AGM Information • Mar 17, 2025
AGM Information
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The definitions used throughout this document are set out on page 33 of this document.
If you are in any doubt about the contents of this document or what action you should take, you are recommended to seek your own personal financial advice from an appropriately qualified independent adviser authorised under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 if in the United Kingdom or otherwise regulated under the laws of your own country.
If you have recently sold or transferred all of your Shares and/or Depositary Interests in the Company, please forward this document, together with any accompanying documents, as soon as possible either 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 and/or Depositary Interests.
(incorporated in England and Wales with registered number 09156132)
This document should be read in its entirety. Your attention is drawn to the letter from the Chair of the Company set out in the Company's 2024 annual report which accompanies this document. Your Board is unanimously recommending that you vote in favour of the Resolutions 1 - 20 set out in the notice of the Annual General Meeting referred to below.
Notice of the Annual General Meeting of the Company to be held at the offices of FTI Consulting, 200 Aldersgate, Aldersgate Street, London, EC1A 4HD, United Kingdom on 9 April 2025 at 1 p.m. (London time) / 8 a.m. (New York time) is set out in this document.
Shareholders will find enclosed a Form of Proxy for use at the Annual General Meeting. Depositary Interest Holders will need to complete a Form of Instruction or submit their voting instruction via the CREST voting system as set out in the 'Notes to the Notice of Annual General Meeting' section.
To be valid for use at the Annual General Meeting, the Form of Proxy must be completed and returned, in accordance with the instructions printed thereon, to Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. at Vote Processing, c/o Broadridge, 51 Mercedes Way, Edgewood, NY 11717 as soon as possible and, in any event, to arrive by 1 p.m. (London time) / 8 a.m. (New York time) on 7 April 2025. The completion and return of a Form of Proxy will not preclude Shareholders from attending and voting in person at the Annual General Meeting should they subsequently wish to do so.
The Form of Instruction should be returned to the Depositary, Computershare Investor Services PLC, The Pavilions, Bridgwater Road, Bristol, BS99 6ZY, United Kingdom by 1 p.m. (London time) / 8 a.m. (New York time) on 4 April 2025. Depositary Interest Holders wishing to attend the meeting in person should refer to the 'Notes to the Notice of Annual General Meeting' section for instructions on how to attend.
The Board encourages shareholders to watch the Company's website (www.div.energy) and regulatory news services for any updates in relation to the Annual General Meeting that may need to be provided.
Shareholders should submit their votes via proxy as early as possible. Further instructions on completion of the Form of Proxy are set out in the 'Notes to the Notice of Annual General Meeting' section of this document. Depositary Interest Holders can vote electronically through the CREST electronic instruction service.
The Company is a "foreign private issuer" within the meaning of Rule 3b-4 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), and as a result, the Company is not required to comply with proxy solicitation rules under US federal securities laws. Brokers holding Shares must vote according to specific instructions they receive from the beneficial owners of those Shares. If brokers do not receive specific instructions, brokers may in some cases vote the Shares in their discretion but are not permitted to vote on certain proposals and may elect not vote on any of the proposals unless you provide voting instructions. Thus, the Company strongly encourages you to provide instructions to your broker to vote your Shares and exercise your right as a Shareholder. As such, only those votes cast "FOR" or "AGAINST" are counted for the purposes of determining the number of votes cast in connection with the proposals set out in this Notice. Abstentions and broker non-votes have no effect on the outcome of the Resolutions proposed at the Annual General Meeting.
If you hold your interest through a broker, bank, or nominee (or similar), you should normally receive directions from such broker, bank, or nominee (or similar) on how to (electronically or in person) attend and vote at the Annual General Meeting or how to give a proxy or voting instructions. These directions should be followed. If you have not received such directions, it would be advisable to contact your broker, bank, or nominee (or similar) as soon as possible.
Your attention is drawn to 'Explanatory Notes to the Resolutions' at the end of this document.
Copies of this document will be available free of charge during normal business hours on weekdays (excluding Saturday, Sunday and public holidays) from the date hereof until 9 April 2025 from the Company's Registered Office. Copies will also be available to download from the Company's website at https://ir.div.energy/reports-announcements.
Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Shareholder Meeting To Be Held on 9 April 2025.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Latest time and date for receipt of Forms of Instruction/CREST electronic voting instructions for the Annual General Meeting |
1 p.m. (London time) / 8 a.m. (New York time) on 4 April 2025 |
| Latest time and date for receipt of Forms of Proxy for the Annual General Meeting |
1 p.m. (London time) / 8 a.m. (New York time) on 7 April 2025 |
| Time and date of Annual General Meeting | 1 p.m. (London time) / 8 a.m. (New York time) on 9 April 2025 |
| Record date for entitlement of final dividend | 30 May 2025 |
| Date of payment of final dividend | 30 June 2025 |
Registered in England and Wales No: 09156132
David Johnson (Independent Non-Executive Chair) Rusty Hutson, Jr. (Chief Executive Officer and Director) Martin Thomas (Independent Non-Executive Vice Chair) Sandy Stash (Senior Independent Director) David Turner, Jr. (Independent Director) Kathryn Klaber (Independent Director)
Directors Registered Office
4th Floor Phoenix House, 1 Station Hill, Reading, Berkshire, United Kingdom, RG1 1NB
17 March 2025
Dear Shareholders,
I am pleased to invite you to attend our Annual General Meeting to be held on Wednesday, 9 April 2025 at 1 p.m. (London time) / 8 a.m. (New York time) at the offices of FTI Consulting, 200 Aldersgate, Aldersgate Street, London, EC1A 4HD, United Kingdom.
The formal notice of the Annual General Meeting is set out on pages 6 to 17 of this document, which includes an explanation of the business to be considered and voted on at the Annual General Meeting. Within this document, there is important information regarding each of the specific resolutions, including detailed explanations and background on each.
We value your input, and the Board has engaged with several shareholders to solicit feedback on the resolutions to be proposed at the Annual General Meeting. There will be a question-and-answer session during the Annual General Meeting to take questions relevant to the business of the Annual General Meeting.
Your vote is important to us and your participation is essential to ensure that the Company's future can be decided in the interests of as many shareholders as possible. I believe that the Annual General Meeting provides a worthwhile and meaningful opportunity for shareholders to exercise their shareholder rights by voting on the business of the meeting.
You will find enclosed a Form of Proxy for the Annual General Meeting. Depositary Interest Holders will need to complete a Form of Instruction or submit their voting instruction via the CREST voting system as set out in the 'Notes to the Notice of Annual General Meeting' section below.
To be valid for use at the Annual General Meeting, the Form of Proxy must be completed and returned, in accordance with the instructions printed thereon, to Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. at Vote Processing, c/o Broadridge, 51 Mercedes Way, Edgewood, NY 11717 as soon as possible and, in any event, to arrive by 1 p.m. (London time) / 8 a.m. (New York time) on 7 April 2025. The completion and return of a Form of Proxy will not preclude Shareholders from attending and voting in person at the General Meeting should they subsequently wish to do so.
The Form of Instruction should be returned to the Depositary, Computershare Investor Services PLC, The Pavilions, Bridgwater Road, Bristol, BS99 6ZY, United Kingdom by 1 p.m. (London time) / 8 a.m. (New York time) on 4 April 2025. Depositary Interest Holders wishing to attend the meeting in person should refer to the 'Notes to the Notice of Annual General Meeting' section for instructions on how to attend.
Shareholders are strongly encouraged to ensure that their votes are counted at the Annual General Meeting by appointing the chair of the Annual General Meeting as their proxy and submitting their completed Form of Proxy and/or Form of Instruction, as applicable.
If you hold your interest through a broker, bank, or nominee (or similar), you should normally receive directions from such broker, bank, or nominee (or similar) on how to attend (electronically or in person) and vote at the General Meeting or how to give a proxy or voting instructions. These directions should be followed. If you have not received such directions, it would be advisable to contact your broker, bank, or nominee (or similar) as soon as possible.
The Directors believe that the proposed Resolutions 1 − 20 to be considered at the Annual General Meeting are in the best interests of the Company and its Shareholders as a whole and therefore, the Directors unanimously recommend that you vote in favour of the Resolutions, as they intend to do in respect of their own beneficial holdings, totalling 1,411,825 Shares, in aggregate, and representing 1.74% of the current issued ordinary share capital of the Company.
Yours faithfully,
Chair Diversified Energy Company PLC
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Annual General Meeting of the Company will be held at the offices of FTI Consulting, 200 Aldersgate, Aldersgate Street, London, EC1A 4HD, United Kingdom at 1 p.m. (London time) / 8 a.m. (New York time) on 9 April 2025 for the purpose of considering and, if thought fit, passing the following Resolutions, numbered 1 to 15 as ordinary resolutions and resolutions 16 to 20 as special resolutions.
