REG - Onward Opportunities - Issue of Equity

Onward OpportunitiesAnnouncement

07/10/2025 07:00

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RNS Number : 2699C  Onward Opportunities Limited  07 October 2025

The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to
constitute inside information pursuant to Article 7 of EU Regulation 596/2014
as it forms part of UK domestic law by virtue of the European Union
(Withdrawal) Act 2018 as amended. Upon the publication of this announcement
via a Regulatory Information Service, this inside information is now
considered to be in the public domain.

 

7 October 2025

 

Onward Opportunities Limited

("Onward Opportunities" or the "Company")

 

Issue of Equity and Total Voting Rights

 

Subscription to raise £1.5 million

 

Onward Opportunities Limited, the investment company that invests in UK
smaller companies, is pleased to announce that in response to significant
investor demand it has raised gross proceeds of £1.5 million by way of a
direct subscription (the "Subscription"). The Subscription has been made by
new and existing investors with the Company for 1,096,415 new ordinary shares
(the "Subscription Shares") at a price of 136.1 pence per Subscription Share
(the "Subscription Price").

 

The Subscription Price represents a premium of 1.7 per cent. to the Company's
unaudited net asset value per ordinary share as at 30 September 2025 of 133.79
pence per existing ordinary share.

 

In order to facilitate any further demand, the Company may accept further
direct subscriptions with the Company at the Subscription Price prior to 4.30
p.m. on 9 October 2025 and may make a further announcement as appropriate.

 

The Board and Portfolio Manager continue to believe that there are compelling
structural factors underpinning the Company's investment strategy. Prevailing
market conditions create an environment in which the Portfolio Manager has the
ability to generate aggregated portfolio returns in excess of 15.0 per cent
per annum over the long term. The net proceeds of the Subscription, being
approximately £1.45 million, will provide the Company with additional
resources with which to pursue its stated investing policy.

 

Laurence Hulse, Lead Fund Manager of Onward Opportunities Limited, commented:
"The Company was recently recognised with the Best Use of AIM Award 2025, and
this capital raise, our twelfth since launch two and a half years ago,
provides a timely demonstration of that recognition in practice. The proceeds,
together with anticipated additional subscriptions and the Company's recent
investment performance, are expected to grow Onward Opportunities to £40
million in size for the first time, a noteworthy achievement from zero just 30
months ago. Onwards."

 

Application has been made for the Subscription Shares to be admitted to
trading on AIM ("Admission"). Admission is expected to occur at 8.00 a.m. on
or around 14 October 2025 and the Subscription Shares will, on issue, rank
pari passu in all respects with the Company's existing ordinary shares.

 

Related Party Participation in the Subscription

 

Dowgate Wealth Limited (the "Portfolio Manager"), the Company's Portfolio
Manager and a Substantial Shareholder of the Company, has subscribed for
24,500 Subscription Shares. As a result, and on Admission, the members of the
Concert Party in the Company will collectively hold an aggregate of 11,367,704
ordinary shares in the Company, representing 40.1 per cent. of the Company's
enlarged issued ordinary share capital, of which the Portfolio Manager holds
10,001,589 ordinary shares, representing 35.3 per cent. of the Company's
enlarged issued ordinary share capital, on behalf of its discretionary
clients.

 

The Portfolio Manager is deemed a related party of the Company pursuant to the
AIM Rules for Companies (the "AIM Rules") and the Portfolio Manager's
participation in the Subscription constitutes a related party transaction
under Rule 13 of the AIM Rules. The directors of the Company consider, having
consulted with the Company's nominated adviser, that the Portfolio Manager's
participation in the Subscription is fair and reasonable insofar as
shareholders are concerned.

 

Total Voting Rights

 

On Admission, the Company will have a total of 28,347,936 ordinary shares in
issue. No ordinary shares are held in treasury. The figure of 28,347,936 may
be used by the Company's shareholders as the denominator in the calculations
by which they will determine if they are required to notify their interest in,
or a change to their interest in, the Company under the Financial Conduct
Authority's Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules.

 

 FOR FURTHER ENQUIRIES

 Onward Opportunities Limited                                                Tel: +44 (0)20 3416 9143

 Andrew Henton, Chairman                                                     hello@dowgate.co.uk

 Dowgate Wealth Limited (Portfolio Manager)                                  Tel: +44 (0)20 3416 9143

 Laurence Hulse, Lead Fund Manager                                           hello@dowgate.co.uk

 Cavendish Capital Markets Limited (Nominated Adviser and Joint Broker)      Tel: +44 (0)20 7220 0500

 Ben Jeynes - Corporate Finance

 Chris West / Matt Lewis - Sales and Corporate Broking

 Dowgate Capital Limited (Joint Broker)                                      Tel: +44 (0)20 3903 7715

 Russell Cook / Daniel Ingram

To find out more, please visit: www.onwardopportunities.co.uk
(http://www.onwardopportunities.co.uk)

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