Publication of prospectus

IMPAX ENVIRONMENTAL MARKETS PLC PUBLICATION OF PROSPECTUS AND TIMETABLE CHANGE OF MANAGEMENT FEE 15 August 2007 Publication of prospectus The Board of Directors of Impax Environmental Markets PLC (the "Directors") announces that it is expected that a prospectus (the "Prospectus") will be published today in relation to the Placing, Open Offer and Offer for Subscription (the "Issue") of up to 140,000,000 C shares in the Company (the "C Shares") at a price of 100 pence per share (the "Issue Price") to raise up to approximately £140 million before expenses. The Open Offer is being made to existing ordinary shareholders and warrantholders on the basis of 1 C Share for every 3 ordinary shares or warrants held on the record date (being close of business on 13 August 2007). It is anticipated that the prospectus will shortly be available for viewing at the Document Viewing Facility of the UKLA. The Placing, Open Offer and Offer for Subscription are subject to the approval of ordinary shareholders to be sought at an extraordinary general meeting convened for 20 September 2007. Expected Timetable: Record Date for entitlement under the Open Close of business, 13 Offer August 2007 Open Offer Entitlements credited to CREST 16 August 2007 accounts of Qualifying CREST Shareholders and Warrantholders Recommended latest time for requesting 4.30pm, 6 September withdrawal of Open Offer Entitlements from 2007 CREST Latest time for depositing Open Offer 3pm, 10 September Entitlements into CREST 2007 Latest time and date for splitting of 3pm, 11 September Application Forms under the Open Offer (to 2007 satisfy bona fide market claims only) Latest time and date for receipt of completed 11am, 13 September Application Forms and payment in full under the 2007 Open Offer or Offer for Subscription, or settlement of relevant CREST instruction (as appropriate) Placing closes 14 September 2007 Latest time and date for receipt of Forms of 10.30am, 18 September Proxy 2007 Shares issued to investors pursuant to the 18 September 2007 Placing on a T+3 basis EGM 10.30am, 20 September 2007 Admission and commencement of dealings in C 21 September 2007 Shares Expected date for crediting C Shares to CREST 21 September 2007 accounts in uncertificated form Expected date of despatch of definitive share Not later than 28 certificates for C Shares in certificated form September 2007 Introduction On 9 July 2007 the Company announced proposals for the Issue of C Shares which will convert into Ordinary Shares to raise up to £140 million before expenses. The Issue is not being underwritten and will not proceed unless subscriptions are received in aggregate for at least £20 million (or such lesser amount as the Company and Dresdner Kleinwort may agree). Background The Company is a conventional investment trust whose Ordinary Shares were admitted to the Official List on 22 February 2002. The Company's objective is to enable investors to benefit from rapid and sustained growth anticipated by the Directors in the markets for cleaner or more efficient delivery of basic services of energy, water and waste. Investments are made predominantly in quoted companies which provide, utilise, implement or advise upon technology-based systems, products or services in Environmental Markets, particularly those of alternative energy and energy efficiency, water treatment and pollution control, and waste technology and resource management. The Company's investment manager is Impax Asset Management Limited (the "Manager"). As at 13 August 2007, the Company had unaudited net assets of £274.2 million. The Company's Net Asset Value per Share (unaudited) performance over various periods to 13 August 2007, compared with those of the FTSE All-Share and MSCI World indices, was as follows: % return % return % return % return % return % return since 31 since 31 since 31 since 31 since 31 since 22 December December December December December February 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2002#1 NAV per Share (unaudited) 138.36 95.61 69.08 40.11 17.45 31.98 FTSE All-Share Index 83.13 57.11 43.85 21.81 7.65 42.23 MSCI World Index (sterling adjusted) 65.44 40.63 33.67 11.12 7.40 23.04 1 The Company was listed on 22 February 2002 Source: Thomson Datastream In October 2005 the Board announced proposals for an issue of convertible C shares (the "2005 C Shares") by way of a placing and offer for subscription sponsored by Dresdner Kleinwort, and the Company raised £60 million before expenses, taking net assets to over £100 million for the first time. The 2005 C Shares were converted into Ordinary Shares in December 2005 with all shareholders receiving one Warrant for every five Ordinary Shares held at that time. The 2005 C Share issue was followed by continuing strong demand for the Company's Ordinary Shares. In early 2006 3,995,000 Ordinary Shares were issued at a price of 98p per share, 1 million Ordinary Shares were issued at a price of 104.25p per share, and a further 7,047,390 Ordinary Shares were issued at a price of 110p per Ordinary Share. On 15 June 2006 subscription rights conferred by