TIDMJCR
RNS Number : 2457P
Just Car Clinics Group PLC
30 September 2011
Just Car Clinics Group PLC ("the Company")
30(th) September 2011
PROPOSED CANCELLATION OF ADMISSION TO TRADING ON AIM AND NOTICE
OF GENERAL MEETING
The Company announces its intention to convene a General Meeting
to be held on 31 October 2011 for the purpose of seeking
shareholder approval for the cancellation of its trading on
AIM.
An explanatory circular ('Circular') setting out the details of
the proposal together with a notice of General Meeting, will be
posted to shareholders no later than 7(th) October 2011.
Extracts of the text of the Chairman's letter contained within
the Circular are set out below. Definitions in this announcement
shall bear the same meaning as those in the Circular to
Shareholders.
Reason for the Cancellation of Admission
The perceived benefits of an AIM-listing typically include,
inter alia, access to equity capital markets, an enhanced corporate
profile, a means to incentivise key staff and a mechanism to
provide a market in the Company's shares. However, the Board has
reached the view that, after almost nine years as an AIM-quoted
company, the Company is not receiving these benefits to any extent
that would justify the costs and management time associated with
maintaining its status as an AIM company. In addition, the Board
has concluded that the Company is not likely to achieve any of the
perceived benefits of its AIM-listing in the near future.
Furthermore, the requirement to provide trading updates under the
AIM Rules is potentially commercially disadvantageous in the
current climate. The Board therefore believes that the Company's
interests would be better served if the Company were to operate as
an unquoted entity.
Volatility in the share price can also create a misleading view
of the Company and its trading performance, which can adversely
affect negotiations with customers and suppliers. The Board
believes that Cancellation will facilitate more straightforward
contractual discussions with existing and potential customers and
suppliers.
In addition, Cancellation will result in savings in management
time and costs associated with meeting the Company's obligations
under the AIM Rules and other related regulatory requirements
including reporting, disclosure and some corporate governance
requirements.
Trading in the Ordinary Shares is already very limited and
demand for the Ordinary Shares from investors is low, as
demonstrated by the share price performance and trading volumes in
the current year. The Board acknowledges that Cancellation will
make it more difficult to trade in the Ordinary Shares but does not
believe that this outweighs the commercial benefits to be gained in
de-listing from AIM. However, the Board believes that it is
important that Shareholders are able to trade in the Ordinary
Shares and has therefore made arrangements for a matched bargain
trading facility to be made available through Brewin Dolphin,
further details of which are given below.
Following careful consideration, the Directors have therefore
concluded that it is no longer in the best interests of the Company
or its Shareholders to maintain the Company's admission to trading
on AIM and the Board considers that the costs and commercial
disadvantages of remaining listed on AIM far outweigh the potential
benefits. The Board has therefore decided to propose the
Cancellation. The Directors' intention is that the Company should
remain a public but unquoted company.
Effect of the Cancellation on Shareholders
The principal effects of the Cancellation would be that:
(a) there would no longer be a formal market mechanism enabling
the Shareholders to trade their Ordinary Shares on AIM or any other
recognised market or trading exchange;
(b) the Company would not be bound to announce material events,
administrative changes or material transactions nor to announce
interim or final results;
(c) the Company would no longer be required to comply with any
of the additional specific corporate governance requirements for
companies admitted to trading on AIM; and
(d) the Company would no longer be subject to the AIM Rules and
Shareholders would no longer be required to vote on certain matters
as provided in the AIM Rules.
The Cancellation may have taxation consequences for
Shareholders. Shareholders who are in any doubt about their tax
position should consult their own professional independent
adviser.
Shareholder Protections
The Board has resolved to maintain high standards of corporate
governance and appropriate shareholder protections notwithstanding
the planned Cancellation. Accordingly the Board will continue
to:
(a) hold general meetings in accordance with the applicable
statutory requirements and the Company's articles of
association;
(b) maintain a non-executive representation on the Board, in
particular to represent the interests of non-Director shareholders
who continue to hold a majority of the issued Ordinary Shares. The
Company currently has anon-executive chairman and anon-executive
director and the Board does not anticipate any changes to this
structure in the foreseeable future;
(c) operate Audit and Remuneration Committees;
(d) maintain a progressive dividend policy, paying regular
dividends commensurate with the profitability, cash availability
and underlying growth of the business; and
(e) maintain an "Investors" section on its website at
www.justcarclinics.co.uk. In addition to sending to Shareholders
the Annual Report, the Company intends to post on its website a
summary of its half year financial performance and details of any
significant events or developments in which Shareholders may be
interested and which are not commercially sensitive.
Shareholders should note that following Cancellation the Company
will remain subject to the provisions of The City Code on Takeovers
and Mergers on the basis set out in those provisions.
Share dealing following Cancellation
Whilst the Board believes that the Cancellation is in the
interests of Shareholders as a whole, it recognises that
Cancellation will make it more difficult for Shareholders to buy
and sell Ordinary Shares should they so wish. Accordingly, the
Board has set up a matched bargain arrangement, provided by Brewin
Dolphin, to enable Shareholders to trade the Ordinary Shares. Under
this facility, it is intended that Shareholders or persons wishing
to trade Ordinary Shares will be able to leave an indication with
Brewin Dolphin that they are prepared to buy or sell at an agreed
price. In the event that the matched bargain settlement facility is
able to match that indication with an opposite sell or buy
instruction, Brewin Dolphin will contact both parties to effect the
bargain. Shareholders who do not have their own broker may need to
register with Brewin Dolphin as a new client. This can take some
time to process and therefore Shareholders who consider they are
likely to use this facility are encouraged to commence registration
at the earliest opportunity. Once the facility has been arranged,
details will be made available to Shareholders on the Company's
website at www.justcarclinics.co.uk.
The Company's CREST trading facility will remain in place for so
long as it remains economic to do so.
Approving the Cancellation and General Meeting
Under the AIM Rules, it is a requirement that the Cancellation
must be approved by not less than 75 per cent. of the Shareholders
voting in the General Meeting. Accordingly, the notice of General
Meeting, to be held at 12 noon on 31 October 2011 at the offices of
the Company at Rawcliffe Road, Goole, East Yorkshire DN14 6XL, set
out at the end of this document contains a special resolution to
approve the application to the London Stock Exchange for the
Cancellation.
If the Resolution is approved, it is expected that the
Cancellation will take effect at 7.00 a.m. on 8 November 2011 being
at least 20 business days following the date of this letter and 5
clear business days following the date of the General Meeting.
Action to be taken by Shareholders
A Form of Proxy for use by Shareholders in connection with the
General Meeting accompanies this document. Whether or not you
intend to be present at the General Meeting, you are requested to
complete and sign the Form of Proxy and return it to the Company's
registrars, Capita Registrars, PXS, The Registry, 34 Beckenham
Road, Beckenham, Kent, BR3 4TU so as to be received no later than
12 noon on 29 October 2011.
Unless the Form of Proxy is received by the date and time
mentioned in the instructions, it will be invalid. The completion
and return of the Form of Proxy will not prevent you from attending
the General Meeting and voting in person, if you so wish.
Recommendation to Shareholders
The Directors consider the Resolution to be in the best
interests of the Company and Shareholders as a whole and consider
that it is most likely to promote the success of the Company for
the benefit of Shareholders as a whole. The Directors therefore
unanimously recommend Shareholders to vote in favour of the
Resolution at the General Meeting, as they intend to do in respect
of their own beneficial holdings of 5,697,548 Ordinary Shares
representing approximately 43 per cent. of the issued share capital
of the Company at the date of this document.
For further information, please contact:
Barry Whittles, Chief Executive 07850 268369
Chris Elton, Finance Director 07702 598344
Just Car Clinics
Sandy Fraser
Brewin Dolphin Ltd (NOMAD) 0845 213 2072
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
END
MSCDKLFLFKFFBBE
Just Car Clinics (LSE:JCR)
Historical Stock Chart
From May 2024 to Jun 2024
Just Car Clinics (LSE:JCR)
Historical Stock Chart
From Jun 2023 to Jun 2024