Berkeley GroupNotice of Annual General Meeting 2024 | 01 |
The Berkeley Group Holdings plc
(incorporated and registered in England and Wales under number 05172586)
Notice of Annual General Meeting to be held on
Friday 6 September 2024
THIS DOCUMENT IS IMPORTANT AND REQUIRES YOUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION.
If you are in any doubt as to the action you should take, you are recommended to seek your own independent financial or tax advice from a stockbroker, bank manager, solicitor, accountant, or other appropriate independent financial advisor authorised under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.
If you sell or have sold or otherwise transferred all your shares in The Berkeley Group Holdings plc (the 'Company'), please forward this document, together with the accompanying documents, 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. If you sell or have sold or otherwise transferred only part of your holding of shares in the Company, please consult the stockbroker, bank or other agent through whom the sale or transfer was effected.
Please register your proxy vote no later than 11:00 am on Wednesday 4 September 2024 via the website of the Company's registrar at www.signalshares.com or by completing a hard copy Form of Proxy (which can be requested from the Company's registrar) and returning it in accordance with the instructions printed on it. If you are a CREST member, you can register your proxy vote electronically by using the service provided by Euroclear. If you are an institutional investor you may also be able to appoint a proxy electronically via the Proxymity platform, a process which has been agreed by the Company and approved by the Registrar. For further information regarding Proxymity, please go to www.proxymity.io.
Further details on proxy votes are given in the notes to this document on pages 19 to 21.
02 Berkeley GroupNotice of Annual General Meeting 2024
Contents
Notice of the Annual General Meeting of The Berkeley Group Holdings plc to be held at the offices of Herbert Smith Freehills LLP, Exchange House, Primrose Street, London EC2A 2EG on Friday 6 September 2024 at 11:00 am is set out on page 07.
Section | Page |
Letter from the Chairman of The Berkeley Group Holdings plc | 03 |
Notice of Annual General Meeting | 07 |
Appendix 1 - Biographies of Directors | 11 |
Appendix 2 - Special Dividend and Share Consolidation | 14 |
Notes | 19 |
Berkeley GroupNotice of Annual General Meeting 2024 | 03 |
The Berkeley Group Holdings plc
(Registered in England and Wales, No. 05172586)
Berkeley House, 19 Portsmouth Road, Cobham, Surrey KT11 1JG
Letter from the Chairman of The Berkeley Group Holdings plc
2 August 2024
To the holders of ordinary shares of The Berkeley Group Holdings plc
Dear Shareholder,
Annual General Meeting
Introduction
I am pleased to invite you to the 2024 Annual General Meeting of The Berkeley Group Holdings plc (the 'Company' or 'Berkeley'), which will be held at the offices of Herbert Smith Freehills LLP, Exchange House, Primrose Street, London EC2A 2EG on Friday 6 September 2023 at 11:00 am. It is your opportunity to meet with your Directors and to question them about issues that concern the Company and I therefore encourage you to attend.
In any event, please register your proxy vote by no later than 11:00 am on Wednesday 4 September 2024 via the website of the Company's registrar at www.signalshares.com or by completing a hard copy Form of Proxy (which can be requested from the Company's registrar) and returning it in accordance with the instructions printed on it. Please write to me at the above address if you would like to ask a specific question at the meeting.
Please note that, if you appoint a proxy, you may still attend, speak and vote at the Annual General Meeting in person if you wish to do so.
The Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 30 April 2024 (the 'Annual Report') is available on the Company's website. Printed copies of the Annual Report have been sent to those shareholders that requested them. If you requested a printed copy of the Annual Report and have not received it, please contact the Company Secretary.
