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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington DC 20549
FORM 6-K
REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-16 AND 15d-16 OF
THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For May 5, 2006
InterContinental Hotels Group PLC
(Registrants name)
67 Alma Road,
Windsor, Berkshire, SL4 3HD, England
(Address of principal executive offices)
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under
cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F.
Form 20-F þ Form 40-F o
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by
Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1): ___
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by
Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7): ___
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the information contained in this
Form is also thereby furnishing the information to the Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
Yes o No þ
If Yes is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the registrant in connection
with Rule 12g3-2(b): Not applicable
InterContinental Hotels Group PLC
INDEX TO EXHIBITS
Item
1. Circular dated May 5, 2006.
The information contained in this report is incorporated by reference into Registration
Statement No. 333-126139.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly
caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
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INTERCONTINENTAL HOTELS GROUP PLC
(Registrant)
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Date: May 5, 2006 |
By: |
/s/ Catherine Springett
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Name: |
Catherine Springett |
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Title: |
Deputy Secretary and Head of Secretariat |
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THIS DOCUMENT IS IMPORTANT AND REQUIRES YOUR IMMEDIATE
ATTENTION. If you are in any doubt about the action you should
take, you should consult your stockbroker, solicitor,
accountant, bank manager or other independent financial adviser
duly authorised under the Financial Services and Markets Act
2000 immediately.
If you have sold or otherwise transferred some or all of your
Ordinary Shares, please send this document, together with the
accompanying Form of Proxy, as soon as possible to the purchaser
or transferee or to the stockbroker, bank or other agent through
whom the sale or transfer was effected, for delivery to the
purchaser or transferee.
InterContinental Hotels Group PLC
Incorporated and registered in England and Wales under the
Companies Act 1985
Registered number 5134420
Special Dividend of 118 pence per Existing Ordinary
Share
and
7 for 8 Share Consolidation
and
Notice of Extraordinary General Meeting
This document should be read as a whole. Your attention is
drawn to the letter from the Chairman of InterContinental Hotels
Group PLC which is set out on pages 1 to 3 of this document
and which recommends you to vote in favour of the Resolutions to
be proposed at the Extraordinary General Meeting referred to
below. The Resolutions will be voted on by taking a poll.
Application will be made to the Financial Services Authority for
the New Ordinary Shares arising from the proposed consolidation
of the Companys ordinary share capital to be admitted to
the Official List and to the London Stock Exchange for the New
Ordinary Shares to be admitted to trading on the London Stock
Exchanges main market for listed securities. It is
expected that dealings in the Existing Ordinary Shares will
continue until close of business on Friday 9 June 2006 and
that Admission of the New Ordinary Shares will become effective
and dealings for normal settlement will commence at
8.00 a.m. on Monday 12 June 2006.
Notice of an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Company to be
held at 12.00 p.m. on Thursday 1 June 2006, or as soon
as the Annual General Meeting of the Company to be held on that
date concludes or is adjourned, at The Queen Elizabeth II
Conference Centre, Broad Sanctuary, Westminster, London
SW1P 3EE is set out at the end of this document.
A Form of Proxy is enclosed with this document and, if used,
should be lodged with the Companys Registrar, Lloyds TSB
Registrars, at The Causeway, Worthing, West Sussex BN99 6DW
no later than 12.00 p.m. on Tuesday 30 May 2006.
If you hold shares in CREST, you may appoint a proxy by
completing and transmitting a CREST Proxy Instruction to
Lloyds TSB Registrars (CREST participant ID 7RA01) so
that it is received by no later than 12.00 p.m. on Tuesday
30 May 2006. The return of a completed Form of Proxy or
CREST Proxy Instruction will not prevent you from attending the
Extraordinary General Meeting and voting in person if you wish
to do so.
Electronic Proxy Appointment is available for this Extraordinary
General Meeting. This facility enables shareholders to lodge
their proxy appointment by electronic means on a website
provided by Lloyds TSB Registrars via www.sharevote.co.uk.
Further details are set out in the notes to the Form of Proxy.
JPMorgan Cazenove, which is authorised and regulated in the UK
by the Financial Services Authority, is acting for
InterContinental Hotels Group PLC and no-one else in connection
with the Special Dividend and Share Consolidation and will not
be responsible to any person other than InterContinental Hotels
Group PLC for providing the protections afforded to clients of
JPMorgan Cazenove or for giving advice in relation to the
Special Dividend and Share Consolidation.
CONTENTS
EXPECTED TIMETABLE
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2006 |
Latest time and date for receipt of Forms of Proxy
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12.00 p.m. on Tuesday 30 May |
Extraordinary General Meeting
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12.00 p.m. on Thursday 1 June |
Record date for the Special Dividend and
for the Share Consolidation
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6.00 p.m. on Friday
9 June |
Shares marked ex-Special Dividend
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Monday 12 June |
Commencement of dealings in New Ordinary Shares
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8.00 a.m. on Monday 12 June |
CREST accounts credited with New Ordinary Shares
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Monday 12 June |
Payment of the Special Dividend
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Thursday 22 June |
Despatch of cheques for fractional entitlements and certificates
for New Ordinary Shares
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Thursday 22 June |
If any of the above times and/or dates change, the revised
times and/or dates will be notified to Shareholders by
announcement through a Regulatory Information Service.
Unless otherwise stated, all references to times in this
document are to London time.
Holders of ADRs should see Key dates for ADR
holders on page 9.
Shareholder Helpline
If you have any questions about the Special Dividend or the
Share Consolidation, please call our Shareholder Helpline on
0870 243 0187 between 9.00 a.m. and
5.00 p.m. Monday to Friday. For legal reasons, the
Shareholder Helpline will not be able to provide advice on the
merits of the Special Dividend or the Share Consolidation or to
provide financial advice.
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LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF
INTERCONTINENTAL HOTELS GROUP PLC
5 May 2006
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To: |
Holders of Existing Ordinary Shares and holders of options
and awards under the Share Schemes. |
Dear Shareholder
Introduction
On 2 March 2006, following the disposal of InterContinental
Hotels Groups interest in the Britvic business and other
assets, the Board announced its intention to return
£500 million to Shareholders by way of a Special
Dividend. The Special Dividend forms part of a total of
£2.75 billion of funds that the Board has committed to
be returned to Shareholders since the separation of Six
Continents PLC into InterContinental Hotels Group PLC and
Mitchells & Butlers plc in April 2003.
