ARG argosy property limited

Ann: WAV/RULE: ARG: ARG - Application for Waiver

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    • Release Date: 02/02/12 19:01
    • Summary: WAV/RULE: ARG: ARG - Application for Waiver from Listing Rules
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    ARG
    02/02/2012 17:01
    WAV/RULE
    
    REL: 1701 HRS Argosy Property Trust
    
    WAV/RULE: ARG: ARG - Application for Waiver from Listing Rules
    
    NZX Markets Supervision Decision
    Argosy Property Trust
    Application for Waiver from Listing Rules 9.2, 7.6.5, 8.3.1, 5.1.1, 5.2.1,
    5.2.2 (b),
    7.1.5 (c), 7.1.10 and 7.1.13 and 3.4.3
    
    Background
    1. Argosy Property Trust ("ARG") is a unit trust under the Unit Trusts Act
    1960 ("Act") with ARG Units ("ARG Units") quoted on the NZSX and subject to
    the NZSX Listing Rules ("Rules").
    
    2. The trustee of ARG is The New Zealand Guardian Trust Company Limited (the
    "Trustee").
    
    3. On 30 August 2011, ARG completed a transaction to internalise the
    management of ARG (the "Internalisation"). The Internalisation had been
    previously approved by ARG unitholders.  The Internalisation included the
    following elements:
    
    a. the company previously called Argosy Property Management Limited (the
    "Previous Manager"), which is wholly owned by a subsidiary of ANZ National
    Bank Limited, was replaced as manager by the company now called Argosy
    Property Management Limited (the "Manager"), the sole share in which is held
    by Public Trust;
    b. the provisions of the Trust Deed relating to the payment of management
    fees to the manager of ARG were deleted, so that the management fees are no
    longer payable; and
    c. ARG paid a sum of approximately $20 million to the Previous Manager.
    4. ARG now proposes to corporatise ARG, so that ARG will cease to be a unit
    trust and become a company, and ARG unitholders will cease to hold units and
    become shareholders in a new company called Argosy Property Limited ("APL"),
    subject to receiving approval of ARG unitholders (the "Corporatisation").
    
    5. The Corporatisation will proceed as follows:
    a. On incorporation APL will have one share held jointly by two directors of
    the Manager. The Directors of the Manager and APL will be the same;
    b. APL will acquire 99 units in ARG and a wholly owned subsidiary of APL will
    acquire one unit in ARG (the "APL Units");
    c. the two Directors who hold the share in APL will transfer that share to
    the Trustee;
    d. the shares of the Trustee's nominee which holds ARG's assets, and all of
    the other interests of the Trustee in the assets and liabilities of the
    Trust, will be transferred to APL;
    e. APL will pay the purchase price by:
    i.  issuing to the Trustee (or a nominee of the Trustee) a number of shares
    (the "APL Shares") equal to the number of ARG Units held by ARG unitholders
    (other than holders in jurisdictions outside New Zealand and Australia
    ("Overseas Holders" and the holders of the APL Units); and
    ii. paying to the Trustee (or a nominee of the Trustee) an amount of cash
    equal to the amount to be paid to Overseas Holders on redemption of their ARG
    Units.
    f. The Manager will then redeem all of the ARG Units other than the APL Units
    ("Redemption"). Unitholders other than Overseas Holders will receive a number
    of APL Shares in exchange for an equal number of their ARG Units. Overseas
    Holders will receive a cash amount in exchange for their ARG Units, which
    will reflect the value of their ARG Units, instead of APL Shares. Other than
    with regards to the Overseas Holders, the Redemption is intended to result in
    APL having virtually identical shareholders (and relative control
    percentages) as the ARG unitholders immediately prior to the Corporatisation;
    
    g. MFL Mutual Fund limited ("MFL") holds 22.35% of the ARG Units ("MFL
    Units"). The Manager will redeem all MFL Units in consideration for the
    transfer of APL Shares. This transfer will be completed prior to the transfer
    of APL Shares to other ARG unitholders, to ensure  that the Takeovers Code
    does not apply. However, the redemption of MFL's ARG Units and the redemption
    of the remaining unitholders' ARG Units (other than Overseas Holders) will
    occur in sequence on the same day;
    h. APL will also acquire from Public Trust the sole share in the Manager for
    a sum of $1.00;
    i. APL will make application for the APL Shares to be quoted on the NZSX; and
    
    j. The Corporatisation will result in the transfer of the assets and
    liabilities of ARG to APL. ARG will be wound up in due course and any
    remaining assets will be distributed to APL.
    6. ARG is seeking waivers from the Rules 3.4.3, 5.1, 5.2, 7.1, 7.6.5, 8.3.1
    and 9.2, in respect of the Corporatisation.
    Application 1 - Rule 9.2
    7. Rule 9.2.1 requires Material Transactions with Related Parties to be
    approved by an Ordinary Resolution.
    