Summary of Resolutions
The full form of the resolutions is set out in the Notice of Annual General Meeting accompanying this letter. However, by way of summary, we will be proposing the following: (a) that the accounts for the year ended 30 April 2024 be received; (b) that the Annual Report on Remuneration for the year ended 30 April 2024 be approved; (c) that those Directors standing for re-election be re-elected; (d) that KPMG LLP be re-appointed as auditor; (e) that the Audit Committee be authorised to determine the auditor's remuneration; (f) that the Directors be authorised to allot a percentage of the share capital
of the Company and that authority be granted for the allotment for cash of certain of those shares without reference to shareholders' pre-emption rights; (g) that the authority be renewed allowing the Company to purchase its own shares in the market; (h) that the authority be renewed allowing the Company to make donations to certain political organisations and to incur certain political expenditure; (i) that general meetings may be held on 14 days' notice; and (j) the resolution necessary for the implementation of the proposed return of cash to shareholders of approximately £184 million following the announcement on 19 June 2024.
Presentation of Report and Accounts (Resolution 1)
In accordance with Section 437 of the Companies Act 2006 (the 'Act'), Directors must present the Report of the Directors and the accounts of the Company for the year ended 30 April 2024 to shareholders at the Annual General Meeting. The Report of the Directors, the accounts and the Report of the Company's Auditor on the accounts and on those parts of the Remuneration Report that are required to be audited are contained within the Annual Report.
Remuneration Report (Resolution 2)
In accordance with Section 439 of the Act, shareholders are required to approve the Annual Report on Remuneration which forms part of the Remuneration Report as presented on pages 130 to 156 of the Annual Report. In accordance with the Act, Resolution 2 in respect of the Annual Report on Remuneration is advisory only in order to provide shareholder feedback to the Board and does not affect the future remuneration paid to any Director.
The Company's Directors' Remuneration Policy was approved by shareholders at the 2022 Annual General Meeting and is therefore not required to be approved at this Annual General Meeting. It will be put to shareholders no later than the Company's Annual General Meeting in 2025.
04 Berkeley GroupNotice of Annual General Meeting 2024
Letter from the Chairman of The Berkeley Group Holdings plc continued
Re-election of Directors (Resolutions 3 to 11)
In accordance with the UK Corporate Governance Code 2018 (the 'Code'), all Directors are subject to annual re-election. At this Annual General Meeting all Directors will retire and are offering themselves for re-election.
The Board considers the effectiveness and independence of the current Non-executive Directors under the Code on an annual basis, considering each individual's professional characteristics, behaviour and their contribution to unbiased and independent debate. It has concluded that the Non-executive Directors have the skills, experience, independence and knowledge of the Company to enable them to discharge their respective duties and responsibilities skilfully and effectively. The Board annually reviews the outside directorships and time commitments of the Non-executive Directors. The Non- executive Directors' letters of appointment set out the expected time commitment and the Board has determined that each Non-executive Director is able to allocate sufficient time to the Company to discharge their responsibilities effectively. All of the Non-executive Directors presenting themselves for re-election are considered to have been independent in character and judgment throughout the year and are free of any other business or other relationship with the Group. Biographical details of the Directors, including details of their contribution and how it is and continues to be important to the Company's long-term sustainable success, are set out in Appendix 1 to this notice.
Following the annual evaluation of the Board and its Committees, which this year was an external board effectiveness review led by Ffion Hague of Independent Board Evaluation, the Board is satisfied that each Director standing for re- election, as appropriate, continues to and will make effective and valuable contributions to the Board and demonstrates commitment to the role.
Reappointment of Auditor and Auditor's Remuneration (Resolutions 12 and 13)
In accordance with Section 489 of the Act, the auditor of a company must be re-appointed at each general meeting at which accounts are laid. Resolution 12 proposes the re-appointment of the Company's existing auditor, KPMG LLP, until the conclusion of the next general meeting of the Company at which accounts are laid. Resolution 13 gives authority to the Audit Committee to determine the auditor's remuneration.
