Disclaimer
Recommended Offer by Connells Limited
Recommended Offer by Connells Limited (“Connells”) for Countrywide plc (“Countrywide”) (the “Offer”)
ACCESS TO THIS AREA OF THE WEBSITE (“MICROSITE”) MAY BE RESTRICTED UNDER SECURITIES LAWS OR REGULATIONS IN CERTAIN JURISDICTIONS. THIS NOTICE REQUIRES YOU TO CONFIRM CERTAIN MATTERS (INCLUDING THAT YOU ARE NOT RESIDENT IN SUCH A JURISDICTION), BEFORE YOU MAY OBTAIN ACCESS TO THE INFORMATION ON THIS MICROSITE. THESE MATERIALS ARE NOT DIRECTED AT OR INTENDED TO BE ACCESSIBLE BY PERSONS RESIDENT IN ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OR REGULATIONS OF THAT JURISDICTION OR WOULD RESULT IN A REQUIREMENT TO COMPLY WITH ADDITIONAL SECURITIES LAWS, OTHER LEGAL REQUIREMENTS OR OTHER FORMALITY WHICH COUNTRYWIDE REGARDS AS UNDULY ONEROUS (A “RESTRICTED JURISDICTION”).
THIS MICROSITE CONTAINS ANNOUNCEMENTS, DOCUMENTS AND INFORMATION PUBLISHED BY CONNELLS (“BIDDER INFORMATION”) AND/OR COUNTRYWIDE (TOGETHER WITH THE BIDDER INFORMATION, THE “INFORMATION”) RELATING TO THE OFFER IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE CITY CODE ON TAKEOVERS AND MERGERS (THE“CODE”). THE INFORMATION IS BEING MADE AVAILABLE IN GOOD FAITH AND FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY, AND ITS AVAILABILITY IS SUBJECT TO THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SET OUT BELOW.
Access to the Information
If you would like to view the Information contained in this Microsite, please read this notice carefully. This notice applies to all persons who view the Information contained in this Microsite and, depending on where you are located, may affect your rights or responsibilities. Countrywide reserves the right to amend or update this notice at any time and you should, therefore, read it in full each time you visit this Microsite. In addition, the contents of this Microsite may be amended at any time, in whole or in part, at the sole discretion of Countrywide.
To allow you to view information about the Offer, you must read this notice and, if you wish to confirm your understanding and acceptance of its terms, then click “I ACCEPT”. If you do not or are unable to agree, you should click “I DECLINE” and you will not be able to view information about the Offer.
The Information contained in this Microsite does not constitute an offer to sell or otherwise dispose of or an invitation or solicitation of any offer to purchase or subscribe for any securities pursuant to the Offer or otherwise in any jurisdiction in which such offer or solicitation is unlawful. It is expected that the Offer would be made by means of an offer or scheme document which would contain the full terms and conditions of such transaction, including details on how it may be accepted. Any decision made in relation to the Offer should therefore be made solely and only on the basis of the information provided in any such document (as amended or supplemented from time to time).
Overseas jurisdictions
This Information is not directed at or intended to be accessible by persons resident in any Restricted Jurisdiction.
Viewing the Information you are seeking to access may be restricted under securities laws in certain jurisdictions. All persons resident outside of the United Kingdom (the “UK”) who wish to view the Information contained in this Microsite must first satisfy themselves that they are not subject to any local requirements which prohibit or restrict them from doing so and should inform themselves about, and observe, any legal or regulatory requirements applicable in their jurisdiction.
YOU SHOULD NOT DOWNLOAD, MAIL, FORWARD, DISTRIBUTE, SEND OR SHARE THE INFORMATION OR DOCUMENTS CONTAINED ON THIS MICROSITE TO ANY PERSON. IN PARTICULAR, YOU SHOULD NOT MAIL, FORWARD, DISTRIBUTE OR SEND THE INFORMATION OR DOCUMENTS CONTAINED HEREIN TO ANY RESTRICTED JURISDICTION.
This Microsite contains Information that has been prepared for the purposes of complying with English law and the Code and the Information disclosed may not be the same as that which would have been disclosed if this Information had been prepared in accordance with the laws and regulations of any jurisdiction outside of England and Wales.
It is your responsibility to satisfy yourself as to the full observance of any relevant laws and regulatory requirements. If you are not permitted to view the Information on this Microsite, or are in any doubt as to whether you are permitted to view the Information, please exit this Microsite.
Notice to US Shareholders
The Offer relates to the securities of a UK company and, accordingly, is subject primarily to procedural and substantive requirements governed other than by U.S. laws and regulations, including the Code and English law. Under the Code, Countrywide is required to post certain Bidder Information on this Microsite. The Bidder Information, including disclaimers and other disclosure included in the Bidder Information directed at US shareholders (“Bidder US Disclosure”), is the sole responsibility of Connells and not of Countrywide.
