Pre-Annual General Meeting Information • Aug 23, 2022
Pre-Annual General Meeting Information
Open in ViewerOpens in native device viewer
THIS DOCUMENT IS IMPORTANT AND REQUIRES YOUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION. When considering what action you should take, you are recommended immediately to seek your own personal financial advice from an appropriately qualified independent adviser authorised under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 if you are in the United Kingdom, or, if not, another appropriately authorised financial adviser.
If you have disposed of all your Ordinary Shares in the Company, please pass this Notice (and the attached Form of Election) as soon as possible to the purchaser or transferee or to the stockbroker or other agent through whom you made the disposal for onward transmission to the purchaser or transferee. This Notice, or any accompanying document, should not, however, be forwarded or transferred in or into or from any Restricted Territories. The Record Date for participation in the 2022 Realisation Opportunity is set out in Part II of this Notice and Shareholders who acquire Ordinary Shares following the Record Date should treat this Notice as being for information purposes only.
Realisation Elections may only be made by Shareholders on the Form of Election or, in the case of Ordinary Shares held in uncertificated form (that is, in CREST), by giving a TTE Instruction.
(a non-cellular company limited by shares incorporated in Guernsey under the Companies (Guernsey) Law, 2008, as amended, with registered number 56128 and registered as a Registered Closed-ended Collective Investment Scheme with the Guernsey Financial Services Commission)
The 2022 Realisation Opportunity will only be available to Shareholders on the Register at the close of business on the Record Date. The 2022 Realisation Opportunity is not open for acceptance by Restricted Shareholders. In particular, the 2022 Realisation Opportunity is not being made, directly or indirectly, in or into or by the use of mails by any means or instrumentality (including, without limitation, facsimile transmission, internet, telex and telephone) of interstate or foreign commerce, or any facility of a national securities exchange, of the United States, nor is it being made, directly or indirectly, in or into Canada, Australia, the Republic of South Africa, the Republic of Ireland or Japan, and the 2022 Realisation Opportunity cannot be accepted by any such use, means, instrumentality or facility from within the United States, Canada, Australia, the Republic of South Africa, the Republic of Ireland or Japan.
The Form of Election for use by Shareholders in connection with the 2022 Realisation Opportunity is enclosed with this Notice. The Form of Election should be used by Shareholders that hold their Ordinary Shares in certificated form (that is, not in CREST). To be effective, Shareholders must return the Form of Election so that it is received by the Receiving Agent as soon as possible and, in any event, not later than 1:00 p.m. on the Election Submission Deadline. In the case of Ordinary Shares held by Shareholders in CREST, Realisation Elections are to be made by submitting a TTE Instruction as described in paragraph 2.2.1 of Section B of Part II of this Notice to the Receiving Agent not later than 1:00 p.m. on the Election Submission Deadline.
Shareholders who hold their Ordinary Shares in certificated form should also return their share certificate(s) and/or other document(s) of title of the Ordinary Shares in respect of which Realisation Elections are to be made. Shareholders who hold Ordinary Shares in uncertificated form (that is, in CREST) should arrange for Ordinary Shares in respect of which Realisation Elections are to be made to be transferred into escrow as described in Section B of Part II of this Notice.
| Page |
|---|
| 3 |
| 5 |
| 8 |
| 12 |
| 28 |
The Articles provide for a Realisation Opportunity under which Shareholders may elect to realise all or part of their holdings of Ordinary Shares with effect from the 2022 Reorganisation Date and at three yearly intervals thereafter.
Shareholders have the option to either:
The Directors do not intend to make a Realisation Election to realise their Ordinary Shares.
ONLY IF Shareholders wish to make a Realisation Election are Shareholders asked to complete the Form of Election. Shareholders wishing to maintain their shareholding in the Company are not required to take any action.
Based on the Ordinary Share price and the current NAV per Ordinary Share as at the close of business on 19 August 2022 (being the latest practicable date prior to the publication of this Notice) (the "Latest Practicable Date"), Shareholders that wish to realise their Shareholding are likely to be able to sell their Shareholding on the stock market at a higher price than is expected to be offered under the 2022 Realisation Opportunity. Please see below an illustrative example prepared on this basis.
For illustrative purposes only:
Based on the illustrative example above, a Shareholder electing to realise their Ordinary Shares under the 2022 Realisation Opportunity would receive in cash 101.12 pence per Ordinary Share. In other words, a Shareholder would receive for each Ordinary Share 3.88 pence less than the quoted bid price based on the illustrative Latest Practicable Date statistics.
The figures above are illustrative only and do not represent forecasts. The Net Asset Value per Ordinary Share and quoted bid price of an Ordinary Share may each change materially between the date of this Notice and the actual Election NAV Determination Date (which is expected to be close of business on 18 October 2022) as a result of, inter alia, changes in the value of the Company's investments and market conditions. Therefore, Shareholders should re-evaluate these figures when considering whether to make an Election.
The Company recommends that Shareholders read this Notice in its entirety and, in particular, that Shareholders read the Risk Factors set out in Section D of Part II of this Notice.
This flow chart sets out the process that will be followed in order to implement the 2022 Realisation Opportunity. This flow chart does not comprise a summary of the entire 2022 Realisation Opportunity and is not intended as a substitute for reading this Notice as a whole. Shareholders are therefore recommended to read this Notice in its entirety before completing and returning any Form of Election or submitting a TTE Instruction. Full details of the action to be taken can also be found in Part I of this Notice.
