ACORN INCOME FUND LIMITED
(a closed-ended investment company incorporated in
Guernsey with registration number 34778)
LEI 213800UAZN7G46AHQM67
12 October
2021
Acorn Income Fund
Limited
Result of
Extraordinary General Meeting
Further to the announcement of 23
September 2021, detailing the Proposals that the Company
enter into a scheme of reconstruction (the “Scheme”) pursuant to
which the Company would be placed into voluntary liquidation, an
Extraordinary General Meeting of the Company was held this morning
at which approval was sought from shareholders for the
implementation of the Scheme and for matters associated therewith.
Three Special Resolutions were put forward at the Extraordinary
General Meeting.
Details of the proxy voting results which should be read
alongside the Notice are noted below:
Special
Resolution |
For |
Discretion
(voted in favour) |
Against |
Abstain |
1 |
4,331,356 |
30,000 |
22,503 |
22,832 |
2 |
4,336,674 |
30,000 |
22,336 |
17,681 |
3 |
4,338,691 |
30,000 |
22,336 |
15,664 |
As a result of the passing of the
Resolutions, the Company has been placed into liquidation pursuant
to Section 391(1)(b) of the Companies Law and Benjamin Alexander Rhodes and Andrea Frances Alice Harris of Grant Thornton
Limited have been appointed as Liquidators.
Shareholder entitlements under the Scheme
A further announcement is expected to be made on or around
10 November 2021 detailing
shareholder entitlements to cash and/or Unicorn UK Income Shares
pursuant to the Scheme (such entitlements to be calculated by
reference to the NAV of the Company’s Shares and of Unicorn UK
Income Fund’s Shares as at 9 November
2021.
Suspension and Cancellation of Shares
As previously announced, the Company’s Shares were suspended from
listing on the Official List of the Financial Conduct Authority and
from trading on the London Stock Exchange at 7.30 a.m. on 12 October
2021. It is expected that cancellation of the listing
of the Shares on the Official List and of the trading of the Shares
on the London Stock Exchange will take place after the
implementation of the Scheme.
Repayment of ZDP shares
As previously announced, the ZDP shareholders will be paid the
Final Capital Entitlement in cash equal to the aggregate ZDP Final
Capital Entitlement as at 28 February
2022. The payment date for this entitlement will be
announced in due course.
The full wording of the resolutions can be found below:-
Special Resolutions
- THAT:
- subject to paragraph 1.5 of this resolution, each of the
Ordinary Shares in issue shall be reclassified as Ordinary Shares
the holders of which have (or are deemed to have) elected to have
reclassified as Ordinary Shares with "A" rights or "B" rights in
such respective numbers as may be required to give effect to any
Election validly made (or deemed to have been made) by the holder
of the relevant Ordinary Shares and otherwise in accordance with
the terms of the Scheme set out in Part 4 of the circular dated
23 September 2021 to the Shareholders
of the Company of which this notice forms part (the
"Circular"), a copy of which has been laid before the
meeting and signed for the purpose of identification by the
Chairman of the meeting (together the "Reclassified
Shares");
- for the purposes of this special resolution:
- to the extent that holders of Ordinary Shares shall have
validly elected (or shall be deemed to have validly elected) for,
and under the terms of the Scheme will become entitled to receive,
UKI Shares pursuant to the UKI Shares Option, such Ordinary Shares
shall be reclassified as Ordinary Shares with "A" rights
("Ordinary Shares with "A" rights");
- to the extent that holders of Ordinary Shares shall have
validly elected (or shall be deemed to have validly elected) for,
and under the terms of the Scheme will become entitled to receive,
cash pursuant to the Cash Option, such Ordinary Shares shall be
reclassified as Ordinary Shares with "B" rights ("Ordinary
Shares with "B" rights");
- holders of Shares with "A" or "B" rights shall have the
respective rights set out in the Articles of Incorporation of the
Company, as amended by this special resolution;
- the Articles of Incorporation of the Company be and are hereby
amended by:
- the insertion of the following new Articles 5.3 and 5.4:
"5.3 Every reference
in these Articles to the Ordinary Shares shall be construed as a
reference to the ordinary shares of 1p each in the capital of the
Company which are designated as shares with either "A" rights or
"B" rights as set out in Article 5.4 below. Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary in these Articles, each class of Ordinary
Shares will have attached to it the respective rights and
privileges and be subject to the respective limitations and
restrictions set out in Article 5.4.
5.4
5.4.1 Words and expressions
defined in the circular to shareholders of the Company dated
23 September 2021 (the
"Circular") shall bear the same meanings in this Article 5.4
and Article 50.6, save where the context otherwise requires.
5.4.2 In addition to any
rights under Article 5.4.4 below, on a winding-up of the Company
for the purpose of the Scheme as described in the Circular:
- the rights of holders of Ordinary Shares with "A" rights
(Ordinary Shares with "A" rights) in respect of the assets of the
Company, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Articles
of Incorporation, shall be satisfied by the issue to such holders
of the numbers of UKI Shares to which they shall be respectively
entitled in accordance with the Scheme; and
- the rights of holders of Ordinary Shares with "B" rights
(Ordinary Shares with "B" rights) in respect of the assets of the
Company, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Articles
of Incorporation, shall be satisfied by the payment to such holders
of cash in such amount as they shall be respectively entitled in
accordance with the Scheme.
5.4.3 Ordinary Shareholders
on the Company's register of members on the Effective Date shall be
entitled to any relevant surplus remaining in the Retention Fund as
provided in the Scheme.
