Vodafone Group Plc announces
multi-currency Tender Offers
NOT
FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN OR INTO OR TO ANY
PERSON LOCATED OR RESIDENT IN THE UNITED STATES, ITS TERRITORIES
AND POSSESSIONS (INCLUDING PUERTO RICO, THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS,
AMERICAN SAMOA, WAKE ISLAND AND THE NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS), ANY
STATE OF THE UNITED STATES OR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA (THE "UNITED
STATES") OR TO ANY U.S. PERSON OR IN OR INTO ANY OTHER JURISDICTION
WHERE IT IS UNLAWFUL TO RELEASE, PUBLISH OR DISTRIBUTE THIS
DOCUMENT (SEE "OFFER AND DISTRIBUTION RESTRICTIONS"
BELOW).
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT RELATES TO THE DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION
THAT QUALIFIED OR MAY HAVE QUALIFIED AS INSIDE INFORMATION WITHIN
THE MEANING OF ARTICLE 7(1) OF THE MARKET ABUSE REGULATION (EU)
596/2014 AS IT FORMS PART OF UNITED KINGDOM DOMESTIC LAW BY VIRTUE
OF THE EUROPEAN UNION (WITHDRAWAL) ACT 2018.
5
February 2025
Vodafone Group Plc (the
"Company")
announces today invitations to holders of its outstanding Notes set
out in the table below to tender any and all of their Notes for
purchase by the Company for cash (each such invitation, an
"Offer" and together, the
"Offers"). The Offers are
being made on the terms and subject to the conditions contained in
the tender offer memorandum dated 5 February 2025 (the
"Tender Offer Memorandum")
prepared by the Company in respect of the Offers, and are subject
to the offer and distribution restrictions set out below and as
more fully described in the Tender Offer Memorandum.
Copies of the Tender Offer Memorandum are
(subject to offer and distribution restrictions) available from (a)
in the case of all Notes other than the CHF Notes, the Lead Tender
and Information Agent and (b) in the case of CHF Notes, the Swiss
Tender Agent as set out below. Capitalised terms used in this
announcement but not defined have the meanings given to them in the
Tender Offer Memorandum.
Summary of the Offers
Description of the Notes
|
ISIN /
Common Code
|
Outstanding aggregate principal amount
|
Reference
Rate / GBP Benchmark Security Rate
|
Purchase
Spread1
|
Purchase
Price1
|
Amount
subject to the Offers
|
EUR
1,000,000,000 1.875 per cent. Notes due 11 September
20252
("September 2025 EUR
Notes")
|
XS1109802568 / 110980256
|
EUR
773,202,000
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
99.70 per cent. (being EUR
997.00 per EUR 1,000 in
principal amount of such Notes)
|
Any and
all
|
EUR
1,000,000,000 1.125 per cent. Notes due 20 November 2025
("November 2025 EUR
Notes")
|
XS1721423462 / 172142346
|
EUR
789,109,000
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
99.05 per cent. (being EUR
990.50 per EUR 1,000 in
principal amount of such Notes)
|
EUR
1,750,000,000 2.200 per cent. Notes due 25 August 2026
("August 2026 EUR
Notes")
|
XS1372839214 / 137283921
|
EUR
1,284,050,000
|
August
2026 EUR Notes Interpolated EUR Mid-Swap Rate
|
+5
bps
|
N/A
|
EUR
750,000,000 0.900 per cent. Notes due 24 November 2026
("November 2026 EUR
Notes")
|
XS2002017361 / 200201736
|
EUR
750,000,000
|
November
2026 EUR Notes Interpolated EUR Mid-Swap Rate
|
+5
bps
|
N/A
|
EUR
500,000,000 1.500 per cent. Notes due 24 July 2027
("2027 EUR
Notes")
|
XS1652855815 / 165285581
|
EUR
500,000,000
|
2027 EUR
Notes Interpolated EUR Mid-Swap Rate
|
+15
bps
|
N/A
|
GBP
250,000,000 5.625 per cent. Notes due 4 December 2025
("GBP
Notes")
|
XS0181816652 / 18181665
|
GBP
250,000,000
|
UKT 3.50
per cent. due 22 October 2025 (ISIN: GB00BPCJD880)
|
+25
bps
|
N/A
|
NOK
850,000,000 3.215 per cent. Notes due 27 November 2025
("2025 NOK
Notes")
|
