AGM Information • Mar 18, 2011
AGM Information
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THIS DOCUMENT IS IMPORTANT AND REQUIRES YOUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION. If you are in doubt as to the action you should take you are recommended to seek your own personal financial advice from your stockbroker, bank manager, solicitor, accountant or other independent financial adviser authorised under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.
If you have sold or otherwise transferred all your Ordinary Shares in the Company, please send this document and the accompanying documents at once 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.
Notice of the Annual General Meeting of the Company convened for 10.00 a.m. on Monday, 18 April 2011 is set out in Part II of this document.
A Form of Proxy for use at the Annual General Meeting is enclosed. To be valid, the Form of Proxy must be completed and returned so as to reach the registrars by hand or by post at Computershare Investor Services PLC, The Pavilions, Bridgwater Road, Bristol BS99 6AH (the "Registrars") by no later than 10.00 a.m. on Thursday, 14 April 2011. As an alternative to completing the hard copy form, shareholders can appoint proxies electronically via www.clsholdings.com/evoting so that it is received by the Registrar by no later than 10.00 a.m. on Thursday, 14 April 2011. CREST members can also appoint proxies by using the CREST electronic proxy appointment service and transmitting a CREST Proxy Instruction in accordance with the procedures set out in the CREST Manual so that it is received by the Registrar (under CREST participant 3RA50) by no later than 10.00 a.m. on Thursday, 14 April 2011. The time of receipt will be taken to be the time from which the Registrar is able to retrieve the message by enquiry to CREST in the manner prescribed by CREST.
(INCORPORATED AND REGISTERED IN ENGLAND WITH REGISTERED NUMBER 2714781)
Registered and Head Office: 86 Bondway London SW8 1SF
Sten Mortstedt (Executive Chairman) E. Henry Klotz (Executive Vice Chairman) Richard Tice (Chief Executive Officer) John Whiteley (Chief Financial Officer) Malcolm Cooper (Non-Executive Director) Joseph Crawley (Non-Executive Director) Christopher Jarvis (Non-Executive Director) Thomas Lundqvist (Non-Executive Director) Jennica Mortstedt (Non-Executive Director) Thomas Thomson (Non-Executive Director)
18 March 2011
Dear Shareholder,
The purpose of this circular is to give you details of the Company's Annual General Meeting ("AGM") which is to be held on Monday, 18 April 2011 and the resolutions to be proposed at it. I am pleased to enclose a copy of the Company's Annual Report & Accounts for the year ended 31 December 2010 (the "Annual Report").
As we reported when we published our Annual Report on 7 March 2011, it is your Directors' intention to propose a distribution by way of a Tender Offer in lieu of a final dividend for the year ended 31 December 2010. Documentation containing full details of the Tender Offer (completion of which is subject to the passing of Resolution 18) is enclosed.
In accordance with the ABI guidelines, if the Tender Offer proceeds and the Company's issued share capital is reduced as a result, the directors undertake not to exceed the appropriate limits in relation to the resulting issued share capital referred to in Resolutions 16 and 17.
You may be aware that the Companies Act 2006 (the "Act") aims to encourage use of electronic communications with shareholders and enables companies, if their shareholders agree to it, to supply documents to their shareholders by email or by use of website access instead of posting documents to them. As we currently have under 1,000 shareholders, the Company intends to continue to post documents to all the names on the share register. However, if you would also like to receive documents by email, you may request this service by writing to CLS (marked for the attention of the Company Secretary) or by emailing [email protected].
The AGM is to be held at 86 Bondway, London, SW8 1SF on Monday, 18 April 2011 at 10.00 a.m. You will find on pages 5 to 8 of this document the Notice convening the AGM. A form of proxy for use in connection with the AGM is enclosed with this document.
Resolutions 1 to 16 are ordinary resolutions; Resolutions 17 to 20 are special resolutions. I set out below further information on certain of the resolutions proposed.
The Board notes that the new UK Corporate Governance Code which has applied to the Company since 1 January 2011 requires that all directors of FTSE 350 companies be subject to annual election by shareholders. At present the Company is not a constituent of the FTSE 350 however the Board intends to adopt this provision of the UK Corporate Governance Code and require the annual re-election of all directors by shareholders. Resolutions 3 and 4 propose the election of Mr Tice and Miss Mortstedt both of whom have been appointed since the last AGM and Resolutions 5 to 12 propose the re-election of the remaining Directors to the Board.
