Barclays Capital Securities Limited Proposed Placing in Hastings Group Holdings plc (5136E)

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RNS Number : 5136E

Barclays Capital Securities Limited

08 May 2017

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION IN THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, JAPAN OR AUSTRALIA. THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, JAPAN OR AUSTRALIA OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH THE DISTRIBUTION OR RELEASE WOULD BE UNLAWFUL.

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL OR THE SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY, NOR SHALL THERE BE ANY SALE OF THE SECURITIES REFERRED TO HEREIN, IN OR INTO ANY JURISDICTION WHERE SUCH OFFER, SOLICITATION OR SALE WOULD BE UNLAWFUL PRIOR TO REGISTRATION OR QUALIFICATION UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY SUCH JURISDICTION.

Proposed Placing of Shares in Hastings Group Holdings plc ("Hastings" or the "Company")

London, 08 May 2017 - Hastings Investco Limited ("Hastings Investco" or the "Seller") is announcing its intention to sell approximately 35 million ordinary shares (the "Placing Shares") in Hastings for the account of Goldman Sachs Merchant Banking Division (which has an indirect interest in ordinary shares of Hastings through Hastings Investco), with part of the proceeds being payable to participants in the Hastings management incentive plan. The Placing Shares represent approximately 5.3% of the Company's issued share capital.

The Placing Shares are being offered by way of an accelerated bookbuild (the "Placing"), which will be launched immediately following this announcement. Goldman Sachs International, Barclays Bank PLC, acting through its investment bank ("Barclays") and Credit Suisse Securities (Europe) Limited are acting as joint bookrunners in connection with the Placing (together, the "Bookrunners").

The final number of Placing Shares to be placed and the placing price will be agreed by the Bookrunners and Hastings Investco at the close of the bookbuild process, and the results of the Placing will be announced as soon as practicable thereafter. The timings for the close of the bookbuild process are at the absolute discretion of the Bookrunners, and decisions regarding pricing and allocations are to be made jointly by the Bookrunners and Hastings Investco. Any further sale by the Seller of the Company's ordinary shares held by the Seller for the account of the Goldman Sachs Merchant Banking Division will be subject to a 90-day lock-up which will be subject to customary exceptions and may otherwise only be waived with the consent of a majority of the Bookrunners.

Hastings will not receive any proceeds from the Placing.

Bookrunners

   Goldman Sachs International                 + 44 (0)20 7774 1000 

James Kelly

Will Smiley

   Barclays                                               + 44 (0)20 7623 2323 

Chris Madderson

Lawrence Jamieson

   Credit Suisse Securities (Europe) Limited          [phone] 

Nick Williams

Stephane Gruffat

Disclaimer

This announcement may not be published, distributed or transmitted, directly or indirectly, in the United States (including its territories and possessions), Canada, Australia, Japan or any other jurisdiction where such an announcement would be unlawful. The distribution of this announcement may be restricted by law in certain jurisdictions and persons into whose possession this document or other information referred to herein should inform themselves about and observe any such restriction. Any failure to comply with these restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.

This announcement does not constitute an offer of securities for sale or a solicitation of an offer to purchase securities in the United States, Germany, Australia, Canada, Japan, or any other jurisdiction.

Neither this announcement nor anything contained herein shall form the basis of, or be relied upon in connection with, any offer or commitment whatsoever in any jurisdiction. The shares of Hastings referred to in this announcement may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"). The shares of Hastings have not been, and will not be, registered under the Securities Act, and there will be no public offering of the shares of Hastings, or any other securities, in the United States.

In the United Kingdom, this document is only being distributed to and is only directed at persons who (i) are investment professionals falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (as amended) (the "Order") or (ii) are persons falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (high net worth companies, unincorporated associations, etc.) (all such persons together being referred to as "Relevant Persons"). This document is directed only at Relevant Persons and must not be acted on or relied on by persons who are not Relevant Persons. Any investment or investment activity to which this document relates is available only to Relevant Persons and will be engaged in only with Relevant Persons.

In member states of the European Economic Area (EEA) which have implemented the Prospectus Directive (each, a "Relevant Member State"), this announcement and any offer if made subsequently is directed exclusively at persons who are "qualified investors" within the meaning of the Prospectus Directive. For these purposes, the expression "Prospectus Directive" means Directive 2003/71/EC (and amendments thereto, including the 2010 PD Amending Directive, to the extent implemented in a Relevant Member State), and includes any relevant implementing measure in the Relevant Member State and the expression "2010 PD Amending Directive" means Directive 2010/73/EU.

No action has been taken that would permit an offering of securities or possession or distribution of this announcement in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required. Persons into whose possession this announcement comes are required to inform themselves about and to observe any such restrictions.

Goldman Sachs International, Barclays and Credit Suisse Securities (Europe) Limited, which are authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority in the United Kingdom are acting only for the Seller in connection with the Placing and will not be responsible to anyone other than the Seller for providing the protections offered to the clients of the Bookrunners, nor for providing advice in relation to the Placing or any matters referred to in this announcement.

In connection with any offering of the Placing Shares, each of the Bookrunners and any of their respective affiliates may take up a portion of the securities in the offering as a principal position and in that capacity may retain, purchase or sell for their own account such securities. In addition each of the Bookrunners or their respective affiliates may enter into financing arrangements and swaps with investors in connection with which each of the Bookrunners (or their respective affiliates) may from time to time acquire, hold or dispose of shares. The Bookrunners do not intend to disclose the extent of any such investment or transactions otherwise than in accordance with any legal or regulatory obligation to do so.

This information is provided by RNS

The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

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May 08, 2017 11:50 ET (15:50 GMT)