TIDMTTM TIDMSBS
RNS Number : 6620F
Continental Investment Partners SA
29 July 2016
For immediate release
Not for release, publication or distribution, in whole or in
part, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY in, into or from any jurisdiction
(including the united states of america) where to do so would
constitute a violation of the relevant laws or regulations of such
jurisdiction. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONTAINS INSIDE INFORMATION.
29 July 2016
RECOMMED CASH OFFER
FOR
SOURCE BIOSCIENCE PLC
BY
SHERWOOD HOLDINGS LIMITED
TO BE IMPLEMENTED BY MEANS OF A SCHEME OF ARRANGEMENT
UNDER PART 26 OF THE COMPANIES ACT 2006
SUMMARY AND HIGHLIGHTS:
-- The board of directors of Sherwood Holdings Limited
("Sherwood") and the board of directors of Source BioScience plc
("Source BioScience") are pleased to announce that they have
reached agreement on the terms of a recommended cash offer to be
made by Sherwood for the entire issued and to be issued ordinary
share capital of Source BioScience (the "Offer") to be effected by
way of a Court-sanctioned scheme of arrangement between Source
BioScience and its shareholders under Part 26 of the Companies Act
2006.
-- Sherwood is a private limited company incorporated in England
and Wales, which was recently established by Continental Investment
Partners S.A. ("Continental") and Harwood Capital LLP ("Harwood
Capital") (on behalf of the Continental Clients and the Harwood
Funds) specifically for the purpose of making the Offer.
-- Continental and Harwood Capital are private investment
management firms engaged in the provision of discretionary
investment management and/or advisory services to their respective
clients. Following implementation of the Proposals, Sherwood will
be owned by the Continental Clients and the Harwood Funds and those
Scheme Shareholders who have validly elected for the Unlisted
Securities Alternative (as described below).
-- Under the terms of the Offer, Scheme Shareholders on the
register of members at the Scheme Record Time will receive 18 pence
in cash for each Scheme Share held, valuing the entire existing
issued ordinary share capital of Source BioScience at approximately
GBP62.87 million.
-- The Cash Consideration of 18 pence per Source BioScience
Share represents a premium of approximately:
(i) 2.13 per cent. to the Closing Price of 17.625 pence per
Source BioScience Share on 28 July 2016 (being the last Business
Day prior to the date of this announcement);
(ii) 21.0 per cent. to the Closing Price of 14.875 pence per
Source BioScience Share on 2 June 2016 (being the last Business Day
prior to the date of the Possible Offer Announcement); and
(iii) 22.0 per cent. to the volume weighted average price of
14.76 pence per Source BioScience Share for the three months up to
and including 2 June 2016 (being the last Business Day prior to the
date of the Possible Offer Announcement).
-- The Scheme also includes an Unlisted Securities Alternative,
under which Scheme Shareholders will be entitled to elect, in
respect of all or some of their Scheme Shares, to receive Sherwood
Share Units in lieu of the Cash Consideration to which they are
entitled in respect of such Scheme Shares under the terms of the
Offer. Each Sherwood Share Unit will comprise one Sherwood Share
and one Sherwood PIK Loan Note. Sherwood Shares and Sherwood PIK
Loan Notes will be unlisted securities and there are no plans to
seek a public quotation on any recognised investment exchange or
other market for the Sherwood Shares or Sherwood PIK Loan Notes to
be issued to Scheme Shareholders under the Unlisted Securities
Alternative. The Unlisted Securities Alternative will be subject to
certain restrictions as regards Overseas Shareholders.
-- Implementation of the Scheme will be subject, inter alia, to
the sanction of the Court and the approval of Voting Scheme
Shareholders at the Court Meeting and Source BioScience
Shareholders at the General Meeting. The Scheme Document, setting
out full details of the Scheme and the procedures to be followed by
Source BioScience Shareholders to approve the Scheme, together with
the Form of Election and Forms of Proxy, are expected to be
despatched to Source BioScience Shareholders and, for information
purposes only, to participants in the Source BioScience Share
Option Schemes, on or around 17 August 2016 and in any event within
28 days from the date of this announcement, unless otherwise agreed
with the Panel.
-- If the Scheme does not become Effective by the Termination
Date, the Proposals will lapse except where the approval of Voting
Scheme Shareholders at the Court Meeting and Source BioScience
Shareholders at the General Meeting is obtained before this date,
in which case the longstop date for the Proposals may be extended
to such later date as Sherwood and Source BioScience may agree and,
if appropriate, the Court may approve.
-- The Source BioScience Board has unanimously agreed to
recommend that Source BioScience Shareholders vote in favour of the
resolutions relating to the Proposals at the Court Meeting and the
General Meeting, as each of the directors of Source BioScience who
currently hold Source BioScience Shares intend so to do in respect
of their own beneficial shareholdings (or the shareholdings they
control), amounting, in aggregate, to 4,278,557 Source BioScience
Shares (representing approximately 1.22 per cent. of the existing
issued ordinary share capital of Source BioScience).
-- The Source BioScience Board has recommended that Source
BioScience Shareholders do not elect for the Unlisted Share
Alternative, unless they are fully cognisant of, and are prepared
to accept, the risks and other investment considerations as set out
in section 3.3, section 5 and section 6 of this announcement and
have taken independent advice, appropriate to their own financial
circumstances and investment objectives.
-- Sherwood has received a letter of intent and irrevocable
undertakings to vote in favour of the Proposals from the largest
institutional Voting Scheme Shareholder and the directors of Source
BioScience in respect of 71,574,319 and 4,278,557 Source BioScience
Shares respectively, representing approximately 20.49 and 1.22 per
cent. respectively of the existing issued ordinary share capital of
Source BioScience. Further details of the letter of intent and the
irrevocable undertakings are set out below and in Appendix III to
this announcement.
-- At the date of this announcement, the Continental Clients
beneficially own, in aggregate, 25,457,490 Source BioScience Shares
representing approximately 7.29 per cent. of the existing issued
ordinary share capital of Source BioScience and the Harwood Funds
beneficially own, in aggregate, 82,500,000 Source BioScience Shares
representing approximately 23.62 per cent. of the existing issued
ordinary share capital of Source BioScience. Continental and
Harwood Capital therefore advise, in aggregate, the holders of,
and/or control, 107,957,490 Source BioScience Shares representing
approximately 30.91 per cent. of Source BioScience's existing
issued share capital.
-- Accordingly, Continental and Harwood Capital advise and/or
control and have obtained a letter of intent and irrevocable
undertakings over, in aggregate, 183,810,366 Source BioScience
Shares, representing approximately 52.62 per cent. of Source
BioScience's existing issued share capital.
Commenting on the Offer on behalf of the Source BioScience
Board, Laurie Turnbull, Non-Executive Chairman of Source
BioScience, said:
"With the support of all of its shareholders, employees and
customers, Source BioScience has gone from strength to strength
over the last ten years. The Board recommends this Offer and, if
shareholders approve the Scheme, will look forward with confidence
to the Company's ownership by Sherwood and the opportunities that
will present for everyone involved with the Company."
Commenting on the Offer on behalf of Sherwood, Marco Fumagalli
and Christopher Mills, Directors of Sherwood, said:
"We are delighted to be announcing this recommended cash offer
for Source BioScience, a leading laboratory services and products
company. We believe that Source BioScience is a great company with
strong operational management, but that, given its size and
operating environment, it would fare better as a private company
with a more cost effective corporate structure. Our Offer provides
Source BioScience Shareholders with a significant premium over the
value of their shares prior to our approach, as well as affording
them the flexibility to retain an interest in the business should
they wish to do so."
This summary should be read in conjunction with, and is subject
to, the full text of the following announcement and the Appendices.
Implementation of the Scheme will be subject to the conditions set
out in Appendix I to this announcement and the further terms to be
set out in the Scheme Document and the Form of Election. Appendix
II contains the sources of information and bases of calculation
used in this announcement. Appendix III contains details of the
letter of intent and irrevocable undertakings received by
Continental and Harwood Capital for the benefit of Sherwood.
Appendix IV contains a summary of the key rights attaching to
Sherwood Shares and key terms of the Sherwood PIK Loan Note
Instrument. Certain definitions apply throughout this announcement
(including this summary) and your attention is drawn to Appendix V
at the end of this announcement where these definitions are set out
in full.
Enquiries:
Sherwood Holdings Limited Tel: +41 (0) 91 225
Marco Fumagalli, Director 25 60
Christopher Mills, Director
Strand Hanson Limited Tel: +44 (0) 207
(Financial Adviser to Sherwood, 409 3494
Continental and Harwood Capital)
Stuart Faulkner
Matthew Chandler
James Dance
Source BioScience plc Tel: +44 (0) 115
Laurie Turnbull, Chairman 973 9010
Dr Nick Ash, CEO
Nplus1 Singer Advisory LLP Tel: +44 (0) 207
(Financial Adviser and Broker 496 3000
to Source BioScience)
Nic Hellyer
James White
The Proposals will be subject to the Conditions and to the
further terms and conditions to be set out in the Scheme Document.
The Proposals are being made solely through the Scheme Document,
which will contain the full terms and conditions of the Proposals,
including details of how to vote in respect of the Proposals. Any
vote in relation to the Proposals should be made only on the basis
of the information contained in the Scheme Document. Source
BioScience Shareholders are advised to read the Scheme Document
carefully, once it has been despatched.
Strand Hanson Limited, which is authorised and regulated in the
United Kingdom by the Financial Conduct Authority, is acting
exclusively as financial adviser to Sherwood, Continental and
Harwood Capital and no-one else in connection with the Proposals
and other matters described in this announcement and will not be
responsible to anyone other than Sherwood, Continental and Harwood
Capital for providing the protections afforded to clients of Strand
Hanson Limited or for providing advice in relation to the
Proposals, the contents of this announcement or any other matter
referred to herein.
N+1 Singer, which is authorised and regulated in the United
Kingdom by the Financial Conduct Authority, is acting exclusively
as financial adviser and broker to Source BioScience and no-one
else in connection with the Proposals and other matters described
in this announcement and will not be responsible to anyone other
than Source BioScience for providing the protections afforded to
clients of N+1 Singer or for providing advice in relation to the
Proposals, the contents of this announcement or any other matter
referred to herein.
In accordance with Rule 30.2 of the Code, you may request a hard
copy of this announcement (and any information incorporated by
reference in this announcement) by contacting N+1 Singer during
business hours on 020 7496 3000 or by submitting a request in
writing to N+1 Singer at 1 Bartholomew Lane, London EC2N 2AX. It is
important that you note that unless you make a request, a hard copy
of this announcement and any such information incorporated by
reference in it will not be sent to you. You may also request that
all future documents, announcements and information to be sent to
you in relation to the Proposals should be sent in hard copy
form.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT
INTED TO, AND DOES NOT, CONSTITUTE OR FORM ANY PART OF, AN OFFER TO
SELL OR AN INVITATION TO SUBSCRIBE FOR OR PURCHASE ANY SECURITIES
OR THE SOLICITATION OF ANY VOTE OR APPROVAL IN ANY JURISDICTION,
NOR SHALL THERE BE ANY SALE, ISSUANCE OR TRANSFER OF THE SECURITIES
REFERRED TO IN THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IN ANY JURISDICTION IN
CONTRAVENTION OF APPLICABLE LAW.
The availability of the Offer, the Unlisted Securities
Alternative and the release, publication and distribution of this
announcement in jurisdictions other than the United Kingdom may be
restricted by the laws of those jurisdictions and therefore persons
who are not resident in the United Kingdom into whose possession
this announcement comes should inform themselves about and observe
any such restrictions. Failure to comply with any such restrictions
may constitute a violation of the securities laws of any such
jurisdiction. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law,
the companies and persons involved in the Offer disclaim any
responsibility or liability for the violation of such restrictions
by any person. Copies of this announcement and any formal
documentation relating to the Proposals are not being, and must not
be, directly or indirectly, mailed or otherwise forwarded,
distributed or sent in or into or from any Restricted Jurisdiction
and persons receiving such documents (including custodians,
nominees and trustees) must not mail or otherwise forward,
distribute or send them in, into or from any Restricted
Jurisdiction.
This announcement has been prepared for the purpose of complying
with English law, the Code and the Listing Rules and the
information disclosed may not be the same as that which would have
been disclosed if this announcement had been prepared in accordance
with the laws of jurisdictions outside the United Kingdom.
The issue of Sherwood Share Units to holders of Scheme Shares in
Restricted Jurisdictions would necessitate compliance with special
requirements under the laws of the Restricted Jurisdictions.
Accordingly, the Unlisted Securities Alternative is not being made
available to Restricted Overseas Shareholders who shall receive
cash, notwithstanding any election made by them for the Unlisted
Securities Alternative.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements
This announcement, oral statements made regarding the Offer, and
other information published by Sherwood and Source BioScience may
contain certain statements that are or may be forward looking with
respect to the financial condition, results of operations and
business of Source BioScience and certain plans and objectives of
the Source BioScience Board and the Sherwood Board with respect
thereto. These forward looking statements can be identified by the
fact that they do not relate to historical or current facts.
Forward looking statements often use words such as "anticipate",
"target", "expect", "estimate", "intend", "plan", "goal",
"believe", "will", "may", "should", "would", "could" or other words
of a similar meaning. These estimates are based on assumptions and
assessments made by the Source BioScience Board and/or the Sherwood
Board in light of their experience and their perception of
historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments
and other factors they believe appropriate.
The statements contained in this announcement are made as at the
date of this announcement, unless some other time is specified in
relation to them, and service of this announcement shall not give
rise to any implication that there has been no change in the facts
set forth in this announcement since such date. By their nature,
forward looking statements involve risk and uncertainty because
they relate to events and depend on circumstances that will occur
in the future and the factors described in the context of such
forward looking statements in this announcement could cause actual
results or developments to differ materially from those expressed
or implied by such forward looking statements. Although Source
BioScience and Sherwood believe that the expectations reflected in
such forward looking statements are reasonable, neither Source
BioScience nor Sherwood, nor any of their respective associates or
directors, officers or advisers, provides any representation,
assurance or guarantee that the occurrence of the events expressed
or implied in any forward looking statements in this announcement
will actually occur. Other than in accordance with their legal or
regulatory obligations (including under the Listing Rules and the
Disclosure and Transparency Rules of the FCA), neither Sherwood nor
Source BioScience is under any obligation, and Sherwood and Source
BioScience expressly disclaim any intention or obligation to update
or correct the information contained in this announcement and
Source BioScience and Sherwood therefore caution you not to place
undue reliance on these forward looking statements which speak only
as at the date of this announcement.
Disclosure Requirements of the Code
Under Rule 8.3(a) of the Code, any person who is interested in
one per cent. or more of any class of relevant securities of Source
BioScience or of any securities exchange offeror (being any offeror
other than an offeror in respect of which it has been announced
that its offer is, or is likely to be, solely in cash) must make an
Opening Position Disclosure following the commencement of the offer
period and, if later, following the announcement in which any
securities exchange offeror is first identified.
An Opening Position Disclosure must contain details of the
person's interests and short positions in, and rights to subscribe
for, any relevant securities of each of (i) Source BioScience and
(ii) any securities exchange offeror(s). An Opening Position
Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(a) applies must be made by
no later than 3.30 p.m. (London time) on the 10th business day
following the commencement of the offer period and, if appropriate,
by no later than 3.30 p.m. (London time) on the 10th business day
following the announcement in which any securities exchange offeror
is first identified. Relevant persons who deal in the relevant
securities of Source BioScience or of a securities exchange offeror
prior to the deadline for making an Opening Position Disclosure
must instead make a Dealing Disclosure.
Under Rule 8.3(b) of the Code, any person who is, or becomes,
interested in one per cent. or more of any class of relevant
securities of Source BioScience or of any securities exchange
offeror must make a Dealing Disclosure if the person deals in any
relevant securities of Source BioScience or of any securities
exchange offeror. A Dealing Disclosure must contain details of the
dealing concerned and of the person's interests and short positions
in, and rights to subscribe for, any relevant securities of each of
(i) Source BioScience and (ii) any securities exchange offeror(s),
save to the extent that these details have previously been
disclosed under Rule 8. A Dealing Disclosure by a person to whom
Rule 8.3(b) applies must be made by no later than 3.30 p.m. (London
time) on the business day following the date of the relevant
dealing.
If two or more persons act together pursuant to an agreement or
understanding, whether formal or informal, to acquire or control an
interest in relevant securities of Source BioScience or a
securities exchange offeror, they will be deemed to be a single
person for the purpose of Rule 8.3.
Opening Position Disclosures must also be made by Source
BioScience and by any offeror and Dealing Disclosures must also be
made by Source BioScience, by any offeror and by any persons acting
in concert with any of them (see Rules 8.1, 8.2 and 8.4).
