CVS Group Regulatory News (CVSG)

13 December 2016

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, INCLUDING THE APPENDIX, AND THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN, IS NOT FOR PUBLICATION, RELEASE OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN OR THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH IT WOULD BE UNLAWFUL TO DO SO.

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, INCLUDING THE APPENDIX, IS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND DOES NOT ITSELF CONSTITUTE AN OFFER FOR SALE OR SUBSCRIPTION OF ANY SECURITIES IN THE COMPANY. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AND THE APPENDIX DOES NOT CONSTITUTE OR CONTAIN ANY INVITATION, SOLICITATION, RECOMMENDATION, OFFER OR ADVICE TO ANY PERSON TO SUBSCRIBE FOR, OTHERWISE ACQUIRE OR DISPOSE OF ANY SECURITIES OF CVS GROUP PLC IN ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH ANY SUCH OFFER OR SOLICITATION WOULD BE UNLAWFUL. 

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONTAINS INSIDE INFORMATION FOR THE PURPOSES OF ARTICLE 7 OF REGULATION 596/2014. IN ADDITION, MARKET SOUNDINGS WERE TAKEN IN RESPECT OF THE MATTERS CONTAINED IN THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, WITH THE RESULT THAT CERTAIN PERSONS BECAME AWARE OF SUCH INSIDE INFORMATION. UPON THE PUBLICATION OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, THIS INSIDE INFORMATION IS NOW CONSIDERED TO BE IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN AND SUCH PERSONS SHALL THEREFORE CEASE TO BE IN POSSESSION OF INSIDE INFORMATION.

UNLESS OTHERWISE INDICATED, CAPITALISED TERMS IN THIS ANNOUNCEMENT HAVE THE MEANING GIVEN TO THEM IN THE DEFINITIONS SECTION INCLUDED IN THE APPENDIX.

CVS Group plc

("CVS", the "Company" or the "Group")

Proposed Accelerated Bookbuild

CVS Group plc (AIM: CVSG), one of the UK's leading providers of integrated veterinary services, is pleased to announce its intention to conduct a placing of up to approximately 3,019,500 new ordinary shares of 0.2 pence each in the Company (the "Placing Shares"), at a price expected to be not less than 1000p per Placing Share (the "Placing"). The expected minimum Placing Price represents a discount of not more than 3.85 per cent. to the Closing Price on 12 December 2016, being the last practicable trading day prior to the release of this Announcement.

The Placing Shares are being offered by way of an accelerated bookbuild ("Bookbuild"), which will be launched immediately following this Announcement. It is anticipated that the Placing will raise approximately £30 million before expenses. The final price and number of the Placing Shares will be determined following the Bookbuild. N+1 Singer will be acting as sole bookrunner in connection with the Bookbuild.

The Placing Shares represent up to approximately five per cent. of the Company's existing issued share capital and the Company has existing shareholder authority to issue and allot the Placing Shares.

Highlights of the Placing

· CVS intends to raise at least £30 million pursuant to the Placing at a price expected to be within a 5% discount to the Closing Price on Monday 12 December 2016, with the final price to be determined through the Bookbuild (the "Placing Price").

· The net proceeds of the Placing will primarily be used to enable the Group to fund its expected future acquisitions in the UK and the Netherlands, in line with the Group's existing growth strategy.

· The Placing is being made under existing authorities and is conditional on, amongst other things, admission of the Placing Shares to trading on AIM.

· The expected minimum Placing Price represents a discount of not more than 3.85 per cent. to the Closing Price on 12 December 2016, being the last practicable trading day prior to the release of this Announcement.

· The Bookbuild will close at such time as N+1 Singer and the Company may determine in their absolute discretion.

· Following the close of the Bookbuild, a further announcement will be made as to the final number of Placing Shares to be issued pursuant to the Placing and the Placing Price, the gross proceeds and the estimated net proceeds.

Background to and reasons for the Placing

CVS is one of the UK's leading providers of integrated veterinary services for small and large animals through its national network of veterinary practices, referral centres, laboratories, pet crematoria and on-line dispensary. The Group has demonstrated consistent growth since it listed in 2007, arising from its stated strategy of acquiring and integrating veterinary practices and other complementary operations, augmented with a wide range of organic growth initiatives. The extent of the established network offers significant opportunities for future growth in areas including, amongst others, the expansion of the Company's healthy pet club loyalty schemes, improved buying synergies, dedicated out-of-hours emergency cover, pet insurance and own brand medicines and pet food.

CVS has a well-established integrated model covering much of the UK. In the year ended 30 June 2016, the Company's last financial year, CVS reported revenues of £218.1m, 30.4 per cent. higher than the prior year, and generated a reported operating profit of £11.8m (2015: £9.8m). From an acquisition perspective, 2016 was a record year for the Company with 67 surgeries acquired, together with three crematoria. Of particular note were the acquisition of the Group's first practice in Northern Ireland and the enhancement of the Group's network of referral centres, through the acquisition of two established sites and a state-of-the-art greenfield development in South East England. Acquisition spend in the year ended 30 June 2016 was £61.3m and the Group also invested £6.4m of capital to develop its properties and equipment.

The UK market for veterinary services remains relatively fragmented and the Board estimates that CVS's market share of the smaller animal market is approximately 12 per cent. and much lower in the farm animal and equine sectors.

The Group's AGM statement, which was released on 24 November 2016, confirmed that the pace of acquisitions has continued in the current year and that the pipeline of potential acquisitions remains strong. At the time of the AGM, 18 surgeries had been added in eight acquisitions completed in the current year, including the first acquisition in the Netherlands. Since the AGM, CVS has completed a second acquisition in the Netherlands at Drachten bringing the total number of surgeries operated by the Group to 379. These acquisitions continued the geographic development of the Group across the UK and further developed the large animal and equine activities as well as the small animal businesses. Further, the AGM statement confirmed that like for like Group sales grew by 6.3 per cent. year on year and gross margins and underlying profitability for the first four months of the current year were ahead of the Board's expectations.

The Netherlands is seen as a market which shares many of the characteristics of the UK and the Board believes that expansion in this territory represents a significant opportunity for the Company as does the continued consolidation of the UK.

The Group wishes to ensure that it is able to continue to acquire veterinary practices in the UK and the Netherlands without significantly increasing its gearing levels. Having considered the potential opportunities within the Company's current pipeline of acquisitions the Directors consider it appropriate to raise equity capital to achieve this objective.

Following the Placing, the Group will continue to invest in its integrated model in line with details provided in its annual report for the year ended 30 June 2016. In addition to pursuing further acquisitions, this includes the development of a small number of greenfield sites, the expansion of the referrals business, the introduction of own brand insurance, and the further development of additional services. The Group will also continue to invest in the training and career development of its staff and has introduced an additional layer of management in the Veterinary Practice Division to enhance the support of the practices and maximise their potential.