    8. APL will be a Related Party of ARG in terms of Rule 9.2.3 because:
    a. the Directors of the Manager are treated as Directors of ARG in terms of
    paragraph (b) of the definition of "Director" in Rule 1.6.1;
    b. the Directors of APL and the Directors of the Manager will be the same
    people; and
    c. APL is an Associated Person of each of its Directors (Rules 1.8.3(a) and
    1.8.5).
    9. In addition, various parties to the transaction such as MFL, and ARG
    unitholders who are Directors of the Manager or are Associated Persons of a
    Director of the Manager, are Related Parties of ARG.
    
    10. The Corporatisation will be a Material Transaction, as:
    a. the value of ARG's assets less liabilities which are to be transferred to
    APL exceed 10% of the market capitalisation of ARG; and
    b. APL will indemnify the Trustee in respect of all liabilities of, or
    incurred by, the Trustee or its directors, officers, employees and agents.
    This is in addition to the Trustee's current indemnity out of the trust fund
    of ARG ("Trust Fund") and reflects the fact that, after Corporatisation there
    will be little or no assets left in the Trust Fund to meet any liability
    incurred by the Trustee. This indemnity could exceed 10% of the market
    capitalisation of APL and would qualify as a Material Transaction under Rule
    9.2.
    11.  ARG has approached NZX Market Supervisions ("NZXMS") for a waiver from
    Rule 9.2.1 in respect of the Corporatisation.
    
    12. In support of its application for a waiver from Rule 9.2, ARG submits
    that:
    a. The Directors of the Manager are involved as shareholders and Directors of
    APL only to facilitate the Corporatisation. They have no personal financial
    interest in the transaction (other than as ARG unitholders in which case
    their interests are identical to other ARG unitholders).  In terms of
    footnote 1 to rule 9.2.1, the personal involvement or personal interest of
    the directors is immaterial, and plainly unlikely to have influenced the
    proposal or its terms and conditions.
    b. There is no transfer of value or potential transfer of value from ARG to a
    Related Party. Before and after the transactions the ownership of the ARG
    assets will be in the hands of the same people, who were earlier ARG
    unitholders and now will become APL shareholders (other than the Overseas
    Holders).
    c. All unitholders, (except for Overseas Holders and the holders of the APL
    Units), whether or not they are Related Parties, will be treated identically.
    
