Grainger : Results of Placing

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Grainger PLC - GRI Results of Placing Released 15:53 13-Feb-2020

RNS Number : 9687C

Grainger PLC

13 February 2020

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONTAINS INSIDE INFORMATION AS DEFINED UNDER THE MARKET ABUSE REGULATION (EU) NO. 596/2014 AND THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS NOT FOR PUBLICATION, RELEASE, OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN, OR INTO, THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN, SOUTH AFRICA OR ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH THE SAME WOULD BE UNLAWFUL. THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER OF SECURITIES FOR SALE IN THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN OR SOUTH AFRICA OR IN ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH THE SAME WOULD BE UNLAWFUL

Grainger plc

('Grainger' or the 'Company')

RESULTS OF PLACING

Grainger plc is pleased to announce the successful completion of the placing announced earlier today (the 'Placing').

A total of 61,200,000 new Ordinary Shares in Grainger (the 'Placing Shares') were placed by J.P. Morgan Cazenove and Numis, raising gross proceeds of £186.7 million. Placing Shares have been issued at a price of 305.0 pence per Placing Share. The Placing Shares being issued represent, in aggregate, approximately 9.99 per cent. of Grainger's issued ordinary share capital prior to the Placing.

The Placing Price represents a discount of 2.31 per cent. to the closing price on 12 February 2020 of 312.2 pence and a discount of 1.61 per cent. to the intra-day price of 310.0 pence at 11.01 a.m. (being the time the Placing Price was agreed).

The Placing Shares will, when issued, be credited as fully paid and rank pari passu with the existing Ordinary Shares, including the right to receive all future dividends and distributions declared, made or paid.

Application will be made to the Financial Conduct Authority for admission of the 61,200,000 Placing Shares to the premium listing segment of the Official List maintained by the UK Listing Authority and to London Stock Exchange plc ('LSE') for admission to trading of the Placing Shares on LSE's Main Market for listed securities (together, 'Admission'). It is expected that Admission will take place on 17 February 2020 and that dealings in the Placing Shares on the LSE's Main Market for listed securities will commence at the same time.

The Placing is conditional, inter alia, upon Admission becoming effective and the Placing Agreement becoming unconditional and not being terminated.

Following Admission the total number of voting rights in the Company will be 673,492,299 and 1,506,300 Ordinary Shares are held in treasury. This figure may be used by shareholders in the Company as the denominator for the calculations by which they will determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change in their interest in, the share capital of the Company under the FCA's Disclosure and Transparency Rules.

Capitalised terms used but not defined in this announcement have the same meanings as set out in the placing announcement of the Company released at 7.00 a.m. (GMT) on the date hereof.

J.P. Morgan Cazenove and Numis acted as joint bookrunners in respect of the Placing.

Helen Gordon, Chief Executive Officer of Grainger, commented:

'We are delighted with the successful outcome of this fundraise which demonstrates the strong support from our shareholders for our ongoing investment in the private rented sector (PRS). This transaction accelerates our PRS growth strategy in London and the regions, and brings forward £246 million of new acquisitions into the secured pipeline, bringing it to c.£1 billion. On completion of the new developments our rental income will grow substantially and this will allow us to further enhance total shareholder returns. We look forward to continuing to deliver quality rental homes in the UK.'

Further enquiries:

Grainger plc	Tel: [phone]
Helen Gordon
Vanessa Simms Kurt Mueller
J.P. Morgan Cazenove	Tel: [phone]
Bronson Albery
Barry Meyers Tara Morrison Beau Freker
Numis	Tel: [phone]
Heraclis Economides
Richard Thomas Ben Stoop George Fry
Camarco	Tel: [phone]
Ginny Pulbrook
Geoffrey Pelham Lane Tom Huddart

IMPORTANT NOTICE

The contents of this announcement have been prepared by and are the sole responsibility of Grainger.

Neither the content of Grainger's website nor any website accessible by hyperlinks on Grainger's website is incorporated in, or forms part of, this announcement.

This announcement is for information purposes only and is directed only at: (a) persons in member states of the EEA who are qualified investors within the meaning of the Prospectus Regulation ('Qualified Investors') (b) persons in the United Kingdom, who are Qualified Investors and (i) investment professionals falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the 'Order'); or (ii) high net worth companies, unincorporated associations and other persons falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order; and (c) persons to whom it may otherwise by lawfully communicated (all such persons together being referred to as ('Relevant Persons').

