NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART IN, INTO OR FROM ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OR REGULATIONS OF THAT JURISDICTION.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONTAINS INSIDE INFORMATION
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
6 August 2018
Termination of discussions and release of interim results
The board of directors ("Board") of IWG plc ("IWG" or the "Company") announces that it has informed each of Starwood, Terra Firma and TDR that it does not intend to continue discussions regarding their possible offers for the entire issued share capital of IWG. After extensive discussions exploring the interest shown by multiple parties over recent months, the Board unanimously believes that none of the interested parties is currently capable of delivering an executable transaction at a recommendable price.
The Board remains confident in the long-term value of and opportunities for IWG. It is the global leader in the co-working and flexible workspace sector, a market that is experiencing its most exciting stage of growth in over 30 years as increasing numbers of companies look to capture the strategic and financial advantages of flexible working. With a business model refined over a nearly 30-year operating history and the largest network of workspaces around the world, which in 2018 will add approximately 22% more sq. ft of space than last year, IWG continues to occupy a leading position in an industry that is rapidly becoming more mainstream and benefitting from global trends driving long-term demand.
The Board is focused on continuing to grow the Company and confident that IWG has an exciting future as an independent public company.
IWG has separately released its results for the six months ended 30 June 2018 today.
Further to the announcement made by IWG on 23 July 2018, each of the interested parties is required by not later than 5.00pm on 7 August 2018 to either announce a firm intention to make an offer for IWG in accordance with the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers (the "Code") or announce that it does not intend to make an offer, in which case the announcement will be treated as a statement to which Rule 2.8 of the Code applies.
This announcement has been made without the consent of Starwood, Terra Firma and TDR.
Enquiries:
IWG plc Tel: + 41 (0) 41 723 2353
Tim Regan, Company Secretary
Wayne Gerry, Group Investor Relations Director
J.P. Morgan Cazenove (Lead Financial Adviser Tel: +44 (0) 20 7742 4000
and Joint Corporate Broker)
Alex Watkins
James Robinson
Investec (Financial Adviser and Joint Corporate Broker) Tel: +44 (0) 20 7597 5970
James Rudd
Henry Reast
Brunswick Tel: +44 (0) 20 7404 5959
Nick Cosgrove
Simone Selzer
Rule 26.1 disclosure
In accordance with Rule 26.1 of the Code, a copy of this announcement will be available at www.iwgplc.com, by no later than 12 noon (London time) on 6 August 2018. The content of the website referred to in this announcement is not incorporated into and does not form part of this announcement.
MAR
The information contained within this announcement is considered by the Company to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations (EU) No.596/2014 ("MAR"). Upon the publication of this announcement via a Regulatory Information Service, this inside information will be considered to be in the public domain.
The person responsible for arranging for the release of this announcement on behalf of the Company is Tim Regan, Company Secretary.
Disclosure requirements of the Code
Under Rule 8.3(a) of the Code, any person who is interested in 1% or more of any class of relevant securities of an offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror (being any offeror other than an offeror in respect of which it has been announced that its offer is, or is likely to be, solely in cash) must make an Opening Position Disclosure following the commencement of the offer period and, if later, following the announcement in which any securities exchange offeror is first identified. An Opening Position Disclosure must contain details of the person's interests and short positions in, and rights to subscribe for, any relevant securities of each of (i) the offeree company and (ii) any securities exchange offeror(s). An Opening Position Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(a) applies must be made by no later than 3.30 pm (London time) on the 10th business day following the commencement of the offer period and, if appropriate, by no later than 3.30 pm (London time) on the 10th business day following the announcement in which any securities exchange offeror is first identified. Relevant persons who deal in the relevant securities of the offeree company or of a securities exchange offeror prior to the deadline for making an Opening Position Disclosure must instead make a Dealing Disclosure.
Under Rule 8.3(b) of the Code, any person who is, or becomes, interested in 1% or more of any class of relevant securities of the offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror must make a Dealing Disclosure if the person deals in any relevant securities of the offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror. A Dealing Disclosure must contain details of the dealing concerned and of the person's interests and short positions in, and rights to subscribe for, any relevant securities of each of (i) the offeree company and (ii) any securities exchange offeror(s), save to the extent that these details have previously been disclosed under Rule 8. A Dealing Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(b) applies must be made by no later than 3.30 pm (London time) on the business day following the date of the relevant dealing.
If two or more persons act together pursuant to an agreement or understanding, whether formal or informal, to acquire or control an interest in relevant securities of an offeree company or a securities exchange offeror, they will be deemed to be a single person for the purpose of Rule 8.3.
Opening Position Disclosures must also be made by the offeree company and by any offeror and Dealing Disclosures must also be made by the offeree company, by any offeror and by any persons acting in concert with any of them (see Rules 8.1, 8.2 and 8.4).
Details of the offeree and offeror companies in respect of whose relevant securities Opening Position Disclosures and Dealing Disclosures must be made can be found in the Disclosure Table on the Takeover Panel's website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk, including details of the number of relevant securities in issue, when the offer period commenced and when any offeror was first identified. You should contact the Panel's Market Surveillance Unit on +44 (0)20 7638 0129 if you are in any doubt as to whether you are required to make an Opening Position Disclosure or a Dealing Disclosure.
Disclaimer
J.P. Morgan Securities plc, which conducts its UK investment banking business as J.P. Morgan Cazenove ("J.P. Morgan Cazenove"), is authorised in the United Kingdom by the Prudential Regulation Authority (the "PRA") and regulated in the United Kingdom by the PRA and the Financial Conduct Authority. J.P. Morgan Cazenove is acting exclusively as financial adviser to IWG and no one else in connection with the matters set out in this announcement and will not regard any other person as its client in relation to the matters set out in this announcement and will not be responsible to anyone other than IWG for providing the protections afforded to clients of J.P. Morgan Cazenove or its affiliates, or for providing advice in relation to the contents of this announcement or any other matter referred to herein.
Investec Bank plc, which is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority, is acting exclusively for IWG and no one else in connection with the subject matter of this announcement and will not be responsible to anyone other than IWG for providing the protections afforded to clients of Investec Bank plc nor for giving advice in relation to the subject matter of this announcement.
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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