Allotment of Shares (Resolution 14)
The Directors may allot shares and grant rights to subscribe for, or convert any security into, shares only if authorised to do so by shareholders pursuant to Section 551 of the Act. The authority granted at the last Annual General Meeting is due to expire at the conclusion of this year's Annual General Meeting or on 31 October 2024, whichever is earlier. Accordingly, Resolution 14 will be proposed as an ordinary resolution to grant new authorities to allot shares and grant rights to subscribe for, or convert any security into, shares. If given, these authorities will expire at the conclusion of the Company's next Annual General Meeting or on 31 October 2025, whichever is the earlier.
Paragraph (a) of Resolution 14 will allow the Directors to allot ordinary shares up to a maximum nominal amount of £1,907,729.34 representing approximately one third (33.33%) of the Company's existing issued share capital (excluding treasury shares), calculated as at 26 July 2024 (being the latest practicable date prior to publication of this document). In accordance with the latest institutional guidelines issued by the Investment Association (the 'IA'), paragraph (b)
of Resolution 14 will also allow the Directors to allot, in addition to the ordinary shares referred to in paragraph (a) of Resolution 14, ordinary shares in connection with a fully pre-emptive offer to ordinary shareholders up to a further maximum nominal amount of £1,907,729.34, representing a further approximately one third (33.33%) of the Company's existing issued share capital (excluding treasury shares) calculated as at 26 July 2024 (being the latest practicable date prior to publication of this document). The Directors have no present intention of allotting new ordinary shares other than in relation to the Company's employee share schemes. However, the Board considers it appropriate to maintain the flexibility that this authority provides. If they do exercise the authority, the Directors intend to follow best practice as regards its use as recommended by the IA.
As at 26 July 2024 (being the latest practicable date prior to publication of this document), the Company holds 8,784,264 shares in treasury. This represents 8.31% of the total ordinary share capital in issue (excluding treasury shares) as at 26 July 2024 (being the latest practicable date prior to the publication of this notice).
Pre-emption Rights (Resolutions 15 and 16)
The Directors also seek authority from shareholders pursuant to Sections 570(1) and 573 of the Act to allot equity securities or sell treasury shares for cash without complying with the pre-emption rights in the Act in certain circumstances. The authority granted at the last Annual General Meeting is due to expire at the conclusion of this year's Annual General Meeting or on 31 October 2024, whichever is the earlier. Accordingly, Resolutions 15 and 16 will be proposed as special resolutions to grant such authority. This disapplication authority is in line with institutional shareholder guidance, and, in particular, with the guidelines set out in the Pre-Emption Group's Statement of Principles (the 'Pre-Emption Principles'), which allow the authority for an issue of shares for cash otherwise than in connection with a pre-emptive offer to include:
- an authority over up to 10% of the Company's issued share capital for use on an unrestricted basis; and (ii) an additional authority over up to a further 10% of the Company's issued share capital for use in connection with an acquisition or
Berkeley GroupNotice of Annual General Meeting 2024 | 05 |
specified capital investment announced contemporaneously with the issue, or which has taken place in the twelve month period preceding the announcement of the issue. In both cases, an additional authority of up to 2% may be sought for the purposes of a follow-on offer, as further explained below.
Resolution 15 will permit the Directors to allot:
- equity securities for cash and sell treasury shares up to an aggregate nominal value of £3,815,458.68 representing two thirds of the Company's issued share capital (excluding treasury shares) as at 26 July 2024 (the latest practicable date prior to the publication of this document) on an offer to existing shareholders on a pre- emptive basis including a rights issue or an open offer (in the case of the authority granted under paragraph (b) of Resolution 14 by way of a fully pre-emptive offer only), in each case subject to any adjustments, such as for fractional entitlements, as the Directors see fit; and
- equity securities for cash and sell treasury shares up to a maximum nominal value of £572,318.80 representing approximately 10% of the Company's issued share capital less treasury shares as at 26 July 2024 (the latest practicable date prior to the publication of this document) otherwise than in connection with a pre-emptive offer to existing shareholders and as a follow-on offer, up to an aggregate maximum nominal amount of 20% of any allotment of equity securities or sale of treasury shares allotted pursuant to paragraph (b) of Resolution 15.