For the reasons explained in this letter, it is proposed that
the payment of the Special Dividend of 118 pence per
Existing Ordinary Share be accompanied by a 7 for 8
consolidation of the Companys ordinary share capital.
The purpose of this letter is to provide further details of the
Special Dividend and the Share Consolidation and to seek
Shareholders consent to the Share Consolidation and to a
renewed authority to enable the Company to continue to make
market purchases of its Ordinary Shares.
Special Dividend
The Board is proposing to pay the Special Dividend to
Shareholders on the Register at 6.00 p.m. on Friday 9 June
2006. The Special Dividend will be paid as an interim dividend
in respect of the financial year ending 31 December 2006
and is expected to be paid to Shareholders on Thursday 22 June
2006.
The Board considered a variety of methods for effecting this
tranche of the return of funds. Given the amount of the return
and the methods of previous returns, and having regard to the
differing positions of the Companys Shareholders, the
Board concluded that a special dividend would be the most
efficient and appropriate method in this instance.
Share Consolidation
As at the close of business on Tuesday 2 May 2006, when the
closing mid-market price per Existing Ordinary Share was
967 pence and there were 427,334,961 Existing Ordinary
Shares in issue, the total amount of the Special Dividend was
equivalent to 12.14 per cent. of the market capitalisation of
the Company. The effect of the Share Consolidation will be to
reduce the number of Ordinary Shares in issue by approximately
the same percentage.
The Share Consolidation is intended to maintain comparability,
as far as possible, of the Companys share price before and
after the payment of the Special Dividend and to maintain most
efficiently the position of participants under the Share Schemes.
As all ordinary shareholdings in the Company will be
consolidated, Shareholders percentage holdings in the
issued share capital of the Company immediately before and after
the implementation of the Share Consolidation will (save in
respect of fractional entitlements) remain unchanged.
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InterContinental Hotels Group PLC |
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Registered in England & Wales Number 5134420 |
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Registered Office: 67 Alma Road, Windsor |
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Berkshire SL4 3HD |
1
The Share Consolidation will replace every 8 Existing Ordinary
Shares with 7 New Ordinary Shares. Fractional entitlements
arising from the Share Consolidation will be aggregated and sold
in the market on behalf of the relevant Shareholders. The
proceeds of sale are expected to be sent to Shareholders on
Thursday 22 June 2006. The value of any Shareholders
fractional entitlement will not exceed the value of one New
Ordinary Share.
For purely illustrative purposes, examples of the effects of the
Special Dividend and the Share Consolidation in respect of
certain holdings of Existing Ordinary Shares are set out below:
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Existing Ordinary Shares |
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New Ordinary Shares | |
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Special Dividend | |
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100
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87 |
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£118.00 |
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250
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218 |
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£295.00 |
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500
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437 |
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£590.00 |
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1,000
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875 |
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£1,180.00 |
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These examples do not show fractional entitlements, the value of
which will depend on the market value of the New Ordinary Shares
at the time of sale, as detailed in Appendix I below.
Following the Share Consolidation, the Companys authorised
ordinary share capital will comprise 1,400,000,000 New Ordinary
Shares and, assuming no further shares are issued or repurchased
between the date of this circular and the Share Consolidation
becoming effective, the issued share capital will comprise
373,918,090 New Ordinary Shares. The New Ordinary Shares will
have the same rights, including voting and dividend rights, as
the Existing Ordinary Shares.
Further details of the Special Dividend and Share Consolidation
are included in Appendix I.
American Depositary Receipts
The Company has elected to pay the Special Dividend to all ADR
holders in US dollars. The rate to be paid by the Company will
be US$2.17 per ADS.
Holders of ADRs should read paragraphs 5 and 7 of
Appendix I to this document, which contain important
information regarding the Special Dividend and Share
Consolidation which is relevant to them, and a description of
certain US federal income tax consequences of the Special
Dividend and Share Consolidation.
Share Schemes
Details of the Special Dividend and the Share Consolidation with
respect to the Share Schemes are set out in paragraph 4 of
Appendix I.
Taxation
A summary of the taxation consequences of the Special Dividend
and the Share Consolidation for certain categories of UK
resident Shareholders, US Shareholders and holders of ADRs is
set out in paragraph 5 of Appendix I. As more
particularly set out in that paragraph, the Directors have been
advised that:
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the tax treatment of UK resident Shareholders who receive the
Special Dividend will generally be similar to the tax treatment
of such holders receiving any other dividend paid by the Company
since 6 April 2006; and |
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UK resident Shareholders should not be treated as having made a
disposal of their Existing Ordinary Shares for the purposes of
UK taxation of chargeable gains as a result of the Share
Consolidation. |
Shareholders and holders of ADRs should read paragraph 5
of Appendix I and, if they are in any doubt as to their tax
position, should consult their professional advisers.
Extraordinary General Meeting
A notice convening the Extraordinary General Meeting of the
Company to be held at 12.00 p.m. on Thursday 1 June
2006, or as soon as the Annual General Meeting of the Company to
be held on that
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date concludes or is adjourned, at The Queen Elizabeth II
Conference Centre, Broad Sanctuary, Westminster, London
SW1P 3EE is set out at the end of this document.
The first resolution will effect the Share Consolidation,
following which the total number of issued Ordinary Shares will
be reduced and the nominal value of the Ordinary Shares will
change. As a result, the general authority to make market
purchases of Ordinary Shares which was given to the Company at
the Annual General Meeting of the Company held on 1 June
2005, or which may be given at the Annual General Meeting of the
Company to be held on 1 June 2006, may no longer be used.
The purpose of the second resolution is, therefore, to put in
place a new authority to enable the Company to make market
purchases of Ordinary Shares. This authority will apply to up to
55,450,721 New Ordinary Shares, representing approximately
14.83 per cent. of the Companys expected issued
ordinary share capital after the Share Consolidation. The
Company has recently embarked on its third consecutive
£250 million share repurchase programme, utilising its
existing authority from Shareholders to make market purchases of
its Existing Ordinary Shares, and will use the new authority as
it applies to the New Ordinary Shares. The new authority will
only be used if, in the opinion of the Directors, to do so would
be in the best interests of Shareholders generally.