Warrants were exercised resulting in the issue of 3,295,508 Ordinary Shares at an exercise price of 96p per Ordinary Share. In August 2006 the Company raised £66 million pursuant to a new issue of convertible C shares (the "2006 C Shares"). The 2006 C Shares were converted into Ordinary Shares in October 2006. Subsequent to the issue of the 2006 C Shares the Company issued a further 3 million Ordinary Shares in October 2006 and 17 million Ordinary Shares in May 2007 at an issue price of 106.5p and 125.5p respectively. On 15 June 2007 subscription rights conferred by Warrants were exercised resulting in the issue of 51,061 Ordinary Shares at an exercise price of 96p per Ordinary Share. The Board believes that these fundraisings, in particular the issue of the 2005 C Shares and 2006 C Shares, are indicative of the emergence of the Environmental Markets sector into the mainstream and reinforced the Company's position as a leading closed end fund investing in the high growth environmental sector. These issues have provided shareholders with increased liquidity in the Ordinary Shares and an increased size over which the Company can spread its fixed costs. As at the date of this announcement the Company has 217,407,088 Ordinary Shares and 19,763,321 Warrants in issue. As at 13 August 2007, the Ordinary Shares were trading at a 3.3 per cent. premium to NAV per Share (unaudited). The average premium on the Ordinary Shares to NAV per Share (unaudited) over the twelve months to that date was 3.4 per cent. (source: Thomson Datastream). The Proposals The Board believes that there continues to be significant demand for Ordinary Shares from investors who are unable to purchase sufficient shares in the secondary market. Consequently, the Board is taking the opportunity provided by this demand, the Company's strong performance since March 2003 and the premium to NAV per Share at which the Ordinary Shares are trading to expand the Company by making C Shares available to Qualifying Shareholders, Qualifying Warrantholders and new investors. The Proposals involve: - a Placing, Open Offer and Offer for Subscription of C Shares to raise up to £140 million before expenses; and - adoption of new Articles to provide for the rights and restrictions attaching to the C Shares. The Issue The Company is seeking to raise up to £140 million, before expenses, through the Placing, Open Offer and Offer for Subscription of C Shares. The Issue is not being underwritten and, as a result, will not proceed unless aggregate subscriptions are received which represent a minimum of £20 million (or such lesser amount as the Company and Dresdner Kleinwort may agree). Pursuant to the Placing Agreement, Dresdner Kleinwort will seek to place with certain existing and new investors up to 140 million C Shares at the Issue Price, less the number of C Shares required to satisfy valid applications under the Open Offer and Offer for Subscription, to the extent accepted by the Company. Under the Open Offer, Qualifying Shareholders and Qualifying Warrantholders are entitled to apply to subscribe for C Shares pro rata to their holdings of Ordinary Shares or Warrants on the following basis: 1 C Share for every 3 Ordinary Shares 1 C Share for every 3 Warrants held at the Record Date (being close of business on 13 August 2007). Entitlements of Qualifying Shareholders and Qualifying Warrantholders to apply to subscribe for Open Offer Shares will be rounded down to the nearest whole number of C Shares. Accordingly, fractional entitlements to Open Offer Shares will not arise. Valid applications under the Open Offer will be satisfied in full up to applicants' Open Offer Entitlements. Applicants can apply for less or more than their entitlements under the Open Offer but the Company cannot guarantee that any application for more than an Open Offer Entitlement will be satisfied as this will depend in part on the extent to which other Qualifying Shareholders and Qualifying Warrantholders apply for only part of or none of their own Open Offer Entitlements. The Company may satisfy valid applications for more than the Open Offer Entitlement of applicants in whole or in part but reserves the right not to satisfy any excess above any Open Offer Entitlement. The Board may scale back applications made in excess of Open Offer Entitlements on such basis as it considers to be appropriate in the interests of the Company and having regard to any participation of relevant applicants in the Placing and/or Offer for Subscription. To the extent that the monies subscribed by an applicant in relation to any valid application for C Shares under the Open Offer exceeds the aggregate value, at the Issue Price, of the C Shares issued pursuant to that application, the excess subscription monies will be returned by the Company to that applicant (at the applicant's risk and without interest). Holdings of existing Ordinary Shares and Warrants traded on the London Stock Exchange in certificated and uncertificated form will be treated as separate holdings for the purpose of calculating entitlements under the Open Offer as will holdings under different