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Proposed Placing to raise £40 million

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Cohort plc (AIM: CHRT), the independent technology group, is pleased to announce the launch of a fully underwritten non-pre-emptive placing of 4,571,428 new ordinary shares of 10 pence each (the "Ordinary Shares") in the capital of the Company (the "Placing Shares") at a price of 875 pence per Ordinary Share (the "Placing Price") to institutional investors to raise gross proceeds (before expenses and fees) of £40 million (the "Placing").

Cohort proposes to use the net proceeds of the Placing to partly fund the cash consideration payable by the Company for the conditional acquisition of the entire issued share capital of EM Solutions Pty Ltd (ACN 082 157 846) which holds all of the issued share capital in EM Solutions (Europe) B.V. (together "EM Solutions") from Electro Optic Systems Holdings Limited (ACN 092 708 364), an Australian public company which is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX: EOS) ("EOS") (the "Acquisition"), as announced by Cohort separately earlier today (the "Acquisition Announcement"). Details of the Acquisition are contained in the Acquisition Announcement, which should be read in conjunction with this Announcement.

The Placing will be conducted, subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions, through an accelerated bookbuild process which will be launched immediately following this Announcement. The Placing is subject to the terms and conditions set out in the Appendix to this Announcement (which forms part of this Announcement).

In conjunction with the Placing, Cohort also intends to carry out a separate retail offer on the PrimaryBid platform of up to 114,285 new Ordinary Shares (the "Retail Offer Shares", and together with the Placing Shares, the "New Ordinary Shares"), at the Placing Price to raise gross proceeds (before fees and expenses) of up to £1 million (the "Retail Offer", and together with the Placing, the "Fundraise"). The Retail Offer will provide new investors and existing retail shareholders in the United Kingdom with an opportunity to participate in the Fundraise at the Placing Price. The Retail Offer is not made subject to the terms and conditions set out in the Appendix and instead a separate announcement will be made shortly regarding the Retail Offer and its terms. The Retail Offer is conditional on the Placing, but the Placing is not conditional upon the Retail Offer. The Retail Offer will close no later than 12:00pm today. It is expected that the Fundraise will raise total gross proceeds (before fees and expenses) of up to £41 million for the Company.

The New Ordinary Shares will represent approximately 11.2 per cent. of the existing issued ordinary share capital of the Company (the "Existing Ordinary Shares") and the Placing Price represents a discount of approximately 4.3 per cent. to the closing mid-market price of 914 pence per Existing Ordinary Share on 20 November 2024, being the latest practicable date prior to the publication of this Announcement.

The Placing of 10.9% of the current issued share capital equates to 4,571,428 New Ordinary Shares in issue, which will result in the weighted average number of shares outstanding in the first full financial year (FY26) being 46,437,800, assuming all else remains equal.

The Fundraise will be effected pursuant to the existing authorities from the Company's shareholders. The Cohort management and founders are supportive of the transaction however are restricted from trading due to a close period caused by the interim results, expected to be released on 11th December 2024.

Details of the Placing

Investec Bank plc ("Investec" or the "Bookrunner") is acting as sole bookrunner and nominated adviser in connection with the Placing. The Placing will be effected by way of an accelerated bookbuild (the "Bookbuild") at the Placing Price. The Bookbuild will open with immediate effect following the release of this Announcement in accordance with the terms and conditions set out in the Appendix. A placing agreement has been entered into today between the Company and Investec in connection with the Placing (the "Placing Agreement") and the Placing is conditional upon the Placing Agreement between the Company and the Bookrunner not having been terminated in accordance with its terms.

The Placing is not conditional on the completion of the Acquisition. The conditions to the completion of the Acquisition are set out in the Acquisition Announcement. In the event the Acquisition does not complete, the Company may, at its option, decide to use the funds for alternative investments or consider a tax efficient way to return the net proceeds to shareholders. The Retail Offer is conditional on the Placing but the Placing is not conditional on the Retail Offer.

The timing for the close of the Bookbuild and allocation of the Placing Shares shall be at the absolute discretion of the Bookrunner, in consultation with the Company. The result of the Placing will be announced as soon as practicable thereafter. The Placing is being fully underwritten by Investec, subject to the conditions set out in the Placing Agreement. The Placing Shares are not part of the Retail Offer.

Admission, settlement and dealings

Application has been made to the London Stock Exchange for the New Ordinary Shares to be admitted to trading on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange ("Admission").

Admission is expected to take place at 8.00 a.m. (London time) on 25 November 2024 and dealings in the New Ordinary Shares are expected to commence at 8.00 a.m. (London time) on 25 November 2024 or, in each case, such later time and/or date as the Bookrunner and the Company agree.

The ISIN number of the New Ordinary Shares is GB00B0YD2B94. The TIDM is CHRT.

By choosing to participate in the Placing by making an oral or written offer to acquire Placing Shares, investors will be deemed to have read and understood this Announcement in its entirety (including the Appendix) and to be making a legally binding offer on the terms and subject to the terms and conditions in it, and to be providing the representations, warranties and acknowledgements contained in the Appendix.

This Announcement should be read in its entirety. In particular, you should read and understand the information provided in the "Important Notices" section of this Announcement. The Appendix to this Announcement sets out further information relating to the terms and conditions of the Placing. The Retail Offer Shares will be subscribed for on the basis of the terms and conditions of the Retail Offer, and not pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Placing contained in the Appendix to this Announcement.