Action to be taken
Whether or not you propose to attend the Extraordinary General
Meeting, you are requested to complete and sign the enclosed
Form of Proxy. Completed Forms of Proxy should be returned to
Lloyds TSB Registrars, The Causeway, Worthing, West Sussex
BN99 6DW as soon as possible, and in any event so as to be
received by Lloyds TSB Registrars no later than 12.00 p.m.
on Tuesday 30 May 2006.
If you hold shares in CREST, you may appoint a proxy by
completing and transmitting a CREST Proxy Instruction to Lloyds
TSB Registrars (CREST participant ID 7RA01) so that it is
received by no later than 12.00 p.m. on Tuesday 30 May
2006. The return of a completed Form of Proxy or CREST Proxy
Instruction will not prevent you from attending the
Extraordinary General Meeting and voting in person if you wish
to do so.
Electronic Proxy Appointment is available for this Extraordinary
General Meeting. This facility enables shareholders to lodge
their proxy appointment by electronic means on a website
provided by Lloyds TSB Registrars via www.sharevote.co.uk.
Further details are set out in the notes to the Form of Proxy.
The Resolutions will be decided on a poll, rather than a show of
hands, to enable those Shareholders who may be unable to attend
the meeting in person to participate in the vote. The results of
the polls will be announced to the London and New York Stock
Exchanges and will appear on the Companys website
www.ihgplc.com.
Recommendation
Your Board, which has received financial advice from JPMorgan
Cazenove, considers the passing of the Resolutions to be in the
best interests of Shareholders as a whole. In giving its
financial advice, JPMorgan Cazenove has placed reliance on the
Directors commercial assessments.
Your Board unanimously recommends Shareholders to vote in
favour of the Resolutions to be proposed at the Extraordinary
General Meeting as the members of the Board intend to do in
respect of their own beneficial holdings of 703,842 Existing
Ordinary Shares which, as at 2 May 2006, represented
0.16 per cent. of the existing issued share capital of the
Company.
Yours sincerely
David Webster
Chairman
3
APPENDIX I
FURTHER DETAILS OF THE SPECIAL DIVIDEND AND
SHARE CONSOLIDATION
1. Share Consolidation
The effect of the Share Consolidation will be that Shareholders
on the Register at the close of business on the Record Date,
which is expected to be 6.00 p.m. on Friday 9 June
2006, will, on the implementation of the Share Consolidation,
exchange:
8 Existing Ordinary Shares for 7 New Ordinary Shares
and in that proportion for any other number of Existing Ordinary
Shares then held. The proportion of the issued ordinary share
capital of the Company held by each Shareholder immediately
before and following the Share Consolidation will, save for
fractional entitlements, remain unchanged. Apart from having a
different nominal value, each New Ordinary Share will carry the
same rights as set out in the Companys Articles of
Association that currently attach to the Existing Ordinary
Shares.
To effect the Share Consolidation it may be necessary to issue
such minimum number of additional Existing Ordinary Shares so
that the number of the Companys Existing Ordinary Shares
is exactly divisible by 8.
2. Effects of proposals
For purely illustrative purposes, examples of the effects of the
Special Dividend and the Share Consolidation in respect of
certain holdings of Existing Ordinary Shares are set out below:
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Existing Ordinary Shares |
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New Ordinary Shares | |
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Special Dividend | |
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100
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87 |
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£118.00 |
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250
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218 |
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£295.00 |
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500
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437 |
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£590.00 |
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1,000
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875 |
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£1,180.00 |
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These examples do not show fractional entitlements, the value of
which will depend on the market value of the New Ordinary Shares
at the time of sale, as detailed below.
Shareholders whose holdings of Existing Ordinary Shares cannot
be consolidated into an exact number of New Ordinary Shares will
be left with a fractional entitlement. Such Shareholders will
receive cash in respect of the net proceeds from fractional
entitlements to New Ordinary Shares following the Share
Consolidation. New Ordinary Shares representing such fractional
entitlements will be sold in the market on Monday 12 June
2006 on behalf of the relevant Shareholders. Cheques in respect
of the net proceeds of sale are expected to be despatched on
Thursday 22 June 2006. Shareholders who hold only one
Existing Ordinary Share will only receive cash.
3. Conditions
The Share Consolidation is conditional on the first resolution
set out in the notice of Extraordinary General Meeting being
passed and becoming unconditional. This resolution is
conditional on the New Ordinary Shares being admitted to the
Official List by the Financial Services Authority and being
admitted to trading by the London Stock Exchange.
4. Share Schemes
Participants under the Share Schemes are not entitled to receive
the Special Dividend unless they hold Existing Ordinary Shares
within the Britvic Share Incentive Plan or hold forfeitable
Existing Ordinary Shares under the Short Term Deferred Incentive
Plan. The Directors have determined, in relation to those
participants who will not be entitled to receive the Special
Dividend, that as the effect of the Share Consolidation will be
broadly to preserve the value of their share options and awards,
subject to normal
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market fluctuations, no adjustment to their share options or
awards is required. Following the Share Consolidation, holders
of such options and awards will be entitled on the exercise of
options and/or vesting of awards to receive the same number of
New Ordinary Shares as their previous entitlement to Existing
Ordinary Shares.
For practical reasons, there may be a delay in the processing of
option exercises during the week preceding the Record Date for
the Special Dividend and the Share Consolidation. Optionholders
wishing to exercise options and to sell Ordinary Shares prior to
the Record Date, or wishing to exercise options and hold
Ordinary Shares which will qualify for the Special Dividend and
Share Consolidation, should therefore take any necessary action
to exercise their options before Friday 2 June 2006.
Optionholders are advised to seek their own professional advice
regarding the financial consequences of exercising options at
the time of the Special Dividend and Share Consolidation.
As at 2 May 2006 (being the last practicable day prior to
the publication of this document), the total number of
outstanding options and awards to acquire Existing Ordinary
Shares was 33,944,240 which, if such Existing Ordinary Shares
were acquired, would represent approximately 7.9 per cent.
of the Companys issued share capital as at that date
(prior to any such subscription). If the Resolutions to be
proposed at the Extraordinary General Meeting are passed and
become unconditional, and no further options have been exercised
or awards vested or Existing Ordinary Shares repurchased, these
options and awards will represent approximately 9.1 per
cent. of the Companys issued share capital immediately
after the Share Consolidation.
The Share Schemes are operated in such a way as to ensure that
Existing Ordinary Shares are not and New Ordinary Shares will
not be issued to employees under the Share Schemes in excess of
the maximum permitted percentage of the Companys issued
ordinary share capital.