Details of the offeree and offeror companies in respect of whose
relevant securities Opening Position Disclosures and Dealing
Disclosures must be made can be found in the Disclosure Table on
the Takeover Panel's website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk,
including details of the number of relevant securities in issue,
when the offer period commenced and when any offeror was first
identified. You should contact the Panel's Market Surveillance Unit
on +44 (0)20 7638 0129 if you are in any doubt as to whether you
are required to make an Opening Position Disclosure or a Dealing
Disclosure.
Information Relating to Source BioScience Shareholders
Please be aware that addresses, electronic addresses and certain
information provided by Source BioScience Shareholders, persons
with information rights and other relevant persons for the receipt
of communications from Source BioScience may be provided to
Sherwood during the offer period as requested under Section 4 of
Appendix 4 of the Code to comply with Rule 2.12(c).
Rounding
Certain figures included in this announcement have been
subjected to rounding adjustments. Accordingly, figures shown for
the same category presented in different tables may vary slightly
and figures shown as totals in certain tables may not be an
arithmetic aggregation of the figures that precede them.
Rule 2.10 Disclosure
In accordance with Rule 2.10 of the Code, Source BioScience
confirms that, as at the date of this announcement, it has
349,292,449 ordinary shares of 2 pence each in issue and admitted
to trading on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange under
the ISIN reference GB0009739649.
Publication on Websites
In accordance with Rule 26.2 of the Code, a copy of this
announcement will be available free of charge (subject to any
applicable restrictions with respect to persons resident in
Restricted Jurisdictions) on the websites of Source BioScience at
www.sourcebioscience.com and Continental at www.continentalip.ch by
no later than 12 noon (London time) on 1 August 2016.
Not for release, publication or distribution, in whole or in
part, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY in, into or from any jurisdiction
(including the united states of america) where to do so would
constitute a violation of the relevant laws or regulations of such
jurisdiction. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONTAINS INSIDE INFORMATION.
29 July 2016
RECOMMED CASH OFFER
FOR
SOURCE BIOSCIENCE PLC
BY
SHERWOOD HOLDINGS LIMITED
TO BE IMPLEMENTED BY MEANS OF A SCHEME OF ARRANGEMENT
UNDER PART 26 OF THE COMPANIES ACT 2006
1. Introduction
The board of directors of Sherwood and the board of directors of
Source BioScience are pleased to announce that they have reached
agreement on the terms of a recommended cash offer to be made by
Sherwood for the entire issued and to be issued ordinary share
capital of Source BioScience. The Offer of 18 pence per Source
BioScience Share values the existing issued ordinary share capital
of Source BioScience at approximately GBP62.87 million.
The Offer is to be implemented by means of a Court-sanctioned
scheme of arrangement pursuant to Part 26 of the Companies Act
2006. The Scheme requires the approval of Voting Scheme
Shareholders at a meeting convened by the Court and the subsequent
sanction of the Court. It is currently expected that the Scheme
Document will be published on or around 17 August 2016, that the
Court Meeting and the General Meeting will be held on or around 9
September 2016 and that the Scheme will likely become effective
shortly thereafter.
The Source BioScience Board has unanimously agreed to recommend
that Source BioScience Shareholders vote in favour of the
resolutions relating to the Proposals at the Court Meeting and the
General Meeting, as each of the directors of Source BioScience who
currently hold Source BioScience Shares intend so to do in respect
of their own beneficial shareholdings (or the shareholdings they
control), amounting, in aggregate, to 4,278,557 Source BioScience
Shares (representing approximately 1.22 per cent. of the existing
issued ordinary share capital of Source BioScience).
The Scheme also includes an Unlisted Securities Alternative,
under which Scheme Shareholders will be entitled to elect, in
respect of all or some of their Scheme Shares, for Sherwood Share
Units in lieu of the Cash Consideration to which they are entitled
in respect of such Scheme Shares under the terms of the Offer,
should they choose so to do. Each Sherwood Share Unit will comprise
one Sherwood Share and one Sherwood PIK Loan Note. The Sherwood
Shares and Sherwood PIK Loan Notes will be unlisted securities and
there are no plans to seek a public quotation on any recognised
investment exchange or other market for the Sherwood Shares and
Sherwood PIK Loan Notes which may be issued to Scheme Shareholders
under the Unlisted Securities Alternative.
The Source BioScience Board has recommended that Source
BioScience Shareholders do not elect for the Unlisted Share
Alternative, unless they are fully cognisant of, and are prepared
to accept, the risks and other investment considerations as set out
in section 3.3, section 5 and section 6 below and have taken
independent advice, appropriate to their own financial
circumstances and investment objectives.
Sherwood is a private limited liability company recently
incorporated in England and Wales. It was established by
Continental and Harwood Capital (on behalf of the Continental
Clients and the Harwood Funds respectively) specifically for the
purpose of making the Offer. Continental, Harwood Capital, the
Continental Clients and the Harwood Funds are deemed to be acting
in concert with Sherwood for the purposes of the Code. Following
implementation of the Proposals, Sherwood will be owned by the
Continental Clients, the Harwood Funds and those Scheme
Shareholders who have validly elected for the Unlisted Securities
Alternative (as described below). Further information on Sherwood
is set out in section 9 below.
2. The Proposals
It is intended that the Offer will be implemented by means of a
Court-sanctioned scheme of arrangement between Source BioScience
and the Scheme Shareholders pursuant to Part 26 of the Companies
Act 2006. The Scheme will be subject to the Conditions set out
below and in Appendix I to this announcement and the full terms and
conditions to be set out in the Scheme Document and the Form of
Election.
If the Scheme becomes Effective, the Scheme Shares will be
transferred to Sherwood and, under the terms of the Offer, Source
BioScience Shareholders on the register of members at the Scheme
Record Time will receive:
for each Scheme Share 18 pence in cash
The Offer values the existing issued ordinary share capital of
Source BioScience at approximately GBP62.87 million and the Offer
Price represents a premium of approximately:
(i) 2.13 per cent. to the Closing Price of 17.625 pence per
Source BioScience Share on 28 July 2016 (being the last Business
Day prior to the date of this announcement);
(ii) 21.0 per cent. to the Closing Price of 14.875 pence per
Source BioScience Share on 2 June 2016 (being the last Business Day
prior to the date of the Possible Offer Announcement); and
(iii) 22.0 per cent. to the volume weighted average price of
14.76 pence per Source BioScience Share for the three months up to
and including 2 June 2016 (being the last Business Day prior to the
date of the Possible Offer Announcement).
3. The Unlisted Securities Alternative
3.1 Terms
Under the Unlisted Securities Alternative, Scheme Shareholders
(other than Restricted Overseas Shareholders) may elect, in respect
of all or some of their Scheme Shares, to receive Sherwood Share
Units in lieu of the Cash Consideration to which they are entitled
in respect of such Scheme Shares under the terms of the Offer on
the following basis:
for each Scheme Share 1 Sherwood Share Unit
The key rights and restrictions attaching to the Sherwood Shares
and key terms of the Sherwood PIK Loan Note Instrument are
summarised in Appendix IV to this announcement.
3.2 Availability
The Unlisted Securities Alternative will only be implemented as
part of the Proposals if the Scheme becomes Effective. The Unlisted
Securities Alternative will also be subject to certain restrictions
as regards Overseas Shareholders as noted in sections 3.4 and 17
below.
3.3 Risk factors
The Source BioScience Board has recommended that Source
BioScience Shareholders do not elect for the Unlisted Share
Alternative, unless they are fully cognisant of, and are prepared
to accept, the risks and other investment considerations as set out
in this section 3.3 and sections 5 and 6 below and have taken
independent advice, appropriate to their own financial
circumstances and investment objectives.
The attention of Source BioScience Shareholders who may be
considering electing for the Unlisted Securities Alternative is
drawn to certain risk factors and other investment considerations
relevant to such an election. These will be set out in full in the
Scheme Document and include, inter alia, the following:
-- Sherwood is an unquoted company and there currently is, and
there is expected to continue to be, no market in Sherwood
Shares;
-- Sherwood has no plans to seek a listing or public quotation
for the Sherwood Shares on any recognised investment exchange or
other market following the Effective Date;
-- Sherwood will not be subject to the disclosure, corporate
governance and shareholder protection requirements of any
recognised investment exchange;
-- the Articles of Sherwood will contain provisions which
restrict the transfer of the Sherwood Shares (these restrictions
are summarised in Appendix IV of this announcement); and
-- Sherwood currently has no intention to pay dividends.
3.4 Securities law restrictions
Sherwood Shares have not been and will not be registered under
the US Securities Act or under the securities laws of any state in
the United States. The Unlisted Securities Alternative is not being
made available to Scheme Shareholders who are Restricted Overseas
Shareholders (which include US Persons). Accordingly, Restricted
Overseas Shareholders shall receive cash notwithstanding any
election made by them for the Unlisted Securities Alternative, and
there shall be no issuance of Sherwood Shares to such Scheme
Shareholders.
Where Sherwood believes that an election for the Unlisted
Securities Alternative by any Scheme Shareholder may infringe
applicable legal or regulatory requirements, or may result in a
requirement for a registration under the US Securities Act, the US
Exchange Act or any other securities laws in the United States, or
the securities laws of any other Restricted Jurisdiction, Sherwood
will have the right to deem that such Scheme Shareholder has not
validly elected for the Unlisted Securities Alternative and such
Scheme Shareholder will instead receive Cash Consideration in
respect of the Scheme Shares which were subject to such an election
in accordance with the terms of the Offer.
3.5 Sherwood Share Units
Each Sherwood Share Unit will comprise 1 Sherwood Share and 1
Sherwood PIK Loan Note.
Sherwood Shares issued pursuant to the Unlisted Securities
Alternative will rank pari passu in all respects with Sherwood
Shares of the same class which are to be subscribed for by certain
of the Continental Clients and certain of the Harwood Funds on or
prior to implementation of the Proposals. Sherwood Shares are
subject to certain transfer restrictions and obligations, including
drag-along and tag-along rights. A more detailed summary of the
rights and restrictions attaching to Sherwood Shares and the
Sherwood PIK Loan Notes is provided in Appendix IV to this
announcement.
4. Reasons for the Offer and future plans for Source BioScience
Sherwood is confident in the overall prospects for Source
BioScience's operating businesses and the laboratory services and
products sector within which it operates, but believes that in
order to maximise its future potential the Company will be better
suited to a private company environment, where, with Sherwood's
support and assistance, management will be able to concentrate on
the more efficient delivery of their medium term business plan,
within a simplified corporate structure, free from the requirement
to meet the public equity market's shorter term expectations.
Sherwood intends to seek to continue to grow the Source
BioScience Group's contracted revenue base and pursue the
identification and development of innovative new or enhanced
services and product offerings, whilst maintaining a tight control
of costs within a simplified corporate structure and eliminating
the regulatory burden, constraints and numerous expenses associated
with maintaining a UK public listing, thereby enhancing value for
its investors in the longer term.
5. Background to and reasons for the recommendation of the Offer
The Board is recommending that Scheme Shareholders accept the
Offer by voting in favour of the Scheme.
The Offer Price at 18 pence represents a premium of 21.0 per
cent. to the closing mid-market price of 14.875 pence per Source
BioScience Share on 2 June 2016, being the last Business Day prior
to date of the Possible Offer Announcement, and a premium of 12.4
per cent. to the 6 month volume weighted average price of 16.01
pence per Source BioScience Share on the same day.
The Board is recommending the Offer because:
-- the Offer provides the certainty of a cash exit for Scheme
Shareholders, which may be attractive given that there remain risks
and uncertainties both with respect to the general macroeconomic
and political environment as well as risks inherent in progressing
the Company's business and delivering its strategy;
-- an element of the Company's growth strategy has been, and
continues to be, investment in acquisitions that are complementary
to the Company's activities and there are risks and uncertainties
in securing further funding to support future acquisitions as part
of this strategy;
-- as a result of the size of the current shareholdings of the
Existing Continental Investors and Existing Harwood Investors in
Source BioScience, in addition to other large blocks held by other
Source BioScience Shareholders, trading in Source BioScience Shares
may become increasingly illiquid;
-- increasing illiquidity may make the Company less attractive
as an investment proposition for institutional investors, making it
more difficult to secure equity funding to support the Company's
growth strategy;
-- at the date of this announcement, the Existing Continental
Investors and Existing Harwood Investors are already interested in
107,957,490 Source BioScience Shares, representing approximately 31
per cent. of the issued share capital of Source BioScience; as a
result, they have the ability to exercise effective control over
Source BioScience and exert significant influence over its future
strategic direction including, but not limited to, using their
voting rights to affect proposals to issue shares, make
acquisitions or establish a dividend policy, thereby impacting
delivery of the Company's strategy; and
-- those Source BioScience Shareholders who choose to elect for
the Unlisted Securities Alternative, as an alternative to the
Offer, will be able to maintain an indirect investment in the
Company, albeit in an unquoted entity likely to be more highly
geared than would be typical for a quoted company and which will be
controlled by the Existing Continental Investors and Existing
Harwood Investors and which will not benefit from the corporate
governance safeguards associated with the requirements of a company
with a premium listing on the Main Market.
The Board has been advised by N+1 Singer that the premium of the
Offer Price calculated by reference to the closing mid-market price
of 14.875 pence per Source BioScience Share on 2 June 2016, the
last Business Day prior to the Possible Offer Announcement, is
below those commonly seen for a cash offer and represents a lower
multiple of earnings than that of other companies identified by N+1
Singer as being broadly comparable to Source BioScience.
Accordingly, N+1 Singer has advised the Board that, in their
opinion, the Offer Price does not fully recognise the potential
value that may or may not be generated if the Company's strategy is
successfully delivered and thus the financial terms of the Offer
are not fair and reasonable. The Board has also been advised by N+1
Singer that the value of the Unlisted Securities Alternative as
attributed to it by the adviser to Sherwood, solely for the purpose
of Rule 24.11 of the Code, does not fully reflect the investment
risks set out in paragraph 3.3 and thus the financial terms of the
Unlisted Securities Alternative are not fair and reasonable. In
providing advice to the Board, N+1 Singer has taken into account
the commercial assessments of the Board.
The Board has confidence in its current strategy and has
considered N+1 Singer's advice. Notwithstanding N+1 Singer's
advice, the Board is recommending the Offer, because:
-- the Existing Continental Investors and Existing Harwood
Investors are significant shareholders in the Company, holding
approximately 31 per cent. of its issued share capital;
-- the Existing Continental Investors have obtained a letter of
intent to vote in favour of the Scheme from other shareholders,
representing 20.49 per cent. of the issued share capital;
-- the Existing Continental Investors made substantial market
purchases of Source BioScience Shares to build their shareholding
during the 6 month period preceding 2 June 2016; these significant
purchases may have impacted the 6 month volume weighted average
price of 16.01 pence per Source BioScience Share on 2 June 2016
with a consequent effect on the premia calculated;
-- the Offer Price represents a premium of 22.0 per cent. to the
volume weighted average price of 14.76 pence per Source BioScience
Share over the three month period to 2 June 2016, the last Business
Day prior to the Possible Offer Announcement, during which time the
Existing Continental Investors and Existing Harwood Investors did
not buy shares as they were restricted from so doing under the
Code; and
-- the Company has not received a meaningful approach from any
third party since commencement of the Offer Period to 28 July 2016,
being the last Business Day prior to the date of this
announcement.
6. Conclusion and recommendation of the Source BioScience Directors
The Board recognises that the Offer may not fully recognise the
potential shareholder value which may, or may not, be generated in
the longer term. The Board also recognises such value may not be
realised given the uncertainties and risks inherent in the
Company's strategy, potential risks to further funding if the Offer
is not accepted by voting in favour of the Scheme and the lack of
any meaningful approach from any third party since the commencement
of the Offer Period to 28 July 2016, being the last Business Day
prior to the date of this announcement.
As such, the Offer gives Shareholders the opportunity to either
realise their investment in Source BioScience in cash, should they
wish to exit, or to maintain an indirect investment in the Company
by electing to receive the Unlisted Securities Alternative.
Therefore, the Source BioScience Directors recommend that
Shareholders accept the Offer by voting to approve the Scheme, as
each member of the Board intends to do in respect of their own
beneficial shareholdings amounting, in aggregate, to 4,278,557
Scheme Shares, representing 1.22 per cent. of the existing issued
ordinary share capital of Source BioScience.
