AGM Information • Feb 26, 2021
AGM Information
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THIS DOCUMENT IS IMPORTANT AND REQUIRES YOUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION. If you are in any doubt about the action you should take, you are recommended to seek your own independent financial advice from your stockbroker, solicitor, accountant, bank manager or other independent financial adviser authorised under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 if you are in the United Kingdom or, if not, from another appropriately authorised financial adviser.
If you have sold or otherwise transferred all of your ordinary shares in Baillie Gifford China Growth Trust plc, please send this document, together with the accompanying Form of Proxy, 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 onward transmission to the purchaser or transferee.
(Incorporated and registered in England and Wales with registered number 00091798) (Registered as an investment company under section 833 of the Companies Act 2006)
Notice of the general meeting of the Company to be held at 1.00 p.m. on 18 March 2021 at the offices of Baillie Gifford, Calton Square, 1 Greenside Row, Edinburgh, EH1 3AN is set out at the end of this document.
Shareholders are encouraged to vote in favour of the Resolutions to be proposed at the General Meeting and if the shares are not held directly to arrange for their nominee to vote on their behalves. Shareholders are encouraged to return the Form of Proxy accompanying this document for use at the General Meeting. This will ensure your votes are registered. Given the risks posed by the COVID-19 Pandemic and in accordance with the provisions of the Company's articles of association, the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2000 and Government guidance, the Directors will impose entry restrictions on attendance at the General Meeting in order to ensure the health, wellbeing and safety of the Company's shareholders and officers as well as compliance with the venue's security requirements.
To be valid, the Form of Proxy accompanying this document must be completed and returned, in accordance with the instructions printed on it, so as to be received by the Company's registrars, Computershare Investor Services PLC, The Pavilions, Bridgwater Road, Bristol, BS99 6ZY or lodged at www.eproxyappointment.com as soon as possible, but in any event not later than 1.00 p.m. on 16 March 2021.
| Page | |
|---|---|
| EXPECTED TIMETABLE | 2 |
| LETTER FROM THE CHAIR | 3 |
| Introduction | 3 |
| How the existing authorities have been used | 3 |
| Reasons for seeking the extension and early renewal of the Board's authorities | 4 |
| General Meeting | 4 |
| Action to be taken | 5 |
| Recommendation | 5 |
| NOTICE OF GENERAL MEETING | 6 |
| 2021 | |
|---|---|
| Latest time and date for receipt of Forms of Proxy | 1.00 p.m. on 16 March |
| General Meeting | 1.00 p.m. on 18 March |
(Incorporated and registered in England and Wales with registered number 00091798) (Registered as an investment company under section 833 of the Companies Act 2006)
Susan Platts-Martin (Chair) Grimaldi House Dermot McMeekin 28 St James's Square Chris Ralph London Andrew Robson SW1Y 4JH Magdalene Miller
Directors Registered Office
26 February 2021
Dear Shareholder
Following the appointment of Baillie Gifford & Co Limited as the Company's investment manager and the adoption of a new objective and investment policy in September 2020, the Company has experienced continued high demand for its ordinary shares of 25 pence each (the "Ordinary Shares"). The new investment policy allows the Company to invest predominantly in shares of, or depositary receipts representing the shares of, Chinese companies. Since the adoption of this policy the Ordinary Shares have consistently traded at a premium to the net asset value per Ordinary Share (the "NAV per Share"). In the period from 16 September 2020 to 24 February 2021 (the latest practicable date prior to the publication of this document), the Company has issued 14,301,592 Ordinary Shares to meet this demand.
We are writing to you to seek your approval for certain proposals to allow the Directors to continue to issue Ordinary Shares to help meet this demand. The purpose of this document is to convene a general meeting at which the requisite new shareholder authorities will be sought. The General Meeting will be held at 1.00 p.m. on 18 March 2021 at the offices of Baillie Gifford, Calton Square, 1 Greenside Row, Edinburgh, EH1 3AN.