5. Taxation
A. United Kingdom
Taxation
The following summary is intended as a general guide only and
relates only to the UK taxation treatment of the Special
Dividend and the related Share Consolidation. It is based on
current UK tax law and current published HM Revenue
and Customs practice for Shareholders who (except where
otherwise indicated) are resident in the UK for tax purposes,
who are the beneficial owners of those shares and who hold them
as investments. Shareholders who are in any doubt about their
tax position, or who are subject to tax in any jurisdiction
other than the UK, should consult their own appropriate
professional advisers.
Special Dividend
There is no UK withholding tax on dividends.
An individual Shareholder who is resident in the UK for UK tax
purposes should generally be entitled to a tax credit in respect
of the Special Dividend which he or she can offset against his
or her total income tax liability on the Special Dividend. The
amount of the tax credit is equal to 10 per cent. of the
aggregate of the dividend and the tax credit (the gross
dividend) (one-ninth of the amount of the net cash
dividend). The gross dividend is included in computing the
income of such an individual holder for UK tax purposes.
The rate of income tax on dividends is 10 per cent. of the
gross dividend for taxpayers liable to income tax at rates not
exceeding the basic rate. The tax credit will discharge in full
the income tax liability on the Special Dividend of an
individual Shareholder who is not liable to income tax at a rate
higher than the basic rate. A higher rate taxpayer will be
liable to tax on the Special Dividend at the rate of
32.5 per cent. of the gross dividend; therefore, after the
tax credit has been set against his or her tax liability, he or
she will have to account for tax equal to 22.5 per cent. of
the gross dividend (25 per cent. of the net cash dividend
received) to the extent that the gross dividend, being treated
as the top slice of his or her income, falls above the threshold
for higher rate income tax.
UK resident taxpayers who are not liable to UK tax on dividends,
including pension funds and charities, will generally not be
entitled to claim repayment of the tax credit in respect of the
Special Dividend.
A UK resident corporate Shareholder will not normally be liable
to corporation tax in respect of the Special Dividend. Such a
holder will not be able to claim any repayment of tax credits.
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The right of Shareholders who are not resident in the UK for tax
purposes to reclaim tax credits attaching to the Special
Dividend will depend upon the existence and terms of an
applicable double tax treaty. In most cases, such Shareholders
will not be able to claim repayment of any part of the tax
credit attaching to the Special Dividend. Shareholders who are
not resident in the UK for tax purposes should consult their own
tax advisers concerning their tax liabilities on the Special
Dividend in the UK and in any other country.
It is expected that for the purposes of UK taxation on
chargeable gains the Share Consolidation will be treated as
follows:
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(a) |
the New Ordinary Shares arising from the Share Consolidation
will result from a reorganisation of the share capital of the
Company. Accordingly, a Shareholder will not generally be
treated as making a disposal of all or part of the
Shareholders holding of Existing Ordinary Shares by reason
of the Share Consolidation being implemented, and the New
Ordinary Shares which replace a Shareholders holding of
Existing Ordinary Shares (the new holding) as a
result of the Share Consolidation will be treated as the same
asset acquired at the same time as the Shareholders
holding of Existing Ordinary Shares was acquired; |
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(b) |
to the extent that a Shareholder receives cash by virtue of a
sale on his or her behalf of any New Ordinary Shares to which he
or she has a fractional entitlement, the Shareholder will not in
practice normally be treated as making a part disposal of the
Shareholders holding of Existing Ordinary Shares, the
proceeds instead being deducted from the base cost of the
Shareholders new holding; and |
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(c) |
on a subsequent disposal of the whole or part of the New
Ordinary Shares comprised in the new holding, a Shareholder may,
depending on his or her circumstances, be subject to tax on the
amount of any chargeable gain realised. |
Section 703 of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988
(ICTA)
Under the provisions of section 703 ICTA, HM Revenue and
Customs can, in certain circumstances, counteract tax advantages
arising in relation to certain transactions in securities. No
clearance has been or will be sought under section 707 ICTA
that HM Revenue and Customs will not seek to apply those
provisions in relation to the Special Dividend. These
provisions, however, should not generally affect the taxation of
Shareholders who receive the Special Dividend while continuing
to hold their Ordinary Shares.
Shareholders considering transactions in respect of their
Existing Ordinary Shares are advised to take independent advice
on the potential application of section 703 ICTA in the
light of their own particular circumstances.
B. United States Federal
Income Taxation
This disclosure is limited to the US federal tax issues
addressed herein. Additional issues may exist that are not
addressed in this disclosure and that could affect the US
federal tax treatment of the Special Dividend and related Share
Consolidation. This tax disclosure was written in connection
with the Special Dividend and related Share Consolidation by the
Company and it cannot be used by any shareholder for the purpose
of avoiding penalties that may be asserted against the
shareholder under the Internal Revenue Code. Shareholders should
seek their own advice based on their particular circumstances
from an independent tax adviser.
The following is a discussion of certain US federal income tax
consequences of the Special Dividend and related Share
Consolidation to US Holders (as defined below) who receive the
Special Dividend, but it does not purport to be a comprehensive
description of all the tax considerations that may be relevant
to a particular person. This discussion does not address US
state, local and non-US tax consequences. The discussion
addresses only US Holders who hold Existing Ordinary Shares or
ADSs as capital assets for US federal income tax purposes, and
it does not address special classes of holders, such as:
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certain financial institutions; |
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insurance companies; |
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dealers and certain traders in securities or foreign currencies; |
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persons holding Existing Ordinary Shares or ADSs as part of a
hedge, straddle, conversion or other integrated transaction; |
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persons whose functional currency for US federal income tax
purposes is not the US dollar; |
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partnerships or other entities classified as partnerships for US
federal income tax purposes; |
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persons liable for the alternative minimum tax; |
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tax-exempt organisations; or |
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persons that own or are deemed to own 10 per cent. or more
of the Companys voting stock. |
This discussion is based on the Internal Revenue Code of 1986,
as amended (the Code), administrative
pronouncements, judicial decisions, final, temporary and
proposed US Treasury regulations and the income tax treaty
between the United States and the United Kingdom (the
Treaty), all as of the date hereof. These laws are
subject to change, possibly on a retroactive basis. It is also
based in part on representations by the ADR Depositary and
assumes that each obligation under the ADR Deposit Agreement and
any related agreement will be performed in accordance with its
terms. US Holders should consult their own tax advisers
concerning the US federal, state, local and non-US tax
consequences of the Special Dividend and related Share
Consolidation in their particular circumstances.