The distribution of this announcement into jurisdictions other than the United Kingdom may be restricted by law, and, therefore, persons into whose possession this announcement comes should inform themselves about and observe any such restrictions. Any failure to comply with any such restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws of such jurisdiction. In particular, subject to certain exceptions, this announcement should not be distributed, forwarded to or transmitted in or into in any jurisdiction where to do so might constitute a violation of local securities laws or regulations, including the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan and South Africa.

This announcement is not for publication or distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States. This announcement does not constitute or form part of an offer of securities for sale or solicitation of an offer to purchase securities in the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Africa or in any other jurisdiction in which such offer may be restricted. The securities referred to in this announcement have not been, and will not be, registered under the US Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the 'SecuritiesAct'), or the securities laws of any state in the United States and may not be offered or sold in the United States, except in reliance on an applicable exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act. There will be no public offering of securities in the United States.

Each of J.P. Morgan Cazenove, which is authorised in the United Kingdom by the Prudential Regulation Authority (the 'PRA') and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Conduct Authority (the 'FCA') and the PRA, and Numis (together with J.P. Morgan Cazenove, the 'Joint Bookrunners'), which is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the FCA, is acting exclusively for the Company and no one else in connection with the Placing and will not be responsible to anyone other than the Company for providing the protections afforded to clients of the Joint Bookrunners, nor for providing advice in relation to the Placing or any other matters referred to in this announcement. Neither the Joint Bookrunners nor any of their respective affiliates owes or accepts any duty, liability or responsibility whatsoever (whether direct or indirect, whether in contract, tort or, under statute or otherwise) to any person who is not a client of the Joint Bookrunners in connection with this announcement, any statement contained in herein or otherwise.

This announcement does not constitute a recommendation concerning the Placing. The price and value of securities can go down as well as up. Past performance is not a guide to future performance. The contents of this announcement are not to be construed as legal, business, financial or tax advice. Each shareholder or prospective investor should consult his, her or its own legal adviser, business adviser, financial adviser or tax adviser for legal, financial, business or tax advice.

Information to Distributors

Solely for the purposes of Article 9(8) of Commission Delegated Directive 2017/593 (the 'Delegated Directive') regarding the responsibilities of manufacturers under the product governance requirements contained within: (a) EU Directive 2014/65/EU on markets in financial instruments, as amended ('MiFID II'); (b) Articles 9 and 10 of Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2017/593 supplementing MiFID II; and (c) local implementing measures (together, the 'MiFID II Product Governance Requirements'), and disclaiming all and any liability, whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise, which any 'manufacturer' (for the purposes of the MiFID II Product Governance Requirements) may otherwise have with respect thereto, the Placing Shares have been subject to a product approval process, which has determined that such Placing Shares are: (i) compatible with the target market for the Placing of retail investors and investors who meet the criteria of professional clients and eligible counterparties, each as defined in MiFID II; and (ii) eligible for distribution through all eligible distribution channels for dissemination of the Placing Shares, each as set out in this Announcement, as are permitted by MiFID II (the 'Target Market Assessment'). Notwithstanding the Target Market Assessment, distributors should note that: the price of the Placing Shares may decline and investors could lose all or part of their investment; the Placing Shares offer no guaranteed income and no capital protection; and an investment in the Placing Shares is compatible only with investors who do not need a guaranteed income or capital protection, who (either alone or in conjunction with an appropriate financial or other adviser) are capable of evaluating the merits and risks of such an investment and who have sufficient resources to be able to bear any losses that may result therefrom. The Target Market Assessment is without prejudice to the requirements of any contractual, legal or regulatory selling restrictions in relation to the Placing. Furthermore, it is noted that, notwithstanding the Target Market Assessment, the Joint Bookrunners will only procure investors who meet the criteria of professional clients and eligible counterparties.

For the avoidance of doubt, the Target Market Assessment does not constitute: (a) an assessment of suitability or appropriateness for the purposes of MiFID II; or (b) a recommendation to any investor or group of investors to invest in, or purchase, or take any other action whatsoever with respect to the Placing Shares

Each distributor is responsible for undertaking its own target market assessment in respect of the Placing Shares and determining appropriate distribution channels.

This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact [e-mail] or visit www.rns.com.

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Results of Placing - RNS