The following amendment has been made to the 'Publication and
posting of Scheme Document' announcement released on 18 February
2025 under RNS Number 4178X.
· The last day
of dealings in,
and for the registration of transfers of, and disablement in CREST
of, Good Energy Shares has been amended from 7 April 2025 to 8
April 2025.
· Suspension of admission to
trading of, and dealings in, Good Energy Shares on AIM has been
amended from 8 April 2025 to 9 April 2025.
All other details remain unchanged.
The full amended text is shown below.
NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR
DISTRIBUTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN, INTO
OR FROM ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A
VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OR REGULATIONS OF THAT
JURISDICTION
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RECOMMENDED CASH
ACQUISITION
for
Good Energy Group plc ("Good
Energy")
by
Esyasoft Investment Holding
RSC Limited ("Esyasoft")
(A wholly-owned subsidiary of
Esyasoft Holding Limited)
to be effected by means of a
scheme of arrangement
under Part 26 of the Companies Act 2006
18 February 2025
Publication and posting of
Scheme Document
On 27 January 2025, the boards of
Good Energy and Esyasoft 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 Good Energy (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").
Good Energy is pleased to announce
that the Scheme Document, together with the associated Forms of
Proxy, are today being sent, or made available to Good Energy
Shareholders.
The Scheme Document contains, among
other things, a letter from the Chairman of Good Energy, the full
terms and conditions of the Scheme and the Acquisition, an
explanatory statement pursuant to section 897 of the Companies Act
2006, an expected timetable of principal events, notices of the
Court Meeting and General Meeting and details of the actions to be
taken by Good Energy Shareholders.
In addition, letters are being sent
shortly to participants in the Good Energy Share Plans to provide
information on how the Acquisition will affect their rights under
the Good Energy Share Plans and the arrangements applicable to
them.
A copy of the Scheme Document and
the associated Forms of Proxy will be made available, subject to
certain restrictions relating to persons resident in Restricted
Jurisdictions, on Good Energy's website at
https://www.goodenergy.co.uk/investors/important-notice/
by no later than 12 noon on 19 February
2025.
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 further detailed in the Scheme
Document, in order to become Effective, amongst other things, the
Scheme will require: (i) the approval of a majority in number of
the Scheme Shareholders present and voting (in person or by proxy)
at the Court Meeting representing not less than 75 per cent. in
value of the relevant Scheme Shares voted; (ii) the passing of the
Special Resolutions at the General Meeting; and (iii) the
subsequent sanction of the Scheme by the Court.
Notices convening the Court Meeting
and General Meeting, both of which will be held at the offices of
Norton Rose Fulbright LLP, 3 More London Riverside, London, SE1 2AQ
on 13 March 2025, are set out in Part 10 (Notice of Court Meeting) and Part 11
(Notice of General
Meeting) of the Scheme Document. The Court Meeting will
commence at 12:00 p.m. and the General Meeting at 12:15 p.m. (or,
if later, as soon as the Court Meeting has concluded or been
adjourned).
Any changes to the arrangements for
the Court Meeting and the General Meeting will be communicated to
Scheme Shareholders before the meetings, including through Good
Energy's website at https://www.goodenergy.co.uk/investors/important-notice/
and by announcement through a Regulatory
Information Service.
Action required
Scheme Shareholders and Good Energy
Shareholders are strongly encouraged to submit proxy appointments
and instructions for the Court Meeting and the General Meeting as
soon as possible, using any of the methods (online, electronically
through CREST or Proxymity by post or by hand) set out below.
Scheme Shareholders and Good Energy Shareholders are also strongly
encouraged to appoint the Chairman of the relevant Meeting as their
proxy rather than any other named person. This will ensure that
their vote will be counted if they (or any other proxy they might
otherwise appoint) are not able to attend the relevant Meeting in
person.
