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Capital Raising & Notice of GM

1 Oct 2018 07:34

RNS Number : 4726C
Big Sofa Technologies Group PLC
01 October 2018
 

 

1 October 2018

Big Sofa Technologies Group plc

("Big Sofa" or the "Company")

 

Capital Raising to Raise Approximately £1.68 million

and

Notice of General Meeting

 

Big Sofa (AIM:BST), a fast-growing international video analytics provider to the consumer insight industry, announces subscriptions for new ordinary shares of 3 pence each in the share capital of the Company at an issue price of 3 pence per new Ordinary Share to raise, in aggregate, approximately £1.68 million before expenses.

 

Summary of the Capital Raising

 

· The Company has raised approximately £1.68 million (before expenses) by way of the Subscription with new and existing investors and current and former directors at the Issue Price

 

· Novum Securities Limited has subscribed for 33,333,333 new Ordinary Shares at the Issue Price on behalf of itself and its clients

 

· Ipsos, an existing Shareholder, as well as certain Directors and a former director, who are all Related Parties of the Company, have agreed to subscribe for 22,818,401 new Ordinary Shares at the Issue Price

 

· Proceeds of the Capital Raising will be used to fund the expected working capital requirements of the Company for the next twelve months as it enters the next phase of growth, enabling Big Sofa to capitalise on its market leading position in technology-led consumer insight. The Related Party Subscription is conditional on Shareholder approval at a General Meeting

 

Background to and reasons for the Capital Raising

Big Sofa's aim is to become a transformative resource within large, global organisations, which are spending significant sums on consumer insight, through the use of video and video analytics. The consumer insight market is a large and growing US$40 billion industry going through a significant period of transition, as businesses and brands are interested in real behaviour, not attitudes, with video emerging as the key medium to capture this behaviour. The Directors believe that Big Sofa's observational research expertise, combined with its video analytics technology, puts the Company in a good position to capitalise on this trend.

 

Since the Company's admission to the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange in December 2016, its strategy has been to focus on building long-term strategic relationships with global consumer brands and consumer insight businesses such as Procter & Gamble and Ipsos. The Directors believe that this strategy has the potential to deliver long-term recurring revenues.

 

The Company's growth has led to it absorbing cash which will continue for a number of months; the Subscription is necessary to sustain the business and support the growth strategy. The Board has agreed to a number of significant cost-cutting measures to bring the Company to cash breakeven sooner without affecting its ability to deliver anticipated revenues.

 

Use of proceeds

The proceeds of the Capital Raising will be used to fund the working capital requirements of the Company, through to the end of the summer 2019, as it enters the next phase of growth. Specifically, proceeds will be used to continue investment in research and development, artificial intelligence and automation to ensure Big Sofa maintains its market leading position in technology-led consumer insight. The Directors believe that heightened levels of automation will, in time, also enable the transition away from human-led analysis tools, resulting in higher margins for commissioned projects. In addition, further investment will be made in expanding the Company's sales and marketing activities, with a particular focus on Big Sofa's US presence, where its strategically located hubs are exposed to good revenue growth opportunities.

 

Details of the Subscriptions

The Company has conditionally raised approximately £1.68 million before expenses by separate subscriptions for, in aggregate, 56,151,734 new Ordinary Shares at the Issue Price.

 

Novum Securites has subscribed for 33,333,333 new Ordinary Shares conditional only upon First Admission. Under the terms of its subscription new Ordinary Shares issued to Novum will be admitted to trading on 15 October 2018.

 

The Novum Subscription is not subject to Shareholder approval. The net proceeds of the Novum Subscription are expected to be £924,009. Upon First Admission, Novum will be granted a warrant in respect of 2,444,118 Ordinary Shares exercisable at the Issue Price until October 2021. Novum has today been appointed as joint broker to the Company.

 

Ipsos has conditionally subscribed for 11,151,735 new Ordinary Shares. Under the terms of its subscription letter, Ipsos' subscription is conditional on the passing of the Resolutions as well as the Admission of the Subscription Shares. The new Ordinary Shares issued to Ipsos are expected to be admitted to trading on AIM on 19 October 2018. If any of the conditions are not satisfied, these new Ordinary Shares will not be issued.

 

Nick Mustoe, Kirsty Fuller, and Steve Metcalfe who are directors, and Adam Reynolds who is a former director, have conditionally subscribed for a total of 11,666,666 new Ordinary Shares. Under the terms of their subscription letters, their subscription is conditional on the passing of the Resolutions as well as the Admission of the Subscription Shares. The new Ordinary Shares issued to them are expected to be admitted to trading on AIM on 19 October 2018. If any of the conditions are not satisfied, these new Ordinary Shares will not be issued.

 

The Subscriptions are not being underwritten.

 

The Subscription Shares will be issued free of all liens, charges and encumbrances and will, when issued and fully paid, rank pari passu in all respects with the Existing Ordinary Shares, including the right to receive all dividends and other distributions declared, made or paid after the date of their issue.

 

Applications will be made to the London Stock Exchange for the admission of the Subscription Shares to trading on AIM.

