Bgeo Group PLC JSC Bank of Georgia debt issuance (2066G)

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RNS Number : 2066G

Bgeo Group PLC

25 May 2017

NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN OR INTO, OR TO ANY PERSON LOCATED OR RESIDENT IN, ANY JURISDICTION WHERE IT IS UNLAWFUL TO RELEASE, PUBLISH OR DISTRIBUTE THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. IN PARTICULAR, NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN OR INTO, OR TO ANY PERSON LOCATED OR RESIDENT IN, THE UNITED STATES, ITS TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS, ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES OR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA (THE "UNITED STATES") OR TO ANY U.S. PERSON (AS DEFINED IN REGULATION S UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED).

25 May 2017

JSC BANK OF GEORGIA ANNOUNCES ISSUANCE OF GEL 500,000,000 11.00% NOTES DUE 2020

On Wednesday May 24, BGEO Group PLC's banking business subsidiary, JSC Bank of Georgia (the Bank) successfully priced an inaugural GEL 500 million offering of 11.00% notes due June 2020 (the Notes). The Notes are denominated in GEL and are expected to settle on 1 June 2017. The Reg S/ Rule 144A senior unsecured Notes are being issued and sold at an issue price of 100.00%. J.P. Morgan and Renaissance Capital are acting as Joint Bookrunners for the Notes, and Galt & Taggart is acting as a Co-Manager. Dechert LLP and Baker & McKenzie LLP are acting as legal advisors to the Joint Bookrunners and the Bank, respectively. The Notes are expected to be listed on the Irish Stock Exchange and to be rated BB- (Fitch) and Ba3 (Moody's). On closing, the issuance is expected to be the first international local currency bond offering from the wider CIS region (excluding Russia) in the past ten years and represent a landmark transaction for Georgia.

Disclaimer

In the European Economic Area, with respect to any Member State that has implemented Directive 2003/71/EC and Directive 2010/73/EU (together with any applicable implementing measures in any Member State, the "Prospectus Directive"), this Announcement is only addressed to and is only directed at qualified investors ("Qualified Investors") in that Member State within the meaning of Artcile2(1)(e) of the Prospectus Directive.

The securities referred to herein have not been and will not be registered under the US Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), or with any securities regulatory authority of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States, and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to US persons (as such term is defined in Regulation S under the Securities Act) except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the US Securities Act. The issuer of the securities has not registered, and does not intend to register, any portion of the offering in the United States, and does not intend to conduct a public offering of the securities in the United States.

This Announcement is not intended to, and shall not, constitute or contain an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to purchase the securities referred to herein by any person in any jurisdiction where it is unlawful to make an offer or solicitation. The distribution of the Announcement and the offer or sale of the securities referred to herein in certain jurisdictions is restricted by law. This Announcement may not be used for or in connection with, and does not constitute, any offer to, or solicitation by, anyone in any jurisdiction or under any circumstance in which such offer or solicitation is not authorised or is unlawful.

In the United Kingdom ("UK"), this Announcement is being distributed only to, and is directed only at, Qualified Investors (i) who have professional experience in matters relating to investments falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended (the "Order") and Qualified Investors falling within Article 49 of the Order, and (ii) to whom it may otherwise be lawfully communicated (all such persons together being referred to as "relevant persons"). Any investment or investment activity to which this Announcement relates is available only to relevant persons and will be engaged in only with relevant persons. Any person who is not a relevant person should not act or rely on this Announcement or any of its contents.

Name of authorised official of issuer responsible for making notification: Giorgi Alpaidze, Head of Investor Relations

About BGEO Group PLC

The Group: BGEO Group PLC ("BGEO" or the "Group" - LSE: BGEO LN) is a UK incorporated holding company of a Georgia-focused investment platform. BGEO invests in the banking and non-banking sectors in Georgia (BGEO and its subsidiaries, the "Group"). BGEO aims to deliver on a 4x20 strategy: at least 20% ROAE and at least 20% growth of retail loan book in Banking Business, and at least 20% IRR and up to 20% of the Group's profit from Investment Business.

Banking Business: Our Banking Business comprises at least 80% of the Group's profit and consists of Retail Banking, Corporate Banking and Investment Management businesses at its core and other banking businesses such as P&C Insurance, Leasing, Payment Services and Banking operations in Belarus ("BNB"). The Group strives to benefit from the underpenetrated banking sector in Georgia especially through its Retail Banking services. JSC Bank of Georgia ("BOG" or the "Bank") is the main entity in the Group's Banking Business.

Investment Business: Our Investment Business comprises up to 20% of the Group's profit and consists of Georgia Healthcare Group (Healthcare Business) - an LSE (London Stock Exchange PLC) premium listed company, m2 Real Estate (Real Estate Business), Georgia Global Utilities (Utility Business or GGU) and Teliani Valley (Beverage Business). Georgia's fast-growing economy provides opportunities in a number of underdeveloped markets and the Group is well positioned to capture growth opportunities in the Georgian corporate sector.

 
 JSC BGEO Group has, as               Bank of Georgia has, as 
  of the date hereof, the              of the date hereof, the 
  following credit ratings:            following credit ratings: 
 
      Fitch Ratings   'BB-/B'              Fitch Ratings   'BB-/B' 
      Moody's         B1/NP (FC)           Moody's         'B1/NP' (FC) 
                       & B1/NP (LC)                         & 'Ba3/NP' 
                                                            (LC) 
 

For further information, please visit www.bgeo.com or contact:

 
      Irakli Gilauri          Michael Oliver              Giorgi Alpaidze 
      Group CEO               Adviser to the              Head of Investor 
                               CEO                         Relations 
                                                             [phone] 
      [phone]            [phone]            444 (ext. 3979) 
      [e-mail]             [e-mail]              [e-mail] 
 

This news report is presented for general informational purposes only and should not be construed as an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities

This information is provided by RNS

The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

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May 25, 2017 02:05 ET (06:05 GMT)