11. THAT the Directors be generally and unconditionally authorised under section 551 of the Act to exercise all powers of the Company to allot equity securities (within the meaning of section 560 of the Act) and to grant rights to subscribe for, or to convert any security into, Shares in the Company:
but subject to such exclusions or other arrangements as the Directors may deem necessary or expedient in relation to treasury shares, fractional entitlements, record dates, legal or practical problems in or under the laws of any territory or the requirements of any regulatory body or stock exchange; and
11.2 in any other case, up to an aggregate nominal amount of £5,399,344 (being equal to one-third of the nominal value of the Company's current issued share capital), such amount to be reduced by the nominal amount of any equity securities allotted pursuant to the authority in paragraph 11.1 above in excess of such sum;
provided that such authority shall expire (unless previously revoked by the Company) at the conclusion of the next annual general meeting of the Company after passing of this resolution or 30 June 2026, whichever is earlier, save that in each case the Company may, before such expiry, make an offer or agreement which would or might require equity securities to be granted after the authority has expired and the Directors may allot equity securities in pursuance of any such offer or agreement notwithstanding that this authority has expired. The authority granted by this Resolution shall be in addition, and without prejudice, to all existing authorities to allot relevant securities granted to the Directors.
13. THAT the directors' remuneration policy, as set out on pages 62 to 69 of the Company's annual report and accounts for the financial year ended 31 December 2024, which takes effect immediately after the end of the annual general meeting, be approved.
15. THAT the amended and restated Diversified Gas & Oil PLC 2017 Employee Incentive Plan (the "EIP"), a copy of which was produced to the meeting and for the purposes of identification initialled by the Chair be and is hereby approved and the Directors be authorised to do all acts which it considers necessary or desirable to implement and operate the EIP.
but subject to such exclusions or other arrangements as the Directors may consider necessary, expedient or appropriate in relation to treasury shares, fractional entitlements, record dates, legal, regulatory or practical problems in, or under the laws of, any territory (including the requirements of any regulatory body or stock exchange) or any other matter;
such authority shall expire (unless previously revoked by the Company) at the conclusion of the next annual general meeting of the Company after this resolution is passed or 30 June 2026, whichever is earlier, save that in each case, the Company may, before such expiry, make an offer or agreement which would or might require equity securities to be allotted (or treasury shares to be sold) after the authority expires and the Directors may allot equity securities (or sell treasury shares) in pursuance of any such offer or agreement as if this authority had not expired. The authority granted by this Resolution shall be in addition, and without prejudice, to all existing authorities to allot relevant securities granted to the Directors.
such authority shall expire (unless previously revoked by the Company) at the conclusion of the next annual general meeting of the Company after this resolution is passed or 30 June 2026, whichever is earlier, save that in each case, the Company may, before such expiry, make an offer or agreement which would or might require equity securities to be allotted (or treasury shares to be sold) after the authority expires and the Directors may allot equity securities (or sell treasury shares) in pursuance of any such offer or agreement as if this authority had not expired. The authority granted by this Resolution shall be in addition, and without prejudice, to all existing authorities to allot relevant securities granted to the Directors.
such authority shall expire at the conclusion of the next annual general meeting of the Company or 30 June 2026 (if earlier), unless previously revoked, varied or renewed, provided that if the Company has agreed before such expiry to purchase Shares where these purchases will or may be executed (either wholly or in part) after the authority terminates, the Company may complete such a purchase as if the authority conferred hereby had not expired.
such authority shall expire at the conclusion of the next annual general meeting of the Company or 30 June 2026 (if earlier), unless previously renewed, varied, or revoked by the Company at a general meeting, provided that if the Company has agreed before such expiry to purchase Shares where these purchases will or may be executed (either wholly or in part) after the authority terminates, the Company may complete such a purchase as if the authority conferred hereby had not expired.
20. THAT, as permitted by section 307A of the Act, a general meeting of the Company, other than an annual general meeting, may be called on not less than 14 clear days' notice.
These notes explain the proposed Resolutions.
Resolutions 1 to 15 are proposed as ordinary resolutions, which means that for each of those Resolutions to be passed, more than half the votes cast must be in favour of the Resolution. Resolutions 16 to 20 are proposed as special resolutions, which means that for each of those Resolutions to be passed, at least 75% of the votes cast must be in favour of the Resolution.
In this Notice, references to the "current issued share capital of the Company" are to the 80,990,155 issued ordinary shares of £0.20 each in the capital of the Company as at the close of business on 14 March 2025 (being the latest practicable date before the publication of this document).
The Directors must present the report of the Directors and the accounts of the Company for the year ended 31 December 2024 to Shareholders at the Annual General Meeting. The Board asks that Shareholders receive the reports of the Directors and the financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2023, together with the report of the auditor.
A final dividend can only be paid if it is recommended by the Directors and approved by the Shareholders at a general meeting. The Directors propose that a final dividend of 0.29 cents per Share for the year ended 31 December 2024 be paid on 30 June 2025 to the Shareholders whose names appear on the Company's register of members at the close of business on 30 May 2025.
Shareholders are required to appoint the auditor at each annual general meeting at which audited accounts are presented to Shareholders. Resolution 3 proposes the re-appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP as the auditor of the Company and to hold office until the conclusion of the next annual general meeting of the Company at which accounts are laid. The Board has assessed the effectiveness and independence of the auditor and is satisfied that PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP continues to meet the required standards.