designations and in different accounts, notwithstanding that Existing Ordinary Shares and Warrants held under the same designation and in the same account will not be treated as separate holdings for the purposes of calculating entitlements under the Open Offer. The Issue is conditional, inter alia, on the Placing Agreement becoming unconditional, and not being terminated, Admission of the C Shares and the passing of resolution number 1 as set out in the Notice of Extraordinary General Meeting in the Prospectus. The result of the Issue will be announced on the date of the Extraordinary General Meeting. The Directors intend to apply the Net Proceeds in making investments in accordance with the Company's investment objective as described above and subject to the investment restrictions described in Part IV of the Prospectus. Pending investment, the Net Proceeds will be invested in short-term money market instruments (including gilts and treasury bills) and cash with institutions (or wholly owned subsidiaries of institutions) which are rated A1 (or above) by Standard & Poor's or an equivalent rating agency. C Shares The Issue will be of a new class of shares, C Shares, at an issue price of 100p per share. An issue of C Shares is designed to overcome the potential disadvantages for existing Shareholders which could arise out of a conventional fixed price issue of further Ordinary Shares for cash. In particular: - the assets representing the Net Proceeds from the issue of the C Shares will be accounted for and managed as a distinct pool of assets until the Conversion Date. By accounting for the Net Proceeds separately, holders of Existing Ordinary Shares will not be exposed to a portfolio containing a substantial amount of uninvested cash before the Calculation Date; - the Net Asset Value of the existing Ordinary Shares will not be diluted by the expenses associated with the Proposals which will be borne by the subscribers for C Shares; and - the basis upon which the C Shares will convert into Ordinary Shares is such that the number of Ordinary Shares to which holders of C Shares will become entitled will reflect the relative investment performance and value of the pool of new capital attributable to the C Shares raised pursuant to the Issue up to the Calculation Date as compared to the assets attributable to the Ordinary Shares in issue at that time. As a result, the Net Asset Value attributable to the Ordinary Shares then in issue will not be adversely affected by Conversion. The Net Proceeds and the investments made with them will be accounted for and managed as a separate pool of assets until the date on which at least 90 per cent. of the Net Proceeds have been invested or committed to be invested or, if earlier, 31 December 2007. The Conversion Ratio will then be calculated and the C Shares in issue will convert into a number of Ordinary Shares calculated by reference to the net assets then attributable to C Shares compared to the net assets at the same time attributable to Ordinary Shares then in issue. Entitlements to Ordinary Shares arising on Conversion will be rounded down to the nearest whole number. Amendment to Management Agreement The Company and the Manager have entered into a conditional agreement to amend the Management Agreement. This agreement is conditional on Admission of the C Shares taking place. Under the Management Agreement the Manager currently receives from the Company a management fee, paid monthly in arrears, at a rate of one twelfth of one per cent. for net assets not exceeding £200 million and one twelfth of 0.9 per cent. for net assets in excess of £200 million. If the amendment agreement becomes unconditional the management fee will be amended so that the monthly management fee will be calculated at one twelfth of one per cent. for net assets not exceeding £200 million, one twelfth of 0.9 per cent. of the net assets in excess of £200 million up to £300 million, one twelfth of 0.825 per cent. of the net assets in excess of £300 million up to £400 million and one twelfth of 0.8 per cent. of the net assets in excess of £400 million. Benefits of the Proposals The Directors believe that the Proposals have the following principal benefits: - Shareholders and Warrantholders will be able to subscribe for further shares in the Company; - the market capitalisation of the Company will increase following the Issue and it is expected that the liquidity of the Ordinary Shares will be enhanced through a wider shareholder base; - the Issue will increase the size of the Company and enable it to spread its fixed operating expenses over a larger number of Ordinary Shares; and - the rate at which the management fee payable by the Company to the Manager will be reduced to the extent that the Company's NAV exceeds £300 million and further reduced to the extent that the Company's NAV exceeds £400 million. Extraordinary General Meeting An EGM of the Company has been convened for 10.30 a.m. on 20 September 2007 in order to obtain Shareholders' approval for the purpose of considering and, if thought fit, passing resolutions which involve: (a) redesignating £140 million of authorised but unissued share capital into C Shares; (b) authorising the Directors to allot the increased share capital; (c) disapplying pre-emption rights; (d) adopting new articles of association which set out the rights and restrictions attaching to the C Shares; and (e) authorising the repurchase of Ordinary Shares. Notice of the Extraordinary General Meeting is set out in the Prospectus. Admission and Dealings Applications have been made to the UK Listing Authority for up to 140 million C Shares to be admitted to the Official List and to the London Stock Exchange for the same number of C Shares to be admitted to trading on the London Stock Exchange's market for listed securities. It is expected that Admission will become effective, and that dealings in the C Shares will commence, on 21 September 2007. Applications will be made to the UK Listing Authority for the Ordinary Shares arising on Conversion to be admitted to the Official List, and to the London Stock Exchange for the Ordinary Shares to be admitted to trading on the London Stock Exchange's market for listed securities. Admission of the Ordinary Shares arising on Conversion will become effective and dealings in them will commence on the London Stock Exchange by no later than 31 December 2007. Costs and Expenses The costs of the Issue will be borne out of the proceeds of the Issue and, accordingly, will effectively be borne by those subscribing for C Shares. The total costs of the Issue (including any commissions) will be 1.75 per cent. of the gross proceeds of the Issue. In the event that the Issue does not proceed, the Manager and Dresdner Kleinwort have each agreed to pay for one half of the costs and expenses incurred in respect of the Issue. Capitalised terms in this announcement shall, unless otherwise stated, have the same meaning as set out in the section headed 'Definitions' in the Prospectus. Enquiries: Impax Asset Management 020 7434 1122 Ian Simm Bruce Jenkyn-Jones Dresdner Kleinwort Dominic Waters 020 7475 6688 Tom Harris 020 7475 6702 Neil Brierley 020 7475 4933 The contents of this announcement have been approved by Impax Asset Management Limited (a company authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority) for the purposes of section 21(2)(b) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. This announcement, which is for information purposes only, is not a prospectus and does not constitute, or form part of, any offer to sell or an invitation to purchase or subscribe for shares, nor may it or any part of it, nor the fact of its distribution, form the basis of, or be relied upon in connection with, any contract relating thereto. Any application to subscribe for shares in the Company under the proposed Placing, Open Offer and/or Offer for Subscription must be made only on the basis of the published prospectus. The information contained herein is for background purposes only and whilst it has been prepared in good faith, it has not been independently verified by Dresdner Kleinwort or any of its connected persons. Accordingly it should not be relied upon for the purposes of making an investment in the Company and should not be considered as a recommendation by Dresdner Kleinwort, Impax Asset Management Limited or the Company or any of their directors, officers, employees, agents or advisers. Neither Dresdner Kleinwort nor Impax Asset Management Limited nor any of their directors, officers, employees, agents or advisers accepts any liability or responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of, nor makes any representation or warranty, express or implied, with respect to, the information contained in this document or on which this document is based or any other information or representations supplied or made in connection with the proposed Placing, Open Offer and Offer for Subscription of C Shares in the Company. Dresdner Kleinwort Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority, is acting for the Company, and for no-one else in connection with the contents of this announcement and will not be responsible to anyone other than the Company for providing the protections afforded to customers of Dresdner Kleinwort Limited, or for affording advice in relation to the contents of this announcement or any matters referred to herein. Dresdner Kleinwort Limited is not responsible for the contents of this document. Dresdner Kleinwort Limited has given and not withdrawn its written consent to the issue of this announcement with the inclusion of the reference to its name in the form and context in which it is included. Not for release, publication or distribution in whole or in part, directly or indirectly in or into the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan or, Republic of South Africa or any other jurisdiction where to do so might constitute a violation of local securities law or regulation or require any action to be taken to register or qualify. Any failure to comply with this restriction may constitute a violation of the laws of the relevant jurisdiction. ---END OF MESSAGE---
UK 100

Latest directors dealings