As used herein, a US Holder is a beneficial
owner of Existing Ordinary Shares or ADSs that is, for
US federal income tax purposes: (i) a citizen or
resident of the United States; (ii) a corporation, or other
entity taxable as a corporation, created or organised in or
under the laws of the United States or any political
sub-division thereof;
or (iii) an estate or trust the income of which is subject
to US federal income taxation regardless of its source.
In general, a US Holder of ADSs will be treated as the
holder of the underlying Ordinary Shares represented by those
ADSs for US federal income tax purposes.
The US Treasury has expressed concerns that parties to whom
ADSs are pre-released may be taking actions that are
inconsistent with the claiming of foreign tax credits for
US Holders of ADSs. Such actions would also be inconsistent
with the claiming of a preferential rate of tax applicable to
dividends received by certain non-corporate US Holders.
Accordingly, the availability of preferential tax rates for
dividends received by certain non-corporate US Holders,
described below, could be affected by actions taken by parties
to whom ADSs are pre-released.
This discussion assumes that the Company has not been, and will
not become, a passive foreign investment company
(PFIC) for US federal income tax purposes, as
described below.
Special Dividend
The Special Dividend will be treated as foreign-source dividend
income to the extent paid out of the Companys current or
accumulated earnings and profits (as determined under
US federal income tax principles). To the extent the
Special Dividend exceeds the Companys current and
accumulated earnings and profits (as determined under US federal
income tax principles), it will be treated first as a tax-free
return of capital to the extent of the US Holders tax
basis in its Ordinary Shares or ADSs, and capital gain
thereafter. The Company does not maintain records of earnings
and profits in accordance with US federal income tax principles.
Accordingly, it is expected that the Special Dividend will be
reported as a dividend for US federal income tax purposes.
In the case of a US Holder of Ordinary Shares, the dividend
will be included in the US Holders income in a
US dollar amount calculated by reference to the exchange
rate in effect on the date the dividend is received by such
US Holder, regardless of whether the payment is in fact
converted into US dollars at such time. If the dividend is
converted into US dollars on the date of receipt, a
US Holder generally should not be required to recognise
foreign currency gain or loss in respect of the dividend income.
A US Holder may have US-source foreign currency income or
loss if the dividend is not converted into US dollars on
the date of its receipt.
7
The Special Dividend will not be eligible for the
dividends-received deduction generally allowed to
US corporations under the Code. Subject to applicable
limitations and the concerns expressed by the US Treasury
discussed above, dividends paid to certain non-corporate
US Holders in taxable years beginning before 1 January
2009 are taxable at preferential rates, up to a maximum rate of
15 per cent. Non-corporate US Holders should consult
their own tax advisers to determine whether they are subject to
any special rules that would limit their ability to be taxed at
these preferential rates. If the preferential rates apply and
the Special Dividend exceeds 10 per cent. of a
US Holders adjusted basis in its Ordinary Shares or
ADSs (or, if the preferential rates apply and the Special
Dividend and any other dividends with
ex-dividend dates
during the same period of 365 consecutive days in the aggregate
exceed 20 per cent. of such basis), any loss on the sale or
exchange of such Ordinary Shares or ADSs would be treated as
long-term capital loss to the extent of such dividend(s).
A US Holder will not recognise gain or loss in connection
with the exchange of Existing Ordinary Shares (including
Existing Ordinary Shares represented by ADSs) for New Ordinary
Shares (including New Ordinary Shares represented by ADSs) in
the Share Consolidation, except to the extent of cash received
in lieu of a fractional entitlement to a New Ordinary Share or
ADS. The difference, as determined in US dollars, between
the US Holders tax basis allocable to the fractional
entitlement and the cash received upon the sale of such
entitlement will be US-source capital gain or loss which will be
long-term capital gain or loss if the US Holder has held
its Existing Ordinary Shares or ADSs for more than one year.
A US Holders tax basis in its New Ordinary Shares or
ADSs will equal its tax basis in its Existing Ordinary Shares or
ADSs less any tax basis that is allocable to any fractional
entitlement to a New Ordinary Share or ADS. A
US Holders holding period for its New Ordinary Shares
or ADSs will include its holding period for the Existing
Ordinary Shares or ADSs exchanged therefor.
|
|
|
Passive Foreign Investment Company Considerations |
In general, the Company would be considered a PFIC for any
taxable year in which (i) 75 per cent. or more of its
gross income consists of passive income (such as dividends,
interest, rents and royalties) or (ii) 50 per cent. or
more of the average quarterly value of its assets consists of
assets that produce, or are held for the production of, passive
income. The Company believes that it was not a PFIC for its
recent taxable years and does not expect to become a PFIC in the
foreseeable future. However, because PFIC status depends upon
the composition of a companys income and assets and the
fair market value of its assets from time to time, and the
Company has not reviewed its status as a PFIC for all prior
taxable years, there can be no assurance that the Company will
not be, or was not, a PFIC for any taxable year. If the Company
were treated as a PFIC for any taxable year during which a
US Holder held Ordinary Shares or ADSs, certain adverse US
federal income tax consequences could apply to such
US Holder upon a disposition of Ordinary Shares or ADSs and
receipt of certain distributions, including the Special
Dividend. US Holders are urged to consult their own tax
advisers concerning the US federal income tax consequences to
them if the Company has been or becomes a PFIC.
|
|
|
Information Reporting and Backup Withholding |
Payments of dividends and sales proceeds that are made within
the United States or through certain US-related financial
intermediaries generally are subject to information reporting
and to backup withholding unless the US Holder is a
corporation or other exempt recipient or, in the case of backup
withholding, the US Holder provides a correct taxpayer
identification number and certifies that no loss of exemption
from backup withholding has occurred. The amount of any backup
withholding from a payment to a US Holder will be allowed
as a credit against the US Holders US federal income
tax liability and may entitle the US Holder to a refund,
provided that the required information is furnished to the
Internal Revenue Service on a timely basis.
6. Dealings and settlement
Application will be made to the Financial Services Authority for
the New Ordinary Shares to be admitted to the Official List and
to the London Stock Exchange for the New Ordinary Shares to be
admitted to trading. Subject to the Share Consolidation becoming
effective, it is expected that dealings in the New Ordinary
Shares will commence at 8.00 a.m. on Monday 12 June
2006.