It is also normal practice for the Directors to be authorised to determine the level of the auditor's remuneration for the ensuing year. Shareholders are being asked to authorise the Directors to determine PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP's remuneration as auditors.
In accordance with the UK Corporate Governance Code, all of the Directors of the Company will retire (or their appointment will otherwise terminate) at the Annual General Meeting and offer themselves for re-election. Resolutions 5 to 10 seek your approval to re-elect the relevant individuals as Directors. The biographies of each of these Directors are included in the Company's 2024 annual report at pages 42 to 44.
The Nomination Committee identifies, evaluates and recommends to the Board candidates for appointment and reappointment as directors. Appointments are made on merit and candidates are considered against objective criteria, having regard to the benefits of the diversity of the Board and the Committee keeps diversity, mix of skills, experience and knowledge of the Board under review. The Directors believe that the Board continues to maintain an appropriate balance of knowledge and skills and that each of David Turner, Jr., Sandra Stash and Kathryn Klaber are independent in character and judgement and there are no relationships or circumstances which are likely to affect their character or judgement. David Johnson, the non-executive Chair, was also considered independent upon appointment and whom the Group continues to consider independent. The Nomination Committee has also carefully considered the external appointments and commitments of each Director to ensure they have sufficient time to fulfill their duties to the Company. Each of the directors attended all the Board and committee meetings (to the extent they were members of such committee in 2024) held during 2024. Details of the attendance at Board and committee meetings are as set out on page 47 of the 2024 annual report. The Committee concluded that each Director's external mandates do not compromise their ability to dedicate the necessary time and attention to their role, and that all Directors continue to effectively discharge their responsibilities.
The Company requires the flexibility to allot Shares from time to time. The Directors will be limited as to the number of Shares they can at any time allot because allotment authority is required under the Act, save in respect of employee share schemes.
The Directors' existing authority to allot "equity securities" (including Shares and/or rights to subscribe for or convert into Shares), which was granted (pursuant to section 551 of the Act) at the general meeting held on 10 May 2024, will expire at the end of this year's Annual General Meeting. Accordingly, Resolution 11 would renew this authority (until the conclusion of the next annual general meeting of the Company after this resolution is passed or 30 June 2026, whichever is earlier or unless such authority is revoked or renewed prior to such time) by authorising the Directors (pursuant to section 551 of the Act) to allot relevant securities. Resolution 11.1 will allow the Company to allot Shares and to grant rights to subscribe for or to convert any security into Shares up to an aggregate nominal amount of £10,798,687 representing approximately two-thirds of the current issued ordinary share capital of the Company. This maximum is reduced by the nominal amount of any relevant securities allotted pursuant the authority in paragraph 11.2, up to an aggregate nominal amount of £5,399,344 representing one-third of the current issued ordinary share capital of the Company (excluding treasury shares). The authority granted by this Resolution shall be in addition, and without prejudice, to all existing authorities to allot relevant securities granted to the Directors.
This resolution is in line with guidance issued by the Investment Association (as updated in February 2023).
Save in respect of the issue of new Shares pursuant to the Company's share option scheme, the Directors currently have no plans to allot relevant securities, but the Directors believe it to be in the interests of the Company for the Board to be granted this authority, to enable the Board to take advantage of appropriate opportunities which may arise in the future.
The Company held no Shares in treasury as at 14 March 2025 being the last practicable date prior to publication of this document.
Resolution 12 seeks to approve the Directors' Remuneration Report, (excluding the Directors' Remuneration Policy, set out on Part A of the Remuneration Committee's report), as set out pages 70 to 77 of the Company's 2024 annual report and which gives details of the Directors' remuneration for the year ended 31 December 2024.
Resolution 13 seeks to approve the Directors' Remuneration Policy, which may be found on pages 62 to 69 of the Company's 2024 annual report. The Remuneration Policy, as set out in the 2024 annual report also provide details of the Company's remuneration framework and a fulsome review of the process by which the Remuneration Committee engaged with shareholders to seek feedback and input on the new proposed Directors' Remuneration Policy, and took that feedback into account (including the reduction of certain proposed remuneration awards) when finalizing the proposed Directors' Remuneration Policy. As set forth in the Directors' Remuneration Policy, the new proposed policy would move the Company's CEO (and only Executive Director) closer to the median compensation of the peer group through increases in the maximum quantum of incentive awards, ensuring that the increase in total compensation is delivered through variable and share-based remuneration. The proposed Directors' Remuneration Policy would also permit the grant of hybrid long-term incentive awards (performance shares and restricted shares), consistent with peer practices. In developing the proposed policy, the Remuneration Committee has taken due account of recent guidance from the Investment Association that recognises the use of hybrid awards. No remuneration will be paid or payment for loss of office made to former, current or prospective Directors unless permitted by the policy.
