AGM Information • Mar 28, 2022
AGM Information
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If you are in any doubt as to what action you should take, you should consult your stockbroker, bank manager, solicitor, accountant or other professional adviser authorised under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (as amended) as soon as possible. If you have sold or otherwise transferred all of your ordinary shares in Forterra plc please pass this document, together with the accompanying documents, as soon as possible to the purchaser or transferee or to the stockbroker, bank or other agent through whom the sale or transfer was effected for transmission to the purchaser or transferee.
(incorporated in England and Wales under number 09963666)
Notice of Annual General Meeting to be held at 12.00 p.m. on Tuesday 24 May 2022
Forterra plc Registered Office: 5 Grange Park Court Roman Way Northampton NN4 5EA
28 March 2022
To the holders of ordinary shares in Forterra plc (the 'Company')
Dear Shareholder,
I am writing to give you details of the 2022 Annual General Meeting ('AGM' or 'Meeting') of the Company to be held at 12.00 p.m. on Tuesday 24 May 2022 at the offices of Forterra plc, Atherstone Road, Measham, Swadlincote, Derbyshire, DE12 7EL.
The following are enclosed with this letter:
The formal notice convening the AGM is set out on pages 8 to 12 of this document. The explanatory notes to accompany the formal notice are set out on pages 5 to 7 of this document.
If you wish to attend the AGM in person, please bring a form of ID (such as a driving licence or a passport) with you. Ordinary shareholders are also requested, whether or not they intend to attend the AGM in person, to submit a proxy vote:
By registering on the Signal shares portal at www.signalshares.com, you can manage your shareholding, including:
(c) If you hold your ordinary shares in uncertificated form through CREST, appoint your proxy through the CREST proxy appointment service as detailed in note 3 on page 11.
Please note that the deadline for the receipt by our Registrars of all proxy appointments, in respect of registered shareholders, is 12.00 p.m. on Friday 20 May 2022.
The deadline for the receipt by Link Market Services Trustees (Nominees) Limited of all proxy appointments, in respect of members of the Corporate Sponsored Nominee, is 12.00 p.m. on Thursday 19 May 2022.
The Board is unanimous in its view that all the resolutions set out in the notice of AGM are in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders as a whole. Accordingly, the Board recommends that you vote in favour of each of the resolutions. Where applicable, each Director intends to vote in favour of the resolutions in respect of their own beneficial shareholding, which in aggregate amounts to 369,847 ordinary shares at the date of this letter.
The results of the AGM will be announced through the Regulatory News Service ('RNS') and will be made available on the Company's website as soon as practicable following the closing of this year's AGM.
Thank you for your continued support.
Yours faithfully
Justin Atkinson Chairman
The following notes give an explanation of the proposed resolutions set out in the notice of Annual General Meeting.
Resolutions 1 to 14 are proposed as ordinary resolutions meaning that for each of those resolutions to be passed, more than half the votes must be cast in favour of the resolution. Resolutions 15 to 18 are proposed as special resolutions. This means that for each of those resolutions to be passed, at least three-quarters of the votes cast must be in favour of the resolution.
Ordinary resolution 1 proposes the receipt and adoption of the Annual Report and Accounts, together with the reports of the Directors and the independent auditor, for the year ended 31 December 2021.
The Company is required to appoint an auditor at each Annual General Meeting at which accounts are laid to hold office until the next Annual General Meeting. Ordinary resolution 2 therefore proposes that Ernst & Young LLP, the Company's existing auditor, be re-appointed as auditor to the Company until the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting in 2023 (at which the accounts for the year ending 31 December 2022 will be laid).
The Audit Committee of the Company has responsibility for overseeing the relationship with the external auditor. This responsibility includes approving the external auditor's engagement letter and the audit fee. Ordinary resolution 3 seeks shareholder approval to authorise the Audit Committee to determine the remuneration of the auditor to the Company.
A final dividend of 6.7 pence per ordinary share is recommended by the Directors for payment to shareholders on the register of members of the Company at the close of business on 17 June 2022. Subject to approval by the shareholders at the AGM of ordinary resolution 4, the dividend will be paid on 8 July 2022.
The Company's Articles of Association contain powers of removal, appointment, election and re-election of Directors and provide that each Director should retire at the Annual General Meeting if they had been a Director at each of the two preceding Annual General Meetings and was not reappointed by the Company in a general meeting at or since such meeting. A retiring Director shall be eligible for re-election. Furthermore, the Company's Articles of Association provide that any Director appointed by the Board is required to submit themselves for election at the Annual General Meeting following their appointment.