The Directors are not able to allot any Ordinary Shares unless they have been given the authority to do so by Shareholders in accordance with the Companies Act 2006 (as amended) (the "Act"). Furthermore, the pre-emption rights, which attach to the Ordinary Shares by virtue of the provisions of the Act and the Financial Conduct Authority's Listing Rules, and prevent the Directors from issuing the Ordinary Shares without first offering them to the existing Shareholders in proportion to their existing holdings, may only be disapplied with the express authority from Shareholders.
At the general meeting of the Company which was held on 26 November 2020 (the "November General Meeting"), Shareholders granted the Directors authority to allot Ordinary Shares on a non pre-emptive basis up to an aggregate nominal value of £2,449,949.25 (being approximately equal to 20 per cent. of the issued share capital of the Company as at 5 November 2020 and representing 9,799,797 Ordinary Shares). This authority was in addition to the authority granted at the Company's annual general meeting held in June 2020 and was granted for the period from the date of the November General Meeting until the annual general meeting of the Company expected to be held in June 2021.
Following the November General Meeting there has continued to be high demand for the Ordinary Shares and the Ordinary Shares have been consistently trading at a premium to the NAV per Share. In order to satisfy this demand the Company has been issuing Ordinary Shares regularly and has issued 8,204,842 Ordinary Shares since the November General Meeting (representing approximately 14.20 per cent. of the Company's issued share capital as at 24 February 2021 and approximately 83.72 per cent. of the authorities granted at the November General Meeting).
The premium on the issue of such new Ordinary Shares has covered the cost of issuing the Ordinary Shares and has also provided some additional NAV enhancement for existing Shareholders.
As at 24 February 2021 (the latest practicable date prior to the publication of this document) the Company has the capacity to issue only a further 1,595,601 Ordinary Shares on a non pre-emptive basis. The Directors believe that this remaining capacity under the existing shareholder authorities may prove insufficient to allow them to continue to satisfy demand for Ordinary Shares during the period up to the Company's next annual general meeting.
Therefore, the Board is seeking the renewal of its shareholder authorities to issue Ordinary Shares and resell Ordinary Shares held in treasury, on a non pre-emptive basis, prior to the next annual general meeting, which is expected to be held by the end of June 2021. These new authorities, if granted, will permit the Company to continue to issue Ordinary Shares which, based on current issuing patterns, may otherwise be prevented if the existing authorities are fully utilised prior to the next annual general meeting of the Company.
When the Ordinary Shares are trading at a premium new Ordinary Shares are issued to meet natural demand in the market. Conversely, the Board may buy back shares when they are standing at a substantial and anomalous discount to the Company's NAV.
The Board believes that any share issuance pursuant to the authorities being sought has the following principal benefits:
The costs of seeking the share issuance authorities are relatively limited and are expected to be more than covered by the premium on issuing new Ordinary Shares.
If the renewed authorities are granted by shareholders, the Directors will only use such authorities to disapply pre-emption rights and issue Ordinary Shares:
A notice convening the General Meeting which is to be held at the offices of Baillie Gifford, Calton Square, 1 Greenside Row, Edinburgh, EH1 3AN on 18 March 2021 at 1.00 p.m. is set out at the end of this document. At the General Meeting, shareholders will be asked to consider and, if thought fit, approve Resolution 1, Resolution 2 and Resolution 3, as they are set out in the Notice, (together, the "Resolutions") which are required to permit the further issue of new Ordinary Shares on a non pre-emptive basis. Each of the authorities, if granted, will expire at the next annual general meeting of the Company.
It should be noted that the Board is proposing two resolutions in respect of the disapplication of pre-emption rights (being Resolution 2 and Resolution 3), one to renew 10 per cent. issuance, which is in accordance with certain investor body guidelines, and a second resolution to increase this authority by a further 10 per cent. The Board believes that this additional authority is required in order to allow the Company to continue to satisfy the high demand for its Ordinary Shares. By seeking the authorities at the General Meeting it is hoped that the requirement and costs for the Company to seek regular renewals of these non pre-emptive authorities prior to the Company's next annual general meeting will be limited.
Resolution 1, which is being proposed as an ordinary resolution, will if passed, authorise the directors to allot Ordinary Shares up to an aggregate nominal value of £2,889,691.50 (representing 20 per cent. of the issued share capital of the Company as at 24 February 2021, this being the latest practicable date prior to the publication of this document) in accordance with section 551 of the Act.
