Pre-Annual General Meeting Information • Mar 22, 2012
Pre-Annual General Meeting Information
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If you are in any doubt as to any aspect of the proposals referred to in this document or as to the action you should take, you should seek your own advice from a stockbroker, solicitor, accountant or other independent professional adviser.
If you have sold or otherwise transferred all of your shares in Morgan Sindall Group plc, please pass this document together with the accompanying documents to the purchaser or transferee, or to the person who arranged the sale or transfer so they can pass these documents to the person who now holds the shares.
(incorporated and registered in England and Wales under number 00521970)
Notice of the Annual General Meeting of Morgan Sindall Group plc to be held at the offices of RBS, 250 Bishopsgate, London EC2M 4AA on 3 May 2012 at 12.00 noon is set out at the end of this circular.
Whether or not you propose to attend the Annual General Meeting, please complete and submit a proxy form in accordance with the instructions printed on the enclosed form. The proxy form must be received by 12.00 noon on 1 May 2012.
('the Company') (incorporated and registered in England and Wales under number 00521970)
Registered Office: Kent House 14–17 Market Place London W1W 8AJ
22 March 2012
To the holders of ordinary shares in the Company
Dear Shareholder,
I am pleased to be writing to you with details of our Annual General Meeting ('AGM') which we are holding at the offices of RBS, 250 Bishopsgate, London EC2M 4AA on 3 May 2012 at 12.00 noon. The formal notice of AGM is set out at the end of this letter on pages 3 to 5 of this document together with explanatory notes relating to the resolutions to be proposed at the AGM.
Our Articles of Association require each director to submit himself/herself for election by shareholders at the first annual general meeting after his or her appointment and for re-election at every third annual general meeting thereafter. However, as recommended by the UK Corporate Governance Code, all of the continuing directors will stand for re-election at the AGM irrespective of their date of appointment and length of service on the Board. The directors' biographies are set out on pages 46 and 47 of the Company's report and accounts 2011.
The Company's Remuneration Committee has reviewed its policy under the existing long-term incentive plan for senior executives and has proposed certain changes. As part of the package of changes, shareholder approval is being sought under Resolution 19 to increase the maximum value of awards to individuals in the Morgan Sindall Executive Remuneration Plan 2005 rules. Further details of these changes are set out in Appendix 1 and a full summary of our remuneration policy for executive directors is set out in the directors' remuneration report on pages 53 to 58 of the Company's annual report and accounts 2011.
I very much hope that you will be able to join us at the AGM. Whether or not you are proposing to attend and vote, I would encourage you to fill in the proxy form sent to you with this notice and return it to our registrars as soon as possible or to vote online at www.capitashareportal.com. The registrars must receive your proxy by 12.00 noon on 1 May 2012.
The directors of the Company consider that all the resolutions to be proposed at the AGM are in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders as a whole. They will be voting in favour of them in respect of their beneficial holdings and unanimously recommend that you do so as well.
Yours faithfully,
John Morgan Executive Chairman
This year's annual general meeting will be held at the offices of RBS, 250 Bishopsgate, London EC2M 4AA on 3 May 2012 at 12.00 noon. You will be asked to consider and pass the resolutions below. Resolutions 15 to 17 (inclusive) will be proposed as special resolutions. All other resolutions will be proposed as ordinary resolutions.
That the following directors be re-elected in accordance with the UK Corporate Governance Code:
and so that the directors may impose any limits or restrictions and make any arrangements which they consider necessary or appropriate to deal with treasury shares, fractional entitlements, record dates, legal, regulatory or practical problems in, or under the laws of, any territory or any other matter, such authorities to apply until the end of the next annual general meeting of the Company (or, if earlier, until the close of business on 3 August 2013) but, in each case, during this period the Company may make offers and enter into agreements which would, or might, require shares to be allotted or rights to subscribe for or convert securities into shares to be granted after the authority ends and the directors may allot shares or grant rights to subscribe for or convert securities into shares under any such offer or agreement as if the authority had not ended.
and so that the directors may impose any limits or restrictions and make any arrangements which they consider necessary or appropriate to deal with treasury shares, fractional entitlements, record dates, legal, regulatory or practical problems in, or under the laws of, any territory or any other matter; and
(b) in the case of the authority granted under paragraph (a) of resolution 14 and/or in the case of any sale of treasury shares for cash, to the allotment (otherwise than under paragraph (a) above) of equity securities or sale of treasury shares up to a nominal amount of £108,047.90
such power to apply until the end of the next annual general meeting of the Company (or, if earlier, until the close of business on 3 August 2013) but, in each case, during this period the Company may make offers, and enter into agreements, which would, or might, require equity securities to be allotted (and treasury shares to be sold) after the authority ends and the directors may allot equity securities (and sell treasury shares) under any such offer or agreement as if the authority had not ended.