XS1325859897 / 132585989
|
NOK
850,000,000
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
99.20 per cent. (being NOK
992,000.00 per NOK
1,000,000 in principal amount of such Notes)
|
NOK
850,000,000 3.115 per cent. Notes due 1 March 2027
("March 2027 NOK
Notes")
|
XS1572749023 / 157274902
|
NOK
850,000,000
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
98.10 per cent. (being NOK
1,962,000.00 per NOK
2,000,000 in principal amount of such Notes)
|
NOK
500,000,000 2.925 per cent. Notes due 6 July 2027
("July 2027 NOK
Notes")
|
XS1643462002 / 164346200
|
NOK
500,000,000
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
97.40 per cent. (being NOK
974,000.00 per NOK
1,000,000 in principal amount of such Notes)
|
HKD
455,000,000 2.850 per cent. Notes due 28 June 2027
("June 2027 HKD
Notes")
|
XS1634541574 / 163454157
|
HKD
455,000,000
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
97.60 per cent. (being HKD
976,000.00 per HKD
1,000,000 in principal amount of such Notes)
|
HKD
1,115,000,000 2.640 per cent. Notes due 13 September 2027
("September 2027 HKD
Notes")
|
XS1684379602 / 168437960
|
HKD
1,115,000,000
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
97.00 per cent. (being HKD
970,000.00 per HKD
1,000,000 in principal amount of such Notes)
|
CHF
175,000,000 0.625 per cent. Notes due 15 March 2027
("CHF
Notes")
|
CH0357520466 / 157739778
|
CHF
175,000,000
|
CHF Notes
Interpolated CHF Mid-Swap Rate
|
+10
bps
|
N/A
|
AUD
450,000,000 4.200 per cent. Notes due 13 December 2027
("AUD Notes")
|
AU3CB0249373 / 173557299
|
AUD
450,000,000
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
99.75 per cent. (being AUD
9,975.00 per AUD 10,000 in
principal amount of such Notes)
|
1.
See
the section headed "The Offers
-Accrued Interest" in the Tender Offer Memorandum. In
addition to the relevant Purchase Price, the Company will also pay
to holders of the Notes (whose Notes are accepted for purchase by
the Company pursuant to the Offers) the relevant Accrued Interest
Payment on the Settlement Date (each as defined herein).
2.
The
terms and conditions of the September 2025 EUR Notes provide for an
optional call at par (together with any accrued and unpaid interest
up to (but excluding) the redemption date) at the Company's option
on any date from (and including) 11 June 2025 to (but excluding) 11
September 2025.
The EUR Notes, GBP Notes, NOK Notes
and HKD Notes are cleared and settled through Euroclear and
Clearstream, Luxembourg. The CHF Notes are cleared and settled
through SIS (as defined herein). The AUD Notes are cleared and
settled through Austraclear (as defined herein), though can also be
cleared and settled through Euroclear and Clearstream, Luxembourg.
The Offer in respect of the AUD Notes will not be made directly in
Austraclear nor to direct participants of Austraclear and will only
be made via Euroclear and Clearstream, Luxembourg and
correspondingly will only be available to custodians and direct
participants thereof. Holders of the AUD Notes must, in order to be
eligible to participate in the relevant Offer in the manner
specified in the Tender Offer Memorandum, (i) arrange for the AUD
Notes which they wish to tender to be transferred to an account in
either Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg and (ii) maintain or,
where relevant, procure access to an account in either Euroclear or
Clearstream, Luxembourg through which such AUD Notes can be traded,
and to which both the applicable Purchase Price and the applicable
Accrued Interest Payment may be credited by the Company (see the
section headed "Procedures for
Participating in the Offers - Specific procedures in respect of AUD Notes
held in Austraclear" in the Tender Offer
Memorandum).
