Notice

Link Administration Holdings Limited ("Link Group") - ASX Settlement Operating Rule 5.18.2 inclusion of entitlements of Link Group as "FOR" Financial Products

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Notice reference number: 0710.17.06
Date published: 28/06/17
Effective as of: 29/06/17
Last updated: 28/06/17

This Notice contains important information about the eligibility to participate in the Link Group’s Pro rata Accelerated Renounceable Entitlement Offer ("Offer") of new Link Group ordinary shares and should be read carefully by Participants.

The following class of Financial Products has been included in Schedule 1 of the ASX Settlement Operating Rules as a FOR Financial Product effective 29 June 2017.

Issuer

Financial Product

ASX Code

Link Administration Holdings Limited

Entitlements – Excluded Investor

LNKR

 

What do I need to do and by when?

Only “Eligible Persons” (as defined in the attachment to this Notice) are entitled to exercise Retail Entitlements (as that term is defined in the Retail Offer Booklet to be dispatched to Eligible Persons on Wednesday, 5 July 2017), which are scheduled to commence trading under ASX code LNKR on a deferred settlement basis on Thursday, 29 June 2017 ("Link Group’s Financial Products”). Eligible Persons that purchase Link Group’s Financial Products will need to complete a specific Appendix E – Entitlement and Acceptance Form that can be obtained from www.linkmarketservices.com.au or by calling the Link Offer Information Line on 1300 934 599 (within Australia) and + 61 1300 934 599 (outside Australia) from 8:30am to 5:00pm (Sydney Time), Monday to Friday during the Offer Period. 

Link Group reserves the right to reject any Appendix E – Entitlement and Acceptance Form that it believes comes from a person who is not an Eligible Person.

Link Group’s Financial Products will trade generally on ASX; however, if Link Group’s Financial Products are purchased in a transaction on ASX by a person that is not an Eligible Person (each, an "Excluded Investor"), such Excluded Investors will not be entitled to exercise their right to subscribe for fully paid ordinary shares in Link Group (“Shares”) to be issued in the capital of Link Group under the Offer (“New Shares”). Further, any "Excluded U.S. Investor", as that term is defined in the attachment to this Bulletin, will not be entitled to acquire, hold or trade any of Link Group's Financial Products.

Link Group's Financial Products which are not or are not able to be exercised will be sold through a retail shortfall bookbuild and any proceeds in excess of the offer price of $6.75 (Retail Premium) (being the price at which Retail Entitlements are sold under the retail shortfall bookbuild (net of any applicable withholding taxes)) will be remitted proportionally to holders of those Link Group's Financial Products at the close of the Offer. The Retail Premium, if any, is expected to be paid on or about Friday, 28 July 2017.

In order to ensure that foreign ownership restrictions can be monitored and that Excluded U.S. Investors do not acquire, hold or trade Link Group's Financial Products and Excluded Investors do not exercise any right to subscribe for New Shares, ASX Settlement has agreed:

(a)       to classify Link Group’s Financial Products as FOR Financial Products under the ASX Settlement Operating Rules and to include Link Group’s Financial Products in Schedule 1 of the ASX Settlement Operating Rules Procedures; and

(b)       to implement certain additional procedures as contemplated in Guidance Note 13 of the ASX Settlement Operation Rules (Financial Products subject to Foreign Ownership Restrictions) in relation to Link Group’s Financial Products.

The following conditions apply to Link Group's Financial Products:

Foreign Person

A “Foreign Person” is an “Excluded Investor” as that term is defined in the attachment to this Bulletin.

Level of Foreign Ownership

The relevant Foreign Person ownership level is zero.

This means that no Excluded Investor, as that term is defined, may exercise any right to subscribe for New Shares for any Link Group's Financial Products they purchase or hold. Further, no Excluded U.S. Investor, as that term is defined, may acquire, hold or trade Link Group's Financial Products.

Link Group, as Issuer of the Financial Products, has agreed to be bound by the additional obligations of an Issuer of FOR Financial Products under Rule 5.18 of the ASX Settlement Operating Rules.

Link Group’s Financial Products are being offered and will be traded on the ASX market in reliance on the safe harbour provisions of Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933. The status of FOR Financial Products under the ASX Settlement Operating Rules will be applied to Link Group’s Financial Products.

Where a holder is currently designated as "F" or "M", that person cannot exercise any right to subscribe for New Shares for any of Link Group's Financial Products they purchase or hold.

Where the holder is currently designated as "F", and wishes to hold Link Group's Financial Products, but is not an Excluded U.S. Investor, a new holder record should be established for that holder designated as "D" for the purposes of holding Link Group's Financial Products.

Where a holder is currently designated as "F" or "M", and is an Excluded U.S. Investor, that person cannot acquire, hold or trade any of Link Group's Financial Products.