    d. In respect of the indemnity referred to in 10(b) above, investors in APL
    will be in the same position after Corporatisation as before.  Before
    Corporatisation, as unitholders they effectively bear any amount payable
    under the indemnity in the Trust Deed in favour of the Trustee.  After
    Corporatisation, they will as shareholders bear the same amount in respect of
    liabilities which the Trustee incurred before Corporatisation if, and only
    if, the Trustee was entitled to be indemnified for that amount under the
    Trust Deed.  Again, there is no transfer of value.  The proposal to grant the
    indemnity will be disclosed in the material sent to unitholders in the notice
    of meeting.
    e. The purpose of Rule 9.2 is to govern transactions where the issuer may be
    influenced by a Related Party to undertake a transaction which is unduly
    favourable to that Related Party.  That is irrelevant in the present case.
    Rule 9.2
    13. The relevant parts of Rule 9.2 provide:
    9.2.1 An Issuer shall not enter into a Material Transaction if a Related
    Party is, or is likely to become:
    a. a direct or indirect party to the Material Transaction, or to at least one
    of a related series of transactions of which the Material Transaction forms
    part; or
    b. in the case of a guarantee or other transaction of the nature referred to
    in paragraph (d) of the definition of Material Transaction, a direct or
    indirect beneficiary of such guarantee or other transaction,
    unless that Material Transaction is approved by an Ordinary Resolution of the
    Issuer.
    Footnote 1
    NZX may waive the requirement to obtain the approval of a resolution for the
    purposes of Rule 9.2.1 if it is satisfied that the personal connections with,
    or involvement or personal interest of a Related Party are immaterial or
    plainly unlikely to have influenced the promotion of the proposal to enter
    into the transaction or its terms and conditions.
    9.2.2 For the purpose of Rule 9.2.1., "Material Transaction" means a
    transaction or a related series of transactions whereby an Issuer:
    a. purchases or otherwise acquires, gains, leases (as lessor or lessee) or
    sells or otherwise disposes of, assets having an Aggregate Net Value in
    excess of 10% of the Average Market Capitalisation of the Issuer....
    b. enters into any guarantee, indemnity, underwriting, or similar obligation,
    or gives any security, for or of obligations which could expose the Issuer to
    liability in excess of 10% of the Average Market Capitalisation of the
    Issuer; or
    9.2.3 For the purposes of Rule 9.2.1, "Related Party" means a person who is
    at the time of a Material Transaction, or was at any time within six months
    before a Material Transaction:
    a. a Director or executive officer of the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries;
    or
    b. the holder of a Relevant Interest in 10% or more of a Class of Equity
    Securities of the Issuer carrying Votes; or
    c. an Associated Person of the Issuer or any of the persons referred to in
    (a) or (b), other than a person who becomes an Associated Person as a
    consequence of the Material Transaction itself (or an intention or proposal
    to enter into the Material Transaction itself);or
     9.2.4 Rule 9.2.1 shall not apply to:
      .........
     (b) the issue, acquisition or redemption by an Issuer of Securities of that
    Issuer, or the giving by an Issuer of financial assistance for the purposes
    of, or in connection with, the purchase of Securities, or the payment of a
    distribution to holders of Securities, if all holders of Securities of the
    Class in question are treated in the same way, so that each such holder has
    an opportunity to receive the same benefit in respect of each Security held
    by that holder except to the extent that an issue excludes holders outside
    New Zealand in accordance with Rule 7.3.4 (h). For the purposes of this
    praragraph, the transfer, by an Issuer which is a company registered under
    Companies Act 1993, of shares held by that company in itself, shall be deemed
    to constitute an issue of Securities; or
    Decision
    14. On the basis that the information provided to NZXMS is full and accurate
    in all material respects, NZXMS grants ARG a waiver from Rule 9.2 to allow
    ARG to enter into the Corporatisation without seeking the approval of ARG
    unitholders by an Ordinary Resolution in accordance with that Rule.
    Reasons
    15. In coming to the decision to grant ARG a waiver from Rule 9.2, NZXMS has
    considered that:
    
    a. The mischief that Rule 9.2.1 seeks to prevent is the undue influence by a
    Related Party on an Issuer's decision to undertake a transaction favourable
    to that Related Party. This is not present in relation to the
    Corporatisation;
    
    b. ARG has submitted, and NZXMS has no reason not to accept, that the Related
    Parties to the Corporatisation, being APL, the Directors of the Manager, the
    Associated Persons of those Directors who are ARG unitholders and MFL, have
    no personal interest in the Corporatisation except as holders of ARG Units.
    Accordingly, the interests of those Related Parties is identical to the
    interests of the other ARG unitholders;
    
    c. ARG unitholders will have an opportunity to consider and vote on the
    Corporatisation; and
    
    d. Except for Overseas Holders and the holders of the APL Units, all ARG
    unitholders are treated in the same way under the Corporatisation. There is
    no transfer of value from ARG unitholders as all the assets of ARG will be
    transferred to APL during this transaction and all ARG unitholders (except
    Overseas Holders and the holders of the APL Units) will become APL
    shareholders.
    
    Application 2 - Rules 7.6.5 and 8.3.1
    
    16. Overseas Holders comprise approximately 0.57% of all ARG unitholders and
    hold 0.2250% of the ARG Units. Under the Corporatisation, Overseas Holders
    will receive cash rather than APL Shares in respect of their ARG Units. The
    cash amount to be paid to the Overseas Holders will be calculated based on
    the weighted average price of ARG Units on the NZSX over the five days on
    which trading in Units actually occurs on NZSX most recently before the
    record date for the Redemption less withholding taxes (if any).
    
    17. For completeness, Overseas Holders, and the holders of the APL Units,
    will be sent the notice of meeting and will be entitled to attend and vote
    (in person or by proxy) at the meeting.  However the Overseas Holders will
    not be entitled to receive APL Shares in exchange for their ARG Units, and
    thus will not be made an offer of APL Shares for the purposes of the
    securities laws of their jurisdictions.
    
