Cancellation of Trading of Keywords Studios Shares
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 OF SUCH JURISDICTION.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
24 OCTOBER 2024
RECOMMENDED FINAL CASH ACQUISITION
of
Keywords Studios Plc ("Keywords Studios")
by
Houting UK Limited ("Bidco")
(a newly formed company indirectly wholly-owned by (i) EQT's BPEA Fund VIII, (ii) CPP Investments (acting through its wholly-owned subsidiary CPPIB PHI4) and (iii) Rosa Investments)
to be effected by means of a scheme of arrangement
under Part 26 of the UK Companies Act 2006
Cancellation of Trading of Keywords Studios Shares
On 3 July 2024, the boards of Bidco and Keywords Studios announced that they had reached agreement on the terms of a recommended final cash acquisition of the entire issued and to be issued ordinary share capital of Keywords Studios by Bidco, a newly formed private limited company indirectly owned by EQT's BPEA Fund VIII, and equity co-investors CPP Investments (acting through its wholly-owned subsidiary CPPIB PHI4) and Rosa Investments (the "Acquisition"). The Acquisition is being implemented by means of a scheme of arrangement under Part 26 of the Companies Act (the "Scheme"). A circular in relation to the Acquisition was published by Keywords Studios on 29 July 2024 (the "Scheme Document"). Capitalised terms in this announcement, unless otherwise defined, have the same meanings as set out in the Scheme Document and all references to times in this announcement are to London time unless otherwise stated.
Further to the announcement made by the boards of Bidco and Keywords Studios on 23 October 2024 that the Scheme has become Effective, the boards of Bidco and Keywords Studios announce that, following an application submitted by Keywords Studios, the London Stock Exchange has cancelled the admission to trading of Keywords Studios Shares on AIM with effect from 7.00 a.m. today, 24 October 2024.
Enquiries:
|
EQT
|
|
|
J.P. Morgan Cazenove (Lead Financial Adviser to Bidco) Dwayne Lysaght / Jonty Edwards / Edward Hatter
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+44 (0) 20 3493 8000 |
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HSBC Bank plc (Financial Adviser to Bidco)
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+44 (0) 20 7991 8888 |
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Andrew Owens / Bhavin Dixit / Wee Yang Tay
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FGS Global (PR Adviser to EQT and Bidco)
Faeth Birch / Amanda Healy / Sophia Johnston
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+44 (0) 20 7251 3801
EQT-LON@fgsglobal.com |
|
Keywords Studios Plc
Giles Blackham, Director of Investor Relations |
via Deutsche Numis / Robey Warshaw |
|
Deutsche Numis (Joint Financial Adviser, NOMAD and Joint Corporate Broker to Keywords Studios) Stuart Skinner / Alec Pratt / William Baunton / Alexander Kladov
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+44 (0) 20 7260 1000 |
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Robey Warshaw LLP (Joint Financial Adviser to Keywords Studios) Simon Robey / Daniel Zumbuehl
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+44 (0) 20 7317 3900 |
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MHP Group (PR Adviser to Keywords Studios)
Katie Hunt / Eleni Menikou / Charles Hirst
|
+44 (0) 20 3128 8100
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DLA Piper UK LLP is acting as legal adviser to Keywords Studios in connection with the Acquisition.
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP is acting as legal adviser to EQT and Bidco. Kirkland & Ellis is acting as finance counsel to EQT and Houting B.V. Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP is acting as legal adviser to CPP Investments.
Allen Overy Shearman Sterling is acting as finance counsel to the Arranger (as defined in the Facilities Agreement).
Important notices relating to financial advisers
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 ("PRA") and regulated by the PRA and the Financial Conduct Authority ("FCA"). J.P. Morgan Cazenove is acting as financial adviser exclusively for Bidco and no one else in connection with the Acquisition and will not regard any other person as its client in relation to the Acquisition and will not be responsible to anyone other than Bidco for providing the protections afforded to clients of J.P. Morgan Cazenove or its affiliates, nor for providing advice in relation to the Acquisition or any other matter or arrangement referred to herein or in the Scheme Document.
HSBC Bank plc ("HSBC"), which is authorised by the PRA and regulated by the FCA and the Prudential Regulation Authority in the United Kingdom, is acting as financial advisor exclusively to Bidco and no one else in connection with the Acquisition, and will not regard any other person (whether or not a recipient of this announcement) as a client in relation to the matters in relation to the Acquisition and is not, and will not be, responsible to anyone other than Bidco for providing the protections afforded to its clients or for providing advice in relation to the Acquisition or any transaction or arrangement referred to in this announcement. Neither HSBC nor any of its group undertakings or affiliates owes or accepts any duty, liability or responsibility whatsoever (whether direct or indirect, whether in contract, in tort, under statute or otherwise) to any person who is not a client of HSBC in connection with the Acquisition or any matter referred to herein.
Numis Securities Limited (trading as Deutsche Numis) ("Deutsche Numis"), which is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the FCA, is acting exclusively for Keywords Studios as joint financial adviser, NOMAD and joint corporate broker and no one else in connection with the Acquisition and will not regard any other person as its client in relation to the matters in this announcement and will not be responsible to anyone other than Keywords Studios for providing the protections afforded to clients of Deutsche Numis, nor for providing advice in relation to any matter referred to herein. Neither Deutsche Numis nor any of its affiliates (nor any of their respective directors, officers, employees or agents), owes or accepts any duty, liability or responsibility whatsoever (whether direct or indirect, whether in contract, in tort, under statute or otherwise) to any person who is not a client of Deutsche Numis in connection with the Acquisition, any statement contained herein or otherwise.
Robey Warshaw LLP ("Robey Warshaw"), which is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the FCA, is acting as joint financial adviser exclusively for Keywords Studios and no one else in connection with the Acquisition and will not regard any other person as its client in relation to the matters referred to in this announcement and will not be responsible to anyone other than Keywords Studios for providing the protections afforded to clients of Robey Warshaw, nor for providing advice in connection with the Acquisition or any matter referred to herein.
Further information
This announcement is for information purposes only and is not intended to, and does not, constitute or form part of any offer or invitation to purchase, otherwise acquire, subscribe for, sell or otherwise dispose of, any securities or the solicitation of any vote or approval in any jurisdiction pursuant to the Acquisition or otherwise.
This announcement does not constitute a prospectus or a prospectus exempted document.
If you are in any doubt about the contents of this announcement or the action you should take, you are recommended to seek your own independent financial advice immediately from your stockbroker, bank manager, solicitor, accountant or independent financial adviser duly authorised under FSMA if you are resident in the United Kingdom or, if not, from another appropriately authorised independent financial adviser.
Overseas Shareholders
The release, publication or distribution of this announcement in or into jurisdictions other than the UK may be restricted by law and therefore any persons who are subject to the law of any jurisdiction other than the UK should inform themselves of, and observe, any applicable legal or regulatory requirements. Any failure to comply with such requirements may constitute a violation of the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the companies and persons involved in the Acquisition disclaim any responsibility or liability for the violation of such restrictions by any person. This announcement has been prepared in accordance with and for the purpose of complying with English law, the Takeover Code, the Market Abuse Regulation, the AIM Rules and the Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules and information disclosed may not be the same as that which would have been prepared in accordance with the laws of jurisdictions outside England.
Neither this announcement nor any of the accompanying documents are intended to, and do not, constitute or form part of any offer or invitation to purchase, otherwise acquire, subscribe for, sell or otherwise dispose of, any securities or the solicitation of any vote or approval pursuant to the Scheme or otherwise, in any jurisdiction in which such offer, invitation or solicitation is unlawful.
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