EI Group Regulatory News (EIG)

NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY IN OR INTO ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OR REGULATIONS OF SUCH JURISDICTION

For immediate release

5 August 2019

RECOMMENDED CASH ACQUISITION

of

Ei GROUP PLC

by

STONEGATE PUB COMPANY BIDCO LIMITED

to be effected by means of a Scheme of Arrangementunder Part 26 of the Companies Act 2006

UPDATE ON COOPERATION AGREEMENT

Ei Group plc ("EIG") announces that EIG, Stonegate Pub Company Limited and Stonegate Pub Company Bidco Limited ("Stonegate") have agreed to enter into a new cooperation agreement, replacing the cooperation agreement entered into by the same parties on 18 July 2019, on substantially the same terms as the previous agreement. The new cooperation agreement is available to view on EIG's website at www.eigroupplc.com and Stonegate's website at www.stonegatepubs.com.

Capitalised terms used but not defined in this announcement have the meanings given to them in the announcement on 18 July 2019 in relation to the proposed recommended cash acquisition of the entire issued and to be issued ordinary share capital of EIG by Stonegate.

Important notices

Deutsche Bank AG ("Deutsche Bank") is authorised under German Banking Law (competent authority: European Central Bank) and, in the United Kingdom, by the Prudential Regulation Authority. It is subject to supervision by the European Central Bank and by BaFin, Germany's Federal Financial Supervisory Authority, and is subject to limited regulation in the United Kingdom by the Prudential Regulation Authority and Financial Conduct Authority. Neither Deutsche Bank nor any of its subsidiaries, branches or affiliates will be responsible to any person other than Ei Group for providing any of the protections afforded to clients of Deutsche Bank nor for providing advice in relation to any matters referred to in this announcement. Neither Deutsche Bank nor any of its subsidiaries, branches or affiliates owes or accepts any duty, liability or responsibility whatsoever (whether direct or indirect, whether in contract, in tort, under statute or otherwise) to any person who is not a client of Deutsche Bank in connection with this announcement, any statement contained herein, or otherwise. Deutsche Bank, acting through its London branch, is acting as corporate broker and financial adviser to Ei Group and no other person in connection with the contents of this announcement.

N.M. Rothschild & Sons Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the United Kingdom, is acting exclusively for Ei Group and for no one else in connection with the subject matter of this announcement and will not be responsible to anyone other than Ei Group for providing the protections afforded to its clients or for providing advice in connection with the subject matter of this announcement.

Overseas jurisdictions

The availability of the Acquisition to EIG Shareholders who are not resident in and citizens of the UK may be affected by the laws of the relevant jurisdictions in which they are located or of which they are citizens. Persons who are not resident in the UK should inform themselves of, and observe, any applicable legal or regulatory requirements of their jurisdictions. Further details in relation to overseas shareholders will be contained in the Scheme Document.

The release, publication or distribution of this announcement in or into jurisdictions other than the UK may be restricted by law and therefore any persons who are subject to the law of any jurisdiction other than the UK should inform themselves of, and observe, any applicable requirements. In particular, the ability of persons who are not resident in the United Kingdom to vote their Scheme Shares with respect to the Scheme at the Court Meeting or to appoint another person as proxy to vote at the Court Meeting on their behalf, may be affected by the laws of the relevant jurisdictions in which they are located. Any failure to comply with the applicable restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the companies and persons involved in the Acquisition disclaim any responsibility or liability for the violation of such restrictions by any person. This announcement has been prepared for the purposes of complying with the laws of England and Wales, the rules of the London Stock Exchange, the Market Abuse Regulation, the Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules and the Code and the information disclosed may not be the same as that which would have been disclosed if this announcement had been prepared in accordance with the laws of jurisdictions outside of England.

Copies of this announcement and any formal documentation relating to the Scheme and the Acquisition will not be and must not be, directly or indirectly, mailed or otherwise forwarded, distributed or sent in, into or from any Restricted Jurisdiction or any jurisdiction where to do so would violate the laws of that jurisdiction and persons receiving such documents (including custodians, nominees and trustees) must not mail or otherwise forward, distribute or send them in or into or from any Restricted Jurisdiction. If the Acquisition is implemented by way of Offer (unless otherwise permitted by applicable law or regulation), the Offer must not be made, directly or indirectly, in or into or by use of the mails or any other means or instrumentality (including, without limitation, facsimile, email or other electronic transmission, telex or telephone) of interstate or foreign commerce of, or any facility of a national, state or other securities exchange of any Restricted Jurisdiction and the Offer will not be capable of acceptance by any such use, means, instrumentality or facilities or from within any Restricted Jurisdiction.

US Holders

US Holders should note that the Acquisition relates to the securities of an English company, is subject to UK disclosure requirements and practices (which are different from those of the US) and is proposed to be implemented under a scheme of arrangement under English company law. A transaction effected by means of a scheme of arrangement is not subject to the tender offer rules under the US Exchange Act, and the proxy solicitation rules under the US Exchange Act will not apply to the Acquisition. The Scheme will be subject to UK disclosure requirements and practices, which are different from the disclosure requirements of the US tender offer and proxy solicitation rules. However, if Bidco were to exercise its right to implement the Acquisition of the EIG Shares by way of an Offer, such Offer will be made in compliance with applicable US tender offer and securities laws and regulations. Such an Offer would be made by Bidco.

