
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONTAINS INSIDE INFORMATION AS STIPULATED UNDER THE
("GSC" or the "Company")
Notice of Annual General Meeting
Approval of a Rule 9 Waiver in connection with the exercise of Warrants granted to
One of the resolutions proposed at the AGM is for Independent Shareholders to vote in relation to the Company's largest shareholder,
Foreign Dimensions is a strong advocate of the Company and its management team, as evidenced by its financial support to date. The Directors are keen to ensure that Foreign Dimensions can maintain its ability to exercise all of the Warrants it holds, which could provide an important source of funding as the Company looks to build on the exploration success it has enjoyed to date on its portfolio of projects in
In order to demonstrate its ongoing support, and notwithstanding the current share price, Foreign Dimensions has agreed to exercise 6,250,000 of the warrants it was issued in
Application will be made to the
"Foreign Dimensions had wanted to exercise its Warrants earlier this year, but given its percentage holding had fallen below 50 per cent, principally as they had invested using a convertible loan to assist with the Company's most recent fundraising, it was determined by the Panel that any further exercise of Warrants required a Rule 9 waiver, although the Warrants were granted at a time when no offer obligation under Rule 9 of the Takeover Code would have arisen on their exercise, as they held over 50 per cent of the Company's voting rights at the time.
"We look forward to maintaining a strong ongoing relationship with Foreign Dimensions and all our shareholders as we work together to advance discoveries and development of our exciting assets in
"The Company's strategy of aggressive, yet efficient and focussed exploration targeting copper-gold-silver deposits in the coastal belt of
"The on-going support of our cornerstone investor with loan and warrant funding is a strong endorsement of our success and, significantly, allows us the opportunity to further extend our exploration plans."
Further details of the Rule 9 Waiver are set out in the Appendix below.
The Notice of AGM and form of proxy will be posted to shareholders today. The documents will also be uploaded to the Company's website at www.gscplc.com in due course. The Annual Report and Accounts for the financial year ended
Shareholders should read the whole of the Notice of AGM and not only rely on the information set out in this announcement.
Contact Details:
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+44 (0) 20 4582 3500 |
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SI Capital Limited |
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+44 (0) 1483 413500 |
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BlytheRay |
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+44 (0) 20 7138 3204 |
Appendix
APPROVAL OF A RULE 9 PANEL WAIVER
At the time of its admission to listing and trading in
Foreign Dimensions has corner-stoned each of the Company's capital raises since admission. This included support with a fundraising in
At the time of the
The Company subsequently carried out three further fundraises through 2023 and 2024, in all of which Foreign Dimensions participated as a cornerstone investor, being granted its share of the 4.5p Warrants, 3.0p Warrants and 2.5p Warrants.
In
The Company again consulted with the Panel to check that the same treatment would apply to the Second Convertible Loan, although in this instance on conversion of the Second Convertible Loan the interest of Foreign Dimensions and its concert parties would increase from 46.77% to 48.45%. The Panel confirmed that no Rule 9 obligation would arise on conversion of the Second Convertible Loan.
Exercise of 2.4p Warrants
Until the recent 1% Issue, Foreign Dimensions and its concert parties held a 45.91% interest in the voting capital of the Company. Given recent results announced by the Company, its share price had risen to an extent whereby it was above the level of the 2.4p Warrants and Foreign Dimensions wanted to be able to exercise them as other Warrant holders have done.
On the basis that Foreign Dimensions and its concert parties held over 50% of the voting share capital at the time of the grant to it of any of the Warrants (and therefore no offer obligation on exercise would arise on their exercise), the Company sought the consent of the Panel for the waiver, on the exercise of certain of the 2.4p Warrants (and any other Warrants) held by Foreign Dimensions, for Foreign Dimensions to make a mandatory offer for the other Ordinary Shares in the Company that it and its concert parties did not already own.
Whilst the Panel had scope under Note 11 of Rule 9.1 of the Takeover Code to permit the 1% Issue to Foreign Dimensions without the requirement for a mandatory offer to be made under Rule 9 of the Takeover Code being triggered, the issue of any further Warrant Shares would require Foreign Dimensions to make a mandatory offer for the company absent a Rule 9 Panel Waiver and its approval by Independent Shareholders, further details of which are set out below. This is on the basis that Foreign Dimensions now holds less than 50 per cent of the voting rights of the Company.
Foreign Dimensions are strong advocates of the Company and its management team as evidenced by their financial support to date and the Directors are keen to ensure that Foreign Dimensions can maintain their ability to exercise all of their Warrant Shares.
The Directors are therefore now approaching Independent Shareholders for their approval for Foreign Dimensions to exercise any of their Warrants, so as to acquire the Warrant Shares without triggering an obligation to make a mandatory offer under Rule 9 of the Takeover Code. On the Initial Exercise, the percentage interest of Foreign Dimensions and its concert parties would rise from 46.72% to 47.29% (assuming no further issues of Ordinary Shares to any other persons). This percentage would increase to 56.42% on the Further Exercise (assuming no further issues of Ordinary Shares to any other persons), and 57.51% on conversion of the Second Convertible Loan into equity (assuming no further issues of Ordinary Shares to any other persons).