It is important that, for the Court
Meeting, as many votes as possible are cast so that the Court may
be satisfied that there is a fair representation of opinion of
Scheme Shareholders. Whether or not you intend to attend and/or
vote at the Court Meeting, you are strongly advised to transmit a
proxy appointment and voting instruction (online by logging into
the following website www.eproxyappointment.com/Login
or electronically through CREST or Proxymity) or
sign and return your blue Form of Proxy by post for the Court
Meeting as soon as possible.
Recommendation
The
Good Energy Directors, who have been so advised by Canaccord
Genuity as to the financial terms of the Acquisition, consider the
terms of the Acquisition to be fair and reasonable. In providing
advice to the Good Energy Directors, Canaccord Genuity have taken
into account the commercial assessments of the Good Energy
Directors. Canaccord Genuity is providing independent financial
advice to the Good Energy Directors for the purposes of Rule 3 of
the Takeover Code.
Accordingly, the Good Energy Directors unanimously recommend
that Good Energy Shareholders vote in favour of the Scheme at the
Court Meeting and vote in favour of the Special Resolution at the General Meeting as the Good
Energy Directors who hold Good Energy Shares have irrevocably
undertaken to do in respect of 141,577 Good Energy Shares in total,
representing in aggregate approximately 0.77 per cent. of Good
Energy's ordinary share capital in issue as at the Latest
Practicable Date. These irrevocable undertakings remain binding in
the event a higher competing offer is made for Good Energy by a
third party.
Information for Good Energy Shareholders
If you have any questions about this
Announcement, the Court Meeting, the General Meeting, how to submit
your proxies online or how to complete the Forms of Proxy, please
call the Receiving Agent, Computershare Investor Services PLC,
during business hours on +44 (0)370 707 1154 (from within the
United Kingdom) or submit a request in writing to Computershare
Investor Services PLC, The Pavilions, Bridgwater Road, Bristol,
BS99 6ZY. Calls to this number are charged at network providers
standard rate and may be included within free allowances (please
check with your network provider). Calls outside the United Kingdom
will be charged at the applicable international rate. Please note
that Computershare Investor Services PLC calls may be monitored or
recorded and Computershare Investor Services PLC cannot provide
advice on the merits of the Acquisition or the Scheme or give any
financial, legal or tax advice.
Timetable
The Scheme Document contains a
current expected timetable of principal events relating to the
Scheme, which is also set out in the Appendix to this
announcement.
Subject to obtaining the approval of
Scheme Shareholders at the Court Meeting and Good Energy
Shareholders at the General Meeting and the sanction of the Court,
the Scheme is expected to become Effective on 9 April
2025.
It is intended that following the
Scheme becoming Effective, the cancellation of admission to trading
of Good Energy Shares on AIM shall take effect on the Business Day
following the Effective Date.
Enquiries
Good Energy
Nigel Pocklington
|
via SEC Newgate
|
Canaccord Genuity (Rule 3 Adviser, Nominated Adviser,
Financial Adviser and Joint Broker to Good
Energy)
Henry Fitzgerald O'Connor
Harry Rees
|
+44 (0) 20 7523 8000
|
SEC
Newgate (Communications Adviser to Good Energy)
Elisabeth Cowell
Ian Morris
|
+44 (0) 20 3757 6882
|
Esyasoft
Bipin Chandra
|
via Headland
|
Dean Street (Financial Adviser to Esyasoft)
Bob Morris
Graeme Atkinson
Henry Morgan
|
+44 (0)20 3818 8520
|
Headland (PR Adviser to Esyasoft)
Lucy Legh
Stephanie Ellis
Antonia Pollock
|
+44 (0)20 3805 4822
|
Clyde & Co LLP is acting as legal
adviser to Esyasoft. Norton Rose Fulbright LLP is acting as legal
adviser to Good Energy.