    18. The reason for not redeeming the units held by the holders of the APL
    Units is to enable ARG to continue in existence after the Corporatisation is
    complete (otherwise ARG would have no unitholders), thereby enabling an
    orderly wind up of ARG in due course.  In addition, APL is the holder of all
    the assets and liabilities that ARG formerly held.  During the course of the
    winding up, residual assets and liabilities may be determined, and it is
    proper that those assets and liabilities pass to APL (as part of ARG's
    winding up). The holders of the APL Units  will consent to the
    Corporatisation.
    
    19. As Overseas Holders will receive cash rather than APL Shares for their
    ARG Units, ARG is of the view that Overseas Holders, the holders of the APL
    Units and other ARG unitholders, would be separate groups for the purposes of
    Rules 7.6.5 and 8.3.1.
    
    20. ARG seeks a waiver from Rule 7.6.5, to allow all ARG unitholders
    (including the holders of the APL Units and Overseas Holders) to approve the
    Corporatisation (which includes the Redemption) as one group.
    
    21. ARG also seeks a waiver from Rule 8.3.1 to allow all ARG unitholders
    (including the holders of the APL Units and Overseas Holders) to approve the
    Corporatisation as one group without the need for separate resolutions from
    each group and to pass an extraordinary resolution to authorise an amendment
    of the trust deed by the Trustee and the Manager to do everything necessary
    to effect Corporatisation.
    
    22. In support of the applications referred to in paragraphs 20 and 21 above,
    ARG submits that:
    
    a. the reason for treating Overseas Holders differently to the other ARG
    unitholders is the risk of breaching securities laws in the 17 jurisdictions
    outside Australia and New Zealand (the "Other Jurisdictions") if an offer is
    made in those jurisdictions.  In addition, if there are compliance
    requirements in the Other Jurisdictions, the cost, time and administrative
    effort of complying with those requirements may also be very considerable.
    If compliance with the laws of the Other Jurisdictions were required, it is
    likely that the Corporatisation proposal would be materially complicated and
    delayed, and possibly might not proceed at all;
    
    b. if a separate resolution of unit holders in Other Jurisdictions is
    required  (requiring a 75% majority) it is certainly possible that it would
    not be passed, and the Corporatisation would not proceed.
    
    c. A waiver from the obligation to obtain separate approval of holders in
    Other Jurisdictions is analogous to an existing exception in Rule 7.3.4(h).
    This exception allows an Issuer to be exempt from the requirement to
    proportionately issue Equity Securities where the issue would be in a
    jurisdiction outside of New Zealand where legal requirements would make it
    unduly onerous for the Issuer to make the offer in that jurisdiction.  ARG
    considers a waiver in these circumstances is analogous to Rule 7.3.4(h). ARG
    submits that a key principle underlying Rule 7.3.4(h) is that the vast
    majority of holders of Equity Securities should not be disadvantaged by an
    inability to proceed with an offer or issue of securities if the requirements
    of Rule 7.3.4(a), (b) or (c) cannot practicably be met due to an inability to
    issue or offer securities to holders in overseas jurisdictions where
    compliance with local securities law is practically impossible or unduly
    onerous;
    
    d. ARG submits that it would be appropriate for the waiver to be conditional
    upon the number of ARG Units  to be redeemed for cash to be limited to no
    more than 1% of all ARG Units on issue on the date that the waiver is
    granted.
     Rules
    23. The relevant part of Rule 7.3.4 provides that:
    ... the Issuer shall be entitled:
    ...
    (h) to not offer or issue Equity Securities to holders of existing Securities
    in a jurisdiction outside New Zealand if the legal requirements of that
    jurisdiction are such that it is unduly onerous for the Issuer to make the
    offer in that jurisdiction provided that in the case of Renounceable Rights,
    the Issuer shall arrange the sale of any Renounceable Rights to the relevant
    Equity Securities and to account to holders in that jurisdiction for the
    proceeds.
    