In this Notice the words and expressions listed below have the meanings set out opposite them, except where the context otherwise requires:
| 2022 AGM | the annual general meeting of the Company to be held on 14 October 2022 in accordance with the Law or any adjournment thereof; |
||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 Election Period | the period beginning 28 days before the 2022 Reorganisation Date and ending 7 days before the 2022 Reorganisation Date (or, if that date is not a Business Day, on the next subsequent Business Day); |
||
| 2022 Realisation Opportunity | the realisation opportunity to be effective on the 2022 Reorganisation Date; |
||
| 2022 Reorganisation Date | 21 October 2022, being the date falling 5 Business Days after the 2022 AGM; |
||
| ABS | any security that entitles the holder to receive payments that depend primarily on the cash flow from, the market value of, or the credit exposure to, a specified pool of financial assets, either fixed or revolving (including, but not limited to, residential and commercial mortgages, credit card receivables, automobile, boat and recreational vehicle leases and loans, instalment sales contracts, bank loans, leases, corporate debt securities and various types of accounts receivable), together with rights or other assets designed to assure the servicing or timely distribution of proceeds to the holder of the security; |
||
| Accounting Policies | the accounting principles adopted by the Company from time to time; |
||
| Administrator | Northern Trust International Fund Administration Services (Guernsey) Limited (a non-cellular company limited by shares incorporated in Guernsey with registered number 15532); |
||
| Articles | the Articles of Incorporation of the Company as applicable from time to time; |
||
| Board | the board of Directors of the Company or any duly constituted committee thereof; |
||
| Business Day | any day on which banks are open for business in London and Guernsey (excluding Saturdays and Sundays); |
||
| Company | TwentyFour Income Fund Limited; | ||
| Continuation Pool | the pool of cash, assets and liabilities to be attributed to Continuing Ordinary Shares; |
||
| Continuing Ordinary Shares | Ordinary Shares in respect of which no Realisation Elections have been made and/or, as the case may require, in respect of which Realisation Elections have been made and the Elected Shares have been placed; |
||
| CREST | the system for the paperless settlement of trades in securities and the holding of uncertificated securities operated by Euroclear in accordance with the CREST Regulations; |
||
| CREST Regulations | the Uncertificated Securities (Guernsey) Regulations, 2009; | ||
| Directors | the directors of the Company or any duly constituted committee thereof; |
||
| Elected Shares | Ordinary Shares in respect of which Realisation Elections have been made; |
| Electing Shareholders | Shareholders that make Realisation Elections; |
|---|---|
| Election NAV Determination Date |
the Business Day as at which the Company calculates the Redemption Price, being 18 October 2022, or such other date as the Directors may determine; |
| Election Settlement Date | such date in the week commencing 24 October 2022 as the Company shall determine, being the date by which payments will be made to the eligible Shareholders as set out in this Notice, insofar as the payments relate to the 2022 Realisation Opportunity; |
| Election Submission Deadline | 14 October 2022, being the date by which the Form of Election must be delivered to the Receiving Agent or the TTE Instruction must be submitted through CREST (together with supporting documentation, as applicable) in respect of the 2022 Realisation Opportunity; |
| Euroclear | Euroclear UK & International Limited, being the operator of CREST; |
| Extraordinary Resolution | a resolution passed by 75 per cent. of Shareholders in accordance with the Articles and the Law; |
| FCA | the Financial Conduct Authority; |
| Form of Election | the prescribed form of irrevocable sell order to be used by Shareholders that wish to realise all or some of their Ordinary Shares, enclosed with this Notice; |
| FSMA | the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, as amended; |
| GFSC | the Guernsey Financial Services Commission; |
| IPO | the initial public offering of the shares as described in the IPO Prospectus; |
| IPO Prospectus | the prospectus published by the Company on 19 February 2013 in respect of the IPO; |
| Latest Practicable Date | 19 August 2022, being the latest practicable date before the publication of this Notice; |
| Law | the Companies (Guernsey) Law, 2008, as amended; |
| Listing Rules | the listing rules made by the FCA under section 73A of FSMA; |
| London Stock Exchange | London Stock Exchange plc; |
| NAV or Net Asset Value | in relation to an Ordinary Share or a Realisation Share, as the case may be, its net asset value, in relation to Ordinary Shares or Realisation Shares, the net asset value per Ordinary Share or Realisation Share, as the case may be, multiplied by the number of shares of that class in issue (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, any Shares held in treasury) and in relation to the Company, the net asset value of the Company as a whole, in each case calculated in accordance with the Company's normal Accounting Policies; |
| Numis | Numis Securities Limited; |
| Official List | the Official List maintained by the FCA pursuant to Part VI of FSMA; |
| Ordinary Shares | ordinary shares of 1p each in the capital of the Company; |
| Ordinary Shareholders | holders of Ordinary Shares; |
| Overseas Shareholder | a Shareholder who is not a UK Shareholder or a Restricted Shareholder; |
| POI Law | the Protection of Investors (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Law, 2020 together with any rules and regulations made under it; |
|---|---|
| Portfolio | the Company's portfolio of assets; |
| Portfolio Manager | TwentyFour Asset Management LLP (a limited liability partnership incorporated in England and Wales with registered number OC335015); |
| Prospectus | the prospectus published by the Company on 3 March 2022; |
| Qualifying Shareholders | holders of Ordinary Shares on the register of members of the Company other than the Restricted Shareholders; |
| Realisation | the reorganisation of the Portfolio into two separate pools of assets, as described in Part 6 of the Prospectus; |
| Realisation Election | an instruction sent by an Ordinary Shareholder during the 2022 Election Period requesting that all or part of the Ordinary Shares held by such holder be sold and if not so sold shall be converted into Realisation Shares; |
| Realisation Issue | an issue of new Ordinary Shares made for the purposes of or including financing the redemption or repurchase of Ordinary Shares in relation to which Realisation Elections have been made; |
| Realisation Opportunity | an opportunity for Shareholders to realise all or some of their Ordinary Shares in accordance with the Articles; |
| Realisation Pool | the pool of cash, assets and liabilities to be attributed to Realisation Shares; |
| Realisation Shareholders | holders of Realisation Shares; |
