Pre-Annual General Meeting Information • Jul 3, 2024
Pre-Annual General Meeting Information
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If you have sold or otherwise transferred all of your AO World PLC ordinary shares, and have received a hard copy of this document, please send it, together with any 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 delivery to the purchaser or transferee.
This document is available at ao-world.com.

NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Notice of the Annual General Meeting of AO World PLC to be held at 9am on 18 September 2024 at the Company's registered office at 5A The Parklands, Lostock, Bolton, BL6 4SD.
You will not receive a hard copy form of proxy for the 2024 AGM in the post. Instead, you will be able to vote electronically using the link https://www.aoshareportal.com. You will need to log into your Signal Shares account, or register if you have not previously done so. To register you will need your Investor Code. This is detailed on your share certificate or available from our Registrar, Link Group.
In the case of CREST members, you can vote by utilising the CREST electronic proxy appointment service in accordance with the procedures described in the CREST Manual. In order for a proxy appointment or instruction made by means of CREST to be valid, the appropriate CREST message (a 'CREST Proxy Instruction') must be properly authenticated in accordance with Euroclear UK & Ireland Limited's specifications and must contain the information required for such instructions, as described in the CREST Manual. The message must be transmitted so as to be received by the issuer's agent (ID RA10) by 9am on 16 September 2024.
Voting by proxy prior to the AGM does not affect your right to attend the AGM and vote in person should you so wish. Proxy votes must be received no later than 48 hours before the time of the AGM (excluding non-working days).
You may request a hard copy form of proxy directly from our Registrar, Link Group, on Tel: 0371 664 0300. Calls are charged at the standard geographic rate and will vary by provider. Calls outside the United Kingdom will be charged at the applicable international rate. Lines are open 9.00am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday excluding public holidays in England and Wales.
Alternatively, you can request a hard copy proxy card by emailing [email protected]
(incorporated and registered in England and Wales under number 05525751)
Registered Office:
Directors: Geoff Cooper John Roberts Mark Higgins Chris Hopkinson Shaun McCabe Peter Pritchard Sarah Venning
3 July 2024
To the holders of AO World PLC ordinary shares
Dear Shareholder
I am pleased to be writing to you with details of our Annual General Meeting ("AGM") which we are holding at 9am on 18 September 2024 at the Company's registered office at 5A The Parklands, Lostock, Bolton, BL6 4SD.
If you wish to attend the AGM in your capacity as a shareholder, please bring proof of identification and/or proof of your shareholding, and on arrival hand it to our Registrar, Link Group, and this will facilitate entry to the meeting. Those shareholders who do not wish to attend the meeting in person are strongly encouraged to vote by taking advantage of our registrar's secure online voting service at https://www.aoshareportal.com. Further details are set out on the cover of this document.
Shareholders can also submit questions on the AGM resolutions electronically before the meeting and such questions, limited to matters relating to the business of the AGM itself, should be sent to [email protected] and these will be responded to on an individual basis. Our normal channels of shareholder engagement are open and shareholders can contact the investor relations team at [email protected] or any member of the Board through our company secretary at [email protected].
The formal notice of meeting and the resolutions to be proposed are set out on pages 03 and 05 of this document. Resolutions 1 to 12 (inclusive) and 16 and 18 are proposed as ordinary resolutions, while Resolutions 13 to 15 (inclusive) and 17 will be proposed as special resolutions. The ordinary resolutions will be passed if more than 50% of the votes cast are in favour and the special resolutions will be passed if at least 75% of the votes cast are in favour. Explanatory notes on all the proposed resolutions can be found on pages 06 and 08 of this document. This Notice of AGM is also available on our website, www.ao-world.com, in the Investor Relations section of the website under Reports and Presentations.
The Board considers the Resolutions are in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders as a whole and are therefore likely to promote the success of the Company. The Directors unanimously recommend that you vote in favour of the Resolutions as they intend to do in respect of their own beneficial holdings (excluding connected persons) which amount in aggregate to shares representing approximately 22.19% of the existing issued share capital of the Company (as at 2 July 2024, being the latest practicable date prior to publication of this document).
Thank you for your continuing support of AO World PLC.
