Tender Offer - Replacement

Govett Asian Recovery Trust PLC 03 December 2003 The following replaces the Tender Offer announcement released Monday 01 December 2003, at 0734 under RNS number 6654S The text in the timetable should have read: Latest time and date for receipt of Tender Forms from Shareholders and latest time and date for receipt of Purchase Forms from Shareholders accompanied by cheques for purchase price - 5.00 p.m. on 15 December 2003, and not 11 December 2003 as previously stated. All other details remain unchanged, and the full amended text appears below. Govett Asian Recovery Trust plc ('GART' or the 'Company') Announcement of proposals for a change of Investment Objective and Policy, Change of Name, New Management Agreements, Tender Offer and Matching Facility and certain other matters Introduction The Company announces proposals for a change of the Company's investment objective and policy and a change of name, New Management Agreements, a Tender Offer and Matching Facility and related matters (the 'Proposals'). A circular (the 'Circular') setting out the Proposals and convening an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Company for 22 December 2003 is being posted to Shareholders. Background to the Proposals Following the sale by Allied Irish Banks p.l.c. of certain management contracts of Govett Investment Management Limited to Gartmore Investment Management Plc, on 17 November 2003, the Directors appointed Gartmore Investment Limited (the ' New Manager') as the New Manager of the Company in place of Govett Investment Management Limited. The New Manager is a subsidiary of Gartmore Investment Management Plc ('Gartmore'). Gartmore is itself a subsidiary of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, a diversified insurance and financial services company based in Columbus, Ohio, USA. The New Manager has taken over the management, initially on the same terms as the old manager, except that the notice period will be reduced from one year to six months if the Tender Offer is approved. However, it is proposed that the Company enters into New Management Agreements with the New Manager, the details of which are set out below and in the Circular. The Directors have reviewed with the New Manager the investment objective and policy of the Company and have concluded that it should be changed. At the same time, the Directors believe that it would be appropriate for the Company to change its name. Under the Company's current Articles of Association, the Company is required to hold a continuation vote by 29 January 2004. The Directors are, however, aware that certain shareholders may wish to realise their investment and have reviewed the available options with their advisers and with the New Manager. The Directors have determined that a Tender Offer should be made, under which up to 60 per cent. of the Company's issued share capital would be repurchased. The Tender Offer has been designed to enable those Shareholders who wish to realise shares to do so at a price which is close to their fair realisable value, while ensuring that ongoing shareholders who do not wish to tender their Shares are not disadvantaged by the Proposals. The Tender Offer is coupled with a Matching Facility under which Shareholders who wish to increase their holding may do so at the same price. The Articles of Association also currently provide for a continuation vote to be held every three years. The provision is designed to achieve an attractive rating for the Company and, in particular, to assist with the management of the discount to net asset value at which the Shares trade. The Directors believe, however, that a more efficient mechanism is to replace the three-yearly continuation vote with a continuation vote which is linked to the level of the discount. It is therefore proposed to make this change. New Manager The New Manager, Gartmore Investment Limited, is a London based provider of investment management products and services to professional advisers and institutional clients around the world. It is part of the Gartmore group, a global asset management business providing investment products and services tailored to the needs of institutional and retail investors. As at 30 September 2003, the Gartmore group's assets under management were over £48 billion. Gartmore has dedicated significant resources to the management of Pan-Pacific equities. The Pan-Pacific Markets team comprises two portfolio managers responsible for stock selection, portfolio construction and risk management. The team currently manage Asia Pacific mandates with £183 million of assets under management as at 30 September 2003. Your Board believes that Gartmore, with its worldwide resources and considerable experience in managing portfolios across Asia, is well placed to achieve the Company's investment objective. The managers of the Company's investment portfolio will be: Philip Ehrmann, Head of Pacific and Emerging Markets, who has more than 20 years' investment experience. He joined the New Manager in 1995 as Head of the Emerging Markets Equity Team. He began his career in 1981 working for Rowe & Pitman, where he specialised in the North American equity market. In 1984 he joined Invesco to manage international assets before being appointed Director of Emerging Markets, a position he held for five years before joining Gartmore. Philip graduated from the London School of Economics in 1981 with an Honours degree in Economics, Industry and Trade. Nick Reid, Senior Investment Manager, who has more than 14 years' investment experience. He joined the London Global desk in August 2002 and is responsible for managing long-only Japanese equities and International Small Cap Portfolios. Prior to this, Nick was based for seven years in Gartmore's Tokyo office where he had responsibility for managing all the Japanese equity retail funds, including the Gartmore Japan Focus Fund, as well as co-managing the Japanese long/short funds. He joined Gartmore in 1994 working for the Japanese equity team based in London. Prior to that he was with Panmure Gordon as a UK smaller companies analyst, and with Refuge Assurance where he was a fund manager covering the Japanese and other Asian markets. Nick graduated from Cambridge University in 1989 with an Honours degree in History. He is an associate member of the Institute of Investment Management and Research. New Managements Agreements The existing management agreement between the Company and the New Manager is on the same terms to that which the company