The Board does not currently intend to change its acquisitive or organic growth strategies following completion of the Placing.

Risks and Uncertainties

A description of the principal risks and uncertainties associated with the Group's business and how they are being managed is included in the Group's Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 30 June 2016 (on pages 23 and 24). The Board considers that these principal risks and uncertainties are those applicable to the Group at the current time.

Expected Timetable

Each of the times and dates refer to London time and are subject to change by the Company (with the agreement of N+1 Singer), in which case details of the new times and dates will be notified to the London Stock Exchange and the Company will make an appropriate announcement through a Regulatory Information Service.

Additional information on the Placing is included below. Attention is drawn to the section headed 'Important Information' below and to the Appendix containing the terms and conditions of the Placing (representing important information for Placees only).

The Placing Shares will be allotted under the Company's existing authorities granted by shareholders of the Company at the annual general meeting held on 24 November 2016. The number of Placing Shares to be issued in connection with the Placing will be agreed by CVS and N+1 Singer following the close of the Bookbuild to further orders, and the results of the Placing will be announced as soon as practicable thereafter. The timing of the closing of the book, acceptance of any orders received after a close of Bookbuild announcement, the pricing and final allocations are determined at the absolute discretion of CVS and N+1 Singer. The number of Placing Shares is expected to be 3,019,500 and in any event no more than 3,320,000 (representing approximately 5.5 per cent. of the Company's existing issued share capital). Such number of Placing Shares remains within the Company's existing shareholder authorities to issue and allot securities on a non pre-emptive basis, which are in accordance with the Pre-Emption Group's Statement of Principles on Disapplying Pre-Emption Rights.

This Announcement contains inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of EU Regulation 596/2014 ("MAR"). In addition, market soundings (as defined in MAR) were taken in respect of the Placing with the result that certain persons became aware of inside information (as defined in MAR), as permitted by MAR. This inside information is set out in this Announcement. Therefore, those persons that received inside information in a market sounding are no longer in possession of such inside information relating to the Company and its securities.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

To the extent that this Announcement contains certain forward-looking statements with respect to certain of the Group's plans and its current goals and expectations relating to its future financial condition and performance, a number of risks and uncertainties exist. The Group cautions readers that any forward-looking statement is no guarantee of future performance and that actual results could differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements.

A forward-looking statement can be identified by the fact that they do not relate only to historical or current facts. Forward-looking statements sometimes use words such as "aim", "anticipate", "target", "expect", "estimate", "intend", "plan", "goal", "believe", "predict" or other words of similar meaning. Examples of forward-looking statements include, amongst others, statements regarding or which make assumptions in respect of the planned use of the proceeds of the Placing, the liquidity position of the Group, the future performance of the Group, future foreign exchange rates, interest rates and currency controls, the future political and fiscal regimes in the overseas markets in which the Group operates, the Group's future financial position, plans and objectives for future operations and any other statements that are not historical fact.

By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainty because they relate to future events and circumstances, including, but not limited to, economic and business conditions, the effects of continued volatility in credit markets, market related risks such as changes in interest rates and foreign exchange rates, the policies and actions of governmental and regulatory authorities, changes in legislation, the further development of standards and interpretations under International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS") applicable to past, current and future periods, evolving practices with regard to the interpretation and application of standards under IFRS, the outcome of pending and future litigation or regulatory investigations, the success of future acquisitions and other strategic transactions and the impact of competition. A number of these factors are beyond the Group's control. As a result, the Group's actual future results may differ materially from the plans, goals, and expectations set forth in the Group's forward-looking statements.

Any forward-looking statement made in this Announcement by or on behalf of the Group speak only as of the date they are made. These forward-looking statements reflect the Group's judgement at the date of this Announcement and are not intended to give any assurance as to future results. Except as required by the FSA, the London Stock Exchange, the AIM Rules or applicable law, the Group expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward looking statements contained in this announcement to reflect any changes in the Group's expectations with regard thereto or any changes in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.

APPENDIX - TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE PLACING

UNLESS DEFINED BELOW CAPITALISED TERMS ARE AS DEFINED AT THE END OF THIS APPENDIX.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION - FOR INVITED PLACEES ONLY REGARDING THE PLACING

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, INCLUDING THIS APPENDIX AND THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN (TOGETHER THE "ANNOUNCEMENT") IS RESTRICTED AND IS NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO OR FROM THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN, THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION WOULD BE UNLAWFUL. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT HAS NOT BEEN APPROVED BY THE LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE, NOR IS IT INTENDED THAT IT WILL BE SO APPROVED.

MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO TAKE PART IN THE PLACING. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND IS DIRECTED ONLY AT: (A) PERSONS IN MEMBER STATES OF THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AREA ("EEA") WHO ARE QUALIFIED INVESTORS AS DEFINED IN SECTION 86(7) OF THE FINANCIAL SERVICES AND MARKETS ACT 2000, AS AMENDED ("QUALIFIED INVESTORS"), BEING PERSONS FALLING WITHIN THE MEANING OF ARTICLE 2(1)(e) OF DIRECTIVE 2003/71/EC AS AMENDED, INCLUDING BY THE 2010 PROSPECTUS DIRECTIVE AMENDING DIRECTIVE (DIRECTIVE 2010/73/EC) AND TO THE EXTENT IMPLEMENTED IN THE RELEVANT MEMBER STATE (THE "PROSPECTUS DIRECTIVE"); AND (B) IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, QUALIFIED INVESTORS WHO ARE PERSONS WHO (I) HAVE PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE IN MATTERS RELATING TO INVESTMENTS FALLING WITHIN ARTICLE 19(5) (INVESTMENT PROFESSIONALS) OF THE FINANCIAL SERVICES AND MARKETS ACT 2000 (FINANCIAL PROMOTION) ORDER 2005, AS AMENDED (THE "ORDER"); (II) ARE PERSONS FALLING WITHIN ARTICLE 49(2)(a) TO (d) (HIGH NET WORTH COMPANIES, UNINCORPORATED ASSOCIATIONS, ETC.) OF THE ORDER; OR (III) ARE PERSONS TO WHOM IT MAY OTHERWISE BE LAWFULLY COMMUNICATED (ALL SUCH PERSONS TOGETHER BEING REFERRED TO AS "RELEVANT PERSONS").