Information to Distributors

Solely for the purposes of the product governance requirements of Chapter 3 of the FCA Handbook Product Intervention and Product Governance Sourcebook (the "UK Product Governance Requirements") and/or any equivalent requirements elsewhere to the extent determined to be applicable, and disclaiming all and any liability, whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise, which any "manufacturer" (for the purposes of the UK Product Governance Requirements and/or any equivalent requirements elsewhere to the extent determined to be applicable) may otherwise have with respect thereto the Placing Shares have been subject to a product approval process, which has determined that they each are: (a) compatible with an end target market of retail investors and investors who meet the criteria of professional clients and eligible counterparties, each as defined in Chapter 3 of the FCA Handbook Conduct of Business Sourcebook; and (b) eligible for distribution through all permitted distribution channels (the "Target Market Assessment"). Notwithstanding the Target Market Assessment, "distributors" (for the purposes of the UK Product Governance Requirements) 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, Investec 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: (i) an assessment of suitability or appropriateness for the purposes of Chapters 9A or 10A, respectively, of the FCA Handbook Conduct of Business Sourcebook; or (ii) 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.

APPENDIX

  • a QIB and a Major US Institutional Investor; and
  • if it is a Placee in, or resident in Canada, it: (i) is an "accredited investor" as defined in Section 1.1 of National Instrument 45-106 - Prospectus Exemptions ("NI 45-106") or subsection 73.3(1) of the Securities Act (Ontario) (the "OSA"), as applicable, and it is either purchasing the Placing Shares as principal for its own account, or it is deemed to be purchasing the Placing Shares as principal for its own account in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws and not as agent for the benefit of another person or as trustee for investment only and not with a view to resale or redistribution; (ii) was not created or used solely to purchase or hold the Placing Shares as an accredited investor under NI 45-106; (iii) is a "permitted client" as defined in section 1.1 of National Instrument 31-103 - Registration Requirements, Exemptions and Ongoing Registrant Obligations ("NI 31-103") that is not an individual; (iv) is resident in either the Province of Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario or Quebec and entitled under applicable Canadian securities laws, including the securities laws applicable to such Province, to purchase the Placing Shares without the benefit of a prospectus; and (v) if required by applicable Canadian securities laws, it will execute, deliver and file, or assist the Company in obtaining, preparing and filing such reports, undertakings and other documents relating to the purchase of the Placing Shares by it as may be required by any Canadian securities commission or other regulatory authority.

No prospectus

The Placing Shares are being offered to a limited number of specifically invited persons only and will not be offered in such a way as to require any prospectus or other offering document to be published. No prospectus or other offering document has been or will be submitted to be approved by the FCA in relation to the Placing or the Placing Shares and Placees' commitments will be made solely on the basis of their own assessment of the Company, the Placing Shares and the Placing based on the information contained in this Announcement, the announcement of the results of the Placing (the "Placing Results Announcement") (together, the "Placing Documents") and any other information publicly announced through a regulatory information service ("RIS") by or on behalf of the Company on or prior to the date of this Announcement (the "Publicly Available Information") and subject to any further terms set forth in the contract note sent to individual Placees.

Each Placee, by participating in the Placing, agrees that the content of the Placing Documents is exclusively the responsibility of the Company and confirms that it has neither received nor relied on any information (other than the Publicly Available Information), representation, warranty or statement made by or on behalf of the Bookrunner or the Company or any other person and neither the Bookrunner, the Company nor any other person acting on such person's behalf nor any of their respective affiliates has or shall have any responsibility or liability for any Placee's decision to participate in the Placing based on any other information, representation, warranty or statement. Each Placee acknowledges and agrees that it has relied on its own investigation of the business, financial or other position of the Company in accepting a participation in the Placing. No Placee should consider any information in this Announcement to be legal, tax or business advice. Each Placee should consult its own attorney, tax advisor, and business advisor for legal, tax and business advice regarding an investment in the Placing Shares. Nothing in this paragraph shall exclude the liability of any person for fraudulent misrepresentation.

Details of the Placing Agreement and the Placing Shares

The Bookrunner is acting as sole bookrunner in connection with the Placing and has today entered into the Placing Agreement with the Company under which, on the terms and subject to the conditions set out in the Placing Agreement, the Bookrunner, as agent for and on behalf of the Company, has agreed to use its reasonable endeavours to procure placees for the Placing Shares.

In accordance with the terms of the Placing Agreement, the Placing is fully underwritten by the Bookrunner and if Placees fail to take up their allocation of Placing Shares at the Placing Price, the Bookrunner agrees to take up such shares and the Company agrees to allot and issue such shares to the Bookrunner, at the Placing Price and on the terms set out in the Placing Agreement.

The Placing Shares will, when issued, be credited as fully paid up and will be issued subject to the Company's articles of association and rank pari passu in all respects with the existing Ordinary Shares and any PrimaryBid Shares, including the right to receive all dividends and other distributions declared, made or paid on or in respect of the Ordinary Shares after the date of issue of the Placing Shares, and will on issue be free of all encumbrances, liens or other security interests.

In addition to the Placing, the Company intends to make an offer on the PrimaryBid platform of the PrimaryBid Shares at the Placing Price. The PrimaryBid Offer is conditional on the Placing but the Placing is not conditional on the PrimaryBid Offer. The Bookrunner is acting as placement agent only in connection with the Placing and is not acting for any person, including the Company, in respect of the PrimaryBid Offer. Neither the Bookrunner or any of its respective affiliates will have any liability (subject to applicable legislation and regulations) to any person in respect of the PrimaryBid Offer.

Application for admission to trading

Application has been made to the London Stock Exchange plc (the "London Stock Exchange") for the admission of the Placing Shares to trading on AIM ("Admission").

It is expected that Admission of the Placing Shares will occur at or before 8.00 a.m. (London time) on 25 November 2024.