US shareholders should refer to the Bidder Information and, in particular, the Bidder US Disclosure, regarding, among other things, differences between the contents of the Bidder Information (including financial statements and other financial information) and equivalent types of information that would be made available to US shareholders were Countrywide organized in a jurisdiction in the United States, and potential limits on the ability of US shareholders to enforce rights and any claims they may have arising under the US federal securities laws in connection with the Offer.
Depending on the nature of the consideration to be offered in the Offer, Connells could have obligations arising under the US Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and possibly under the laws of States or other jurisdictions of the United States, and depending on the form of the Offer (such as a scheme of arrangement or a takeover offer), the Offer could be subject to the procedural requirements of the US Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and in particular Regulation 14E thereunder (“Regulation 14E”). US shareholders should refer to the Bidder US Disclosure for further information regarding their ability to participate in the Offer and the procedural rules that may be relevant to them. Any obligations arising under the Securities Act or Regulation 14E in connection with the Offer will be the sole responsibility of Connells and not of Countrywide.
Forward-Looking Statements
This Microsite and the Information contained in it may contain certain forward-looking statements with respect to the financial condition, results of operations and businesses of Connells and the Connells Group (being Connells and its subsidiaries and subsidiary undertakings), other members of the Skipton Building Society group, and Countrywide and the Countrywide Group (being Countrywide and its subsidiaries and subsidiary undertakings) in connection with the implementation of the Offer.
All statements other than statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements of future expectations that are based on management's current expectations and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements. Forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements concerning the potential exposure of the Connells Group and the Countrywide Group to market risks and statements expressing management’s expectations, beliefs, estimates, forecasts, projections and assumptions, including as to future potential cost savings, synergies, earnings, cash flow, return on capital employed, production and prospects. These forward-looking statements are identified by their use of terms and phrases such as “anticipate”, “believe”, “could”, “estimate”, “expect”, “goals”, “intend”, “may”, “objectives”, “outlook”, “plan”, “probably”, “project”, “risks”, “seek”, “should”, “target”, “will” and similar terms and phrases.
There are a number of factors that could affect the future operations of the Connells Group, the Skipton Building Society group, and the Countrywide Group and could cause those results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements included in this Microsite. These factors include, but are not limited to: local and global political and economic conditions (including, without limitation, the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the repercussions of the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union, and the negotiation of trade arrangements between the UK and the European Union); significant price discounting by competitors; changes in consumer habits and preferences; foreign exchange rate fluctuations and interest rate fluctuations (including those from any potential credit rating decline); changes to the market in which the businesses operate; changes in the employee environment; legal or regulatory developments and changes; the outcome of any litigation; the impact of any acquisitions or similar transactions; competitive product and pricing pressures; success of business and operating initiatives; changes in the level of investment in IT systems; and changes in the level of capital investment.
All forward-looking statements contained in this Microsite are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to in this section. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Additional factors that may affect future results are contained in annual reports and accounts, interim results and trading updates of Connells and Countrywide (available at https://www.skipton.co.uk/about-us/financial-results and https://www.countrywide.co.uk/corporate/investor-relations/, respectively). These factors also should be considered by the reader. This Microsite does not incorporate any such materials by reference.
Each forward-looking statement speaks only as at the specified date of the relevant document within which the statement is contained. Neither Countrywide nor any other member of the Countrywide Group undertakes any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or other information. In light of these risks, results could differ materially from those stated, implied or inferred from the forward-looking statements contained in this Microsite.
Unless expressly stated otherwise, no statement contained or referred to in this Microsite is intended to be a profit forecast.
Responsibility
In relation to any Offer -related materials accessible on this Microsite please note any statement of responsibility contained herein.
The documents included in this Microsite issued or published by Countrywide speak only at the specified date of the relevant document and Countrywide has, and accepts, no responsibility or duty to update or revise such documents.
In relation to any such announcements or other materials relating to the Offer issued or published by Connells, or which relate to Connells and the Connells Group, that are accessible on this website, the only responsibility accepted by Countrywide and its directors is for the correctness and fairness of its reproduction.
Neither the directors of Countrywide, nor Countrywide, nor any other member of the Countrywide Group, have reviewed, and no such person is or shall be responsible for or accepts any liability in respect of, any information contained on any other website which may be linked to or from this Microsite.
Other
If you are in any doubt about the contents of this Microsite or the action you should take, you should seek your own financial advice from an independent financial adviser authorised under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (as amended) or, if you are located outside the UK, from an appropriately authorised independent financial adviser.
This notice shall be governed by and construed in accordance with English law.
Confirmation of understanding and acceptance
If you are not able to give these confirmations, you should click on I DECLINE below.