Yours sincerely
Chairman
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Annual General Meeting of the Company will be held at the Company's registered office at 5A The Parklands, Lostock, Bolton, BL6 4SD on Wednesday 18 September 2024 at 9am to consider and, if thought fit, to pass Resolutions 1 to 12 (inclusive), and 16 and 18 as ordinary resolutions and Resolutions 13 to 15 (inclusive) and 17 as special resolutions.
or practical problems arising under the laws of any overseas territory or the requirements of any regulatory body or stock exchange or by virtue of shares being represented by depositary receipts or any other matter, provided that this authority shall expire at the end of the next Annual General Meeting of the Company or, if earlier, 15 months after the passing of the Resolution, save that the Company shall be entitled to make offers or agreements before the expiry of such authority which would or might require shares to be allotted or such rights to be granted after such expiry and the Directors shall be entitled to allot shares and grant rights pursuant to any such offer or agreement as if this authority had not expired; and all unexercised authorities previously granted to the Directors to allot shares and grant rights be and are hereby revoked.
Pre-Emption Rights most recently published by the Pre-Emption Group prior to the date of this notice, and shall expire upon the expiry of the general authority conferred by Resolution 12 above, save that the Company shall be entitled to make offers or agreements before the expiry of such power which would or might require equity securities to be allotted after such expiry and the Directors shall be entitled to allot equity securities pursuant to any such offer or agreement as if the power conferred hereby had not expired.
and shall expire upon the expiry of the general authority conferred by Resolution 12 above, save that the Company shall still be entitled to make offers or agreements before the expiry of such power which would or might require equity securities to be allotted (and treasury shares to be sold) after such expiry and the Directors shall be entitled to allot equity securities (and sell treasury shares) pursuant to any such offer or agreement as if the power conferred hereby had not expired.
Julie Finnemore, Company Secretary 3July 2024
AO World PLC 5A The Parklands, Lostock, Bolton, BL6 4SD
Ordinary resolutions require more than half of the votes cast to be in favour of the resolution in order for the resolution to be passed. To pass special resolutions, three quarters or more of the votes cast must be in favour.
The Chairman will present the Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2024 (the "Annual Report") to the AGM. The Annual Report accompanies this document.
The Directors' Remuneration Report is set out in the Annual Report on pages 108 to 128.
Resolution 2 is the ordinary resolution to approve the Directors' Remuneration Report other than the part containing the Directors' remuneration policy. Resolution 2 is an advisory resolution and does not affect the future remuneration paid to any Director.
The report gives details of the Directors' remuneration for the year ended 31 March 2024. The report also includes details of the Remuneration Committee's representations and activities. The Company's Auditors, KPMG LLP, have audited those parts of the Remuneration Report which are required to be audited and their report is issued in the Annual Report.
Resolutions 3 to 9 inclusive are to approve the re-election of the Directors. In accordance with the requirements of the UK Corporate Governance Code 2018 (the "Code") all of the Directors are subject to annual re-election by the shareholders at this year's AGM.
The Board has confirmed, following a performance review, that all Directors standing for re-election continue to perform effectively and demonstrate commitment to their roles. The Board has considered whether each of the independent Non-Executive Directors is free from any relationship that could materially interfere with the exercise of his or her independent judgment and has determined that each continues to be considered independent. Chris Hopkinson, whilst not independent for the purposes of the Code, is considered to provide a significant contribution to the Board.
Biographical details of each of the Directors standing for re-election are set out in Appendix 1 on pages 11 and 12 of this document.
Resolution 10 is to reappoint KPMG LLP as the Company's Auditors, to hold office until the conclusion of the next AGM of the Company.
Resolution 11 authorises the Audit Committee of the Board to set the Auditors' remuneration.
Resolution 12 deals with the Directors' authority to allot ordinary shares in the capital of the Company without the prior consent of shareholders for a period expiring at the conclusion of the next AGM of the Company.
At the last AGM of the Company held on 27 September 2023, the Directors were given authority to allot ordinary shares in the capital of the Company up to a maximum nominal amount of £480,767.49 equal to one-third of the Company's then issued ordinary issued share capital and up to a maximum aggregate nominal value of £961,534.98 equal to two-thirds of the issued share capital of the Company where an offer is made in connection with a fully pre-emptive rights issue. This authority expires at the end of this year's AGM. Resolution 12 will, if passed, renew this authority to allot, on the same terms save that it reflects the increase in the Company's issued share capital during the year.