Bookbuild

The Bookrunner will today commence the accelerated bookbuilding process in respect of the Placing (the "Bookbuild") to determine demand for participation in the Placing by Placees. Members of the public are not entitled to participate in the Placing. This Announcement gives details of the terms and conditions of, and the mechanics of participation in, the Placing. No commissions will be paid to Placees or by Placees in respect of any Placing Shares.

Participation in, and principal terms of, the Placing

  • The Bookrunner is arranging the Placing solely as bookrunner and placing agent of the Company. Participation in the Placing will only be available to persons who may lawfully be, and are, invited to participate by the Bookrunner. The Bookrunner may itself agree to be a Placee in respect of all or some of the Placing Shares or may nominate any member of its group to do so.
  • The price payable to the Bookrunner as agent for the Company by all Placees whose bids are successful is 875 pence per Ordinary Share (the "Placing Price"). The number of Placing Shares to be issued will be announced on an RIS following the completion of the Bookbuild via the Placing Results Announcement.
  • Allocations of the Placing Shares will be determined by the Bookrunner after consultation with the Company (the proposed allocations having been supplied by the Bookrunner to the Company in advance of such consultation). Allocations will be confirmed orally by the Bookrunner and a contract note will be despatched as soon as possible thereafter. A Bookrunner's oral confirmation to such Placee constitutes an irrevocable legally binding commitment upon such person (who will at that point become a Placee), in favour of the Bookrunner and the Company, to acquire the number of Placing Shares allocated to it and to pay the Placing Price in respect of such shares on the terms and conditions set out in this Appendix and in accordance with the Company's articles of association. Except with the Bookrunner's consent, such commitment will not be capable of variation or revocation after the time at which it is submitted.
  • Each Placee's allocation and commitment will be evidenced by a contract note issued to such Placee by the Bookrunner. The terms of this Appendix will be deemed incorporated in that contract note.
  • To the fullest extent permissible by law, neither the Bookrunner, nor the Company, nor any of their respective affiliates, agents, directors, officers or employees shall have any responsibility or liability to Placees (or to any other person whether acting on behalf of a Placee or otherwise). In particular, neither the Bookrunner, the Company, nor any of their respective affiliates, agents, directors, officers or employees shall have any responsibility or liability (including to the extent permissible by law, any fiduciary duties) in respect of the Bookrunner's conduct of the Placing or of such alternative method of effecting the Placing as the Bookrunner and the Company may determine.
  • The Placing Shares will be issued subject to the terms and conditions of this Announcement and each Placee's commitment to subscribe for Placing Shares on the terms set out herein will continue notwithstanding any amendment that may in future be made to the terms and conditions of the Placing and Placees will have no right to be consulted or require that their consent be obtained with respect to the Company's or the Bookrunner's conduct of the Placing.

Conditions of the Placing

The Placing is conditional upon the Placing Agreement becoming unconditional and not having been terminated in accordance with its terms. The Bookrunner's obligations under the Placing Agreement are conditional on customary conditions including (amongst others) (the "Conditions"):

  • certain announcement obligations;
  • Admission occurring no later than 8.00 a.m. (London time) on 25 November 2024;
  • the warranties on the part of the Company contained in the Placing Agreement being true and accurate in any respect which is, in the good faith opinion of the Bookrunner (as it determines in its absolute discretion), material in the context of the Placing and/or Admission and not misleading as at the date of the Placing Agreement and at all times between the date of the Placing Agreement and Admission, as though they had been given and made on such date by reference to the facts and circumstances then subsisting;
  • the Acquisition Agreement having not been terminated nor rescinded prior to Admission;
  • the Company having complied with all of its obligations under the Placing Agreement which fall to be performed or satisfied on or prior to Admission and are material in the good faith opinion of Bookrunner in the context of the Placing or Admission; and
  • in the opinion of the Bookrunner (acting in good faith) there having been no Material Adverse Change between the date of the Placing Agreement and Admission.

The Bookrunner may, at its discretion and upon such terms as it thinks fit, waive compliance by the Company with the whole or any part of any of the Company's obligations in relation to the Conditions or extend the time or date provided for fulfilment of any such Conditions in respect of all or any part of the performance thereof. The condition in the Placing Agreement relating to Admission taking place may not be waived. Any such extension or waiver will not affect Placees' commitments as set out in this Announcement.

If: (i) any of the Conditions are not fulfilled or (where permitted) waived by the Bookrunner by the relevant time or date specified (or such later time or date as the Company and the Bookrunner may agree); or (ii) the Placing Agreement is terminated in the circumstances specified below under "Right to terminate under the Placing Agreement", the Placing will not proceed and the Placees' rights and obligations hereunder in relation to the Placing Shares shall cease and terminate at such time and each Placee agrees that no claim can be made by it or on its behalf (or any person on whose behalf the Placee is acting) in respect thereof.

Neither the Bookrunner, nor the Company, nor any of their respective affiliates, agents, directors, officers or employees shall have any liability to any Placee (or to any other person whether acting on behalf of a Placee or otherwise) in respect of any decision they may make as to whether or not to waive or to extend the time and/or date for the satisfaction of any Condition to the Placing, nor for any decision they may make as to the satisfaction of any Condition or in respect of the Placing generally, and by participating in the Placing each Placee agrees that any such decision is within the absolute discretion of the Bookrunner.