Resolution 16 will permit the Directors to allot additional equity securities for cash and sell treasury shares up to a maximum nominal value of £572,318.80 representing approximately 10% of the Company's issued share capital less treasury shares as at 26 July 2024 (the latest practicable date prior to the publication of this document), otherwise than in connection with a pre-emptive offer to existing shareholders and as a follow-on offer, up to an aggregate maximum nominal amount of 20% of any allotment of equity securities or sale of treasury shares allotted pursuant to paragraph (a) of Resolution 16, in each case only in connection with an acquisition or specified capital investment as contemplated by the Pre-Emption Principles described above.
As noted in Resolution 14 above, the Directors have no present intention of allotting ordinary shares other than in relation to the Company's employee share schemes. However, the Board considers that it is in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders generally that the Company should seek the authority and preserve the flexibility conferred by Resolutions 15 and 16, which are within the pre-emption guidelines, to conduct a pre-emptive offering without complying with the strict requirements of the statutory pre-emption provisions and to finance business opportunities quickly and efficiently when they arise. While embracing the flexibility conferred by Resolutions 15 and 16, the Board also recognises that existing shareholders may be keen to participate in a non pre-emptive offer carried out under these authorities. The Board is therefore supportive of the follow-on offer approach set out in the Pre-Emption Principles.
The Board confirms that it intends to follow the shareholder protections contained in Part 2B of the Pre-Emption Principles.
If given, this authority will expire upon the expiry of the authority to allot shares in Resolution 14 (that is, at the conclusion of the Company's next Annual General Meeting or, if earlier, on 31 October 2025).
Purchase of the Company's Own Shares (Resolution 17)
In accordance with Section 701 of the Act, this resolution, which is a special resolution, will give the Company authority to purchase its own shares in the market up to a limit of 10% of its issued ordinary share capital (excluding treasury shares) as at 26 July 2024 (being the latest practicable date prior to the publication of this document). The maximum and minimum prices are stated in the resolution. The Directors intend to use the authority granted by this resolution to continue making market purchases of the Company's ordinary shares as a method of returning value to shareholders and believe that it is advantageous for the Company to have this flexibility. The Directors will exercise this authority only if they are satisfied that a purchase would result in an increase in expected earnings per share and would be in the interests of shareholders generally.
Listed companies purchasing their own shares are allowed to hold them in treasury as an alternative to cancelling them. No dividends are paid on shares while they are held in treasury and no voting rights are attached to treasury shares. It is the Company's current intention to cancel the shares that it may purchase pursuant to the authority granted to it. However, in order to respond properly to the Company's capital requirements and prevailing market conditions, the Directors will from time to time reassess whether to hold the shares it purchases pursuant to this authority in treasury, provided it is permitted to do so, for example for use in connection with the satisfaction of the Company's employee share schemes.
As at 26 July 2024 (being the latest practicable date prior to publication of this document), the total number of options over shares that were outstanding under all of the Company's share option plans was 6,888,939, which if exercised would represent 6.52% of the Company's issued share capital at that date (excluding treasury shares).
06 Berkeley GroupNotice of Annual General Meeting 2024
Letter from the Chairman of The Berkeley Group Holdings plc continued
If the Company were to purchase its own shares to the fullest possible extent of the authority from shareholders existing (from last year's Annual General Meeting which is due to expire at the end of this Annual General Meeting) and being sought at this year's Annual General Meeting, this number of outstanding options could potentially represent 8.08% of the issued share capital of the Company (excluding treasury shares). There are no warrants over ordinary shares in the capital of the Company outstanding.
Unless renewed, revoked or varied, this authority will expire at the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting of the Company after the date on which this resolution is passed or, if earlier, on 31 October 2025.
Political Donations and Expenditure (Resolution 18)
The Company intends to renew the authorisation to make donations to political organisations and to incur political expenditure. Whilst it is the Company's policy not to make donations to political parties, Section 366 of the Act contains restrictions on companies making donations or incurring expenditure in relation to political organisations. Therefore, as any expenditure which is regulated by the Act requires shareholder approval, the Directors consider that it is prudent to seek such approval in order to avoid inadvertent infringement of the Act.