APPENDIX
Expected timetable of
principal events
Event
|
Time/date
(1)
|
Publication of the Scheme
Document
|
18
February 2025
|
Latest time for lodging Forms of
Proxy for the:
|
|
Court Meeting (blue Form of
Proxy)
|
12:00pm on
11 March 2025 (2)
|
General Meeting (white Form of
Proxy)
|
12:15pm on
11 March 2025 (3)
|
Voting Record Time for the Court
Meeting and the General Meeting
|
6:00
p.m. on 11 March 2025 (4)
|
Court Meeting
|
12:00pm on
13 March 2025
|
General Meeting
|
12:15pm on
13 March 2025 (5)
|
The
following times and dates associated with the Scheme are indicative
only and subject to change, the precise timings will depend, among
other things, on the date upon which regulatory (and other)
Conditions to the Scheme are satisfied or, if capable of waiver,
waived and on the date on which the Court sanctions the Scheme.
Good Energy will give notice of the change(s) through Good Energy's
website https://www.goodenergy.co.uk/investors/important-notice/
and by issuing an
announcement through a Regulatory Information Service and, if
required by the Panel, post notice of the change(s) to Good Energy
Shareholders and persons with information rights. The timetable is
also dependent on the date on which the Court Order sanctioning the
Scheme is delivered to the Registrar of
Companies.
|
Sanction Hearing
|
7 April
2025
|
Last day of dealings in, and for the
registration of transfers of, and disablement in CREST of, Good
Energy Shares
|
8
April 2025
|
Scheme Record Time
|
6:00 p.m.
on 8 April 2025
|
Suspension of admission to trading
of, and dealings in, Good Energy Shares on AIM
|
by 7:30
a.m. on 9 April 2025
|
Effective Date of the Scheme(6)
|
9 April
2025
|
Cancellation of Good Energy Shares
from AIM
|
by 7:00
a.m. on 10 April 2025
|
Latest date for despatch of cheques,
crediting of CREST accounts and processing electronic transfers for
Cash Consideration due under the Scheme
|
within 14
days
of the Effective Date
|
Long Stop Date
|
31 July
2025 (7)
|
(1)
The dates and times given are indicative only and are based on
current expectations and are subject to change. References to times
are to London, United Kingdom time unless otherwise stated. If any
of the times and/or dates above change, the revised times and/or
dates will be notified to Good Energy Shareholders through Good
Energy's website https://www.goodenergy.co.uk/investors/important-notice/
and by announcement through a Regulatory Information Service.
Participants in the Good Energy Share Plans will be contacted
separately on or around the date of this Document to inform them of
the effect of the Scheme on their rights under the Good Energy
Share Plans, including details of any appropriate proposals being
made and dates and times relevant to them.
(2) It
is requested that blue Forms of Proxy for the Court Meeting be
lodged by 12:00pm on 11 March 2025 or, if the Court Meeting is
adjourned, by no later than 48 hours prior to the time fixed for
any adjourned Court Meeting (excluding any part of such 48-hour
period falling on a non-working day). Blue Forms of Proxy not so
lodged can be handed to the Chairman of the Court Meeting (or a
representative of Computershare Investor Services PLC at the Court
Meeting on behalf of the Chairman) any time prior to the
commencement of the Court Meeting or any adjournment
thereof.
(3) In
order to be valid, white Forms of Proxy for the General Meeting
must be received by 12:15pm on 11 March 2025 or, if the General
Meeting is adjourned, 48 hours prior to the time appointed for the
General Meeting (excluding any part of such 48-hour period falling
on a non-working day).
(4) If
either the Court Meeting or the General Meeting is adjourned, the
Voting Record Time for the relevant adjourned Meeting will be 6:00
p.m. on the day which is two Business Days prior to the date of the
adjourned Meeting.
(5)
The General Meeting is to commence at 12:15pm on 13 March 2025 or
as soon thereafter as the Court Meeting shall have concluded or
been adjourned.
(6)
The Scheme shall become Effective as soon as a copy of the Court
Order has been delivered to the Registrar of Companies.
(7)
This is the latest date by which the Scheme may become Effective.