I can confirm to shareholders that, following a formal performance evaluation, the performance of each of the Directors continues to be effective and demonstrates commitment to their roles.
Biographies of all the Directors proposed to be elected and re-elected are set out on pages 21 and 22 of the Annual Report.
On 9 February 2011, the Company entered into a fixed three year service agreement with Mr Klotz effective from 1 January 2011 to 31 December 2013. The agreement provides for Mr Klotz's employment to continue for a period of more than two years and can be terminated by the Company only in specified circumstances (including serious misconduct, disobedience or gross neglect relating to his duties, in which circumstances the agreement may be terminated without notice or payment in lieu of notice). Therefore, the terms of this agreement require the ratification and approval by the shareholders of the Company under section 188 of the Act. Until Resolution 13 is passed at the AGM, and if Resolution 13 is not passed at the AGM, the agreement is deemed to contain a term entitling the Company to terminate the agreement at any time by giving reasonable notice.
At the end of December 2010 Mr Klotz stepped down as Chief Executive Officer ("CEO") and was appointed Executive Vice Chairman of CLS on 1 January 2011. He did so after having steered the Group to one of its best ever annual operational results.
In 1999, Mr Klotz introduced CLS to what became the most profitable single project in the Company's history at Solna Business Park, in Solna, Sweden. He was responsible for developing 130,000 sq m of run down, logistics warehouses into a modern, high quality business park. After letting the entire space, he was responsible for the successful sale of Solna Business Park in 2006, generating a record profit for the Group.
That same year he relocated to Germany and set up CLS's German operations which he successfully built up and managed into becoming a profitable business and one of CLS's four key markets.
In May 2008 Mr Klotz was appointed CEO of CLS. He successfully steered the Company through the worst worldwide recession since the great depression, enabling CLS to distribute substantial cash returns to its shareholders in a period during which many other UK real estate companies had to ask shareholders for cash injections. During his first two years as CEO, he successfully implemented cost cutting measures which lowered the Group's annual administration costs by 40%, from £15 million to £9 million.
In April 2007 Mr Klotz was appointed as Non-Executive Chairman for Catena AB ("Catena"), in which CLS owns 29.9 %. Catena has since become one of CLS's most successful investments with a share price gain of over 100% and a £10 million special dividend received in 2010. Moreover, CLS expects to receive a further £20 million special dividend distribution from Catena in April 2011, subject to its shareholders' approval.
Mr Klotz is also Non-Executive Chairman of Bulgarian Land Development Plc in which CLS owns 48.3%.
Mr Klotz has been a key element in the success of CLS and has laid the foundations for the future direction of the Group. His invaluable knowledge, experience and skills will support the continued success of the Group as he will oversee the continued implementation of CLS's strategy over the coming three years.
The Board recognises that the UK Corporate Governance Code and the ABI Guidelines recommend a maximum 12 month notice period for a director service contract. However the Company believes that it is in the best interests of shareholders to retain Mr Klotz's invaluable experience for a fixed term of three years in order to oversee the implementation of CLS's strategy and, specifically, to ensure that its interests in its associates are effectively managed. In particular, his expertise in property development and management, and his indepth knowledge of the Swedish commercial property market will play a crucial role in the continuing management of our Swedish portfolio as well as Catena's significant future developments in Solna. Mr Klotz's biography can be found on page 21 of the 2010 Annual Report and on our website (www.clsholdings.com).
A memorandum setting out the terms of Mr Klotz's service contract is available for inspection at the registered office of the Company and will be available at the AGM.
It is proposed to authorise the Board to allot shares or grant such subscription rights as are contemplated by sections 551(1) (a) and (b) respectively of the Act up to a maximum aggregate nominal value of £3,882,353, representing one-third of the issued share capital of the Company excluding treasury shares (as set out in the paragraph entitled "Further information" below). This authority will expire five years from the date on which the resolution is passed. Your Directors have no present intention of exercising this authority. The resolution replaces a similar resolution passed at last year's Annual General Meeting of the Company held on 11 May 2010.
It is proposed to empower the Board to allot equity securities for cash without first offering them to existing shareholders in proportion to their holdings, subject to certain limits which comply with accepted guidelines. This resolution will enable the Board, in appropriate circumstances, to allot for cash (other than in connection with a rights issue or open offer) equity securities with an aggregate nominal value of up to £582,353, being up to 2,329,412 ordinary shares of 25 pence each in the Company ("Ordinary Shares") and representing approximately five per cent. of the issued equity share capital of the Company (excluding treasury shares). The resolution also disapplies the statutory pre-emption provisions in connection with a rights issue or open offer and allows the Directors, in the case of a rights issue or open offer, to make appropriate arrangements in relation to fractional entitlements or other legal or practical problems. This will replace the equivalent resolution passed at the last annual general meeting and will expire at the conclusion of the next annual general meeting or on 18 July 2012, whichever is the earlier. It is intended that in any three year period no more than seven and a half per cent. of the issued share capital (excluding treasury shares) will be issued on a non-pre-emptive basis.