The Company has no intention of making a political donation. This authority shall expire at the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting of the Company after the date on which this resolution is passed.
Notice of General Meetings (Resolution 19)
The notice period required for general meetings of the Company under the Act is 21 days unless shareholders agree to a shorter notice period, which cannot be less than 14 clear days. Annual General Meetings must be held on at least 21 clear days' notice.
At the 2023 Annual General Meeting, a resolution was passed approving the Company's ability to call general meetings on not less than 14 clear days' notice. As this approval will expire at the conclusion of this Annual General Meeting, Resolution 19, which is a special resolution, proposes its renewal.
The shorter notice period, if approved, would not be used as a matter of routine for such meetings, but only where the flexibility is merited by the business of the meeting and is thought to be to the advantage of shareholders as a whole. The renewed approval will be effective until the conclusion of the Company's next Annual General Meeting, when it is intended that a similar resolution will be proposed.
Shareholders should note that under the Act, in order to be able to call a general meeting on less than 21 clear days' notice, the Company must make a means of electronic voting available to all shareholders for that meeting.
Special Dividend and Share Consolidation (Resolution 20)
As announced on 19 June 2024, the Company is proposing that approximately £184 million (174 pence per share) be returned to shareholders by means of a special dividend accompanied by a share consolidation. Appendix 2 sets out further details of this proposal.
Voting at the Meeting
At the meeting itself, voting on Resolutions 1 to 20 will be conducted by way of a poll. Further details on voting are set out in the notes to the Notice of Annual General Meeting on pages 19 to 21 of this document.
Voting by proxy
If you would like to vote on the resolutions but cannot come to the Annual General Meeting, you can appoint a proxy to exercise all or any of your rights to attend, vote and speak at the Annual General Meeting by using one of the methods set out in the notes to the Notice of Annual General Meeting on pages 19 to 21 of this document.
Shareholders are requested, whether or not they propose to attend the Annual General Meeting, to register their proxy votes as soon as possible but in any event by no later than 11:00 am on Wednesday 4 September 2024. The registration of proxy votes will not prevent shareholders from attending and voting in person, should they so wish.
Recommendation
The Board considers the proposed resolutions to be in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders as a whole and are therefore likely to promote the success of the Company.
Accordingly, the Board recommends unanimously that you vote in favour of the proposed resolutions and intends to vote in favour of the proposed resolutions in respect of their own beneficial shareholdings in the Company.
Yours faithfully
Michael Dobson
Chairman
Berkeley GroupNotice of Annual General Meeting 2024 | 07 |
Notice of Annual General Meeting
Notice is hereby given that the Annual General Meeting of the Company will be held at the offices of Herbert Smith Freehills LLP, Exchange House, Primrose Street, London EC2A 2EG at 11:00 am on Friday 6 September 2024 to consider and, if thought fit, to pass the following resolutions. It is intended to propose Resolutions 15, 16, 17 and 19 as special resolutions. All other Resolutions will be proposed as ordinary resolutions.