However, the Long Stop Date may be extended to such later date as
Esyasoft and Good Energy may agree and the Panel and (if required)
the Court may allow.
|
|
| |
Important notices
Dean Street Advisers Limited
("Dean Street"), which is
authorised and regulated by the FCA in the United Kingdom, is
acting exclusively for Esyasoft and no one else in connection with
the matters described in this Announcement and will not be
responsible to anyone other than Esyasoft for providing the
protections afforded to clients of Dean Street nor for providing
advice in relation to the subject matter of this announcement.
Neither Dean Street nor any of its affiliates owes or accepts any
duty, liability or responsibility whatsoever (whether direct or
indirect, whether in contract, in tort, under statute or otherwise)
to any person who is not a client of Dean Street in connection with
this announcement, any statement contained herein or
otherwise.
Canaccord Genuity Limited
("Canaccord Genuity"),
which is authorised and regulated by the FCA in the United Kingdom,
is acting as financial adviser to Good Energy and no one else in
connection with the matters described in this Announcement and will
not be responsible to anyone other than Good Energy for providing
the protections afforded to clients of Canaccord Genuity nor for
providing advice in connection with the matters referred to herein.
Neither Canaccord Genuity nor any of its subsidiaries, branches or
affiliates owes or accepts any duty, liability or responsibility
whatsoever (whether direct or indirect, whether in contract, in
tort, under statute or otherwise) to any person who is not a client
of Canaccord Genuity in connection with this Announcement, any
statement contained herein, any offer or otherwise.
The person responsible for making
this Announcement on behalf of Good Energy is Nigel
Pocklington.
Further Information
This Announcement is for information
purposes only and is not intended to and does not constitute, or
form part of, any offer to sell or an invitation to purchase any
securities; a solicitation of an offer to buy, otherwise acquire,
subscribe for, sell or otherwise dispose of any securities pursuant
to the Acquisition otherwise; or the solicitation of any vote or
approval in any jurisdiction pursuant to the or otherwise nor shall
there be any purchase, sale, issuance or exchange of securities or
such solicitation in any jurisdiction in which such offer,
solicitation, sale issuance or exchange is unlawful. The
Acquisition will be made solely by means of the Scheme Document
(or, if the Acquisition is implemented by way of a Takeover Offer,
the offer document) which, together with any related forms of
proxy, will contain the full terms and conditions of the
Acquisition, including details of how to vote in respect of the
Scheme. Any decision in respect of, or other response to, the
Acquisition should be made only on the basis of the information
contained in the Scheme Document (or, if the Acquisition is
implemented by way of a Takeover Offer, the offer
document).
Good Energy and Esyasoft urge Good
Energy Shareholders to read the Scheme Document (or any other
document by which the Acquisition is made) in full when it becomes
available because it will contain important information relating to
the Acquisition, including details of how to vote in respect of the
Scheme.
The statements contained in this
Announcement are made as at the date of this Announcement, unless
some other time is specified in relation to them, and publication
of this Announcement shall not give rise to any implication that
there has been no change in the facts set forth in this
Announcement since such date.
This Announcement does not
constitute a prospectus or prospectus equivalent
document.
Overseas jurisdictions
The release, publication or
distribution of this Announcement in jurisdictions other than the
United Kingdom, and the availability of the Acquisition to Good
Energy Shareholders who are not resident in the United Kingdom, may
be restricted by the laws of those jurisdictions and therefore
persons into whose possession this Announcement comes should inform
themselves about and observe such restrictions. In particular, the
ability of persons who are not resident in the United Kingdom to
vote their Good Energy Shares with respect to the Scheme at the
Court Meeting, or to execute and deliver forms of proxy appointing
another to vote at the Court Meeting on their behalf, may be
affected by the laws of the relevant jurisdictions in which they
are located. Further details in relation to Overseas Shareholders
will be contained in the Scheme Document (or, if the Acquisition is
implemented by way of a Takeover Acquisition, the offer document).
Any failure to comply with any such 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.
