The Company announces that on 05 January 2024 it purchased a total of (a) 410,960 of its ordinary shares of £0.10 each (the "ordinary shares") on the London Stock Exchange, Chi-X Europe and/or BATS Europe through the Company's broker Goldman Sachs International and (b) 600,166 CHESS Depositary Interests ("CDIs"), each representing one ordinary share, on the Australian Securities Exchange through the Company's broker Goldman Sachs Australia Pty Ltd (ABN 21 006 797 897; AFSL 243346), in each case as detailed below. The repurchased ordinary shares and CDIs (including their underlying ordinary shares) will be cancelled.
London Stock Exchange
Chi-X Europe
BATS Europe
Australian Securities Exchange
Number of ordinary shares/CDIs purchased on 05 January 2024
266,232
77,061
67,667
600,166
Highest price paid (per ordinary share/CDI) on 05 January 2024
£ 1.6105
£ 1.6105
£ 1.6105
AU$ 3.1000
Lowest price paid (per ordinary share/CDI) on 05 January 2024
£ 1.5575
£ 1.5575
£ 1.5645
AU$ 3.0700
Volume weighted average price paid (per ordinary share/CDI)
£ 1.5914
£ 1.5916
£ 1.5933
AU$ 3.0856
The purchases form part of the Company's share buyback programme announced on 23 November 2023 (the "Buyback"). The Buyback will be effected within the scope of the authority conferred on the Company, Goldman Sachs International and Goldman Sachs Australia Pty Ltd at its February 2023 Annual General Meeting and any further authority to be conferred on them at its 2024 Annual General Meeting. The Buyback start date was 23 November 2023 and the end date will be no later than 16 May 2024.
The total number of ordinary shares and CDIs purchased up to and including the prior announcement was 25,351,139. As such, the Company has now bought back 26,362,265 ordinary shares and CDIs (in aggregate) under the Buyback. In connection with the Buyback, the Company intends to repurchase up to £150 million of ordinary shares and CDIs (in aggregate).
Following settlement of the above purchases and cancellation of the purchased ordinary shares and CDIs, the Company's total number of ordinary shares in issue shall be 1,309,667,861.
In accordance with Article 5(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 (the Market Abuse Regulation), as in force in the UK, and as it forms part of retained UK law as defined in the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, the detailed breakdown of individual trades made by Goldman Sachs International on behalf of the Company as part of the Buyback is set out below.
This announcement does not constitute, or form part of, an offer or solicitation of an offer for securities in any jurisdiction.
Announcement authorised for release by Lorna McMillan, Group Company Secretary