The Unlisted Securities Alternative
Investment in Sherwood by way of election for the Unlisted
Securities Alternative would involve a number of significant risks
as set out in paragraph 3.3 above and to be set out in full in the
Scheme Document, including, but not limited, to:
-- unlike Source BioScience Shares, Sherwood Share Units will
not be listed or traded on the Main Market or any other regulated
exchange or market;
-- the issuer of Sherwood Share Units will not be subject to the
Listing Rules, the Code or the UK Corporate Governance Code or any
similar rules or regulations applying to companies with securities
admitted to or traded on a regulated market or exchange;
-- the Enlarged Group will be controlled by the Harwood Funds and the Continental Clients;
-- further issues of shares in Sherwood may be necessary and may
have a dilutive effect on Sherwood Shareholders;
-- Sherwood Shares are subject to drag-along rights and holders
of Sherwood Shares may therefore be required to sell their Sherwood
Shares at any time. Any proceeds payable to holders of Sherwood
Shares in connection with any such disposal may also be subject to
retention;
-- Sherwood Shares are subject to restrictions on transfer which
may reduce the likelihood of a third party offering to purchase
Sherwood Shares and therefore holders of Sherwood Shares may not be
able to readily crystallise any increase in the value of their
investment; and
-- no dividends or other distributions are currently
contemplated in respect of the Sherwood Shares.
Given these risks, and having been so advised by N+1 Singer, the
Board recommends that Scheme Shareholders do not elect for the
Unlisted Securities Alternative unless they are fully cognisant of,
and are prepared to accept, these risks and other investment
considerations. In any event, Scheme Shareholders are advised to
consider, in light of their own investment objectives and having
taken independent advice appropriate to their own financial
circumstances, whether they wish to elect for the Unlisted
Securities Alternative in respect of all or any of their Scheme
Shares. In providing advice to the Board, N+1 Singer has taken into
account the commercial assessments of the Board.
Further information regarding the Unlisted Securities
Alternative is set out in paragraph 3 above.
Source BioScience Directors who currently hold Scheme Shares,
having taken into account the investment risks referred to above
and their own personal circumstances, intend to elect for Sherwood
Share Units in respect of their holdings of, in aggregate,
1,803,557 Source BioScience Shares.
The Scheme Document, which it is currently expected will be
posted to Source BioScience Shareholders on or around 17 August
2016, will contain, inter alia, details of the Scheme and notices
of the Meetings.
7. Letter of intent and irrevocable undertakings
Continental and Harwood Capital, for the benefit of Sherwood,
have received a letter of intent to vote (or procure the vote) in
favour of the resolutions to be proposed at the Meetings (or, in
the event that the Offer is implemented by way of a Takeover Offer,
to accept, or procure the acceptance of such offer) from Alphagen
Capital Limited (a subsidiary of Henderson Group plc) in its
capacity as discretionary investment manager of funds which, as at
the date of this document, hold, in aggregate, 71,574,319 Ordinary
Shares, representing approximately 20.49 per cent. of Source
BioScience's existing issued share capital.
The Source BioScience Directors who beneficially hold Source
BioScience Shares as at the date of this announcement, namely, Dr
Nick Ash, Dr Nick Leaves and Mr Laurie Turnbull, have irrevocably
undertaken to vote (or procure the vote) in favour of the
resolutions to be proposed at the Meetings (or, in the event that
the Offer is implemented by way of a Takeover Offer, to accept, or
procure the acceptance of such an offer) in respect of their entire
beneficial holdings of Source BioScience Shares, amounting, in
aggregate, to 4,278,557 Source BioScience Shares, representing
approximately 1.22 per cent. of the existing issued ordinary share
capital of Source BioScience. In addition, such Source BioScience
Directors have irrevocably undertaken to elect for, in aggregate,
1,803,557 Sherwood Share Units in respect of their holdings of
Source BioScience Shares.
In addition, pursuant to the terms of the Subscription and
Transfer Agreement and associated irrevocable undertakings, and
subject to the Scheme becoming Effective, the Existing Continental
Investors and the Existing Harwood Investors have irrevocably
agreed to elect to receive up to, in aggregate, 25,457,490 and
40,833,333 Sherwood Share Units respectively, pursuant to the
Unlisted Securities Alternative under the Scheme, in respect of
their existing holdings of Source BioScience Shares. Furthermore,
the Existing Continental Investors and the Existing Harwood
Investors have irrevocably undertaken to vote (or procure the vote)
in favour of the resolutions to be proposed at the General Meeting
in respect of their entire existing holdings of Source BioScience
Shares, amounting, in aggregate, to 107,957,490 Source BioScience
Shares, representing approximately 30.91 per cent. of the existing
issued ordinary share capital of Source BioScience.
No Voting Scheme Shareholder who has entered into a letter of
intent or an irrevocable undertaking with Sherwood is acting in
concert with Sherwood.
Further details of the letter of intent and irrevocable
undertakings received by Sherwood (including the circumstances in
which the irrevocable undertakings will cease to remain binding)
are set out in Appendix III to this announcement.
A copy of the letter of intent and irrevocable undertakings will
be put on display on Source BioScience's and Continental's websites
(www.sourcebioscience.com and www.continentalip.ch) from 12 noon on
1 August 2016 until the Effective Date or, if applicable, the date
on which the Proposals lapse.
8. Information relating to the Source BioScience Group
Incorporated on 14 November 1903, Source BioScience provides
state of the art laboratory services and products to the healthcare
and clinical, life and applied sciences and biopharma industries,
operating ten state of the art facilities in five countries and
with customers in over 50 countries worldwide. The Source
BioScience Group offers a complementary portfolio of laboratory
services and products that share common technologies, laboratory
processes, infrastructure and expertise. These include diagnostics,
DNA sequencing and genomics, analytical and regulated services,
clinical products, life science research reagents and a controlled
environment for a comprehensive range of applications.
In its latest full financial year to 31 December 2015, the
Source BioScience Group achieved total revenue of GBP26.30 million
(2014: GBP25.18 million) and profit before tax of GBP1.98 million
(2014: GBP1.42 million). As at 31 December 2015, total assets were
GBP48.41 million (2014: GBP38.17 million) with net assets of
GBP31.80 million (2014: GBP25.45 million) and net debt of GBP3.71
million (2014: GBP4.28 million).
The total number of Source BioScience Shares in issue as at the
date of this announcement is 349,292,449 and there are
approximately 4,080 registered shareholders. The market
capitalisation of Source BioScience, based on the mid-market price
of a Source BioScience Share of 17.625 pence as at the close of
business on 28 July 2016 (being the last Business Day prior to this
announcement) was approximately GBP61.56 million.
Current trading and prospects
As noted in the Company's AGM statement, the financial year
ended 31 December 2015 was the tenth successive year of improvement
and represented a record performance, demonstrated by the key
financial indicators of operating profit and EBITDA. As also noted
in the AGM statement, the momentum created during 2015 has
continued into 2016 and trading for the early part of 2016
continues to build on the robust operational performance of the
Source BioScience Group.
Further financial and other information on Source BioScience
will be set out in the Scheme Document.
9. Information relating to Sherwood, Continental, the
Continental Clients, Harwood Capital and the Harwood Funds
9.1 Sherwood
Sherwood is a private company incorporated in England and Wales
with limited liability on 8 July 2016 under the registration number
10269474. It was established by Continental and Harwood Capital (on
behalf of the Continental Clients and the Harwood Funds)
specifically for the purpose of making the Offer and implementing
the Proposals.
The current issued share capital of Sherwood comprises two
Sherwood Shares, which are held equally by each of HPE IV and
Protea. Sherwood is to be funded for the purposes of the Offer by
the Subscription and Transfer Agreement and the NASCIT Loan
Agreement details of which are provided in section 11 below.
Sherwood has not traded since its date of incorporation, has
paid no dividends and has not entered into any obligations other
than in connection with the Offer and the financing of the Offer.
The directors of Sherwood are Mr Marco Fumagalli and Mr Carlo
Sgarbi, appointees of Continental and Mr Christopher Mills and Mr
James Agnew, appointees of Harwood Capital. Sherwood does not
currently have any subsidiaries or subsidiary undertakings. Further
information concerning Sherwood will be set out in the Scheme
Document.
Following implementation of the Proposals, Sherwood will be
owned by the Continental Clients, the Harwood Funds and those
Scheme Shareholders who have validly elected for the Unlisted
Securities Alternative.
9.2 Continental Investment Partners S.A.
Continental is a private company incorporated in Switzerland
with limited liability on 4 July 2013 and has been an affiliated
Organismo di Autodisciplina dei Fiduciari del Canton Ticino since
23 May 2014. Continental acts as an investment adviser to its
clients and is focused on private and public equity, real estate
and bond liquidity strategies. Continental is registered in Canton
Ticino with registered number CHE 147 303 365 and its registered
office is at Via Frasca 5, 6900, Lugano (CH). Continental advises,
amongst others, Protea Capital S.A., Spartan Fund Ltd. (SAC) and
Ottotto Srl.
9.3 The Continental Clients
The Existing Continental Investors currently hold, in aggregate,
25,457,490 Source BioScience Shares, representing approximately
7.29 per cent. of the existing issued share capital of Source
BioScience, as set out below:
Shareholder Source BioScience Shares held
-------------- --------------------------------
Number %
Spartan Fund 21,927,490 6.28
Ottotto 3,530,000 1.01
Total 25,457,490 7.29
--------------------- ---------
Brief descriptions of the specific Continental Clients that are
investing in Sherwood are set out below:
Spartan Fund
Spartan Fund is an open-ended International Business Company
incorporated under the laws of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas on
29 June 2015 with registered number B174523, having its registered
office at Equity Trust House, Caves Village, West Bay Street,
Nassau, The Bahamas. The Spartan Fund is registered as a segregated
accounts company under the Segregated Accounts Companies Act 2004
and is licensed as a Professional Fund under the Bahamas Investment
Funds Act 2003 and The Bahamas Investment Funds Regulations. Its
investment objective is to provide professional investors with an
opportunity to seek capital appreciation by investing in a variety
of securities.
Ottotto
Ottotto is a private holding company, incorporated in Italy on
23 September 2009, with VAT Code 06746660965 and registration
number MI - 1912234, whose registered office is at Via Domenico
Trentacoste 9, Milano, 20134. Ottotto is active in making
investments in both public and private companies and in real
estate. It is the private, wholly owned, investment vehicle of an
Italian high net worth individual.
Protea
Protea is a private company incorporated in Luxembourg on 10
February 2015 and has not traded since its date of incorporation.
Its registered office is at 63 Rue du Fossé, L-4123
Esch-Sur-Alzette, Luxembourg and its registration number is
B194938. The three directors of Protea are Messrs Fumagalli and
Sgarbi, the Managing Partners of Continental, and Mrs Valeria
Giraldin (Continental's Administration and Office Manager) and its
current issued share capital is held equally by Messrs Fumagalli
and Sgarbi.
9.4 Harwood Capital LLP
Harwood Capital is a UK limited liability partnership authorised
to conduct investment business by the FCA since 23 September 2003.
Its principal activity is the provision of discretionary investment
management and advisory services. The funds it manages and/or
advises typically take an active interest in the running of the
companies that they invest in with the aim of adding significant
value by changing or improving various aspects of the investee
company's business. As at 31 March 2016, the Harwood Capital
Management Group had approximately GBP1,473 million in funds under
management (including advisory clients), and GBP3,173 million of
funds under management, advice and influence.
9.5 The Harwood Funds
The Existing Harwood Investors currently hold, in aggregate,
82,500,000 Source BioScience Shares, representing approximately
23.62 per cent. of the existing issued share capital of Source
BioScience, as set out below:
Shareholder Source BioScience Shares held
------------- --------------------------------
Number %
NASCIT 32,500,000 9.30
Oryx 50,000,000 14.31
Total 82,500,000 23.62
-------------------- ----------
Brief descriptions of the specific Harwood Funds that are
investing in Sherwood are set out below:
North Atlantic Smaller Companies Investment Trust Plc
NASCIT is a UK investment trust listed on the Main Market of the
London Stock Exchange and a member of the Association of Investment
Companies. Its objective is to provide capital appreciation through
investment in a portfolio of smaller companies principally based in
countries bordering the North Atlantic Ocean. It invests in both
listed and unlisted companies. Mr Mills has been a director of
NASCIT since 1984 and is currently its Chief Executive and
investment manager. He is its largest shareholder being interested
in approximately 25.06 per cent. of its issued ordinary share
capital. Until August 2014, the joint managers of NASCIT were Mr
Mills (through Growth Financial Services Limited of which he is a
director) and Harwood Capital. Following the implementation of the
Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive in July 2014, NASCIT
became a small registered Alternative Investment Fund Manager with
effect from 26 August 2014, such that it now deals with investment
decisions internally. Mr Mills, as Chief Executive, has control of
investment decisions in relation to NASCIT's investment portfolio
subject to oversight by the board of NASCIT.
Oryx International Growth Fund Limited
Oryx is a closed-ended investment company incorporated in
Guernsey and listed on the Main Market of the London Stock
Exchange. It invests in small and mid-size quoted companies in the
United Kingdom and the United States. Mr Mills is a director and
investment manager of Oryx, and Harwood Capital is Oryx's manager
and investment adviser. As at the date of this announcement, Mr
Mills (2.18 per cent.) and NASCIT (47.05 per cent.) were
interested, in aggregate, in 49.23 per cent. of the issued ordinary
share capital of Oryx.
Harwood Private Equity IV L.P.
HPE IV is an English limited partnership incorporated on 9
October 2014 under registration number LP016260. The fund's
commencement date was 12 June 2015 and it has total committed
capital of GBP152.5 million. Harwood Capital is the investment
manager and the fund's objective is to generate high absolute
returns from investing in a portfolio of unquoted small and medium
sized companies across a range of sectors principally in the United
Kingdom. It focuses on leveraged buyouts and similar transactions
including public-to-private investments. NASCIT has committed
GBP40.0 million to the fund representing approximately 26.2 per
cent. of the total commitments.
10. Financing of the Proposals
Strand Hanson, financial adviser to Sherwood, is satisfied that
sufficient financial resources are available to Sherwood to enable
it to implement the Offer in full. Assuming that the Cash
Consideration is payable to all Scheme Shareholders (save for those
Scheme Shareholders who have irrevocably undertaken to elect for
the Unlisted Securities Alternative pursuant to the terms of the
Scheme), full implementation of the Offer would require a maximum
cash payment of approximately GBP50.62 million by Sherwood which
will be funded entirely out of Sherwood's cash resources made
available by way of an unsecured loan of up to GBP15 million from
NASCIT for a fixed term of 120 days and callable on one month's
notice thereafter (unless repaid earlier with the consent of Strand
Hanson) and with an interest rate of 5 per cent. per annum and
subscriptions for Sherwood Share Units by certain of the
Continental Clients and certain of the Harwood Funds pursuant to
the Subscription and Transfer Agreement details of which are
provided in section 11 below.
There is no requirement for any funding from third party
providers of finance to the Sherwood Group.
11. Subscription and Transfer Agreement
Pursuant to the Subscription and Transfer Agreement, HPE IV and
Protea have agreed, inter alia, that they will subscribe for, up to
91,244,446 and up to 106,620,289 Sherwood Share Units respectively
at a price of 18 pence per unit. In addition, Harwood Capital and
Continental have agreed that certain of the other Harwood Funds and
Continental Clients will irrevocably elect to receive, up to in
aggregate, 40,833,333 and 25,457,490 Sherwood Share Units pursuant
to the Unlisted Securities Alternative under the Scheme. Such
subscriptions and elections, alongside the GBP15 million loan
facility from NASCIT (further details of which are set out above)
will ensure that Sherwood has the amount required to satisfy the
maximum aggregate Cash Consideration payable in accordance with the
Scheme. The obligations to subscribe and elect for Sherwood Share
Units is conditional upon the Scheme becoming Effective. The
subscription monies shall be made available no later than seven
calendar days after the date on which the Scheme becomes Effective.
The Source BioScience Directors who are currently interested, in
aggregate, in 4,278,557 Source BioScience Shares have separately
irrevocably undertaken to elect for 1,803,557 Sherwood Share Units
in respect of their holdings of Source BioScience Shares.
The Sherwood PIK Loan Notes have been constituted by the
Sherwood PIK Loan Note Instrument. The notes are unsecured and
carry a coupon of 10 per cent. per annum which will be satisfied by
the issue of additional notes having a nominal value equivalent to
the amount of interest payable. The transfer of any PIK Loan Notes
shall be subject to the transfer provisions in the Articles of
Association of Sherwood.
12. Source BioScience Share Option Schemes
Participants in the Source BioScience Share Option Schemes will
be contacted regarding the effect of the Scheme on their rights
under the Source BioScience Share Option Schemes and appropriate
proposals will be made to such participants in due course.
13. Permitted Offer-related arrangements
On 14 June 2016, Source BioScience, Continental and Harwood
Capital entered into a confidentiality agreement relating to the
proposed Offer, pursuant to which Continental and Harwood Capital
agreed to keep confidential certain information supplied by Source
BioScience for the purposes of considering the proposed Offer.