| Realisation Shares | ordinary realisation shares of 1p each in the capital of the Company; |
| Realisation Terms and Conditions |
has the meaning given in paragraph 1.8 of Section B of Part II of this Notice; |
| Receiving Agent | Computershare Investor Services PLC; |
| Record Date | 25 August 2022, being the date by which a Shareholder must be recorded on the Register in order to be eligible for the 2022 Realisation Opportunity; |
| Redemption Price | 98 per cent. of the NAV per Ordinary Share as at the Election NAV Determination Date; |
| Register | the register of members of the Company; |
| Restricted Shareholder | Shareholders who are resident in, or citizens of, a Restricted Territory; |
| Restricted Territories | each of the United States, Canada, Australia, the Republic of South Africa, the Republic of Ireland and Japan; |
| RIS | a regulatory information service that is on the list of regulatory information services maintained by the FCA; |
| Share | an Ordinary Share and/or, as the case may require, a Realisation Share; |
| Shareholder | a holder of Shares; |
| Takeover Code | the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers, as amended from time to time; |
| UK or United Kingdom | the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; and |
| UK Shareholder | a Shareholder who is resident in the UK. |
(a non-cellular company limited by shares incorporated in Guernsey under the Companies (Guernsey) Law, 2008, as amended, with registered number 56128 and registered as a Registered Closed-ended Collective Investment Scheme with the Guernsey Financial Services Commission)
Directors: Registered Office: Trevor Ash (Chair) Ian Burns Richard Burwood Bronwyn Curtis OBE Joanne Fintzen John de Garis John Le Poidevin
PO Box 255 Trafalgar Court Les Banques St. Peter Port Guernsey GY1 3QL
23 August 2022
Since launch the Company has delivered strong performance for Shareholders:
| Year ending | Dividend (pence per Ordinary Share) |
|---|---|
| 31 March 2014 | 6.38 |
| 31 March 2015 | 6.65 |
| 31 March 2016 | 7.14 |
| 31 March 2017 | 6.99 |
| 31 March 2018 | 7.23 |
| 31 March 2019 | 6.45 |
| 31 March 2020 | 6.40 |
| 31 March 2021 | 6.41 |
| 31 March 2022 | 6.77 |
* The Ordinary Shares have predominantly traded at a premium or at a small discount to NAV since launch (the Company's average premium since launch being 2.0 per cent.), reflecting net demand in the market from a broad range of existing and new investors. The premium to NAV was 2.2 per cent. as at close of business on 19 August 2022, being the latest practicable date prior to the publication of this Notice.
1 This is a target only and not a profit forecast. There can be no assurance that these targets will continue to be met or that the Company will make any further distributions at all. This target return should not be taken as an indication of the Company's expected or actual current or future results. The Company's actual return will depend upon a number of factors, including the number of Ordinary Shares which the Company issues and the number of Ordinary Shares in respect of which Realisation Elections are made and the Company's total expense ratio.
The Directors and the Portfolio Manager believe that UK and European ABS continue to offer attractive, risk-adjusted returns.
Financial market conditions in recent months have been characterised by slowing economic conditions and recessionary fears, driven primarily by high levels of inflation which have been exacerbated by the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, that has additionally added much higher levels of volatility to markets. This has led to Central Banks raising interest rates far more quickly than was expected earlier in the year, in an attempt to control the demand side of the inflation equation, and expectations are for further rises going forward.
In conventional markets, the expectation would normally be for credit spreads to contract in a rising interest rate environment. However, the uncertainty of the war in Ukraine and its effect on global supply chains (particularly for energy and food) together with the pace of interest rate rises, have led to expectations of a recession which have caused credit spreads to widen across the board rather than tighten. In mid-July 2022, credit spreads reached peak levels seen only in spikes following the Brexit vote and Covid outbreak since the Global Financial Crisis, although they have subsequently recovered from the wider levels.
This market environment leaves risk assets in a position that is rarely seen; with higher credit spreads and higher benchmark rates which the Portfolio Manager believes will rise further. This therefore presents an opportunity for the Company to lock-in greater returns on current investments than would have ordinarily been expected, particularly given the floating rate nature of the investments in which the Company invests. This can already be evidenced by a 1.3% improvement in the Company's purchase yield in the year to the end of July 2022 to 9.4%, as incremental yield has been added to the portfolio over and above the 1% rise in base rates over the same timeframe. This is expected to be further boosted by the subsequent 0.5% base rate increase in early August.
As at the end of July 2022, the portfolio had a current mark-to-market yield of 13.0%. This yield is calculated assuming that the underlying benchmark rate (Sonia) remains constant at the prevailing level; and at that time did not therefore include the subsequent 0.50% base rate rise that was announced in early August. This yield calculation methodology has been generally employed for floating rate portfolios over the last decade, given the low interest rate environment and the expectation that the benchmark rate would remain low over the expected investment life of the portfolio and has historically been a good indicator of the likely future returns. However, Sonia is highly correlated to the base rate, and with the expectation for further base rate increases, a forward yield to maturity can also be calculated using the forward Sonia curve over the life of the Company's investments, in order to provide a better indication of expected future returns. The forward yield to maturity, calculated at the same date, was 14.9%, reflecting the expectation of further base rate rises, and therefore greater returns for the Company's floating rate investments.
Fundamental performance in the Company's portfolio remains strong, buoyed by the low interest rate environment experienced through the pandemic, and the subsequent reopening of the labour market, leading to wage and housing market growth. The Portfolio Manager believes that any impact of a recession is expected to be minimal on the Company's assets, especially given the compensatory higher returns from investment opportunities at wider spreads as well as higher interest rates.
The Portfolio Manager sees current market conditions as an excellent opportunity to continue to add value for Shareholders at attractive yields.
The Articles provide for a Realisation Opportunity under which Shareholders may elect to realise all or part of their holdings of Ordinary Shares with effect from the 2022 Reorganisation Date and at three yearly intervals thereafter.