Right to terminate under the Placing Agreement

  • where there has been a breach by the Company of any of the warranties contained in the Placing Agreement (in each case, save to the extent that the Bookrunner determines (in its absolute discretion), acting in good faith, that the relevant matter is not material in the context of the Placing);
  • where there has been a breach by the Company of any of its obligations under the Placing Agreement (save to the extent that the Bookrunner considers, acting in good faith, that the relevant matter is not material in the context of the Placing);
  • if any of the Conditions have (i) become incapable of satisfaction or (ii) not been satisfied before the latest time provided in the Placing Agreement and have not been waived if capable of being waived by the Bookrunner; or
  • in the opinion of the Bookrunner (acting in good faith) the occurrence of a Material Adverse Change or certain force majeure events, the effect of which (either singly or together) is such as to make it, in the good faith judgment of the Bookrunner, impracticable or inadvisable to market the Ordinary Shares or to enforce contracts for the subscription and/or sale of the Ordinary Shares.

By participating in the Placing, each Placee agrees that (i) the exercise by the Bookrunner of any right of termination or of any other discretion under the Placing Agreement shall be within the absolute discretion of the Bookrunner and that it need not make any reference to, or consult with, Placees and that it shall have no liability to Placees whatsoever in connection with any such exercise or failure to so exercise and (ii) its rights and obligations terminate only in the circumstances described above under "Right to terminate under the Placing Agreement" and "Conditions of the Placing", and its participation will not be capable of rescission or termination by it after oral confirmation by the Bookrunner of the allocation and commitments following the close of the Bookbuild.

Lock-up Arrangements

The Company has undertaken to the Bookrunner that, between the date of the Placing Agreement and 120 days after the Admission, it will not, without the prior written consent of the Bookrunner (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) allot or issue any securities of the Company (or any interest therein or in respect thereof) or any other securities exchangeable for, or convertible into, or substantially similar to, Ordinary Shares or enter into any transaction having substantially the same effect as, or agree to do, any of the foregoing, subject to certain customary exceptions agreed between the Bookrunner and the Company and provided that the foregoing lock-up arrangements shall not prevent or restrict the issue of any options or grant of any awards pursuant to (and in accordance with the rules of) the Company's existing share option or share incentive schemes or for the issue of Ordinary Shares pursuant to the exercise of any options under such schemes.

By participating in the Placing, Placees agree that the exercise by the Bookrunner of any power to grant consent to the undertaking by the Company of a transaction which would otherwise be subject to the lock-up provisions under the Placing Agreement shall be within the absolute discretion of the Bookrunner and that it need not make any reference to, or consult with, Placees and that it shall have no liability to Placees whatsoever in connection with any such exercise of the power to grant consent.

Registration and Settlement

Settlement of transactions in the Placing Shares (ISIN: GB00B0YD2B94) following Admission will take place within the system administered by Euroclear UK & International Limited ("CREST"), subject to certain exceptions. The Bookrunner reserves the right to require settlement for, and delivery of, the Placing Shares (or any part thereof) to Placees by such other means that it may deem necessary if delivery or settlement is not possible or practicable within the CREST system or would not be consistent with the regulatory requirements in the Placee's jurisdiction.

Following the close of the Bookbuild, each Placee to be allocated Placing Shares in the Placing will be sent a contract note in accordance with the standing arrangements in place with the Bookrunner stating the number of Placing Shares allocated to them at the Placing Price, the aggregate amount owed by such Placee to the Bookrunner and settlement instructions. Each Placee agrees that it will do all things necessary to ensure that delivery and payment is completed in accordance with the standing CREST or certificated settlement instructions in respect of the Placing Shares that it has in place with the Bookrunner.

The Company will deliver the Placing Shares to a CREST account operated by the Bookrunner as agent for the Company and the Bookrunner will hold any Placing Shares delivered to this account as nominee for the Placees. The Bookrunner will enter its delivery instruction into the CREST system. The input to CREST by a Placee of a matching or acceptance instruction will then allow delivery of the relevant Placing Shares to that Placee against payment.

It is expected that settlement in respect of the Placing Shares will take place on 25 November 2024 on a delivery versus payment basis.

Interest is chargeable daily on payments not received from Placees on the due date in accordance with the arrangements set out above at the rate of four percentage points above the Bank of England's base rate from time to time but 4 per cent per year for any period during which that base rate is below zero.

Each Placee is deemed to agree that, if it does not comply with these obligations, the Bookrunner may sell any or all of the Placing Shares allocated to that Placee on such Placee's behalf and retain from the proceeds, for the Bookrunner's account and benefit, an amount equal to the aggregate amount owed by the Placee plus any interest due. The relevant Placee will, however, remain liable for any shortfall below the aggregate amount owed by it and will be required to bear any stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax or other taxes or duties (together with any interest or penalties) imposed in any jurisdiction which may arise upon the sale of such Placing Shares on such Placee's behalf.

If Placing Shares are to be delivered to a custodian or settlement agent, Placees should ensure that the contract note is copied and delivered immediately to the relevant person within that organisation. Insofar as Placing Shares are issued in a Placee's name or that of its nominee or in the name of any person for whom a Placee is contracting as agent or that of a nominee for such person, such Placing Shares should, subject as provided below, be so registered free from any liability to UK stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax. If there are any circumstances in which any stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax or other similar taxes or duties (including any interest and penalties relating thereto) is payable in respect of the allocation, allotment, issue, sale, transfer or delivery of the Placing Shares (or, for the avoidance of doubt, if any stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax is payable in connection with any subsequent transfer of or agreement to transfer Placing Shares), neither the Bookrunner nor the Company shall be responsible for payment thereof. Placees will not be entitled to receive any fee or commission in connection with the Placing.