14. Structure and implementation of the Proposals
Process
It is intended that the Offer and the Unlisted Securities
Alternative will be implemented by means of a Court-sanctioned
scheme of arrangement between Source BioScience and its
shareholders under Part 26 of the Companies Act 2006, the
provisions of which will be set out in full in the Scheme Document.
The purpose of the Scheme, together with the proposed changes to
Source BioScience's Articles, is to provide for Sherwood (and/or
its nominee(s)) to become the owner(s) of the entire issued
ordinary share capital of Source BioScience in issue when the
Scheme becomes Effective. This is to be achieved by the transfer of
the Scheme Shares to Sherwood. In consideration for this transfer,
the holders of Scheme Shares will be entitled to receive the Cash
Consideration on the basis set out in section 2 above and to elect
for the Unlisted Securities Alternative on the basis set out in
section 3 above.
The implementation of the Proposals will be subject to the
satisfaction or waiver of each of the Conditions and the further
terms to be set out in the Scheme Document and the Form of
Election. In particular, the Scheme will require the approval of
Voting Scheme Shareholders by the passing of a resolution at the
Court Meeting. The resolution must be approved by a majority in
number of those Voting Scheme Shareholders present and voting,
either in person or by proxy, at the Court Meeting representing 75
per cent. or more in value of all Scheme Shares voted. The Existing
Continental Investors and the Existing Harwood Investors are not
Voting Scheme Shareholders but will provide letters of confirmation
that they approve and agree to be bound by the Scheme in order to
avoid the need for separate meetings to be held to obtain their
approval. Implementation of the Proposals will also require the
passing of the Special Resolutions to deal with certain ancillary
matters which will require the approval of Source BioScience
Shareholders representing at least 75 per cent. of the votes cast
at the General Meeting.
Following the Meetings, the Scheme will become Effective
following sanction by the Court and delivery of the Scheme Court
Order to the Registrar of Companies. Any Source BioScience
Shareholder is entitled to attend the Scheme Court Hearing in
person or through counsel to support or oppose the sanctioning of
the Scheme.
Upon the Scheme becoming Effective, it will be binding on all
holders of Scheme Shares, irrespective of whether or not, being
entitled to do so, they attended or voted at the Court Meeting
and/or the General Meeting and share certificates in respect of
Source BioScience Shares will cease to be valid and should be
destroyed. In addition, entitlements to Source BioScience Shares
held within the CREST system will be cancelled upon, or shortly
after, the Scheme becomes Effective.
The Scheme will contain a provision for Sherwood to consent, on
behalf of all persons concerned, to any modification of, or
addition to, the Scheme or to any condition that the Court may
approve or impose.
As part of the implementation of the Proposals, it is
anticipated that application will be made to the UKLA for the
cancellation of the listing of Source BioScience Shares on the
premium segment of the Official List and to the London Stock
Exchange for the cancellation of trading of Source BioScience
Shares on the Main Market, in each case to take effect from or
shortly after the Effective Date and that Source BioScience will be
re-registered as a private limited company, as detailed in section
16 below.
Anticipated timetable
Source BioScience currently anticipates that:
(a) it will despatch the Scheme Document, together with the
Forms of Proxy and Form of Election, to Source BioScience
Shareholders and, for information only, to the holders of Options
granted under the Source BioScience Share Option Schemes on or
around 17 August 2016, but in any event within the next 28 days (or
such later date as may be agreed with the Panel);
(b) the Court Meeting and General Meeting will take place on or around 9 September 2016; and
(c) subject to the Scheme becoming unconditional and Effective
in accordance with its terms, the Proposals are expected to become
Effective shortly thereafter, with the consideration being payable
to Source BioScience Shareholders under the Proposals no later than
14 days after the Effective Date.
The timing of events which relate to the implementation of the
Proposals is, however, subject to the approval of the Court and is
therefore subject to change. A full anticipated timetable will be
set out in the Scheme Document.
If the Proposals do not become effective by the Termination
Date, the Proposals will lapse except where the approval of Voting
Scheme Shareholders at the Court Meeting and Source BioScience
Shareholders at the General Meeting is obtained before this date,
in which case the longstop date for the Proposals may be extended
to such later date as Sherwood and Source BioScience may agree and,
if appropriate, the Court may approve.
15. Source BioScience's Directors, management, employees and locations
The Sherwood Directors believe that the Offer, if successfully
completed, will provide a stable and well capitalised future for
Source BioScience. The Sherwood Directors have not sought to create
a new strategic plan for the Source BioScience Group and instead
intend to support Source BioScience's management in continuing to
develop and execute management's existing medium term strategy for
the Source BioScience Group.
Save for simplifying the UK corporate structure, the Sherwood
Directors currently have no intention to change Source BioScience's
principal business locations or to redeploy Source BioScience's
fixed asset base. The Sherwood Directors have given assurances to
the Source BioScience Board that, following the Effective Date, the
existing rights and terms and conditions of employment, including
pension obligations, of the management and employees of Source
BioScience and its subsidiaries will be fully safeguarded.
There are no agreements or arrangements between Sherwood and the
management or employees of Source BioScience in relation to their
on-going involvement in the business and the Offer will not be
conditional on reaching agreement with such persons. It has been
agreed that the appointments of the three non-executive directors
of Source BioScience, being Mr Laurie Turnbull, Mrs Pam Liversidge
OBE and Mr Tim Jackson-Smith, will terminate with effect from the
Effective Date. They will each receive remuneration in line with
the termination provisions of their respective letters of
appointment by way of compensation.
Save as referred to above, the Sherwood Directors do not
currently have any plans to make any other material changes either
to the continued employment or the terms and conditions of
employment of the management and employees of the Source BioScience
Group. Accordingly, the Source BioScience Directors believe that
the prospects of the employees of Source BioScience will not be
adversely affected by the implementation of the Scheme.
Sherwood has not entered into, and is not in discussions on
proposals to enter into, any form of incentivisation arrangements
with members of Source BioScience's management who are interested
in Source BioScience Shares and has no current plans to do so.
Following the Scheme becoming Effective, Sherwood may put in place
incentive arrangements for certain members of the Source BioScience
management team. No proposals have been made on the terms of any
incentive arrangements for relevant managers.
Following the Scheme becoming Effective, Sherwood may, in the
future, invite the Chief Executive Officer or one of the other
executive directors of Source BioScience to join the board of
Sherwood, however no proposals have been made on the terms of any
such potential appointment.
16. Cancellation of listing and admission to trading on the Main
Market and re--registration of Source BioScience as a private
company
Prior to the Scheme becoming Effective, Source BioScience will
make an application to the UKLA for the cancellation of the listing
of Source BioScience Shares on the premium segment of the Official
List and to the London Stock Exchange for the cancellation of
trading of Source BioScience Shares on the Main Market, in each
case to take effect from or shortly after the Effective Date.
On the Effective Date, share certificates in respect of Source
BioScience Shares will cease to be valid and should be destroyed.
Entitlements to Source BioScience Shares held within the CREST
system will be cancelled upon, or shortly after, the Scheme becomes
Effective.
It is also intended that, immediately following the Scheme
becoming Effective, and after the shares in the capital of Source
BioScience have been de-listed, Source BioScience will be
re--registered as a private limited company.
17. Overseas shareholders
The issue of Sherwood Share Units to holders of Scheme Shares in
Restricted Jurisdictions would necessitate compliance with special
requirements under the laws of the Restricted Jurisdictions.
Accordingly, the Unlisted Securities Alternative is not being made
available to Restricted Overseas Shareholders who shall receive
cash, notwithstanding any election made by them for the Unlisted
Securities Alternative.
Source BioScience Shareholders who have registered addresses in
or who are resident in, or who are citizens of, countries other
than the United Kingdom should consult their independent
professional advisers as to whether they require any governmental
or other consents or need to observe any other formalities to
enable them to participate in the Scheme and/or the Unlisted
Securities Alternative. If a Source BioScience Shareholder is in
any doubt as to his or her eligibility to participate in the Scheme
and/or the Unlisted Securities Alternative, he/she should contact
his/her independent professional adviser immediately.
The availability of the Scheme and/or the Unlisted Securities
Alternative to persons resident in, or citizens of, jurisdictions
outside the United Kingdom may be affected by the laws of the
relevant jurisdictions. Persons who are not resident in the United
Kingdom should inform themselves about and observe any applicable
requirements. It is the responsibility of each of the Source
BioScience Shareholders who are not resident in the United Kingdom
to satisfy themselves as to the full observance of the laws of the
relevant jurisdiction in connection therewith, including the
obtaining of any governmental exchange control or other consents
which may be required or compliance with other necessary
formalities which are required to be observed and the payment of
any issue, transfer or other taxes due in such jurisdiction. Any
failure to comply with such applicable requirements may constitute
a violation of the securities laws of any such jurisdictions.
Sherwood Share Units have not been, and will not be, registered
under the US Securities Act or under the securities laws of any
state in the United States. The Unlisted Securities Alternative is
not being made available to Scheme Shareholders who are Restricted
Overseas Shareholders (which includes US Persons). Accordingly,
Scheme Shareholders who are Restricted Overseas Shareholders (which
includes US Persons) shall receive cash notwithstanding any
election made by them for the Unlisted Securities Alternative, and
there shall be no issuance of Sherwood Share Units to such Scheme
Shareholders.
Where Sherwood believes that an election for the Unlisted
Securities Alternative by any Scheme Shareholder may infringe
applicable legal or regulatory requirements, or may result in a
requirement for a registration under the US Securities Act, US
Exchange Act or any other securities laws in the United States, or
the securities laws of any other Restricted Jurisdiction, Sherwood
will have the right to deem that such Scheme Shareholder has not
validly elected for the Unlisted Securities Alternative and such
Scheme Shareholder will instead receive Cash Consideration in
respect of the Scheme Shares which are subject to such an election
in accordance with the terms of the Scheme.
This announcement has been prepared for the purposes of
complying with English law, the Code and the Listing Rules and the
information disclosed may be different from that which would have
been disclosed if this announcement had been prepared in accordance
with the laws of jurisdictions outside England including Section
14(a) of the US Exchange Act.
18. Disclosure of interests in Source BioScience
Save for a total of 107,957,490 Source BioScience Shares held by
the Existing Continental Investors and the Existing Harwood
Investors which represent, in aggregate, approximately 30.91 per
cent. of Source BioScience's issued ordinary share capital (as set
out in section 9 above) and the letter of intent and irrevocable
undertakings referred to in section 7 above, as at the close of
business on 28 July 2016, the latest practicable Business Day prior
to this announcement, neither Sherwood, Continental or Harwood
Capital nor any of the directors or members (as applicable) of
Sherwood, Continental or Harwood Capital, nor so far as the
directors or members (as applicable) of Sherwood, Continental and
Harwood Capital are aware, any person acting, or deemed to be
acting, in concert with Sherwood for the purposes of the Offer
has:
(a) any interest in, or right to subscribe for, any relevant
securities of the Source BioScience Group;
(b) any short positions in respect of any securities of the
Source BioScience Group (whether conditional or absolute and
whether in-the-money or otherwise), including any short position
under a derivative, any agreement to sell or any delivery
obligation or right to require another person to purchase or take
delivery of, relevant securities of the Source BioScience
Group;
(c) borrowed or lent any relevant Source BioScience Group
securities (save for any borrowed shares which have been either
on-lent or sold);
(d) procured an irrevocable commitment or letter of intent to
vote in favour of the Scheme or accept a Takeover Offer in respect
of any relevant Source BioScience Group securities; or
(e) any arrangement in relation to any relevant Source BioScience Group securities.
For these purposes, "arrangement" also includes any indemnity or
option arrangement, any agreement or understanding, formal or
informal, of whatever nature, relating to relevant Source
BioScience Group securities which is, or may be, an inducement to
deal or refrain from dealing in such securities.
19. General
Sherwood reserves the right to elect to implement the
acquisition of the Source BioScience Shares by way of a Takeover
Offer as an alternative to the Scheme. In such event, the Takeover
Offer would be made on a cash only basis (with the consent of the
Panel) but otherwise on substantially the same terms as those which
would apply to the Scheme (subject to appropriate amendments,
including an acceptance condition set at 90 per cent. of the shares
to which such offer relates or such lesser percentage, being more
than 50 per cent., as Sherwood may decide).
The Scheme Document is currently intended to be posted to Source
BioScience Shareholders on or around 17 August 2016 and in any
event within 28 days of the date of this announcement, unless
otherwise agreed with the Panel.
The Scheme will be made on the terms and subject to the
Conditions set out in Appendix I to this announcement and to be set
out in the Scheme Document and the Form of Election. The Scheme
Document will include full details of the Scheme, together with
notices of the Court Meeting and the General Meeting and the full
expected timetable and will be accompanied by Forms of Proxy for
the Meetings and a Form of Election for the Unlisted Securities
Alternative. The Scheme will be subject to the applicable
requirements of the Code, the Panel, the London Stock Exchange and
the FCA.
In deciding whether or not to vote in favour of the Scheme in
respect of their Source BioScience Shares, Voting Scheme
Shareholders should rely on the information contained in, and
follow the procedures described in, the Scheme Document, the Forms
of Proxy and the Form of Election.
20. Documents on display
Copies of the following documents will be made available,
subject to certain restrictions relating to persons resident in any
Restricted Jurisdiction, on Source BioScience's and Continental's
websites at www.source bioscience.com and www.continentalip.ch
respectively by no later than 12 noon (London time) on 1 August
2016 until the end of the Offer Period:
-- this announcement;
-- the letter of intent and irrevocable undertakings referred to
in section 7 above and summarised in Appendix III to this
announcement;
-- the confidentiality agreement entered into between
Continental, Harwood Capital and Source Bioscience, dated 14 June
2016;
-- the Subscription and Transfer Agreement and Loan Agreement
referred to in section 11 above; and
-- the Sherwood PIK Loan Note Instrument referred to in section 11 above.
Enquiries:
Sherwood Holdings Limited Tel: +41 (0) 91 225
Marco Fumagalli, Director 25 60
Christopher Mills, Director
Strand Hanson Limited Tel: +44 (0) 207
(Financial Adviser to Sherwood, 409 3494
Continental and Harwood Capital)
Stuart Faulkner
Matthew Chandler
James Dance
Source BioScience plc Tel: +44 (0) 115
Laurie Turnbull, Chairman 973 9010
Dr Nick Ash, CEO
Nplus1 Singer Advisory LLP Tel: +44 (0) 207
(Financial Adviser and Broker 496 3000
to Source BioScience)
Nic Hellyer
James White
The Proposals will be subject to the Conditions and to the
further terms and conditions to be set out in the Scheme Document.
The Proposals are being made solely through the Scheme Document,
which will contain the full terms and conditions of the Proposals,
including details of how to vote in respect of the Proposals. Any
vote in relation to the Proposals should be made only on the basis
of the information contained in the Scheme Document. Source
BioScience Shareholders are advised to read the Scheme Document
carefully, once it has been despatched.
Strand Hanson Limited, which is authorised and regulated in the
United Kingdom by the Financial Conduct Authority, is acting
exclusively as financial adviser to Sherwood, Continental and
Harwood Capital and no-one else in connection with the Proposals
and other matters described in this announcement and will not be
responsible to anyone other than Sherwood, Continental and Harwood
Capital for providing the protections afforded to clients of Strand
Hanson Limited or for providing advice in relation to the
Proposals, the contents of this announcement or any other matter
referred to herein.
N+1 Singer, which is authorised and regulated in the United
Kingdom by the Financial Conduct Authority, is acting exclusively
as financial adviser and broker to Source BioScience and no-one
else in connection with the Proposals and other matters described
in this announcement and will not be responsible to anyone other
than Source BioScience for providing the protections afforded to
clients of N+1 Singer or for providing advice in relation to the
Proposals, the contents of this announcement or any other matter
referred to herein.
In accordance with Rule 30.2 of the Code, you may request a hard
copy of this announcement (and any information incorporated by
reference in this announcement) by contacting N+1 Singer during
business hours on 020 7496 3000 or by submitting a request in
writing to N+1 Singer at 1 Bartholomew Lane, London EC2N 2AX. It is
important that you note that unless you make a request, a hard copy
of this announcement and any such information incorporated by
reference in it will not be sent to you. You may also request that
all future documents, announcements and information to be sent to
you in relation to the Proposals should be sent in hard copy
form.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT
INTED TO, AND DOES NOT, CONSTITUTE OR FORM ANY PART OF, AN OFFER TO
SELL OR AN INVITATION TO SUBSCRIBE FOR OR PURCHASE ANY SECURITIES
OR THE SOLICITATION OF ANY VOTE OR APPROVAL IN ANY JURISDICTION,
NOR SHALL THERE BE ANY SALE, ISSUANCE OR TRANSFER OF THE SECURITIES
REFERRED TO IN THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IN ANY JURISDICTION IN
CONTRAVENTION OF APPLICABLE LAW.
