12 Nov 2015 15:42
NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN, INTO, OR FROM ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OR REGULATIONS OF THAT JURISDICTION
12 November 2015
For immediate release
Xchanging plc
Statement regarding approach from Computer Sciences Corporation ("CSC")
Xchanging plc ("Xchanging" or the "Company") announces that it has received an approach from CSC regarding an indicative proposal to acquire the entire issued and to be issued share capital of Xchanging for 170 pence per share in cash. The Company has provided certain information to CSC and will continue its discussions with CSC.
There can be no certainty that any offer will be made by CSC. Further announcements will be made in due course, as appropriate.
As required by Rule 2.6(e) of the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers (the "Code"), CSC is required, by not later than 5.00 p.m. on 9 December 2015, either to announce a firm intention to make an offer for Xchanging in accordance with Rule 2.7 of the Code or to announce that they do not intend to make an offer, in which case the announcement will be treated as a statement to which Rule 2.8 of the Code applies.
This announcement is being made by Xchanging with the prior agreement of CSC.
Further announcements will be made as and when appropriate.
Enquiries:
Xchanging plc Tel: +44 (0) 20 3604 6999Geoff Unwin, ChairmanKen Lever, Chief Executive
Lazard (Financial Adviser) Tel: +44 (0) 20 7187 2000William Rucker
Cyrus KapadiaOlivier Christnacht
Investec (Corporate Broker) Tel: +44 (0) 20 7597 4000Christopher Baird
James Rudd
Liberum (Corporate Broker) Tel: +44 (0) 20 3100 2000Peter Tracey
Neil Patel
Maitland (Financial PR) Tel: +44 (0) 20 7379 5151Emma Burdett
Dan Yea Mob: +44 (0) 7595 270691
www.xchanging.com
@XchangingGroup
Linkedin/company/xchanging
Disclaimer
Lazard & Co., Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the United Kingdom, is acting exclusively for Xchanging and for no one else in connection with the possible offer and will not be responsible to anyone other than Xchanging for providing the protections afforded to its clients or for providing advice in connection with the possible offer referred to in this announcement.
Investec Bank plc, which is authorised in the United Kingdom by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority, is acting exclusively for Xchanging and no-one else in connection with the possible offer and will not be responsible to anyone other than Xchanging for providing the protections afforded to its clients or for providing advice in connection with the possible offer referred to in this announcement.
Liberum Capital Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the United Kingdom, is acting exclusively for Xchanging and for no one else in connection with the possible offer and will not be responsible to anyone other than Xchanging for providing the protections afforded to its clients or for providing advice in connection with the possible offer referred to in this announcement.
Disclosure requirements of 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, 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 purpose 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 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.