previously had with Govett Investment Management Limited, except that the notice period will be reduced from one year to six months if the Tender Offer is approved. The Directors propose that the existing management agreement which was transferred from Govett Investment Management Limited to the New Manager be replaced with two new agreements (the 'New Management Agreements') with the New Manager, one covering investment management and the other covering administrative and secretarial functions. The New Manager is deemed under the rules of the UK Listing Authority to be a related party of the Company and therefore Shareholder approval of the New Management Agreement is required. The New Management Agreements will be terminable by the Company on six months' notice. The management fee payable to the new Manager will remain unchanged at 0.75 pet cent. per annum (plus VAT) of total assets (less current liabilities), with a rebate to the Company for fees on investments in other investment vehicles managed by the Gartmore Group. The performance fee will, however, be increased from 1 April 2004 from 5 per cent. of the portfolios out-performance against the benchmark index to 15 per cent. of the out-performance. In addition, the cap on the performance fee (currently 0.25 per cent. of the year-end net asset value of the Company) will, subject to any requirement for Shareholder approval, be removed for years in which the net asset value grows. In any year in which it falls, a cap of 0.25 per cent. of the year-end net asset value will apply. The entering into of the new Management Agreements will be conditional upon the Tender Offer being approved by shareholders and becoming unconditional and not being terminated or lapsing. There will be no change to the aggregate remuneration paid to the Directors as a result of the Proposals. A fuller summary of the New Management Agreements is set out in the Circular. Change of Investment Objective and Policy The Company's current investment objective is 'to achieve capital growth through investment in a broad range of companies in the Asia Pacific region including Japan, with an emphasis on those with recovery potential'. It is proposed that the investment objective should be revised so that the new investment objective will be 'to generate capital growth from a concentrated portfolio of companies domiciled, operating or generating revenue in the Asia Pacific region including Japan'. The Company's benchmark, the MSCI All Countries Asia Pacific (cum Japan) Index in Sterling terms (gross income reinvested), will remain unchanged. While performance for the six months to 30 September 2003 has been good, the Directors are concerned that the current investment objective may increasingly limit the New Manager's ability to outperform the market in the future, owing to the emphasis on recovery stocks. The New Manager's investment policy will enable the investment portfolio to comprise companies of any market capitalisation, regardless of sector or country weightings, which show potential for outstanding growth. It is expected that the portfolio would comprise approximately 40 to 50 holdings. A sizable weighting in Japan will normally be maintained as it represents a significant proportion of the benchmark. Owing to the concentration of investments under the new investment objective, the performance of the Company' investment portfolio may deviate significantly from the benchmark from time to time. Nevertheless the Directors believe that the New Manager is well equipped to manage a concentrated portfolio of investments. The Company may utilise gearing up to a maximum of 25 per cent. of net asset value in appropriate circumstances. Gearing will initially be maintained at current levels of approximately 14 per cent., but it may vary depending on asset levels and market conditions. The New Manager will also continue to manage the currency exposure of the Company and will use derivatives as appropriate for the efficient management of the portfolio. Change of Name Consistently with the change of investment objective, as well as reflecting the change of new manager of the Company, the Directors propose that the Company's name should be changed to 'Gartmore Asia Pacific Trust PLC'. Investment Outlook The Company will be investing in stocks in sectors which should benefit from the continued economic growth in the region. There will also be an emphasis on companies restructuring their operations and improving their profitability. The New Manager believes that economic activity in the Pan-Pacific region will continue to increase over the rest of the financial year, bolstered by China's robust growth. The region's exports should also continue to benefit from the ongoing recovery in the global economy. Corporate earnings are expected to improve further, reflecting accelerating economic growth within the region and a recovery in demand from the US and Europe. Against this economic and earnings backdrop, the New Manager believes that Pan-Pacific equities will continue to perform well over the remainder of the Company's financial year, although recent rallies could trigger some profit-taking in the short term. Tender Offer The Directors have arranged for a Tender Offer to be made for up to 60 per cent. of the Company's issued share capital at a price which is close to fair realisable value. Under the Tender Offer, Shareholders other than Overseas Shareholders will be able to realise up to 60 per cent. of their holding (their 'Basic Entitlement'). Further, Shareholders will be able to tender additional Shares; such tenders will be satisfied, on a pro rata basis, to the extent that other Shareholders tender less than their Basic Entitlement. For the purpose of the pro-rating, Share Plan Participants will be treated in the same way as Shareholders. The Tender Offer is being made at a Repurchase Price equal to a discount of 3.5 per cent. of the Net Asset Value per Share (before expenses of the Proposals) on the Calculation Date. For illustrative purposes only, had the calculation of the Repurchase Price been done as at 27 November 2003 (the latest practicable date before publication of the Circular), the Repurchase Price would have been £1.4585. The Tender Offer is being made by Cazenove. Cazenove will, as principal, purchase the Shares tendered by means of on-market purchases and, following the completion of all those purchases, sell them to the Company or to purchasers under the Matching Facility. All Shares acquired by the Company will be cancelled. The