The availability of the Offer, the Unlisted Securities
Alternative and the release, publication and distribution of this
announcement in jurisdictions other than the United Kingdom may be
restricted by the laws of those jurisdictions and therefore persons
who are not resident in the United Kingdom into whose possession
this announcement comes should inform themselves about and observe
any such restrictions. Failure to comply with any such restrictions
may constitute a violation of the securities laws of any such
jurisdiction. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law,
the companies and persons involved in the Offer disclaim any
responsibility or liability for the violation of such restrictions
by any person. Copies of this announcement and any formal
documentation relating to the Proposals are not being, and must not
be, directly or indirectly, mailed or otherwise forwarded,
distributed or sent in or into or from any Restricted Jurisdiction
and persons receiving such documents (including custodians,
nominees and trustees) must not mail or otherwise forward,
distribute or send them in, into or from any Restricted
Jurisdiction.
This announcement has been prepared for the purpose of complying
with English law, the Code and the Listing Rules and the
information disclosed may not be the same as that which would have
been disclosed if this announcement had been prepared in accordance
with the laws of jurisdictions outside the United Kingdom.
The issue of Sherwood Share Units to holders of Scheme Shares in
Restricted Jurisdictions would necessitate compliance with special
requirements under the laws of the Restricted Jurisdictions.
Accordingly, the Unlisted Securities Alternative is not being made
available to Restricted Overseas Shareholders who shall receive
cash, notwithstanding any election made by them for the Unlisted
Securities Alternative.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements
This announcement, oral statements made regarding the Offer, and
other information published by Sherwood and Source BioScience may
contain certain statements that are or may be forward looking with
respect to the financial condition, results of operations and
business of Source BioScience and certain plans and objectives of
the Source BioScience Board and the Sherwood Board with respect
thereto. These forward looking statements can be identified by the
fact that they do not relate to historical or current facts.
Forward looking statements often use words such as "anticipate",
"target", "expect", "estimate", "intend", "plan", "goal",
"believe", "will", "may", "should", "would", "could" or other words
of a similar meaning. These estimates are based on assumptions and
assessments made by the Source BioScience Board and/or the Sherwood
Board in light of their experience and their perception of
historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments
and other factors they believe appropriate.
The statements contained in this announcement are made as at the
date of this announcement, unless some other time is specified in
relation to them, and service of this announcement shall not give
rise to any implication that there has been no change in the facts
set forth in this announcement since such date. By their nature,
forward looking statements involve risk and uncertainty because
they relate to events and depend on circumstances that will occur
in the future and the factors described in the context of such
forward looking statements in this announcement could cause actual
results or developments to differ materially from those expressed
or implied by such forward looking statements. Although Source
BioScience and Sherwood believe that the expectations reflected in
such forward looking statements are reasonable, neither Source
BioScience nor Sherwood, nor any of their respective associates or
directors, officers or advisers, provides any representation,
assurance or guarantee that the occurrence of the events expressed
or implied in any forward looking statements in this announcement
will actually occur. Other than in accordance with their legal or
regulatory obligations (including under the Listing Rules and the
Disclosure and Transparency Rules of the FCA), neither Sherwood nor
Source BioScience is under any obligation, and Sherwood and Source
BioScience expressly disclaim any intention or obligation to update
or correct the information contained in this announcement and
Source BioScience and Sherwood therefore caution you not to place
undue reliance on these forward looking statements which speak only
as at the date of this announcement.
Disclosure Requirements of the Code
Under Rule 8.3(a) of the Code, any person who is interested in
one per cent. or more of any class of relevant securities of Source
BioScience or of any securities exchange offeror (being any offeror
other than an offeror in respect of which it has been announced
that its offer is, or is likely to be, solely in cash) must make an
Opening Position Disclosure following the commencement of the offer
period and, if later, following the announcement in which any
securities exchange offeror is first identified.
An Opening Position Disclosure must contain details of the
person's interests and short positions in, and rights to subscribe
for, any relevant securities of each of (i) Source BioScience and
(ii) any securities exchange offeror(s). An Opening Position
Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(a) applies must be made by
no later than 3.30 p.m. (London time) on the 10th business day
following the commencement of the offer period and, if appropriate,
by no later than 3.30 p.m. (London time) on the 10th business day
following the announcement in which any securities exchange offeror
is first identified. Relevant persons who deal in the relevant
securities of Source BioScience or of a securities exchange offeror
prior to the deadline for making an Opening Position Disclosure
must instead make a Dealing Disclosure.
Under Rule 8.3(b) of the Code, any person who is, or becomes,
interested in one per cent. or more of any class of relevant
securities of Source BioScience or of any securities exchange
offeror must make a Dealing Disclosure if the person deals in any
relevant securities of Source BioScience or of any securities
exchange offeror. A Dealing Disclosure must contain details of the
dealing concerned and of the person's interests and short positions
in, and rights to subscribe for, any relevant securities of each of
(i) Source BioScience and (ii) any securities exchange offeror(s),
save to the extent that these details have previously been
disclosed under Rule 8. A Dealing Disclosure by a person to whom
Rule 8.3(b) applies must be made by no later than 3.30 p.m. (London
time) on the business day following the date of the relevant
dealing.
If two or more persons act together pursuant to an agreement or
understanding, whether formal or informal, to acquire or control an
interest in relevant securities of Source BioScience or a
securities exchange offeror, they will be deemed to be a single
person for the purpose of Rule 8.3.
Opening Position Disclosures must also be made by Source
BioScience and by any offeror and Dealing Disclosures must also be
made by Source BioScience, by any offeror and by any persons acting
in concert with any of them (see Rules 8.1, 8.2 and 8.4).
Details of the offeree and offeror companies in respect of whose
relevant securities Opening Position Disclosures and Dealing
Disclosures must be made can be found in the Disclosure Table on
the Takeover Panel's website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk,
including details of the number of relevant securities in issue,
when the offer period commenced and when any offeror was first
identified. You should contact the Panel's Market Surveillance Unit
on +44 (0)20 7638 0129 if you are in any doubt as to whether you
are required to make an Opening Position Disclosure or a Dealing
Disclosure.
Information Relating to Source BioScience Shareholders
Please be aware that addresses, electronic addresses and certain
information provided by Source BioScience Shareholders, persons
with information rights and other relevant persons for the receipt
of communications from Source BioScience may be provided to
Sherwood during the offer period as requested under Section 4 of
Appendix 4 of the Code to comply with Rule 2.12(c).
Rounding
Certain figures included in this announcement have been
subjected to rounding adjustments. Accordingly, figures shown for
the same category presented in different tables may vary slightly
and figures shown as totals in certain tables may not be an
arithmetic aggregation of the figures that precede them.
Rule 2.10 Disclosure
In accordance with Rule 2.10 of the Code, Source BioScience
confirms that, as at the date of this announcement, it has
349,292,449 ordinary shares of 2 pence each in issue and admitted
to trading on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange under
the ISIN reference GB0009739649.
Publication on Websites
In accordance with Rule 26.2 of the Code, a copy of this
announcement will be available free of charge (subject to any
applicable restrictions with respect to persons resident in
Restricted Jurisdictions) on the websites of Source BioScience at
www.sourcebioscience.com and Continental at www.continentalip.ch by
no later than 12 noon (London time) on 1 August 2016.
Appendix I
CONDITIONS AND CERTAIN FURTHER TERMS TO THE IMPLEMENTATION
OF
THE SCHEME AND THE PROPOSALS
The Proposals will be conditional upon the Scheme becoming
unconditional and becoming Effective, subject to the Code, by not
later than the Termination Date or such later date, if any, as
Sherwood and Source BioScience may with the consent of the Panel
agree and (if required) the Court may allow.
Part A: Conditions to the Scheme
1. The Scheme will be conditional upon:
(a) approval of the Scheme by a majority in number of the Voting
Scheme Shareholders present and voting, either in person or by
proxy, at the Court Meeting (or at any adjournment of such meeting)
representing not less than 75 per cent. in value of the Scheme
Shares held by such holders;
(b) all resolutions required to implement the Scheme (including,
without limitation, to amend Source BioScience's articles of
association) and set out in the notice of the General Meeting being
duly passed by the requisite majority at the General Meeting (or at
any adjournment of such meeting) and not being subsequently
revoked;
(c) the sanction of the Scheme by the Court (with or without
modification but subject to any modification being on terms
acceptable to Source BioScience and Sherwood); and
(d) an office copy of the Scheme Court Order sanctioning the
Scheme being delivered to the Registrar of Companies.
Part B: Conditions to the Proposals
2. Subject to Part C below, the Proposals will also be
conditional upon the following matters, and, accordingly, the
Scheme Court Order will not be delivered to the Registrar of
Companies unless such Conditions (as amended as appropriate) have
been satisfied (where capable of satisfaction) or waived:
(a) all notifications and filings which are necessary by
Sherwood having been made in connection with the Proposals, all
necessary waiting periods (including any extension to them) under
any applicable legislation or regulations of any jurisdiction
having expired, lapsed or been terminated, all necessary statutory
or regulatory obligations in any jurisdiction having been complied
with and all Authorisations which in each case are necessary by
Sherwood for or in respect of the Offer, its implementation or any
acquisition of any shares in, or control of, Source BioScience or
any member of the Wider Source BioScience Group by any member of
the Wider Sherwood Group having been obtained on terms and in a
form reasonably satisfactory to Sherwood from all Relevant
Authorities or persons with whom any member of the Wider Source
BioScience Group has entered into contractual arrangements (other
than contractual arrangements which have been Fairly Disclosed) in
each case where the direct consequence of a failure to make such
notification or filing or to wait for the expiry, lapse or
termination of any such waiting period or to comply with such
obligation or obtain such Authorisation from such a person would
have a material adverse effect on the Wider Source BioScience Group
taken as a whole, and all such Authorisations, together with all
Authorisations necessary to carry on the business of any member of
the Wider Source BioScience Group, remaining in full force and
effect at the time when the Scheme becomes Effective and there
being no intimation of any intention to revoke or not to renew,
withdraw, suspend, withhold, modify or amend the same in
consequence of the Scheme becoming Effective;
(b) no Relevant Authority having instituted, implemented or
threatened any action, suit, proceedings, investigation, reference
or enquiry, or enacted, made or proposed any statute, regulation,
order or decision, or having taken any other steps or measures that
would or might reasonably be expected to, in any case which would
be material in the context of the Wider Source BioScience Group or
the Wider Sherwood Group, as the case may be, when taken as a
whole:
(i) make the Proposals, their implementation or the acquisition
or proposed acquisition of any shares or other securities in, or
control over, Source BioScience or any member of the Wider Source
BioScience Group by Sherwood or any member of the Wider Sherwood
Group, illegal, void or unenforceable under the laws of any
relevant jurisdiction or otherwise directly or indirectly
materially restrict, restrain, prohibit, delay, frustrate or
interfere in the implementation of or impose additional material
conditions or obligations with respect to or otherwise materially
challenge the Proposals or such proposed acquisition in any case in
a manner which is material in the context of the Wider Source
BioScience Group when taken as a whole (including without
limitation, taking any steps which would entitle the Relevant
Authority to require any member of the Wider Sherwood Group to
dispose of all or some of its Source BioScience Shares or restrict
the ability of any member of the Wider Sherwood Group to exercise
voting rights in respect of some or all of such Source BioScience
Shares);
(ii) require, prevent or materially delay a divestiture by any
member of the Wider Sherwood Group of any shares or other
securities in Source BioScience;
(iii) impose any limitation on, or result in a delay in, the
ability of Sherwood or Source BioScience or any member of the Wider
Sherwood Group to acquire or hold or exercise effectively, directly
or indirectly, any rights of ownership of shares or other
securities in any member of the Wider Source BioScience Group or
voting rights or management control over any member of the Wider
Source BioScience Group;
(iv) require, prevent or delay a divestiture by any member of
the Wider Sherwood Group or the Wider Source BioScience Group of
all or any material portion of their respective businesses, assets
or properties or impose any material limitation on the ability of
any of them to conduct their respective businesses or own their
respective assets or properties;
(v) result in any member of the Wider Source BioScience Group or
the Wider Sherwood Group ceasing to be able to carry on their
business under any name under which it presently does so;
(vi) impose any material limitation on the ability of any member
of the Wider Sherwood Group or of the Wider Source BioScience Group
to integrate or co-ordinate its business, or any part of it, with
the businesses or any part of the businesses of any other member of
the Wider Sherwood Group or of the Wider Source BioScience
Group;
(vii) otherwise affect any or all of the businesses, assets,
prospects or profits of any member of the Wider Sherwood Group or
any member of the Wider Source BioScience Group in a manner which
is material and adverse to the relevant group taken as a whole;
or
(viii) except pursuant to Chapter 3 of Part 28 of the Companies
Act 2006, require any member of the Wider Source BioScience Group
or the Wider Sherwood Group to offer to acquire any shares or other
securities owned by any third party in any member of the Wider
Source BioScience Group by any third party;
and all applicable waiting and other time periods during which
any such Relevant Authority could institute, or implement or
threaten any proceedings, suit, investigation or enquiry or enact,
make or propose any such statute, regulation or order or take any
other such step having expired, lapsed or been terminated;
(c) except as Fairly Disclosed there being no provision of any
Authorisation or other instrument to which any member of the Wider
Source BioScience Group is a party, or by or to which any such
member, or any of its assets, is bound or subject, which could or
might reasonably be expected to as a consequence of the Proposals
or of the proposed acquisition by Sherwood of any shares or other
securities in, or control of, Source BioScience, result, in any
case to an extent which is material in the context of the Source
BioScience Group taken as a whole, in:
(i) any assets or interests of any member of the Wider Source
BioScience Group being or falling to be disposed of or charged, or
any right arising under which any such assets or interests could be
required to be disposed of or charged or could cease to be
available to any member of the Wider Source BioScience Group, other
than in the ordinary course of business;
(ii) any monies borrowed by or other indebtedness or material
liabilities (actual or contingent) of, or any grant available to,
any member of the Wider Source BioScience Group becoming repayable
or being capable of being declared repayable immediately or earlier
than its stated repayment date or the ability of such member of the
Wider Source BioScience Group to incur any indebtedness becoming or
being capable of being or becoming withdrawn or prohibited;
(iii) any such arrangement, agreement, authorisation, lease,
licence, consent, permit, franchise or other instrument being
terminated or materially adversely modified, affected, amended or
varied or any materially adverse action being taken or any onerous
obligation or liability arising thereunder;
(iv) the business or interests of any member of the Wider Source
BioScience Group with any firm, body or person (or any arrangements
relating to such business or interests) being terminated, modified,
affected, amended or varied in any materially adverse manner;
(v) the value of or the financial or trading position or
prospects of any member of the Wider Source BioScience Group being
prejudiced or adversely affected;
(vi) the creation of any liability (actual or contingent) by any
member of the Wider Source BioScience Group other than in the
ordinary course of business;
(vii) any liability of any member of the Wider Source BioScience
Group to make any severance, termination, bonus or other payment to
any of its directors or other officers;
(viii) the creation or enforcement of any mortgage, charge or
other security interest over the whole or any part of the business,
property or assets of any member of the Wider Source BioScience
Group or any such mortgage, charge or security (whenever arising or
having arisen) becoming enforceable; or
(ix) any member of the Wider Source BioScience Group ceasing to
be able to carry on business under any name under which it
currently does so,
and no event having occurred which, under any provision of any
Authorisation or other instrument to which any member of the Wider
Source BioScience Group is a party, or by or to which any such
member, or any of its assets, is bound, or subject, could result,
in any case to an extent which is material and adverse in the
context of the Wider Source BioScience Group taken as a whole, in
any of the events or circumstances as are referred to in items (i)
to (ix) inclusive of this paragraph;
(d) since 31 December 2015 and except as Fairly Disclosed:
(i) no enquiry or investigation by or complaint or reference to
any Relevant Authority against or in respect of any member of the
Wider Source BioScience Group or no criminal proceedings,
litigation, arbitration proceedings, mediation proceedings,
prosecution or other legal proceedings to which any member of the
Wider Source BioScience Group is or may become a party (whether as
plaintiff, defendant or otherwise) having been instituted or