The Company supports the principles of good governance as laid out in the UK Corporate Governance Code and, accordingly, all the Executive and Non-Executive Directors will retire and put themselves forward for re-election annually at each Annual General Meeting.
Ordinary resolutions 5 to 11 deal with the re-election of each Director. As described in further detail on page 99 and 100 of the 2021 Annual Report and Accounts, during 2021 the Board conducted an external evaluation of both its own effectiveness and that of its Committees. The evaluation process included the consideration of the effectiveness of each Director. In addition, the Chairman also met with each Director during the year to discuss their contribution to the Board and their personal development. These processes allow the Board to conclude that each Director makes a positive and effective contribution to the Board and demonstrates commitment to the role.
The biographies of each of the Directors can be found on pages 88 and 89 of the 2021 Annual Report and Accounts. The Board considers Divya Seshamani, Martin Sutherland, Katherine Innes Ker and Vince Niblett to be independent and there are no relationships or circumstances which are likely to affect their character or judgement.
Ordinary resolution 12 seeks shareholder approval for the Remuneration Committee Report (excluding the Remuneration Policy set out on pages 116 to 123 of the 2021 Annual Report and Accounts) for the year ended 31 December 2021 (which is set out on pages 112 to 135 of the 2021 Annual Report and Accounts). This vote is advisory in nature, with the consequence that if this resolution is not passed, payments made or promised to Directors will not have to be repaid, reduced or withheld. The Remuneration Policy is included in the 2021 Annual Report and Accounts for reference only, has not been amended and is not subject to a vote at this Annual General Meeting.
The Remuneration Policy was approved by shareholders at the 2020 Annual General Meeting and, unless amended, will not again be tabled for binding shareholder approval until 2023.
Part 14 of the Companies Act 2006 (the 'Act'), amongst other things, prohibits the Company and its subsidiaries from making political donations or from incurring political expenditure in respect of a political party or other political organisation or an independent election candidate unless authorised by the Company's shareholders. Aggregate donations made by the Company and /or any of its subsidiaries of £5,000 or less in any 12-month period will not be covered by this prohibition. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has any intention of making any political donations or incurring any political expenditure. However, the Act defines 'political party', 'political organisation', 'political donation' and 'political expenditure' widely. For example, bodies, such as those concerned with policy review and law reform or with the representation of the business community or sections of it, which the Company and /or its subsidiaries may see benefit in supporting, may be caught. Accordingly, the Company wishes to ensure that neither it nor its subsidiaries inadvertently commits any breach of the Act through the undertaking of routine activities, which would not normally be considered to result in the making of political donations and political expenditure being incurred. As permitted under the Act, ordinary resolution 13 covers the Company and extends to all companies which are subsidiaries of the Company at any time the authority is in place. The proposed authority will expire at the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting of the Company to be held in 2023 or, if earlier, 30 June 2023.
The Directors may only allot shares or grant rights to subscribe for, or convert any security into, shares if authorised to do so by shareholders. The previous authority granted by shareholders on 18 May 2021 in respect of the allotment of shares will expire on the holding of the 2022 AGM or, if earlier, 30 June 2022. The Directors are now seeking renewal of that authority.
Accordingly, resolution 14 will be proposed as an ordinary resolution. Part (a) of resolution 14 grants new authority to allot shares and grant rights to subscribe for, or convert any security into, shares up to an aggregate nominal amount of £751,180. This amount represents approximately onethird (33.33%) of the total issued ordinary share capital of the Company as calculated at 23 March 2022, being the latest practicable date before the publication of the notice of AGM.
In accordance with the institutional guidelines issued by the Investment Association, paragraph (b) of resolution 14 will also authorise Directors to allot, including the ordinary shares referred to in paragraph (a) of resolution 14, ordinary shares in connection with a pre-emptive offer by way of a rights issue to ordinary shareholders up to a maximum nominal amount of £1,502,360. This amount represents approximately two-thirds (66.67%) of the total issued ordinary share capital of the Company as calculated at 23 March 2022, the latest practicable date before the publication of the notice of AGM. The Directors have no present intention of exercising these authorities.
If given, these authorities will expire at the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting of the Company to be held in 2023 or, if earlier, 30 June 2023.
