NOTIFICATION
ITHACA ENERGY PLC (the
"GROUP")
Transaction notification
Following Ithaca Energy plc's
("Ithaca Energy")
announcement on 3 October of the successful completion of its
transformational Business Combination with substantially all of Eni
S.p.A.'s UK upstream oil and gas assets (the "Combination"), Ithaca Energy is
pleased to announce that its wholly owned subsidiary Ithaca Energy
(North Sea) plc (the "Company") has commenced a refinancing
of its existing debt facilities via an offering of an aggregate
principal amount of $700 million senior notes due 2029 (the
"Notes") and that
Ithaca Energy (UK) Limited has received $1,235
million of contingent commitments in respect of its amended and
restated reserve based lending facilities agreement maturing in
2029. The Notes will be senior obligations of the Company and will
be guaranteed on a senior basis by Ithaca Energy (E&P) Limited
and on a senior subordinated basis by certain of Ithaca Energy's
subsidiaries.
The gross proceeds from the offering
of the Notes, together with $85 million of cash on hand, will be
used to: (i) redeem the Company's existing $625 million aggregate
principal amount of 9% Senior Notes due 2026 in full; (ii) repay
amounts drawn under an existing loan and (iii) pay certain
refinancing related fees and expenses. The bond proceeds will be
used to augment the liquidity of the business which as at 4 October
included cash of $194 million which incorporates cash balances
related to the Combination.
The Combination further enhances
Ithaca Energy's position as a dynamic, leading UKCS production and
growth company focused on accelerating growth opportunities and
future value creation. Following the Combination, Ithaca Energy is
now positioned as one of the largest resource holders in the UK
North Sea with a diversified portfolio of production and
development opportunities, that has the ability to underpin
material long-term organic growth, delivering the oil and gas
essential for energy security while supporting the UK's
decarbonisation targets.
Today's announcement is further
evidence of the material benefits from the Combination. A
successful Notes offering will further bolster the Group's
financial firepower as it high-grades investment across its range
of organic and inorganic growth opportunities to maximise
sustainable shareholder value.
The Group's performance in the third
quarter of 2024 was in line with expectations and within the market
supplied guidance ranges. Compared to the third quarter of 2023
performance followed a similar trend in revenue and Adjusted
EBITDAX as was seen in the first six months of 2024 compared to the
first six months of 2023.
Yaniv Friedman, Executive Chairman of Ithaca Energy,
commented:
"Our
transformational Business Combination with Eni UK, marks an
exciting new chapter in Ithaca Energy's journey creating a dynamic
growth player with significant organic and inorganic investment
optionality. Today's announcement is evidence of what this
combination allows us to achieve and further signifies our
intentions for further growth and the importance we place on
maintaining a robust financial framework to support these
ambitions."
"I would like to take this
opportunity to thank the Delek Group for
supporting Ithaca Energy in its remarkable journey to date
and the entire Ithaca Energy team
for their hard work and dedication over the past few months in
completing the Combination on schedule while working towards
today's announcement. In particular, I would like to extend the
Board's thanks to Iain Lewis for his contributions as interim Chief
Executive Officer, as he steps back into his role as Chief
Financial Officer and we welcome Luciano Vasques as our new Chief
Executive Officer."
Luciano Vasques, Chief Executive Officer of Ithaca Energy,
commented:
"I am proud to
be leading Ithaca Energy into this new era and excited for the many
opportunities that lie ahead. With significant investment
optionality, increased technical and operational capabilities and a
strong balance sheet, we are well positioned as we embark on our
next phase of growth. Together we will build our business into a
higher performing organisation, with safe and responsible
operations at the heart of everything we do, as we continue to play
our part in supporting the UK's energy security into the energy
transition."
Iain Lewis, Chief Financial Officer of Ithaca Energy,
commented:
"Maintaining a robust Balance Sheet
is of critical importance as we continue to pursue our growth
aspirations, in line with our clearly defined capital allocation
policy. The recent Business Combination with Eni
UK has strengthened the Group's financial
position, through the addition of Eni UK's unlevered
assets."
Enquiries
Ithaca Energy
|
|
Kathryn Reid - Head of Investor
Relations, Corporate Affairs & Communications
|
kathryn.reid@ithacaenergy.com
|
FTI
Consulting (PR Advisers to Ithaca Energy)
|
+44 (0)203
727 1000
|
Ben Brewerton / Nick Hennis / Rosie
Corbett
|
ithacaenergy@fticonsulting.com
|
***********************************
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
The Notes have not been and will not
be registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
"Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be
offered or sold in the United States or for the account or benefit
of any US person or in any way distributed in the United States
absent registration or an applicable exemption from the
registration requirements of the Securities Act and applicable
state securities laws. The Notes will be offered only to qualified
institutional buyers in the United States in accordance with Rule
144A under the Securities Act and to non-US persons outside the
United States in reliance on Regulation S under the Securities
Act.
This announcement does not constitute an offer to sell or a
solicitation of an offer to buy the Notes and shall not constitute
an offer, solicitation or sale of any securities in any
jurisdiction where the offering would not be permitted. This
announcement contains information about a pending transaction and
there can be no assurance that this transaction will be
completed.