Resolution 2, which is being proposed as a special resolution and which is conditional on the passing of Resolution 1, will, if passed enable the Directors to issue new Ordinary Shares in addition to the existing authority, and resell any shares that may be held in treasury up to an aggregate nominal amount to £1,444,845.75 (representing 10 per cent. of the issued share capital of the Company as at 24 February 2021, this being the latest practicable date prior to the publication of this document) for cash without first offering such Ordinary Shares to existing Shareholders pro rata to their existing shareholdings.
Resolution 3, which is being proposed as a special resolution and which is conditional on the passing of Resolution 1, will, if passed enable the Directors to issue new Ordinary Shares in addition to the existing authority, and resell any shares that may be held in treasury up to an aggregate nominal amount to £1,444,845.75 (representing 10 per cent. of the issued share capital of the Company as at 24 February 2021, this being the latest practicable date prior to the publication of this document) for cash without first offering such Ordinary Shares to existing Shareholders pro rata to their existing shareholdings.
In accordance with the Company's articles of association, all Shareholders entitled to vote and be present by proxy at the General Meeting shall upon a show of hands have one vote and upon a poll shall have one vote in respect of every Ordinary Share held.
Given the risks posed by the COVID-19 Pandemic and in accordance with the provisions of the Company's articles of association, the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020 and Government guidance, the Directors will impose entry requirements on attendance at the General Meeting in order to ensure the health, wellbeing and safety of the Company's Shareholders and officers as well as compliance with the venue's security requirements.
The Board therefore urges Shareholders to comply with the UK Government's instructions to stay safe and not undertake unnecessary travel. However, Shareholders may and are strongly encouraged to participate in the business of the General Meeting by exercising their votes in advance of the General Meeting by completing and returning the Form of Proxy. The Board and the Investment Manager will ensure that a quorum of three shareholders is present at the General Meeting to allow it to take place and for the proxy votes to be exercised.
The Board always welcomes questions from Shareholders and, given physical attendance at the General Meeting is not possible, Shareholders are encouraged to submit any questions they have concerning the General Meeting or the Resolutions to the Board by email to [email protected] by 1.00 p.m. on 15 March 2021. Please put "BGCG – General Meeting" in the subject heading of any email.
Shareholders will find enclosed a Form of Proxy for use in connection with the General Meeting. Whether or not Shareholders propose to attend the General Meeting, they are requested to complete, sign and return the Form of Proxy as soon as possible, in accordance with the instructions printed on it.
To be valid, the enclosed Form of Proxy must be lodged with the Company's registrars, Computershare Investor Services PLC, The Pavilions, Bridgwater Road, Bristol BS99 6ZY or lodged at www.eproxyappointment.com as soon as possible and, in any event, so as to arrive by no later than 1.00 p.m. on 16 March 2021.
The Directors consider the passing of the Resolutions to be in the best interests of the Company and its Shareholders as a whole. Accordingly, the Directors unanimously recommend that Shareholders vote in favour of the Resolutions.
The Directors intend to vote in favour of the Resolutions in respect of their own beneficial holdings of Ordinary Shares (amounting to 57,752 Ordinary Shares, representing approximately 0.1 per cent. of the issued share capital of the Company as at 24 February 2021).
Yours faithfully
Susan Platts-Martin Chair
(Incorporated and registered in England and Wales with registered number 00091798) (Registered as an investment company under section 833 of the Companies Act 2006)
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a general meeting of Baillie Gifford China Growth Trust plc (the "Company") will be held at 1.00 p.m. on 18 March 2021 at the offices of Baillie Gifford, Calton Square, 1 Greenside Row, Edinburgh, EH1 3AN to consider and, if thought fit, pass the following resolutions which will be proposed as an ordinary resolution and special resolutions respectively:
(ii) expires on the conclusion of the next annual general meeting of the Company to be held after the passing of this resolution, save that the Company may before such expiry make 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 an offer or agreement as if the power conferred hereby had not expired.
Baillie Gifford & Co Limited 28 St James's Square Company Secretary London
By order of the Board Registered office Grimaldi House SW1Y 4JH
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