The Directors require a power from shareholders to allot equity securities or sell treasury shares where they propose to do so for cash and otherwise than to existing shareholders pro rata to their holdings. The previous power granted by shareholders at the Company's 2021 Annual General Meeting in respect of the disapplication of pre-emption rights will expire on the holding of the 2022 AGM or, if earlier, 30 June 2022.
Resolutions 15 and 16 will both be proposed as special resolutions. If passed, these resolutions would authorise the Directors to allot equity shares for cash without first being required to offer such shares to existing shareholders. The combined effect of both resolutions will provide authority to issue up to 10% of the issued ordinary share capital (excluding any treasury shares). Each resolution follows the guidance from the Pre-Emption Group's revised Statement of Principles, published in March 2015, and their further guidance and good practice template resolutions published in July 2016.
In accordance with this guidance, the Company confirms that it intends to use:
(a) no more than 5% of issued ordinary share capital in any one year, whether or not in connection with an acquisition or specified capital investment; and
(b) no more than an additional 5% of issued ordinary share capital in any one year, and only in connection with an acquisition or a specified capital investment.
The Directors are proposing both resolutions as they consider it prudent to maintain the flexibility the resolutions provide individually and in aggregate. The Directors do not currently intend to make use of either element of the authority, and anticipate only making use of the additional authority where the specific circumstances of the Company require. The aggregated authority contained in resolutions 15 and 16 will be limited to an aggregate nominal value of £225,354 (being 10% of the total issued ordinary share capital of the Company as calculated at 23 March 2022, being the latest practicable date before the publication of the notice of AGM).
If given, these authorities will expire at the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting of the Company to be held in 2023 or, if earlier, 30 June 2023.
The Directors will have due regard to institutional guidelines and the Statement of Principles in relation to any exercise of this authority, in particular the requirement for advance consultation with shareholders and explanation before making any non-pre-emptive cash issue pursuant to this resolution which exceeds 7.5% of the Company's issued share capital in any rolling three-year period.
This resolution will give the Company authority to purchase its own shares in the market up to a limit of 10% of its issued ordinary share capital, being 22,535,411 ordinary shares as calculated at 23 March 2022, being the latest practicable date before the publication of the notice of AGM. The maximum and minimum prices are stated in the resolution. The Directors believe that it is advantageous for the Company to have the flexibility to make market purchases of its own shares and shareholders will be aware of the current buyback programme, which was announced on 26 January 2022 and which will (assuming that this resolution is passed) continue in the manner outlined in that announcement (the "Current Buyback Programme").
It is the Directors' intention only to exercise the authority to purchase the Company's shares for the purpose of employee share schemes or (as in the case of the Current Buyback Programme) where it would increase the earnings per share of those ordinary shares that are not re-purchased. This power will also only be used if the Directors consider that to do so would be in the best interests of shareholders generally. Save to the extent ordinary shares purchased are then held in treasury, any ordinary shares purchased in this way will be cancelled and the number of shares in issue will be reduced accordingly. The Company may hold in treasury any of its own ordinary shares that it purchases pursuant to the authority conferred by resolution 17. This would give the Company the ability to re-issue treasury shares quickly and cost-effectively and would provide the Company with greater flexibility in the management of its capital base. As noted in the announcement issued on 26 January 2022, the ordinary shares that are being purchased pursuant to the Current Buyback Programme are being cancelled.
As at 23 March 2022 (being the last practicable date before the publication of the notice of AGM) options to subscribe for a total of 10,644,682 ordinary shares were outstanding under the Company's employee share schemes representing 4.7% of the total issued share capital of the Company at that date and 5.2% of the issued share capital of the Company if the authority sought by resolution 17 were to be exercised in full.
Resolution 17 will be proposed as a special resolution and will expire at the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting of the Company to be held in 2023 or, if earlier, 30 June 2023.
Resolution 18 seeks to renew the authority granted at the Company's 2021 Annual General Meeting to allow the Company to hold general meetings (other than the Annual General Meeting) on 14 clear days' notice. This is in order to avoid the effect of section 307A of the Act which, without such a resolution, would have the effect of requiring the Company to give not less than 21 clear days' notice of general meetings. In order to be able to call a general meeting on less than 21 clear days' notice, the Company must make a means of electronic voting available to all shareholders for that meeting. The Company undertakes to meet the requirements for electronic voting in the Act before calling a general meeting on 14 clear days' notice. It is intended that this flexibility will only be used for non-routine business where the flexibility is merited by the business of the meeting and it is thought to be in the best interests of shareholders as a whole. If passed, the approval will be effective until the Company's Annual General Meeting to be held in 2023.