Unless otherwise determined by
Esyasoft or required by the Takeover Code, and permitted by
applicable law and regulation, the Acquisition will not be made
available, directly or indirectly, in, into or from a Restricted
Jurisdiction. Accordingly, copies of this Announcement and all
documents relating to the Acquisition are not being, and must not
be, directly or indirectly, mailed or otherwise forwarded,
distributed or sent in, into or from a Restricted Jurisdiction, and
persons receiving this Announcement and all documents relating to
the Acquisition (including custodians, nominees and trustees) must
not mail or otherwise distribute or send them in, into or from such
Restricted Jurisdiction. If the Acquisition is implemented by way
of Takeover Offer (unless otherwise permitted by applicable law or
regulation), the Takeover Offer may not be made, directly or
indirectly, in or into, or by use of mails or any other means or
instrumentality (including, without limitation, facsimile, e-mail
or other electronic transmission, telex or telephone) of interstate
or foreign commerce of, or any facility of a national, state or
other securities exchange of any Restricted Jurisdiction and the
Takeover Offer will not be capable of acceptance by any such use,
means, instrumentality or facilities or from within any Restricted
Jurisdiction.
This Announcement has been prepared
in connection with proposals in relation to a scheme of arrangement
pursuant to and for the purpose of complying with English law and
the Takeover Code and 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 the
United Kingdom. Nothing in this Announcement should be relied on
for any other purpose.
The Acquisition shall be subject to
the applicable requirements of the Takeover Code, the Panel, the
London Stock Exchange, the FCA and the AIM Rules.
Additional information for US investors
The Acquisition relates to the
shares of an English company and is being made by means of 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 or proxy solicitation rules under the
US Exchange Act. Accordingly, the Acquisition is subject to the
disclosure requirements and practices applicable in the United
Kingdom to schemes of arrangement which differ from the disclosure
requirements of the US tender offer and proxy solicitation
rules.
If, in the future, Esyasoft
exercises its right to implement the Acquisition by way of a
Takeover Offer, which is to be made into the US, such Takeover
Offer will be made in compliance with the applicable US laws and
regulations, including Section 14(e) and Regulation 14E under the
US Exchange Act. Such a Takeover Offer would be made in the US by
Esyasoft and no one else.
In accordance with normal United
Kingdom practice and pursuant to Rule 14e-5(b) of the U.S. Exchange
Act, Esyasoft, its affiliates, their advisers and the nominees or
brokers (acting as agents) may make certain purchases of, or
arrangements to purchase, shares in Good Energy outside the
Acquisition, such as in open market purchases or privately
negotiated purchases, during the period in which the Acquisition
remains open for acceptance. If such purchases or arrangements to
purchase were to be made, they would comply with applicable law,
including UK laws and the US Exchange Act. Any information about
such purchases or arrangements to purchase shall be disclosed as
required under UK laws and will be available to all investors
(including US investors) via the Regulatory Information Service and
shall be available on the London Stock Exchange website at
www.londonstockexchange.com.
To the extent that such information is required to
be publicly disclosed in the UK in accordance with applicable
regulatory requirements, this information will, as applicable, also
be publicly disclosed in the United States.
It may be difficult for US holders
of Good Energy Shares to enforce their rights and any claim arising
out of the US federal securities laws in connection with the
Acquisition, since Esyasoft and Good Energy are located in non-US
jurisdictions, and some or all of their officers and directors may
be residents of non-US jurisdictions. US holders of Good Energy
Shares may not be able to sue a non-US company or its officers or
directors in a non-US court for violations of the 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.
The financial information included
in this Announcement, or that may be included in the Scheme
Document, has been prepared in accordance with accounting standards
applicable in the United Kingdom 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 ("US GAAP"). US GAAP differs in certain
significant respects from accounting standards applicable in the
United Kingdom. None of the financial information in this
announcement has been audited in accordance with auditing standards
generally accepted in the United States or the auditing standards
of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United
States).