Resolution 14 will be proposed as an ordinary resolution to authorise the Company to make political donations and incur political expenditure for the period from the date of the Annual General Meeting to the conclusion of the next annual general meeting up to a maximum aggregate amount of £100,000.
Part 14 of the Act requires companies to obtain the approval of Shareholders before political donations exceeding £5,000 in aggregate in any 12-month period are made to (i) political parties, (ii) other political organisations, and (iii) independent election candidates.
Although the Company does not make what are usually regarded as political donations, it may incur expenditure on such items as sponsorship or attendance at political discussions organised by political parties on a non-partisan basis in order to make them aware of industry trends and key arguments affecting our industry. Some of these activities may be caught by the broad definitions in the Act, and this resolution is being proposed on a precautionary basis to allow the Company to continue its current activities.
The Diversified Gas & Oil PLC 2017 Employee Incentive Plan (the "EIP") was initially adopted by the Board on January 30, 2017, and as amended and restated by the Board on May 11, 2020, and on March 29, 2021. The EIP is offered to key employees of the Group and contains flexible terms that enable the Company to grant awards to Executive Directors on terms consistent with the Company's approved Directors' Remuneration Policy and best practice as well as to the Company's other employees.
The Company intends to amend the rules of the EIP to give effect to the changes to the long-term incentive plan maximum award limits for Executive Directors under the new Directors' Remuneration Policy, which shareholders are also requested to approve under Resolution 13, and to simplify the limits on equity dilution under the plan and while maintaining alignment with UK market and best practice.
Awards under the EIP are currently subject to two restrictions on dilution: (a) a hard cap of 3,284,031 shares, and (b) in alignment with UK best practices, a cap allocated under the plan over any ten-year period amounting to 10% of our issued share capital. The committee proposes to streamline these limits by removing the hard cap of 3,284,031 shares while retaining the cap of 10% over ten years, in accordance with UK best practicesin order to continue to respect shareholders' rights on equity dilution.
The proposed amendments require shareholder approval under the EIP rules and the UK Listing Rules. The material amendments to the EIP rules will therefore be as follows:
• Awards may be satisfied using newly issued Shares, treasury Shares or Shares purchased in the market. The number of Shares which may be issued to satisfy awards granted in any ten-year period under the EIP and any other employee share plan adopted by the Company may not exceed 10 per cent. of the issued ordinary share capital of the Company from time-to-time. Shares transferred out of treasury will count towards these limits so long as this is required under institutional shareholder guidelines, whereas shares purchased in the market or otherwise held by the Company's Employee Benefits Trust (which are purchased on the market) will not count towards there limits because they do not cause shareholder dilution. Further, awards which are relinquished or lapse will be disregarded for the purposes of these limits.
• In accordance with the Company's new proposed Directors' Remuneration Policy (as outlined in Resolution 13), awards in respect of any financial year of the Company will not be granted to a participant under the Plan over Shares with a market value (as determined by the Committee) in excess of the award levels permitted under the new proposed Directors' Remuneration Policy.
In addition, the Company has also sought to make certain other minor changes which do not otherwise affect the rights of shareholders in any material respect. A copy of the amended and restated EIP proposed by Resolution 15 will be made available for Shareholders to inspect at the Company's registered office at 4th Floor Phoenix House, 1 Station Hill, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 1NB, United Kingdom for a period from the date of this Notice until the date of the Annual General Meeting. A copy of the amended and restated EIP will also be available for inspection at the Annual General Meeting.
The Act provides that if the Company allots new shares or sells treasury shares for cash, it must first offer these securities to existing shareholders in proportion to their existing holdings, unless such pre-emption rights are disapplied by shareholders under the Act. The authority given to the Directors at the general meeting held on 10 May 2024 to allot shares for cash on a non-pre-emptive basis pursuant to the Act expires on the date of the Annual General Meeting.
Resolution 16 will authorise the Directors to allot equity securities or sell pursuant to the authority given under Resolution 11 for cash in connection with (i) a pre-emptive offer, or (ii) on a non-pre-emptive basis up to a maximum aggregate nominal amount of £1,619,803, representing approximately 10% of the Company's current issued ordinary share capital, and (iii) a follow-on offer on a non-pre-emptive basis up to a maximum of 20% of any allotment of equity securities or sale of treasury shares from time to time under (ii) above when an allotment of shares has been made under paragraph (ii) above. Save in respect of the issue of new Shares pursuant to the Company's share option scheme, the Directors have no present intention of exercising this authority.
This resolution is in line with guidance issued by the Investment Association (as updated in February 2023) and the Pre-Emption Group's Statement of Principles (as updated in November 2022) (the Statement of Principles), and the template resolutions published by the Pre-Emption Group in November 2022.