The Company has today separately
launched, concurrently with the launch of the Offers, a cash tender
offer for any and all of its outstanding (a) 4.125 per cent. Notes
due May 2025 (ISIN: US92857WBJ80) and (b) 4.375 per cent. Notes due
May 2028 (ISIN: US92857WBK53) (together, the "Concurrent USD Tender Offers") upon the
terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the offer to
purchase dated 5 February 2025 (the "Offer to Purchase"). Neither the Tender
Offer Memorandum nor the Offers constitute an offer to purchase any
notes in the Concurrent USD Tender Offers. Such Concurrent USD
Tender Offers will solely be based on the separate Offer to
Purchase and not on the Tender Offer Memorandum.
|
Rationale for the Offers
The purpose of the Offers and the
Concurrent USD Tender Offers is, among other things, to proactively
manage the Company's outstanding debt portfolio, with a focus on
the Company's near-dated maturities.
Notes purchased in the Offers will
be cancelled.
Concurrent USD Tender Offers
The Company has today separately
launched the Concurrent USD Tender Offers upon the terms and
subject to the conditions set forth in the Offer to Purchase.
Neither the Tender Offer Memorandum nor the Offers constitute an
offer to purchase any notes in the Concurrent USD Tender Offers.
Such Concurrent USD Tender Offers will solely be based on the
separate Offer to Purchase and not on the Tender Offer
Memorandum.
Amount subject to the Offers
The Company intends to accept for
purchase any and all Notes validly tendered pursuant to the
relevant Offer in respect of the Notes on the terms and conditions
contained in the Tender Offer Memorandum; however, until the
Company announces the results of such Offer, no assurance can be
given that any tenders will be accepted. The acceptance of any
Notes for purchase is at the sole and absolute discretion of the
Company and the Company reserves the sole and absolute right not to
accept any Notes for purchase. No scaling will be applied to Tender
Instructions that are accepted pursuant to the Offers.
Purchase Prices
In respect of each Series, the Company will, on
the Settlement Date, for Notes of such Series validly tendered for
purchase pursuant to an Offer and accepted for purchase by the
Company, pay a purchase price for such Notes (each, a
"Purchase
Price").
The Purchase Price for each Series of Fixed
Price Notes validly tendered for purchase pursuant to an Offer and
accepted for purchase by the Company will be the applicable
Purchase Price specified on the cover pages of the Tender Offer
Memorandum.
The Purchase Price for each Series of Fixed
Spread Notes validly tendered for purchase pursuant to an Offer and
accepted for purchase by the Company will be determined at or
around 11.00 a.m. (London time) (the "Pricing Time") on 14 February 2025 (the
"Pricing Date") in the
manner described in the Tender Offer Memorandum, with reference to
the applicable "Purchase
Yield", which shall, in respect of each Series of Fixed
Spread Notes, equal the sum of:
(i) the
relevant fixed Purchase Spread; and
(ii)
the relevant Reference Rate or the GBP Benchmark Security Rate, as
the case may be.
Each such Purchase Price in respect of the
Fixed Spread Notes will be determined by the Dealer Managers in
accordance with market convention and expressed as a percentage
(rounded to the nearest 0.001 per cent., with 0.0005 per cent.
rounded upwards), and is intended to reflect a yield on the
Settlement Date to the relevant maturity date of the relevant
Series based on the applicable Purchase Yield. Specifically, the
Purchase Price applicable to the Notes of a particular Series will
equal (a) the value of all remaining payments of principal and
interest on the relevant Series up to and including the relevant
maturity date of the relevant Series, discounted (in a manner in
accordance with market convention) to the Settlement Date using a
discount rate equal to the applicable Purchase Yield, minus (b) any
Accrued Interest for such Series.