The receipt of cash pursuant to the Acquisition by a US Holder as consideration for the transfer of its Scheme Shares pursuant to the Scheme may be a taxable transaction for US federal income tax purposes and under applicable US state and local, as well as foreign and other, tax laws. Each EIG Shareholder is urged to consult his independent professional adviser immediately regarding the tax consequences of the Acquisition applicable to him.

It may be difficult for US Holders to enforce their rights and claims arising out of the US federal securities laws, since Bidco and EIG are located in countries other than the US, and some or all of their officers and directors may be residents of countries other than the US. US Holders may not be able to sue a non-US company or its officers or directors in a non-US court for violations of US securities laws. Further, it may be difficult to compel a non-US company and its affiliates to subject themselves to a US court's judgement.

In accordance with normal UK practice and pursuant to Rule 14e-5(b) of the US Exchange Act, Bidco or its nominees, or their brokers (acting as agents), may from time to time make certain purchases of, or arrangements to purchase, EIG Shares outside of the US, other than pursuant to the Acquisition, until the date on which the Acquisition becomes Effective, lapses or is otherwise withdrawn. These purchases may occur either in the open market at prevailing prices or in private transactions at negotiated prices. Any information about such purchases will be disclosed as required in the UK, will be reported to a Regulatory Information Service and will be available on the London Stock Exchange website at www.londonstockexchange.com.

Publication on website

In accordance with Rule 26.1 of the Code, a copy of this announcement and the documents required to be published by Rule 26 of the Code will be made available, subject to certain restrictions relating to persons resident in Restricted Jurisdictions, on EIG's website at www.eigroupplc.com and on Stonegate's website at www.stonegatepubs.com by no later than 12 noon (London time) on the Business Day following this announcement. For the avoidance of doubt, the contents of those websites are not incorporated by reference and do not form part of this announcement.

Requesting hard copy documents

EIG Shareholders may request a hard copy of this announcement by contacting EIG's Registrar, Computershare Investor Services PLC, during business hours on +44 (0)370 889 4080 or by submitting a request in writing to EIG's Registrar, Computershare Investor Services PLC, at The Pavilions, Bridgwater Road, Bristol, BS99 6ZY. For persons who receive a copy of this announcement in electronic form or via a website notification, a hard copy of this announcement will not be sent unless so requested. You may also request that all future documents, announcements and information to be sent to you in relation to the acquisition should be in hard copy form.

Disclosure requirements of the Takeover Code (the "Code")

Under Rule 8.3(a) of the Code, any person who is interested in 1% or more of any class of relevant securities of an offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror (being any offeror other than an offeror in respect of which it has been announced that its offer is, or is likely to be, solely in cash) must make an Opening Position Disclosure following the commencement of the offer period and, if later, following the announcement in which any securities exchange offeror is first identified. An Opening Position Disclosure must contain details of the person's interests and short positions in, and rights to subscribe for, any relevant securities of each of (i) the offeree company and (ii) any securities exchange offeror(s). An Opening Position Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(a) applies must be made by no later than 3.30 pm (London time) on the 10th business day following the commencement of the offer period and, if appropriate, by no later than 3.30 pm (London time) on the 10th business day following the announcement in which any securities exchange offeror is first identified. Relevant persons who deal in the relevant securities of the offeree company or of a securities exchange offeror prior to the deadline for making an Opening Position Disclosure must instead make a Dealing Disclosure.

Under Rule 8.3(b) of the Code, any person who is, or becomes, interested in 1% or more of any class of relevant securities of the offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror must make a Dealing Disclosure if the person deals in any relevant securities of the offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror. A Dealing Disclosure must contain details of the dealing concerned and of the person's interests and short positions in, and rights to subscribe for, any relevant securities of each of (i) the offeree company and (ii) any securities exchange offeror(s), save to the extent that these details have previously been disclosed under Rule 8. A Dealing Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(b) applies must be made by no later than 3.30 pm (London time) on the business day following the date of the relevant dealing.

If two or more persons act together pursuant to an agreement or understanding whether formal or informal, to acquire or control an interest in relevant securities of an offeree company or a securities exchange offeror, they will be deemed to be a single person for the purposes of Rule 8.3.

Opening Position Disclosures must also be made by the offeree company and by any offeror and Dealing Disclosures must also be made by the offeree company, by any offeror and by any persons acting in concert with any of them (see Rules 8.1, 8.2 and 8.4).

Details of the offeree and offeror companies in respect of whose relevant securities Opening Position Disclosures and Dealing Disclosures must be made can be found in the Disclosure Table on the Takeover Panel's website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk, including details of the number of relevant securities in issue, when the offer period commenced and when any offeror was first identified. You should contact the Panel's Market Surveillance Unit on +44 (0)20 7638 0129 if you are in any doubt as to whether you are required to make an Opening Position Disclosure or a Dealing Disclosure.