Equals Share Discussion Threads

[mellodaniel] 03/6/2025 18:11:42

You can also get 40% off with code: MMTADVFN50

[davidosh] 03/6/2025 15:57:32

For those who are interested the former FD at Equals, Richard Cooper is being interviewed on stage at the Mello2025 tomorrow afternoon



Hopefully there will be lots of info about the key moves he made in his career and of course more about the takeover

[swiss paul] 07/5/2025 19:48:26

Someone put the cat out

[tabhair] 25/4/2025 11:49:04

Rest of the proceeds just landed, have a great weekend folks!

[tabhair] 25/4/2025 10:41:17

The 5p special dividend dropped into my AJB account today.

Hopefully the rest of the cash follows in the next few days.

[66fingers] 24/4/2025 23:00:46

I guess this particular share chat group will now wither in the vibe, just wanted to say thanks to all those who shared info and opinions about Equals, it's much appreciated, particularly from novice shareholders like myself. Good luck with your future investments.

[swiss paul] 15/4/2025 16:30:07

someone put the cat out

[66fingers] 04/4/2025 14:30:12

Thank you both, appreciated.

[swiss paul] 03/4/2025 20:21:07

RECOMMENDED CASH ACQUISITION

for

Equals Group plc (Equals)
by
Alakazam Holdings BidCo Limited (BidCo)

a newly-incorporated company to be indirectly wholly-owned by a consortium comprising (i) the TowerBrook Funds (ii) the J.C. Flowers Funds and (iii) the Railsr Shareholders

to be effected by means of a scheme of arrangement
under Part 26 of the Companies Act 2006

2 April 2025

Update on Conditions and Updated Expected Scheme Timetable

On 11 December 2024, the boards of Equals and BidCo announced that they had reached agreement on the terms of a recommended all cash acquisition of the entire issued and to be issued ordinary share capital of Equals (the Acquisition).

The Acquisition is to be effected by means of a Court-sanctioned scheme of arrangement under Part 26 of the Companies Act 2006 (the Scheme) and is subject to the terms and conditions set out in the scheme document relating to the Acquisition (the Scheme Document) published on 17 December 2024. Unless otherwise defined, all capitalised terms in this announcement have the meaning given to them in the Scheme Document. All references to times are to London, UK, times unless otherwise stated.

As announced on 8 January 2025, the Scheme was approved by the requisite majority of Scheme Shareholders at the Court Meeting held on 8 January 2025 and the Special Resolutions relating to the implementation of the Scheme were also approved by the requisite majority of Equals Shareholders at the General Meeting also held on 8 January 2025.

Satisfaction of regulatory Conditions

Equals and BidCo are pleased to announce that the Regulatory Conditions set out in paragraphs 3.2 to 3.7 of Part III (Conditions to the Implementation of the Scheme and to the Acquisition) of the Scheme Document have now been satisfied.

Completion of the Acquisition remains subject to the Court's sanction of the Scheme at the Court Hearing, the delivery of a copy of the Scheme Court Order to the Registrar of Companies and the satisfaction (or, where applicable, waiver) of the remaining Conditions set out in Part III (Conditions to the Implementation of the Scheme and to the Acquisition) of the Scheme Document.

A further announcement will be made following the Court Hearing.

Next steps and timetable

Equals and BidCo are pleased to confirm that the Court Hearing to sanction the Scheme is scheduled to be held on 10 April 2025. Further details of the Court Hearing will be available on the Business and Property Courts Rolls Building Cause List at www.justice.gov.uk on the day before the Court Hearing.

An updated expected timetable of principal events for the implementation of the Scheme is set out in the Appendix to this announcement. On the basis of the current expected timetable, and subject to the satisfaction (or where applicable, waiver) of the remaining Conditions, the Scheme is expected to become Effective on 14 April 2025. The last day of dealings in, and for registration of transfers of, Equals Shares is therefore expected to be 11 April 2025, with all dealings in Equals Shares being suspended at 7.30 a.m. on 14 April 2025. It is also expected that the admission to trading of Equals Shares on AIM will be cancelled with effect from 7.00 a.m. on 15 April 2025.