The Pre-emption Principles allow the authority for an issue of shares otherwise than in connection with a pre-emptive offer to be increased from 10% to 20% of the Company's issued ordinary share capital, provided that the Company confirms that it intends to use the additional 10% authority only in connection with an acquisition or specified capital investment. Resolution 17.1 will additionally authorise the Board to allot new shares (or sell treasury shares) for cash, without the shares first being offered to existing shareholders in proportion to their existing holdings, up to a nominal amount of £1,619,803 (that is approximately 10% of the Company's current issued ordinary share capital) in connection with an acquisition or specified capital investment which is announced contemporaneously with the issue, or which has taken place in the preceding twelve-month period and is disclosed in the announcement of the issue. Further, Resolution 17.2 applies to the allotment of shares for cash for the purposes of a follow-on offer when an allotment of shares has been made under Resolution 17.1. It is limited to the allotment of shares having an aggregate nominal value of up to 20% of the nominal value of any shares allotted under Resolution 17.1. The follow-on offer must be determined by the directors to be of a kind contemplated by the Statement of Principles.
The authority granted by this Resolution shall be in addition, and without prejudice, to all existing authorities to allot relevant securities granted to the Directors. The authorities granted under Resolutions 16 and 17 will expire at the conclusion of the next annual general meeting of the Company after this resolution is passed or 30 June 2026, whichever is earlier.
The articles of association of the Company do not contain a restriction on the Company's ability to purchase its own Shares (subject to statutory requirements). Under the Act, the Company may only repurchase its Shares (a) in an "on-market purchase" in accordance with the Act or (b) in accordance with specific procedures for "off-market purchases" of such Shares.
Any repurchase of the Shares on the LSE constitutes an "on-market" transaction under the Act. Resolution 18 seeks to grant the Directors authority (until the conclusion of the next annual general meeting of the Company or 30 June 2026 (if earlier), unless such authority is revoked or renewed from time to time) to make "on-market purchases" of the Company's own Shares with an aggregate nominal value of up to £1,619,803 (amounting to 8,099,015 Shares as at the date of the Notice) representing 10% of the current issued share capital of the Company, such amount to be reduced by the nominal amount of any Shares purchased pursuant to the authority in Resolution 19.
Any repurchase of the Shares on the NYSE constitutes an "off-market" transaction under the Act. As such, these repurchases may only be made pursuant to a form of Share Repurchase Contract that has been approved by the Shareholders. In addition, the Company may only conduct share repurchases through NYSE through Counterparties approved by the Shareholders. These approvals, if granted, will be limited to a maximum number of Shares with an aggregate nominal value of up to £1,619,803 (amounting to 8,099,015 Shares as at the date of the Notice) representing 10% of the current issued share capital of the Company, such amount to be reduced by the nominal amount of any Shares purchased pursuant to the authority in Resolution 18 and will be valid until the conclusion of the next annual general meeting of the Company or 30 June 2026 (if earlier), unless such authority is revoked or renewed from time to time. Approval of the forms of contract and Counterparties are not an approval of the amount or timing of any repurchase activity. There cannot be any assurance as to whether the Company will repurchase any of its Shares or as to the amount of any such repurchases or the prices at which such repurchases may be made. Any repurchases by the Company of its Shares carried on the NYSE pursuant to this authority would be conducted in accordance with all applicable U.S. and U.K. securities laws.
Any repurchase of the Shares on the LSE and/or the NYSE together shall not exceed an aggregate nominal value of up to £1,619,803 (amounting to 8,099,015 Shares as at the date of the Notice), representing 10% of the current issued share capital of the Company. Further, in accordance with UKLR 9.6.2R, the maximum price payable for any purchase of Shares pursuant to this Resolution 18 and 19 would be an amount equal to the higher of (a) 5% over the average market value of the Shares for the five Business Days immediately preceding the date on which the Company agrees to buy the Shares concerned, based on the share price published in the Daily Official List of the London Stock Exchange plc; and (b) an amount equal to the higher of the price of the last independent trade and the highest current independent purchase bid at the time on the trading venue where the purchase is carried out. The minimum price would be the nominal value of £0.20 per Share.
Resolution 19 seeks approval of two forms of Share Repurchase Contracts and the Counterparties, as detailed below.
• The form of agreement attached as Appendix A to this Notice provides that the Counterparty will purchase Shares on NYSE at such prices and in such quantities as the Company may instruct from time to time, subject to the limitations set forth in Rule 10b-18 of the Exchange Act. The agreement provides that the Counterparty will purchase the Shares as principal and sell any Shares purchased to the Company.