repurchase of Shares by the Company will be funded from the Company's cash resources and by the sale of investments in the Company's portfolio. The Tender Offer is subject to the approval of Shareholders by special resolution and is conditional upon not more than 85 per cent. of the Company's issued share capital being tendered. It is also subject to certain other conditions and may be suspended or terminated in certain circumstances as set out in the Circular. If more than 85 per cent. of the issued share capital is tendered, the Directors will not later than 31 March 2004 bring forward to Shareholders proposals for the winding up of the Company. The Directors are making no recommendation to Shareholders as to whether they should tender Shares in the Tender Offer. Whether they decide to tender Shares will depend, among other things, on their view of the Company's prospects and their own individual circumstances, including their tax position. None of the Directors will be tendering his Shares in the Tender Offer. Shareholders who sell Shares in the Tender Offer will, subject to the application of Section 703 ICTA 1988, be treated as having sold their Shares in the normal way and may, depending on their individual circumstances, incur a liability to taxation on capital gains. The ability of the Company to qualify as an investment company for the purposes of Section 842 ICTA 1988 will not be affected by the Tender Offer. Matching Facility The Directors are aware that certain Shareholders may wish to increase their investment in the Company. Accordingly, concurrently with the Tender Offer, the Directors have arranged for Cazenove to operate a Matching Facility for purchases of Shares. Under the Matching Facility, Shareholders (other than Overseas Shareholders) will be able to purchase Shares at the Repurchase Price to the extent that there are Shares available to be so purchased through valid tenders. Shares purchased by Cazenove under the Tender Offer will first be allocated this facility and any balance will be repurchased by the Company. Shareholders' attention is drawn to the sections on the City Code in the Circular. To the extent that more Shares are requested by Shareholders under the matching Facility than are tendered under the Tender Offer, such tendered Shares shall be allotted to Shareholders pro-rata to the number of Shares requested on each Shareholder's Purchase Form. Shareholders will also be responsible for the payment of stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax on any Shares purchased through the Matching Facility, in the ordinary way. The Matching Facility is conditional upon the Tender Offer proceeding. The Company will scale back any purchase instruction under the Matching Facility where the fulfilment of the instruction would otherwise result in any Shareholder or any other person acting in concert with him owning in excess of 30 per cent. of the issued share capital of the Company. Overseas Shareholders The making of the Tender Offer and the Matching Facility to Shareholders outside the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man may be prohibited or affected by the relevant laws of the overseas jurisdiction. Continuation Vote The Company's current Articles of Association require a continuation vote to be held every three years. The Directors have concluded that a more effective way of addressing the question of the discount to net asset value at which the Shares trade on the London Stock Exchange is that the three-yearly vote should be replaced with a new continuation vote provision. Under the new provision to be incorporated in the Articles of Association, if the average discount to net asset value at which the Shares trade during the last 90 says of each financial year of the Company exceeds 12 per cent., the Directors will at the following annual general meeting present an ordinary resolution for the continuation of the Company. If that resolution is not passed, the Directors will, within three months thereafter, convene an extraordinary general meeting at which a special resolution for winding up will be proposed. The new provision will first come into effect in 2005, on the basis of the average discount during the last 90 days of the financial year ended 31 March 2005. The continuation vote that would have had to be held by 29 January 2004 will not be held. The Directors believe that this provision will assist in preventing a large discount from developing. Extraordinary General Meeting The implementation of the Proposals requires the approval of Shareholders at an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Company, which is to be held at 11.30 a.m. on 22 December 2003. At this meeting, resolutions will be proposed as follows: 1) a special resolution to approve the change of investment objective of the Company; 2) a special resolution to change the Company's name; 3) an ordinary resolution to approve the New Management Agreements (due to this being a related party transaction under the rules of the UK Listing Authority); and 4) a special resolution to sanction the Tender Offer and Matching Facility and to alter the Articles of Association concerning the continuation vote. Resolutions 1, 2, and 3 are conditional on resolution 4 being passed and the Tender Offer becoming unconditional and not being terminated or lapsing. Resolutions 1 and 3 are also conditional upon each other. Expected Timetable Latest time and date for receipt of Tender Forms from 5.00 p.m. on 15 December 2003 Shareholders and latest time and date for receipt of Purchase Forms from Shareholders accompanied by cheques for purchase price Record Date for Tender Offer 5.00 p.m. on 15 December 2003 Latest time and date for receipt of Forms of Proxy for the 11.30 p.m. on 20 December 2003 Extraordinary General Meeting Extraordinary General Meeting 11.30 p.m. on 22 December 2003 Calculation Date of Repurchase Price the close of business on 22 December 2003 Announcement of Repurchase Price and result of Tender Offer by the opening of business on 24 and Matching Facility December 2003 Settlement of Tender Offer and Matching Facility: cheques 30 December 2003 despatched and payments through CREST made Balance certificates in respect of unsold Shares and Shares by 6 January 2004 acquired under the Matching Facility despatched Enquiries: David Price Chairman 020 7628 8000 Angus Gordon Lennox Cazenove & Co. Ltd 020 7588 2828 END This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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