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AND THE INFORMATION IN IT MUST NOT BE ACTED ON OR RELIED ON BY PERSONS WHO ARE NOT RELEVANT PERSONS. PERSONS DISTRIBUTING THIS ANNOUNCEMENT MUST SATISFY THEMSELVES THAT IT IS LAWFUL TO DO SO. ANY INVESTMENT OR INVESTMENT ACTIVITY TO WHICH THIS ANNOUNCEMENT RELATES IS AVAILABLE ONLY TO RELEVANT PERSONS AND WILL BE ENGAGED IN ONLY WITH RELEVANT PERSONS. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT DOES NOT ITSELF CONSTITUTE AN OFFER FOR SALE OR SUBSCRIPTION OF ANY SECURITIES IN CVS GROUP PLC.

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT AN OFFER OF SECURITIES FOR SALE INTO THE UNITED STATES. THE PLACING SHARES HAVE NOT BEEN AND WILL NOT BE REGISTERED UNDER THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES ACT 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "SECURITIES ACT") OR WITH ANY SECURITIES REGULATORY AUTHORITY OF ANY STATE OR JURISDICTION OF THE UNITED STATES, AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD OR TRANSFERRED, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN THE UNITED STATES EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM, OR IN A TRANSACTION NOT SUBJECT TO, THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT AND IN COMPLIANCE WITH ANY APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION OF THE UNITED STATES. SUBJECT TO CERTAIN EXCEPTIONS AND AT THE SOLE DISCRETION OF THE COMPANY, THE PLACING SHARES ARE BEING OFFERED AND SOLD ONLY OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES IN "OFFSHORE TRANSACTIONS" WITHIN THE MEANING OF, AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH, REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT AND OTHERWISE IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAWS. NO PUBLIC OFFERING OF THE PLACING SHARES IS BEING MADE IN THE UNITED STATES, THE UNITED KINGDOM OR ELSEWHERE. NO MONEY, SECURITIES OR OTHER CONSIDERATION FROM ANY PERSON INSIDE THE UNITED STATES IS BEING SOLICITED AND, IF SENT IN RESPONSE TO THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. 

EACH PLACEE SHOULD CONSULT WITH ITS ADVISERS AS TO LEGAL, TAX, BUSINESS AND RELATED ASPECTS OF AN INVESTMENT IN PLACING SHARES. THE DISTRIBUTION OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, ANY PART OF IT OR ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED IN IT MAY BE RESTRICTED BY LAW IN CERTAIN JURISDICTIONS, AND ANY PERSON INTO WHOSE POSSESSION THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, ANY PART OF IT OR ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED IN IT COMES SHOULD INFORM THEMSELVES ABOUT, AND OBSERVE, SUCH RESTRICTIONS.

No action has been taken by the Company, N+1 Singer or any of their respective affiliates, agents, directors, officers or employees that would permit an offer of the Placing Shares or possession or distribution of this Announcement or any other offering or publicity material relating to such Placing Shares in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required. 

This Announcement or any part of it does not constitute or form part of any offer to issue or sell, or the solicitation of an offer to acquire, purchase or subscribe for, any securities in the United States (including its territories and possessions, any state of the United States and the District of Columbia), Canada, Australia, the Republic of South Africa, Japan or any other jurisdiction in which the same would be unlawful. No public offering of the Placing Shares is being made in any such jurisdiction.

All offers of the Placing Shares will be made pursuant to an exemption under the Prospectus Directive from the requirement to produce a prospectus. In the United Kingdom, this Announcement is being directed solely at persons in circumstances in which section 21(1) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (as amended) (the "FSMA") does not apply.

The Placing Shares have not been approved or disapproved by the US Securities and Exchange Commission, any state securities commission or other regulatory authority in the United States, nor have any of the foregoing authorities passed upon or endorsed the merits of the Placing or the accuracy or adequacy of this Announcement. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offence in the United States. The relevant clearances have not been, nor will they be, obtained from the securities commission of any province or territory of Canada, no prospectus has been lodged with, or registered by, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission or the Japanese Ministry of Finance; the relevant clearances have not been, and will not be, obtained for the South Africa Reserve Bank or any other applicable body in the Republic of South Africa in relation to the Placing Shares and the Placing Shares have not been, nor will they be, registered under or offering in compliance with the securities laws of any state, province or territory of Australia, Canada, Japan or the Republic of South Africa or in any other jurisdiction. Accordingly, the Placing Shares may not (unless an exemption under the relevant securities laws is applicable) be offered, sold, resold or delivered, directly or indirectly, in or into Australia, Canada, Japan or the Republic of South Africa or any other jurisdiction outside the United Kingdom.

Persons (including, without limitation, nominees and trustees) who have a contractual right or other legal obligations to forward a copy of this Announcement should seek appropriate advice before taking any action.

This Announcement should be read in its entirety. In particular, you should read and understand the information provided in this "Important Information" section of this Announcement.

By participating in the Placing, each person who is invited to and who chooses to participate in the Placing (a "Placee") will be deemed to have read and understood this Announcement in its entirety, to be participating, making an offer and acquiring Placing Shares on the terms and conditions contained herein and to be providing the representations, warranties, indemnities, acknowledgements and undertakings contained in this Appendix.

In particular, each such Placee represents, warrants, undertakes, agrees and acknowledges (amongst other things) that:

1 it is a Relevant Person and undertakes that it will acquire, hold, manage or dispose of any Placing Shares that are allocated to it for the purposes of its business;

2 in the case of a Relevant Person in a member state of the EEA which has implemented the Prospectus Directive (each, a "Relevant Member State") who acquires any Placing Shares pursuant to the Placing:

2.1 it is a Qualified Investor within the meaning of Article 2(1)(e) of the Prospectus Directive;

2.2 in the case of any Placing Shares acquired by it as a financial intermediary, as that term is used in Article 3(2) of the Prospectus Directive:

2.2.1 the Placing Shares acquired by it in the Placing have not been acquired on behalf of, nor have they been acquired with a view to their offer or resale to, persons in any Relevant Member State other than Qualified Investors or in circumstances in which the prior consent of N+1 Singer has been given to the offer or resale; or

2.2.2 where Placing Shares have been acquired by it on behalf of persons in any member state of the EEA other than Qualified Investors, the offer of those Placing Shares to it is not treated under the Prospectus Directive as having been made to such persons;

3 it is acquiring the Placing Shares for its own account or is acquiring the Placing Shares for an account with respect to which it exercises sole investment discretion and has the authority to make and does make the representations, warranties, indemnities, acknowledgements, undertakings and agreements contained in this Announcement;

4 it understands (or if acting for the account of another person, such person has confirmed that such person understands) the resale and transfer restrictions set out in this Appendix; and

5 except as otherwise permitted by the Company and subject to any available exemptions from applicable securities laws, it (and any account referred to in paragraph 3 above) is outside the United States acquiring the Placing Shares in offshore transactions as defined in and in accordance with Regulation S under the Securities Act.