See the section headed "Further Information and Terms and
Conditions" in the Tender Offer Memorandum.
Accrued Interest
In addition to the relevant Purchase Price, the
Company will also pay to holders of the Notes (whose Notes are
accepted for purchase by the Company pursuant to the Offers) the
relevant Accrued Interest Payment on the Settlement
Date.
See the section headed "Further Information and Terms and
Conditions" in the Tender Offer Memorandum.
General
Each Offer begins on 5
February 2025 and will expire at 4.00 p.m.
(London time) on 13 February 2025 (the
"Expiration Deadline"),
unless extended, re-opened, amended, withdrawn and/or
terminated by the Company (in its sole and absolute
discretion), as provided in the Tender Offer
Memorandum.
In order to participate in, and be
eligible to receive the relevant Purchase Price and relevant
Accrued Interest Payment pursuant to, the relevant Offer,
Noteholders must validly tender their Notes by delivering, or
arranging to have delivered on their behalf, a valid Tender
Instruction that is received by (a) in the case of all Notes other
than the CHF Notes, the Lead Tender and Information Agent and (b)
in the case of CHF Notes, the Swiss Tender Agent by the Expiration
Deadline. The deadlines set by any intermediary and each Clearing
System for the submission and withdrawal of Tender Instructions
will be earlier than the relevant deadline specified
above.
Tender Instructions will be irrevocable
except in the limited circumstances described in
the Tender Offer Memorandum.
Tender Instructions must be
submitted in respect of a principal amount of Notes of any Series
of no less than the applicable Minimum Denomination, and may, in
each relevant case, be submitted in the applicable Integral
Multiples in excess thereof. The Company will reject any Tender
Instructions which relate to a principal amount of Notes of any
Series of less than the applicable Minimum Denomination.
A separate Tender Instruction must
be completed in respect of each Series.
See the section headed "Procedures for Participating in the
Offers" in the Tender Offer Memorandum.
Specific procedures in respect of CHF Notes
Holders of CHF Notes who wish to participate in
the relevant Offer are requested to follow any additional
instructions received from SIS via their custodian
banks.
Specific procedures in respect of AUD Notes held in
Austraclear
The Offer in
respect of the AUD Notes will not be made directly in Austraclear
nor to direct participants of Austraclear and will only be made via
Euroclear and Clearstream, Luxembourg and correspondingly will only
be available to custodians and direct participants
thereof. Holders holding AUD Notes directly in
Austraclear or through a participant or sub-participant of
Austraclear (other than Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg) must,
in order to be eligible to participate in the relevant Offer in the
manner specified in the Tender Offer Memorandum, (i) arrange for
the AUD Notes which they wish to tender to be transferred to an
account in either Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg and (ii)
maintain or, where relevant, procure access to an account in either
Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg through which such AUD Notes
can be traded, and to which both the applicable Purchase Price and
the applicable Accrued Interest Payment may be credited by the
Company.
Holders who do not have access to an account,
as described above, in either Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg
(either directly or through a Direct Participant or other
intermediary), or who do not transfer the AUD Notes which they wish
to tender to a Direct Participant in either Euroclear or
Clearstream, Luxembourg, will not be able to submit a Tender
Instruction to the Lead Tender and Information Agent and will not
be eligible to participate in the Offer in the manner specified in
the Tender Offer Memorandum. Such holders may contact the Lead
Tender and Information Agent for further information, the contact
details for which are on the last page of the Tender Offer
Memorandum.
Indicative Timetable for the Offers
Events
|
Times and Dates (all times are London time)
|
Launch Date
Announcement by the Company of the
Offers.
Tender Offer Memorandum available
from the Tender Agents.