The dates and times in the expected timetable (including as repeated in the rest of this announcement) are indicative only, are based on Equals' and BidCo's current expectations and are subject to change. The dates will depend, among other things, on the date on which: (i) the Conditions are satisfied or (if capable of waiver) waived; (ii) the Court sanctions the Scheme; and (iii) the Court Order sanctioning the Scheme is delivered to the Registrar of Companies.

If any of the key dates and/or times set out in the expected timetable change, the revised dates and/or times will be notified to Equals Shareholders by issuing an announcement through a Regulatory Information Service, with such announcement being made available on Equals' website at: hxxps://www.equalsplc.com/strategic-review.

Enquiries:

Equals

via Burson Buchanan

Ian Strafford-Taylor

Richard Cooper

[jaknife] 03/4/2025 18:10:20

Yes, this was published yesterday:



It basically says expect 140p (135p by way of capital and 5p as dividend) on 28th April.

[66fingers] 03/4/2025 17:22:04

Is there any update on when the Takeover will actually take place?

[redartbmud] 02/4/2025 19:34:49

The die is cast and the end is nigh.

red

[swiss paul] 14/1/2025 16:58:19

Honestly - is that the best name they could come up with:
Alakazam Holdings

No wonder it took them ages to get the money together. Whose the CEO - The Great Soprendo?

[redartbmud] 09/1/2025 09:51:52

IG charge £100 for AGM attendance. Voting available online and free.

Hargreaves AGM attendance is free, but now organised via a third party. That is very sketchy at best. I haven't been registered a few times although I have notification via an email. That gets me in.
I was able to attend one meeting 'as a guest' but unable to vote or participate in events because I wasn't properly registered,

red

[daveme] 09/1/2025 09:41:42

Hargreaves Lansdown are excellent. They give you the option to submit instructions to how you want to vote. which I duly did.

By the way, I have no affiliation with HL whatsoever but I highly recommend them to anyone looking for an execution only stockbroker.

[melton john] 09/1/2025 08:55:42

Mine are in a nominee with an execution only broker, I expect they don't want the work of handling voting by beneficial owners (probably make it chargeable, like going to AGMs and voting, I must check)

[slogsweep] 09/1/2025 07:58:36

All I got from AJB was a note saying no action required and no opportunity to vote.

[cb7] 08/1/2025 15:54:57

approved at meeting this afternoon

[markie7] 08/1/2025 12:07:41

no - docs were posted on 17 Dec. Court meeting is today.

[slogsweep] 08/1/2025 10:03:58

That's the 28 days from the announcement on 11th Dec 24 up and no documents issued , here we go again!

[slogsweep] 08/1/2025 08:09:11

Are we sure this is a done deal , share price is creeping up or is this because the time is passing and there is less time to wait for cash?

[owenski] 30/12/2024 17:59:51

Maybe they could get rid of the BoD especially IST

[tabhair] 30/12/2024 17:42:58

Far more on the money, though, is James Thorne of Columbia Threadneedle, with almost 12 per cent. He called the offer “absolutely ridiculous”, saying Equals had built a “strategic asset” worth “twice the price”. He said that, due to Takeover Panel failures in allowing 13 months of PUSU extensions, Equals shares had been allowed to atrophy with scant analyst coverage and some investors selling to “merger arbs”.
The result? The board is “selling this business with no premium whatsoever. If this goes through, the private equity owners will make a fortune”, thanks to a “distortion in the value of Equals that is egregious”. He “intends to vote against” the deal. Other investors should follow his lead.

------------------------

I think there's a good chance this deal gets rejected. If James Thorne follows through that's 12% voting against off the bat. The no's only need another 13% of the shares outstanding to block the deal.

I wonder will the offer have to be bumped slightly?

[davidosh] 25/12/2024 19:09:52

Not an AGM....It is a court meeting and general meeting scheduled for the 8th Jan

Court Meeting

2:00 p.m. on 8 January 2025

General Meeting

2:15 p.m. on 8 January 2025 (5)