Representations, warranties, undertakings and acknowledgements

By participating in the Placing each Placee (and any person acting on such Placee's behalf) irrevocably acknowledges, confirms, undertakes, represents, warrants and agrees (as the case may be) with the Bookrunner (in its capacity as underwriter of the Placing Shares and bookrunner and placing agent of the Company in respect of the Placing) and the Company, in each case as a fundamental term of their application for Placing Shares, the following:

General

1. it has read and understood this Announcement in its entirety and its subscription for and purchase of Placing Shares is subject to and based upon all the terms, conditions, representations, warranties, acknowledgements, agreements and undertakings and other information contained herein and it has not relied on, and will not rely on, any information given or any representations, warranties or statements made at any time by any person in connection with the Placing, the Company, the Placing Shares or otherwise other than the information contained in the Placing Documents and the Publicly Available Information;

  • that the exercise by the Bookrunner its rights or discretions under the Placing Agreement shall be within the absolute discretion of the Bookrunner and the Bookrunner need not have any reference to it and shall have no liability to it whatsoever in connection with any decision to exercise or not to exercise any such right and each Placee agrees that it has no rights against the Bookrunner or the Company, or any of their respective officers, directors or employees, under the Placing Agreement pursuant to the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties Act) 1999;
  • the person whom it specifies for registration as holder of the Placing Shares will be (a) itself or (b) its nominee, as the case may be. Neither the Bookrunner nor the Company will be responsible for any liability to stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax or other similar taxes or duties imposed in any jurisdiction (including interest and penalties relating thereto) ("Indemnified Taxes"). Each Placee and any person acting on behalf of such Placee agrees to indemnify the Company and the Bookrunner on an after-tax basis in respect of any Indemnified Taxes;
  • neither the Bookrunner nor any of its affiliates agents, directors, officers and employees accepts any responsibility for any acts or omissions of the Company or any of the directors of the Company or any other person (other than the Bookrunner) in connection with the Placing;
  • time is of the essence as regards its obligations under this Announcement;

No distribution of Announcement

  • it will not redistribute, forward, transfer, duplicate or otherwise transmit this Announcement or any part of it, or any other presentational or other material concerning the Placing (including electronic copies thereof) to any person and represents that it has not redistributed, forwarded, transferred, duplicated, or otherwise transmitted any such materials to any person;

No prospectus

  • no prospectus or other offering document is required under the Prospectus Regulation, nor will one be prepared in connection with the Bookbuild, the Placing or the Placing Shares and it has not received and will not receive a prospectus, admission document or other offering document in connection with the Bookbuild, the Placing or the Placing Shares;

Purchases by Bookrunner for its own account

11. in connection with the Placing, the Bookrunner and any of its affiliates acting as an investor for its own account may subscribe for Placing Shares in the Company and in that capacity may retain, purchase or sell for its own account such Placing Shares in the Company and any securities of the Company or related investments and may offer or sell such securities or other investments otherwise than in connection with the Placing. Accordingly, references in this Announcement to the Placing Shares being issued, offered or placed should be read as including any issue, offering or placement of such shares in the Company to the Bookrunner or any of its affiliates acting in such capacity;

  • the Bookrunner does not intend to disclose the extent of any investment or transactions referred to in paragraphs 9 and 10 above otherwise than in accordance with any legal or regulatory obligation to do so;

No fiduciary duty or client of the Bookrunner

  • the Bookrunner does not owe any fiduciary or other duties to any Placee in respect of any representations, warranties, undertakings or indemnities in the Placing Agreement;
  • its participation in the Placing is on the basis that it is not and will not be a client of the Bookrunner in connection with its participation in the Placing and that the Bookrunner has no duties or responsibilities to it for providing the protections afforded to its clients or customers or for providing advice in relation to the Placing nor in respect of any representations, warranties, undertakings or indemnities contained in the Placing Agreement nor for the exercise or performance of any of its rights and obligations thereunder including any rights to waive or vary any conditions or exercise any termination right;

No responsibility of the Bookrunner for information

16. the content of this Announcement has been prepared by and is exclusively the responsibility of the Company and neither the Bookrunner nor its respective affiliates agents, directors, officers or employees nor any person acting on behalf of any of them is responsible for or has or shall have any responsibility or liability for any information, representation or statement contained in, or omission from, the Placing Documents, the Publicly Available Information or otherwise nor will they be liable for any Placee's decision to participate in the Placing based on any information, representation, warranty or statement contained in the Placing Documents, the Publicly Available Information or otherwise, provided that nothing in this paragraph excludes the liability of any person for fraudulent misrepresentation made by such person;

Reliance on information regarding the Placing

17.

  • the only information on which it is entitled to rely on and on which such Placee has relied in committing itself to subscribe for Placing Shares is contained in the Placing Documents, or any Publicly Available Information (save that in the case of Publicly Available Information, a Placee's right to rely on that information is limited to the right that such Placee would have as a matter of law in the absence of this paragraph 17(a)), such information being all that such Placee deems necessary or appropriate and sufficient to make an investment decision in respect of the Placing Shares;
  • it has neither received nor relied on any other information given, or representations, warranties or statements, express or implied, made, by the Bookrunner nor the Company nor any of their respective affiliates, agents, directors, officers or employees acting on behalf of any of them (including in any management presentation delivered in respect of the Bookbuild) with respect to the Company, the Placing or the Placing Shares or the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of any information contained in the Placing Documents, or the Publicly Available Information or otherwise;
  • neither the Bookrunner, nor the Company, nor any of their respective affiliates, agents, directors, officers or employees or any person acting on behalf of any of them has provided, nor will provide, it with any material or information regarding the Placing Shares or the Company or any other person other than the information in the Placing Documents or the Publicly Available Information; nor has it requested any of the Bookrunner, the Company, any of their respective affiliates or any person acting on behalf of any of them to provide it with any such material or information; and

