EXTENSION TO DEADLINE TO POST SCHEME DOCUMENT
02/05/2023 07:30
For best results when printing this announcement, please click on link below:
http://newsfile.refinitiv.com/getnewsfile/v1/story?guid=urn:newsml:reuters.com:20230502:nRSB0626Ya&default-theme=true
RNS Number : 0626Y Fulham Shore PLC (The) 02 May 2023
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 OF SUCH JURISDICTION
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RECOMMENDED CASH ACQUISITION OF THE FULHAM SHORE PLC ("FULHAM SHORE") BY GREAT
SEA KITCHENS LIMITED ("BIDCO")
EXTENSION TO DEADLINE TO POST SCHEME DOCUMENT
02 May 2023
Following the announcement of the recommended cash acquisition of Fulham Shore
by Bidco on 5 April 2023 (the "Rule 2.7 Announcement"), Fulham Shore announces
that there will be, with the consent of the Panel, a short delay in posting
its Scheme Document to Fulham Shore Shareholders.
Fulham Shore currently anticipates that it will post the Scheme Document to
Fulham Shore Shareholders by mid-May 2023.
Capitalised terms used in this announcement (the "Announcement") have the same
meaning given to them in the Rule 2.7 Announcement, unless otherwise defined
herein.
This announcement has been made with the consent of Bidco.
Enquiries
Fulham Shore Tel: +44 (0) 20 3026 8129
David Page
Nick Wong
Singer Capital Markets (Rule 3 adviser, Nominated Adviser and Broker to Fulham Tel: +44 (0) 207 496 3000
Shore)
Shaun Dobson
James Moat
Asha Chotai
Rothschild & Co (Rule 3 adviser to Fulham Shore) Tel: +44 (0) 207 280 5000
Edward Duckett
Simon Cope-Thompson
Jamie Hutton
Hudson Sandler - Financial PR to Fulham Shore Tel: +44 (0) 207 796 4133
Alex Brennan
Peel Hunt LLP (Financial Adviser to Bidco, TORIDOLL and Capdesia) Tel: +44 (0) 20 7418 8900
Michael Nicholson
George Sellar
Rebecca Bankhead
Important notices
Singer Capital Markets Advisory LLP ("Singer Capital Markets"), which is
authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the FCA, is acting as
financial adviser and nominated adviser to Fulham Shore and no-one else in
connection with the matters described in this Announcement and will not be
responsible to anyone other than Fulham Shore for providing the protections
afforded to clients of Singer Capital Markets nor for providing advice in
connection with the matters referred to herein. Neither Singer Capital Markets
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 Singer
Capital Markets in connection with this Announcement, any statement contained
herein, the Acquisition or otherwise.
N.M. Rothschild & Sons Limited ("Rothschild & Co"), which is
authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the FCA, is acting
exclusively as financial adviser to Fulham Shore and no one else in connection
with the Acquisition or any matters referred to in in this Announcement. In
connection with such matters, Rothschild & Co, its affiliates and its or
their respective directors, officers, employees and agents will not regard any
other person as their client, nor will they be responsible to anyone other
than Fulham Shore for providing the protections afforded to their clients or
for providing advice in relation to the Acquisition, the contents of this
Announcement or any other matter referred to in this Announcement or owe or
accept any duty, liability or responsibility whatsoever (whether direct or
indirect, whether in contract, in tort, under statute or otherwise) to any
person other than Fulham Shore in connection with the matters referred to in
this Announcement, or otherwise.
Peel Hunt LLP ("Peel Hunt"), which is authorised and regulated in the United
Kingdom by the FCA, is acting exclusively for Bidco and for no one else in
connection with the matters referred to in this announcement and will not be
responsible to any person other than Bidco for providing the protections
afforded to clients of Peel Hunt, nor for providing advice in relation to the
matters referred to herein. Neither Peel Hunt 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 Peel Hunt in connection with the matters
referred to in this announcement, or otherwise.
