20 June
2024
i3 Energy plc
("i3", "i3 Energy",
or the "Company")
Reduction of Share Capital -
Update
i3 Energy PLC (AIM:I3E)
(TSX:ITE), an independent oil and gas company with assets and
operations in the UK and Canada, announces the
following update to its proposed reduction of share
capital.
Proposed Capital Reduction - Next Steps and
Timetable
Terms used in this announcement have
the same meaning given in the shareholder circular of the Company
dated 25 March 2024 unless otherwise defined in this
announcement.
At the General Meeting held on 15
April 2024 the shareholders approved a resolution to allow, among
other things, the Capital Reduction. The proposed Capital
Reduction is intended to increase retained earnings in order to
create further distributable reserves in the Company to facilitate
the future payment of dividends (in cash or otherwise) to
Shareholders, where justified by the profits of the Company, or to
allow the redemption or buy-back of the Company's shares (or other
distributions to Shareholders).
The proposed Capital Reduction is
subject to the scrutiny of, and confirmation by, the High Court of
England and Wales (the "High
Court") which will take due account of the protection of
creditors.
On 12 June 2024, the initial
directions hearing in relation to the Capital Reduction took
place. It is currently expected that the final Court Hearing
will take place on 2 July 2024. Subject to that confirmation of the
Capital Reduction at the Court Hearing and registration by the
Registrar of Companies in England and Wales of the order of the
High Court, the Capital Reduction is expected to take effect as per
the timetable below.
The Board anticipates that the
Capital Reduction will result in the creation of distributable
reserves; however, this is subject to: (i) there being no
materially negative change in the financial position or prospects
of the Company; and (ii) any provision that the Court requires the
Company to make for the protection of its creditors (although the
Board does not expect any undertakings or similar measures to be
required). This will give the Company the maximum flexibility to
consider the payment of dividends and otherwise return value to
Shareholders, should the Board consider it appropriate. It
should however be noted that if the Company is required to give
undertakings to the Court, this may delay the Company's ability to
pay dividends and otherwise return value to
Shareholders.
Following the implementation of the
Capital Reduction, there will be no change in the nominal value of
the Company's shares or the number of shares in issue. The
Capital Reduction will not involve any distribution or repayment of
share premium by the Company and will not reduce the underlying net
assets of the Company.
The Directors reserve the right to
abandon or discontinue any application to the High Court for
confirmation of the Capital Reduction if the Directors believe that
the terms required to obtain confirmation are unsatisfactory to the
Company or if, as the result of a material unforeseen event, the
Directors consider that to continue with the Capital Reduction
would be inappropriate or inadvisable.
Timetable of Principal Events
The expected timetable of principal
events with respect to the Capital Reduction are as
follows:
PRINCIPAL EVENT
|
DATE
|
Date for the directions hearing for
the High Court to consider the Capital Reduction
application
|
12 June 2024
|
Expected date for the hearing by the
High Court to confirm the Capital Reduction
|
2 July 2024
|
Expected date that the Capital
Reduction becomes effective
|
On or around 3 July 2024
|
Enquiries:
i3 Energy
plc
Majid Shafiq (CEO)
|
c/o Camarco
Tel: +44 (0) 203 757 4980
|
|
|
WH Ireland
Limited (Nomad and Joint Broker)
James Joyce, Darshan Patel
|
Tel: +44 (0) 207 220 1666
|
|
|
Tennyson
Securities (Joint Broker)
Peter Krens
|
Tel: +44 (0) 207 186 9030
|
|
|
Stifel Nicolaus
Europe Limited (Joint Broker)
Ashton Clanfield, Callum Stewart
|
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7710 7600
|
|
|
Camarco
Andrew Turner, Violet Wilson, Sam
Morris
|
Tel: +44 (0) 203 781 8338
|
Notes to Editors:
i3 Energy is an oil and gas Company with a low
cost, diversified, growing production base
in Canada's most prolific hydrocarbon region,
the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin and appraisal
assets in the North Sea with significant
upside.
The Company is well positioned to deliver future
growth through the optimisation of its existing high working
interest asset base and the acquisition of long life, low decline
conventional production assets.
i3 is dedicated to responsible corporate
practices and the environment, and places high value on adhering to
strong Environmental, Social and Governance ("ESG") practices. i3
is proud of its performance to date as a responsible steward of the
environment, people, and capital management. The Company is
committed to maintaining an ESG strategy, which has broader
implications for long-term value creation, as these benefits extend
beyond regulatory requirements.
i3 Energy is listed on the AIM market of
the London Stock Exchange under the symbol I3E and on
the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol ITE. For
further information on i3 Energy please
visit https://i3.energy/.
This announcement contains inside information
for the purposes of Article 7 of the UK version of Regulation (EU)
No 596/2014 which is part of UK law by virtue of the European Union
(Withdrawal) Act 2018, as amended ("MAR"). Upon the publication of
this announcement via a Regulatory Information Service, this inside
information is now considered to be in the public
domain.