The Board proposes that Shareholders will have the following options in respect of the 2022 Realisation Opportunity:
* retain their current investment in the Company; or
* realise their investment in the Company by making a Realisation Election, which will be satisfied at the Redemption Price, representing a 2 per cent. discount to the NAV per Ordinary Share as at the Electing NAV Determination Date. The discount proposed has been set at a level intended to ensure that the variable costs of the 2022 Realisation Opportunity are borne by the Realisation Shares, if any.
This Notice is intended to provide Shareholders with further information relating to the 2022 Realisation Opportunity.
Realisation Elections are intended to be satisfied initially by one or more placings in the market by Numis, the Company's broker, which will be placed at not less than the Redemption Price. Numis has agreed, in relation to the 2022 Realisation Opportunity, to use its reasonable endeavours to seek to satisfy Realisation Elections by placing the Elected Shares with investors in the secondary market at not less than the Redemption Price. If any placings are effected above the Redemption Price, any excess shall be for the account of and the benefit of the Company and shall not be paid to the Shareholders who have made the Realisation Election.
To the extent that Realisation Elections cannot be satisfied through one or more placings in the market, the relevant Elected Shares may instead be redeemed or repurchased or purchased out of the proceeds of a Realisation Issue or such other cash resources as may be available to the Company from time to time, or purchased under a tender offer or by a market maker.
Where any Realisation Elections cannot be satisfied through any of the means described above, and provided that the NAV attributable to the Continuing Ordinary Shares as at the close of business on the last Business Day before the 2022 Reorganisation Date (and where applicable the gross proceeds of any Realisation Issue) is not less than £100 million, the shortfall will be apportioned to Shareholders pro rata to the number of Elected Shares held by them in respect of which a Realisation Election is made. Such Elected Shares in respect of which a Realisation Election has not been satisfied through any of the means described above will be converted into Realisation Shares.
In accordance with the Articles (and as described in Part 6 of the Prospectus), if Elected Shares are converted into Realisation Shares, with effect from the 2022 Reorganisation Date the Portfolio will be split into two separate and distinct pools which will be accounted for as two separate subportfolios, namely: (i) the Continuation Pool (comprising the assets attributable to the Continuing Ordinary Shares); and (ii) the Realisation Pool (comprising the assets attributable to the Realisation Shares). The assets comprising the Continuation Pool will be managed in accordance with the Company's investment objective and investment policy, while the assets comprising the Realisation Pool will be managed in accordance with an orderly realisation programme aiming to make progressive returns of cash to the holders of Realisation Shares. The precise mechanism for any return of cash to holders of Realisation Shares will depend upon the relevant factors prevailing at the time and will be at the discretion of the Board, but may include a combination of capital distributions, share repurchases and redemptions. The Realisation Pool will bear the incremental costs associated with converting the Elected Shares into Realisation Shares and the admission to trading of the Realisation Shares on the London Stock Exchange.
If one or more Realisation Elections are duly made and the NAV attributable to the Continuing Ordinary Shares as at the close of business on the last Business Day before the 2022 Reorganisation Date (and where applicable the gross proceeds of any Realisation Issue) is less than £100 million, the Realisation will not take place, no Ordinary Shares will be redesignated as Realisation Shares and the Portfolio will not be split into the Continuation Pool and the Realisation Pool. In this scenario, with effect from the 2022 Reorganisation Date, unless the Directors have previously been released from this obligation by an Extraordinary Resolution, the investment objective and investment policy of the Company will be to realise the Company's assets on a timely basis with the aim of making progressive returns of cash to Shareholders as soon as practicable. The Portfolio Manager will seek to realise the Company's assets as efficiently and at as much value as is possible.
Further information relating to the 2022 Realisation Opportunity is given in Part II of this Notice.
Shareholders should consider fully the risk factors associated with making Realisation Elections set out in Section D of Part II of this Notice. Before making any investment decision, Shareholders are recommended to seek advice from an authorised independent financial adviser.
Based on the Ordinary Share price and the current NAV per Ordinary Share as at the close of business on 19 August 2022 (being the Latest Practicable Date), Shareholders that wish to realise their Shareholding are likely to be able to sell their Shareholding on the stock market at a higher price than is expected to be offered under the 2022 Realisation Opportunity. Please see below an illustrative example prepared on this basis.
For illustrative purposes only:
Based on the illustrative example above, a Shareholder electing to realise their Ordinary Shares under the 2022 Realisation Opportunity would receive in cash 101.12 pence per Ordinary Share. In other words, a Shareholder would receive for each Ordinary Share 3.88 pence less than the quoted bid price based on the illustrative Latest Practicable Date statistics.
The figures above are illustrative only and do not represent forecasts. The Net Asset Value per Ordinary Share and quoted bid price of an Ordinary Share may each change materially between the date of this Notice and the actual Election NAV Determination Date (which is expected to be close of business on 18 October 2022) as a result of, inter alia, changes in the value of the Company's investments and market conditions. Therefore, Shareholders should re-evaluate these figures when considering whether to make an Election.
Only in the event that you wish to make a Realisation Election, complete the Form of Election or submit a TTE Instruction through CREST.
ONLY IF Shareholders wish to make a Realisation Election are Shareholders asked to complete and return the Form of Election in accordance with the instructions printed thereon, or deliver it by hand (during office hours only) to the address printed thereon, or submit a TTE Instruction through CREST, so as to be received as soon as possible and in any event by not later than 1:00 p.m. on Friday, 14 October 2022.
The Directors do not intend to make a Realisation Election to realise their Ordinary Shares and will not participate in the 2022 Realisation Opportunity.