8
New share certificates in respect of the New Ordinary Shares are
expected to be posted at the risk of Shareholders by Thursday
22 June 2006 to those Shareholders who hold their shares in
Certificated Form. These will replace existing certificates
which should then be destroyed. Pending the receipt of new
certificates, transfers of New Ordinary Shares held in
Certificated Form will be certified against the Register.
Shareholders who hold their entitlement to New Ordinary Shares
in Uncertificated Form through CREST will have their CREST
accounts adjusted to reflect their entitlement to New Ordinary
Shares on Monday 12 June 2006.
|
|
|
Key dates for ADR holders
|
|
2006 |
Latest date and time for receipt by the ADR Depositary of
completed voting instruction cards from holders of ADRs
|
|
3.00 p.m. (New York time) on Thursday 25 May |
Extraordinary General Meeting
|
|
12.00 p.m. (London time) on Thursday 1 June |
Effective Date
|
|
6.00 p.m. (New York time) on Friday 9 June |
Commencement of dealings in the new ADRs
|
|
Monday 12 June |
Exchange of existing ADRs commences
|
|
Tuesday 20 June |
The latest time for ADR record holders as at 28 April 2006
to provide the ADR Depositary with voting instructions for the
Extraordinary General Meeting is 3.00 p.m. (New York time)
on Thursday 25 May 2006.
Holders of ADRs will not, except as mentioned below, be entitled
to attend the Extraordinary General Meeting. However, the ADR
Depositary, as registered holder of the Existing Ordinary Shares
underlying the ADRs, will be so entitled and will vote or
appoint a proxy in respect of such shares in accordance with
written instructions received from holders of ADRs.
Holders of ADRs who wish to attend the Extraordinary General
Meeting in person should take steps to present their ADRs to the
ADR Depositary for cancellation and (upon compliance with the
terms of the ADR Deposit Agreement, including payment of the ADR
Depositarys fees and any applicable taxes and governmental
charges) delivery of Existing Ordinary Shares so as to become
registered members of the Company prior to the Extraordinary
General Meeting.
If no instructions are received by the ADR Depositary from any
holder with respect to any of the ADRs on or before the cut-off
time on Thursday 25 May 2006, the ADR Depositary shall deem
such holder to have instructed the ADR Depositary to give a
discretionary proxy to a person designated by the Company with
respect to such ADRs, and the ADR Depositary shall give a
discretionary proxy to a person designated by the Company to
vote such ADRs.
|
|
|
Special Dividend and Share Consolidation |
The Company has elected to pay the Special Dividend with respect
to the ordinary shares represented by ADSs in US dollars at the
rate of US$2.17 per outstanding ADS. This represents a
conversion at a rate of £1 to US$1.8397, as determined
using the closing mid point spot rate (to four decimal places)
on 2 May 2006 as reported in the Financial Times.
Following the Share Consolidation becoming effective, the
Existing Ordinary Shares held by the ADR Depositary and
underlying each existing ADS will be exchanged for New Ordinary
Shares. As a result of the Share Consolidation and Special
Dividend, for each existing ADS held at the Effective Date,
holders will, upon exchange of their existing ADRs, receive new
ADSs and, in connection with the Special Dividend, will also be
paid US$2.17 per ADS. Fractions of new ADSs will not be issued
to holders of existing ADRs. All fractions to which holders of
existing ADRs would otherwise have been entitled will be
aggregated and sold in the market as soon as practicable after
the Share Consolidation becomes effective and the net proceeds
of sale will be paid to the holders of the existing ADRs
entitled thereto.
Following the Share Consolidation becoming effective, the ADR
Depositary will mail a notice to registered holders of ADRs
regarding the mechanics of the exchange of their existing ADRs.
For those
9
ADR holders who hold a book-entry position through the Direct
Registration System (DRS), the Depositary will
automatically mail a new DRS Statement advising the number of
new ADSs to be credited to the holders account along with
the Special Dividend and any proceeds from the sale of
fractional ADSs to which the holder may be entitled. No action
will be necessary on the part of the holder. For registered
holders of ADR certificate(s), instructions for the exchange of
ADR certificates will be set out in the Letter of Transmittal.
If such holders do not surrender their certificate(s) for
exchange, they will not receive the new entitlement and all
dividends will be held until such time as they surrender their
old certificate(s). ADR holders who hold their ADRs through a
broker, financial institution or other nominee or otherwise,
must rely on the procedures of such broker, financial
institution or other nominee. The ADR Depositary will, upon
surrender of the existing ADSs, deliver new ADSs, the Special
Dividend and any proceeds from the sale of fractional shares to
which the holder may be entitled.
InterContinental Hotels Group is currently subject to the
information requirements of the US Securities Exchange Act
applicable to foreign private issuers having securities
registered under section 12 of that Act and as required by
that Act files an annual report and other information with the
SEC. The reports and other information filed with the SEC can be
inspected and copied at the public reference room located at
100 F. Street, NE, Washington DC 20549
(www.sec.gov). Please call the SEC at
+1-800-SEC-0330 for
further information on the public reference rooms and their copy
charges.
8. Consent
JPMorgan Cazenove has given and not withdrawn its written
consent to the inclusion in this document of the references to
its name in the form and context in which it appears.
|
|
9. |
Documents available for inspection |
Copies of the following documents will be available for
inspection during normal business hours on any weekday
(Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays excepted) at the offices
of Linklaters, One Silk Street, London EC2Y 8HQ until the
date of the Extraordinary General Meeting:
|
|
|
|
(a) |
this document; and |
|
|
(b) |
the consent letter referred to above. |
5 May 2006.
10
APPENDIX II
DEFINITIONS
The following definitions apply throughout this document and the
accompanying Form of Proxy unless the context requires otherwise.
