AGM Information • Jun 18, 2015
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 should consult your stockbroker, solicitor, accountant or other professional investment adviser authorised under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.
If you have sold or otherwise transferred all of your holding of Ordinary Shares in Renold plc, please forward this document, together with the accompanying documents, to the purchaser or transferee or to the stockbroker, bank or other agent through or to whom the sale was effected for transmission to the purchaser or transferee.
Notice of the 2015 Annual General Meeting of the Company to be held at Renold House, Styal Road, Wythenshawe, Manchester M22 5WL on 21 July 2015 at 11.00 a.m. is set out on pages 5 to 9 inclusive. Whether or not Ordinary Shareholders propose to attend the 2015 Annual General Meeting, Ordinary Shareholders are requested to complete and return the enclosed form of proxy so as to be received by the Company's registrars, Capita Asset Services, at The Registry, 34 Beckenham Road, Beckenham, Kent BR3 4TU no later than 11.00 a.m. on 17 July 2015. The return of a form of proxy will not preclude an Ordinary Shareholder from attending and voting at the 2015 Annual General Meeting in person should they subsequently decide to do so.
The following definitions apply throughout this document:
2006 Act means the Companies Act 2006;
2015 Annual General Meeting means the annual general meeting of the Company to be held at Renold House, Styal Road, Wythenshawe, Manchester M22 5WL on 21 July 2015 at 11.00 a.m.;
Board means the Board of Directors of Renold plc;
Company means Renold plc (incorporated and registered in England and Wales with number 249688);
Directors means the Directors of the Company and Director means any of them;
Notice of Annual General Meeting means the notice convening the 2015 Annual General Meeting set out on pages 5 to 9 inclusive of this document;
Ordinary Shareholder means a holder of Ordinary Shares;
Ordinary Shares means ordinary shares of 5p each in the capital of the Company;
Preference Shareholders means the holders of 6% cumulative preference stock of £1 each in the capital of the Company; and
Resolutions means the resolutions set out in the Notice of Annual General Meeting, and a reference to a numbered Resolution is to the resolution so numbered in the Notice of Annual General Meeting.
Registered Office: Renold House Styal Road Wythenshawe Manchester M22 5WL
Incorporated and registered in England and Wales with number 249688
19 June 2015
Directors: Mark Harper (Chairman) Robert Purcell (Chief Executive) Brian Tenner (Finance Director) John Allkins (Senior Independent Non-Executive Director) Ian Griffiths (Non-Executive Director)
Dear Ordinary Shareholder
The 2015 Annual General Meeting is to be held at Renold House, Styal Road, Wythenshawe, Manchester M22 5WL on 21 July 2015 at 11.00 a.m. The formal Notice of Annual General Meeting is set out on pages 5 to 9 inclusive of this document.
The purpose of this letter is to explain certain elements of the business to be considered at the 2015 Annual General Meeting.
Resolutions 1 to 8 will be proposed as ordinary resolutions and Resolutions 9 to 12 will be proposed as special resolutions. The proposed ordinary resolutions will be passed if more than 50% of the votes cast are in favour and the proposed special resolutions will be passed if at least 75% of the votes cast are in favour.
The ordinary business to be proposed at the 2015 Annual General Meeting is set out in Resolutions 1 to 7 inclusive.
The Directors' Remuneration Report is set out in full on pages 70 to 87 of the 2015 Annual Report and Accounts. Resolution 2 is the ordinary resolution to approve the Directors' Remuneration Report, other than the part containing the Directors' Remuneration Policy. The Resolution is an advisory resolution and accordingly entitlement of a director to remuneration is not made conditional on the Resolution being passed. If the Resolution is not passed the directors will be required to put the Directors' remuneration policy to a shareholder resolution at the 2016 annual general meeting. The Directors' Remuneration Policy was approved by shareholders at the Company's Annual General Meeting in 2014 and remains unchanged since then. Accordingly, it will be valid for three years from then without further shareholder approval. The Directors expect that the Company will next propose a resolution to approve the Directors' Remuneration Policy at the annual general meeting to be held in approximately July 2017.