    24. Rule 7.6.5 provides:
    An Issuer may acquire or redeem Equity Securities under Rule 7.6.1(d), or
    give financial assistance under Rule 7.6.3(b), if the precise terms and
    conditions of the specific proposal (the "Proposal") to acquire or redeem
    those Equity Securities, or of the giving of that financial assistance, have
    been approved by separate resolutions (passed by a simple majority of Votes)
    of members of each separate group of each Class of Quoted Equity Securities
    of the Issuer whose rights or entitlements are materially affected in a
    similar way by the Proposal.
    25. Rule 8.3.1 provides:
    Every Issuer shall comply with the provisions of sections 116 and 117 of the
    Companies Act 1993, whether or not the Issuer is a company registered under
    that Act. For the purposes of this Rule 8.3.1, those sections shall be deemed
    to be modified so that:
    a. references in those sections to "shares" shall (subject to Rule 8.3.2) be
    deemed to include references to all Equity Securities of that Issuer, and
    references to "shareholders" shall be read accordingly; and
    
    b. in respect of Issuers which are not companies registered under the
    Companies Act 1993, references to the "company" shall be deemed to be
    references to the Issuer, and references to pre-emptive rights under section
    45 of that Act shall be deemed to be deleted from those sections; and
    
    c. in respect of Equity Securities which are not shares of a company
    registered under the Companies Act 1993:
    i. references to a special resolution shall be deemed to be references to a
    resolution approved by a majority of 75% of votes of the holders of those
    Securities entitled to vote and voting; and
    ii. references to the constitution shall be deemed to be references to the
    document which governs the rights of those Equity Securities.
    26. Section 117 of the Companies Act provides that:
    
    117(a) A company must not take action that affects the rights attached to
    shares unless that action has been approved by a special resolution of each
    interest group.
    
    27. Section 116 of the Companies Act defines "interest group" as:
    interest group, in relation to any action or proposal affecting rights
    attached to shares, means a group of shareholders whose affected rights are
    identical; and whose rights are affected by the action or proposal in the
    same way; and subject to subsection 2(b) of this section, who comprise the
    holders of one or more classes of shares in the company.
    Decision
    28. On the basis that the information provided to NZXMS is full and accurate
    in all material respects, NZXMS grants ARG waivers from the requirement of
    Rules 7.6.5 and 8.3.1 to allow all ARG unitholders to vote on the
    Corporatisation proposal as one group and to pass an extraordinary resolution
    to authorise an amendment of the trust deed, permitting the Trustee and the
    Manager to do everything necessary to effect Corporatisation, on the
    condition that as at the earlier of the date that this waiver decision is
    announced or the date that the Corporatisation is announced, the number of
    units held by unitholders whose addresses are in Other Jurisdictions does not
    exceed 1% of all ARG Units.
    Application 2 - Reasons
    29. In coming to the decision to grant the waivers contained in paragraph 28
    above, NZXMS has considered:
    
    a. the policy of the requirement in Rule 7.6.5, that the Redemption be
    approved by all holders whose rights and entitlements are materially affected
    in a similar way, is designed to prevent the approval of a transaction by a
    group of holders that would unfairly advantage that group to the detriment of
    other holders;
    
    b. the valuation mechanism (VWAP) for the ARG Units held by Overseas Holders
    who will receive cash is an objective measure, serving to ensure that
    Overseas Holders obtain fair value for their ARG Units;
    
    c. ARG submits, and NZXMS has no reason not to accept, that the cost of
    obtaining advice in the Other Jurisdictions is considerable. As a result,
    without a waiver from Rule 7.6.5, the Corporatisation may be delayed or would
    not be able to proceed;
    
    d. the condition set out in paragraph 28, above, will ensure that the maximum
    number of ARG Units held by ARG unitholders who will be cashed out is not
    likely to exceed 1% of ARG Units; and
    
    e. it is appropriate that the rights of minority Equity Security Holders to
    participate in a transaction be sensibly balanced against the interests of
    the Issuer and all Equity Security Holders by ensuring that an Issuer is able
    to complete transactions without undue expense and complication. In this
    regard NZXMS notes that the cost of extending the offer to all Overseas
    Holders (presuming that this is legally possible) may not be in the best
    interests of ARG and the majority of ARG unitholders.
    Application 3 - Rules 5.1.1, 5.2.1, 5.2.2 (b), 7.1.5 (c), 7.1.10 and 7.1.13
    30. APL will apply for Listing and Quotation of its ordinary shares in
    accordance with the relevant Rules.  Although an application for Listing will
    be made by APL, given that APL will be materially similar to ARG in a number
    of key respects, ARG has requested that NZXMS grant waivers in respect of
    certain Listing, Quotation and offering document requirements.
    