|
|
|
Act |
|
the Companies Act 1985 (as amended) |
|
Admission |
|
admission of the New Ordinary Shares to the Official List and to
trading on the London Stock Exchanges main market for
listed securities becoming effective in accordance with,
respectively, the Listing Rules and the Admission and Disclosure
Standards |
|
Admission and Disclosure Standards |
|
the requirements contained in the publication Admission
and Disclosure Standards dated July 2005 containing, among
other things, the admission requirements to be observed by
companies seeking admission to trading on the London Stock
Exchanges market for listed securities |
|
ADR |
|
an American depositary receipt evidencing an American depositary
share, issued by the ADR Depositary in accordance with the
provisions of the ADR Deposit Agreement |
|
ADR Deposit Agreement |
|
the deposit agreement entered into between InterContinental
Hotels Group, the ADR Depositary and holders from time to time
of ADRs issued under it |
|
ADR Depositary |
|
JPMorgan Chase Bank NA in its capacity as the ADR depositary
under the ADR Deposit Agreement |
|
ADS |
|
an American depositary share |
|
Board |
|
the board of Directors of the Company |
|
Certificated or In Certificated Form |
|
not in Uncertificated Form
|
|
Company |
|
InterContinental Hotels Group PLC |
|
CREST |
|
the relevant system (as defined in the CREST Regulations) in
respect of which CRESTCo Limited is the Operator (as defined in
the CREST Regulations) |
|
CREST Regulations |
|
the Uncertificated Securities Regulations 2001 (SI 2001
No. 3755) |
|
Directors |
|
the directors of the Company |
|
Effective Date |
|
the date on which entitlement to the Special Dividend and Share
Consolidation becomes effective |
|
Existing Ordinary Shares |
|
the existing issued ordinary shares of 10 pence each in the
capital of the Company |
|
Extraordinary General Meeting |
|
the Extraordinary General Meeting of the Company convened for
12.00 p.m. on Thursday 1 June 2006 (and any
adjournment thereof), or as soon as the Annual General Meeting
of the Company to be held on that date concludes or is
adjourned, notice of which is set out at the end of this document |
|
Financial Services Authority or FSA |
|
the Financial Services Authority of the UK in its capacity as
the competent authority for the purposes of Part VI of FSMA
and in the exercise of its functions in respect of the admission
to the Official List otherwise in accordance with Part VI
of FSMA |
|
Form of Proxy |
|
the form of proxy for use by holders of Existing Ordinary Shares
accompanying this document for use in connection with the
Extraordinary General Meeting |
11
|
|
|
FSMA |
|
the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (as amended) |
|
InterContinental Hotels Group |
|
InterContinental Hotels Group PLC |
|
JPMorgan Cazenove |
|
JPMorgan Cazenove Limited |
|
Listing Rules |
|
the listing rules of the Financial Services Authority made for
the purpose of Part VI of FSMA relating to the admission of
securities to the Official List |
|
London Stock Exchange |
|
London Stock Exchange plc |
|
New Ordinary Shares |
|
the proposed new ordinary shares of
113/7
pence each in the capital of the Company resulting
from the Share Consolidation |
|
Official List |
|
the Official List maintained by the Financial Services Authority
for the purposes of Part VI of FSMA |
|
Ordinary Shares |
|
prior to the Share Consolidation, the Existing Ordinary Shares
and, thereafter, the New Ordinary Shares |
|
Record Date |
|
6.00 p.m. (London time) on Friday 9 June 2006 (or such
other time and date as the Directors may determine) |
|
Register |
|
the register of members of the Company |
|
Registrar |
|
Lloyds TSB Registrars at The Causeway, Worthing, West Sussex
BN99 6DW |
|
Resolutions |
|
the resolutions set out in the notice convening the
Extraordinary General Meeting |
|
SEC |
|
the United States Securities and Exchange Commission |
|
Share Consolidation |
|
the proposed consolidation to be effected by consolidating every
8 Existing Ordinary Shares or 8 authorised but
unissued ordinary shares respectively into 7 New Ordinary
Shares |
|
Share Schemes |
|
the InterContinental Hotels Group Executive Share Option Plan,
the InterContinental Hotels Group Performance Restricted Share
Plan, the InterContinental Hotels Group Short Term Deferred
Incentive Plan, the InterContinental Hotels Group Sharesave Plan
and the Britvic Share Incentive Plan |
|
Shareholders |
|
holders of Ordinary Shares in the Company |
|
Special Dividend |
|
the proposed special interim dividend of 118 pence per
Existing Ordinary Share or US$2.17 per ADS, as appropriate |
|
Uncertificated or In Uncertificated Form |
|
recorded on the Register as being held in uncertificated form in
CREST and title to which, by virtue of the CREST Regulations,
may be transferred by means of CREST |
|
United Kingdom or UK |
|
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland |
|
United States or US |
|
the United States of America, its territories and possessions,
any State of the United States of America and the District of
Columbia |
|
US Securities Exchange Act |
|
the US Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended |
12
INTERCONTINENTAL HOTELS GROUP PLC
NOTICE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING
Notice is hereby given that an Extraordinary General Meeting of
InterContinental Hotels Group PLC (the
Company) will be held at 12.00 p.m. on
Thursday 1 June 2006, or as soon as the Annual General
Meeting of the Company to be held on that date concludes or is
adjourned, at The Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre,
Broad Sanctuary, Westminster, London SW1P 3EE for the
purpose of considering and, if thought fit, passing the
following Resolutions, the first of which will be proposed as an
ordinary resolution and the second as a special resolution:
|
|
1. |
That, subject to and conditional upon admission of the New
Ordinary Shares (as defined below) to the Official List
maintained by the Financial Services Authority and to trading on
the London Stock Exchanges main market for listed
securities becoming effective: |
|
|
|
|
(a) |
all the ordinary shares of 10 pence each in the capital of the
Company which at the close of business on Friday 9 June 2006 (or
such other time and date as the directors of the Company may
determine) are shown in the books of the Company as authorised,
whether issued or unissued, shall be sub-divided into new
ordinary shares of
13/7 pence
each in the capital of the Company (the Intermediate
Shares); |
|
|
(b) |
all Intermediate Shares that are unissued shall be consolidated
into new ordinary shares of
113/7 pence
each in the capital of the Company (the Unissued New
Ordinary Shares), provided that, where such
consolidation would otherwise result in a fraction of an
Unissued New Ordinary Share, that number of Intermediate Shares
which would otherwise constitute such fraction shall be
cancelled pursuant to section 121(2)(e) of the Companies
Act 1985; and |
|
|
(c) |
all Intermediate Shares that are in issue shall be consolidated
into new ordinary shares of
113/7 pence
each in the capital of the Company (the New Ordinary
Shares), provided that, where such consolidation
results in any member being entitled to a fraction of a New
Ordinary Share, such fraction shall, so far as possible, be
aggregated with the fractions of a New Ordinary Share to which
other members of the Company may be entitled and the directors