• The form of agreement attached as Appendix B to this Notice is a form of repurchase plan that the Company may enter into from time to time pursuant to Rule 10b-5 of the Exchange Act to purchase a specified dollar amount of Shares on the NYSE each day if the Shares are trading below a specified price. The amount to be purchased each day, the limit price, and the total amount that may be purchased under the agreement will be determined at the time the plan is executed. The agreement provides that the counterparty will purchase the Shares as principal and sell any Shares purchased to the Company.
The Company may only enter into Share Repurchase Contracts with counterparties approved by its shareholders. The Company therefore seeks approval to conduct repurchases through the following counterparties (or their subsidiaries or affiliates from time to time) (the "Counterparties"):
Copies of the Share Repurchase Contracts and the list of the Counterparties will be made available for Shareholders to inspect at the Company's registered office at 4th Floor Phoenix House, 1 Station Hill, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 1NB, United Kingdom for a period from the date of this Notice until the date of the Annual General Meeting. Copies of the Share Repurchase Contracts and the list of the Counterparties will also be available for inspection at the Annual General Meeting.
Subject to resolution 18 and 19 being passed, the Directors may repurchase Shares and the Directors consider that it is in the best interests of the Company and its Shareholders to keep the ability to make market purchases of the Company's own Shares in appropriate circumstances, without the cost and delay of a general meeting. The authority would only be exercised if the Directors believe the purchase would enhance earnings per Share and be in the best interests of Shareholders generally. Subject to the Company's obligations under the Listing Rules and MAR, the Directors reserve the right to purchase the Company's Shares otherwise than in accordance with Article 5 of MAR.
The Company may either cancel any Shares it purchases under this authority or transfer them into treasury (and subsequently sell or transfer them out of treasury or cancel them).
Resolution 20 is proposed to authorise the Company to hold general meetings on 14 clear days' notice. The notice period required by the Act for general meetings of the Company is 21 days, unless Shareholders approve a shorter notice period, which cannot be less than 14 clear days. Annual general meetings must always be held on at least 21 clear days' notice.
The Directors consider it desirable that they have the option to call general meetings of the Company, other than the Annual General Meeting, on at least 14 clear days' notice if there are circumstances where that is appropriate. The Directors will only use such authority when to do so would clearly be advantageous to shareholders as a whole and the matter to be considered is time sensitive and in accordance with the requirements of the Act.
Resolution 20, which will be proposed as a special resolution, will implement this proposal and the authority of this resolution will expire at the conclusion of the next annual general meeting to be held in 2026 when it is intended that a similar resolution will be proposed in order to renew this authority.
Registered Office: By Order of the Board 4th Floor Phoenix House, 1 Station Hill, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 1NB
Dated: 17 March 2025 Apex Secretaries LLP
Company Secretary
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THIS AGREEMENT is made on [ ] (this "Agreement")
BETWEEN:
4th Floor Phoenix House, 1 Station Hill, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 1NB, United Kingdom
Registered No. 09156132
(the "Counterparty")
It is agreed that the Counterparty will purchase on a principal basis interests in ordinary shares of the Company, nominal (i.e. par) value £0.20 per share (the "Ordinary Shares"), for subsequent sale and delivery to the Company under the terms of this Agreement as follows:
concerned; and (b) an amount equal to the higher of the price of the last independent trade and the highest current independent purchase bid at the time on the trading venue where the purchase is carried out.
This Agreement may be terminated by either party at any time, and with immediate effect, upon written notice from one party to the other by overnight mail or email at the addresses previously notified by the other party; provided, however the Company agrees that it will not modify or propose to modify this Agreement or terminate this agreement at any time that it is aware of any material non-public information or inside information (as defined in UK MAR) about it and/or the Ordinary Shares.
| By: | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name: | ||||
| Title: | ||||
| COUNTERPARTY | ||||
| By: | ||||
| Name: |
| Title: |
|---|
This Repurchase Plan, dated [ ] (the "Repurchase Plan"), is entered into between DIVERSIFIED ENERGY COMPANY PLC (the "Company") and [ ] (the "Counterparty"). Capitalised terms used and not otherwise defined in the body of this Repurchase Plan shall have the meaning given to such terms in Exhibit A hereto, which is incorporated herein and made part of this Repurchase Plan.
WHEREAS, the Company desires to establish this Repurchase Plan to purchase its ordinary shares, nominal value £0.20 per share (the "Ordinary Shares"); and
WHEREAS, the Company desires to purchase Ordinary Shares from the Counterparty in accordance with this Repurchase Plan;
NOW, THEREFORE, the Company and the Counterparty hereby agree as follows:
the date that the Counterparty acquires the Ordinary Shares upon the settlement of its purchase(s) pursuant to Paragraph 2 and (b) on the same terms as the purchase(s) were effected by the Counterparty pursuant to Paragraph 2. Following such purchase and delivery, the Company shall be registered as the record holder of such Record Shares or such Record Shares shall otherwise be cancelled. The Company shall be responsible for any stamp duty that is due in respect of the purchase of Record Shares from the Counterparty. The Counterparty shall deliver to the Transfer Agent any documents as may be necessary or as may be reasonably requested by the Transfer Agent to give effect to the purchase, delivery, registration or cancellation of any Record Shares to the Company in accordance with the terms of this Repurchase Plan.