- To receive the accounts for the year ended 30 April 2024, together with the Reports of the Directors and auditor thereon. (Resolution 1)
- To approve the Annual Report on Remuneration for the year ended 30 April 2024. (Resolution 2)
- To re-elect M Dobson as a Director of the Company. (Resolution 3)
- To re-elect R Downey as a Director of the Company. (Resolution 4)
- To re-elect R C Perrins as a Director of the Company. (Resolution 5)
- To re-elect R J Stearn as a Director of the Company. (Resolution 6)
- To re-elect A Kemp as a Director of the Company. (Resolution 7)
- To re-elect N Adams as a Director of the Company. (Resolution 8)
- To re-elect W Jackson as a Director of the Company. (Resolution 9)
- To re-elect E Adekunle as a Director of the Company. (Resolution 10)
- To re-elect S Sands as a Director of the Company. (Resolution 11)
- To re-appoint KPMG LLP as auditor of the Company to hold office until the conclusion of the next general meeting of the Company at which the accounts and reports of the directors and auditor are laid. (Resolution 12)
- To authorise the Audit Committee to determine the auditor's remuneration. (Resolution 13)
Ordinary Resolution
14. THAT the Directors be generally and unconditionally authorised for the purposes of Section 551 of the Companies Act 2006 (the 'Act') to exercise all the powers of the Company to allot shares and grant rights to subscribe for, or convert any security into, shares:
- up to an aggregate nominal amount of £1,907,729.34; and
- up to a further aggregate nominal amount of £1,907,729.34 provided that (i) they are equity securities (as defined in Section 560 of the Act); and (ii) they are offered by way of a fully pre-emptive offer in favour of holders of ordinary shares in proportion (as nearly as practicable) to the respective number of ordinary shares held by them on the record date for such allotment (and holders of any other class of equity securities entitled to participate therein or if the Directors consider it necessary, as permitted by the rights of those securities), but subject to such exclusions or other arrangements as the Directors may consider necessary or appropriate to deal with fractional entitlements, treasury shares, record dates or legal, regulatory or practical difficulties which may arise under the laws of, or the requirements of any regulatory body or stock exchange in, any territory or by virtue of ordinary shares being represented by depositary receipts or any other matter.
These authorities are to expire at the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting of the Company after the date on which this resolution is passed or, if earlier, on 31 October 2025 (save that the Company may before such expiry make any offer or agreement which would or might require shares to be allotted or rights to be granted, after such expiry and the Directors may allot shares, or grant rights to subscribe for or to convert any security into shares, in pursuance of any such offer or agreement as if the authorisations conferred hereby had not expired). (Resolution 14)
Special Resolution
15. THAT, subject to Resolution 14 being passed and pursuant to Section 570 and 573 of the Companies Act 2006 (the 'Act'), the Directors be authorised to allot equity securities (as defined in Section 560 of the Act) for cash under the authority given by that resolution and/or to sell ordinary shares held by the Company as treasury
08 Berkeley GroupNotice of Annual General Meeting 2024
Notice of Annual General Meeting continued
shares for cash as if Section 561 of the Act did not apply to any such allotment or sale, such authority to be limited to:
- the allotment of equity securities or sale of treasury shares in connection with an offer of securities (but in the case of the authority granted under paragraph (b) of Resolution 14 above by way of fully pre-emptive offer only) in favour of the holders of ordinary shares on the register of members at such record date(s) as the Directors may determine where the equity securities respectively attributable to the interests of the ordinary shareholders are proportionate (as nearly as may be practicable) to the respective numbers of ordinary shares held by them on any such record date(s), subject to such exclusions or other arrangements as the Directors may deem necessary or expedient to deal with fractional entitlements, treasury shares, record dates or legal, regulatory or practical problems which may arise under the laws of, or the requirements of any regulatory body or stock exchange in, any territory or by virtue of ordinary shares being represented by depositary receipts or any other matter;
- the allotment of equity securities or sale of treasury shares (otherwise than under paragraph (a) above) up to a nominal amount of £572,318.80 (being approximately 10% of the issued share capital of the Company less treasury shares as at 26 July 2024, the latest practicable date prior to publication of this document); and
- the allotment of equity securities or sale of treasury shares (otherwise than under paragraphs (a) and (b) above) up to an aggregate nominal amount equal to 20% of any allotment of equity securities or sale of treasury shares from time to time under paragraph (b) above, provided that the authority under this paragraph shall be used only for the purposes of making a follow-on offer which the Directors determine to be of a kind contemplated by the Statement of Principles most recently published by the Pre-Emption Group prior to the date of this notice,
such authority to expire upon the expiry of the general authority conferred by Resolution 14 above, but prior to its expiry the Company may make offers, and enter into agreements, which would, or might, require equity securities to be allotted (and treasury shares to be sold) after the authority expires and the Board may allot equity securities (and sell treasury shares) under any such offer or agreement as if the authority had not expired. (Resolution 15)
Special Resolution
16. THAT, subject to Resolution 14 being passed and, pursuant to Section 570 and 573 of the Companies Act 2006 (the 'Act'), the Directors be authorised, in addition to any authority granted under Resolution 15, to allot equity
securities (as defined in Section 560 of the Act) for cash under the authority given by Resolution 14 and/or to sell ordinary shares held by the Company as treasury shares for cash as if Section 561 of the Act did not apply to any such allotment or sale, provided that this authority shall only be used for the purposes of financing (or refinancing, if the authority is to be used within twelve months after the original capital investment of a kind contemplated by the Statement of Principles' most recently published by the 'Pre-Emption Group prior to the date of this notice (the 'Pre-Emption Principles'), and shall be limited to:
- the allotment of equity securities or sale of treasury shares up to an aggregate nominal amount of £572,318.80 (being approximately 10% of the issued share capital of the Company less treasury shares as at 26 July 2024, the latest practicable date prior to publication of this document); and
- the allotment of equity securities or sale of treasury shares (otherwise than pursuant to paragraph (a) of this Resolution 16) up to an aggregate nominal amount equal to 20% of any allotment of equity securities or sale of treasury shares from time to time under paragraph (a) of this Resolution 16, provided that the authority under this paragraph (b) shall be used only for the purposes of making a follow-on offer which the Directors determine to be of a kind contemplated by the Pre-Emption Principles,
such authority to expire upon the expiry of the general authority conferred by Resolution 14 above, but prior to its expiry the Company may make offers, and enter into agreements, which would, or might, require equity securities to be allotted (and treasury shares to be sold) after the authority expires and the Board may allot equity securities (and sell treasury shares) under any such offer or agreement as if the authority had not expired. (Resolution 16)
Special Resolution
17. THAT the Company be generally and unconditionally authorised for the purposes of Section 701 of the Companies Act 2006 (the 'Act') to make market purchases (within the meaning of Section 693(4) of the Act) of any of its existing ordinary shares of 5.4141p each in the capital of the Company ('Existing Ordinary Shares') or
ordinary shares arising from the Share Consolidation (as defined in Appendix 2 to this Notice of Annual General Meeting dated 2 August 2024 ('New Ordinary Shares')), in each case on such terms and in such manner as the
Berkeley GroupNotice of Annual General Meeting 2024 | 09 |
Directors may from time to time determine, and where such shares are held as treasury shares, the Company may use them for the purposes of its employee share schemes, provided that:
- the maximum number of Existing Ordinary Shares which may be purchased is 10,570,894 and the maximum number of New Ordinary Shares which may be purchased is 10,199,856 provided that the total nominal value of Existing Ordinary Shares and New Ordinary Shares purchased pursuant to this Resolution shall not exceed £572,318.80 (representing approximately 10% of the Company's issued share capital (excluding treasury shares) as at 26 July 2024, the latest practicable date prior to the publication of this document);
- the minimum price that may be paid for each Existing Ordinary Share is 5.4141p and the minimum price that may be paid for each New Ordinary Share is the nominal value of such share, which amount, in each case, shall be exclusive of expenses, if any;
- the maximum price (exclusive of expenses) that may be paid for each ordinary share is an amount equal to the higher of: (i) 105% of the average of the middle market quotations for the ordinary shares as derived from the Daily Official List of the London Stock Exchange plc for the five business days immediately preceding the day on which such share is contracted to be purchased; and (ii) the higher of the price of the last independent trade and the highest current independent bid for an ordinary share in the Company on the trading venues where the market purchase by the Company is carried out;