Neither the Acquisition nor this
Announcement have been approved or disapproved by the US Securities
and Exchange Commission, any state securities commission in the
United States or any other US regulatory authority, nor have such
authorities approved or disapproved or passed judgement upon the
fairness or the merits of the Acquisition, or determined if the
information contained in this Announcement is adequate, accurate or
complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offence
in the United States.
The receipt of cash pursuant to the
Acquisition by a US holder as consideration for the transfer of its
Good Energy Shares pursuant to the Acquisition will likely 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 US holder of Good Energy Shares is urged to consult
their independent legal, tax and financial advisers regarding the
tax consequences of the Acquisition applicable to them, including
under applicable US state and local, as well as overseas and other,
tax laws.
Forward-looking statements
This Announcement (including
information incorporated by reference in this Announcement), oral
statements made regarding the Acquisition, and other information
published by Esyasoft or Good Energy may contain statements about
Esyasoft and Good Energy that are or may be deemed to be forward
looking statements. All statements other than statements of
historical facts included in this Announcement may be forward
looking statements. Without limitation, any statements preceded or
followed by or that include the words "targets", "plans",
"believes", "expects", "aims", "intends", "will", "may", "shall",
"should", "anticipates", "estimates", "projects", "is subject to",
"budget", "scheduled", "forecast" or words or terms of similar
substance or the negative thereof, are forward looking statements.
Forward looking statements include statements relating to the
following: (i) future capital expenditures, expenses, revenues,
earnings, synergies, economic performance, indebtedness, financial
condition, dividend policy, losses and future prospects; (ii)
business and management strategies and the expansion and growth of
Esyasoft's or Good Energy's operations and potential synergies
resulting from the Acquisition; and (iii) the effects of government
regulation on Esyasoft's or Good Energy's business.
Such forward looking statements are
prospective in nature and are not based on historical facts, but
rather on current expectations and projections of the management of
Esyasoft and Good Energy about future events, and are therefore
subject to risks and uncertainties that could significantly affect
expected results and are based on certain key assumptions. Many
factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those
projected or implied in any forward looking statements, including:
changes in the global, political, social, economic, business,
competitive, market and regulatory forces, future exchange and
interest rates, changes in tax rates, future business combinations
or disposals. Other unknown or unpredictable factors could cause
actual results to differ materially from those in the forward
looking statements. Such forward looking statements should
therefore be construed in light of such factors. Neither Esyasoft
nor Good Energy, nor any of their respective associates or
directors, officers or advisers, provides any representation,
assurance or guarantee that the occurrence of the events expressed
or implied in any forward looking statements in this Announcement
will actually occur. Due to such uncertainties and risks, readers
are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward looking
statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. All subsequent
oral or written forward looking statements attributable to any
member of the Esyasoft Group or the Good Energy Group, or any of
their respective associates, directors, officers, employees or
advisers, are expressly qualified in their entirety by the
cautionary statement above.
Esyasoft and Good Energy expressly
disclaim any obligation to update any forward looking or other
statements contained herein, except as required by applicable law
or by the rules of any competent regulatory authority, whether as a
result of new information, future events or otherwise.
No profit forecasts, profit
estimates or quantified financial benefit statements
No statement in this Announcement is
intended as, or is to be construed as, a profit forecast, profit
estimate or quantified financial benefit statement for any period
and no statement in this Announcement should be interpreted to mean
that earnings or earnings per share for Good Energy for the current
or future financial years would necessarily match or exceed the
historical published earnings or earnings per share for Good
Energy.
Publication on website
A copy of this Announcement and the
documents required to be published pursuant to Rule 26 of the
Takeover Code will be available, free of charge, subject to certain
restrictions relating to persons resident in Restricted
Jurisdictions, on Esyasoft's website at
www.esyasoft.com/takeover-documentation and Good Energy's website
at www.goodenergy.co.uk/investors/important-notice/ by no later
than 12.00 noon (London Time) on the Business Day following the
publication of this Announcement.
For the avoidance of doubt, the
contents of these websites and any websites accessible from
hyperlinks on these websites are not incorporated into and do not
form part of this Announcement.