    31. In particular, ARG seeks, on behalf of APL, waivers from:
    
    a. Rule 5.1.1, to the extent that an application for Listing shall be made
    through a Primary Market Participant acting as an Organising Participant.
    
    b. Rule 5.2.1, to the extent that the Rule requires that an application for
    quotation of a class of securities be made through a Primary Market
    Participant acting as Organising Participant.
    
    c. Rule 5.2.2(b), to the extent that the Rule requires that an application
    for Quotation under Rule 5.2.1 be submitted with evidence that the Primary
    Market Participant has sought assurance from NZX that Authority to Act has
    not been withdrawn in respect of securities for which quotation is sought.
    
    d. the requirement in Rule 7.1.5(c) that the Corporatisation Offering
    Document shall contain in its subscription application a field for
    subscribers to insert their CSN number.
    
    e. the requirement in Rule 7.1.10 that the Corporatisation Offering Document,
    after stating that application may be made to the Issuer, shall state that
    they may be lodged with any Primary Market Participant, the Organising
    Participant or any other channel approved by NZX.
    
    f. the requirement in Rule 7.1.13 for the Corporatisation Offering Document
    to specify the period within which refunds of subscription money will be
    made, and whether or not interest will be paid on amounts refunded to
    subscribers.
    
    32. In support of its application ARG submits that:
    
    a. if the waivers are granted this will reduce the cost, time and complexity
    associated with compliance with various Listing Rules that contemplate an
    application for Listing and/or Quotation:
    i. by an entity unknown to NZX and the market; and
    ii. in respect of securities that relate to underlying assets that the market
    is unfamiliar with.
    b. ARG does not consider the granting of the waivers sought in paragraph 31
    above will materially adversely affect APL shareholders, NZX or the market.
    
    c. As the offer of APL Shares is being made pro rata to existing ARG
    unitholders (other than Overseas Holders and APL) in exchange for redemption
    of their units, and no subscription monies are to be received by APL, a
    Primary Market Participant acting as Organising Participant is not required
    to ensure the success of the Corporatisation.
     Rules
    33. The relevant parts of Rule 5.1.1 provide:
      Application shall be made through a Primary Market Participant acting as
    Organising Participant.
    34. Rule 5.2.1 provides:
    5.2.1  An Issuer, or applicant for Listing, may apply to NZX for a Class or
    Classes of its Securities to be Quoted on the NZSX or NZDX. Separate
    application must be made for each Class of Securities, through a Primary
    Market Participant acting as Organising Participant, except that the
    application need not be made through an Organising Participant in the case of
    an application to Quote a Class of Securities where the Securities to be
    Quoted are rights to Securities that are already Quoted.
    35. The relevant part of Rule 5.2.2(b) provides:
    5.2.2 The following information and material shall be submitted with an
    application under Rule 5.2.1:
    ... evidence that the Primary Market Participant has sought assurance from
    NZX that Authority to Act has not been withdrawn in respect of Securities for
    which Quotation is sought or a certificate is provided under Rule 7.4 of the
    NZX Participant Rules (whichever is applicable); and
    36. The relevant parts of Rule 7.1.5(c) provide:
    7.1.5  Every Offering Document shall contain:
    ... (c) in its subscription application a field for subscribers to insert
    their CSN number (if any).
    37. Rule 7.1.10 provides:
    7.1.10 Every Offering Document, after stating that applications may be made
    to the Issuer, shall state that they may be lodged with any Primary Market
    Participant, the Organising Participant or any other channel approved by NZX
    (in that order) in time to enable forwarding to the appropriate place prior
    to the application closing date.
    38. Rule 7.1.13 provides:
    7.1.13 Each Offering Document shall specify:
     a. the period within which a refund of subscription moneys will be made to
    applicants for Securities to whom allotments are not made; and
     b. whether or not interest will be paid on amounts refunded in terms of (a)
    and, if so, the basis upon which interest will be calculated.
    Decision
    39. On the basis that the information provided to NZXMS is full and accurate
    in all material respects, NZXMS grants APL waivers from:
    
    a. Rules 5.1.1 and 5.2.1, to the extent that those Rules require that an
    application for Listing and Quotation of a class of securities be made
    through a Primary Market Participant acting as Organising Participant;
    