threatened or remaining outstanding against or in respect of any
member of the Wider Source BioScience Group which in any case is
material in the context of the Wider Source BioScience Group taken
as a whole;
(ii) no adverse change or deterioration having occurred in the
business, assets, financial or trading position or profits of any
member of the Wider Source BioScience Group which in any case is
material in the context of the Wider Source BioScience Group taken
as a whole;
(iii) no contingent or other liability having arisen, become
apparent or increased which in any case is material in the context
of the Wider Source BioScience Group taken as a whole; and
(iv) no steps having been taken and no omissions having been
made which are likely to result in the withdrawal, cancellation,
termination or modification of any licence held by any member of
the Wider Source BioScience Group, which is necessary for the
proper carrying on of its business;
(e) since 31 December 2015 and except as Fairly Disclosed,
neither Source BioScience nor any other member of the Wider Source
BioScience Group having:
(i) issued or agreed to issue or authorised the issue or grant
of additional shares of any class, or securities convertible into
or exchangeable for, or rights, warrants or options to subscribe
for or acquire any such shares or convertible securities or
transferred or sold any Source BioScience Shares out of treasury
(save as between Source BioScience and any member of the Wider
Source BioScience Group or between any members of the Wider Source
BioScience Group and save for the issue of Source BioScience Shares
pursuant to the entitlements of participants under the Source
BioScience Share Option Schemes);
(ii) purchased, redeemed or repaid any of its own shares or
other securities or reduced or made any other changes to its share
capital, except in respect of the matters mentioned in Condition
2(e)(i) above;
(iii) recommended, declared, paid or made any dividend, bonus or
other distribution whether payable in cash or otherwise, other than
to Source BioScience or a wholly-owned subsidiary of Source
BioScience;
(iv) save for any transaction between Source BioScience and any
member of the Wider Source BioScience Group or between any members
of the Wider Source BioScience Group, merged with, demerged or
acquired any body corporate, partnership or business or acquired or
disposed of or transferred, mortgaged, charged or created any
security interest over any assets or any right, title or interest
in any assets (including shares in subsidiaries and trade
investments) which in any case would be material in the context of
the Wider Source BioScience Group taken as a whole;
(v) save for any transaction between Source BioScience and any
member of the Wider Source BioScience Group or between any members
of the Wider Source BioScience Group, issued or authorised the
issue of any debentures or incurred or increased any indebtedness
or liability or become subject to a contingent liability which in
any case is material in the context of the Wider Source BioScience
Group taken as a whole;
(vi) entered into, varied or authorised any arrangement,
transaction, contract or commitment other than in the ordinary
course of business (whether in respect of capital expenditure or
otherwise) which is of a long-term, onerous or unusual nature or
which involves or could involve an obligation of a nature and
magnitude which is material in the context of the Wider Source
BioScience Group taken as a whole or is likely to materially
restrict the scope of the existing business of any member of the
Wider Source BioScience Group other than to a nature and extent
which is normal in the context of the business concerned;
(vii) save for any transaction between Source BioScience and any
member of the Wider Source BioScience Group or between any members
of the Wider Source BioScience Group, entered into, implemented,
effected or authorised any merger, demerger, reconstruction,
amalgamation, scheme, commitment or other transaction or
arrangement (other than the Scheme) in relation to itself or
another member of the Wider Source BioScience Group otherwise than
in the ordinary course of business which in any case is material in
the context of the Source BioScience Group taken as a whole;
(viii) otherwise than in the ordinary course of business, waived
or compromised any claim which is material in the context of the
Wider Source BioScience Group taken as a whole;
(ix) taken any corporate action or had any legal proceedings
started or threatened against it for its winding up (whether
voluntary or otherwise), dissolution or reorganisation or analogous
proceedings in any jurisdiction or for the appointment of a
receiver, trustee, administrator, administrative receiver or
similar officer in any jurisdiction of all or any of its assets and
revenues or had any such person appointed which in any case is
material in the context of the Wider Source BioScience Group taken
as a whole;
(x) taken or proposed any steps, corporate action or had any
legal proceedings instituted or threatened against it in relation
to the suspension of payments or a moratorium of any
indebtedness;
(xi) been unable or admitted in writing that it is unable to pay
its debts or having stopped or suspended (or threatened to do so)
payments of its debts generally or ceased or threatened to cease
carrying on all or a substantial part of its business in any case
which is material in the context of the Wider Source BioScience
Group taken as a whole;
(xii) save for any transaction between Source BioScience and any
member of the Wider Source BioScience Group or between any members
of the Wider Source BioScience Group made or authorised any change
in its loan capital which is material in the context of the Wider
Source BioScience Group taken as a whole;
(xiii) save in respect of the resignation of the non-executive
Source BioScience Directors with effect from the Effective Date,
entered into or varied in any material respect the terms of any
letter of appointment or service agreement (as the case may be)
with or relating to any of the executive directors, non--executive
directors or senior executives of Source BioScience or any of the
directors or senior executives of any other member of the Wider
Source BioScience Group;
(xiv) proposed, agreed to provide or modified in any material
respect the terms of any share option scheme, incentive scheme or,
other than in the ordinary course of business, any other benefit
relating to the employment or termination of employment of any
person employed by the Wider Source BioScience Group which in any
case is material in the context of the Wider Source BioScience
Group taken as a whole;
(xv) save as envisaged in the Proposals, made any alteration to
its articles of association or other incorporation or
constitutional documents which is material in the context of the
Offer; or
(xvi) otherwise than in the ordinary course of business entered
into any agreement or commitment or passed any resolution or made
any offer which remains open for acceptance or proposed or
announced any intention with respect to any of the transactions,
matters or events referred to in this paragraph (e);
(f) Sherwood not having discovered that, except as Fairly Disclosed:
(i) any financial, business or other information concerning the
Wider Source BioScience Group disclosed publicly or disclosed to
any member of the Wider Sherwood Group by any member of the Wider
Source BioScience Group at any time is to a material extent
misleading, contains a material misrepresentation of fact or omits
to state a fact necessary to make the information therein not
misleading to a material extent and which was not corrected before
the date of announcement of the Proposals either by public
disclosure through a Regulatory Information Service or by a written
disclosure to the Wider Sherwood Group and which is material in the
context of the Wider Source BioScience Group taken as a whole;
(ii) any member of the Wider Source BioScience Group is subject
to any liability otherwise than in the ordinary course of business,
contingent or otherwise, which is material in the context of the
Source BioScience Group taken as a whole;
(iii) any information which affects the import of any
information disclosed to any member of the Sherwood Group at any
time by or on behalf of any member of the Wider Source BioScience
Group which is material in the context of the Source BioScience
Group taken as a whole;
(iv) any member of the Wider Source BioScience Group has not
complied with any applicable legislation or regulations of any
relevant jurisdiction with regard to the use, storage, transport,
treatment, handling, disposal, release, discharge, spillage, leak
or emission of any waste or hazardous substance or any substance
likely to impair the environment or harm human health, or otherwise
relating to environmental matters or the health and safety of any
person where non compliance would be likely to give rise to any
liability or cost (whether actual or contingent) on the part of any
member of the Wider Source BioScience Group which in any case is
material in the context of the Wider Sherwood Group taken as a
whole;
(v) there has been an emission, discharge, disposal, spillage or
leak of waste or hazardous substance or any substance likely to
impair the environment or harm human health which would be likely
to give rise to any liability or cost (whether actual or
contingent) on the part of any member of the Wider Source
BioScience Group which in any case is material in the context of
the Wider Sherwood Group taken as a whole;
(vi) there is or is likely to be any liability (whether actual
or contingent) to improve or install new plant or equipment or make
good, repair, reinstate or clean up any property now or previously
owned, occupied or made use of by any past or present member of the
Wider Source BioScience Group under any environmental legislation,
regulation, notice, circular or order of any Relevant Authority or
any other person or body in any jurisdiction which in any case is
material in the context of the Wider Sherwood Group taken as a
whole; or
(vii) circumstances exist whereby a person or class of person
would be likely to have any claim or claims in respect of any
product or process of manufacture or materials used therein now or
previously manufactured, sold or carried out by any past or present
member of the Wider Source BioScience Group which in any case is
material in the context of the Wider Sherwood Group taken as a
whole; and
(g) except as Fairly Disclosed, no member of the Source
BioScience Group nor the trustees of any relevant pension scheme
having, since 31 December 2015 (and in each case to an extent which
is material in the context of the Wider Source BioScience Group
taken as a whole):
(i) made or agreed or consented to any significant change (i) to
the terms of any trust deeds constituting the pension schemes
established for the directors or employees (or their dependants) of
any member of the Wider Source BioScience Group, (ii) to the
benefits which accrue, (iii) to the pensions which are payable
thereunder for all members or any category of members, (iv) to the
basis on which qualification for, or accrual or entitlement to,
such benefits or pensions are calculated or determined for all
members or any category of members (including with regard to
commutation factors where employer agreement is required to change
such factors), or (v) to the basis on which the liabilities
(including pensions) of such pension schemes are funded (including
putting in place, agreeing or consenting to technical provisions,
actuarial valuations, statements of funding principles, schedules
of contributions and recovery plans pursuant to Part 3 of the
Pensions Act 2004); or
(ii) established any new pensions arrangements.
Part C: Further terms of the Proposals
3. Sherwood reserves the right to waive in whole or in part all
or any of the above Conditions. The Scheme will not become
Effective unless all of the Conditions have been fulfilled or
waived or, where appropriate, have been determined by Sherwood to
be or remain satisfied by the earlier of (i) 11:59 p.m. on the date
immediately preceding the date of the Scheme Court Hearing, and
(ii) the Termination Date (or such later date as Sherwood or Source
BioScience may agree and the Panel and the Court may allow).
Sherwood shall be under no obligation to waive or treat as
fulfilled any of Conditions 2(a) to (g) earlier than that date,
notwithstanding that other of the Conditions may at an earlier date
have been waived or fulfilled and that there are at such earlier
date no circumstances indicating that any of such Conditions may
not be capable of fulfilment.
4. If Sherwood is required by the Panel to make an offer for
Source BioScience Shares under the provisions of Rule 9 of the
Code, Sherwood may make such alterations to the terms and
conditions of the Offer and/or the Unlisted Securities Alternative
as are necessary to comply with the provisions of that Rule, and
such offer shall be subject to the terms and conditions as so
amended.
5. Sherwood reserves the right to elect (with the consent of the
Panel (if required)) to implement the acquisition of the Source
BioScience Shares by way of a Takeover Offer as an alternative to
the Scheme. Any such Takeover Offer will be subject to an
acceptance condition set at 90 per cent. (or such lesser percentage
(being more than 50 per cent.) as Sherwood may decide) of (i) the
Source BioScience Shares to which such Takeover Offer relates and
(ii) the voting rights normally exercisable at a general meeting of
Source BioScience. Any such Takeover Offer would be made on a cash
only basis (with the consent of the Panel) but otherwise on
substantially the same terms (subject to appropriate amendments) as
those which would apply to the Scheme and in compliance with
applicable laws and regulations. Further, if sufficient acceptances
of such Takeover Offer are received and/or sufficient Source
BioScience Shares are otherwise acquired, it is the intention of
Sherwood to apply the provisions of the Companies Act 2006 to
acquire compulsorily any outstanding Source BioScience Shares to
which such Takeover Offer relates.
6. The availability of the Offer and/or the Unlisted Securities
Alternative to persons not resident in the United Kingdom may be
affected by the laws of the relevant jurisdictions. Persons who are
not resident in the United Kingdom should inform themselves about
and observe any applicable requirements.
7. Under Rule 13.5 of the Code, Sherwood may only invoke a
Condition so as to cause the Scheme not to proceed, to lapse or to
be withdrawn where the circumstances which give rise to the right
to invoke the Condition are of material significance to Sherwood in
the context of the Proposals. The Conditions contained in section 1
above are not subject to Rule 13.5 of the Code.
8. Source BioScience Shares will be acquired pursuant to the
Offer fully paid with full title guarantee and free from all liens,
charges, equitable interests, encumbrances, rights of pre-emption
and any third party interests and other rights of any nature
whatsoever and together with all rights now or hereafter attaching
thereto, including voting rights and the right to receive and
retain in full all dividends and other distributions (if any)
declared, made or paid on or after the date of this
announcement.
9. The Scheme will be governed by English law and be subject to
the jurisdiction of the English courts. The Scheme will be subject
to the applicable requirements of the Code, the Panel, the London
Stock Exchange, the FCA and the UKLA. In addition, it will be
subject to the terms and conditions set out in the Scheme Document
and the Form of Election, including a term that the Offer will
lapse and the Scheme will not proceed if, prior to the date of the
Court Meeting and the General Meeting, there is a CMA Phase 2
Reference or if Phase 2 European Commission proceedings are
initiated or if, following a referral of the Offer by the European
Commission under Article 9(1) of the European Council Merger
Regulation to a competent authority in the United Kingdom, there is
a CMA Phase 2 Reference in respect of the Offer, or any matter
arising from the Offer.
Appendix II
SOURCES OF INFORMATION AND BASES OF CALCULATION
In this announcement, unless otherwise stated, or the context
otherwise requires, the following bases and sources have been
used:
1. The value attributed to the existing issued ordinary share
capital of Source BioScience is based upon the 349,292,449 Source
BioScience Shares in issue on 28 July 2016 (being the latest
practicable date prior to the date of this announcement).
2. The market prices of Source BioScience Shares are closing
middle market quotations derived from the Daily Official List for
the particular date(s) concerned.
3. The volume weighted average price of 14.76 pence per Source
BioScience Share for the three month period up to and including 2
June 2016, is derived from Capital IQ's daily volume weighted
average price data.
4. The volume weighted average price of 16.01 pence per Source
BioScience Share for the six month period up to and including 2
June 2016, is derived from Capital IQ's daily volume weighted
average price data.
5. Unless otherwise stated, the financial information concerning
the Source BioScience Group has been extracted or derived (without
material adjustment) from Source BioScience's audited consolidated
statutory annual report and financial statements for the year ended
31 December 2015.
6. All information relating to Sherwood has been provided by
persons duly authorised by the Sherwood Board.
7. All information relating to Continental and the Continental
Clients has been extracted from published sources and/or provided
by persons duly authorised by Continental and the Continental
Clients.
8. All information relating to Harwood Capital and the Harwood
Funds has been extracted from published sources and/or provided by
persons duly authorised by Harwood Capital and the Harwood
Funds.
9. The maximum Cash Consideration payable under the Proposals is
based on the 349,292,449 Source BioScience Shares in issue on 28
July 2016 (being the latest practicable date prior to the date of
this announcement), adjusted for the fact that Harwood Capital has
agreed that certain of the Existing Harwood Investors will
irrevocably elect to receive, up to, in aggregate, 40,833,333
Sherwood Share Units pursuant to the Unlisted Securities
Alternative under the Scheme and Continental has agreed that
certain of the Existing Continental Investors will irrevocably
elect to receive 25,457,490 Sherwood Share Units pursuant to the
Unlisted Securities Alternative under the Scheme. In addition, the
Source BioScience Directors who currently hold Source BioScience
Shares have irrevocably agreed to elect to receive 1,803,557
Sherwood Share Units in respect of the 4,278,557 Source BioScience
Shares held by them.
Appendix III
DETAILS OF LETTER OF INTENT AND IRREVOCABLE UNDERTAKINGS
1. Letter of Intent
Continental and Harwood Capital, for the benefit of Sherwood,
have entered into a letter of intent with Alphagen Capital Limited
(a subsidiary of Henderson Group plc) in its capacity as
discretionary investment manager of certain funds which hold Source
BioScience Shares, pursuant to which they intend to:
(i) vote (or procure the vote) in favour of the Scheme at the Court Meeting; and
(ii) vote in favour of the resolutions required to implement the
Scheme to be proposed at the General Meeting,
(or, in the event that the Proposals are implemented by way of a
Takeover Offer, to accept or procure acceptance of such offer) in
respect of their own beneficial holdings of Source BioScience
Shares (or holdings over which they have control):
Percentage of existing
Name of Source BioScience Number of Source BioScience Source BioScience issued Percentage of Voting Scheme
Shareholder Shares held or controlled ordinary share capital Shares*
The Alphagen Volantis Fund
Limited 20,189,163 5.78% 8.37%
LMAP Epsilon Fund 10,248,608 2.93% 4.25%
The Citigroup Pension Plan 11,610,617 3.32% 4.81%
Henderson UK Small Cap Best
Ideas Fund 27,665,931 7.92% 11.46%
The Alphagen Volantis
Catalyst Fund II Limited 1,860,000 0.53% 0.77%
Total: 71,574,319 20.49% 29.66%
* - assuming that no Source BioScience Shares are issued prior
to the Court Meeting pursuant to the Source BioScience Share Option
Schemes.