Commencement of the tender offer
period.
|
5 February 2025
|
Expiration
Deadline
Final deadline for receipt of valid
Tender Instructions by (a) in the case of all Notes other than the
CHF Notes, the Lead Tender and Information Agent and (b) in the
case of CHF Notes, the Swiss Tender Agent, in each case in order
for Noteholders to be able to participate in the Offers.
|
4.00 p.m. on 13 February 2025
For information purposes only, such time is equivalent to 3.00
a.m. (Sydney time) on 14 February 2025, 5.00 p.m. (Central European
time) on 13 February 2025 and 0.00 a.m. (Hong Kong time) on 14
February 2025.
|
Pricing Time and Pricing Date (in
respect of the GBP Notes, CHF Notes and certain Series of EUR Notes
only)
In respect of each Series of Fixed
Spread Notes, the determination of each Purchase Price, each
Purchase Yield and each Reference Rate or the GBP Benchmark
Security Rate, as the case may be.
|
At or around 11.00 a.m. on 14
February 2025
|
Announcement of
Results
Announcement by the Company of its
decision on whether to accept (subject to satisfaction, or waiver
(in the sole and absolute discretion of the Company), of the
conditions described in the Tender Offer Memorandum valid tenders
of Notes pursuant to the Offers and, if so accepted, of (i) each
Purchase Price, (ii) each Purchase Yield, (iii) each Reference Rate
and the GBP Benchmark Security Rate, (iv) the aggregate nominal
amount of each Series of Notes validly tendered and accepted in the
Offers, and (v) the aggregate principal amount of each Series that
will remain outstanding after the Settlement Date.
|
As soon as reasonably practicable following the Pricing
Time.
|
Settlement
Date
Subject to satisfaction, or waiver
(in the sole and absolute discretion of the Company), of the
conditions described in the Tender Offer Memorandum, payment of the
relevant Purchase Price and the relevant Accrued Interest Payment
to holders of the Notes (whose Notes are accepted for purchase by
the Company pursuant to the Offers).
|
Expected to be on 18 February
2025
|
The times and dates set out above and in the Tender Offer
Memorandum may (subject to applicable law) be extended, re-opened
and/or amended by the Company (in its sole and absolute
discretion), or one or more of the Offers withdrawn and/or
terminated by the Company (in its sole and absolute discretion), in
each case in accordance with the terms of the Offers as described
in the Tender Offer Memorandum. Accordingly, the actual timetable
may differ significantly from the timetable
above.
All announcements will be made by
the Company by (i) publication through RNS, (ii) publication
through the SIX Swiss Exchange, (iii) publication through the
Australian Securities Exchange ("ASX") and (iv) delivery of notices to
the Clearing Systems for communication to Direct Participants and
through Austraclear for communication to participants and
sub-participants in Austraclear. Such announcements may also be
made on the relevant Informa IGM Screen Insider Service and/or by
the issue of a press release to a Notifying News Service. Copies of
all such announcements, press releases and notices can also be
obtained upon request from the Tender Agents, the contact details
for which are set out below. Significant delays may be experienced
in respect of notices delivered to the Clearing Systems and
Noteholders are urged to contact the Tender Agents for the relevant
announcements during the course of the Offers, the contact details
for which are set out below.
Noteholders are advised to check with any bank, securities
broker or other intermediary through which they hold Notes when
such intermediary would need to receive instructions from a
Noteholder in order for that Noteholder to be able to participate
in, or (in the limited circumstances in which revocation is
permitted) revoke their instruction to participate in, an Offer
before the deadlines specified above and in the Tender Offer
Memorandum. The deadlines set by
any such intermediary and each Clearing System for the submission
of Tender Instructions will be earlier than the relevant deadlines
specified above and in the Tender Offer
Memorandum. See the section headed
"Procedures for Participating in the Offers" in the Tender Offer
Memorandum.
Further Information
Noteholders are advised to read carefully the Tender Offer
Memorandum for full details of, and information on the procedures
for participating in, the Offers.