This Resolution is proposed so as to give your Board flexibility to take advantage of business opportunities as they arise.
The Company wishes to continue to return money to shareholders by way of tender offer buy backs. In 2010, the Company held General Meetings in April and September in order to approve each tender offer buy back. Other than certain of the Directors and those shareholders present by proxy, there were no shareholders present in person. Your Directors believe this is an unnecessary administrative burden on the Company which also carries additional costs and are therefore seeking a specific authority that will enable tender offers to take place without the need for General Meetings. Following any announcement of a tender offer buy back, documentation will be posted to shareholders in the usual manner and made available on the Company's website.
Shares purchased further to this authority will be cancelled, unless the Company decides otherwise, in which case they may be held as treasury shares, subject to any applicable limits.
The minimum price which may be paid for any Ordinary Shares pursuant to this authority will be 25 pence (being an amount equal to the nominal value of an Ordinary Share). The maximum price which shall be paid for an Ordinary Share pursuant to this authority shall be an amount equal to not more than 35 per cent. above the average of the closing middle market quotations for the Ordinary Shares as derived from SEDOL for the five dealing days immediately preceding the day on which the Directors set the price or, if the Directors determine to adjust (either upwards or downwards) the price to be paid per share following an announcement of a tender offer, an amount equal to not more than 35 per cent. above the average of the closing middle market quotations for the Ordinary Shares as derived from SEDOL for the five dealing days immediately preceding the day on which the Directors set the adjusted price.
The maximum aggregate number of Ordinary Shares hereby authorised to be purchased is 4,658,824 (representing 10% of the Ordinary Shares in issue as at 17 March 2011). Any purchase of Ordinary Shares pursuant to Resolution 18 shall be deducted from the total number of Ordinary Shares that may be purchased pursuant to the general authority in Resolution 19.
It is proposed to renew the authority to make market purchases of Ordinary Shares, such authority being limited to the purchase of 10 per cent. of the Ordinary Shares in issue as at 17 March 2011. Shares purchased further to this authority will be cancelled, unless the Company decides otherwise, in which case they may be held as treasury shares, subject to any applicable limits.
The minimum price which may be paid for any Ordinary Shares pursuant to this authority will be 25 pence (being an amount equal to the nominal value of an Ordinary Share). The maximum price which may be paid for any Ordinary Share is the higher of an amount equal to 5 per cent. above the average of the closing middle-market quotations for the Ordinary Shares as derived from the London Stock Exchange Daily Official List for the five dealing days immediately preceding the day on which the purchase is made, and an amount equal to a price no higher than the higher of the price of the last independent trade and the highest current independent bid on the London Stock Exchange Trading System SETS, in each case exclusive of expenses.
The maximum aggregate number of Ordinary Shares hereby authorised to be purchased is 4,658,824 Ordinary Shares (representing 10% of the Ordinary Shares in issue as at 17 March 2011). Any purchase of Ordinary Shares pursuant to Resolution 19 shall be deducted from the total number of Ordinary Shares that may be purchased pursuant to the tender offer authority in Resolution 18.
The authority to purchase the Company's own shares will only be exercised if the Directors consider that there is likely to be a beneficial impact on earnings per Ordinary Share and that it is in the best interests of the Company at the time.
During the year the Company made no market purchases.
Resolution 20 to be proposed at the Annual General Meeting seeks authority from shareholders to hold general meetings (other than Annual General Meetings) on 14 clear days' notice. This is permissible under the existing Articles of Association of the Company and the Act. However, pursuant to the EU Shareholders' Rights Directive and in accordance with published guidance from the Department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, specific shareholder approval is required annually in order to retain this option. The Directors believe that there may be circumstances in which it will be important for the Company to be able to call meetings at such short notice. Accordingly, the Directors believe that it is important for the Company to retain this flexibility.