2. Source BioScience Directors' Irrevocable Undertakings
The Source BioScience Directors have entered into irrevocable
undertakings with Continental and Harwood Capital, for the benefit
of Sherwood, as follows:
Number of Source
Number of Source Percentage of BioScience Shares
BioScience Shares in existing Source irrevocably electing
respect of which BioScience issued to receive the
Name of Source undertaking is ordinary share Percentage of Voting Unlisted Securities
BioScience Director given** capital Scheme Shares* Alternative
Dr Nick Ash 500,000 0.14% 0.21% 500,000
Dr Nick Leaves 1,028,557 0.29% 0.43% 1,028,557
Laurie Turnbull 2,750,000 0.79% 1.14% 275,000
Total: 4,278,557 1.22% 1.77% 1,803,557
* - assuming that no Source BioScience Shares are issued prior
to the Court Meeting pursuant to the Source BioScience Share Option
Schemes.
** - the undertakings and the numbers referred to above refer
only to those Source BioScience Shares to which the relevant
director is beneficially entitled and any share such director is
otherwise able to control the exercise of in terms of the rights
attaching to such share, including the ability to procure the
transfer of such share. The numbers referred to in this table
exclude any award that may be outstanding under the Source
BioScience Share Option Schemes, however any such shares awarded
would be included in the scope of the undertakings.
Pursuant to the above, the Source BioScience Directors have
irrevocably undertaken to:
(i) cast, or, where applicable, procure the casting of, all
voting rights attaching to such Source BioScience Shares in favour
of any resolutions required to give effect to the Scheme at the
General Meeting or the Court Meeting and any related matters;
(ii) elect to receive in aggregate 1,803,557 Sherwood Share
Units pursuant to the Unlisted Securities Alternative under the
Scheme in respect of their existing holdings of Source BioScience
Shares;
(iii) if Sherwood exercises its right to structure the Offer as
a Takeover Offer, to accept or procure the acceptance of such
Takeover Offer; and
(iv) not accept any offer made or proposed to be made in respect
of the Source BioScience Shares by any person other than Sherwood,
or, where applicable, to procure that no such offer is
accepted.
These irrevocable undertakings would have ceased to be binding
if this announcement had not been released by 5.00 p.m. (London
time) on 15 August 2016. The irrevocable undertakings will cease to
be binding if the Scheme Document has not been published by 31
August 2016, or if the Scheme does not become Effective by 31
October 2016 or if an announcement is made confirming that Sherwood
will not proceed with the acquisition of the Source BioScience
Shares.
3. The Existing Continental Investors and the Existing Harwood
Investors irrevocable elections for the Unlisted Securities
Alternative
Under the terms of the Subscription and Transfer Agreement and
associated irrevocable undertakings and subject to the Scheme
becoming Effective, Continental and Harwood Capital have agreed
that the Existing Continental Investors and the Existing Harwood
Investors:
(i) will irrevocably elect to receive, up to, in aggregate,
25,457,490 and 40,833,333 Sherwood Share Units pursuant to the
Unlisted Securities Alternative under the Scheme, in respect of
their existing holdings of Source BioScience Shares;
(ii) have irrevocably undertaken to vote (or procure the vote)
in favour of the resolutions to be proposed at the General Meeting
in respect of their entire existing holdings of Source BioScience
Shares, amounting, in aggregate, to 107,957,490 Source BioScience
Shares, representing approximately 30.91 per cent. of the existing
issued ordinary share capital of Source BioScience;
(iii) will, if Sherwood exercises its right to structure the
Offer as a Takeover Offer, accept or procure the acceptance of such
Takeover Offer; and
(iv) will not accept any offer made or proposed to be made in
respect of the Source BioScience Shares by any person other than
Sherwood, or, where applicable, procure that no such offer is
accepted.
The above irrevocable undertakings shall lapse and cease to be
binding if the Scheme lapses or is withdrawn and no new, revised or
replacement Scheme or Offer has been announced, in accordance with
Rule 2.7 of the Code, in its place or is announced, in accordance
with Rule 2.7 of the Code, at the same time.
APPIX IV
SUMMARY OF THE ARTICLES OF SHERWOOD
AND THE SHERWOOD PIK LOAN NOTE INSTRUMENT
A. SHERWOOD'S ARTICLES
1. Share capital
1.1 The share capital of Sherwood comprises ordinary shares of
one pence each ("Sherwood Shares").
1.2 The rights attaching to the Sherwood Shares are set out in section 2 below.
1.3 Sherwood has power to issue redeemable shares and, subject
to the Companies Act 2006, to purchase its own shares.
2. Sherwood Shares
The Sherwood Shares have the following rights:
2.1 Voting
The Sherwood Shares entitle their holders to receive notice of,
attend and vote at all general meetings of Sherwood. On a poll each
Sherwood Share has one vote attached to it.
2.2 Dividends and distributions
The Sherwood Shares confer the right to dividends declared and
other distributions made by Sherwood.
2.3 Return of capital
The Sherwood Shares entitle their holders to receive repayment
of all sums paid up or credited as paid up on the Sherwood Shares
held by them and to participate in any other distributions made by
Sherwood in the context of a winding-up.
2.4 Transfers
Transfers of Sherwood Shares are subject to the restrictions set
out in section 3 below.
2.5 Variation of rights
Section 4 below applies.
3. Transfer of Sherwood Shares
3.1 General restrictions on transfers
Transfers of Sherwood Shares are subject to rights of
pre-emption, except in the case of transfers to permitted
transferees (see section 3.2 below) and transfers pursuant to the
drag along rights (see section 3.3 below) and tag along rights (see
section 3.5 below). Unless otherwise agreed by the board of
Sherwood, no transfer or other dealing in any Sherwood Share shall
occur other than to transfer or deal with the whole interest in the
Sherwood Share with full title guarantee free of encumbrances.
3.2 Permitted transfers
The permitted transferees are:
(a) in the case of a shareholder who is an individual, his or
her spouse, civil partner, widow or widower, children and
grandchildren (including step and adopted children), and step and
adopted children of that shareholder's children, or to a trust or
settlement set up wholly for the benefit of that shareholder and/or
any of those relations, or to the trustees of such a trust or
settlement;
(b) in the case of a shareholder which is a company, any company
which is its ultimate holding company or a subsidiary of such
holding company;
(c) in the case of a shareholder that is an investment fund, any member of the same fund group;
(d) Harwood Capital and/or any Harwood Funds may transfer all of
its Sherwood Shares to Continental and/or the Continental Clients;
and
(e) Continental and/or any Continental Clients may transfer all
of its Sherwood Shares to Harwood Capital and/or the Harwood
Funds.
Where Sherwood Shares have been transferred to a permitted
transferee and that transferee ceases to be a person who would be a
permitted transferee of the transferor, the transferee will be
required to transfer those Sherwood Shares as set out in the
articles of Sherwood.
3.3 Drag along rights
In the event of (i) a permitted transfer as described in
paragraphs 3.2(d) and (e) above, the purchasing shareholder may
require the selling shareholder to transfer all of the Sherwood
Shares held by them; and (ii) any offer being received for the
entire issued share capital of Sherwood and such offer being
accepted by the holders of 66 per cent. or more of the issued
Sherwood Shares ("Accepting Shareholders") the Accepting
Shareholders have the right by notice in writing to the remaining
holders of Sherwood Shares ("Dragged Along Shareholders") to
require the Dragged Along Shareholders to accept the offer and
transfer their shares to the offeror on the same terms as those
applying to the Accepting Shareholders.
3.4 Pre-emption on transfer
Shareholders have rights of pre-emption in relation to the
transfer of Sherwood Shares to persons other than permitted
transferees. If multiple shareholders wish to exercise such rights
the transferred shares shall be divided among them in proportion to
their shareholdings relative to one another.
Unless otherwise agreed in writing by shareholders representing
at least 66 per cent. of the total voting rights attaching to the
Sherwood Shares, all Sherwood Shares which the board propose to
allot wholly for cash shall be offered on identical terms to all
the shareholders in proportion as nearly as may be to the number of
Sherwood Shares held by them respectively.
3.5 Tag along rights
If a sale of Sherwood Shares would result in a person
controlling more than 66 per cent. of the total voting rights at a
general meeting of Sherwood, the transfer will not be valid unless
the transferee offers to purchase all the issued Sherwood Shares at
a price calculated in accordance with the articles of Sherwood.
4. Variation of rights
No variation of the rights attaching to Sherwood Shares is to be
effective without a special resolution of the members of
Sherwood.
5. Alteration of share capital
Sherwood may, subject to the Companies Act 2006, by ordinary
resolution consolidate or subdivide its shares. Sherwood may,
subject to the Companies Act 2006, by special resolution reduce its
share capital, capital redemption reserve or share premium
account.
6. General meetings
Subject to the provisions of the Companies Act 2006, a general
meeting shall be called by not less than 14 clear days' notice in
writing.
The notice must specify the place, day and time of the meeting
and the general nature of the business to be transacted.
Notices shall be given to all members other than any who, under
the provisions of the articles or the terms of issue of the shares
they hold, are not entitled to receive such notice. Each holder of
Sherwood Shares shall be entitled to receive notice of general
meetings of Sherwood.
Each director shall be entitled to attend and speak at any
general meeting.
7. Directors
7.1 Number of directors
The directors shall be not less than two. Harwood Capital and/or
the Harwood Funds shall be entitled to appoint two persons to be
directors of Sherwood and Continental and/or the Continental
Clients shall be entitled to appoint two persons to be directors of
Sherwood provided always that there is an equal number of: (i)
Harwood Capital and/or the Harwood Funds' directors; and (ii)
Continental and/or the Continental Clients' directors.
7.2 Directors' shareholding qualification
A director shall not be required to hold any shares in
Sherwood.
7.3 Appointment of directors
Directors may be elected by Sherwood by ordinary resolution or
be appointed by the board.
The board may from time to time appoint one or more directors to
hold any employment or executive office for such period and on such
terms as they may determine and may also revoke or terminate any
such appointment.
7.4 Retirement of directors
The directors are not required to retire by rotation.
7.5 Vacation of office
The office of a director of Sherwood shall be vacated if:
(a) he resigns;
(b) he is or has been suffering from mental ill health and
either he becomes a patient for the purposes of statutes relating
to mental health or the court makes an order for his detention or
the appointment of a person to exercise powers with respect to his
property or affairs;
(c) he and any alternate appointed by him is absent without the
permission of the board from four consecutive meetings of the
board;
(d) he is unable to pay his debts or compounds with his creditors generally;
(e) he is prohibited or disqualified by law from being a director; or
(f) he is removed from office pursuant to section 168 of the Companies Act 2006.
If the office of a director is vacated for any reason, he shall
cease to be a member of any committee or sub-committee of the
board.
7.6 Chairman's casting vote at directors' meetings
If the numbers of votes for and against a proposal at a meeting
of the board are equal, the chairman or other director chairing the
meeting shall not have a casting vote.
8. Alternate director
Any director may appoint any person to be his alternate and may
at his discretion remove such an alternate director.
9. Proceedings of the board
Subject to the provisions of the articles, the board may
regulate its proceedings as it thinks fit. The quorum necessary for
the transaction of the business of the board shall be two. A
meeting of the board at which a quorum is present shall be
competent to exercise all the powers, authorities and discretions
vested in or exercisable by the board.
The board may appoint a director to be the chairman or a deputy
chairman and may at any time remove him from that office. Questions
arising at any meeting of the board shall be determined by a
majority of votes. All or any of the members of the board may
participate in a meeting of the board by means of a conference
telephone or any communication equipment which allows all persons
participating in the meeting to speak to and hear each other. A
person so participating shall be deemed to be present at the
meeting and shall be entitled to vote and to be counted in the
quorum.
The board may delegate any of its powers, authorities and
discretions (with power to sub-delegate) to any committee,
consisting of at least two directors. The meetings and proceedings
of any committee shall be governed by the provisions contained in
the articles for regulating the meetings and proceedings of the
board so far as the same are applicable and are not superseded by
any regulations imposed by the board.
10. Remuneration of directors
Each of the directors shall be paid a fee at such rate as may
from time to time be determined by the board. Any director who is
appointed to any executive office shall be entitled to receive such
remuneration as the board may think fit. Each director may be paid
his reasonable travelling, hotel and incidental expenses of
attending and returning from meetings of the board, or committees
of the board of Sherwood or any other meeting which as a director
he is entitled to attend, and shall be paid all expenses properly
and reasonably incurred by him in the conduct of Sherwood's
business or in the discharge of his duties as a director.
11. Permitted interests of directors
Subject to the provisions of the Companies Act 2006, and
provided he has declared the nature and extent of any material
interest, a director of Sherwood is not disqualified from his
office from being a party to or interested in any transaction or
arrangement with Sherwood in any manner and any director who is so
interested is not liable to account to Sherwood or the members for
any benefit which he derives from any such transaction or
arrangement.
A director who has declared his interest may vote on and be
counted in the quorum in relation to any resolution of the board
concerning the transaction or arrangement in which he is
interested.
12. Indemnity of directors
Every director is entitled to be indemnified by Sherwood against
any liability incurred by him as a director of Sherwood, including
any liability incurred in defending any proceedings in which
judgment is given in his favour, he is acquitted or in connection
with any application in which relief is granted to him by a court.
Sherwood may purchase and maintain for any director, or officer of
Sherwood, insurance against such liability.
B. SUMMARY OF THE SHERWOOD PIK LOAN NOTE INSTRUMENT
1. Amount
The Sherwood PIK Loan Note Instrument constitutes up to GBP100
million of unsecured Sherwood PIK Loan Notes, issued in amounts of
GBP0.17 or integral multiples of GBP0.17.
2. Status
The Sherwood PIK Loan Notes constitute direct, unconditional,
unsubordinated and unsecured obligations of Sherwood and rank pari
passu with all of the present and future unsecured and
unsubordinated obligations of Sherwood (except as provided by
law).
3. Repayment
The Sherwood PIK Loan Notes are repayable in full at their
principal amount outstanding together with accrued interest on 31
December 2023.
Claims against Sherwood for any cash payment in respect of the
Sherwood PIK Loan Notes will become void unless made within five
years (in the case of interest) from the relevant Interest Payment
Date or within ten years (in the case of principal) from the
relevant early redemption date or the final repayment date as the
case may be.
4. Interest
The Sherwood PIK Loan Notes bear interest at the annual rate of
ten per cent, accruing daily. Interest is payable annually on the
last Business Day of December thereafter. Interest is payable in
kind or, at the discretion of Sherwood, in cash. Interest paid in
kind will be evidenced by additional loan notes and added to the
principal amount.
For so long as any default is occurring under the Sherwood PIK
Loan Note Instrument the annual rate of interest will be increased
by five per cent.
5. Events of Default
An event of default occurs if:
a) Sherwood is in breach of its obligations under the Sherwood
PIK Loan Note Instrument for 21 days;
b) Sherwood becomes insolvent or unable to pay its debts;
c) any steps are taken to start the winding-up of Sherwood; or
d) Sherwood ceases to carry on its business.
Whilst an event of default is continuing, any holder of Sherwood
PIK Loan Notes may by written demand declare those loan notes and
the interest accrued and unpaid thereon payable.
6. Transferability
The Sherwood PIK Loan Notes are transferable in whole or in part
in amounts of GBP0.17 and integral multiples thereof. The Sherwood
PIK Loan Notes can be offered to the public for purchase and are
permitted to be dealt on any recognised stock exchange.
Sherwood may in its reasonable discretion refuse to register a
transfer of a Sherwood PIK Loan Note where the transfer may result
in a material regulatory, pecuniary, legal or taxation disadvantage
for Sherwood or the holders as a whole of the Sherwood PIK Loan
Notes.
Sherwood will not be obliged to take notice of any trust to
which the Sherwood PIK Loan Notes may be subject, and will be
entitled to treat the registered holder of any Sherwood PIK Loan
Notes or his executors or administrators as the absolute owner
thereof.
7. Registration
Sherwood will keep a register of the nominal amount of Sherwood
PIK Loan Notes in issue, the dates of issue, the dates and
particulars of transfers and repayments and purchases thereof, and
the names and addresses of the holders.
8. Modification of rights
Sherwood may not, without prior approval by a resolution
approved by the holders of at least 75 per cent. in nominal value
of the Sherwood PIK Loan Notes:
a) create and issue further loan notes supplemental to the Sherwood PIK Loan Note Instrument; or
b) modify or abrogate any of the rights for the time being
attached to the Sherwood PIK Loan Notes.
