Good News RNS18 Oct 2012 09:38
Serviced Office Group plc (SVO)
£9.0m Placing and Debt Refinancing
Serviced Office Group plc ("the Group" or "the Company") is an AIM-listed provider of flexible office space and IT solutions, which operates 23 business centres, predominantly in London and the South East
HIGHLIGHTS
· Placing by Shore Capital to raise £9.0m (before expenses) through the issue of 450m new ordinary shares at 2.0p
· Outstanding borrowings of £23.7m with RBS to be satisfied through:
o Cash payment of £12.5m
o Granting to RBS of warrants over 5 per cent. of the enlarged share capital
o Profit share in future sales of freehold assets
· Directors are investing £1.3m in the Placing
· New banking and overdraft facilities of £6.5m being provided by HSBC
· General Meeting of Shareholders to approve the Placing and other resolutions on 15 November 2012
· Irrevocable undertakings to vote in favour of the Resolutions received from Shareholders representing 81 per cent. of the Company's existing share capital
Dan Taylor, Chairman, comments:
"This fundraising represents a major step forward as we seek to put the Group on a firm financial footing and address the balance sheet issues that have severely limited our room to expand.
"I am delighted by the interest we have attracted from a wide range of investors, who share our view that there is significant potential for continued expansion of the serviced office market."
The Placing and Debt Refinance
The Company has raised £9.0 million (before expenses) by way of a conditional placing by Shore Capital with institutional and other investors. This, together with the funds available under a new banking facility of £6.25 million being provided by HSBC will be used to repay all amounts owed to RBS under the RBS Facility Agreements.
RBS has agreed that the total amount owed to it by the Group under the RBS Facility Agreements, which at the date of this announcement amounts to approximately £23,681,921, will be satisfied in full by (i) the Company paying a principal sum of £12,500,000 and (ii) the entry by the Company into certain other arrangements set out at the end of this announcement and a cash payment to cover all of the outstanding cash interest due to RBS which will have accrued since 1 August 2012.
Accordingly, £6,250,000 of the Placing proceeds and £6,250,000 from the new HSBC facility will be used by the Group to satisfy in full the amount it owes to RBS (together with the entry by the Company into the other arrangements summarised below and a cash payment to cover all of the outstanding cash interest due to RBS which will have accrued since 1 August 2012). The remaining proceeds from the Placing will be used to provide additional working capital for the Company.