No prospectus

No prospectus or other offering document has been or will be submitted to be approved by the Financial Conduct Authority ("FCA") or any other regulatory body in any Relevant Member State in relation to the Placing or the Placing Shares and Placees' commitments will be made solely on the basis of the information contained in this Announcement and any information publicly announced through a Regulatory Information Service (as defined in the AIM Rules) 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 form of confirmation to be sent to individual Placees.

Each Placee, by participating in the Placing, agrees that the content of this Announcement 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 N+1 Singer, the Company or any other person and none of N+1 Singer, the Company or any other person acting on such person's behalf nor any of their respective affiliates has or shall have any 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. Nothing in this paragraph shall exclude the liability of any person for fraudulent misrepresentation.

Details of the Placing Agreement and the Placing Shares

N+1 Singer has today entered into the Placing Agreement with the Company under which, on the terms and subject to the conditions set out therein, N+1 Singer, as agent for and on behalf of the Company, has agreed to use its reasonable endeavours to procure Placees to subscribe for the Placing Shares at the Placing Price, such subscription commitments being conditional upon the conditions (summarised below) being satisfied by the Company or otherwise waived by N+1 Singer. 

The Placing Shares will, when issued, be subject to the articles of association of the Company and credited as fully paid and will 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 in respect of such Ordinary Shares after the date of issue of the Placing Shares.

Application for admission to trading

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

It is expected that Admission will take place at 08.00 a.m. on or around 16 December 2016 and that dealings in the Placing Shares on AIM will commence at the same time.

Principal terms of the Placing

1 N+1 Singer is acting as nominated adviser, financial adviser and broker to the Placing, as agent for and on behalf of the Company. N+1 Singer is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the FCA and is acting exclusively for the Company and no one else in connection with the matters referred to in this Announcement and will not be responsible to anyone other than the Company for providing the protections afforded to the customers of N+1 Singer or for providing advice in relation to the matters described in this Announcement.

2 Participation in the Placing will only be available to persons who may lawfully be, and are, invited by N+1 Singer to participate. N+1 Singer and any of its respective affiliates are entitled to participate in the Placing as principal.

3 The Placing Price per Placing Share will be payable by all Placees to N+1 Singer (as agent of the Company). The Placing Price and number of Placing Shares will be agreed between the Company and N+1 Singer at the close of the Bookbuild and confirmed to Placees by telephone and/or email along with their final allocation, and will be disclosed in the announcement confirming the result of the Placing.

4 Each Placee's allocation is determined by N+1 Singer in its discretion following consultation with the Company and has been or will be confirmed orally by N+1 Singer. That oral confirmation will give rise to an irrevocable, legally binding commitment by that person (who at that point becomes a Placee), in favour of N+1 Singer and the Company, under which it agrees to acquire the number of Placing Shares allocated to the Placee at the Placing Price and otherwise on the terms and subject to the conditions set out in this Appendix and in accordance with the Company's articles of association. Except with N+1 Singer's written consent, such commitment will not be capable of variation or revocation at the time at which it is submitted. A form of confirmation will be dispatched to each Placee as soon as possible following the oral confirmation of its allocation.

5 Each Placee's allocation and commitment will be evidenced by a form of confirmation issued to each such Placee by N+1 Singer. The terms of this Appendix will be deemed incorporated in that form of confirmation.

6 Each Placee will have an immediate, separate, irrevocable and binding obligation, owed to N+1 Singer (as agent for the Company), to pay to it (or as it may direct) in cleared funds an amount equal to the product of the Placing Price and the number of Placing Shares such Placee has agreed to acquire and the Company has agreed to allot and issue to that Placee.

7 Irrespective of the time at which a Placee's allocation(s) pursuant to the Placing is/are confirmed, settlement for all Placing Shares to be acquired pursuant to the Placing will be required to be made at the same time, on the basis explained below under "Registration and Settlement".

8 All obligations of N+1 Singer under the Placing will be subject to fulfilment of the conditions referred to below under "Conditions of the Placing" and to the Placing not being terminated on the basis referred to below under "Termination of the Placing".

9 By participating in the Placing, each Placee will agree that its rights and obligations in respect of the Placing will terminate only in the circumstances described below and will not be capable of rescission or termination by the Placee.

10 To the fullest extent permissible by law and applicable FCA rules, none of (a) N+1 Singer, (b) any of N+1 Singer's affiliates, agents, directors, officers, consultants, (c) to the extent not contained within (a) or (b), any person connected with N+1 Singer as defined in the FSMA ((b) and (c) being together "affiliates" and individually an "affiliate" of N+1 Singer), (d) any person acting on N+1 Singer's behalf, shall have any liability (including to the extent permissible by law, any fiduciary duties) to Placees or to any other person whether acting on behalf of a Placee or otherwise. In particular, neither N+1 Singer, nor any of its respective affiliates shall have any liability (including, to the extent permissible by law, any fiduciary duties) in respect of their conduct of the Placing or of such alternative method of effecting the Placing as N+1 Singer and the Company may agree.

Registration and Settlement

If Placees are allocated any Placing Shares in the Placing they will be sent a form of confirmation by N+1 Singer, as soon as it is able which will confirm the number of Placing Shares allocated to them, the Placing Price and the aggregate amount owed by them to N+1 Singer.

Each Placee will be deemed to agree that it will do all things necessary to ensure that delivery and payment is completed as directed by N+1 Singer in accordance with either the standing CREST or certificated settlement instructions which they have in place with N+1 Singer.

Settlement of transactions in the Placing Shares (ISIN: GB00B2863827) following Admission will take place within the CREST system, subject to certain exceptions. Settlement through CREST is expected to take place on 16 December 2016 unless otherwise notified by N+1 Singer and Admission is expected to occur no later than 8.00 a.m. on 16 December 2016 unless otherwise notified by N+1 Singer. Admission and Settlement may occur at an earlier date, which if achievable, will be notified through a Regulatory Information Service. Settlement will be on a delivery versus payment basis. However, in the event of any difficulties or delays in the admission of the Placing Shares to CREST or the use of CREST in relation to the Placing, the Company and N+1 Singer may agree that the Placing Shares should be issued in certificated form. N+1 Singer reserves the right to require settlement for the Placing Shares, and to deliver the Placing Shares to Placees, by such other means as they deem necessary if delivery or settlement to Placees is not practicable within the CREST system or would not be consistent with regulatory requirements in a Placee's jurisdiction.

Interest is chargeable daily on payments not received from Placees on the due date in accordance with the arrangements set out above, in respect of either CREST or certificated deliveries, at the rate of 2 percentage points above prevailing LIBOR as determined by N+1 Singer.

Each Placee is deemed to agree that if it does not comply with these obligations, N+1 Singer may sell any or all of their Placing Shares on their behalf and retain from the proceeds, for N+1 Singer's own 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 amount owed by it and for any stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax (together with any interest or penalties) which may arise upon the sale of their Placing Shares on their behalf.