Requests for information in
relation to the Offers should be directed to:
THE DEALER MANAGERS
|
In the case of all Notes
other than the CHF Notes:
|
In the case of all Notes
subject to the Offers:
|
In
the case of CHF Notes:
|
Barclays Bank
PLC
1
Churchill Place
Canary
Wharf
London E14 5HP
United Kingdom
Telephone: +44 20 3134 8515
Email: eu.lm@barclays.com
Attention: Liability Management Group
|
Merrill Lynch
International
2 King Edward
Street
London EC1A
1HQ
United
Kingdom
Telephone: +44 20
7996 5420
Email:
DG.LM-EMEA@bofa.com
Attention: Liability Management Group
|
UBS AG
Bahnhofstrasse 45
8001 Zurich
Switzerland
Telephone: +44 20 7568 1121
Email: ol-liabilitymanagement-eu@ubs.com
Attention: DCM EMEA Liability Management
|
Requests for information in
relation to the procedures for tendering Notes in, and for any
documents or materials relating to, the Offers should be directed
to:
THE TENDER AGENTS
|
LEAD TENDER AND INFORMATION
AGENT
Kroll Issuer Services
Limited
The Shard
32 London Bridge Street
London SE1 9SG
United Kingdom
Telephone: +44 20 7704 0880
Email: vodafone@is.kroll.com
Attention: Owen Morris Website:
https://deals.is.kroll.com/vodafone
|
SWISS TENDER AGENT
UBS AG
Bahnhofstrasse 45
8001 Zurich
Switzerland
Telephone: +44 20 7568 1121
Email: ol-liabilitymanagement-eu@ubs.com
Attention: DCM EMEA Liability Management
|
|
|
This announcement is made by
Vodafone Group Plc and relates to the
disclosure of information that qualified or may have qualified as
inside information within the meaning of Article 7 of the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) 596/2014
as it forms part of United Kingdom domestic law by
virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018
("UK
MAR"). For
the purposes of UK MAR, this announcement is made by Maaike de Bie,
Group General Counsel and Company Secretary of Vodafone.
DISCLAIMER
This announcement must be read in
conjunction with the Tender Offer Memorandum. This announcement and
the Tender Offer Memorandum contain important information which
should be read carefully before any decision is made with respect
to the Offers. Any Noteholder who is in any doubt as to the action
it should take is recommended to seek its own financial and legal
advice, including in respect of any financial, accounting and tax
consequences, immediately from its broker, bank manager, solicitor,
accountant or other independent financial, tax or legal adviser.
Any individual or company whose Notes are held on its behalf by a
broker, dealer, bank, custodian, trust company or other nominee
must contact such entity if it wishes to tender such Notes in the
Offers. None of the Company, the Dealer Managers or the Tender
Agent makes any recommendation whether the Noteholders should
tender Notes in the Offers.
Offer and Distribution
Restrictions
The distribution of this
announcement and the Tender Offer Memorandum in certain
jurisdictions may be restricted by law. Persons into whose
possession this announcement and/or the Tender Offer Memorandum
come(s) are required by each of the Company, the Dealer Managers
and the Tender Agent to inform themselves about and to observe any
such restrictions. Neither this announcement nor the Tender Offer
Memorandum constitutes an offer to buy or the solicitation of an
offer to sell Notes (and tenders of Notes
in the Offers will not be accepted from Noteholders) in any
circumstances in which such offer or solicitation is unlawful. In
those jurisdictions where the securities, blue sky or other laws
requires an Offer to be made by a licensed broker or dealer and any
Dealer Manager or any of its affiliates is such a licensed broker
or dealer in any such jurisdiction, such Offer shall be deemed to
be made on behalf of the Company by such Dealer Manager or such
affiliate (as the case may be) in such jurisdiction.
United States. The Offers are
not being made, and will not be made, directly or indirectly, in or
into, or by use of the mail of, or by any means or instrumentality
of interstate or foreign commerce of, or of any facilities of a
national securities exchange of, the United States or to any U.S.
Person (as defined in Regulation S of the Securities Act of 1933 of
the United States (the "Securities
Act") (each a "U.S.