Yours faithfully
Trevor Ash Chair
| Record Date | 6:00 p.m. on 25 August 2022 |
|---|---|
| Election Submission Deadline, being the latest time and date for receipt of the Forms of Election and TTE Instructions in CREST from Shareholders |
1:00 p.m. on 14 October 2022 |
| Number of Elected Shares announced | 7:00 a.m. on 18 October 2022 |
| Election NAV Determination Date | 18 October 2022 |
| 2022 Reorganisation Date | 21 October 2022 |
| Redemption Price and number of Realisation Shares announced |
21 October 2022 |
| Admission of any Ordinary Shares that are redesignated as Realisation Shares pursuant to the Realisation to the Official List and dealings in the Realisation Shares on the London Stock Exchange's Main Market commence |
25 October 2022 |
| Election Settlement Date: cheques despatched and payments through CREST made and CREST accounts settled |
week commencing 24 October 2022 |
| Balancing share certificates despatched ————— |
week commencing 31 October 2022 |
Notes:
1. References to times above and in this Notice generally are to London time unless otherwise specified.
2. All times and dates in the expected timetable and in this Notice may be adjusted by the Company. Any changes to the timetable will be notified via an RIS.
obligation by an Extraordinary Resolution of the Company, the investment objective and investment policy of the Company will be to realise the Company's assets on a timely basis with the aim of making progressive returns of cash to Shareholders as soon as practicable.
2.1.1 Completion of Forms of Election
If Ordinary Shares are held in certificated form, separate Forms of Election should be completed for Ordinary Shares held under different designations. Additional Forms of Election will be available from the Receiving Agent, whose details are set out in paragraph 2.1.2 in this Section B of Part II of this Notice.
2.1.2 Return of Forms of Election
The completed and signed Form of Election should be sent either by post using the pre-paid envelope or delivering by hand (during normal business hours) to the Receiving Agent, so as to arrive by no later than 1:00 p.m. on the Election Submission Deadline. No Forms of Election received after the Election Submission Deadline will be accepted (unless the Directors determine otherwise, which they may do at their absolute discretion). No acknowledgement of receipt of documents will be given. Any Form of Election received in an envelope postmarked from a Restricted Territory or otherwise appearing to the Company or its agents to have been sent from any Restricted Territory may be rejected as an invalid election. Further provisions relating to Restricted Shareholders are contained in paragraph 8 of this Section B of Part II of this Notice.
The completed and signed Form of Election should be accompanied by the relevant share certificate(s) and/or other document(s) of title. If share certificate(s) and/or other document(s) of title are not readily available (for example, if they are with a stockbroker, bank or other agent), the Form of Election should nevertheless be completed, signed and returned as described above so as to be received by the Receiving Agent by no later than the Election Submission Deadline together with any share certificate(s) and/or other document(s) of title the Shareholder may have available, accompanied by a letter stating that the (remaining) share certificate(s) and/ or other document(s) of title will be forwarded as soon as possible thereafter and, in any event, not later than 1:00 p.m. on the Election Submission Deadline.
The Receiving Agent, acting as each Shareholder's agent, will effect such procedures as are required to transfer the Shareholder's Shares to the Company under the 2022 Realisation Opportunity. If share certificate(s) and/or other document(s) of title have been lost, the Shareholder should either call the Receiving Agent on 0370 707 4040 from within the UK or +44 (0) 370 707 4040 if calling from outside the UK. Alternatively, the Shareholder should write to the Receiving Agent at Computershare Investor Services PLC, Corporate Actions Projects, The Pavilions, Bridgwater Road, Bristol BS13 8AE for a letter of indemnity in respect of the lost share certificate(s) and/or any other document(s) of title which, when completed in accordance with the instructions given, should be returned to the Receiving Agent at Computershare Investor Services PLC, Corporate Actions Projects, The Pavilions, Bridgwater Road, Bristol BS13 8AE so as to be received by no later than the Election Submission Deadline.
2.2.1 Completion of TTE Instruction
If the Elected Shares are held in uncertificated form, each Shareholder should take (or procure to be taken) the action set out below to transfer (by means of a TTE Instruction) the number of Ordinary Shares in respect of which such Shareholder wishes to make a Realisation Election to an escrow balance, specifying the Receiving Agent under its participant ID (referred to below) as the escrow agent, as soon as possible and, in any event, so that the transfer to escrow settles not later than 1:00p.m. on the Election Submission Deadline.
Shareholders who are CREST sponsored members should refer to their CREST sponsor before taking any action. The CREST sponsor will be able to send the TTE Instruction to Euroclear in relation to the Ordinary Shares in respect of which the Shareholder wishes to make a Realisation Election.
Shareholders should send (or, if a Shareholder is a CREST sponsored member, procure that their CREST sponsor sends) a TTE Instruction to Euroclear, which must be properly authenticated in accordance with Euroclear's specification and which must contain, in addition to the other information that is required for the TTE Instruction to settle in CREST, the following details:
After settlement of the TTE Instruction, Shareholders will not be able to access the Ordinary Shares concerned in CREST for any transaction or for charging purposes, notwithstanding that they will be held by the Receiving Agent as agent of the Shareholder until completion or termination or lapse of the 2022 Realisation Opportunity. If the 2022 Realisation Opportunity becomes unconditional, the Receiving Agent will transfer the Ordinary Shares which are accepted for purchase by the Company to itself as the receiving agent for onward sale to the Company.
Shareholders are recommended to refer to the CREST Manual published by Euroclear for further information on the CREST procedures outlined above.
Shareholders should note that Euroclear does not make available special procedures, in CREST, for any particular corporate action. Normal system timings and limitations will therefore apply in connection with a TTE Instruction and its settlement. Shareholders should therefore ensure that they (or their CREST sponsor) take all necessary action to enable a TTE Instruction relating to their Ordinary Shares to settle prior to the Election Submission Deadline. In connection with this, Shareholders are referred, in particular, to those sections of the CREST Manual concerning practical limitations of the CREST system and timings.