The Investment Association ("IA") guidelines on directors' authority to allot shares state that IA members will regard as routine, resolutions seeking authority to allot shares representing up to two-thirds of the Company's issued share capital, provided that any amount in excess of onethird of the Company's issued share capital is only used to allot shares pursuant to a fully pre-emptive rights issue.
In light of these guidelines, the Board considers it appropriate that Directors be granted authority to allot ordinary shares in the capital of the Company up to a maximum nominal amount of £964,284.08 representing two-thirds of the Company's issued ordinary share capital as at 2 July 2024 (the latest practicable date prior to publication of this document). Of this amount a nominal amount of £482,142.04 (representing approximately onethird of the Company's issued ordinary share capital) can only be allotted pursuant to a rights issue. The power will last until the end of the next AGM of the Company or, if earlier, 15 months after the passing of the Resolution.
The Directors have no present intention of allotting new ordinary shares other than in relation to the Company's employee share schemes. However, the Directors consider it appropriate to maintain the flexibility that this authority provides. As at 2 July 2024 (being the latest practicable date prior to the publication of this document) the Company does not hold any shares in the capital of the Company in treasury.
Resolutions 13 and 14 will give the Directors authority to allot ordinary shares in the capital of the Company pursuant to the authority granted under Resolution 12 above for cash without complying with the preemption rights in the Companies Act 2006 in certain circumstances.
Resolution 13 will permit the Directors to allot:
Resolution 14 will permit the Directors to allot additional equity securities up to a maximum nominal value of £144,642.61 representing approximately a further 10% of the issued ordinary share capital of the Company as at 2 July 2024 (the latest practicable date prior to publication of this document), otherwise than in connection with a pre-emptive offer to existing shareholders for the purposes of financing or refinancing a transaction as contemplated by the Pre-emption Principles described below, with a further authority for no more than 2% to be used only for the purposes of making a follow-on offer of a kind contemplated by the Pre-emption Principles (as set out below). The Directors believe that it is appropriate to seek this additional authority in Resolution 14 to give the Company the flexibility that this resolution affords.
This disapplication authority is in line with institutional shareholder guidance, and in particular with the Preemption Group's Statement of Principles (the "Preemption Principles"). The Pre-emption Principles were revised in 2022 to allow the authority for an issue of shares for cash otherwise than in connection with a pre-emptive offer to include: (i) an authority over 10% of a company's issued ordinary share capital; and (ii) an additional authority over a further 10% of a company's issued share capital for use in connection with an acquisition or specified capital investment announced contemporaneously with the issue, or which has taken place in the preceding six-month period and is disclosed in the announcement of the issue, with a further authority for no more than 2% to be used only for the purposes of making a follow-on offer of a kind contemplated by in those Principles.
As noted in relation to Resolution 12 above, the Directors have no current intention of issuing ordinary shares other than in relation to the Company's employee share schemes.
The authority contained in Resolutions 13 and 14 will expire upon the expiry of the authority to allot shares conferred in Resolution 12 (that is at the end of the next AGM of the Company or, if earlier, 15 months after the passing of the Resolution.
Resolution 15 gives the Company authority to buy back its own ordinary shares in the market as permitted by the Companies Act 2006. The authority limits the number of shares that could be purchased to a maximum of 57,857,044 shares (representing approximately 10% of the Company's issued ordinary share capital as at 2 July 2024 (the latest practicable date prior to publication of this document)) and sets minimum and maximum prices. This authority will expire at the end of the next AGM of the Company or, if earlier, 15 months after the passing of the Resolution.
The Directors have no present intention of exercising the authority to purchase the Company's ordinary shares but will keep the matter under review, taking into account the financial resources of the Company, the Company's share price and future funding opportunities. The authority will be exercised only if the Directors believe that to do so would result in an increase in earnings per share and would be in the interests of shareholders generally. Any purchases of ordinary shares would be by means of market purchases through the London Stock Exchange.