This Announcement is for information purposes only and is not intended to and
does not constitute, or form part of, an offer to sell or an invitation to
purchase any securities or a solicitation of an offer to buy, otherwise
acquire, subscribe for, sell or otherwise dispose of any securities pursuant
to the Acquisition or otherwise, nor shall there be any purchase, sale,
issuance or exchange of securities or such solicitation in any jurisdiction in
which such offer, invitation, solicitation, purchase, sale, issuance or
exchange is unlawful. The Acquisition will be made solely by means of the
Scheme Document (or, if applicable, the offer document containing any Takeover
Offer) and the accompanying Forms of Proxy, which will contain the full terms
and conditions of the Acquisition, including details of how to vote in respect
of the resolutions proposed in connection with the Acquisition. Any approval,
decision in respect of, or other response to, the Acquisition should be made
only on the basis of the information contained in the Scheme Document (or, if
applicable, the offer document containing any Takeover Offer).
This Announcement has been prepared in connection with proposals in relation
to a scheme of arrangement pursuant to and for the purpose of complying with
English law, the Takeover Code and the AIM Rules and 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. Nothing in this Announcement should be relied on for any other
purpose.
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 the
release of this Announcement shall not give rise to any implication that there
has been no change in the facts set out in this Announcement since such date.
Fulham Shore and Bidco urge Fulham Shore Shareholders to read the Scheme
Document when it becomes available because it will contain important
information relating to the Acquisition.
Overseas jurisdictions
The release, publication or distribution of this Announcement in jurisdictions
other than the United Kingdom may be restricted by the laws and/or regulations
of those jurisdictions and therefore persons into whose possession this
Announcement comes who are subject to the laws and/or regulations of any
jurisdiction other than the United Kingdom should inform themselves about and
observe any such applicable restrictions in their jurisdiction. In particular,
the ability of persons who are not resident in the United Kingdom to vote
their Fulham Shore Shares with respect to the Scheme at the Court Meeting, or
to appoint another person as proxy to vote at the Court Meeting on their
behalf, may be affected by the laws of the relevant jurisdiction in which they
are located. Further details in relation to the Overseas Shareholders will be
contained in the Scheme Document. Any 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 Acquisition disclaim any responsibility or
liability for the violation of such restrictions by any person.
Unless otherwise determined by Bidco or required by the Takeover Code, and
permitted by applicable law and regulation, the Acquisition will not be made
available, directly or indirectly, in, into or from a Restricted Jurisdiction
where to do so would violate the laws in that jurisdiction and no person may
vote in favour of the Scheme by any such means from within a Restricted
Jurisdiction or any other jurisdiction if to do so would constitute a
violation of the laws of that jurisdiction. Accordingly, copies of this
Announcement and all documents relating to the Acquisition are not being, and
must not be, directly or indirectly, mailed or otherwise forwarded,
distributed or sent in, into or from a Restricted Jurisdiction where to do so
would violate the laws in that jurisdiction, and persons receiving this
Announcement and all documents relating to the Acquisition (including
custodians, nominees and trustees) must not mail or otherwise distribute or
send them in, into or from such jurisdictions where to do so would violate the
laws in that jurisdiction. If the Acquisition is implemented by Takeover Offer
(unless otherwise permitted by applicable law or regulation), the Takeover
Offer may not be made, directly or indirectly, in or into or by use of the
mails or any other means or instrumentality (including, without limitation,
facsimile, email or other electronic transmission, telex or telephone of
interstate or foreign commerce of, or any facility of a national state or
other securities exchange of any Restricted Jurisdiction) and the Takeover
Offer will not be capable of acceptance by any such use, means instrumentality
or facilities or from or within any Restricted Jurisdiction.
The availability of the Acquisition to Fulham Shore Shareholders who are not
resident in the United Kingdom may be affected by the laws of the relevant
jurisdictions in which they are resident. Persons who are not resident in the
United Kingdom should inform themselves of, and observe, any applicable
requirements.
Further details in relation to Overseas Shareholders will be contained in the
Scheme Document.
Additional information for US investors
Fulham Shore Shareholders in the United States should note that the
Acquisition relates to the securities of a company incorporated in England and
is proposed to be effected by means of a scheme of arrangement under the laws
of England and Wales. This Announcement, the Scheme Document and certain other
documents relating to the Acquisition have been or will be prepared in
accordance with English law, the Takeover Code and UK disclosure requirements,
format and style, all of which differ from those in the United States. A
transaction effected by means of a scheme of arrangement is not subject to the
tender offer rules or the proxy solicitation rules under the US Exchange Act.