Person")). This includes, but is not limited to, facsimile
transmission, electronic mail, telex, telephone, the internet and
other forms of electronic communication. The Notes may not be
tendered in the Offers by any such use, means, instrumentality or
facility from or within the United States or by persons located or
resident in the United States or by, any person acting for the
account or benefit of, a U.S. Person. Accordingly, copies of this
announcement, the Tender Offer Memorandum and any other documents
or materials relating to the Offers are not being, and must not be,
directly or indirectly, mailed or otherwise transmitted,
distributed or forwarded (including, without limitation, by
custodians, nominees or trustees) in or into the United States or
to persons located or resident in the United States or to any U.S.
Person. Any purported tender of Notes in an Offer resulting
directly or indirectly from a violation of these restrictions will
be invalid and any purported tender of Notes made by a person
located in the United States or any agent, fiduciary or other
intermediary acting on a non-discretionary basis for a principal
giving instructions from within the United States will be invalid
and will not be accepted.
This announcement and the Tender
Offer Memorandum are not an offer of securities for sale in the
United States or to U.S. Persons. Notes may not be offered or sold
in the United States absent registration under, or an exemption
from the registration requirements of, the Securities
Act.
Each holder of Notes participating
in an Offer will represent that it is not a U.S. Person, it is not
located in the United States and is not participating in such Offer
from the United States, or it is acting on a non-discretionary
basis for a principal located outside the United States that is not
giving an order to participate in such Offer from the United
States. For the purposes of this and the above two paragraphs,
"United States" means the
United States of America, its territories and possessions
(including Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa,
Wake Island and the Northern Mariana Islands), any state of the
United States of America and the District of Columbia.
United Kingdom. The
communication of this announcement, the Tender Offer Memorandum and
any other documents or materials relating to the Offers is not
being made and such documents and/or materials have not been
approved by an authorised person for the purposes of section 21 of
the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. Accordingly, such
documents and/or materials are not being distributed to, and must
not be passed on to, the general public in the United Kingdom. The
communication of such documents and/or materials as a financial
promotion is only being made to those persons in the United Kingdom
falling within the definition of investment professionals (as
defined in Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act
2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the "Financial Promotion Order")) or within Article 43 of the
Financial Promotion Order, or to any other persons to whom it may
otherwise lawfully be made under the Financial Promotion
Order.
Australia. None of
this announcement, the Tender Offer Memorandum, nor any other
prospectus or other disclosure document (as defined in the
Corporations Act 2001 of Australia ("Corporations Act")) in relation to the
Offers has been or will be lodged with the Australian Securities
and Investments Commission ("ASIC") or any other regulatory
authority in Australia and neither this announcement, nor the
Tender Offer Memorandum complies with Division 5A of Part 7.9 of
the Corporations Act. In addition:
(i) no offers
or applications will be made or invited for the purchase of any
Notes in Australia (including an offer or invitation which is
received by a person in Australia); and
(ii)
none of this announcement, the Tender Offer
Memorandum or any other offering material or advertisement relating
to any Notes will be distributed or published in
Australia,
unless (a) the offer or invitation falls within
the exemption for offers to sophisticated investors set out in
Section 708(8) of the Corporations Act or the offer or invitation
otherwise does not require disclosure to investors in accordance
with Part 6D.2 or Chapter 7 of the Corporations Act; (b) such
action complies with all applicable laws and regulations; (c) such
action does not require any document to be lodged with ASIC or any
other regulatory authority in Australia; (d) the offer or
invitation is not made to a person who is a "retail client" as
defined for the purposes of Section 761G of the Corporations Act;
and (e) the offer or invitation is made in circumstances specified
in Corporations Regulation 7.9.97.
You are viewing this announcement on the basis
that, amongst other matters, if you are a resident of Australia,
you are a wholesale client for the purposes of Section
761G of the Corporations Act or otherwise a person to whom
disclosure is not required under Part 6D.2 or Chapter 7 of the
Corporations Act.