2.2.2 Deposits of Ordinary Shares into, and withdrawals of Ordinary Shares from, CREST
Normal CREST procedures (including timings) apply in relation to any Shares that are, or are to be, converted from uncertificated to certificated form, or from certificated to uncertificated form, during the course of the 2022 Realisation Opportunity (whether such conversion arises as a result of a transfer of Ordinary Shares or otherwise). Shareholders who are proposing to convert any such Ordinary Shares are recommended to ensure that the conversion procedures are implemented in sufficient time to enable the person holding or acquiring the Ordinary Shares as a result of the conversion to take all necessary steps in connection with such person's participation in the 2022 Realisation Opportunity (in particular, as regards delivery of share certificate(s) and/or other document(s) of title or transfers to an escrow balance as described above) prior to the Election Submission Deadline.
Euroclear to transfer all Shares held in escrow balances by TTE Instruction to the original available balances to which those Shares relate.
3.5 For the 2022 Realisation Opportunity, settlement of the consideration to which any Shareholder is entitled pursuant to valid Realisation Elections accepted by the Company is expected to be made at the Election Settlement Date as follows:
Where an accepted Realisation Election relates to Ordinary Shares held in certificated form, cheques for the consideration due will be despatched by the Receiving Agent by first class post to the person or agent whose name and address is set out in Box 1 (or, if relevant, Box 4) of the Form of Election or, if none is set out, to the registered address of the Shareholder making the Realisation Election in Box 3 of the Form of Election or, in the case of joint holders, the address of the Shareholder first named in the Register. All cash payments will be made in the currency to which the Elected Shares correspond by cheque drawn on a branch of a UK clearing bank.
3.6.5 if such Shareholder holds Ordinary Shares in certificated form, he, she or it will deliver to the Receiving Agent his, her or its share certificate(s) and/or other document(s) of title in respect of the Ordinary Shares referred to in paragraph 3.6.1 above, or an indemnity acceptable to the Receiving Agent in lieu thereof, or will procure the delivery of such certificate(s) and/or other document(s) to such person as soon as possible thereafter and, in any event, by no later than 1:00 p.m. on the Election Submission Deadline;
3.6.6 such Shareholder shall do all such acts and things as shall be necessary or expedient and execute any additional documents deemed by the Company to be desirable, in each case to complete the purchase of the Elected Shares and/or to perfect any of the authorities expressed to be given hereunder;
Where an accepted Realisation Election relates to Ordinary Shares held in uncertificated form, the consideration due will be paid by means of CREST by the Company procuring the creation of a CREST payment in favour of the electing Shareholder's payment bank in accordance with the CREST payment arrangements.
3.6.15 Timing of settlement
The payment of any consideration to Shareholders in respect of Elected Shares will be made only after the relevant TTE Instruction has settled or (as the case may be) timely receipt by the Receiving Agent of share certificate(s) and/or other requisite document(s) of title evidencing such Ordinary Shares and any other documents required for the 2022 Realisation Opportunity.
If only part of a Shareholder's shareholding is sold in the 2022 Realisation Opportunity, then provided that the NAV attributable to the Continuing Ordinary Shares as at the close of business on the last Business Day before the 2022 Reorganisation Date (and where applicable the gross proceeds of any Realisation Issue) is not less than £100 million, the shortfall will be apportioned to Shareholders pro rata to the number of Elected Shares held by them in respect of which a Realisation Election is made. Such Elected Shares which are not placed out in the market by the Company's broker, redeemed or repurchased or purchased out of the proceeds of a Realisation Issue or such other cash resources as may be available to the Company from time to time, or purchased under a tender offer or by a market maker, will be converted into Realisation Shares. In such circumstances where the Elected Shares are in:
For the avoidance of doubt existing certificates for Ordinary Shares that have converted into Realisation Shares will cease to be valid.
4.1 A reference in this paragraph 4 to a Shareholder includes a reference to the person or persons executing the Form of Election or submitting a TTE Instruction and in the event of more than one person executing an Form of Election or submitting a TTE Instruction, the provisions of this paragraph 4 will apply to them jointly and to each of them.
Election, fully completed in accordance with the instructions set out thereon which constitute part of the Realisation Terms and Conditions and, for uncertificated holders, a TTE Instruction must be submitted in accordance with the instructions provided in paragraph 2.2 of this Section B of Part II of this Notice. A Form of Election or TTE Instruction will only be valid when the procedures contained in the Realisation Terms and Conditions and in the Form of Election or TTE Instruction are complied with. The 2022 Realisation Opportunity and any noncontractual obligations arising out of or in connection with the 2022 Realisation Opportunity will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales.
7.1 All times and dates in the expected timetable set out in Section A of this Part II of this Notice may be adjusted by the Company. Any change to the expected timetable, terms, or any extension or termination of the 2022 Realisation Opportunity will be followed as promptly as practicable by an RIS announcement thereof, to be issued by no later than 3:00 p.m. on the Business Day following the date of such change. In such cases, the definitions, times and dates mentioned in relation to the 2022 Realisation Opportunity herein shall be deemed to be adjusted accordingly. References to the making of an announcement by the Company include the release of an announcement on behalf of the Company by the Administrator to the press and the delivery of, or telephone or facsimile or other electronic transmission of, such announcement to an RIS of the London Stock Exchange.
Territory and accepting Shareholders must not provide Restricted Territory addresses for the remittance of cash or return of Forms of Election.
The Realisation Terms and Conditions shall have effect subject to such non-material modifications or additions as the Company may from time to time approve in writing. The Election Submission Deadline referred to in this Notice in respect of the 2022 Realisation Opportunity may be amended by the Company. Details of any such changes will appear on the Company's website.
The following statements are based on current United Kingdom tax legislation and what is understood to be the current published practice of HMRC, each of which is subject to change possibly with retrospective effect.