Under the Company's articles of association, up to one third of the Directors are obliged to retire by rotation at each annual general meeting of the Company and be eligible for re-election. As agreed last year, the Directors extended this obligation under the articles, so as to require all Non-Executive Directors to put themselves forward for re-election on an annual basis. The Directors note that this exceeds their obligations under the UK Corporate Governance Code, which requires that all the Directors should submit themselves for re-election at intervals of no more than three years.
At the 2015 Annual General Meeting, no Director will retire in accordance with the articles of association and myself, John Allkins and Ian Griffiths as Non-Executive Directors, will put ourselves forward for re-election by the Ordinary Shareholders, with the recommendation of the Board. Brief biographical details of each Director subject to re-election can be found in the Annex to this Notice of Annual General Meeting.
Resolution 6 deals with the appointment of the Company's auditors. At each meeting at which the Company's accounts are presented to its members, the Company is required to appoint an auditor to serve until the next such meeting. Since the year end, the Company has completed a formal tender process for external audit services as referred to on page 69 of the Company's 2015 Annual Report and Accounts. On the recommendation of the Audit Committee, the Board proposes that Deloitte LLP be appointed as the Company's new auditors.
Ernst & Young LLP will stand down as the Company's auditors at the conclusion of the AGM and will give a statement in connection with this process as required by the 2006 Act which will be circulated to shareholders within 14 days of receipt by the Company.
In addition to the ordinary business, you will find Resolutions 8 to 12 inclusive, which will be proposed at the 2015 Annual General Meeting as special business. A detailed explanation of Resolutions 8 to 12 follows.
Resolution 8 deals with the Directors' authority to allot shares. The Directors are currently authorised to allot relevant securities of the Company but their authorisation ends on the date of the 2015 Annual General Meeting. This resolution seeks to renew the Directors' authority to allot shares.
In accordance with the latest guidance issued by The Investment Association ("IA"), Resolution 8 will, if passed, give the Directors the authority to allot Ordinary Shares or grant rights to subscribe for or convert any securities into Ordinary Shares up to a maximum nominal amount of £7,428,054, representing 148,561,092 Ordinary Shares and approximately 66.6% of the issued ordinary share capital of the Company as at the date of this document. Of this amount, 74,280,546 Ordinary Shares representing approximately 33.3% of the issued ordinary share capital of the Company can only be allotted pursuant to a fully pre-emptive rights issue. The Directors have no present intention of exercising this authority. However, if they do exercise the authority, the Directors intend to follow best practice as regards its use as recommended by the IA.
This authority would expire on the earlier of the conclusion of the Company's next annual general meeting and 20 January 2017. The Board has no present intention of exercising the authority and intends to seek its renewal at subsequent annual general meetings of the Company.
As at the date of this document, the Company held no shares in treasury.
Resolution 9 seeks to renew the authority conferred on the Directors at last year's annual general meeting to issue Ordinary Shares for cash without complying with the pre-emption rights in the 2006 Act in certain circumstances.
If approved, Resolution 9 will authorise the Directors to issue shares in connection with a rights issue or other similar issue and otherwise to issue shares for cash up to a maximum nominal amount of £557,661.75, which includes the sale on a non pre-emptive basis of any shares the Company may hold in treasury for cash. The maximum nominal amount of equity securities to which this authority relates represents approximately 5% of the issued ordinary share capital of the Company as at the date of this document. If granted, this authority would expire on the earlier of the conclusion of the Company's next annual general meeting and 20 January 2017. The Directors have no present intention of exercising this authority.
The Directors confirm their intention to follow the provisions of the Pre-emption Group's 2008 Statement of Principles regarding cumulative usage of authorities within a rolling three year period. The Principles provide that companies should not issue shares for cash representing more than 7.5% of the company's issued share capital in any rolling three year period, other than to existing shareholders, without prior consultation with shareholders.