If Placing Shares are to be delivered to a custodian or settlement agent, Placees must ensure that, upon receipt, the conditional form of confirmation is copied and delivered immediately to the relevant person within that organisation. Insofar as Placing Shares are registered 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 United Kingdom stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax. Placees will not be entitled to receive any fee or commission in connection with 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 obligations of N+1 Singer under the Placing Agreement are, and the Placing is, conditional upon, inter alia:

(a) the warranties given by the Company and contained in the Placing Agreement being true and accurate in all material respects and there having occurred no breach of any of such warranties prior to Admission; and

(b) Admission occurring by not later than 8.00 a.m. on 16 December 2016 (or such later date as the Company and N+1 Singer may agree in writing);

(all conditions to the obligations of N+1 Singer included in the Placing Agreement being together, the "conditions").

If any of the conditions set out in the Placing Agreement are not fulfilled or waived in accordance with the Placing Agreement within the stated time periods (or such later time and/or date as the Company and N+1 Singer may agree, provided that the time for satisfaction of the condition set out in (b) above shall not be extended beyond 8.00 a.m. on 23 December 2016), or the Placing Agreement is terminated in accordance with its terms, the Placing will lapse and the Placee's rights and obligations shall cease and terminate at such time and each Placee agrees that no claim can be made by or on behalf of the Placee (or any person on whose behalf the Placee is acting) in respect thereof.

By participating in the Placing, each Placee agrees that its rights and obligations cease and terminate only in the circumstances described above and under "Termination of the Placing" below and will not be capable of rescission or termination by it.

Some or all of the conditions may be waived in whole or in part by N+1 Singer, in its absolute discretion by notice in writing to the Company and N+1 Singer may also agree in writing with the Company to extend the time for satisfaction of any condition. Any such extension or waiver will not affect Placees' commitments as set out in this Announcement.

N+1 Singer may terminate the Placing Agreement in certain circumstances, details of which are set out below.

Neither N+1 Singer, the Company nor any of their respective affiliates, agents, directors, officers, 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 any of them 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 any of them 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 N+1 Singer.

Termination of the Placing

N+1 Singer may terminate the Placing Agreement, in accordance with its terms, at any time prior to Admission if, inter alia:

1 there has been a material breach of any of the warranties given by the Company in the Placing Agreement or of any other provision of the Placing Agreement where such circumstances would have a Material Adverse Effect; or

2 an event has occurred or arisen prior to Admission which if it had occurred prior to the date hereof would have made any of the warranties given by the Company in the Placing Agreement untrue, inaccurate or misleading in any material respect where such circumstances would have a Material Adverse Effect; or

3 there has been any material adverse change in the financial position or prospects of the business of the Group (taken as a whole) and, in the opinion of N+1 Singer acting reasonably, the effect of such change is such that the Placees should not be required to subscribe for Placing Shares at the Placing Price; or

4 it shall come to the notice of N+1 Singer (whether by receipt of notification under the terms of this agreement or otherwise) that any statement in any announcement or material prepared by the Company in relation to the Placing is incorrect or has become untrue, incorrect or misleading to a material extent as a result of a new matter or change or that a new matter has arisen or change has taken place which would, if the Placing Materials were published at that time, constitute a material omission from such documents; or

5 if there shall have developed or occurred any act of terrorism, outbreak of hostilities, change in national or international financial, monetary, economic, political or market conditions including fluctuation in exchange rates which would have a Material Adverse Effect.

If the Placing Agreement is terminated in accordance with its terms, the rights and obligations of each Placee in respect of the Placing as described in this Announcement shall cease and terminate at such time and no claim can be made by any Placee in respect thereof.

By participating in the Placing, each Placee agrees with the Company and N+1 Singer that the exercise by the Company or N+1 Singer of any right of termination or any other right or other discretion under the Placing Agreement shall be within the absolute discretion of the Company or N+1 Singer and that neither of the Company nor N+1 Singer need make any reference to such Placee and that neither N+1 Singer, the Company, nor any of their respective affiliates, agents, directors, officers or employees shall have any liability to such Placee (or to any other person whether acting on behalf of a Placee or otherwise) whatsoever in connection with any such exercise.

By participating in the Placing, each Placee agrees that its rights and obligations terminate only in the circumstances described above and under the "Conditions of the Placing" section above and will not be capable of rescission or termination by it after the issue by N+1 Singer of a form of confirmation confirming each Placee's allocation and commitment in the Placing.

Representations, warranties and further terms

By participating in the Placing, each Placee (and any person acting on such Placee's behalf) represents, warrants, acknowledges and agrees (for itself and for any such prospective Placee) that (save where N+1 Singer expressly acknowledges in writing to the contrary):

1 it has read and understood this Announcement including these terms prior to the issuance of this Announcement through a Regulatory Information Service in their entirety and that its acquisition of the Placing Shares is subject to and based upon all the terms, conditions, representations, warranties, indemnities, acknowledgements, agreements and undertakings and other information contained herein and that 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 Admission, the Placing, the Company, the Placing Shares or otherwise, other than the information contained in this Announcement and the Publicly Available Information;

2 it has not received a prospectus or other offering document in connection with the Placing and acknowledges that no prospectus or other offering document: (a) is required under the Prospectus Directive; and (b) has been or will be prepared in connection with the Placing;

3 the Ordinary Shares are admitted to trading on AIM, and that the Company is therefore required to publish certain business and financial information in accordance with the AIM Rules, which includes a description of the nature of the Company's business and the Company's most recent balance sheet and profit and loss account and that it is able to obtain or access such information without undue difficulty, and is able to obtain access to such information or comparable information concerning any other publicly traded company, without undue difficulty;

4 it has made its own assessment of the Placing Shares and has relied on its own investigation of the business, financial or other position of the Company in accepting a participation in the Placing and neither N+1 Singer, 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, and will not provide, it with any material regarding the Placing Shares or the Company or any other person other than the information in this Announcement, or the Publicly Available Information; nor has it requested neither of N+1 Singer, the Company, any of their respective affiliates, agents, directors, officers or employees or any person acting on behalf of any of them to provide it with any such information;

5 neither N+1 Singer, any person acting on behalf of them or any of their respective affiliates, agents, directors, officers or employees has or shall have any liability for any Publicly Available Information, or any representation relating to the Company, provided that nothing in this paragraph excludes the liability of any person for fraudulent misrepresentation made by that person;

6 the only information on which it is entitled to rely on and on which it has relied in committing to subscribe for the Placing Shares is contained in the Publicly Available Information, such information being all that it deems necessary to make an investment decision in respect of the Placing Shares and it has made its own assessment of the Company, the Placing Shares and the terms of the Placing based on Publicly Available Information;

