Mears Regulatory News (MER)

26 Mar 2008 15:47

Mears Group PLC26 March 2008 TR-1: NOTIFICATION OF MAJOR INTEREST IN SHARES 1. Identity of the issuer or the underlying issuer of existing shares to which voting rights are attached MEARS GROUP PLC 2. Reason for the notification (please tick the appropriate box or boxes) An acquisition or disposal of voting rights (X) An acquisition or disposal of financial instruments which may ( ) result in the acquisition of shares already issued to which voting rights are attached An event changing the breakdown of voting rights ( ) Other (specify): ( ) 3. Full name of person(s) subject to the notification obligation: HBOS plc 4. Full name of shareholder(s) (if different from 3.) See section 9 5. Date of the transaction (and date on which the threshold is crossed or reached if different): 18 March 2008 6. Date on which issuer notified: 19 March 2008 (received by issuer on 20 March 2008) 7. Threshold(s) that is/are crossed or reached: Direct decrease to below 3% (Direct/Indirect interest remains above 5%) 8. Notified details: A. Voting rights attached to shares Class/type of shares (if possible using the Ordinary (GB000563420)ISIN code) Situation previous to Resulting situation after the triggering transaction the triggering transactionNumber of Number of Number of Number of voting % of voting rightsShares Voting shares rights Rights Direct Direct Indirect Direct Indirect4,380,671 4,380,671 2,169,964 2,169,964 1,729,215 2.961% 2.36% B. Financial Instruments Resulting situation after the triggering transactionType of Expiration Exercise/ Number of voting % of votingfinancial date Conversion Period/ rights that may rightsinstrument Date be acquired if the instrument is exercised/ convertedn/a Total (A+B)Number of voting rights % of voting rights3,899,179 5.321% 9. Chain of controlled undertakings through which the voting rights and/ or the financial instruments are effectively held, if applicable: Insight Investment Management (Global) Limited* ("IIMGL") - (Indirect) - 3,621,914 (4.942%) IIMGL manages holdings on behalf of other HBOS Group companies, and other third parties external to the HBOS Group, under various discretionary management agreements (* - wholly owned subsidiaries of HBOS plc) Proxy Voting:10. Name of the proxy holder: n/a 11. Number of voting rights proxy n/a holder will cease to hold: 12. Date on which proxy holder n/a will cease to hold voting rights: 13. Additional information: Notification using the total voting rights figure of 73,281,775 14: Contact name: Kenny Melville 15. Contact telephone number: 0131 243 8671 This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange