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IMPALA PLATINUM HOLDINGS LIMITED - Proposed odd-lot offer and distribution of the circular and notice of general meeting

Release Date: 14/09/2020 07:05
Code(s): IMP IMCB22     PDF:  
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Proposed odd-lot offer and distribution of the circular and notice of general meeting

IMPALA PLATINUM HOLDINGS LIMITED
(Incorporated in the Republic of South Africa)
(Registration number 1957/001979/06)
JSE Share code: IMP
ISIN: ZAE000083648
JSE Convertible Bond Stock Code: IMCB22
JSE Convertible Bond ISIN: ZAE000247458
ADR code: IMPUY
(“Implats” or “the Company”)

PROPOSED ODD-LOT OFFER AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE CIRCULAR AND NOTICE OF GENERAL MEETING

1.     Introduction and rationale

     As at 28 August 2020, Implats had a total of 10 123 ordinary shareholders (“Odd-lot
     Holders”) each holding less than 100 Implats ordinary shares of no par value (“Implats
     Shares”) (“Odd-lot Holdings”), holding a total of 232 581 Implats Shares, representing only
     0.03% of the total issued share capital of Implats. Odd-lot Holders represent 48.7% of the
     total number of ordinary shareholders (“Implats Shareholders”) in the Company. The
     recurring administrative costs for the Odd-Lot Holders is disproportionately large relative to
     the small size of their Odd-lot Holdings and negatively affects all Implats Shareholders. To
     reduce the administrative time and costs associated with the Company’s shareholder base,
     the board of directors of Implats (“Board”) has proposed the implementation of an odd-lot
     offer (“Odd-lot Offer”) to facilitate the reduction in these Odd-lot Holders in a fair manner,
     which will result in the repurchase by the Company of the Odd-lot Holdings from the Odd-lot
     Holders at the offer price, being at a 10% premium to the 30-calendar day volume weighted
     average price (“VWAP”) of an Implats Share at the close of business on Monday, 26 October
     2020 (“Offer Price”).

     The Odd-lot Offer will provide Odd-lot Holders with the ability to dispose of their Odd-lot
     Holdings on an efficient basis and will provide liquidity for those Odd-lot Holders who elect
     not to retain their Odd-lot Holdings or who make no election, in which case such Odd-lot
     Holders will be deemed to have agreed to dispose of their Odd-lot Holdings. Odd-lot Holders
     will sell their Odd-lot Holdings to Implats and receive the Offer Price in cash (“Cash
     Consideration”). Odd-lot Holders can elect to retain their Odd-lot Holdings.

     An odd-lot offer is a ‘standard’ corporate action undertaken by JSE-listed companies and is
     permitted by the Company’s memorandum of incorporation (“MoI”). For Implats to implement
     the Odd-lot Offer, the directors are seeking approval from Implats Shareholders to (i) effect
     certain required amendments to the MoI (“MoI Amendments”), and (ii) implement the Odd-
     lot Offer.

2.   MoI Amendments

     Paragraph 1(2)(n) and (o) read together with paragraph 14 of the MoI provides that if the
     Company makes an Odd-lot Offer, Odd-lot Holders may elect to increase their Odd-lot
     Holding to 100 Shares (“top-up provision”). The top-up provision was contained in historic
     versions of the JSE Limited (“JSE”) Listings Requirements and was included in the MoI. The
     top-up provision was repealed by the JSE in c. 2007. Accordingly, in order to align the MoI
     with the JSE Listings Requirements and current practice, Implats Shareholder approval is
     being sought to give effect to the MoI Amendments to remove the sections in the MoI allowing
     for the top-up provision.

3.   Key terms of the Odd-lot Offer

     The Odd-lot Offer will be subject to Implats Shareholder approval (“Shareholder Approval”).

     In order to (i) provide Odd-lot Holders with an opportunity to realise the value of their
     investment without suffering dealing charges which might otherwise make it impractical to
     sell their holding, and to provide liquidity for those Odd-lot Holders who elect not to retain
     their Odd-lot Holdings or who make no election and; (ii) from the Company’s perspective, to
     reduce the costs and complexity of managing a large number of Odd-lot Holders, Implats has
     decided to proceed with the implementation of the Odd-lot Offer to repurchase the Implats
     Shares from the Odd-lot Holders at the Offer Price. For purposes of payment of the Offer
     Price to Odd-lot Holders on the United Kingdom share register, the Offer Price will be
     converted at the GBP/ZAR exchange rate at the close of business on Monday, 26 October
     2020.

     Odd-lot Holders can elect to retain their Odd-lot Holdings or sell their Odd-lot Holdings
     at the Offer Price. Those Odd-lot Holders who do not make an election by 12:00 (SA
     time) and 10:00 (UK time, for Odd-lot Holders on the United Kingdom register) on
     Friday, 6 November 2020 will automatically be regarded as having accepted the Odd-
     lot Offer and chosen to dispose of their Odd-lot Holdings.

4.   Circular and notice of general meeting

     For Implats to implement the Odd-lot Offer, the Board is seeking approval from Implats
     Shareholders to give effect to the MoI Amendments and to implement the Odd-lot Offer, and
     is therefore convening a general meeting of Implats Shareholders (“General Meeting”), to
     be held through electronic communication on Wednesday, 14 October 2020 at 12:00 (SA
     time) or 11:00 (UK time), at which all Implats Shareholders will be entitled to vote on the
     resolutions required to give effect to the MoI Amendments and to implement the Odd-lot
     Offer. A circular (“Circular”), containing details of the MoI Amendments and the Odd-lot
     Offer, together with a notice of General Meeting (“Notice of General Meeting”), will be
     posted to Implats shareholders on Monday, 14 September 2020.