Upon termination of this Repurchase Plan, the Counterparty shall immediately suspend executing purchases pursuant to this Repurchase Plan.
The Counterparty shall comply with the requirements of UK MAR and paragraphs(b)(2), (b)(3) and (b)(4) of Rule 10b-18 under the Exchange Act, in connection with purchases of the Ordinary Shares in the open market pursuant to this Repurchase Plan. The Company agrees not to take any action that would cause purchases not to comply with UK MAR or Rule 10b-18, Rule 10b5-1 or Regulation M.
the Counterparty will resume purchases in accordance with this Repurchase Plan on the next day specified in this Repurchase Plan after the condition causing the suspension of purchases has been resolved.
Address:
Attention: e-mail:
(b) If to the Company:
DIVERSIFIED ENERGY COMPANY PLC Discovery Drive 4th Floor Phoenix House 1 Station Hill, Reading Berkshire, RG1 1NB United Kingdom
Attention: e-mail:
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Repurchase Plan as of the date first written above.
By:
Name:
Title:
| By: | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Name: |
| Title: | |
|---|---|
The Counterparty and the Company shall hereby agree that the following terms shall have the following meanings:
"Limit Price" shall mean a per Ordinary Share price, which is the lower of (A) of US\$[ ] and (B) an amount equal to the higher of (a) 5% over the average market value of the Ordinary Shares for the five business days immediately preceding the date on which the Company agrees to buy the Ordinary Shares concerned; and (b) an amount equal to the higher of the price of the last independent trade and the highest current independent purchase bid at the time on the trading venue where the purchase is carried out.
"Maximum Amount" is the maximum purchase amount in a single trading day and shall mean US\$[ ].
"Trading Period" shall mean the period commencing on [ ] and terminating at close of business on [ ].
"Total Repurchase Amount" is the maximum aggregate purchase amount in the Trading Period and shall mean US\$[ ].
Commission paid under this Repurchase Plan shall equal US\$[ ] per Record Share to the Company.
[ ]
The following definitions apply throughout this document unless the context requires otherwise:
| Act | the Companies Act 2006, as amended from time to time |
|---|---|
| Annual General Meeting | the annual general meeting of the Company to be held on 9 April 2025 |
| (or any adjournment thereof), notice of which is set out in this | |
| document | |
| Board | the board of directors of the Company, or a duly authorised committee |
| thereof | |
| Business Day | any day other than a Saturday or Sunday on which banks are open for |
| normal banking business in London | |
| Company | Diversified Energy Company PLC |
| Counterparties | the list of counterparties (or their subsidiaries or affiliates from time to |
| time) through which the Company may conduct "off market" |
|
| repurchases of Shares from time to time |
|
| Depositary | Computershare Investor Services PLC, in its capacity as the issuer of |
| the Depositary Interests; | |
| Depositary Interest or | a Depositary Interest issued through CREST by the Depositary, |
| DI | representing a beneficial interest in a Share; |
| Depositary Interest | the holders of Depositary Interests |
| Holder | |
| Depositary Interest | Computershare Trust Company NA |
| Custodian | |
| Directors | the directors of the Company from time to time |
| Exchange Act | the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended |
| Form of Instruction | the Form of Instruction for use by Depositary Interest Holders voting at |
| the Annual General Meeting | |
| Form of Proxy | the Form of Proxy appended to this document for use by Shareholders |
| voting at the Annual General Meeting | |
| MAR | Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 of the European Parliament and of the |
| Council of 16 April 2014 on Market Abuse (Market Abuse | |
| Regulation), as it forms part of UK domestic law by virtue of the |
|
| European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, as amended from time to time | |
| Notice | the notice convening the Annual General Meeting, as set out in this |
| document | |
| NYSE | New York Stock Exchange |
| Registered Office | 4th Floor Phoenix House, 1 Station Hill, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 |
| 1NB, United Kingdom | |
| Remuneration | the remuneration committee of the Board |
| Committee | |
| Resolutions | the resolutions to be proposed at the Annual General Meeting which |
| are set out in the Notice | |
| Share Repurchase | the forms of share repurchase contracts attached as Appendix A and |
| Contracts | Appendix B to this document; |
| Shareholders | the holders of Shares |
| Shares | the ordinary shares of £0.20 each in the capital of the Company |
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