Phaunos Timber Fund Limited Company Update - Firm Offer by Stafford (4669T)

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RNS Number : 4669T

Phaunos Timber Fund Limited

03 July 2018

NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY (IN WHOLE OR IN PART), IN, INTO OR FROM ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OF THAT JURISDICTION. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A TAKEOVER OFFER OR AN OFFER OF SECURITIES.

3 July 2018

Phaunos Timber Fund Limited ("Phaunos" or the "Company")

Firm Offer by Stafford

The board of Phaunos (the "Board") notes the announcement earlier today by Stafford Capital Partners Limited ("Stafford") regarding a firm cash offer for the entire issued and to be issued share capital of the Company (the "Firm Offer").

The Board reiterates its commitment to balance maximising the value from the Company's investments with making timely returns of capital to shareholders. As previously announced and in line with the strategy set out to shareholders, the Company has been focused on the realisation of its asset portfolio (the "Asset Realisation Process") which was initiated in August 2017.

The Company confirms that it has now received initial indications of interest (the "Indicative Bids") from various parties for each of the assets included in the Asset Realisation Process, which it is currently assessing. These Indicative Bids are encouraging and the Board is very pleased with progress made to date.

Under the offer timetable, the Board notes that Stafford are expected to post their formal offer document between 18 July 2018 and 27 July 2018. Following the posting of the offer document, Phaunos has up to 14 days to post a response document that will include an update on the Asset Realisation Process as well as the Board's views on the value of the Firm Offer.

Accordingly, the Board urges shareholders to take no action at this time.

Enquiries:

 
 Phaunos Timber Fund Limited 
  Richard Boléat (Chairman)               [phone] 
 Evercore Partners International LLP 
  (Financial Adviser) 
  Julian Oakley 
  Julien Baril                                [phone] 
 Winterflood Investment Trusts (Corporate 
  Broker) 
  Joe Winkley 
  Neil Langford                               [phone] 
 

Rule 26.1 Disclosures

In accordance with Rule 26.1 of the UK Takeover Code (the "Code"), a copy of this announcement will, subject to certain restrictions relating to persons resident in restricted jurisdictions, be available on Phaunos's website at http://www.phaunostimber.com/announcements/ by no later than 12 noon (London time) on the business day following the release of this announcement. The content of the website referred to in this announcement is not incorporated into and does not form part of this announcement. The person responsible for arranging for the release of this announcement on behalf of Phaunos is Vistra Guernsey (acting as Company Secretary).

Important Notices

This announcement is not intended to, and does not, constitute or form part of any offer, invitation or solicitation of any 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. Any offer (if made) will be made solely by certain offer documentation which will contain the full terms and conditions of any offer (if made), including details of how such offer may be accepted. This announcement has been prepared in accordance with English law and the Code, and information disclosed may not be the same as that which would have been prepared in accordance with laws outside of the United Kingdom. The release, distribution or publication of this announcement in jurisdictions outside of the United Kingdom may be restricted by laws of the relevant jurisdictions, and therefore persons into whose possession this announcement comes should inform themselves about, and observe, any such restrictions. Any failure to comply with the restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities law of any such jurisdiction.

Evercore Partners International LLP ("Evercore"), which is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Conduct Authority, is acting as financial adviser for Phaunos Timber Fund and no one else in connection with the matters set out in this announcement and will not regard any other person as its client in relation to the matters in this announcement and will not be responsible to anyone other than Phaunos Timber Fund for providing the protections afforded to clients of Evercore, nor for providing advice in relation to any matter referred to herein. Neither Evercore nor any of its subsidiaries, branches or affiliates owes or accepts any duty, liability or responsibility whatsoever (whether direct or indirect, whether in contract or in tort, under statute or otherwise) to any person who is not a client of Evercore in connection with this announcement, any statement contained therein or otherwise. Apart from the responsibilities and liabilities, if any, which may be imposed on Evercore by FSMA, or the regulatory regime established thereunder, or under the regulatory regime of any jurisdiction where exclusion of liability under the relevant regulatory regime would be illegal, void or unenforceable, neither Evercore nor any of its affiliates accepts any responsibility or liability whatsoever for the contents of this announcement, and no representation, express or implied, is made by it, or purported to be made on its behalf, in relation to the contents of this announcement, including its accuracy, completeness or verification of any other statement made or purported to be made by it, or on its behalf, in connection with Phaunos Timber Fund or the matters described in this announcement. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, Evercore and its affiliates accordingly disclaim all and any responsibility or liability whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise (save as referred to above) which they might otherwise have in respect of this announcement or any statement contained therein.

Winterflood Securities Limited ("Winterflood"), which is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Conduct Authority, is acting as corporate broker to Phaunos Timber Fund and no one else in connection with the matters set out in this announcement and will not regard any other person as its client in relation to the matters in this announcement and will not be responsible to anyone other than Phaunos Timber Fund for providing the protections afforded to clients of Winterflood, nor for providing advice in relation to any matter referred to herein.

This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact [e-mail] or visit www.rns.com.

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July 03, 2018 09:32 ET (13:32 GMT)