(b) neither N+1 Singer, the Company nor any of their respective affiliates, agents, directors, officers or employees has made any representation or warranty to it, express or implied, with respect to the Company, the Placing or the Placing Shares or the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the Publicly Available Information;

(c) it has conducted its own investigation of the Company, the Placing and the Placing Shares, satisfied itself that the information is still current and relied on that investigation for the purposes of its decision to participate in the Placing; and

(d) has not relied on any investigation that N+1 Singer or any person acting on their behalf may have conducted with respect to the Company, the Placing or the Placing Shares;

7 the content of this Announcement and the Publicly Available Information has been prepared by and is exclusively the responsibility of the Company and that neither N+1 Singer nor any persons acting on behalf of it is responsible for or has or shall have any liability for any information, representation, warranty or statement relating to the Company contained in this Announcement or the Publicly Available Information 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 this Announcement, the Publicly Available Information or otherwise;

8 the Placing Shares have not been registered or otherwise qualified, and will not be registered or otherwise qualified, for offer and sale nor will a prospectus be cleared or approved in respect of any of the Placing Shares under the securities laws of the United States, or any state or other jurisdiction of the United States, Australia, Canada, Republic of South Africa or Japan and, subject to certain exceptions, may not be offered, sold, taken up, renounced or delivered or transferred, directly or indirectly, within the United States, Australia, Canada, South Africa or Japan or in any country or jurisdiction where any such action for that purpose is required;

9 it and/or each person on whose behalf it is participating:

9.1 is entitled to acquire Placing Shares pursuant to the Placing under the laws and regulations of all relevant jurisdictions;

9.2 has fully observed such laws and regulations;

9.3 has capacity and authority and is entitled to enter into and perform its obligations as an acquirer of Placing Shares and will honour such obligations; and

9.4 has obtained all necessary consents and authorities (including, without limitation, in the case of a person acting on behalf of a Placee, all necessary consents and authorities to agree to the terms set out or referred to in this Appendix) under those laws or otherwise and complied with all necessary formalities to enable it to enter into the transactions contemplated hereby and to perform its obligations in relation thereto and, in particular, if it is a pension fund or investment company it is aware of and acknowledges it is required to comply with all applicable laws and regulations with respect to its subscription for Placing Shares;

10 it is not, and any person who it is acting on behalf of is not, and at the time the Placing Shares are subscribed will not be, a resident of, or with an address in, or subject to the laws of the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan or the Republic of South Africa, and it acknowledges and agrees that the Placing Shares have not been and will not be registered or otherwise qualified under the securities legislation of the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan, or the Republic of South Africa and may not be offered, sold, or acquired, directly or indirectly, within those jurisdictions;

11 the Placing Shares have not been, and will not be, registered under the Securities Act and may not be offered, sold or resold in or into or from the United States except pursuant to an effective registration under the Securities Act, or pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act and in accordance with applicable state securities laws; and no representation is being made as to the availability of any exemption under the Securities Act for the reoffer, resale, pledge or transfer of the Placing Shares;

12 it and the beneficial owner of the Placing Shares is, and at the time the Placing Shares are acquired will be, outside the United States and acquiring the Placing Shares in an "offshore transaction" as defined in, and in accordance with, Regulation S under the Securities Act;

13 it (and any account for which it is purchasing) is not acquiring the Placing Shares with a view to any offer, sale or distribution thereof within the meaning of the Securities Act;

14 it will not distribute, forward, transfer or otherwise transmit this Announcement or any part of it, or any other presentational or other materials concerning the Placing in or into or from the United States (including electronic copies thereof) to any person, and it has not distributed, forwarded, transferred or otherwise transmitted any such materials to any person;

15 neither N+1 Singer, its respective affiliates, agents, directors, officers or employees nor any person acting on behalf of any 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 and that participation in the Placing is on the basis that it is not and will not be a client of N+1 Singer and N+1 Singer has no duties or responsibilities to it for providing the protections afforded to its clients 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;

16 it 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 to N+1 Singer for the Placing Shares allocated to it in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Announcement on the due times and dates set out in this Announcement, failing which the relevant Placing Shares may be placed with others on such terms as N+1 Singer may, in its absolute discretion determine without liability to the Placee and it will remain liable for any shortfall below the net proceeds of such sale and the placing proceeds of such Placing Shares and may be required to bear any stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax (together with any interest or penalties due pursuant to the terms set out or referred to in this Announcement) which may arise upon the sale of such Placee's Placing Shares on its behalf;

17 no action has been or will be taken by any of the Company, N+1 Singer or any person acting on their behalf that would, or is intended to, permit a public offer of the Placing Shares in the United States or in any country or jurisdiction where any such action for that purpose is required;

18 the person who it specifies for registration as holder of the Placing Shares will be: (a) the Placee; or (b) a nominee of the Placee, as the case may be; and

18.1 neither N+1 Singer nor the Company will be responsible for any liability to stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax resulting from a failure to observe this requirement; and

18.2 each Placee and any person acting on behalf of such Placee agrees to acquire Placing Shares pursuant to the Placing and agrees to pay the Company and N+1 Singer in respect of the same (including any interest or penalties) on the basis that the Placing Shares will be allotted to a CREST stock account of N+1 Singer or transferred to a CREST stock account of N+1 Singer who will hold them as nominee on behalf of the Placee until settlement in accordance with its standing settlement instructions with it;

19 it is acting as principal only in respect of the Placing or, if it is acting for any other person, (a) it is duly authorised to do so and has full power to make the acknowledgments, representations and agreements herein on behalf of each such person and (b) it is and will remain liable to the Company and N+1 Singer 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);

20 the allocation, allotment, issue and delivery to it, or the person specified by it for registration as holder, of Placing Shares will not give rise to a stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax liability under (or at a rate determined under) any of sections 67, 70, 93 or 96 of the Finance Act 1986 (depository receipts and clearance services) and that it is not participating in the Placing as nominee or agent for any person or persons to whom the allocation, allotment, issue or delivery of Placing Shares would give rise to such a liability;

21 it and any person acting on its behalf (if within the United Kingdom) falls within Article 19(5) and/or 49(2) of the Order and undertakes that it will acquire, hold, manage and (if applicable) dispose of any Placing Shares that are allocated to it for the purposes of its business only;

22 it will not make an offer to the public of the Placing Shares and it has not offered or sold and will not offer or sell any Placing Shares to persons in the United Kingdom or elsewhere in the EEA prior to the expiry of a period of six months from Admission except to persons whose ordinary activities involve them in acquiring, holding, managing or disposing of investments (as principal or agent) for the purposes of their business or otherwise in circumstances which have not resulted and which will not result in an offer to the public in the United Kingdom within the meaning of section 85(1) of the FSMA or an offer to the public in any other member state of the EEA within the meaning of the Prospectus Directive;