 

Related Party Transactions

 

Subscription by the Directors and the Former Director

The following directors of the Company, all of whom are related parties for the purposes of the AIM Rules for Companies (the "AIM Rules") have subscribed for Ordinary Shares as follows:

 

Director

 

Number of Subscription Shares subscribed for

Total Ordinary Shares held immediately following the Capital Raising

 

Ordinary Share holding as a percentage of enlarged share capital

Nick Mustoe

3,333,333

6,108,449

4.4%

Steve Metcalfe

3,333,333

4,722,070

3.4%

Kirsty Fuller

2,500,000

2,500,000

1.8%

Adam Reynolds (former Director)

2,500,000

3,930,403

2.8%

 

The above Subscriptions are each related party transactions for the purposes of Rule 13 of the AIM Rules (the "Director Related Party Transactions").

 

Simon Lidington, Matt Lynch, Joe MacCarthy, John Haworth and Paul Clark being the Directors not participating in the Related Party Subscription, consider, having consulted with the Company's Nominated Adviser, Arden Partners, that the terms of the Director Related Party Transactions are fair and reasonable in so far as the Company's shareholders are concerned.

 

Major shareholder's participation in the Capital Raising

Ipsos, which at the date of this Announcement holds 16,402,143 Existing Ordinary Shares (representing approximately 19.86 per cent. of the existing issued share capital of the Company), has conditionally agreed to subscribe pursuant to the Subscription for 11,151,735 new Ordinary Shares at the Issue Price.

 

This subscription is deemed to be a related party transaction for the purposes of Rule 13 of the AIM Rules (the "Ipsos Related Party Transaction").

 

The Independent Directors (comprising all directors other than John Haworth who is the nominated representative of Ipsos) consider, having consulted with the Company's Nominated Adviser, Arden Partners, that the terms of the Ipsos Related Party Transaction are fair and reasonable in so far as the Company's shareholders are concerned.

 

Following its subscription for new Ordinary Shares, Ipsos will hold 19.86 per cent. of the Enlarged Share Capital. In the event that Ipsos' conditional subscription does not proceed for any reason the Ordinary Shares held by Ipsos will represent, in aggregate, approximately 12.85 per cent. of the Enlarged Share Capital.

 

Circular and Notice of General Meeting

The Company expects to publish the Circular tomorrow in connection with the Capital Raising, which will contain a notice convening the General Meeting at which Shareholders will be asked to consider and, if thought fit, approve the Resolutions. The Circular will be posted to Shareholders tomorrow and a copy will be made available on the Company's website www.bigsofatech.com.

 

The General Meeting is expected to be convened for 9.00 a.m. on 18 October 2018 and will take place at the offices of the Company at Martin House, 5 Martin Lane, London EC4R 0DP. The actions that Shareholders should take to vote on the Resolutions will be set out in the Circular, along with the recommendation of the Directors.

 

Shareholders should be aware that if the Resolutions are not approved at the General Meeting, the Subscription by the related parties will not proceed. The Subscription by Novum will provide the Company with funding until late spring. If Second Admission does not occur then the Company will not receive the relevant net proceeds in respect of the related parties and the Company may not be able to finance all the activities referred to in this announcement.

 

Expected timetable of principal events

 

2018

Announcement of the Capital Raising

1 October

Publication of the Circular and Form of Proxy

2 October

First Admission and commencement of dealings on AIM

8.00 a.m. on 15 October

General Meeting 

9.00 a.m. on 18 October

Results of the General Meeting announced

18 October

Second Admission and commencement of dealings on AIM

8.00 a.m. on 19 October

Despatch of definitive share certificates in certificated form

within 10 business days of each of First Admission and Second Admission

 

 

Capitalised terms used but not defined in this Announcement shall have the meanings given to such terms in the section headed "Definitions" at the end of this Announcement.

 

Enquiries:

 

Big Sofa Technologies Group plc

via Vigo Communications

Simon Lidington, CEO

 

Matt Lynch, CSO

 

Joe MacCarthy, CFO

 

 

 

Arden Partners plc (Nominated Adviser and Joint Broker)

+44 (0)20 7614 5900

Paul Shackleton / Ben Cryer

 

 

 

Novum Securities (Joint Broker)

+44 (0)20 7399 9427

Colin Rowbury

 

 

 

Vigo Communications (Financial Public Relations)

+44 (0)20 7390 0237

Ben Simons / Jeremy Garcia / Antonia Pollock

 

About Big Sofa Technologies Group plc

 

Big Sofa is a B2B technology business providing the marketing and consumer insight industries with video observation and analytics services, as video emerges as a key platform in a massive US$40 billion consumer research market.

 

Our software platform collates, analyses and organises large volumes of raw/unstructured video enabling our clients, which include leading market research organisations and major household brands, to perform detailed and sophisticated consumer insight analysis; and make genuine use of video content.

 

Big Sofa deploys three product solutions: Video Observer, which captures and analyses real-time behaviour using fixed and wearable cameras in-home or in-store; Video Manager, which enables clients to upload, store and manage video using Big Sofa's analytics platform; and Video Stories, which enables clients to collect video embedded in consumer insight surveys.