Participants should liaise with clients intending to purchase or hold Link Group’s Financial Products and make all necessary enquiries to ensure that those clients who are Excluded Investors are made aware that they cannot exercise any right to subscribe for New Shares and that those clients who are Excluded U.S. Investors are made aware that they cannot acquire, hold or trade any of Link Group's Financial Products. Failure to do so may result in client loss. Similarly, Participants may be liable for any failure to establish a new Holder Record designated as “D” or effect a change of residency indicator where it is necessary.

Link Group's Financial Products cannot be acquired or held by an Excluded U.S. Investor in holdings designated as "F" or "M" under any circumstances, as they may be subject to divestment action by Link Group as set out under the ASX Settlement Operating Rules. Please refer to the attachment for more information and definitions.

Need more information?

Issued by

Chris Mitchell, Officer, Post Trade Operations

Contact information

Chris Mitchell
1800 623 571
cad@asx.com.au

 

Attachment - Definitions of “Eligible Person”, "Excluded Investor" and "Excluded U.S. Investor"

 

An "Excluded Investor" means any person who, as determined by Link Group at its absolute discretion, is not an Eligible Person, and for the avoidance of doubt includes an Excluded U.S. Investor.

An "Eligible New Investor" means any person who, as determined by Link Group at its absolute discretion, is in:

  • Australia;

  • New Zealand;

  • Germany or the Netherlands (or is acquiring the Retail Entitlements or New Shares for any person who is in Germany or the Netherlands), where each relevant person is a "qualified investor" within the meaning of the Prospectus Directive (Directive 2003/71/EC) as amended and implemented in the applicable country;

  • Hong Kong (or is acquiring the Retail Entitlements or New Shares for any person who is in Hong Kong), where each relevant person is a "professional investor" as defined under the Securities and Futures Ordinance of Hong Kong (Cap. 571) of the Laws of Hong Kong;

  • Malaysia (or is acquiring the Retail Entitlements or New Shares for any person who is in Malaysia) where each relevant person is a person prescribed under Part I of Schedule 6 of the Malaysian Capital Markets and Services Act;

  • Norway (or is acquiring the Retail Entitlements or New Shares for any person who is in Norway), where each relevant person is a "professional client" as defined in Norwegian Securities Regulation of 29 June 2007 no. 876;

  • Singapore (or is acquiring the Retail Entitlements or New Shares for any person who is in Singapore), where each relevant person is an "institutional investor" or a "relevant person" (as such terms are defined in the Securities and Futures Act (Chap 289) of Singapore);

  • Switzerland (or is acquiring the Retail Entitlements or New Shares for any person who is in Switzerland), where each relevant person is an institutional investor, being regulated financial intermediaries such as banks, securities dealers, insurance institutions and fund management companies as well as institutional investors with professional treasury operations;

  • the United Kingdom (or is acquiring the Retail Entitlements or New Shares for any person who is in the United Kingdom), where each relevant person is: (i) a "qualified investor" within the meaning of Section 86(7) of the United Kingdom Financial Services and Markets Act 2000; and (ii) within the categories of persons referred to in Article 19(5) (investment professionals) or Article 49(2)(a) to (d) (high net worth companies, unincorporated associations, etc.) of the United Kingdom Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotions) Order 2005, as amended,

    provided that in each case, such person is not in the United States and is not acting for the account or benefit of a person in the United States (to the extent such person will be holding Retail Entitlements or New Shares for the account or benefit of a person in the United States).

 

An "Eligible Person" is a person who, as determined by Link Group at its absolute discretion:

  • is an Eligible Retail Shareholder; or

  • is an Eligible New Investor.

 

An "Eligible Retail Shareholder" is a person who, as determined by Link Group at its absolute discretion:

  • is a registered holder of a Share as at the Record Date (being 7.00pm (AEST[1]) on Thursday, 29 June 2016);

  • has a registered address on the Link Group share register in Australia or New Zealand;

  • is not in the United States and is not acting for the account or benefit of a person in the United States (to the extent such person holds Shares for the account or benefit of a person in the United States);

  • was not invited to participate (other than as nominee, in respect of other underlying holdings) under the institutional component of the Offer, and was not treated as an ineligible institutional shareholder under the institutional component of the Offer; and

  • is eligible under all applicable securities laws to receive an offer under the Offer.

 

An “Excluded U.S. Investor” means a holder of Link Group's Financial Products (or a person who seeks to be entered on the register as a holder of Link Group's Financial Products) who is in the United States or who is acting for the account or benefit of a person in the United States.

 

"United States" means the United States of America, its territories and possessions, any State of the United States and the district of Columbia.

 

 

 

[1] Australian Eastern Standard Time

 

 

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