Listed companies purchasing their own shares are allowed to hold them in treasury as an alternative to cancelling them. No dividends are paid on shares while they are held in treasury and no voting rights attach to treasury shares.
If Resolution 15 is passed at the AGM, it is the Company's current intention to hold shares in treasury to meet the requirements of the Company's employee share schemes. However, in order to respond properly to the Company's capital requirements and prevailing market conditions, the Directors will need to reassess at the time of any and each actual purchase whether to hold the shares in treasury or cancel them, provided it is permitted to do so. As at 2 July 2024 there were options outstanding to subscribe for 13,951,889 ordinary shares in the capital of the Company relating to unvested share schemes, plus further options outstanding over 1,165,367 ordinary shares in the capital of the Company where schemes have vested. To satisfy these awards, 14,329,613 new ordinary shares in the capital of the Company will need to be issued (taking into account shares already held by the employee benefit trust), representing 2.48% of the Company's current issued share capital (excluding treasury shares). If the authority to purchase the Company's ordinary shares being sought in Resolution 15 were to be exercised in full, the number of new shares that would need to be issued to satisfy the above options would represent 2.75 % of the Company's issued share capital (excluding treasury shares).
Resolution 16 deals with political donations. Under the Companies Act 2006, political donations to any political parties, independent election candidates or political organisations or the incurring of political expenditure are prohibited unless authorised by shareholders in advance. What constitutes a political donation, a political party, a political organisation or political expenditure is not easy to decide, as the legislation is capable of wide interpretation. Sponsorship, subscriptions, payment of expenses, and support for bodies representing the business community in policy review or reform, may fall within this.
Therefore, notwithstanding that the Company has not made a political donation in the past, and has no intention either now or in the future of making any political donation or incurring any political expenditure in respect of any political party, political organisation or independent election candidate, the Board has decided to put forward Resolution 16 to renew the authority granted by shareholders at the last AGM. This will allow the Company to continue to support the community and put forward its views to wider business and Government entities without running the risk of being in inadvertent breach of the Companies Act 2006.
The authority is subject to a maximum amount of £50,000 for each type of payment and will cover the period from the date Resolution 16 is passed until the end of the next AGM of the Company or, if earlier, 15 months after the passing of the Resolution.
As permitted under the 2006 Act, Resolution 16 also covers any political donations made, or political expenditure incurred, by any subsidiaries of the Company.
Resolution 17 is a resolution to allow the Company to hold general meetings (other than AGMs) on 14 days' notice.
The minimum notice period for general meetings of listed companies is 21 days, but companies may reduce this period to 14 days (other than for AGMs) provided that two conditions are met. The first condition is that the Company offers a facility for shareholders to vote by electronic means. This condition is met if the Company offers a facility, accessible to all shareholders, to appoint a proxy by means of a website. The second condition is that there is an annual resolution of shareholders approving the reduction of the minimum notice period from 21 days to 14 days.
The Board is therefore proposing Resolution 17 as a special resolution to approve 14 days as the minimum period of notice for all general meetings of the Company other than AGMs.
The approval will be effective until the end of the next AGM of the Company, when it is intended that the approval be renewed. The Board will consider on a case by case basis whether the use of the flexibility offered by the shorter notice period is merited, taking into account the circumstances, including whether the business of the meeting is time-sensitive and whether it is thought to be to the advantage of shareholders as a whole.
Resolution 18 is a resolution to allow the Company to amend and continue to operate the AO World Sharesave Scheme (the "Sharesave Scheme"). The Sharesave Scheme was adopted in 2014 and has been operated for the last 10 years. It is an HM Revenue & Customs taxadvantaged share plan, open to all eligible employees (including executive directors), subject to certain minimum service requirements, which allows employees to save a fixed amount on a monthly basis in order to purchase Company shares at the end of the savings period. The Sharesave Scheme continues to be popular with employees and has proved to be an attractive and successful incentive plan. The Company intends to continue to operate the Sharesave Scheme consistently with its existing practice.
The Board considers it appropriate to seek shareholder approval to extend the life of Sharesave Scheme for a further period of 10 years and to make minor amendments to the rules to reflect regulatory changes, to remove historic provisions, and to assist in the administration of the scheme. A summary of the principal terms of the Sharesave Scheme is set out in Appendix 2 to this document.