5.4.4 Subject to the special
rights set out in Articles 5.4.2 and 5.4.3 above, for all other
purposes of these Articles, the Ordinary Shares with "A" rights and
"B" rights shall continue to be Ordinary Shares with the rights
attaching to Ordinary Shares under these Articles and the Articles
of Incorporation shall be construed accordingly.";
- the insertion of the following new Article as Article
50.6:
"50.6 Notwithstanding the
other provisions of these Articles, upon the winding-up of the
Company in connection with the scheme (the "Scheme") set out
in Part 4 of the Circular, the liquidators of the Company will give
effect to the Scheme and will enter into and give effect to the
Transfer Agreement with Unicorn UK income Fund (as duly amended
where relevant), a draft of which was produced to the extraordinary
general meeting of the Company convened for 12 October 2021 by the notice attached to the
Circular, in accordance with the provisions of this Article and
Article 5.4, and the holders of Shares with "A" rights shall be
entitled to UKI Shares and the holders of Shares with "B" rights
shall be entitled to receive cash, in each case in accordance with
the Scheme. The definitions in the Circular have the same meanings
in this Article 50.6, save where the context otherwise requires.”
and
- by way of such further amendments to the Articles of
Incorporation of the Company as may be required to give full effect
to this special resolution; and
- if the Scheme does not become unconditional by the end of this
Extraordinary General Meeting, the amendments to the Articles of
Incorporation of the Company effected by paragraph 1.4 of this
special resolution shall be further amended such that the
insertions of Articles 5.3, 5.4 and 50.6 shall cease to have effect
as from the close of this Extraordinary General Meeting (or any
adjournment thereof), the reclassification of the Ordinary Shares
provided for by this special resolution shall be reversed and each
Reclassified Share shall revert to being an Ordinary Share ranking
pari passu in all respects with the other Ordinary
Shares.
- THAT, subject to: (i) the passing of resolution 1 above at this
meeting (or at any adjournment hereof), and it becoming
unconditional; (ii) the Scheme becoming unconditional in accordance
with its terms; and (iii) the passing of resolution 3 below at this
meeting (or any adjournment thereof):
- notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Articles of
Incorporation of the Company, the scheme (the "Scheme") set
out in Part 4 of the circular dated 23
September 2021 to Shareholders of the Company (the
"Circular"), a copy of which has been produced to the
Meeting and signed for the purpose of identification by the
chairman thereof be and is hereby approved and the Joint
Liquidators (as defined below) of the Company when appointed
(jointly and severally), be and are hereby authorised to implement
the Scheme and to execute any document and do anything for the
purpose of carrying the Scheme into effect;
- in particular but without prejudice to the generality of
sub-paragraph 2.1 above, the Joint Liquidators, when appointed, be
and are hereby authorised and directed, pursuant to section
391(1)(b) of the Companies Law and/or this special resolution
and/or the Articles of Incorporation of the Company, as amended by
resolution 1 above:
- to enter into and give effect to the Transfer Agreement
referred to in the Circular with Unicorn UK Income Fund, in the
form of the draft produced to the Meeting and signed for the
purpose of identification by the chairman thereof with such
amendments as the parties may from time to time agree;
- to request that, in accordance with the Scheme, Unicorn UK
Income Fund issue and distribute UKI Shares to the holders of
Ordinary Shares with "A" rights to which such holders are entitled
in accordance with the Scheme by way of satisfaction and discharge
of their interests in as much of the property and assets of the
Company as will be so transferred to Unicorn UK Income in
accordance with the Scheme;
- to arrange for the distribution among the holders of Ordinary
Shares with "B" rights of the amounts of cash to which such holders
are entitled in accordance with the Scheme by way of satisfaction
and discharge of their interests in as much of the property and
assets of the Company comprising the Cash Fund;
- pending distributions being made by the Joint Liquidators to
the persons entitled thereto, to invest the funds of the Company in
such manner as they deem expedient;
- to distribute any surplus in the Retention Fund in accordance
with the Scheme; and
- to apply for cancellation of the Reclassified Shares' listing
on the Official List and to trading on the main market of the
London Stock Exchange with effect from such date as the Joint
Liquidators may determine.
- THAT:
- the Company be wound up voluntarily and that Benjamin Alexander Rhodes and Andrea Frances Alice Harris of Grant Thornton
Limited, Lefebvre House,
Lefebvre Street, St Peter Port,
Guernsey GY1 3TF be and are hereby appointed as liquidators (the
"Joint Liquidators") of the Company and any one of the Joint
Liquidators is hereby empowered to transact on behalf of the
Company;
- the Joint Liquidators be given sanction in accordance with the
Company’s Articles of Incorporation to divide amongst the members
in specie any part of the assets of the Company, and may with the
like sanction vest any part of the assets of the Company in
trustees upon such trust for the benefit of the members as the
Joint Liquidators with the like sanction shall think fit;
- the remuneration of the Joint Liquidators be determined by
reference to the time properly given by them and their staff in
attending to matters prior to and during the winding up of the
Company and they be and are hereby authorised to draw such
remuneration in accordance with the letter of engagement;
- the Company’s books and records be held by its secretary to the
order of the Liquidators until the expiry of 2 years after the date
of dissolution of the Company when they may be disposed of (save
for financial and trading records, which shall be kept for a
minimum of 10 years following vacation of the Joint Liquidators
from office); and
- the Joint Liquidators be authorised to destroy any of the
Company’s records in their possession as they think fit.
Terms used and not defined in this announcement, bear the
meaning given to them in the Circular published on 23 September 2021.
For information please contact:
Northern Trust International Fund
Administration Services (Guernsey) Limited
The Company Secretary
Trafalgar Court
Les Banques
St Peter Port
Guernsey
GY1 3QL
Tel: 01481 745001
END