23 it is a person of a kind described in: (a) Article 19(5) (Investment Professionals) and/or 49(2) (High net worth companies etc.) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended, and/or an authorised person as defined in section 31 of FSMA; and (b) section 86(7) of FSMA ("Qualified Investor"), being a person falling within Article 2.1(e) the Prospectus Directive. For such purposes, it undertakes that it will acquire, hold, manage and (if applicable) dispose of any Placing Shares that are allocated to it for the purposes of its business only;

24 it has only communicated or caused to be communicated and it will only communicate or cause to be communicated any invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of section 21 of the FSMA) relating to Placing Shares in circumstances in which section 21(1) of the FSMA does not require approval of the communication by an authorised person and it acknowledges;

25 it has complied and it 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 relevant provisions of the FSMA in respect of anything done in, from or otherwise involving the United Kingdom);

26 if it is a financial intermediary, as that term is used in Article 3(2) of the Prospectus Directive (including any relevant implementing measure in any member state), the Placing Shares acquired by it in the Placing will not be acquired on a non-discretionary basis on behalf of, nor will they be acquired with a view to their offer or resale to, persons in a member state of the EEA which has implemented the Prospectus Directive other than Qualified Investors, or in circumstances in which the express prior written consent of N+1 Singer has been given to the offer or resale;

27 it has neither received nor relied on any confidential price sensitive information about the Company in accepting this invitation to participate in the Placing;

28 neither N+1 Singer nor any of its respective affiliates, agents, directors, officers or employees or any person acting on behalf of any of them has or shall have any liability for any information, representation or statement contained in this Announcement or for any information previously published by or on behalf of the Company or any other written or oral information made available to or publicly available or filed information or any representation, warranty or undertaking relating to the Company, and will not be liable for its decision to participate in the Placing based on any information, representation, warranty or statement contained in this Announcement or elsewhere, provided that nothing in this paragraph shall exclude any liability of any person for fraud;

29 neither N+1 Singer, the Company, nor any of their respective affiliates, agents, directors, officers or employees or any person acting on behalf of N+1 Singer, the Company or their respective affiliates, agents, directors, officers or employees is making any recommendations to it, advising it regarding the suitability of any transactions it may enter into in connection with the Placing nor providing advice in relation to the Placing nor in respect of any representations, warranties, acknowledgements, agreements, undertakings, or indemnities contained in the Placing Agreement nor the exercise or performance of N+1 Singer's rights and obligations thereunder including any rights to waive or vary any conditions or exercise any termination right;

30 acknowledges and accepts that N+1 Singer may, in accordance with applicable legal and regulatory provisions, engage in transactions in relation to the Placing Shares and/or related instruments for their own account for the purpose of hedging their underwriting exposure or otherwise and, except as required by applicable law or regulation, N+1 Singer will not make any public disclosure in relation to such transactions;

31 N+1 Singer and each of its affiliates, each acting as an investor for its or their own account(s), may bid or subscribe for and/or purchase Placing Shares and, in that capacity, may retain, purchase, offer to sell or otherwise deal for its or their own account(s) in the Placing Shares, any other securities of the Company or other related investments in connection with the Placing or otherwise and, accordingly, references in this Announcement to the Placing Shares being offered, subscribed, acquired or otherwise dealt with should be read as including any offer to, or subscription, acquisition or dealing by N+1 Singer and/or any of its respective affiliates, acting as an investor for its or their own account(s) and neither N+1 Singer nor the Company intend to disclose the extent of any such investment or transaction otherwise than in accordance with any legal or regulatory obligation to do so;

32 it has complied with its obligations in connection with money laundering and terrorist financing under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, the Terrorism Act 2000, the Terrorism Act 2006 and the Money Laundering Regulations 2007 (together, the "Regulations") and, if making payment on behalf of a third party, that satisfactory evidence has been obtained and recorded by it to verify the identity of the third party as required by the Regulations;

33 it is aware of the obligations regarding insider dealing in the Criminal Justice Act 1993, FSMA, the EU Market Abuse Regulation EU 596/2014 and the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and confirms that it has and will continue to comply with those obligations;

34 in order to ensure compliance with the Money Laundering Regulations 2007, N+1 Singer (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 and pending the provision to N+1 Singer's or the Company's registrars, as applicable, of evidence of identity, no Placing Shares will be registered in the name of any such person and definitive certificates in respect of the Placing Shares may be retained at N+1 Singer's absolute discretion or, where appropriate, delivery of the Placing Shares to it in uncertificated form may be delayed at N+1 Singer's or the Company's registrars', as the case may be, absolute discretion and if within a reasonable time after a request for verification of identity N+1 Singer's (for itself and as agent on behalf of the Company) or the Company's registrars have not received evidence satisfactory to them, N+1 Singer 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;

35 its commitment to acquire Placing Shares on the terms set out in this Announcement and in the form of confirmation will continue notwithstanding any amendment that may in future be made to the terms and conditions of the Placing and that Placees will have no right to be consulted or require that their consent be obtained with respect to the Company's or N+1 Singer's conduct of the Placing;

36 it has knowledge and experience in financial, business and international investment matters as is required to evaluate the merits and risks of subscribing for the Placing Shares. It further acknowledges that it is experienced in investing in securities of this nature and is aware that it may be required to bear, and is able to bear, the economic risk of, and is able to sustain, a complete loss in connection with the Placing and it has relied upon its own examination and due diligence of the Company and its affiliates taken as a whole, and the terms of the Placing, including the merits and risks involved;

37 it irrevocably appoints any duly authorised officer of N+1 Singer 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 or purchase upon the terms of this Announcement;

38 the Company, N+1 Singer and others (including each of their respective affiliates, agents, directors, officers or employees) will rely upon the truth and accuracy of the foregoing representations, warranties, acknowledgements and agreements, which are given to N+1 Singer, on their own behalf and on behalf of the Company and are irrevocable;

39 if it is acquiring the Placing Shares as a fiduciary or agent for one or more investor accounts, it has full power and authority to make, and does make, the foregoing representations, warranties, acknowledgements, agreements and undertakings on behalf of each such accounts;

40 time is of the essence as regards its obligations under this Appendix;

41 any document that is to be sent to it in connection with the Placing will be sent at its risk and may be sent to it at any address provided by it to N+1 Singer;

42 the Placing Shares will be issued subject to the terms and conditions of this Appendix; and

43 these terms and conditions in this Appendix and all documents into which this Appendix is incorporated by reference or otherwise validly forms a part and/or any agreements entered into pursuant to these terms and conditions and all agreements to acquire shares pursuant to the Placing will be governed by and construed in accordance with English law and it submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts in relation to any claim, dispute or matter arising out of any such contract (whether under contract or otherwise), except that enforcement proceedings in respect of the obligation to make payment for the Placing Shares (together with any interest chargeable thereon) may be taken by the Company or N+1 Singer in any jurisdiction in which the relevant Placee is incorporated or in which any of its securities have a quotation on a recognised stock exchange; save that

44 nothing in this Appendix shall exclude any liability of any person for fraudulent misrepresentation.