A copy of the amended rules of the Sharesave Scheme is available for inspection on the National Storage Mechanism from the date of this document and will also be available for inspection at the place of the meeting from 15 minutes before it is held until its conclusion.
and in each case the appointment of proxy must be received by the Company not less than 48 hours before the time of the AGM (excluding non-working days).
The deadline for receipt of proxy appointments (see note 4) also applies in relation to amended instructions. Where two or more valid separate appointments of proxy are received in respect of the same share in respect of the same meeting, the one which is last sent shall be treated as replacing and revoking the other or others.
The rights to appoint a proxy cannot be exercised by a Nominated Person: they can only be exercised by the member. However, a Nominated Person may have a right under an agreement between him and the member by whom he was nominated to be appointed as a proxy for the AGM or to have someone else so appointed. If a Nominated Person does not have such a right or does not wish to exercise it, he may have a right under such an agreement to give instructions to the member as to the exercise of voting rights.
It is the responsibility of the CREST member concerned to take (or, if the CREST member is a CREST personal member or sponsored member or has appointed a voting service provider(s), to procure that his CREST sponsor or voting service provider(s) take(s)) such action as shall be necessary to ensure that a message is transmitted by means of the CREST system by any particular time. In this connection, CREST members and, where applicable, their CREST sponsors or voting service providers are referred, in particular, to those sections of the CREST Manual concerning practical limitations of the CREST system and timings.
Shareholders have the opportunity to submit questions on the AGM resolutions electronically before the meeting and such questions, limited to matters relating to the business of the AGM itself, should be sent to Cosec@ ao.com and these will be responded to on an individual basis.
Members satisfying the thresholds in section 527 of the Companies Act 2006 can require the Company to publish a statement on its website setting out any matter relating to (a) 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 AGM; or (b) any circumstances connected with an Auditor of the Company ceasing to hold office since the last Annual General Meeting, that the members propose to raise at the AGM. The Company cannot require the members requesting the publication to pay its expenses. Any statement placed on the website must also be sent to the Company's Auditors no later than the time it makes its statement available on the website. The business which may be dealt with at the AGM includes any such statement that the Company has been required to publish on its website.
As at 2 July 2024 (being the latest practicable date prior to the publication of this document), the Company's issued share capital consists of 578,570,448 ordinary shares, carrying one vote each. The Company holds no ordinary shares in treasury. Therefore, the total voting rights in the Company are 578,570,448 .
You may not use any electronic address provided in this document to communicate with the Company for any purposes other than those expressly stated.
This document is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Specific advice should be sought on your specific circumstances before taking any action (or deciding not to take any action) in reliance on the contents of this document.
1 July 2016
Geoff chairs the Nomination Committee and is also a member of the Remuneration Committee.
Yes.
2 August 2005 (AO Retail Limited 19 April 2000)
John attends the Remuneration, Audit and Nomination Committees by invitation.
1 August 2015
Mark attends the Remuneration, Audit and Nomination Committees by invitation.
12 December 2005
Executive Director at Clifton Trade Bathrooms Ltd.
Chris is a member of the Nomination Committee and the designated NED People Champion.
No, due to length of tenure only.
24 July 2018
Shaun is chair of the Audit Committee and a member of the Remuneration Committee.
Yes.
1 October 2022
Non-executive Director at Motability Operations Group PLC and Voff Premium Pet Food Sweden AB. Chair at Shiba Bidco S.p.A. (Arca Planet Italy)
Peter is chair of the Remuneration Committee and a member of the Audit and Nomination Committees
Yes.
Non-Executive Director
1 November 2022
Chief Digital & Data Officer at Merlin Entertainments.
Sarah is a member of the Remuneration, Audit and Nomination Committees
Yes.
The Scheme is a savings related share option scheme designed to take advantage of the tax beneficial status of savings related share option schemes which comply with Schedule 3 to the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003 ('Schedule 3').
The Scheme will be administered by the Board or a duly authorised committee of the Board.
