Jelf Group PLC Court sanction of Scheme of Arrangement (9435G)

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RNS Number : 9435G

Jelf Group PLC

25 November 2015

NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN, INTO OR FROM ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OF SUCH JURISDICTION

25 November 2015

RECOMMENDED CASH ACQUISITION

of

JELF GROUP PLC

by

MARSH & McLENNAN COMPANIES ACQUISITION LIMITED

an affiliate of

MARSH LIMITED

to be effected

by means of a Scheme of Arrangement

under Part 26 of the Companies Act 2006

Court sanction of Scheme of Arrangement

Jelf Group plc (Jelf or the Company) is pleased to announce that at the Scheme Court Hearing this morning in connection with the recommended cash acquisition of Jelf by Marsh & McLennan Companies Acquisition Limited, the Court has made an order sanctioning the Scheme.

As a result of the Scheme being sanctioned by the Court, a number of awards and options have vested under the Jelf Share Schemes (as described in paragraph 8 of Part Two of the Scheme Document). Jelf has therefore allotted an additional 8,844,166 Jelf Shares and transferred 100,000 Jelf Shares out of treasury to satisfy such awards and options.

Jelf has therefore applied for the 8,844,166 Jelf Shares referred to above to be admitted to trading on AIM. It is expected that admission of these shares to trading will become effective at 8:00 a.m. (London time) on 30 November 2015.

Further to the issue of the 8,844,166 Jelf Shares and the transfer of 100,000 Jelf Shares out of treasury as referred to above, the Company's total issued share capital will comprise 94,597,306 Jelf Shares and 25,063,838 Jelf Non-Voting Shares.

The last day of dealings in and registration of transfers of Jelf Shares was yesterday, 24 November 2015, and trading in Jelf Shares on AIM was suspended with effect from 7.30 a.m. (London time) this morning, 25 November 2015.

The Scheme will become effective once the Scheme Court Order (duly sealed by the Court), has been delivered to the Registrar of Companies, which is expected to take place on 1 December 2015.

Jelf has applied to the London Stock Exchange for the cancellation of admission to trading of Jelf Shares on AIM, which is expected to take effect at 7.00 a.m. (London time) on 2 December 2015.

Full details of the acquisition are set out in the Scheme Document published on 6 October 2015. Capitalised terms used but not otherwise defined in this announcement have the meaning given to them in the Scheme Document.

Enquiries:

Jelf

 
Alex Alway      [phone] 
 John Harding    [phone] 
 

Fenchurch Advisory Partners LLP (Financial Adviser to Jelf)

 
Duncan Buck        [phone] 
 Brendan Perkins    [phone] 
 

finnCap (Financial Adviser, Nomad and Broker to Jelf)

 
Matt Goode 
 Grant Bergman   [phone] 
 

Marsh

 
Jason Groves   [phone] 
 

Further information

This announcement is not intended to and does not constitute, or form part of, an offer, invitation or the solicitation of an offer to purchase, otherwise acquire, subscribe for, sell or otherwise dispose of any securities, or the solicitation of any vote or approval in any jurisdiction, pursuant to the Acquisition or otherwise, nor shall there be any sale, issuance or transfer of securities of Jelf in any jurisdiction in contravention of applicable law. The Acquisition will be made solely on the terms of the Scheme Document which contains the full terms and conditions of the Acquisition.

Fenchurch Advisory Partners LLP, which is authorised and regulated by the FCA, is acting exclusively for Jelf and no one else in connection with the Acquisition and will not be responsible to anyone other than Jelf for providing the protections afforded to clients of Fenchurch Advisory Partners LLP nor for providing advice in in relation to the Acquisition or any matter other matters referred to in this announcement.

finnCap, which is authorised and regulated by the FCA, is acting exclusively for Jelf and no-one else in connection with the Acquisition and will not be responsible to anyone other than Jelf for providing the protections afforded to clients of finnCap nor for providing advice in relation to the Acquisition or any other matters referred to in this announcement.

Overseas jurisdictions

The release, publication or distribution of this announcement in or into jurisdictions other than the UK may be restricted by law and therefore any persons who are subject to the law of any jurisdiction other than the UK should inform themselves about, and observe, any applicable requirements. Any failure to comply with the applicable 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. This announcement has been prepared for the purposes of complying with English law, the AIM Rules and the Code 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 of England.

Copies of this announcement and the formal documentation relating to the Scheme and the Acquisition will not be and must not be, mailed or otherwise forwarded, distributed or sent in, into or from any jurisdiction where to do so would violate the laws of that jurisdiction.

US Holders should note that the Acquisition relates to the securities of a UK company, is subject to UK disclosure requirements (which are different from those of the US) and is proposed to be implemented under a scheme of arrangement provided for under English company law. A transaction effected by means of a scheme of arrangement is not subject to the tender offer rules under the US Exchange Act. Accordingly, the Scheme will be subject to UK disclosure requirements and practices, which are different from the disclosure requirements of the US tender offer and proxy solicitation rules. The financial information included in this announcement has been or will have been prepared in accordance with IFRS and thus may not be comparable to financial information of US companies or companies whose financial statements are prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the US. If MMCAL exercises its right to implement the acquisition of the Jelf Shares by way of a takeover offer, such offer will be made in compliance with applicable US tender offer and securities laws and regulations.

The receipt of cash pursuant to the Acquisition by a direct or indirect US Holder as consideration for the transfer of its Scheme Shares pursuant to the Scheme may be a taxable transaction for US federal income tax purposes and under applicable US state and local, as well as foreign and other, tax laws. Each Jelf 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 the US federal securities laws, since MMCAL and Jelf 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 UK practice and pursuant to Rule 14e-5(b) of the US Exchange Act, MMCAL or its nominees, or its brokers (acting as agents), may from time to time make certain purchases of, or arrangements to purchase, Jelf Shares outside of the United States, other than pursuant to the Acquisition, until the date on which the Acquisition and/or Scheme becomes effective, lapses or is otherwise withdrawn. In addition, in accordance with Rule 14e-5(b) of the US Exchange Act, Goldman Sachs International, while serving as a Financial Adviser to MMC will continue to act as an exempt principal trader in Jelf Shares on the London Stock Exchange's AIM market. These purchases may occur either in the open market at prevailing prices or in private transactions at negotiated prices. Any information about such purchases will be disclosed as required in the UK, will be reported to a Regulatory Information Service of the London Stock Exchange and will be available on the London Stock Exchange website, www.londonstockexchange.com.

Dealing disclosure requirements

Under Rule 8.3(a) of the Code, any person who is interested in 1 per cent. 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.

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November 25, 2015 07:20 ET (12:20 GMT)