SENS
ANNOUNCEMENT
(the
"Notice" or "Announcement")
ZCCM INVESTMENTS HOLDINGS PLC
("ZCCM-IH")
[Incorporated in the Republic of Zambia]
Company registration number:
119540000771
Share Code:
ZCCM-IH
ISIN:
ZM0000000037
Authorised by:
Charles Mjumphi - Company Secretary
Stockbrokers Zambia
Limited
[Founder
Member of the Lusaka Securities Exchange]
[Regulated and licensed by the Securities and Exchange
Commission of Zambia]
Contact
Number:
+260-211-232456
Website:
www.sbz.com.zm
The captioned Notice or Announcement
has been approved by:
i. The
Lusaka Securities Exchange ("LuSE")
ii. The Securities
and Exchange Commission ("SEC")
iii. ZCCM-IH Investments
Holdings Plc ("ZCCM-IH")
The Notice or Announcement contained
herein contains information that may be of a price-sensitive
nature.
Investors are advised to seek the
advice of their investment advisor, stockbroker, or any
professional duly licensed by the Securities and Exchange
Commission of Zambia to provide securities advice.
ISSUED: 21 March 2024
ZCCM INVESTMENTS HOLDINGS
PLC
[Incorporated in the Republic of Zambia]
Company
registration number: 119540000771
Share
Code: ZCCM-IH
ISIN:
ZM0000000037
["ZCCM-IH" or the "Company"]
TRANSACTION COMPLETION &
WITHDRAWAL OF CAUTIONARY ANNOUNCEMENT
1.0 Introduction
Shareholders are referred to the
announcements ZCCM-IH released on the Stock Exchange News Service
("SENS") of the Lusaka Securities Exchange ("LUSE") on 10th
November 2023, 30 November 2023, 22 December 2023, 1 February 2024
and 23 February 2024 regarding the up to US$1.1 billion capital
investment by International Resources Holding RSC Ltd ("IRH"),
through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Delta Mining Limited
("Delta"), for a 51% interest in Mopani Copper Mines plc ("MCM")
and the formation of a strategic partnership with ZCCM-IH. The
investment will comprise US$620 million in new equity capital, up
to US$100 million in settlement of existing third-party letters of
credit and up to US$380 million of shareholder loans (the
"Transaction"). The Company distributed a Transaction circular (the
"Circular") on 2 February 2024 incorporating a notice of
Extraordinary General Meeting ("EGM") to consider the Transaction.
The Board of Directors of ZCCM-IH (the "Board") is pleased to
provide a further update in relation to the Transaction.
2.0 Payment of US$150,000,000 Glencore Payment
Covenant
The circular under section 8.21 made
reference to the Glencore Payment Covenant for the amount of US$
150 million to be paid to Glencore International AG ("Glencore").
The US$150 million was a partial consideration for the write-down
of the MCM debt to Glencore. In order to make the payment to
Glencore and complete the transaction, ZCCM-IH made an upfront
payment of US$15,000,000 and entered into a loan facility with the
Government of the Republic of Zambia through the Ministry of
Finance and National Planning ("GRZ") pursuant to which the GRZ is
to make available to ZCCM-IH an aggregate loan of USD135,000,000
plus a further amount equal to the aggregate interest that ZCCM-IH
is required to pay to Glencore under the payment covenant. Details
of the agreement are laid out in the table below.
Creditor
|
Government of the Republic of Zambia
(Zambia)
|
Debtor
|
ZCCM-IH
|
Structure of Loan
|
Loan to accrue to ZCCM-IH over a
5-year period incrementally based on outlays to Glencore by
GRZ
|
Particulars of the
Transaction
|
Settlement of amount to be paid by
GRZ to Glencore on behalf of ZCCM IH, contribution to resolution of
debt owed to Glencore by MCM
|
Key terms
|
· zero
percent interest
· a five
(5) year repayment moratorium.
· the
GRZ having the option to convert the value of its loan into equity
in the capital of ZCCM-IH, subject to the approval of ZCCM-IH's
shareholders in accordance with Section 10 of the LUSE Listing
Rules.
|
Principle Amount
|
As per the structure, the principle
will accrue incrementally (Up to a Limit US$ 135 million plus value
of aggregate interest on the Glencore payment covenant.)
|
Payment Terms
|
Repay in equal quarterly from
dividends earned from MCM over a period of ten (10) years following
a grace period of five (5) years. As implied by the interest rate,
the loan will not attract any interest.
|
Tenure
|
15 years including an initial 5-year
moratorium.
|
Effective Date
|
20 March 2024
|
Rationale for the
Transaction
|
To enhance ZCCM-IH ability to meet
liquidity requirements to facilitate entry of a Strategic Equity
Partner into MCM.
|
ZCCM-IH is aware that the parties
involved in this loan agreement results in the transaction being
classified as a Related Party Transaction under Section 10 of the
LuSE Listing Rules. Shareholders are referred to the ZCCM-IH
management's submission at the Extraordinary General Meeting
("EGM") concerning the payment of the $150,000,000 where management
communicated that the terms of payment between GRZ and Glencore had
not yet been finalised. It was also mentioned that due to
MCM's challenging financial situation, it was imperative that the
Transaction be concluded in a timely fashion. Therefore, post the
EGM, negotiations between the parties and tight deadlines
necessitated the expedient conclusion of the loan in order to
effect the Transaction for the entry of Delta into MCM as this loan
was a Condition Precedent. Furthermore, given the complexity of the
Transaction and ongoing negotiations, the parties had to agree to
extend the longstop date from 15 March 2024 to 31 March 2024, which
placed further pressure on the cash flow situation at MCM. On this
basis, ZCCM-IH urgently sought a waiver from the requirements of
Section 9 and 10 of the LuSE Listing Rules, due to the reasons
expressed above and to ensure that the Transaction could be
successfully concluded by the agreed longstop date. LuSE agreed to
grant the waiver in line with their discretion as outlined in the
Listing Rules. The Exchange took consideration of the
public's interest in the delivery of this Transaction and the
execution of the initial approvals relating to the Transaction that
were obtained at the last EGM by ZCCM-IH from its shareholders
.
ZCCM-IH would also like to highlight
that the terms of the loan agreed with GRZ are favourable to
ZCCM-IH. The zero percent interest and 5-year holiday on repaying
the loan minimises the financial impact on ZCCM-IH and are more
favourable relative to market-related loans on an arms-length
basis.
Shareholders are also advised that
should the GRZ exercise its option to convert the debt into equity,
the conversion will be subject to the provisions of Section 9 and
10 of the LuSE Listing Rules and non-related party shareholders
will have the opportunity to vote on the matter at a shareholders
meeting.
3.0 Completion of the Transaction
The Board is pleased to confirm that
all the Conditions Precedent to the Transaction have now been
satisfied, allowing for the completion of the Transaction on 20
March 2024.
Accordingly, caution is no longer
required to be exercised by shareholders on this matter when
dealing in their securities and the Cautionary Announcement in
force since 10th November 2023 is hereby withdrawn.
By
Order of the Board
Charles Mjumphi
Company Secretary
Issued in Lusaka, Zambia on 21 March
2024
|
|
T
|
+260-211-232456
E
|
advisory@sbz.com.zm
W |
www.sbz.com.zm
Stockbrokers Zambia Limited (SBZ) is a member of the Lusaka
Securities Exchange and is regulated by the Securities and Exchange
Commission of Zambia.
|
First Issued on
21 March
2024