London, 23 December 2024
Commencement of US$ 25 million share buyback and cancellation programme
Georgia Capital PLC (the "Company" or "Georgia Capital") announces today that its board of directors (the "Board") approved a US$ 25 million share buyback and cancellation programme, which will be put in place immediately. The programme will remain in effect for a period of six months or until the Company's 2025 Annual General Meeting. The shares will be purchased in the open market and the cancellation of the treasury shares will be executed on a monthly basis. The purpose of the buyback is to reduce the share capital. Under the buyback programme, the maximum price paid per share will not exceed the latest reported NAV per share amount.
The Programme is consistent with the Board's intention, announced on 17 May 2024, to make available at least GEL 300 million for capital returns through the end of 2026. Since announcing this initiative, US$ 40 million has been deployed by way of share buybacks. This takes the capital returned to the Company's shareholders since demerger to a total of US$ 127 million or 11 million shares, representing 23% of Georgia Capital's issued share capital at its peak[1].
In accordance with the authority granted by the shareholders at the 2024 annual general meeting ("AGM"), the maximum number of shares that may be repurchased is 3,331,969. The programme is conducted within certain pre-set parameters, and in accordance with the general authority to repurchase shares granted at the 2024 AGM, Chapter 12 of the FCA Listing Rules, and the provisions of the Market Abuse Regulation 596/2014/EU and of the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1052 (as they form part of UK domestic law).
The Company has appointed Numis Securities Limited ("Deutsche Numis") to manage an irrevocable, non‐discretionary share buyback programme until the end of the programme. During closed periods the Company and its directors have no power to invoke any changes to the programme and it is being executed at the sole discretion of Deutsche Numis.
The Company will make further announcements in due course following the completion of any share repurchases.
Name of authorised official of issuer responsible for making notification: Giorgi Alpaidze, Chief Financial Officer.
About Georgia Capital PLC
Georgia Capital (LEI: 213800Q65T5GNBOW7H65) is a platform for buying, building and developing businesses in Georgia with holdings in sectors that are expected to benefit from the continued growth and further diversification of the Georgian economy. The Company's focus is typically on larger-scale investment opportunities in Georgia, which have the potential to reach at least GEL 300 million equity value over 3-5 years from the initial investment and to monetise them through exits, as investments mature. Georgia Capital currently has the following portfolio businesses: (i) a retail (pharmacy) business, (ii) an insurance business (P&C and medical insurance), (iii) a hospitals business, (iv) a renewable energy business (hydro and wind assets), (v) an education business and (vi) a clinics and diagnostics business; Georgia Capital also holds other small private businesses across different industries in Georgia; a 20% equity stake in the water utility business and a c.20% equity stake in LSE listed Bank of Georgia Group PLC ("BoG"), the holding company of leading universal banks in Georgia and Armenia.
JSC Georgia Capital has, as of the date hereof, the following credit rating: | |
| |
S&P Global | 'BB-'/FC & 'BB-'/LC |
For further information, please visit www.georgiacapital.ge or contact:
Irakli Gilauri | Giorgi Alpaidze | Michael Oliver | Shalva Bukia |
Chairman and Chief Executive | Chief Financial Officer | Adviser to the Chairman & CEO | Head of Investor Relations |
+995 322 005 000 | +44 203 178 4034 | + 995 322 005 045 | |
|
This news report is presented for general informational purposes only and should not be construed as an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities.
[1] Determined by taking into account the peak number of 47.9 million shares issued as of 31-Dec-20.
RNS may use your IP address to confirm compliance with the terms and conditions, to analyse how you engage with the information contained in this communication, and to share such analysis on an anonymised basis with others as part of our commercial services. For further information about how RNS and the London Stock Exchange use the personal data you provide us, please see our Privacy Policy.