The statements are intended only as a general guide and are not intended to be comprehensive; they do not constitute tax advice. They summarise only certain limited aspects of the United Kingdom taxation treatment in respect of the 2022 Realisation Opportunity and may not apply to certain Shareholders, such as dealers in securities, insurance companies, collective investment schemes or Shareholders who have (or are deemed to have) acquired their Shares by virtue of an office or employment or as part of hedging or conversion transactions, all or any of whom may be subject to special rules. Unless expressly stated otherwise they apply only to Shareholders resident and, in the case of individuals, domiciled for tax purposes in the United Kingdom at all relevant times, who hold Shares as an investment (rather than as securities to be realised in the course of a trade) and who are the absolute beneficial owners of those Shares. Any statements made in respect of tax rates for individual UK Shareholders assume that the Shareholder is a UK resident individual who is neither a Scottish taxpayer nor a Welsh taxpayer. Different tax rates may apply to UK resident individuals who are Scottish taxpayers or Welsh taxpayers.
All Shareholders, and in particular those who are in any doubt about their tax position, or who are resident or otherwise subject to taxation in a jurisdiction outside the United Kingdom, should consult their own professional advisers on the potential tax consequences of the 2022 Realisation Opportunity under the laws of their country and/or state of citizenship, domicile or residence.
On the basis that the Ordinary Shares have reporting fund status for the purposes of the UK offshore funds tax regime, where cash is returned to Ordinary Shareholders on the redemption of their Ordinary Shares pursuant to Realisation Elections this will constitute a disposal of Ordinary Shares for capital gains tax purposes by each Ordinary Shareholder who is an individual and any other Ordinary Shareholder not within the charge to UK corporation tax ("Non-Corporate Shareholders"). It may, depending on his/her particular circumstances (including the availability of exemptions, reliefs and allowable losses), give rise to a charge to capital gains tax.
Similarly, the redemptions will constitute disposals for corporation tax paying Ordinary Shareholders. For such Shareholders, assuming that the Company constitutes a bond fund (an offshore fund with assets (excluding cash awaiting investment) which consist of debt instruments (or similar) as to more than 60 per cent. by market value), the redemption will be treated as a repayment of a creditor relationship pursuant to the rules relating to the taxation of corporate debt contained in the Corporation Tax Act 2009 (the "Corporate Debt Regime"). The Company falls within the definition of an offshore fund for UK tax purposes2 and, provided that it invests in accordance with its Investment Policy, it will be a 'bond fund'.
On the basis that the Ordinary Shares have reporting fund status for the purposes of the UK offshore funds tax regime, where cash is returned to Ordinary Shareholders if their Ordinary Shares are placed in the market by Numis pursuant to Realisation Elections this will also constitute a disposal for capital gains tax purposes by each Ordinary Shareholder who is a Non-Corporate Shareholder. It may, depending on his/her particular circumstances (including the availability of exemptions, reliefs and allowable losses), give rise to a charge to capital gains tax. Similarly, sales in the market will constitute disposals for corporation tax paying Ordinary Shareholders and the Corporate Debt Regime will apply to them, as set out above.
2 See Section 355 Taxation (International and Other Provisions) Act 2008
For holders of any Ordinary Shares which are redesignated as Realisation Shares there should be no disposal for capital gains tax purposes. However, even if a disposal were to be treated as taking place, it is expected that the redesignation of Ordinary Shares as Realisation Shares would come within the reorganisation rules for capital gains tax purposes. Consequently, the new holding of Realisation Shares would be treated for capital gains tax purposes as the same asset, acquired at the same time and for the same cost, as the original holding of Ordinary Shares, so that the redesignation of Ordinary Shares as Realisation Shares would be 'deemed' not to give rise to a disposal for tax purposes, and therefore would not give rise to any capital gains tax consequences. In order for reorganisation treatment to apply, Shareholders must exchange their Ordinary Shares for Realisation Shares of "substantially the same value" and the property of the Company and the rights of Shareholders to share in the capital and income of that property must be the same immediately before and immediately after the conversion.
The class of Realisation Shares will also constitute an offshore fund for the purposes of the offshore funds tax regime. If a class of Realisation Shares is created, the Company intends to apply to HM Revenue & Customs to obtain reporting fund status for them, and to maintain their reporting fund status. The Realisation Shares are also expected to constitute a 'bond fund' (assuming that the Realisation Pool consists of debt instruments (or similar) as to more than 60 per cent. by market value).
On this basis, each Non-Corporate Realisation Shareholder will therefore be liable to UK income tax on amounts distributed to him/her by the Company out of profits forming part of, or derived from, the Realisation Pool and, if they remain a Realisation Shareholder at the end of the relevant reporting period (reporting periods will generally be the same as the Company's accounting periods), will also be subject to tax on the amount by which the reported income attributable to his/ her Realisation Shares for the relevant reporting period exceeds the amount distributed in respect of those Shares in that period (the "excess reported income amount"). On the basis that the Realisation Shares will constitute a 'bond fund', distributions on the Realisation Shares and any excess reported income amount will be treated as payments of interest to Non-Corporate Shareholders and, accordingly, subject to UK income tax at the appropriate marginal rate for such Shareholder (whether 0%, 20%, 40% or 45%). Each UK resident individual who is a basic rate taxpayer is entitled to a Personal Saving Allowance which exempts the first £1,000 of savings income (including distributions deemed to be "interest distributions" from a 'bond fund'). The exempt amount is reduced to £500 for higher rate taxpayers and additional rate taxpayers do not receive an allowance.
Provided that reporting fund status in respect of the Realisation Shares is obtained and maintained, a sale by a Non-Corporate Realisation Shareholder of his/her Realisation Shares in the market will be a disposal for capital gains tax purposes and may, depending on the Realisation Shareholder's individual circumstances (including the availability of exemptions, reliefs and allowable losses), give rise to a liability to capital gains tax. Such gains will be taxable at the applicable capital gains tax rate (currently 10 per cent. for basic rate taxpayers (to the extent that chargeable gains do not exceed the unused part of the basic rate band) and 20 per cent. for those whose total income and chargeable gains are above the higher rate threshold). Individuals will generally be eligible for the annual exemption (£12,300 for tax year 2022/2023).
