Midwich Group Regulatory News (MIDW)

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONTAINS INSIDE INFORMATION FOR THE PURPOSES OF ARTICLE 7 OF THE MARKET ABUSE REGULATION (EU) 596/2014 (WHICH FORMS PART OF DOMESTIC UK LAW PURSUANT TO THE EUROPEAN UNION (WITHDRAWAL) ACT 2018 ("UK MAR").

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY, AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE OR FORM PART OF ANY OFFER OR INVITATION TO SELL OR ISSUE, OR ANY SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO PURCHASE OR SUBSCRIBE FOR, ANY SECURITIES OF MIDWICH GROUP PLC.

NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN OR INTO, OR TO ANY PERSON LOCATED OR RESIDENT IN, ANY JURISDICTION WHERE IT IS UNLAWFUL TO RELEASE, PUBLISH OR DISTRIBUTE THIS ANNOUNCEMENT.

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AMOUNTS TO A FINANCIAL PROMOTION FOR THE PURPOSES OF SECTION 21 OF THE FINANCIAL SERVICES AND MARKETS ACT 2000 ("FSMA") AND HAS BEEN APPROVED BY PRIMARYBID LIMITED WHICH IS AUTHORISED AND REGULATED BY THE FINANCIAL CONDUCT AUTHORITY (FRN 779021).

NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES, CANADA OR JAPAN.

7 June 2023

Midwich Group Plc

("Midwich" or the "Company" or the "Group")

PrimaryBid Retail Offer

Retail Offer

Midwich (AIM:MIDW), the global specialist audio visual ("AV") distributor to the trade market, is pleased to announce a conditional offer for subscription of new ordinary shares of 1 pence each in the capital of the Company ("Ordinary Shares") via PrimaryBid (the "Retail Offer") for up to £2.0m.

The Company has also announced today that it has acquired the entire issued share capital of S.F. Marketing, Inc. ("SFM") (the "Acquisition"), a specialist value-add AV distributor in Canada for an enterprise value of up to CA$44.3m (£26.7m) on a cash free, debt free basis (the "Consideration"). The Consideration comprises of an initial consideration of up to CA$39.3m paid on completion, a CA$2.0m fixed deferred consideration paid on the first twelve month anniversary from completion and up to a further CA$3.0m also payable on the first twelve month anniversary, subject to growth in operating profit.

The Company is also conducting a placing of new Ordinary Shares to institutional investors by way of an accelerated bookbuilding process (the "Placing") as announced earlier today.

The Retail Offer is conditional on the new Ordinary Shares to be issued pursuant to the Retail Offer and the Placing being admitted to trading on AIM ("Admission"). Admission is expected to take place at 8.00 a.m. on 12 June 2023. The Retail Offer will not be completed without the Placing also being completed.

The Company will use the funds raised to pay down the Company's debt, which will fund the initial acquisition consideration of SFM, and to provide additional resources to fund the Group's near-term M&A pipeline.

Reason for the Retail Offer

While the Placing has been structured as a non-pre-emptive offer within the Company's existing authorities from shareholders for non-pre-emptive offers so as to minimise cost and time to completion, the Board is supportive of the Pre-Emption Group guidance that encourages companies to consider the inclusion of retail investors when issuing shares non-pre-emptively and is therefore pleased to provide retail investors with the opportunity to participate in the Retail Offer via PrimaryBid in line with the Pre-Emption Group guidelines. 

Existing shareholders and new investors can access the Retail Offer through PrimaryBid's website and on PrimaryBid's app. Investors may also be able to take part through PrimaryBid's extensive partner network of investment platforms, retail brokers and wealth managers, subject to their participation. Applications for new Ordinary Shares through these partners can be made from tax efficient savings vehicles such as ISAs or SIPPs, as well as GIAs. The PrimaryBid app is available on the UK Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

After consideration of the various options available to it, the Company believes that the separate Retail Offer is in the best interests of shareholders, as well as wider stakeholders in the Company.

The Retail Offer will open to investors resident and physically located in the United Kingdom following the release of this Announcement. The Retail Offer is expected to close at 9 p.m. on 7 June 2023 and may close early if it is oversubscribed.

There is a minimum subscription amount of £250 per investor in the Retail Offer.

The Company reserves the right to scale back any order at its discretion. The Company and PrimaryBid reserve the right to reject any application for subscription under the Retail Offer without giving any reason for such rejection.

Investors who apply for new Ordinary Shares through PrimaryBid's website or PrimaryBid's app will not be charged any fee or commission by PrimaryBid. It is vital to note that once an application for new Ordinary Shares has been made and accepted via PrimaryBid, an application cannot be withdrawn.

Investors wishing to apply for new Ordinary Shares through their investment platform, retail broker or wealth manager using their ISA, SIPP or GIA should contact them for details of the process and any relevant fees or charges.

The new Ordinary Shares to be issued pursuant to the Retail Offer 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 new Ordinary Shares to be issued pursuant to the Placing and the Company's existing Ordinary Shares.

For further information on PrimaryBid or the Retail Offer visit www.PrimaryBid.com or email PrimaryBid at enquiries@primarybid.com. The terms and conditions on which the Retail Offer is made, including the procedure for application and payment for new Ordinary Shares, are available to all persons who register with PrimaryBid.

Brokers wishing to offer their customers access to the Retail Offer and future PrimaryBid transactions, should contact partners@primarybid.com.

Enquiries

Important notices

The Retail Offer is offered under the exemptions from the need for a prospectus allowed under the FCA's Prospectus Regulation Rules. As such, there is no need for publication of a prospectus pursuant to the Prospectus Regulation Rules, or for approval of the same by the Financial Conduct Authority (as competent authority under Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 as it forms part of retained EU law as defined in the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018). 

The Retail Offer is not being made into the United States, Australia, Canada, the Republic of South Africa, Japan or any other jurisdiction where it would be unlawful to do so.

This Announcement is not for publication or distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States of America. This Announcement is not an offer of securities for sale into the United States. The securities referred to herein have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States, except pursuant to an applicable exemption from registration. No public offering of securities is being made in the United States.

This Announcement and the information contained herein, is restricted and is not for publication, release or distribution, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, in or into Australia, Canada, the Republic of South Africa, Japan or any other jurisdiction in which such publication, release or distribution would be unlawful. Further, this Announcement is for information purposes only and is not an offer of securities in any jurisdiction.

Investors should make their own investigations into the merits of an investment in the Company. Nothing in this Announcement amounts to a recommendation to invest in the Company or amounts to investment, taxation or legal advice.

It should be noted that a subscription for new Ordinary Shares and investment in the Company carries a number of risks. Investors should consider the risk factors set out on www.PrimaryBid.com and the PrimaryBid app before making a decision to subscribe for new Ordinary Shares. Investors should take independent advice from a person experienced in advising on investment in securities such as the new Ordinary Shares if they are in any doubt. 

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.

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