Issue of Equity - Pricing

RNS Number : 6927O

Cairn Energy PLC

11 March 2009

 



NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, AUSTRALIA OR JAPAN. 

Cairn Energy PLC ('Cairn' or the 'Company') announces the successful Placing of 6,542,270 new ordinary shares at a Placing Price of 1775 pence per share 

Cairn announces the completion of the placing announced earlier today (the 'Placing'). A total of 6,542,270 new ordinary shares (the 'Placing Shares') have been placed with institutions at a price of 1775 pence per Placing Share (the 'Placing Price'). Based on the Placing Price, the gross proceeds of the Placing will be GBP 116.1 million. The Placing Shares being issued represent an increase of approximately 5% in Cairn's existing issued ordinary share capital. 

The Placing Shares will, when issued, be credited as fully paid and will rank pari passu in all respects with the existing ordinary shares of 6 2/13 pence each in the capital of the Company, including the right to receive all dividends and other distributions declared, made or paid on or in respect of such shares after the date of issue of the Placing Shares. 

Applications have been made for the Placing Shares to be admitted to the Official List of the Financial Services Authority ('FSA'), and to be admitted to trading by the London Stock Exchange plc on its main market for listed securities ('Admission'). Admission is expected to take place, settlement to occur and dealing in the Placing Shares to commence by 8.00am on 16 March 2009. 

Merrill Lynch International ('Merrill Lynch') and RBS Hoare Govett Limited ('RBS Hoare Govett') are acting as Joint Bookrunners on behalf of Cairn in respect of the Placing. The Placing is conditional on Admission and certain other conditions as referred to in the announcement of the Placing made earlier today. 

Contacts 

Cairn Energy PLC                   [phone]

Sir Bill Gammell, Chief Executive

Jann Brown, Finance Director

David Nisbet, Group Corporate Affairs

Merrill Lynch International     [phone]

Andrew Osborne      

Rupert Hume-Kendall

RBS Hoare Govett Limited    [phone]

Andrew Foster      

Jeremy Thompson

Brunswick Group LLP            [phone]

Patrick Handley

This announcement contains (or may contain) certain forward-looking statements with respect to certain of Cairn's plans and its current goals and expectations relating to its future financial condition and performance and which involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Cairn cautions readers that no forward-looking statement is a guarantee of future performance and that actual results could differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate only to historical or current facts. Forward-looking statements sometimes use words such as 'aim', 'anticipate', 'target', 'expect', 'estimate', 'intend', 'plan', 'goal', 'believe', or other words of similar meaning. Examples of forward-looking statements include, amongst others, statements regarding or which make assumptions in respect of the future performance of the Company's principal subsidiary undertakings (Cairn India Limited and Capricorn Oil Limited), the on-going development of the discovered oil fields in Rajasthan, India, the future continued operation of the Cairn group's producing assets, the timing of the commencement of future production and the sustainability of that production, the ability of the Cairn group to discover new reserves, the prices achievable by the Cairn group in respect of its production, the costs of exploration, development or production, future foreign exchange rates, interest rates and currency controls, the future political and fiscal regimes in the overseas markets in which the Cairn group operates, the Cairn group's future financial position, plans and objectives for future operations and any other statements that are not historical fact. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainty because they relate to future events and circumstances, including, but not limited to, economic and business conditions, the effects of continued volatility in credit markets, market-related risks such as changes in the price of oil or changes in interest rates and foreign exchange rates, the policies and actions of governmental and regulatory authorities, changes in legislation, the further development of standards and interpretations under International Financial Reporting Standards ('IFRS') applicable to past, current and future periods, evolving practices with regard to the interpretation and application of standards under IFRS, the outcome of pending and future litigation or regulatory investigations, the success of future explorations, acquisitions and other strategic transactions and the impact of competition. A number of these factors are beyond Cairn's control. As a result, Cairn's actual future results may differ materially from the plans, goals, and expectations set forth in Cairn's forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statements made in this announcement by or on behalf of Cairn speak only as of the date they are made. Except as required by the Financial Services Authority (the 'FSA'), the London Stock Exchange or applicable law, Cairn expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained in this announcement to reflect any changes in Cairn's expectations with regard thereto or any changes in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.  

This announcement is for information purposes only and shall not constitute an offer to buy, sell, issue, or subscribe for, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, sell, issue, or subscribe for any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. This announcement has been issued by and is the sole responsibility of Cairn. 

No representation or warranty, express or implied, is or will be made as to, or in relation to, and no responsibility or liability is or will be accepted by Merrill Lynch, RBS Hoare Govett or by any of their respective affiliates or agents as to, or in relation to, the accuracy or completeness of this announcement or any other written or oral information made available to or publicly available to any interested party or its advisers, and any liability therefore is expressly disclaimed. 

Merrill Lynch International, which is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the FSA, is acting for Cairn and for no-one else in connection with the Placing, and will not be responsible to anyone other than Cairn for providing the protections afforded to customers of Merrill Lynch International or for providing advice to any other person in relation to the Placing or any other matter referred to herein. 

RBS Hoare Govett, which is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the FSA, is acting for Cairn and for no-one else in connection with the Placing, and will not be responsible to anyone other than Cairn for providing the protections afforded to customers of RBS Hoare Govett nor for providing advice to any other person in relation to the Placing or any other matter referred to herein. 

The distribution of this announcement and the offering of the Placing Shares in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law. No action has been taken by Cairn or the Joint Bookrunners that would permit an offering of such shares or possession or distribution of this announcement or any other offering or publicity material relating to such shares in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required. Persons into whose possession this announcement comes are required by Cairn and the Joint Bookrunners to inform themselves about, and to observe such restrictions. 

The price of shares and the income from them may go down as well as up and investors may not get back the full amount invested on disposal of the shares. 

MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO TAKE PART IN THE PLACING. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AND THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SET OUT IN THIS ANNOUNCEMENT ARE FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND ARE DIRECTED ONLY AT PERSONS WHO ARE: (A) (I) INVESTMENT PROFESSIONALS FALLING WITHIN ARTICLE 19(5) OF THE FINANCIAL SERVICES AND MARKETS ACT 2000 (FINANCIAL PROMOTION) ORDER 2005 (THE 'ORDER'), OR (II) PERSONS FALLING WITHIN ARTICLE 49(2)(A) TO (D) ('HIGH NET WORTH COMPANIES, UNINCORPORATED ASSOCIATIONS, ETC') OF THE ORDER, OR (III) PERSONS TO WHOM IT MAY OTHERWISE BE LAWFULLY COMMUNICATED; AND (B) (I) PERSONS IN MEMBER STATES OF THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AREA WHO ARE QUALIFIED INVESTORS (AS DEFINED IN ARTICLE 2(1)(E) OF EU DIRECTIVE 2003/71/EC (THE 'PROSPECTUS DIRECTIVE')), AND/OR (II) PERSONS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM WHO ARE QUALIFIED INVESTORS (ALL SUCH PERSONS TOGETHER BEING REFERRED TO AS 'RELEVANT PERSONS'). THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AND THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SET OUT IN THIS ANNOUNCEMENT MUST NOT BE ACTED ON OR RELIED ON BY PERSONS WHO ARE NOT RELEVANT PERSONS. ANY INVESTMENT OR INVESTMENT ACTIVITY TO WHICH THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AND THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SET OUT IN THIS ANNOUNCEMENT RELATE IS AVAILABLE ONLY TO RELEVANT PERSONS AND WILL BE ENGAGED IN ONLY WITH RELEVANT PERSONS. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT DOES NOT ITSELF CONSTITUTE AN OFFER FOR SALE OR SUBSCRIPTION OF ANY SECURITIES IN CAIRN ENERGY PLC.  

This announcement is not for distribution directly or indirectly in or into the United States (including its territories and possessions, any State of the United States and the District of Columbia), Canada, Australia or Japan or any jurisdiction into which the same would be unlawful. This announcement does not constitute or form part of an offer or solicitation to purchase or subscribe for shares in the capital of Cairn in the United States, Canada, Australia or Japan or any jurisdiction in which such an offer or solicitation is unlawful. In particular, the Placing Shares referred to in this announcement have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933 (the 'Securities Act') or under the securities legislation of any state of the United States, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements under the Securities Act. Subject to exceptions, the Placing Shares referred to in this announcement are being offered and sold only outside the United States in accordance with Regulation S under the Securities Act. No public offering of securities of Cairn will be made in connection with the Placing in the United Kingdom, the United States or elsewhere. 

The relevant clearances have not been, and nor will they be, obtained from the securities commission of any province or territory of Canada; no prospectus has been lodged with, or registered by, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission or the Japanese Ministry of Finance; and the Placing Shares have not been, and nor will they be, registered under or offered in compliance with the securities laws of any state, province or territory of Canada, Australia or Japan. Accordingly, the Placing Shares may not (unless an exemption under the relevant securities laws is applicable) be offered, sold, resold or delivered, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States, Canada, Australia or Japan or any other jurisdiction outside the United Kingdom.  

The Placing Shares have not been approved or disapproved by the US Securities and Exchange Commission, any State securities commission or any other regulatory authority in the United States, nor have any of the foregoing authorities passed upon or endorsed the merits of the Placing or the accuracy or adequacy of this announcement. Any representation to the contrary is unlawful. 

Persons (including, without limitation, nominees and trustees) who have a contractual or other legal obligation to forward a copy of this announcement should seek appropriate advice before taking any action. 

This announcement relates to an Exempt Offer in accordance with the Offered Securities Rules of the Dubai Financial Services Authority ('DFSA'). This announcement is intended for distribution only to persons of a type specified in the Offered Securities Rules of the DFSA. It must not be delivered to, or relied on by, any other person. The DFSA has no responsibility for reviewing or verifying any documents in connection with Exempt Offers. The DFSA has not approved this announcement nor taken steps to verify the information set forth herein and has no responsibility for this announcement. The Placing Shares to which this announcement relates may be illiquid and / or subject to restrictions on their resale. Prospective purchasers of the Placing Shares offered should conduct their own due diligence on the Placing Shares. If you do not understand the contents of this announcement you should consult an authorised financial advisor.

The Placing Shares to be issued pursuant to the Placing will not be admitted to trading on any stock exchange other than the London Stock Exchange. Neither the content of Cairn's website nor any website accessible by hyperlinks on Cairn's website is incorporated in, or forms part of, this announcement. 

 

END

 

 

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