By participating in the Placing, each Placee (and any person acting on such Placee's behalf) agrees to indemnify and hold the Company, N+1 Singer and each of 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 Appendix or incurred by N+1 Singer, the Company or each of their respective affiliates, agents, directors, officers or employees arising from the performance of the Placee's obligations as set out in this Announcement, and further agrees that the provisions of this Appendix shall survive after the completion of the Placing.

The agreement to allot and issue Placing Shares to Placees (or the persons for whom Placees are contracting as agent) free of stamp duty and stamp duty reserve tax in the United Kingdom relates only to their allotment and issue to Placees, or such persons as they nominate as their agents, direct by the Company. Such agreement assumes that the Placing Shares are not being acquired in connection with arrangements to issue depositary receipts or to transfer the Placing Shares into a clearance service. If there are any such arrangements, or the settlement related to any other dealings in the Placing Shares, stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax may be payable. In that event, the Placee agrees that it shall be responsible for such stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax and neither the Company nor N+1 Singer shall be responsible for such stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax. If this is the case, each Placee should seek its own advice and they should notify N+1 Singer accordingly. In addition, Placees should note that they will be liable for any capital duty, stamp duty and all other stamp, issue, securities, transfer, registration, documentary or other duties or taxes (including any interest, fines or penalties relating thereto) payable outside the United Kingdom by them or any other person on the acquisition by them of any Placing Shares or the agreement by them to acquire any Placing Shares and each Placee, or the Placee's nominee, in respect of whom (or in respect of the person for whom it is participating in the Placing as an agent or nominee) the allocation, allotment, issue or delivery of Placing Shares has given rise to such non-United Kingdom stamp, registration, documentary, transfer or similar taxes or duties undertakes to pay such taxes and duties, including any interest and penalties (if applicable), forthwith and to indemnify on an after-tax basis and to hold harmless the Company and N+1 Singer in the event that either the Company and/or N+1 Singer has incurred any such liability to such taxes or duties.

The representations, warranties, acknowledgements and undertakings contained in this Appendix are given to N+1 Singer for itself and on behalf of the Company and are irrevocable.

Each Placee and any person acting on behalf of the Placee acknowledges that N+1 Singer does not owe any fiduciary or other duties to any Placee in respect of any representations, warranties, undertakings, acknowledgements, agreements or indemnities in the Placing Agreement.

Each Placee and any person acting on behalf of the Placee acknowledges and agrees that N+1 Singer may (at its absolute discretion) satisfy their obligations to procure Placees by itself agreeing to become a Placee in respect of some or all of the Placing Shares or by nominating any connected or associated person to do so.

When a Placee or any person acting on behalf of the Placee is dealing with N+1 Singer, any money held in an account with N+1 Singer 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 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 N+1 Singer's money (as applicable) in accordance with the client money rules and will be held by it under a banking relationship and not as trustee.

References to time in this Announcement are to London time, unless otherwise stated.

All times and dates in this Announcement may be subject to amendment. 

The price of shares and any income expected from them may go down as well as up and investors may not get back the full amount invested upon disposal of the shares. Past performance is no guide to future performance, and persons needing advice should consult an independent financial adviser.

The Placing Shares to be issued or sold pursuant to the Placing will not be admitted to trading on any stock exchange other than the London Stock Exchange.

Neither the content of the Company's website nor any website accessible by hyperlinks on the Company's website is incorporated in, or forms part of, this Announcement.

DEFINITIONS

The following definitions apply in this Appendix to the Announcement and, as the context shall admit, in the Announcement:

"Act" the Companies Act 2006 (as amended);

"Admission" admission of the Placing Shares to trading on AIM;

"AIM" AIM, a market operated by the London Stock Exchange;

"AIM Rules" the AIM Rules for Companies and/or the AIM Rules for Nominated Advisers as applicable, published by London Stock Exchange;

"Announcement" this Announcement;

"Articles" the articles of association of the Company;

"Business Day" any day on which banks are generally open in England and Wales for the transaction of business, other than a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday;

"Closing Price" the closing middle market quotation of an Ordinary Share as derived from the AIM Appendix to the Daily Official List of the London Stock Exchange;

"Company" or "CVS" CVS Group plc, a company incorporated in England and Wales with registered number 06312831 with its registered office at CVS House, Owen Road, Diss, Norfolk IP22 4ER;

"CREST" the computerised settlement system to facilitate transfer of the title to an interest in securities in uncertified form operated by Euroclear UK and Ireland Limited;

"Directors" or the "Board" the directors of the Company on the date of this Announcement;

"Existing Ordinary Shares" the 60,392,823 Ordinary Shares in issue as at the date of this announcement;

"Form of Confirmation" the form of confirmation to be despatched by N+1 Singer to each Placee in connection with the Placing following receipt of each Placee's firm order;

"Group" the Company and its subsidiary undertakings;

"London Stock Exchange" London Stock Exchange plc;

"Material Adverse Effect" means an effect which in the opinion of N+1 Singer (acting in good faith):

(a) is or will or is likely to be materially prejudicial to the prospects or financial position of the Company; and which

(b) by itself or together with any other such occurrence, is material in the context of the Placing;

"N+1 Singer" Nplus1 Singer Advisory LLP, acting as nominated adviser and broker to the Company in respect of the Placing, and where the context allows, its affiliates;

"Ordinary Shares" the ordinary shares of 0.2 pence each in the capital of the Company;

"Placees" those persons procured by N+1 Singer acting as agent for the Company who have agreed to subscribe for all or any of the Placing Shares pursuant to the Placing;

"Placing" the conditional placing by N+1 Singer on behalf of the Company of the Placing Shares at the Placing Price, in accordance with the Placing Agreement;

"Placing Agreement" the agreement dated 13 December 2016 between Company and N+1 Singer in relation to the Placing;

"Placing Materials" this announcement and any other announcement issued in connection with the Placing via a Regulatory Information Service;

"Placing Price" the price at which the Placing Shares are to be placed, to be determined via the Bookbuild and notified via a Regulatory Information Service;

"Placing Shares" up to 3,320,000 new ordinary shares of 0.2 pence each in the capital of the Company; and

"Regulatory Information Service" a regulatory information service approved by the London Stock Exchange for the distribution of AIM announcements.