That in accordance with section 366 of the Act, the Company and each company which is or becomes a subsidiary of the Company at any time during the period for which this resolution has effect be and is hereby authorised (a) to make political donations to political parties and/or independent election candidates to which section 366 of the Act applies; (b) to make political donations to political organisations other than political parties; and (c) to incur political expenditure; provided that: (i) the aggregate amount made or incurred by the Company and its subsidiaries pursuant to this resolution shall not exceed £25,000; and (ii) this authority shall expire on the earlier of the conclusion of the next annual general meeting of the Company and close of business on 3 August 2013.
That the proposed amendment to the rules of the Morgan Sindall Executive Remuneration Plan 2005 (the 'ERP') summarised in Appendix 1 to this Notice of AGM and as presented to the meeting and, for the purposes of identification, initialled by the Chairman, be approved and that the Remuneration Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company be authorised to do all such acts and things as it may consider appropriate to implement such amendment to the ERP.
By order of the Board
Company Secretary
22 March 2012
Registered Office: Kent House 14–17 Market Place London W1W 8AJ
Registered in England & Wales No. 00521970
The notes on the following pages give an explanation of certain of the proposed resolutions.
Resolutions 1 to 14 and 18 to 19 are proposed as ordinary resolutions. This means that for each of those resolutions to be passed, more than half of the votes cast must be in favour of the resolution. Resolutions 15 to 17 are proposed as special resolutions. This means that for each of those resolutions to be passed, at least three-quarters of the votes cast must be in favour of the resolution.
The Board recommends a final dividend of 30.0p per ordinary share. Subject to approval by shareholders, the final dividend will be paid on 18 May 2012 to shareholders on the register on 27 April 2012.
The Company's Articles of Association require each director to submit himself/herself for election by shareholders at the first annual general meeting after his or her appointment and for re-election at every third annual general meeting thereafter. The Board has agreed however, in accordance with the UK Corporate Governance Code, to submit all of its continuing directors for re-election at the AGM irrespective of their date of appointment and length of service on the Board. Separate resolutions will be proposed for each of these re-elections. As described in the Corporate Governance Statement in the Company's report and accounts 2011, the Board believes that the performance of the non-executive directors continues to be effective and that they demonstrate commitment to their roles. The directors' biographies are set out on pages 46 and 47 of the Company's report and accounts 2011.
An ordinary resolution will be proposed to renew the directors' authority to allot share capital in the Company in accordance with section 551 of the Act. Paragraph (a) of this resolution would give directors the authority to allot shares or grant rights to subscribe for or convert any securities into shares up to an aggregate nominal amount equal to £720,319.25 (representing 14,406,385 shares). This amount represents approximately one third of the total issued share capital of the Company as at 5 March 2012, the latest practicable date prior to the date of this notice.
In line with guidance issued by the Association of British Insurers ('ABI'), paragraph (b) of this resolution would give the directors the authority to allot shares or grant rights to subscribe for or convert any securities into shares in connection with a rights issue, up to an aggregate nominal amount equal to £1,440,638.50 (representing 28,812,770 shares), as reduced by the nominal amount of any shares issued under paragraph (a) of this resolution. This amount (before any reduction) represents approximately two thirds of the total issued share capital of the Company as at 5 March 2012, the latest practicable date prior to the date of this notice.
The authorities sought under this resolution will expire at the earlier of close of business on 3 August 2013 and the conclusion of the annual general meeting of the Company to be held in 2013. The directors currently have no intention of issuing further shares or granting rights over shares other than in connection with the Company's employee share option and share incentive schemes. However, if the directors do exercise the authority granted by the resolution, the directors intend to follow ABI recommendations concerning its use.
As at 5 March 2012, being the latest practicable date prior to the date of this notice, the Company held no shares in treasury.
This resolution will give the directors the authority to allot shares (or sell any shares which the Company elects to hold in treasury) for cash without first offering them to existing shareholders in proportion to their existing shareholdings.
As in previous years, this authority would be limited to allotments or sales in connection with pre-emptive offers or otherwise up to an aggregate nominal amount of £108,047.90. (representing 2,160,958 shares). This aggregate nominal amount represents approximately 5% of the total issued share capital of the Company as at 5 March 2012, the latest practicable date prior to the date of this notice. In respect of this aggregate nominal amount, the directors confirm their intention to follow the provisions of the Pre-emption Group's Statement of Principles regarding cumulative usage of authorities within a rolling three year period where the Principles provide that usage in excess of 7.5% should not take place without prior consultation with shareholders.