You will find enclosed with this document a Form of Proxy for use in respect of the AGM. Whether or not you intend to be present at the AGM, you are requested to complete and sign the Form of Proxy and return it, in accordance with the instructions printed on it to Computershare Investor Services PLC, The Pavilions, Bridgwater Road, Bristol BS99 6AH (the "Registrar") as soon as possible and, in any event, to arrive by no later than 10.00 a.m. on Thursday, 14 April 2011.
As an alternative to completing the Form of Proxy, you can appoint proxies electronically via www.clsholdings.com/evoting to be received by the Registrar by no later than 10.00 a.m. on Thursday, 14 April 2011. CREST members can also appoint proxies by using the CREST electronic proxy appointment service and transmitting a CREST Proxy Instruction in accordance with the procedures set out in the CREST Manual so that it is received by the issuer's agent (under ID 3RA50) by no later than 10.00 a.m. on Thursday, 14 April 2011. The time of receipt will be taken to be the time from which the issuer's agent is able to retrieve the message by enquiry to CREST in the manner prescribed by CREST.
Appointment of a proxy will not prevent you from attending the Meeting and voting in person should you wish to do so.
At 17 March 2011 (being the latest practicable date prior to the publication of this document), the issued share capital of the Company was 51,381,244 Ordinary Shares, of which 4,793,000 Ordinary Shares are held by the Company as treasury shares. At 17 March 2011, there were 300,000 share options outstanding under the Company's Share Option Schemes, equivalent to 0.64 per cent. of the Company's issued share capital (excluding treasury shares). These options will represent approximately 0.72 per cent. of the Company's issued share capital (excluding treasury shares) if the Company purchases the maximum number of shares pursuant to the market purchase authority proposed in Resolution 19 (including any shares purchased pursuant to the authority proposed in Resolution 18 which, if purchased, shall be deducted from the total number of Ordinary Shares that may be purchased pursuant to Resolution 19).
Your Directors consider that the proposals in this document are in the best interests of shareholders as a whole and unanimously recommend that shareholders vote in favour of the Resolutions proposed in the Notice as they intend to do in respect of their own shareholdings of 25,234,175 Ordinary Shares, representing approximately 54.16 per cent. of the Company's issued share capital (excluding treasury shares).
Yours sincerely
Sten Mortstedt
Executive Chairman
NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Notice is hereby given that the Annual General Meeting of CLS Holdings plc ("the Company") will be held at 86 Bondway, London, SW8 1SF on 18 April 2011 at 10.00 a.m. for the following purposes:
so that all previous authorities of the Directors pursuant to the said section 551 be and are hereby revoked save to the extent unused by any previous authority granted to the Directors to make an offer or agreement which would or might require the Company to allot shares or grant rights to subscribe for or convert any security into shares after the period which such authority would otherwise expire.
b. the allotment (otherwise than pursuant to paragraph 17a above) of equity securities up to an aggregate nominal value not exceeding £582,353;
and this power, unless renewed, shall expire at the conclusion of the next annual general meeting or on 18 July 2012, whichever is the earlier, but shall extend to the making, before such expiry, of an offer or agreement which would or might require equity securities to be allotted after such expiry and the Directors may allot equity securities in pursuance of such offer or agreement as if the authority conferred hereby had not expired.
BY ORDER OF THE BOARD
David Fuller Company Secretary
Dated 18 March 2011
86 Bondway London SW8 1SF
In order for a proxy appointment 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's specifications and must contain the information required for such instructions, as described in the CREST Manual (www.euroclear.com/CREST). The message must be transmitted so as to be received by the issuer's agent (ID 3RA50), by 10.00 a.m. on Thursday, 14 April 2011. For this purpose, the time of receipt will be taken to be the time (as determined by the timestamp applied to the message by the CREST Applications Host) from which the issuer's agent is able to retrieve the message by enquiry to CREST in the manner prescribed by CREST.
CREST members and, where applicable, their CREST sponsors or voting service providers should note that Euroclear UK & Ireland does not make available special procedures in CREST for any particular messages. Normal system timings and limitations will therefore apply in relation to the input of CREST Proxy Instructions. 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.
The Company may treat as invalid a CREST Proxy Instruction in the circumstances set out in Regulation 35(5)(a) of the Uncertificated Securities Regulations 2001 (as amended). Please refer to the CREST Manual at www.euroclear.com/CREST.
A member of the Company which is a corporation may authorise a person or persons to act as its representative(s) at the Meeting. In accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act 2006, each such representative may exercise (on behalf of the corporation) the same powers as the corporation could exercise if it were an individual member of the Company, provided that they do not do so in relation to the same shares.
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