Accordingly, the Acquisition is subject to the disclosure requirements of and
practices applicable in the United Kingdom to schemes of arrangement, which
differ from the disclosure requirements of the United States tender offer and
proxy solicitation rules. If, in the future, Bidco exercises the right to
implement the Acquisition by way of a Takeover Offer and determines to extend
the offer into the United States, the Acquisition will be made in compliance
with applicable United States laws and regulations, including any applicable
exemptions under the US Exchange Act.
Fulham Shore's financial statements, and all financial information that is
included in this Announcement or that may be included in the Scheme Document,
or any other documents relating to the Acquisition, have been or will be
prepared in accordance with IFRS and may not be comparable to financial
statements of companies in the United States or other companies whose
financial statements are prepared in accordance with US generally accepted
accounting principles.
The receipt of cash pursuant to the Acquisition by a US holder as
consideration for the transfer of its Fulham Shore Shares pursuant to the
Scheme will likely be a taxable transaction for United States federal income
tax purposes and under applicable United States state and local, as well as
foreign and other, tax laws. Each Fulham Shore Shareholder is urged to consult
his independent professional adviser immediately regarding the tax
consequences of the Acquisition applicable to him.
It may be difficult for US holders to enforce their rights and claims arising
out of US federal securities laws, since Bidco and Fulham Shore are located in
countries other than the US, and some or all of their officers and directors
may be residents of countries other than the US. US holders may not be able to
sue a non-US company or its officers or directors in a non-US court for
violations of US securities laws. Further, it may be difficult to compel a
non-US company and its affiliates to subject themselves to a US court's
judgement.
In accordance with normal practice in the UK and consistent with Rule 14e-5(b)
of the US Exchange Act, Bidco, certain affiliated companies and their nominees
or brokers (acting as agents) may make certain purchases of, or arrangements
to purchase, shares in Fulham Shore outside the US, other than pursuant to the
Acquisition, until the date on which the Acquisition and/or Scheme becomes
Effective, lapses or is otherwise withdrawn. If such purchases or arrangements
to purchase were to be made they would occur either in the open market at
prevailing prices or in private transactions at negotiated prices and comply
with applicable law, including the US Exchange Act. Any information about such
purchases or arrangements to purchase will be disclosed as required in the
United Kingdom, will be reported to a Regulatory Information Service and will
be available on the London Stock Exchange website
at www.londonstockexchange.com (http://www.londonstockexchange.com/) .
Forward-looking statements
This Announcement (including information incorporated by reference in this
Announcement), oral statements made regarding the Acquisition, and other
information published by Bidco, TORIDOLL Group or Fulham Shore contain
statements about Bidco, TORIDOLL Group and/or Fulham Shore that are or may be
deemed to be forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements
of historical facts included in this Announcement may be forward-looking
statements. Without limitation, any statements preceded or followed by or that
include the words "targets", "plans", "believes", "expects", "aims",
"intends", "will", "may", "anticipates", "estimates", "hopes" "projects",
"continue", "schedule" or words or terms of similar substance or the negative
thereof, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include
statements relating to the following: (i) future capital expenditures,
expenses, revenues, earnings, synergies, economic performance, indebtedness,
financial condition, dividend policy, losses and future prospects; (ii)
business and management strategies and the expansion and growth of Bidco's,
TORIDOLL Group's or Fulham Shore's operations and potential synergies
resulting from the Acquisition; and (iii) the effects of government regulation
on Bidco's, TORIDOLL Group's or Fulham Shore's business.
These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. By
their nature, such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks
and uncertainties that could significantly affect expected results and are
based on certain key assumptions. Many factors could cause actual results to
differ materially from those projected or implied in any forward-looking
statements. Many of these risks and uncertainties relate to factors that are
beyond the entities' ability to control or estimate precisely. These factors
include, but are not limited to, the satisfaction of the conditions to the
Acquisition, as well as additional factors, such as changes in political and
economic conditions, changes in the level of capital investment, retention of
key employees, changes in customer habits, success of business and operating
initiatives and restructuring objectives, impact of any acquisitions or
similar transactions, changes in customers' strategies and stability,
competitive product and pricing measures, changes in the regulatory
environment, fluctuations of interest and exchange rates, the outcome of any
litigation. For a discussion of important factors which could cause actual
results to differ from forward-looking statements in relation to the Fulham
Shore Group, refer to the annual report for Fulham Shore for the financial
year ended 27 March 2022. Neither Bidco, TORIDOLL Group or Fulham Shore, 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. Due to such uncertainties and risks, readers
are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements,
which speak only as of the date of this Announcement. All subsequent oral or
written forward-looking statements attributable to Bidco, TORIDOLL Group or
Fulham Shore or any of their respective members, directors, officers or
employees or any persons acting on their behalf are expressly qualified in
their entirety by the cautionary statement above. Bidco, TORIDOLL Group and
Fulham Shore disclaim any obligation to update any forward-looking or other
statements contained in this Announcement, except as required by applicable
law.