5.   Odd-lot Offer mechanics

     Following receipt of Shareholder Approval, the Odd-lot Offer will open and Odd-lot Holders
     must decide to either:

     •          sell their Odd-lot Holding to Implats at the Offer Price; or

     •          retain their Odd-lot Holding.

     If Odd-lot Holders wish to retain their Implats Shares, they must specifically make an election
     to do so. Those Odd-lot Holders who do not make an election will automatically be regarded
     as having accepted the Odd-lot Offer and chosen to dispose of their Implats Shares to Implats
     and will receive the Cash Consideration.

6.   Salient dates and times
                                                                                                  2020

         Announcement relating to the Odd-lot Offer and issue of the              Monday, 14 September
         Circular (together with the Notice of General Meeting) released on
         SENS
         Distribute Notice of General Meeting and Circular to Implats             Monday, 14 September
         Shareholders
         Announcement relating to the Odd-lot Offer and the issue of the         Tuesday, 15 September
         Circular (together with the Notice of General Meeting) published in
         the press
         Last day to trade to be entitled to vote and participate in the            Tuesday, 6 October
         General Meeting
         Record date to be entitled to vote and participate in the General           Friday, 9 October
         Meeting
         Recommended last day to lodge forms of proxy for the General              Tuesday, 13 October
         Meeting
         General Meeting to be held through electronic communication at          Wednesday, 14 October
         12:00 (SA time) or 11:00 (UK time)
         Announce results of the General Meeting on SENS                         Wednesday, 14 October
         Announce results of the General Meeting in the press                     Thursday, 15 October
         If the resolutions are passed at the General Meeting, the Odd-lot        Thursday, 15 October
         Offer opens at 09:00 (SA time) or 08:00 (UK time)
         Publication of the finalisation information (including the Offer          Tuesday, 27 October
         Price) on SENS by 11:00 (SA time) or 09:00 (UK time)
         Publication of the finalisation information (including the Offer        Wednesday, 28 October
         Price) in the press
         Last day to trade to participate in the Odd-lot Offer                     Tuesday, 3 November
         Implats Shares trade ex-Odd lot Offer                                   Wednesday, 4 November
         Forms of election and surrender to be received by the transfer             Friday, 6 November
         secretaries in South Africa (Computershare Investor Services
         Proprietary Limited) and the United Kingdom (Computershare
         Investor Services plc) by 12:00 (SA time) or 10:00 (UK time)
         Record date for the Odd-lot Offer                                          Friday, 6 November
         Odd-lot Offer closes at 12:00 (SA time) or 10:00 (UK time)                 Friday, 6 November
         Payment of the Cash Consideration to Certificated Odd-lot                  Monday, 9 November
         Holders who have accepted the Odd-lot Offer or who have made
         no election4
         Dematerialised Odd-lot Holders who have accepted the Odd-lot               Monday, 9 November
         Offer or who have made no election will have their accounts at
         their CSDP or broker credited with the Cash Consideration
         Results of the Odd-lot Offer released on SENS                              Monday, 9 November
         Results of the Odd-lot Offer published in the press                      Tuesday, 10 November
         Cancellation and termination of listing of Implats Shares              Wednesday, 11 November
         repurchased in terms of the Odd-lot Offer expected on or about

       Notes:

       1.       These salient dates and times are subject to amendment at the discretion of the Company.
                Any such amendments will be released on SENS.
       2.       All times quoted are local times in South Africa and in the United Kingdom.
       3.       Implats Shareholders may not dematerialise or rematerialise their Implats Shares after the last
                day to trade, being Wednesday, 4 November 2020 to Friday, 6 November 2020, both dates
                inclusive.
       4.       Odd-lot Holders who are non-residents of the Common Monetary area, and who elect to sell
                their Odd-lot Holdings or who make no election, are specifically referred to paragraph 8.2 of
                the Circular as regards the processing and payment of their Cash Consideration.

7.     Tax considerations

       The Board has specifically resolved that the Odd-lot Offer will be distributed as a return of
       capital and will result in a reduction of ‘contributed tax capital’ as defined in section 1 of the
       South African Income Tax Act, 58 of 1962, as amended. The Cash Consideration will
       therefore not be regarded as a dividend for South African income tax purposes. Implats
       Shareholders are advised to consult their own tax and/or other professional advisors
       regarding the taxation implications arising out of the acceptance of the Odd-lot Offer.


Queries:
Johan Theron
E-mail: johan.theron@implats.co.za
T: +27 (0) 11 731 9013/43
M: +27 (0) 82 809 0166

Emma Townshend
E-mail : emma.townshend@implats.co.za
T : +27 (0) 21 794 8345
M : +27 (0) 82 415 3770

Alice Lourens
E-mail: alice.lourens@implats.co.za
T: +27 (0) 11 731 9033/43
M: +27 (0) 82 498 3608

14 September 2020
Johannesburg

Investment Bank, Corporate Advisor and Sponsor
Nedbank Corporate and Investment Banking, a division of Nedbank Limited

Legal Advisor
Edward Nathan Sonnenbergs Inc.




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Date: 14-09-2020 07:05:00
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