Belgium. The Offers are not
being made, directly or indirectly, to any individual in Belgium
qualifying as a consumer within the meaning of Article I.1 of the
Belgian Code of Economic Law, as amended from time to time (a
"Belgian Consumer") and
this announcement, the Tender Offer Memorandum and any other
documents or materials relating to the Offers have not been and
shall not be distributed, directly or indirectly, in Belgium to
Belgian Consumers.
France. The Offers are not
being made, directly or indirectly, to the public in the Republic
of France ("France").
Neither this announcement, the Tender Offer Memorandum nor any
other documents or materials relating to the Offers have been or
shall be distributed to the public in France and only qualified
investors (as defined in Article 2(e) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1129)
are eligible to participate in the Offers. None of this
announcement, the Tender Offer Memorandum and any other documents
or materials relating to the Offers have been or will be submitted
for clearance to nor approved by the Autorité des Marchés
Financiers.
Italy. None of the Offers, this
announcement, the Tender Offer Memorandum or any other documents or
materials relating to the Offers have been or will be submitted to
the clearance procedures of the Commissione Nazionale per le Società e la
Borsa ("CONSOB")
pursuant to Italian laws and regulations. The Offers are being
carried out in the Republic of Italy ("Italy") as an exempted offer pursuant
to article 101-bis, paragraph 3-bis of the Legislative Decree No.
58 of 24 February 1998, as amended (the "Financial Services Act") and article
35-bis, paragraph 4 of CONSOB Regulation No. 11971 of 14 May 1999,
as amended. Any Noteholders or beneficial owners of the Notes that
are resident and/or located in Italy may tender some or all of
their Notes for purchase in the Offers through authorised persons
(such as investment firms, banks or financial intermediaries
permitted to conduct such activities in Italy in accordance with
the Financial Services Act, CONSOB Regulation No. 20307 of 15
February 2018, as amended from time to time, and Legislative Decree
No. 385 of 1 September 1993, as amended) and in compliance with
applicable laws and regulations or with requirements imposed by
CONSOB or any other Italian authority.
Each intermediary must comply with
the applicable laws and regulations concerning information duties
vis-à-vis
its clients in connection with the
Notes or the
Offers.
Norway. Neither this
announcement, nor the Tender Offer Memorandum has been and neither
will be filed with or approved by the Norwegian Financial
Supervisory Authority (Nw. Finanstilsynet), the Oslo Stock Exchange
(Nw. Euronext Oslo Børs) or any other regulatory authority in
Norway, and neither this announcement, nor the Tender Offer
Memorandum constitutes or forms part of (i) a prospectus within the
meaning of Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 as amended and supplemented
from time to time, nor (ii) a tender offer document as referred to
in Chapter 6 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act of 29 June
2007 No. 75 (Nw. verdipapirhandelloven) (the "Norwegian Securities Trading Act").
Accordingly, neither this announcement, nor the Tender Offer
Memorandum may be made available nor may the Notes otherwise be
marketed and offered for sale in Norway other than in circumstances
that do not result in a requirement for the registration or the
publication by the Company or any other person of a prospectus or
tender offer document pursuant to the Norwegian Securities Trading
Act and any regulations passed thereunder.
Switzerland. Neither the Tender
Offer Memorandum nor any materials relating to the Offers
constitute a prospectus as such term is understood pursuant to
article 652a or article 1156 of the Swiss Federal Code of
Obligations or a listing prospectus within the meaning of the
listing rules of the SIX Swiss Exchange. Accordingly, the investor
protection rules otherwise applicable to investors in Switzerland
do not apply to the Offers. If any Noteholder is in any doubt as to
the contents of this announcement or the Tender Offer Memorandum or
the action it should take, it is recommended to seek its own
financial, accounting and legal advice, including in respect of any
tax consequences, immediately from its broker, bank manager,
solicitor, accountant or other independent financial, tax or legal
adviser.