APPIX V
DEFINITIONS
The following definitions apply throughout this announcement
unless the context requires otherwise:
"AGM" the Annual General Meeting of Source
BioScience held on 9 June 2016;
"Appendices" the appendices to this announcement;
"Articles" the articles of association of Source
BioScience as at the date of the
Scheme and "Article" shall mean
any article of those Articles;
"Australia" the Commonwealth of Australia, its
states, territories and possessions
and all areas subject to its jurisdiction
or any political subdivision thereof;
"Authorisation" authorisation, grant, order, recognition,
confirmation, lease, arrangement,
consent, licence, clearance, certificate,
permission or approval;
"Board" the board of directors of Source
BioScience or the board of directors
of Sherwood (as the case may be)
and the terms "Source BioScience
Board" and "Sherwood Board" shall
be construed accordingly;
"Business Day" a day (other than a Saturday, Sunday
or UK public holiday) on which clearing
banks in the City of London are
open for the transaction of general
commercial business;
"Canada" Canada, its possessions and territories
and all areas subject to its jurisdiction
and any political sub-division thereof;
"Cash Consideration" the cash consideration due to Source
BioScience Shareholders under the
terms of the Offer;
"certificated" the description of a share or other
or "in certificated security which is not in uncertificated
form" form (that is, not in CREST);
"Closing Price" the closing middle market price
of a Source BioScience Share on
a particular trading day as derived
from the Daily Official List or
from Capital IQ in the case of the
volume weighted average Closing
Price for the three month period
ended 2 June 2016;
"CMA Phase 2 a reference of the Offer to the
Reference" chair of the Competition and Markets
Authority for the constitution of
a group under Schedule 4 to the
Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
Act 2013;
"Code" The City Code on Takeovers and Mergers
issued by the Panel;
"Companies Act the Companies Act 2006 (as amended
2006" from time to time);
"Competition a UK statutory body established
and Markets Authority" under the Enterprise and Regulatory
Reform Act 2013;
"Conditions" the conditions to implementing the
Proposals (including the Scheme)
as set out in Appendix I of this
announcement and to be set out in
the Scheme Document;
"Continental" Continental Investment Partners
S.A., a private company incorporated
in Switzerland with limited liability
on 4 July 2013, which is an affiliated
Organismo di Autodisciplina dei
Fiduciari del Canton Ticino, with
registered number CHE 147 303 365;
"Continental certain investment advisory clients
Clients" of Continental, including Ottotto,
the Spartan Fund and Protea;
"Court" the High Court of Justice in England
and Wales;
"Court Meeting" the meeting of Voting Scheme Shareholders
to be convened by order of the Court
pursuant to section 899 of the Companies
Act 2006 for the purpose of considering
and, if thought fit, approving the
Scheme (with or without amendment),
and any adjournment thereof;
"CREST" the computerised settlement system
(as defined in the CREST Regulations)
operated by Euroclear UK & Ireland
Limited which facilitates the transfer
of title to shares in uncertificated
form;
"CREST Regulations" the Uncertificated Securities Regulations
2001 (SI2001 No. 3755), including
(i) any enactment or subordinate
legislation which amends or supersedes
those regulations and (ii) any applicable
rules made under those regulations
or any such enactment or subordinate
legislation for the time being in
force;
"Daily Official the Daily Official List published
List" by the London Stock Exchange;
"Dealing Disclosure" has the same meaning as in Rule
8 of the Code;
"EBITDA" earnings before interest, taxes,
depreciation and amortisation;
"Effective" the Scheme having become effective
pursuant to and in accordance with
its terms;
"Effective Date" the date on which the Scheme becomes
Effective;
"Existing Continental the clients advised by or otherwise
Investors" associated with Continental which
currently hold Source BioScience
Shares, as detailed in section 9.3
of this announcement;
"Existing Harwood the funds managed and/or advised
Investors" by or otherwise associated with
Harwood Capital which currently
hold Source BioScience Shares, as
detailed in section 9.5 of this
announcement;
"Fairly Disclosed" as publicly announced by or on behalf
of Source BioScience through (i)
a Regulatory Information Service
on or before the date of this announcement
or (ii) the publication of such
information on the main website
maintained by Source BioScience
before the date of this announcement,
or as fairly disclosed by any member
of the Source BioScience Group or
any of its professional advisers,
including any of its legal advisers
and any of its financial advisers,
to a member of the Sherwood Group
or any of its professional advisers,
including to any of its legal advisers
and any of its financial advisers,
before the date of this announcement
(including all matters contained
in the written replies, correspondence,
documentation and information provided
in an electronic data room or sent
to any member of the Sherwood Group
or any of its professional advisers
during the due diligence process
and whether or not in response to
any specific request for information
made by any member of the Sherwood
Group or any of its professional
advisers);
"Financial Conduct the Financial Conduct Authority
Authority" or (formerly the Financial Conduct
"FCA" Authority) in its capacity as the
competent authority for the purposes
of Part VI of the FSMA, including
its successor(s) from time to time;
"Form of Election" the form of election to be sent
to Scheme Shareholders (other than
Shareholders in a Restricted Jurisdiction)
by or on behalf of the Company pursuant
to which a certified Scheme Shareholder
may make an election for the Unlisted
Securities Alternative in respect
of some or all of his Scheme Shares;
"Forms of Proxy" the form of proxy for use at the
Court Meeting and the form of proxy
for use at the General Meeting and
"Form of Proxy" means either of
them;
"FSMA" the Financial Services and Markets
Act 2000 (as amended from time to
time);
"General Meeting" the general meeting of Source BioScience
Shareholders to be convened in connection
with the Proposals, and any adjournment
thereof;
"Harwood Capital" Harwood Capital LLP, a UK limited
liability partnership incorporated
under the Limited Liability Partnerships
Act 2000 with registered number
OC304213;
"Harwood Capital Harwood Capital Management Limited,
Management" a company incorporated in England
and Wales under registration number
7667924 with limited liability having
its registered office at 6 Stratton
Street, London, W1J 8LD;
"Harwood Capital Harwood Capital Management and its
Management Group" subsidiaries;
"Harwood Funds" certain discretionary investment
management and/or advisory clients
of Harwood Capital, including NASCIT,
Oryx and HPE IV;
"HPE IV" Harwood Private Equity IV L.P.,
an English limited partnership incorporated
on 9 October 2014 under registration
number LP016260;
"Japan" Japan, its cities, prefectures,
territories and possessions and
all areas subject to its jurisdiction
or any political subdivision thereof;
"Listing Rules" the listing rules of the UKLA made
under section 74(4) of FSMA, as
amended;
"Loan Agreement" the agreement dated 28 July 2016
and made between NASCIT, Sherwood
and Harwood Capital;
"London Stock London Stock Exchange plc, a public
Exchange" company incorporated in England
and Wales under number 2075721,
together with any successors thereto;
"Meetings" the Court Meeting and the General
Meeting;
"N+1 Singer" Nplus1 Singer Advisory LLP, the
financial adviser and broker to
Source BioScience;
"NASCIT" North Atlantic Smaller Companies
Investment Trust Plc, whose shares
are traded on the main market of
the London Stock Exchange, whose
registered number is 01091347;
"New Zealand" New Zealand, its respective territories
and possessions;
"Offer" the recommended cash offer by Sherwood
for the entire issued and to be
issued ordinary share capital of
Source BioScience on the terms and
conditions to be set out in the
Scheme Document and the Form of
Election including, where the context
so requires, any subsequent revision,
variation, extension or renewal
of such offer;
"Offer Period" the offer period (as defined by
the Code) relating to Source BioScience,
which commenced on 3 June 2016 and
ending on the Effective Date;
"Offer Price" 18 pence per Source BioScience Share;
"Opening Position has the same meaning as in Rule
Disclosure" 8 of the Code;
"Options" subsisting options or awards to
acquire or subscribe for Source
BioScience Shares granted in accordance
with the terms of any of the Source
BioScience Share Option Schemes;
"Oryx" Oryx International Growth Fund Limited,
a closed-ended investment company
incorporated in Guernsey, whose
shares are traded on the main market
of the London Stock Exchange, whose
registered number is GG28917;
"Ottotto" Ottotto Srl, a private holding company
incorporated in Italy on 23 September
2009, with registration number MI-1912234
whose registered office is at Via
Domenico Trentacoste 9, Milano,
20134;
"Overseas Shareholders" Source BioScience Shareholders (or
nominees of, or custodians or trustees
for, Source BioScience Shareholders)
not resident in, or nationals or
citizens of, the United Kingdom;
"Panel" the Panel on Takeovers and Mergers;
"pence", "penny" UK pence sterling, the lawful currency
or "p" of the United Kingdom;
"Possible Offer the announcement of 3 June 2016,
Announcement" released by Continental, regarding
a possible offer for the entire
issued and to be issued share capital
of Source BioScience, in accordance
with Rule 2.4 of the Code;
"pounds" or "GBP" UK pounds sterling, the lawful currency
of the United Kingdom;
"Proposals" the Scheme and the other matters
related to the Scheme to be considered
at the Meetings;
"Protea" Protea Capital S.A., a private company
incorporated in Luxembourg on 10
February 2015, with registered number
B194938 whose registered office
is at 63 Rue du Fossé, L-4123
Esch-Sur-Alzette, Luxembourg;
"Registrar of the Registrar of Companies in England
Companies" and Wales;
"Regulatory Information any information service authorised
Service" from time to time by the FCA for
the purpose of disseminating regulatory
announcements;
"Relevant Authority" any central bank, government or
governmental, supranational, statutory,
regulatory, environmental, administrative,
fiscal or investigative body, court,
trade agency, association, institution,
environmental body, employee representative
body or any other body or person
whatsoever in any jurisdiction;
"Restricted Jurisdiction" United States, Japan, Canada, South
Africa, New Zealand, Australia (or
their respective territories) or
any other jurisdiction where the
relevant actions may constitute
a violation of the relevant laws
and regulations of such jurisdiction
if information concerning the Proposals
is sent or made available to Scheme
Shareholders in that jurisdiction;
"Restricted Overseas a person holding Source BioScience
Shareholders" Shares (including, without limitation,
an individual, partnership, unincorporated
syndicate, limited liability company,
unincorporated organisation, trust,
trustee, executor, administrator
or other legal representative) in,
or resident in, or any person whom
Source BioScience (following consultation
with Sherwood) reasonably believes
to be in a Restricted Jurisdiction
and persons in any other jurisdiction
whom Source BioScience (following
consultation with Sherwood) is advised
to treat as restricted overseas
persons in order to observe the
laws of such jurisdiction or to
avoid the requirement to comply
with any governmental or other consent
or any registration, filing or other
formality which Source BioScience
(following consultation with Sherwood)
regards as unduly onerous;
"Rule" a rule of the Code;
"Scheme" the proposed scheme of arrangement
under Part 26 of the Companies Act
2006 between Source BioScience and
each Scheme Shareholder (the full
terms and conditions of which will
be set out in the Scheme Document),
with or subject to any modification,
addition thereto or condition approved
or imposed by the Court and agreed
to by Source BioScience and Sherwood;
"Scheme Court the hearing by the Court of the
Hearing" petition to sanction the Scheme;
"Scheme Court the order of the Court sanctioning
Order" the Scheme under section 899 of
the Companies Act 2006;
"Scheme Document" the formal document setting out
the full terms and conditions of
the Offer to be posted to Source
BioScience Shareholders and others
containing, inter alia, details
of the Scheme and the notices of
the Meetings;
"Scheme Record means the scheme record time to
Time" be specified in the Scheme Document;
"Scheme Shareholders" the holders of Scheme Shares;
"Scheme Shares" all Source BioScience Shares which
are:
(a) in issue at the date of the
Scheme Document;
(b) (if any) issued after the date
of the Scheme Document but before
the Voting Record Time; and
(c) (if any) issued on or after
the Voting Record Time but prior
to the Scheme Record Time, on terms
that the holder shall be bound by
the Scheme, or in respect of which
the original or any subsequent holder
agrees in writing to be bound by
the Scheme,
which remain in issue at the Scheme
Record Time;
"Sherwood" Sherwood Holdings Limited, a company
incorporated in England and Wales
under registration number 10269474
with limited liability having its
registered office at 50 Broadway,
Westminster, London SW1H 0BL;
"Sherwood Directors" members of the Sherwood board of
directors;
"Sherwood Group" Sherwood and its direct and indirect
holding companies (including, for
the avoidance of doubt, the Continental
Clients and the Harwood Funds);
"Sherwood PIK the instrument constituting the
Loan Note Instrument" Sherwood PIK Loan Notes, executed
by Sherwood on 28 July 2016;
"Sherwood PIK the 10 per cent. fixed rate GBP0.17
Loan Notes" nominal amount unsecured loan notes,
to be issued on the terms of the
Sherwood PIK Loan Note Instrument;
"Sherwood Share units comprising one Sherwood Share
Units" and one Sherwood PIK Loan Note;
"Sherwood Shares" the ordinary shares of 1 pence each
in the capital of Sherwood;
"Source BioScience" Source BioScience plc, a company
or the "Company" incorporated in England and Wales
with registered number 00079136
whose registered office is at 1
Orchard Place, Nottingham Business
Park, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire,
NG8 6PX;
"Source BioScience members of the Source BioScience
Directors" board of directors;
"Source BioScience Source BioScience and its subsidiary
Group" undertakings;
"Source BioScience the share option schemes, operated
Share Option by Source BioScience;
Schemes"
"Source BioScience registered holders of Source BioScience
Shareholders" Shares from time to time;
"Source BioScience ordinary shares of 2 pence each
Shares" in the capital of the Company;
"South Africa" the Republic of South Africa and
its respective territories or possessions;
"Spartan Fund" Spartan Fund Ltd. (SAC), an open-ended
International Business Company incorporated
under the laws of the Commonwealth
of The Bahamas on 29 June 2015 with
registered number B174523, having
its registered office at Equity
Trust House, Caves Village, West
Bay Street, Nassau, The Bahamas;
"Strand Hanson" Strand Hanson Limited, the financial
adviser to Sherwood, Continental
and Harwood Capital;
"Subscription the agreement dated 28 July 2016
and Transfer and made between Sherwood, Harwood
Agreement" Capital, Continental, Protea, Ottotto,
Spartan Fund and NASCIT;
"Takeover Offer" an offer by Sherwood to acquire
the entire issued and to be issued
ordinary share capital of Source
BioScience by way of a takeover
offer under the Code;
"Termination the date 60 days after publication
Date" of the Scheme Document;
"UKLA" the UK Listing Authority, being
the FCA acting in its capacity as
the competent authority for the
purposes of FSMA;
"uncertificated" recorded on the relevant register
or "in uncertificated of the share or security concerned
form" as being held in uncertificated
form in CREST and title to which,
by virtue of the CREST Regulations,
may be transferred by means of CREST;
"United Kingdom" the United Kingdom of Great Britain
or "UK" and Northern Ireland;
"United States", the United States of America, its
"USA" or "US" territories and possessions, any
state of the United States of America,
the District of Columbia and all
areas subject to its jurisdiction
or any political sub-division thereof;
"Unlisted Securities the facility to be provided for
Alternative" in the Scheme whereby a Scheme Shareholder
may elect, in respect of all or
some of their Scheme Shares, to
receive Sherwood Share Units in
lieu of the Cash Consideration to
which they are entitled under the
terms of the Offer;
"US Exchange the US Securities Exchange Act of
Act" 1934, as amended;
"US Person" a US person as defined under Regulation
S including, but not limited to,
any natural person in the United
States;
"Voting Record the date and time specified in the
Time" Scheme Document by reference to
which entitlement to vote at the
Court Meeting will be determined,
expected to be 6.00 p.m. on the
day which is two days before the
date of the Court Meeting or, if
the Court Meeting is adjourned,
6.30 p.m. on the second day before
the date of such adjourned meeting;
"Voting Scheme the holders of Scheme Shares (other
Shareholders" than the Existing Continental Investors
and Existing Harwood Investors who
will each confirm their approval
of, and agreement to be bound by,
the Scheme in letters of confirmation);
"Wider Sherwood the Sherwood Group and associated
Group" undertakings of Sherwood and any
other body corporate, partnership,
joint venture or person in which
members of the Sherwood Group (aggregating
their interests) have an interest
of more than 20 per cent. of the
voting or equity capital or the
equivalent; and
"Wider Source the Source BioScience Group and
BioScience Group" associated undertakings of Source
BioScience and any other body corporate,
partnership, joint venture or person
in which members of the Source BioScience
Group (aggregating their interests)
have an interest of more than 20
per cent. of the voting or equity
capital or the equivalent.
For the purposes of this announcement, "subsidiary", "subsidiary
undertaking", "parent undertaking", "undertaking" and "associated
undertaking" have the respective meanings given thereto by the
Companies Act 2006.
All times referred to in this announcement are London times
unless otherwise stated.
In this announcement, references to the singular include the
plural and vice versa, unless the context otherwise requires and
words importing the masculine gender shall include the feminine or
neutral gender.
All references to legislation in this announcement are to
English legislation unless the contrary is stated. Any references
to any provision of any legislation shall include any amendment,
modification, re-enactment or extension thereof.
END
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
END
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