- unless previously renewed, revoked or varied, this authority shall expire at the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting of the Company after the date on which this resolution is passed or, if earlier, on 31 October 2025; and
- the Company may, before this authority expires, contract to purchase ordinary shares that would, or might, be executed wholly or partly after the expiry of this authority, and may make purchases of ordinary shares pursuant to it as if this authority had not expired. (Resolution 17)
Ordinary Resolution
18. THAT the Company and any company which is a subsidiary of the Company during the period to which this resolution relates be generally and unconditionally authorised pursuant to Sections 366 and 367 of the Act to:
- make donations to political organisations, other than political parties, not exceeding £50,000 in total; and
- incur political expenditure not exceeding £50,000 in total,
provided that such donations and/or expenditure made or incurred by the Company and its subsidiaries pursuant to this resolution do not in aggregate exceed £50,000 during the period to which this resolution relates and for the purposes of this resolution, the authorised sum may be comprised of one or more amounts in different currencies which, for the purposes of calculating the said sum, shall be converted into pounds sterling at the exchange rate published in the London edition of the Financial Times on the date on which the relevant donation is made or relevant expenditure is incurred (or the first business day thereafter). This authority shall expire at the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting of the Company after the date on which
this resolution is passed. For the purposes of this resolution 'donation', 'political organisations' and 'political expenditure' are to be construed in accordance with Sections 363, 364 and 365 of the Act. (Resolution 18)
Special Resolution
19. THAT general meetings of the Company (other than Annual General Meetings) may be called by notice of not less than 14 clear days. (Resolution 19)
Ordinary Resolution
20. (a) THAT, subject to admission of the New Ordinary Shares (as defined below) to the official list maintained by the Financial Conduct Authority and to trading on the London Stock Exchange's main market for listed securities becoming effective ('Admission'), a special dividend of 174 pence per Existing Ordinary Share (as defined below) be and is hereby declared to be paid to each shareholder on the register of members at 6:00 pm on 6 September 2024 (the 'Special Dividend'); and
(b) THAT, subject to and conditional upon Admission, each existing ordinary share of 5.4141 pence in the capital of the Company (an 'Existing Ordinary Share') as at 6:00 pm on 6 September 2024 (or such other time and date as the Directors of the Company may determine) be subdivided into 9,649 undesignated shares in the capital of the Company (each an 'Undesignated Share') and immediately thereafter, every Undesignated Share be
10 Berkeley GroupNotice of Annual General Meeting 2024
Notice of Annual General Meeting continued
consolidated into 10,000 new ordinary shares of 5.6110477936 pence each (or such other number and nominal value as the Directors may in their absolute discretion determine if the price of an Existing Ordinary Share and the number of Existing Ordinary Shares in issue shortly before the date of the Annual General Meeting mean that this ratio would no longer maintain comparability of the Company's share price before and after the payment of the Special Dividend) (each a 'New Ordinary Share'), provided that, where such subdivision and consolidation would result 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 (if any) to which other members of the Company may be entitled and the Directors be and are hereby authorised to sell (or appoint any other person to sell) on behalf of the relevant members, any and all New Ordinary Shares representing such fractions at the best price reasonably obtainable to any person(s), and to distribute the proceeds of sale (net of expenses) in due proportion to the relevant members entitled thereto, save that (i) 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 (ii) any individual entitlements (net of expenses) not exceeding £3.00 shall be retained by the Directors
for the benefit of the Company (and, for the purposes of implementing the provisions of this paragraph, any Director (or any person appointed by the Directors) shall be and is hereby authorised to execute one or more instrument(s) of transfer in respect of such New Ordinary Shares on behalf of the relevant member(s) and to do all acts and things the Directors consider necessary or desirable to effect the transfer of such New Ordinary Shares to, or in accordance with the directions of, any buyer of such New Ordinary Shares). (Resolution 20)
By Order of the Board
Victoria Mee
Company Secretary
2 August 2024
Registered Office:
Berkeley House
19 Portsmouth Road
Cobham, Surrey KT11 1JG
Registered in England and Wales, No. 05172586
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