RULE 9 PANEL WAIVER
Foreign Dimensions and its concert parties are currently interested in 46.72 per cent. of the Ordinary Shares in the Company. As they are interested in Ordinary Shares which in the aggregate carry not less than 30 per cent of the voting rights of the Company, but do not hold Ordinary Shares carrying more than 50 per cent. of such voting rights, if Foreign Dimensions subsequently acquires an interest in any Warrant Shares which increases its percentage of Ordinary Shares carrying voting rights, it must make a mandatory offer to all other Shareholders, unless a waiver from such offer is granted by the
In the event that Foreign Dimensions was in a position to exercise all of its outstanding Warrants, it and its concert parties would increase its percentage of voting rights from 46.72% to 56.42% of the Company's Enlarged Share Capital (assuming no further issues of Ordinary Shares to any other persons) and (for so long as they continue to be acting in concert and hold more than 50 per cent) will not be required to make a mandatory offer to all other Shareholders in the event that it increases its percentage of Ordinary Shares carrying voting rights by exercising the Warrant Shares.
For so long as Foreign Dimensions and its concert parties hold more than 50% of the voting share capital, it may increase its aggregate interests in the Ordinary Shares in the Company without incurring any obligation under Rule 9 to make a general offer for the remaining Ordinary Shares.
Furthermore, Foreign Dimensions and its concert parties are not restricted from making an offer for the Company under the Code.
Rule 9 Waiver Resolution
Resolution 8 to be proposed at the Company's AGM, waives the obligation on Foreign Dimensions to make a mandatory offer to all other Shareholders on the exercise of any of its Warrants, and is proposed as an ordinary resolution for Independent Shareholders to approve the Rule 9 Panel Waiver and shall be voted on a poll. If passed it will approve the Rule 9 Panel Waiver and will allow the immediate issue of the Initial Warrant Shares (and at a later date the Further Warrant Shares) to Foreign Dimensions without Foreign Dimensions being required to make a mandatory offer under Rule 9.
In the event that Resolution 8 is not passed at the Annual General Meeting, Foreign Dimensions will not be able to exercise any Warrants without triggering an obligation under Rule 9 of the Takeover Code. In such circumstances, the Company may need to find other sources of funding to replace the proceeds otherwise receivable by it on exercise of the Warrants by Foreign Dimensions.
IRREVOCABLE UNDERTAKINGS AND RECOMMENDATION
The Directors recognise the support of Foreign Dimensions since the time of the Company's admission to listing and trading in
Given the Warrants were granted to Foreign Dimensions at a time when no offer obligation under Rule 9 of the Takeover Code would have arisen on their exercise (because Foreign Dimensions then held over 50 per cent of the Company's voting rights), the Directors believe it would be unfair for Foreign Dimensions to lose the benefit of the Warrants, and that it would seriously impact the Company's funding plans should the Company's share price continue to increase.
Shareholders have been fully informed of the grant of all Warrants to Foreign Dimensions, and have previously approved the relevant share authorities for any new Ordinary Shares to be allotted and issued on exercise of them at the Company's 2023 and 2024 AGMs.
Foreign Dimensions remains subject to the Relationship Agreement entered into at admission to listing until its shareholding drops below 20 %. The agreement ensures that the Company is capable of carrying on its business independently of
Therefore the Directors, who have been so advised by
Each of the Directors other than
DEFINITIONS
The following definitions apply throughout this announcement unless stated otherwise:
1% Issue |
the issue of 10,416,667 Shares, for an aggregate exercise price of |
2.4p Warrants |
(i) 41,749,998 warrants granted to investors who participated in a placing and subscription in |
2.5p Warrants |
62,400,000 warrants granted to investors (including 31,200,000 to Foreign Dimensions) who participated in a subscription in |
3p Warrants |
104,416,667 warrants granted to investors (including 50,250,000 to Foreign Dimensions) who participated in a placing and subscription in |
4.5p Warrants
Further Exercise |
40,222,206 warrants granted to investors (including 14,888,888 to Foreign Dimensions) who participated in a placing and subscription in
the exercise by Foreign Dimensions of up to 121,422,216 Warrants into the Further Warrant Shares |
Further Warrant Shares |
up to 121,422,216 Warrant Shares to be issued to Foreign Dimensions following the exercise of its 2.5 Warrants, 3p Warrants, 4.5p Warrants and its remaining 25,083,328 2.4p Warrants |
Independent Shareholders |
all of the Shareholders, with the exception of Foreign Dimensions and any parties acting in concert with Foreign Dimensions |
Initial Exercise |
the exercise of by Foreign Dimensions of 6,250,000 2.4p Warrants into the Initial Warrant Shares |
Initial Warrant Shares |
6,250,000 Warrant Shares to be issued to Foreign Dimensions following the exercise of 6,250,000 of its 2.4p Warrants |
Rule 9 |
Rule 9 of the Takeover Code |
Rule 9 Panel Waiver |
the waiver granted by the |
Rule 9 Waiver Resolution |
Resolution 8 as set out in the Notice of Annual General Meeting |
Second Convertible Loan |
the convertible loan for |
Takeover Code |
the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers |
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the Panel on Takeovers and Mergers |
Notes for Editors:
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