ADSs, nor shall
there be any sale of the Shares or ADSs in any jurisdiction in
which such offer, solicitation or sale
would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the
securities laws of any such jurisdiction.
This announcement does not form part of an offer of
transferable securities to the public in the United Kingdom and no
prospectus has been, or is required to be, submitted to the
Financial Conduct Authority ("FCA") for approval.
Cavendish is authorised and regulated in the United
Kingdom by the FCA. Cavendish is acting as nominated adviser
exclusively for the Company and no one else in connection with the
Delisting and will not regard any other person as its client in
relation to the Delisting and will not be responsible to anyone
other than the Company for providing the protections afforded to clients of Cavendish, nor for providing
advice in relation to any matter referred to herein.
Forward-Looking Statements
This announcement contains "forward-looking
statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the United States
Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the United
States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including in
respect of the implications of the AIM Delisting on the trading of
the Company's equity securities. All
statements other than statements of historical fact contained in
this announcement are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking
statements usually relate to future events. Forward-looking
statements are often identified by the words "believe," "expect,"
"anticipate," "plan," "intend," "foresee," "should," "would,"
"could," "may," and similar expressions,
including the negative thereof. The absence of these words,
however, does not mean that the statements
are not forward-looking. These forward-looking statements are based
on the Company's current expectations,
beliefs and assumptions concerning future developments and their
potential effect on the Company. While management believes that these
forward-looking statements are reasonable as and when made, there
can be no assurance that future developments affecting the Company will be those that it
anticipates.
All of the Company's forward-looking statements
involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties some of which are
significant or beyond its control and involve assumptions that
could cause actual results to differ
materially from the Company's historical
experience and its present expectations. These forward-looking
statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, including, among
other things, the risk that anticipated trading volume in the
Company's equity securities on Nasdaq may not materialise, as well
as those risks and uncertainties described in the Company's latest Annual Report on Form 20-F for the
year ended 31 December 2023, subsequent reports on Form 6-K and
other documents filed from time to time by the Company with the
United States Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company
wishes to caution investors not to place undue reliance on any
forward- looking statements, which speak only as of the date
hereof. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or
revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent
required by law.
For further information please contact: Nexxen
International Ltd.
Billy Eckert, Vice President
of Investor Relations ir@nexxen.com
Caroline Smith, Vice
President of Communications csmith@nexxen.com
Vigo Consulting (U.K.
Financial PR & Investor Relations)
Jeremy Garcia/Peter Jacob
Tel: +44 20 7390 0230 or
nexxen@vigoconsulting.com
Cavendish Capital Markets Limited
Jonny Franklin-Adams/Seamus Fricker/Rory Sale
(Corporate Finance) Tim Redfern/Jamie
Anderson (ECM)
Tel: +44 20 7220 0500
About Nexxen International
Nexxen International, the parent company of the
Nexxen portfolio of advertising technology products and platforms,
empowers advertisers, agencies, publishers, and broadcasters around
the world to utilize video and Connected TV in the ways that are
most meaningful to them. Comprised of a demand-side platform (DSP),
supply-side platform (SSP), ad server and data management platform
(DMP), Nexxen International, through its Nexxen-branded products
and platforms, delivers a flexible and unified technology stack
with advanced and exclusive data at its core. The Company's robust capabilities span discovery, planning, activation, measurement, and
optimization - available individually or in combination - all
designed to enable partners to reach their goals, no matter how
far-reaching or hyper niche they may be.
Nexxen International is headquartered in Israel and
maintains offices in the United States, Canada, Europe, and
Asia-Pacific, and is traded on the London Stock Exchange (AIM:NEXN)
and NASDAQ (NEXN).
For more information, visit https://investors.nexxen.com/.