Resolution 10 seeks shareholders' authority for the Company to make market purchases of its own Ordinary Shares. The Directors have no present intention of exercising this authority, but would wish to have the flexibility to do so in the future. Purchases of own Ordinary Shares would only be made through the London Stock Exchange. Any Ordinary Shares purchased would be cancelled (in which case the number of Ordinary Shares in issue would thereby be reduced) or held in treasury, depending on which course of action is considered by the Directors to be in the best interests of the shareholders at that time.
As stated above, the Directors have no present intention of exercising the authority to purchase the Company's Ordinary Shares but will keep the matter under review and will only exercise the authority to make purchases of Ordinary Shares granted by Resolution 10 if they believe that to do so would result in an improvement in earnings per share and/or is in the best interests of the shareholders generally. The maximum number of Ordinary Shares which may be purchased is 22,306,470 representing approximately 10% of the issued Ordinary Shares as at the date of this document. The authority would expire on the earlier of the conclusion of the Company's next annual general meeting and 20 January 2017. The minimum price that could be paid for an Ordinary Share would be the nominal value of such Ordinary Share and the maximum price would be the maximum price permitted by the Financial Conduct Authority's Listing Rules or in case of a tender offer, 5% above average of the middle market quotations for an Ordinary Share, as derived from the London Stock Exchange Daily Official List for the five business days immediately preceding the day on which the terms of the tender offer are announced, in each case excluding expenses.
As at the date of this document, options over a total of 7,821,856 Ordinary Shares were outstanding and not exercised. That number of Ordinary Shares represents approximately 3.51% of the Company's total issued ordinary capital as at the same date. It would represent approximately 3.90% of the issued ordinary share capital if the authority to purchase the Company's own Ordinary Shares conferred by Resolution 10 had been exercised in full at that date and the shares so purchased had been cancelled.
Resolution 11 seeks to renew an authority granted at the Company's last annual general meeting to allow the Company to hold General Meetings (other than annual general meetings) on 14 days' notice. Under the Companies (Shareholder Rights) Regulations 2009 this authority is required to be approved by the shareholders annually, otherwise a minimum of 21 days' notice must be given. The Directors believe it is in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders as a whole to preserve the shorter notice period. However, the flexibility offered by this resolution will not be used as a matter of routine for General Meetings, but only where, taking into account all the circumstances, the Directors consider this appropriate in relation to the business to be considered at the meeting.
Part 14 of the 2006 Act imposes restrictions on companies making political donations to: (i) political parties; (ii) other political organisations and (iii) independent election candidates and on incurring political expenditure (as defined in the 2006 Act) without shareholders' consent. The Company does not envisage making any political donations. However, as the definitions used in the 2006 Act are broad, it is possible that normal business activities, which might not be thought to be political expenditure in the usual sense, could be caught. On that basis, authority is being sought purely as a precaution. As permitted under the 2006 Act, Resolution 12 covers any political donations made, or political expenditure incurred, by any subsidiaries of the Company.
A reply-paid form of proxy for use at the 2015 Annual General Meeting is enclosed. Whether or not you are able to attend the 2015 Annual General Meeting, you are advised to complete, sign, date and return the form of proxy in accordance with the instructions printed on it so as to arrive at the offices of the Company's registrars, Capita Asset Services, at The Registry, 34 Beckenham Road, Beckenham, Kent BR3 4TU, as soon as possible but, in any event, no later than 11.00 a.m. on 17 July 2015.
The Board considers that the passing of Resolutions 1 to 12 inclusive is likely to promote the success of the Company and is in the best interests of the Company and of its shareholders as a whole and the Board unanimously recommends that you vote in favour of them, as each of the Directors intends to do in respect of his own beneficial holdings of Ordinary Shares, being approximately 2.112% in aggregate of the Ordinary Shares in issue as at the date of this document.