The authorities sought under this resolution will expire at the earlier of close of business on 3 August 2013 and the conclusion of the annual general meeting of the Company to be held in 2013.
A special resolution will be proposed to authorise the Company to buy back its shares in the market, either for cancellation or to be held in treasury. Whilst the directors have no current intention of using this authority to make market purchases, this resolution provides the flexibility to allow them to do so in the future. However, the directors will exercise this authority only if they consider that to do so would be in the best interests of the Company, and of its shareholders, and expect such purchases to result in an increase in earnings per share.
Under the terms of the resolution, the Company will be generally authorised to make market purchases of up to 4,321,915 shares with an aggregate nominal value of £216,095.75, representing approximately 10% of the total issued share capital of the Company as at 5 March 2012, the latest practicable date prior to the date of this notice. The maximum price payable per share will be based on the market price of a share as set out in more detail in the resolution itself.
As at 5 March 2012, the number of outstanding options to subscribe for shares granted by the Company was 1,579,342 shares. This figure represents 3.7% of the total issued share capital of the Company at that date and would, assuming no further shares are issued, represent 3.3% of the total issued share capital if full authority to purchase shares (under the existing authority and that sought at the annual general meeting) was used.
The authority will expire at close of business on 3 August 2013 or, if earlier, at the conclusion of the annual general meeting of the Company to be held in 2013.
As at 5 March 2012, being the last practicable date prior to the date of this notice, no shares had been purchased and held as treasury shares or cancelled under the existing authority.
Changes made to the Act by the Companies (Shareholders' Rights) Regulations 2009 have increased the notice period required for general meetings of the Company (other than annual general meetings) to 21 days, unless shareholders approve a shorter notice period (which cannot be less than 14 clear days).
Resolution 17 will allow the Company to call general meetings (other than annual general meetings) on 14 clear days' notice. The resolution will be effective until the Company's next annual general meeting, when it is intended that a similar resolution will be proposed. The 14 clear days' notice period will not be used as a matter of routine, but only where the flexibility is merited by the business of the meeting and is thought to be in the best interests of the Company and of its shareholders as a whole.
Under section 366 of the Act, the Company is required to seek shareholders' authority for any political donations and/ or political expenditure made by the Company in the European Union.
Although the Company does not make and does not intend to make, donations to political parties within the normal meaning of that expression or to independent election candidates, the legislation is very broadly drafted and may catch activities such as funding seminars and other functions to which politicians are invited, supporting certain bodies involved in policy review and law reform and matching employees' donations to certain charities.
Therefore, in accordance with current best practice, the directors have decided to propose an ordinary resolution to authorise the Company to make certain types of political donations and/or expenditure as more particularly described in the resolution up to an aggregate amount of £25,000.
Senior executives have been granted long-term incentive awards under the Morgan Sindall Executive Remuneration Plan 2005 (the 'ERP') since 2005 (when the ERP was approved by shareholders). Performance share awards over shares worth 75% of an executive's base salary have been granted each year, with participants being given the choice of either receiving the performance share awards or electing to receive 'market value' share options at the rate of four options for every performance share award.
The remuneration committee has reviewed its policy under the ERP and has made a number of changes, including the removal of the ability for an executive to choose to receive 'market value' share options and a proposal to increase the normal annual award level under the ERP from 75% to 100% of base salary each year. In order to accommodate this higher award level, the individual limit contained in the ERP rules must be increased. Whilst there is no intention to grant awards in excess of 100% of base salary, the remuneration committee considers that a higher limit of 150% of salary would be sensible, to be able to make one-off awards in excess of the normal award level in exceptional circumstances, such as recruitment or acute retention. The Company will consult with major shareholders should the normal grant policy increase above 100% of base salary.
Further details of this proposal and the other changes introduced to the executive directors' remuneration structure are set out in the directors' remuneration report on pages 53 to 58 of the Company's annual report and accounts 2011. The proposed rule amendment being put to shareholders for approval in Resolution 19, to increase the maximum market value of shares (measured at the time awards are granted) over which performance share awards may be granted to an executive in any year to 150% of annual base salary, is set out in the copy of the rules which will be available for inspection as referred to in the notes to the Notice of AGM above.
Kent House 14–17 Market Place London W1W 8AJ 020 7307 9200 www.morgansindall.com
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