If the class of Realisation Shares were not to, or were to cease to, have reporting fund status, a UK resident Non-Corporate Shareholder disposing of Realisation Shares would be taxed on any resulting gain as income rather than as capital gain, except (in the case of cessation as a reporting fund) to the extent they make a 'deemed disposal' election in their tax return for the period in which the class of Realisation Shares ceases to be a reporting fund. A UK resident Shareholder who makes a 'deemed disposal' election would be deemed, for UK tax purposes, to dispose of their Realisation Shares in the Company for net asset value at the end of such period, and charged to tax on a capital basis accordingly, with subsequent disposals of Realisation Shares charged on an income basis by reference only to the gain arising above such net asset value.
For Realisation Shareholders within the charge to UK corporation tax, their Realisation Shares will, on the basis that they constitute a 'bond fund', be treated as creditor relationships for the purposes of the Corporate Debt Regime. Accordingly, these Shareholders must bring all their profits and losses arising from fluctuations in the fair value of their holding (including the value of distributions received), calculated at the end of each their accounting periods and at the date of disposal of their interest, into their profit and loss account for tax purposes.
Where cash is returned to the holders of Realisation Shares by way of redemption of all or part of their holdings of Realisation Shares, there will be a disposal of all or part of their holding in the Company for the purposes of capital gains tax or the Corporate Debt Regime, as appropriate, provided, for Non-Corporate Shareholders, that reporting fund status in respect of the Realisation Shares has been held by the Company throughout the period during which they hold their Realisation Shares.
The attention of Shareholders is drawn to anti-avoidance legislation in Chapter 1, Part 13 of the Income Tax Act 2007 and Part 15 of the Corporation Tax Act 2010 that could apply if Shareholders are seeking to obtain tax advantages in prescribed conditions.
No UK stamp duty or SDRT will arise on the issue of Realisation Shares. No UK stamp duty will be payable on a transfer of Ordinary Shares or Realisation Shares, provided that all instruments effecting or evidencing the transfer are not executed in the United Kingdom and no matters or things done relating to the transfer are performed in the United Kingdom. Provided that neither the Ordinary Shares nor the Realisation Shares are registered in any register kept in the United Kingdom by or on behalf of the Company, nor paired with shares issued by a company incorporated in the United Kingdom, any agreement to transfer the Ordinary Shares or Realisation Shares will not be subject to UK SDRT.
The Directors consider that the following material factors should be taken into account by Shareholders when assessing whether to make a Realisation Election:
hold a larger relative proportion of the Ordinary Shares. In these circumstances, conversion may reduce liquidity in the Ordinary Shares.
Under Rule 37 of the Takeover Code, when a company purchases its own voting shares, a resulting increase in the percentage of voting rights carried by the shareholdings of any person or group of persons acting in concert will be treated as an acquisition for the purposes of Rule 9 of the Takeover Code. Accordingly, when the Company redeems and/or repurchases into treasury (or repurchases and immediately cancels) Elected Shares pursuant to the 2022 Realisation Opportunity, any resulting increase in the percentage of the voting rights in the Company held by a Shareholder (or Shareholders acting in concert) will be treated as an acquisition in accordance with Rule 37 of the Takeover Code and, if such percentage reaches 30 per cent. of the voting rights in the Company, or if a Shareholder (or Shareholders acting in concert) already hold(s) 30 per cent. of the voting rights in the Company and such percentage Shareholding increases further, the relevant Shareholder or Shareholders would be required under Rule 9 to make a general offer to all remaining Shareholders to acquire their Ordinary Shares.
The Company was incorporated in Guernsey on 11 January 2013 with registered number 56128 as a non-cellular company limited by shares under the Law. The Company is registered as a registered closed-ended collective investment scheme under the POI Law and the Registered Collective Investment Scheme Rules and Guidance, 2021 made thereunder.
As a registered closed-ended collective investment scheme, the Company is registered with the GFSC. The Company is not regulated by the FCA but is subject to the Listing Rules applicable to closed-ended collective investment funds. As a registered closed-ended collective investment scheme under the POI Law, the Company is required to provide certain information to the GFSC on an ongoing basis (including copies of the Company's audited annual report and accounts) as well as complying with certain notification requirements to the GFSC pursuant to the Registered Collective Investment Scheme Rules and Guidance, 2021 and the Prospectus Rules and Guidance, 2021 (as the same may be amended from time to time).
The address of the registered office and principal place of business of the Company is PO Box 255, Trafalgar Court, Les Banques, St Peter Port, Guernsey GY1 3QL, with telephone number +44 (0)1481 745001.
As at 19 August 2022, being the latest practicable date prior to the publication of this Notice, the Company has been informed of the following notifiable interests in the Company's voting rights.
| Name of Shareholder | Number of issued Ordinary Shares |
Percentage of issued Ordinary Shares (including treasury shares) |
|---|---|---|
| State Street Nominees Limited | 39,487,504 | 5.82 |
The Company has 638,942,655 Ordinary Shares in issue (excluding treasury shares), as at 19 August 2022, being the latest practicable date prior to the publication of this Notice.
As at the date of this Notice, the Company has 39,000,000 shares held in treasury.
Numis has given and has not withdrawn its written consent to the issue of this Notice with reference to its name in the form and context in which such references appear.
Copies of the following documents will be available for inspection at the registered office of the Company during normal business hours on any weekday (Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays excepted) up to and including the 2022 Reorganisation Date:
5.2 the audited statutory accounts of the Company for the two financial years ended 31 March 2021 and 31 March 2022 and the unaudited interim financial statements for the six months period ending 30 September 2021.
Building tools?
Free accounts include 100 API calls/year for testing.
Have a question? We'll get back to you promptly.