Forward-Looking Information
is Subject to Risk and Uncertainty
This announcement may include certain "forward-looking"
statements. Forward-looking statements include all statements that
are not historical facts and can be identified by the use of
forward-looking terminology such as the words "believes,"
"expects," "may," "will," "would," "should," "seeks," "pro forma,"
"anticipates," "intends," "plans," "estimates," or the negative of
any thereof or other variations thereof or comparable terminology,
or by discussions of strategy or intentions. These statements are
not guarantees of future actions or performance and involve risks,
uncertainties and assumptions as to future events that may not
prove to be accurate. Actual actions or results may differ
materially from what is expressed or forecasted in these
forward-looking statements as the Company may be unable to complete
the Transactions. As a result, these statements speak only as of
the date they were made and the Company undertakes no obligation to
publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether
as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Many
important factors could cause the Company's results to differ
materially from those expressed in these forward-looking
statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, general
market conditions, national or global events affecting the capital
markets, unforeseen developments in the Company's business or
industry or changes in law or regulations governing the Company's
ability to complete the Transactions.
***********************************
This announcement is not being made in and copies of it may
not be distributed or sent into any jurisdiction in which the
publication, distribution or release would be
unlawful.
This document is not an offer of securities for sale in the
United States. The Notes may not be sold in the United States
absent registration or an exemption from registration under the
Securities Act. The Company does not intend to register the Notes
and any related guarantees in the United States or to conduct a
public offering of the Notes and such guarantees in the United
States.
In
member states of the EEA, this announcement and any offer of the
securities referred to herein in any Member State of the European
Economic Area ("EEA") will be made pursuant to an exemption under
the Prospectus Regulation from the requirement to publish a
prospectus for offers of the securities referred to herein.
Accordingly, any person making or intending to make an offer in a
Member State of Notes which are the subject of the offering
contemplated may only do so in circumstances in which no obligation
arises for the Company or any of the initial purchasers to publish
a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Regulation, in
each case, in relation to such offer. Neither the Company nor
the initial purchasers have authorized, nor do they authorize, the
making of any offer of Notes in circumstances in which an
obligation arises for the Company or the initial purchasers to
publish a prospectus for such offer. The expression
"Prospectus Regulation" means Regulation (EU)
2017/1129.
The securities are not intended to be offered, sold or
otherwise made available to and should not be offered, sold or
otherwise made available to any retail investor in the EEA. For
these purposes, a retail investor means a person who is one (or
more) of: (i) a retail client as defined in point (11) of Article
4(1) of Directive 2014/65/EU (as amended, "MiFID II") or (ii) a
customer within the meaning of Directive 2016/97/EU (as amended),
where that customer would not qualify as a professional client as
defined in point (10) of Article 4(1) of MiFID II. Consequently, no
key information document required by Regulation (EU) No 1286/2014
(as amended, the "PRIIPs Regulation") for offering or selling the
securities or otherwise making them available to retail investors
in the EEA has been prepared and therefore offering or selling the
securities or otherwise making them available to any retail
investor in the EEA may be unlawful under the PRIIPS
Regulation.
The securities are not intended to be offered, sold or
otherwise made available to and should not be offered, sold or
otherwise made available to any retail investor in the United
Kingdom ("UK"). For these purposes, a retail investor means a
person who is one (or more) of: (i) a retail client, as defined in
point (8) of Article 2 of Regulation (EU) No 2017/565 as it forms
part of UK domestic law by virtue of the European Union
(Withdrawal) Act 2018 ("EUWA"); or (ii) a customer within the
meaning of the provisions of the FSMA and any rules or regulations
made under the FSMA to implement Directive (EU) 2016/97, where that
customer would not qualify as a professional client, as defined in
point (8) of Article 2(1) of Regulation (EU) No 600/2014 as it
forms part of UK domestic law by virtue of the EUWA. Consequently
no key information document required by Regulation (EU) No
1286/2014 as it forms part of UK domestic law by virtue of the EUWA
(as amended, the "UK PRIIPs Regulation") for offering or selling
the Notes or otherwise making them available to retail investors in
the UK has been prepared and therefore offering or selling the
Notes or otherwise making them available to any retail investor in
the UK may be unlawful under the UK PRIIPs
Regulation.
In
the UK, this announcement and any offer of the securities referred
to herein in the UK will be made pursuant to an exemption under the
UK Prospectus Regulation from the requirement to publish a
prospectus for offers of the securities referred to herein.
Accordingly, any person making or intending to make an offer in the
UK of Notes which are the subject of the offering contemplated may
only do so in circumstances in which no obligation arises for the
Company or any of the initial purchasers to publish a prospectus
pursuant to Article 3 of the UK Prospectus Regulation, in each
case, in relation to such offer. Neither the Company nor the
initial purchasers have authorized, nor do they authorize, the
making of any offer of Notes in circumstances in which an
obligation arises for the Company or the initial purchasers to
publish a prospectus for such offer. The expression "UK
Prospectus Regulation" means Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 as it forms
part of UK domestic law by virtue of the EUWA.
This communication is being distributed only to, and is
directed at persons who (i) have professional experience in matters
relating to investments falling within Article 19(5) of the
Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order
2005, as amended (the "Financial Promotion Order") (ii) are persons
falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) (high net worth companies,
unincorporated associations, etc.) of the Financial Promotion
Order, (iii) are outside the United Kingdom or (iv) are persons to
whom an invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity
(within the meaning of section 21 of the Financial Services and
Markets Act 2000 in connection with the issue and sale of any
securities may otherwise lawfully be communicated or caused to be
communicated (all such persons together being referred to as
"relevant persons")). This announcement 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 announcement relates is available only to relevant
persons and will be engaged in only with relevant
persons.
Neither the content of the Company's website nor any website
accessible by hyperlinks on the Company's website is incorporated
in, or forms part of, this announcement. The distribution of this
announcement into certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law.
Persons into whose possession this announcement comes should inform
themselves about and observe any such restrictions. Any failure to
comply with these restrictions may constitute a violation of the
securities laws of any such jurisdiction. This announcement is an
advertisement and is not a prospectus for the purposes of the
Prospectus Regulation or the UK Prospectus
Regulation.