Conducted own investigation and due diligence

  • it may not rely, and has not relied, on any investigation that the Bookrunner, any of its affiliates or any person acting on its behalf, may have conducted with respect to the Placing Shares, the terms of the Placing or the Company, and none of such persons has made any representation, express or implied, with respect to the Company, the Placing, the Placing Shares or the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information in the Placing Documents, the Publicly Available Information or any other information;
  • in making any decision to subscribe for Placing Shares it:
  • will not look to the Bookrunner for all or part of any such loss it may suffer;
  • is able to sustain a complete loss of an investment in the Placing Shares;
  • has no need for liquidity with respect to its investment in the Placing Shares;

Capacity and authority

  • duly authorised to do so and has full power to make, and does make, the acknowledgments, representations and agreements herein on behalf of each such person; and
  • and will remain liable to the Company and/or the Bookrunner for the performance of all its obligations as a Placee in respect of the Placing (regardless of the fact that it is acting for another person);
  • it and any person acting on its behalf is entitled to subscribe for the Placing Shares under the laws and regulations of all relevant jurisdictions that apply to it and that it has fully observed such laws and regulations, has capacity and authority and is entitled to enter into and perform its obligations as a subscriber of Placing Shares and will honour such obligations, and has obtained all such governmental and other guarantees, permits, authorisations, approvals and consents which may be required thereunder and complied with all necessary formalities to enable it to commit to this participation in the Placing and to perform its obligations in relation thereto (including, without limitation, in the case of any person on whose behalf it is acting, all necessary consents and authorities to agree to the terms set out or referred to in this Announcement) and will honour such obligations and that it has not taken any action or omitted to take any action which will or may result in the Bookrunner, the Company or any of their respective directors, officers, agents, employees or advisers acting in breach of the legal or regulatory requirements of any jurisdiction in connection with the Placing;
  • where it is subscribing for Placing Shares for one or more managed accounts, it is authorised in writing by each managed account: (a) to acquire the Placing Shares for each managed account and (b) to make the acknowledgements, representations, undertakings and agreements herein on behalf of each such account;
  • it irrevocably appoints any duly authorised officer of the Bookrunner as its agent for the purpose of executing and delivering to the Company and/or its registrars any documents on its behalf necessary to enable it to be registered as the holder of any of the Placing Shares for which it agrees to subscribe for upon the terms of this Announcement;

Excluded territories

  • unless otherwise specifically agreed with the Bookrunner, it is not and at the time the Placing Shares are subscribed for, neither it nor the beneficial owner of the Placing Shares will be, a resident of, nor have an address in, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, the Republic of South Africa, any province or territory of Canada or any other jurisdiction in which it would be unlawful to make or accept an offer to acquire the Placing Shares;
  • it may be asked to disclose in writing or orally to the Bookrunner:
  • if they are an individual, his or her nationality; or
  • if they are a discretionary fund manager, the jurisdiction in which the funds are managed or owned;

Compliance with US securities laws

29. it understands and acknowledges that the Placing Shares are being offered and sold by or on behalf of the Company (a) outside of the United States in accordance with Regulation S; and (b) in the United States only to QIBs that are also Major US Institutional Investors in transactions not involving any "public offering" within the meaning of section 4(a)(2) of the US Securities Act or pursuant to another exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the US Securities Act. It is and the prospective beneficial owner of the Placing Shares is and, at the time the Placing Shares are subscribed for, will either be (i) outside the United States and acquiring the Placing Shares in an "offshore transaction" as defined in, and in accordance with, Regulation S under the US Securities Act or (ii) a QIB and a Major US Institutional Investor and will duly execute a US investor letter and deliver the same to the Bookrunner or its affiliates. In addition, with respect to (ii) above, it is subscribing for the Placing Shares for its own account or for one or more accounts as to each of which it exercises sole investment discretion and each of which is a QIB and a Major US Institutional Investor, for investment purposes only and not with a view to any distribution or for resale in connection with the distribution thereof in whole or in part, in the United States, and it has full power to make the acknowledgements, representations and agreements herein on behalf of each such account;

Compliance with Canadian securities laws

34. if it is a Placee in, or is resident in Canada, it: (i) is an "accredited investor", as defined in Section 1.1 of NI 45-106 or subsection 73.3(1) of the OSA, as applicable, and it is either purchasing the Placing Shares as principal for its own account, or it is deemed to be purchasing the Placing Shares as principal for its own account in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws and not as agent for the benefit of another person or as trustee for investment only and not with a view to resale or redistribution; (ii) was not created or used solely to purchase or hold the Placing Shares as an accredited investor under NI 45-106; (iii) is a "permitted client" as defined in Section 1.1 of NI 31-103 that is not an individual; (iv) is resident in either the Province of Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario or Quebec and entitled under applicable Canadian securities laws, including the securities laws applicable to such Province, to purchase the Placing Shares without the benefit of a prospectus; and (v) if required by applicable Canadian securities laws, it will execute, deliver and file, or assist the Company in obtaining, preparing and filing such reports, undertakings and other documents relating to the purchase of the Placing Shares by it as may be required by any Canadian securities commission or other regulatory authority;

Compliance with EEA selling restrictions and the Prospectus Regulation

Compliance with FSMA, the UK financial promotion regime, the UK Prospectus Regulation and MAR