Yours faithfully
Mark Harper Chairman
Notice is hereby given that the 2015 Annual General Meeting of Renold plc will be held at 11.00 a.m. on 21 July 2015 at Renold House, Styal Road, Wythenshawe, Manchester M22 5WL to consider and, if thought fit, pass the following resolutions.
You will be asked to consider and vote on the Resolutions below. Resolutions 1 to 8 inclusive will be proposed as ordinary resolutions and Resolutions 9 to 12 inclusive will be proposed as special resolutions.
and shall expire when the authority conferred on the Directors by Resolution 8 in this notice of meeting expires save that, before the expiry of this power, the Company may make any offer or agreement which would or might require equity securities to be allotted after such expiry.
(as such terms are defined in the 2006 Act) during the period beginning with the date of the passing of this Resolution 12 and ending on the earlier of the conclusion of the Company's next annual general meeting and 20 January 2017, provided that the authorised sum referred to in paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of this Resolution 12, may be comprised of one or more amounts in different currencies which, for the purpose of calculating the said sum, shall be converted into pounds sterling at the exchange rate published in the London edition of the Financial Times on the date on which the relevant donation is made or expenditure incurred (or the first business day thereafter) or, if earlier, on the day on which the Company enters into any contract or undertaking in relation to the same provided that, in any event, the aggregate amount of political donations and political expenditure made or incurred by the Company and its subsidiaries pursuant to this Resolution 12 shall not exceed £150,000.
By order of the Board
Company Secretary Renold plc Registered office: Renold House Styal Road Wythenshawe Manchester M22 5WL (Registered in England and Wales with number 249688)
Dated 19 June 2015
In either case, the revocation notice must be received by Capita Asset Services no later than 11.00 a.m. on 17 July 2015 (or in the case of an adjournment, by the time 48 hours, excluding non working days, before the time appointed for the adjourned meeting).
If you attempt to revoke your proxy appointment but the revocation is received after the time specified then, subject to the paragraph directly below, your proxy appointment will remain valid.
Appointment of a proxy does not preclude you from attending the 2015 Annual General Meeting and voting in person. If you have appointed a proxy and attend the 2015 Annual General Meeting in person, your proxy appointment will automatically be terminated.
Biographical details of Directors submitted for re-election
Mark, aged 59, was appointed to the Board as a Non-Executive Director and Chairman-elect on 1 May 2012. He took on the role of Chairman at the close of the annual general meeting on 12 July 2012. His appointment was extended in May 2015. Prior to joining the Company, Mark became the Chief Executive of Filtrona plc at the time of its demerger from Bunzl plc in June 2005 and led a successful period of growth until his retirement in May 2011. He also held a number of senior operational management positions within Bunzl plc, being appointed to the Bunzl plc Board in September 2004 and has previously acted as a Non-Executive Director of BBA Aviation plc.
John, aged 65, was appointed to the Board and to the chair of the Audit Committee in April 2008 and became the Senior Independent Non-Executive Director on 21 January 2013. His appointment was extended in April 2014. John brings strong relevant technical experience to the role having served as the finance director of the publicly quoted companies MyTravel Group plc and Equant NV. Since 2007, he has served as a Non-Executive Director on a number of boards of public and private companies and is currently a Non-Executive Director of Fairpoint Group plc, Punch Taverns plc, Nobina SA and Volex plc. John is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.
Ian, aged 64, was appointed to the Board in January 2010 and to the chair of the Remuneration Committee in November 2010. His appointment to both was extended in January 2013. Ian was appointed as Non-Executive Director of Hydro International plc, a Company admitted to trading on the AIM Market of the London Stock Exchange, in October 2014. He was previously Managing Director of Royal Mail Letters and a Director of Royal Mail Holdings plc. He has also been a Non-Executive Director of Ultra Electronics Holdings plc and held Executive Director roles at GKN plc and GKN Holdings plc where he was Group Managing Director, GKN Automotive.
Renold plc Renold House Styal Road Wythenshawe Manchester M22 5WL Telephone: +44 (0)161 498 4500 Fax: +44 (0)161 437 7782
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