Essenden : 20 March 2015 - Statement re share price increase

NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN, INTO OR FROM ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OR REGULATIONS OF SUCH JURISDICTION
This is an announcement falling under Rule 2.4 of the Takeover Code and does not constitute an announcement of a firm intention to make an offer under Rule 2.7 of the Takeover Code. There can be no certainty that an offer will be made nor as to the terms on which any offer might be made.

20 March 2015 Essenden PLC

("Essenden" or the "Company")

Statement re: rise in the Company's share price

Essenden notes the recent rise in the Company's share price and announces that it has received a preliminary approach from Harwood Capital LLP regarding a possible acquisition of the entire issued and to be issued share capital of the Company pursuant to the review of its strategic options referred to in Essenden's results announcement made on 12 March 2015. The discussion is highly preliminary but included, among other things, the possibility of an acquisition of the entire issued and to be issued share capital of Essenden. There is no certainty that this approach will lead to an offer being made for the Company.
Rule 2.6(a) of the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers (the "Code") requires Harwood Capital LLP by not later than 5.00 p.m. on 19 April 2015 (the "relevant deadline"), either to announce a firm intention to make an offer for Essenden in accordance with Rule 2.7 of the Code or to announce that it does 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. The relevant deadline will only be extended with the consent of The Takeover Panel in accordance with Rule 2.6(c) of the Code.
Pursuant to Rule 2.10 of the Code the Company confirms that there are 50,145,040 ordinary shares of 1p in issue with International Securities Identification Number GB00B64FXD65.
A further announcement will be made as appropriate.
A summary is set out below of the dealing disclosure requirements under the Takeover Code, which require action by holders of 1 per cent. or more of the Company's issued share capital.
In accordance with Rule 30.4 of the Code, a copy of this announcement will be available on the Company's website www.essenden.com. The content of the website referred to in this announcement is not incorporated into and does not form part of this announcement.

Enquiries:

Essenden Plc Tel: [phone]
Nick Basing
Richard Darwin
Cenkos Securities plc Tel: [phone]

1

Nicholas Wells, Max Hartley (Corporate Finance)
Dealing Disclosure Requirements
Under Rule 8.3(a) of the Takeover Code, any person who is interested in 1 per cent or more of any class of relevant securities of an offeree company or of any paper 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 paper 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 paper 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 paper offeror is first identified. Relevant persons who deal in the relevant securities of the offeree company or of a paper 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 per cent or more of any class of relevant securities of the offeree company or of any paper offeror must make a Dealing Disclosure if the person deals in any relevant securities of the offeree company or of any paper 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 paper offeror, save to the extent that these details have previously been disclosed under Rule 8 of the Takeover Code. A Dealing Disclosure by a person to whom Rule
8.3(b) of the Takeover Code 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 paper offeror, they will be deemed to be a single person for the purpose of Rule 8.3 of the Takeover Code.
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 of the Takeover Code).
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 [phone] if you are in any doubt as to whether you are required to make an Opening Position Disclosure or a Dealing Disclosure.