  • if in the United Kingdom, that it is a "Qualified Investor" for the purposes of the UK version of the Prospectus Regulation which is part of UK law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 and is a person (i) having professional experience in matters relating to investments who falls within the definition of "investment professionals" in Article 19(5) of the Order or (ii) who falls within Article 49(2) (a) to (d) ("High Net Worth Companies, Unincorporated Associations, etc") of the Order, or (iii) to whom it may otherwise lawfully be communicated;
  • it has only communicated or caused to be communicated and will only communicate or cause to be communicated any invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of section 21 of FSMA) relating to the Placing Shares in circumstances in which section 21(1) of FSMA does not require approval of the communication by an authorised person and it acknowledges and agrees that the Placing Documents have not and will not have been approved by the Bookrunner in its capacity as an authorised person under section 21 of the FSMA and it may not therefore be subject to the controls which would apply if it was made or approved as a financial promotion by an authorised person;
  • it has complied and will comply with all applicable laws with respect to anything done by it or on its behalf in relation to the Placing Shares (including all applicable provisions in FSMA and the UK version of Regulation (EU) No. 596/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 April 2014 on market abuse which is part of UK law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 ("MAR")) in respect of anything done in, from or otherwise involving, the United Kingdom);

Compliance with laws

45. in order to ensure compliance with the Regulations, the Bookrunner (for itself and as agent on behalf of the Company) or the Company's registrars may, in their absolute discretion, require verification of its identity. Pending the provision to the Bookrunner or the Company's registrars, as applicable, of evidence of identity, definitive certificates in respect of the Placing Shares may be retained at the Bookrunner's absolute discretion or, where appropriate, delivery of the Placing Shares to it in uncertificated form may be delayed at the Bookrunner's or the Company's registrars', as the case may be, absolute discretion. If within a reasonable time after a request for verification of identify the Bookrunner (for itself and as agent on behalf of the Company) or the Company's registrars have not received evidence satisfactory to them, either the Bookrunner and/or the Company may, at its absolute discretion, terminate its commitment in respect of the Placing, in which event the monies payable on acceptance of allotment will, if already paid, be returned without interest to the account of the drawee's bank from which they were originally debited;

Depositary receipts and clearance services

Undertaking to make payment

47. it (and any person acting on its behalf) has the funds available to pay for the Placing Shares for which it has agreed to subscribe and acknowledges and agrees that it will make payment in respect of the Placing Shares allocated to it in accordance with this Announcement on the due time and date set out herein, failing which the relevant Placing Shares may be placed with other subscribers or sold as the Bookrunner may in its sole discretion determine and without liability to such Placee, who will remain liable for any amount by which the net proceeds of such sale falls short of the product of the relevant Placing Price and the number of Placing Shares allocated to it and will be required to bear any stamp duty, stamp duty reserve tax or other taxes or duties (together with any interest, fines or penalties) imposed in any jurisdiction which may arise upon the sale of such Placee's Placing Shares. By communicating a bid for Placing Shares, each Placee confers on the Bookrunner such authorities and powers necessary to carry out any such sale and agrees to ratify and confirm all actions which the Bookrunner lawfully takes in pursuance of such sale. Legal and/or beneficial title in and to any Placing Shares shall not pass to the relevant Placee until it has fully complied with its obligations hereunder;

Money held on account

48. any money held in an account with the Bookrunner on behalf of the Placee and/or any person acting on behalf of the Placee and/or any person acting on behalf of the Placee will not be treated as client money within the meaning of the relevant rules and regulations of the FCA made under the FSMA. Each Placee acknowledges that the money will not be subject to the protections conferred by the client money rules: as a consequence this money will not be segregated from the Bookrunner's money in accordance with the client money rules and will be held by it under a banking relationship and not as trustee;

Allocation

No recommendation

  • neither the Bookrunner, nor any of its affiliates, nor any person acting on behalf of them, is making any recommendations to it, advising it regarding the suitability of any transactions it may enter into in connection with the Placing;

Acting in concert

Ordinary course transactions

  • the Bookrunner and its Affiliates may have engaged in transactions with, and provided various commercial banking, investment banking, financial advisory transactions and services in the ordinary course of their business with the Company and/or its affiliates for which they would have received customary fees and commissions. The Bookrunner and its respective Affiliates may provide such services to the Company and/or its affiliates in the future;

Rights and remedies

Governing law and jurisdiction

The foregoing representations, warranties, confirmations, acknowledgements, agreements and undertakings are given for the benefit of the Company as well as the Bookrunner and are irrevocable. The Bookrunner, the Company and their respective affiliates and others will rely upon the truth and accuracy of the foregoing representations, warranties, confirmations, acknowledgements, agreements and undertakings. Each prospective Placee, and any person acting on behalf of such Placee, irrevocably authorises the Company and the Bookrunner to produce this Announcement, pursuant to, in connection with, or as may be required by any applicable law or regulation, administrative or legal proceeding or official inquiry with respect to the matters set forth herein.

Indemnity

By participating in the Placing, each Placee (and any person acting on such Placee's behalf) agrees to indemnify on an after tax basis and hold the Company, the Bookrunner and their respective affiliates, agents, directors, officers and employees harmless from any and all costs, claims, liabilities and expenses (including legal fees and expenses) arising out of or in connection with any breach of the representations, warranties, acknowledgements, agreements and undertakings given by the Placee (and any person acting on such Placee's behalf) in this Announcement or incurred by the Bookrunner, the Company or each of their respective affiliates, agents, directors, officers or employees arising from the performance of the Placees' obligations as set out in this Announcement, and further agrees that the provisions of this Announcement shall survive after completion of the Placing.