of the Company be and are hereby authorised to sell (or appoint
any other person to sell to any person), on behalf of the
relevant members, all the New Ordinary Shares representing such
fractions at the best price reasonably obtainable to any person,
and to distribute the proceeds of sale (net of expenses) in due
proportion among the relevant members entitled thereto (save
that any fraction of a penny which would otherwise be payable
shall be rounded up or down in accordance with the usual
practice of the registrar of the Company) and that any director
of the Company (or any person appointed by the directors of the
Company) shall be and is hereby authorised to execute an
instrument of transfer in respect of such shares on behalf of
the relevant members and to do all acts and things the directors
consider necessary or expedient to effect the transfer of such
shares to, or in accordance with the directions of, any buyer of
any such shares. |
|
|
2. |
That, subject to and conditional upon Resolution 1 above being
passed and becoming unconditional, the Company shall be and is
hereby generally and unconditionally authorised for the purpose
of section 166 of the Companies Act 1985 to make market
purchases (as defined in section 163 of the Companies Act
1985) of New Ordinary Shares on such terms and in such manner as
the directors of the Company may from time to time determine
provided that: |
|
|
|
|
(a) |
the maximum aggregate number of New Ordinary Shares that may be
purchased under this authority is 55,450,721; |
|
|
(b) |
the minimum price which may be paid is the nominal value of such
share; |
|
|
(c) |
the maximum price which may be paid for a New Ordinary Share
purchased under this authority is an amount equal to the higher
of (i) 105 per cent. of the closing price for a New
Ordinary Share, as derived from the London Stock Exchange Daily
Official List for the five business days immediately preceding
the day on which that share is contracted to be purchased or
(ii) the higher of the price of the last independent trade
and the highest current bid as stipulated by Article 5(1)
of Commission Regulation (EC) 22 December 2003 |
13
|
|
|
|
|
implementing the Market Abuse Directive as regards exemptions
for buyback programmes and stabilisation of financial
instruments (No. 2273/2003); and |
|
|
|
|
(d) |
this authority will expire at the conclusion of the next Annual
General Meeting of the Company in 2007 or on 1 September
2007, whichever is earlier (except in relation to the purchase
of ordinary shares the contract for which was concluded before
the expiry of such authority and which will or may be executed
wholly or partly after such expiry) unless such authority is
renewed prior to such time. |
|
|
|
By Order of the Board
Richard Winter
Company Secretary |
|
Registered Office:
67 Alma Road
Windsor
Berkshire SL4 3HD
Dated 5 May 2006 |
Notes:
|
|
1. |
Any member of the Company entitled to attend and vote at the
Extraordinary General Meeting may appoint one or more proxies to
attend and, upon a poll, to vote on behalf of such member. A
proxy need not be a member of the Company. |
|
2. |
A Form of Proxy is enclosed. To be valid, the Form of Proxy,
together with the power of attorney or other authority, if any,
under which it is signed, or a duly certified copy thereof,
should be completed, signed and deposited with the
Companys Registrar, Lloyds TSB Registrars, at The
Causeway, Worthing, West Sussex BN99 6DW, not later than
48 hours before the time appointed for the Extraordinary
General Meeting. Completion of a Form of Proxy will not preclude
a member from attending the Extraordinary General Meeting and
voting in person. |
|
3. |
Pursuant to Regulation 41 of the Uncertificated Securities
Regulations 2001, the Company specifies that to be entitled to
attend and vote at the Extraordinary General Meeting or any
adjournment thereof (and for the purposes of determining the
number of votes they may cast) a person must be entered on the
Companys register of members at 6.00 p.m. (London
time) on the day two days before the day of the Extraordinary
General Meeting or adjourned meeting (as the case may be).
Changes to entries on the register of members after this time
shall be disregarded in determining the rights of any person to
attend or vote at the Extraordinary General Meeting or any
adjourned meeting (as the case may be). |
|
4. |
CREST members who wish to appoint a proxy or proxies through the
CREST electronic proxy appointment service may do so for the
Extraordinary General Meeting to be held on Thursday 1 June
2006 and any adjournment(s) thereof by using the procedures
described in the CREST Manual. CREST Personal Members or other
CREST sponsored members, and those CREST members who have
appointed a voting service provider(s), should refer to their
CREST sponsor or voting service provider(s), who will be able to
take the appropriate action on their behalf. |
|
|
|
In order for a proxy appointment or instruction made using the
CREST service to be valid, the appropriate CREST message (a
CREST Proxy Instruction) must be properly
authenticated in accordance with CRESTCos specifications
and must contain the information required for such instructions,
as described in the CREST Manual. The message, regardless of
whether it constitutes the appointment of a proxy or an
amendment to the instruction given to a previously appointed
proxy must, in order to be valid, be transmitted so as to be
received by the issuers agent (ID 7RA01) by the latest
time(s) for receipt of proxy appointments specified in the
notice of meeting. For this purpose, the time of receipt will be
taken to be the time (as determined by the timestamp applied to
the message by the CREST Applications Host) from which the
issuers agent is able to retrieve the message by enquiry
to CREST in the manner prescribed by CREST. After this time any
change of instructions to proxies appointed through CREST should
be communicated to the appointee through other means. |
|
|
CREST members and, where applicable, their CREST sponsors or
voting service providers should note that CRESTCo does not make
available special procedures in CREST for any particular
messages. Normal system timings and limitations will therefore
apply in relation to the input of CREST Proxy Instructions. It
is the responsibility of the CREST member concerned to take (or,
if the CREST member is a CREST personal member or sponsored
member or has appointed a voting service provider(s), to procure
that his CREST sponsor or voting service provider(s) take(s))
such action as shall be necessary to ensure that a message is
transmitted by means of the CREST system by any particular time.
In this connection, CREST members and, where applicable, their
CREST sponsors or voting service providers are referred, in
particular, to those sections of the CREST Manual concerning
practical limitations of the CREST system and timings. |
|
|
The Company may treat as invalid a CREST Proxy Instruction in
the circumstances set out in Regulation 35(5)(a) of the
Uncertificated Securities Regulations 2001. |
|
|
5. |
Electronic Proxy Appointment (EPA) is
available for this Meeting. To use this facility you must visit
www.sharevote.co.uk where details of the procedure are shown.
Your reference number, card ID and account number will be
required to complete the procedure. EPA will not be valid if
received after 12.00 p.m. on Tuesday 30 May 2006 and
will not be accepted if found to contain a computer virus. |
14