No profit forecasts or estimates
No statement in this Announcement is intended as a profit forecast or estimate
for any period and no statement in this Announcement should be interpreted to
mean that earnings or earnings per share for Fulham Shore for the current or
future financial years would necessarily match or exceed the historical
published earnings or earnings per share for Fulham Shore.
Disclosure requirements of the Takeover Code (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) 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(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 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.
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).
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 (http://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.
Publication of this Announcement on website
A copy of this Announcement and the documents required to be published
pursuant to Rules 26.1 and 26.2 of the Takeover Code will be available, free
of charge, subject to certain restrictions relating to persons resident in
Restricted Jurisdictions, on Fulham Shore's website at
https://announcement.fulhamshore.com/ (https://announcement.fulhamshore.com/)
and on TORIDOLL's website at https://www.toridoll.com/ir/announcement/
(https://www.toridoll.com/ir/announcement/) by no later than 12:00 p.m. on the
Business Day following this Announcement.
In accordance with Rule 30.3 of the Takeover Code, Fulham Shore Shareholders,
persons with information rights and participants in Fulham Shore Share Plans
may request a hard copy of this announcement by contacting Fulham Shore's
registrars, Computershare Investor Services, or by calling 0370 703 6004 or
from overseas +44 (0)370 703 6004. Calls are charged at the standard
geographical rate and will vary by provider. Calls outside the United Kingdom
will be charged at the applicable international rate. Lines are open between
8.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. (London time), Monday to Friday (except public holidays
in England and Wales). Please note that Computershare Limited cannot provide
any financial, legal or tax advice. Calls may be recorded and monitored for
security and training purposes. For persons who receive a copy of this
announcement in electronic form or via a website notification, a hard copy of
this announcement will not be sent unless so requested. Such persons may also
request that all future documents, announcements and information to be sent to
them in relation to the Acquisition should be in hard copy form.
For the avoidance of doubt, the contents of this website and any websites
accessible from hyperlinks on this website are not incorporated into and do
not form part of this Announcement.
Information relating to Fulham Shore Shareholders
Please be aware that addresses, electronic addresses and certain information
provided by Fulham Shore Shareholders, persons with information rights and
other relevant persons for the receipt of communications from Fulham Shore may
be provided to Bidco during the Offer Period as required under Section 4 of
Appendix 4 of the Takeover Code to comply with Rule 2.11(c) of the Takeover
Code.
Right to receive documents in hard copy form
Any person entitled to receive a copy of documents, announcements and
information relating to the Acquisition is entitled to receive such documents
in hard copy form free of charge. A person may also request that all future
documents, announcements and information in relation to the Acquisition are
sent to them in hard copy form. Hard copies of such documents, announcements
(including this Announcement), and information will not be sent unless
requested.
A hard copy of this Announcement may be requested by contacting Computershare
Investor Services on 0370 703 6004 or from outside of the United
Kingdom +44 (0)370 703 6004. Calls outside the United Kingdom will be
charged at the applicable international rate. Lines are open between 8.30 am -
5.30 pm, Monday to Friday excluding public holidays in England and Wales.
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 exact arithmetic aggregation of the figures that precede
them.
This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact
rns@lseg.com (mailto:rns@lseg.com)
or visit
www.rns.com (http://www.rns.com/)
.
RNS may use your IP address to confirm compliance with the terms and conditions, to analyse how you engage with the information contained in this communication, and to share such analysis on an anonymised basis with others as part of our commercial services. For further information about how RNS and the London Stock Exchange use the personal data you provide us, please see our
Privacy Policy (https://www.lseg.com/privacy-and-cookie-policy)
. END SOAUUANROBUVRRR