Taxation

The agreement to allot and issue Placing Shares to Placees (and/or to persons for whom such Placee is contracting as agent) free of stamp duty and stamp duty reserve tax relates only to their allotment and issue to Placees, or such persons as they nominate as their agents, direct from the Company for the Placing Shares in question. Such agreement also assumes that the Placing Shares are not being acquired in connection with arrangements to issue depositary receipts or to issue or transfer the Placing Shares into a clearance service. If there are any such arrangements, or the settlement relates to any other dealing in the Placing Shares, stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax or other similar taxes or duties may be payable, for which neither the Company nor the Bookrunner will be responsible and the Placees shall indemnify the Company and the Bookrunner on an after-tax basis for any stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax or other similar taxes or duties (together with interest, fines and penalties) in any jurisdiction paid by the Company or the Bookrunner in respect of any such arrangements or dealings. If this is the case, each Placee should seek its own advice and notify the Bookrunner accordingly. Placees are advised to consult with their own advisers regarding the tax aspects of the subscription for Placing Shares.

The Company and the Bookrunner are not liable to bear any taxes that arise on a sale of Placing Shares subsequent to their acquisition by Placees, including any taxes arising otherwise than under the laws of the United Kingdom. Each prospective Placee should, therefore, take its own advice as to whether any such tax liability arises and notify the Bookrunner and the Company accordingly. Furthermore, each prospective Placee agrees to indemnify on an after-tax basis and hold each of the Bookrunner and/or the Company and their respective affiliates harmless from any and all interest, fines or penalties in relation to stamp duty, stamp duty reserve tax and all other similar duties or taxes in any jurisdiction to the extent that such interest, fines or penalties arise from the unreasonable default or delay of that Placee or its agent.

Each Placee and any person acting on behalf of each Placee acknowledges and agrees that the Bookrunner or any of its respective Affiliates may, at their absolute discretion, agree to become a Placee in respect of some or all of the Placing Shares. Each Placee acknowledges and is aware that the Bookrunner is receiving a fee in connection with its roles in respect of the Placing as detailed in the Placing Agreement.

DEFINITIONS

Acquisitionthe proposed acquisition by Purchaser of the Target Group in accordance with the terms of the Acquisition Agreement.
Acquisition Agreementthe conditional agreement dated 21 November 2024 relating to the Acquisition entered into between (1) the Company, (2) the Purchaser and (3) the Vendor, in respect of the Target Group.
Acquisition Documentsthe Acquisition Agreement and any ancillary documents referred to therein (other than the Placing Agreement).
Admissionthe admission of the Placing Shares and the PrimaryBid Shares to trading on AIM becoming effective in accordance with the AIM Rules.
AIMAIM, a market operated by London Stock Exchange plc.
AIM Rulesthe rules of AIM published by London Stock Exchange plc.
BookrunnerInvestec Bank plc registered in England and Wales under number 00489604 whose registered office is at 30 Gresham Street, London, England, EC2V 7QP.
CompanyCohort plc registered in England and Wales under number 05684823 whose registered office is at 1 Waterside Drive, Arlington Business Park, Theale, Reading, England, RG7 4SW.
Groupthe Company and its subsidiary undertakings.
Material Adverse Changeany adverse change in, or any development involving or reasonably likely to involve a prospective adverse change in, or affecting, the condition (financial, operational, legal or otherwise), earnings, management, business affairs, properties, assets, rights, results of operations, solvency, credit rating or prospects of the Company, the Group and/or the Company which is material in the context of the Company, the Group and/or of the Company (as applicable) as a whole, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business and whether or not foreseeable.
Ordinary Sharesordinary shares of 10 pence each in the capital of the Company.
Placeethe placees procured by the Bookrunner pursuant to the Placing Agreement.
Placingthe placing of the Placing Shares in accordance with the Placing Agreement and the Placing Documents.
Placing Agreementthe placing agreement between the Company and the Bookrunner dated 21 November 2024 in connection with the Placing.
Placing Documentsthe Placing Announcement, the Presentation Materials, the contract notes referred to in this Announcement between the Bookrunner and each of the Placees and any other document issued by or on behalf of the Company in connection with the Placing with the authority of the Company and any supplement or amendment to any of them, excluding for the avoidance of doubt, the PrimaryBid Documents.
Placing Price875 pence per Ordinary Share.
Placing Shares4,571,428 new Ordinary Shares (which, for the avoidance of doubt, does not include the PrimaryBid Shares).
Presentation Materialsthe written presentation materials in the approved terms used by the Company in meetings with institutional investors in connection with the Placing prior to the date of the Placing Agreement.
PrimaryBidPrimaryBid Limited.
PrimaryBid Documentsany information or documentation used by PrimaryBid in connection with the PrimaryBid Offer, or any webpage relating to the PrimaryBid Offer.
PrimaryBid Offerthe offer by the Company (through PrimaryBid) of the PrimaryBid Shares on the terms set out in the PrimaryBid Engagement Letter, gross proceeds of which shall not exceed £1 million.
PrimaryBid Sharesany Ordinary Shares to be issued by the Company under the PrimaryBid Offer.
Purchasera wholly owned subsidiary of the Company incorporated in Australia for the purposes of the Acquisition.
TargetE M Solutions Pty Limited (ACN 082 157 846) whose registered office is at 55 Curzon Street, Tennyson, QLD, 4105.
Target Groupthe Target and its subsidiary, EM Solutions (Europe) B.V. (company number 866484115) Australia and subsidiary undertakings and Target Group Company shall be construed accordingly.
Vendormeans Electro Optic Systems Holdings Limited (ACN 092 708 364) incorporated in Australia whose registered office is at 18 Wormald Street, Symonston, ACT 2609 Australia.

Cleaned text: letterheads, contacts and legal notices removed. View the original announcement ↗ · Company filings. Not investment advice.

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