UK employees and full-time directors of the Company and participating companies within the Group are eligible to participate in the Scheme. The Board may, however, determine that a qualifying period of service (of up to five years) is required before an employee or full-time director can participate in the Scheme.
Invitations to participate in the Scheme may be issued within the 42 day period after the announcement of the Company's results for any period, any day on which changes to the legislation affecting savings related share option plans under Schedule 3 is announced or made, any day on which a new savings prospectus is announced or takes effect or revised bonus rates come into effect under the HMRC SAYE bonus rate mechanism, or any other date on which the Board resolves that exceptional circumstances exist.
To participate in the Scheme, an eligible employee must enter into a Save-As-You-Earn contract ('Savings Contract) with the savings body designated by the Board, agreeing to make monthly contributions of between £5 and £500 for a specified savings period of three or five years (or such other period as may be specified from time to time under Schedule 3). The Board has discretion to determine the length of the savings contracts that will be available in respect of any invitation to apply for options (three years, five years or both). A bonus determined by HMRC may be payable after the expiration of the savings period.
Applications to participate in the Scheme may be scaled down by the Board, if applications exceed the number of shares available for the grant of options.
The option price for each share in respect of which an option is granted shall not be less than the greater of:
(a) 80 per cent. of the closing middle-market quotation as derived from the London Stock Exchange Daily Official List for the dealing day immediately prior to the date on which the invitation to participate in the Scheme is made (or, if the Board so determines, the average of the closing mid-market quotations for the three dealing days immediately prior to the invitation date); and
(b) the nominal value of the shares.
The number of shares over which options may be granted must as nearly as possible be equal to, but not in excess of, that number of shares which may be purchased out of the repayment proceeds (including, if the Board so determines, any bonus payable) of the relevant savings contract at the option price.
Subject to any regulatory restrictions, options under the Scheme may only be granted within the period of 30 days following the date on which the option price is determined or, if the option price is determined over three consecutive dealing days, within 30 days after the earliest of those dealing days (though such period will be increased to 42 days if scaling back applies).
Options granted under the Scheme may not be transferred (other than on death) and will not be pensionable.
No consideration will be required for the grant of the option.
Options under the Scheme may not be granted on a date if it would result in the total number of shares issued or to be issued to satisfy share awards granted under the Company's employee share plans during the period of ten years ending with that date to exceed 10 per cent. of the issued ordinary share capital of the Company from time to time.
For the purposes of this limit, shares transferred out of treasury to satisfy awards will be treated as new issue shares.
Options will only normally be exercisable for a period of six months commencing on the third or fifth anniversary (as the case may be) of the starting date of the related savings contract and, if not exercised by the end of that period, the option will lapse.
Earlier exercise may, however, be permitted in specified circumstances, including:
In these early exercise circumstances, options will only be exercisable for a limited period to the extent of the savings in the relevant savings contract (plus any accrued interest) at the date of exercise.
Alternatively, in the event of a takeover or reconstruction, options may be exchanged for new equivalent options over shares in the acquiring company where appropriate.
All shares allotted or transferred under the Scheme will rank pari passu with all other shares of the Company for the time being in issue (save as regards any rights attaching to such shares by reference to a record date prior to the date of allotment or transfer) and the Company will apply for the listing of any new shares issued under the Scheme.
In the event of any rights or capitalisation issue, subdivision, consolidation, reduction or other variation of the ordinary share capital of the Company, the Board may make such adjustments as it considers appropriate to the number of shares subject to options and/or the price payable on the exercise of options.
The Board may amend the provisions of the Scheme in any respect provided that the prior approval of shareholders in general meeting is required for alterations or additions which are to the advantage of participants and relate to eligibility, limits, the option price, the rights attaching to options and shares, the impact of any variation of capital or the amendment provisions. However, the requirement to obtain the prior approval of shareholders will not apply in relation to any alteration or addition which is minor and to benefit the administration of the Scheme, to take account of changes in legislation or to obtain or maintain favourable tax, exchange control or regulatory treatment for the Company, any of its subsidiaries or for participants.
The Scheme will terminate on the tenth anniversary of its approval by shareholders at the 2024 AGM, or such earlier time as the Board may determine, but the rights of existing participants will not be affected by such termination. In the event of termination, no further options will be granted.
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