Notice is hereby given that the Annual General Meeting of Forterra plc (the 'Company') will be held at the offices of Forterra plc, Atherstone Road, Measham, Swadlincote, Derbyshire, DE12 7EL at 12.00 p.m. on Tuesday 24 May 2022 to consider and, if thought fit, to pass the following Resolutions 1 to 14 (inclusive) as ordinary resolutions and Resolutions 15 to 18 (inclusive) as special resolutions.
THAT in accordance with sections 366 and 367 of the Companies Act 2006 (the 'Act'), the Company and all companies that are the Company's subsidiaries are authorised to:
(a) make political donations to political parties or to independent election candidates not exceeding £100,000 in total;
in each case, during the period beginning with the conclusion of this meeting and ending on the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting of the Company to be held in 2023 or, if earlier, 30 June 2023. For the purpose of this resolution 'political donation', 'political party', 'political organisation', 'independent election candidate' and 'political expenditure' are to be construed in accordance with sections 363, 364 and 365 of the Act.
(a) up to an aggregate nominal amount of £751,180 (such amount to be reduced by the nominal amount allotted or granted under paragraph (b) of this resolution in excess of such sum); and
(b) comprising equity securities (as defined in section 560 of the Act) up to an aggregate nominal amount of £1,502,360 (such amount to be reduced by any allotments or grants made under paragraph (a) of this resolution) in connection with or pursuant to an offer by way of a rights issue in favour of holders of ordinary shares in proportion (as nearly as practicable) to the respective number of ordinary shares held by them on the record date for such allotment (and holders of any other class of equity securities entitled to participate therein or if the Directors consider it necessary, as permitted by the rights of those securities), but subject to such exclusions or other arrangements as the Directors may consider necessary or appropriate to deal with fractional entitlements, treasury shares, record dates or legal, regulatory or practical difficulties which may arise under the laws or regulations of, or the requirements of any regulatory body or stock exchange in, any territory or deal with any other matter whatsoever,
these authorisations to expire at the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting of the Company to be held in 2023 or, if earlier, 30 June 2023, save that the Company may before such expiry make any offer or enter into any agreement which would or might require shares to be allotted, or rights to be granted, after such expiry and the Directors may allot shares, or grant rights to subscribe for or to convert any security into shares, in pursuance of any such offer or agreement as if the authorisations conferred hereby had not expired.
this power to expire at the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting of the Company to be held in 2023 or, if earlier, on 30 June 2023, save that the Company may at any time before the expiry of such power make any offer or enter into any agreement that would or might require equity securities to be allotted, or treasury shares to be sold, after the expiry of such power and the Directors may allot equity securities or sell treasury shares in pursuance of any such offer or agreement as if the power conferred hereby had not expired.
this power to expire at the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting of the Company to be held in 2023 or, if earlier, on 30 June 2023, save that the Company may at any time before the expiry of such power make any offer or enter into any agreement that would or might require equity securities to be allotted, or treasury shares to be sold, after the expiry of such power and the Directors may allot equity securities or sell treasury shares in pursuance of any such offer or agreement as if the power conferred hereby had not expired.
Company Secretary
Forterra plc
Registered Office:
5 Grange Park Court Roman Way Northampton NN4 5EA
(Incorporated in England and Wales under number 09963666)
28 March 2022
Under section 527 of the Companies Act 2006 (the 'Act'), members meeting the threshold requirements set out in that section have the right to require the Company to publish on a website a statement setting out any matter that the members propose to raise at the Annual General Meeting relating to: (i) the audit of the Company's accounts (including the auditor's report and the conduct of the audit) that are to be laid before the Annual General Meeting; or (ii) any circumstance connected with an auditor to the Company ceasing to hold office since the previous meeting at which annual reports and accounts were laid in accordance with section 437 of the Act. The Company may not require the members requesting any such website publication to pay its expenses in complying with sections 527 or 528 of the Act. Where the Company is required to place a statement on a website under section 527 of the Act, it must forward the statement to the Company's auditor not later than the time when it makes the statement available on the website.
The business which may be dealt with at the meeting includes any statement that the Company has been required under section 527 of the Act to publish on a website.
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