 

Big Sofa's shares are admitted to trading on the London Stock Exchange's AIM market under the ticker BST.L.

 

To find out more, visit www.bigsofatech.com

 

Follow us on twitter at @bigsofatech

 

DEFINITIONS

 

In this Announcement, the following words and expressions shall, unless the context provides otherwise, have the following meanings:

 

"Act"

the Companies Act 2006, as amended

"Admission"

admission to trading on AIM becoming effective in accordance with Rule 6 of the AIM Rules in respect of the relevant New Ordinary Shares

"AIM"

the AIM Market operated by the London Stock Exchange

"AIM Rules"

the AIM Rules for Companies published by the London Stock Exchange as amended from time to time

"Announcement"

this announcement

"Arden"

Arden Partners PLC, the Company's nominated adviser and broker

"Business Day"

any day which is not a Saturday, Sunday or a public holiday in the UK

"Capital Raising"

 the Subscription

"certificated form" or "in certificated form"

an Ordinary Share recorded on a company's share register as being held in certificated form (namely, not in CREST)

"Circular"

 

 

the circular to be sent to Shareholders setting out the details of the proposed Subscription and the Notice of General Meeting

 

"Company" or "Big Sofa"

Big Sofa Technologies Group plc, a company incorporated in England and Wales under the Act with registered number 07847321

"CREST"

the relevant system (as defined in the CREST Regulations) in respect of which Euroclear UK & Ireland Limited is the operator (as defined in those regulations)

"CREST Regulations"

the Uncertificated Securities Regulations 2001 (S.I. 2001 No. 3755), as amended

"Directors" or "Board"

"Enlarged Share Capital"

 

the directors of the Company

the issued ordinary share capital of the Company as enlarged by the issue of the, the Subscription Shares

"Existing Ordinary Shares"

the 82,598,958 existing Ordinary Shares in issue at the date of this Announcement, all of which are admitted to trading on AIM

"FCA"

the Financial Conduct Authority of the UK

"First Admission"

admission to trading on AIM becoming effective in accordance with Rule 6 of the AIM Rules in respect of the Novum Subscription

"Form of Proxy"

the form of proxy to accompany the Circular for use by holders of Existing Ordinary Shares in relation to the General Meeting

"FSMA"

the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, as amended

"General Meeting"

the general meeting of the Company to be held at the offices of the Company at Martin House, 5 Martin Lane, London EC4R 0DP at 9 a.m. on 18 October 2018

"Group"

the Company, its subsidiaries and its subsidiary undertakings

"Ipsos"

Ipsos MORI UK Limited, a UK subsidiary of Ipsos S.A.

"Issue Price"

3 pence per new Ordinary Share

"London Stock Exchange"

London Stock Exchange plc

"MAR"

the EU Market Abuse Regulation (596/2014/EU)

"New Ordinary Shares"

the Subscription Shares

"Notice of General Meeting"

the notice convening the General Meeting which will be set out in the Circular

 

"Novum"

Novum Securities Limited

"Novum Subscription"

the subscription by Novum for 33,333,333 new Ordinary Shares at the Issue Price

"Ordinary Shares"

as applicable, ordinary shares in the capital of the Company of 3 pence each

"Regulatory Information Service"

a service approved by the FCA for the distribution to the public of regulatory announcements and included within the list maintained on the FCA's website

"Related Parties"

Ipsos, a holder of Existing Ordinary Shares, Adam Reynolds and certain of the Directors who propose to subscribe for new Ordinary Shares pursuant to the Subscription

"Related Party Subscription"

the conditional subscription for 22,818,401 new Ordinary Shares at the Issue Price by the Related Parties

"Resolutions"

the resolutions relating to matters necessary to implement the Related Party Subscription which will be set out in the Notice of General Meeting and proposed at the General Meeting

"Second Admission"

admission to trading on AIM becoming effective in accordance with Rule 6 of the AIM Rules in respect of the Related Party Subscription

"Shareholders"

holders of Existing Ordinary Shares

"Subscribers"

Novum and the Related Parties

"Subscription"

the proposed conditional subscriptions by the Subscribers for the Subscription Shares at the Issue Price proposed to be made on the terms and subject to the conditions set out in the Subscription Letters

"Subscription Letters"

the conditional letter agreements proposed to be entered into between the Company and each of the Subscribers relating to the Subscription

"Subscription Shares"

the 56,151,734 new Ordinary Shares to be issued pursuant to the Subscription

"uncertificated" or "in uncertificated form"

an Ordinary Share recorded on a company's share register as being held in uncertificated form in CREST and title to which, by virtue of the CREST Regulations, may be transferred by means of CREST

"£", "pounds sterling", "pence" or "p"

are references to the lawful currency of the United Kingdom

 

This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@lseg.com or visit www.rns.com.
 
END
 
 
NOGEAKEFEDFPFEF
12
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26th Sep 20197:30 amRNSShare Issuance to raise £900,000
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8th Mar 20197:49 amRNSShare issuance to raise £1,000,000 & Notice of GM
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12

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