NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN, INTO OR FROM ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OR REGULATIONS OF SUCH JURISDICTION.
THIS IS AN ANNOUNCEMENT FALLING UNDER RULE 2.4 OF THE CITY CODE ON TAKEOVERS AND MERGERS (THE "CODE") AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN ANNOUNCEMENT OF A FIRM INTENTION TO MAKE AN OFFER UNDER RULE 2.7 OF THE CODE. THERE CAN BE NO CERTAINTY THAT ANY FIRM OFFER WILL BE MADE NOR AS TO THE TERMS ON WHICH ANY FIRM OFFER MIGHT BE MADE.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONTAINS INSIDE INFORMATION WHICH IS NOW CONSIDERED TO BE IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
24 May 2024
Redcentric plc ("Redcentric" or the "Company")
The board of directors of Redcentric (the "Board") notes the recent press speculation and confirms that it is in the early stages of discussions with Wiit SpA, regarding a possible offer for the entire issued and to be issued share capital of Redcentric.
Discussions are at a preliminary stage and there can be no certainty that any offer will be made, nor as to the terms of any such offer.
Under Rule 2.6(a) of the Code, Wiit SpA must by no later than 5.00 p.m. on 21 June 2024, being 28 days after the date of this announcement, either announce a firm intention to make an offer for Redcentric in accordance with Rule 2.7 of the Code or announce that it does not intend to make an offer for Redcentric, in which case the announcement will be treated as a statement to which Rule 2.8 of the Code applies. This deadline will only be extended with the consent of the Takeover Panel in accordance with Rule 2.6(c) of the Code.
As a consequence of this announcement, an 'offer period' has now commenced in respect of the Company in accordance with the rules of the Code and the attention of shareholders is drawn to the disclosure requirements of Rule 8 of the Code, which are summarised below.
A further announcement will be made as appropriate.
Enquiries:
Redcentric plc Tel: +44 (0) 14 2385 0000
Peter Brotherton Peter.Brotherton@redcentricplc.com
David Senior David.Senior@redcentricplc.com
Lazard Tel: +44 (0) 20 7187 2000
Financial adviser to Redcentric
Vasco Litchfield
Nicholas Page
Roman Rudman
Cavendish Capital Markets Limited - Nomad and Broker Marc Milmo / Simon Hicks / Charlie Beeson (Corporate Finance) Andrew Burdis / Sunila de Silva (ECM)
| +44 (0)20 7220 0500 |
Rule 26.1 Disclosure
In accordance with Rule 26.1 of the Code, a copy of this announcement will be available (subject to certain restrictions relating to persons resident in restricted jurisdictions) at www.redcentricplc.com, by no later than 12 noon (London time) on the business day immediately following the date of this announcement. The content of the website referred to in this announcement is not incorporated into, and does not form part of, this announcement.
Rule 2.9 Disclosure
In accordance with Rule 2.9 of the Code, as at the close of business on 23 May 2024 (being the business day prior to the date of this announcement), Redcentric confirms that it had in issue 158,266,731 ordinary shares of GBP 0.1p each with voting rights and admitted to trading on the London Stock Exchange under the ISIN code GB00B7TW1V39.
Disclaimer
Lazard & Co., Limited ("Lazard"), which is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Conduct Authority, is acting exclusively as financial adviser to Redcentric and no one else, in connection with the matters set out in this announcement and will not be responsible to anyone other than the Redcentric for providing the protections afforded to clients of Lazard nor for providing advice in relation to the matters set out in this announcement. Neither Lazard nor any of its affiliates owes or accepts any duty, liability or responsibility whatsoever (whether direct or indirect, whether in contract, in tort, under statute or otherwise) to any person who is not a client of Lazard in connection with this announcement, any statement contained herein or otherwise.
Cavendish Capital Markets Limited ("Cavendish"), which is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the FCA, is acting as nominated advisor and broker to Redcentric and no one else in connection with the matters described in this announcement and will not be responsible to anyone other than Redecentric for providing the protections offered to clients of Cavendish or for providing advice in connection with any matter referred to in this announcement. Neither Cavendish nor any of its affiliates (nor their respective directors, officers, employees or agents) owes or accepts any duty, liability or responsibility whatsoever (whether direct or indirect, whether in contract, in tort, under statute or otherwise) to any person who is not a client of Cavendish in connection with this announcement, any statement contained herein, the Offer or otherwise. No representation or warranty, express or implied, is made by Cavendish as to the contents of this announcement.
Inside information
This announcement contains inside information as defined in the UK version of the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No.596/2014, which is part of UK domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018. Upon the publication of this announcement via a Regulatory Information Service, such inside information will be considered to be in the public domain.
The person responsible for arranging the release of this announcement on behalf of Company is Peter Brotherton.
Disclosure requirements of the Code
Under Rule 8.3(a) of the Code, any person who is interested in 1% or more of any class of relevant securities of an offeree company 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) the offeree company and (ii) any securities exchange offeror(s). An Opening Position Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(a) of the Code applies must be made by no later than 3.30 pm (London time) on the 10th business day following the commencement of the offer period and, if appropriate, by no later than 3.30 pm (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 the offeree company 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 1% or more of any class of relevant securities of the offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror must make a Dealing Disclosure if the person deals in any relevant securities of the offeree company 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) the offeree company and (ii) any securities exchange offeror, save to the extent that these details have previously been disclosed under Rule 8 of the Code. A Dealing Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(b) of the Code applies must be made by no later than 3.30 pm (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 an offeree company or a securities exchange offeror, they will be deemed to be a single person for the purpose of Rule 8.3 of the Code.
Opening Position Disclosures must also be made by the offeree company and by any offeror and Dealing Disclosures must also be made by the offeree company, by any offeror and by any persons acting in concert with any of them (see Rules 8.1, 8.2 and 8.4 of the Code).
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.
Additional information
This announcement is not intended to, and does not, constitute an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to subscribe to buy or an invitation to purchase or subscribe for any securities or the solicitation of any vote in any jurisdiction.
The release, publication or distribution of this announcement in jurisdictions outside the United Kingdom may be restricted by law and therefore persons into whose possession this announcement comes should inform themselves about, and observe such restrictions. Any failure to comply with such restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities law of any such jurisdiction.
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