    b. Rule 5.2.2(b), to the extent that the Rule requires that an application
    for Quotation under Rule 5.2.1 be submitted with evidence that the Primary
    Market Participant has sought assurance from NZX that Authority to Act has
    not been withdrawn in respect of securities for which Quotation is sought;
    
    c. the requirement in Rule 7.1.5(c) that the Corporatisation Offering
    Document shall contain in its subscription application a field for
    subscribers to insert their CSN number;
    
    d. the requirement in Rule 7.1.10 that the Corporatisation Offering Document,
    after stating that application may be made to the Issuer, shall state that
    they may be lodged with any Primary Market Participant, the Organising
    Participant or any other channel approved by NZX; and
    
    e. the requirement in Rule 7.1.13 for the Corporatisation Offering Document
    to specify the period within which refunds of subscription money will be
    made, and whether or not interest will be paid on amounts refunded to
    subscribers.
    Reasons
    40. In coming to the decision to grant ARG waivers from Rules 5.1.1, 5.2.1
    and 5.2.2(b), NZXMS considered that, as the offer of APL Shares is being made
    pro rata solely to existing ARG unitholders in exchange for redemption of
    their ARG Units (other than for Overseas Holders and the holders of the APL
    Units), and no subscription monies are to be received by APL, a Primary
    Market Participant acting as Organising Participant is not required to ensure
    the success of the Corporatisation;
    
    41. In coming to the decision to grant ARG a waiver from Rule 5.2.1 and from
    Rule 7.1.5(c) NZXMS has considered that the recipients of the APL Shares will
    be those recorded on the register of ARG on the Record Date, and new shares
    will essentially be issued to these ARG unitholders (other than Overseas
    Holders and the holders of the APL Units) pro rata and that there is no
    requirement for the ARG unitholders to fill out an application form for the
    APL Shares.
    
    42. In coming to the decision to grant ARG a waiver from Rule 7.1.10, NZXMS
    has considered that it is unnecessary for an Organising Participant to act in
    respect of the Corporatisation.
    
    43. In coming to the decision to grant ARG a waiver from Rule 7.1.13, NZXMS
    has considered that no subscription money will be received in respect of the
    Corporatisation. Rule 7.1.13 is therefore not applicable to the
    Corporatisation.
    Application 4 - Rule 3.4.3
    44. On 19 July 2011 NZXMS granted ARG a waiver ("Previous Waiver") from Rule
    3.4.3 to allow the Directors of the Manager to vote on any resolution
    necessary to consider, progress or give effect to the "Internalisation" or
    any other proposal or transaction relating to a change to the arrangements
    for the management of ARG and to be counted in the quorum for the purposes of
    the consideration of such matters.
    
    45. ARG is seeking a waiver from the restrictions in Rule 3.4.3 on the same
    basis provided in the Previous Waiver except that, instead of the
    "Internalisation" proposed thereunder, ARG is now proceeding with the
    Corporatisation.
    Rules
    
    46. Rule 3.4.3 provides:
    
    Subject to Rule 3.4.4, a Director shall not vote on a Board resolution in
    respect of any matter in which that Director is interested, nor shall the
    Director be counted in the quorum for the purposes of consideration of that
    matter.  For this purpose, the term "interested" bears the meaning assigned
    to that term in section 139 of the Companies Act 1993, on the basis that if
    an Issuer is not a company registered under that Act, the reference to the
    "company" in that section shall be read as a reference to the Issuer.
    
    47. The Companies Act 1993 defines "interested" to include the following:
    
    139(1) For the purposes of this Act, a director of a company is interested
    in a transaction to which the company is a party if, and only if, the
    director
    
    ... (c) is a director, officer, or trustee of another party to, or person who
    will or may derive a material financial benefit from, the transaction, not
    being a party or person that is--
    
    (i)  the company's holding company being a holding company of which the
    company is a wholly-owned subsidiary; or
    
    (ii) a wholly-owned subsidiary of the company; or
    
    (iii)  a wholly-owned subsidiary of a holding company of which the company is
    also a wholly-owned subsidiary;
    Decision
    48. On the basis of the decision granted in the Previous Waiver and on the
    basis that the information provided to NZXMS is complete and accurate in all
    material respects, NZXMS hereby grants ARG a waiver from Rule 3.4.3 to allow
    the Directors of the Manager to vote, and be counted in the quorum at a
    meeting of the ARG Board on any resolution necessary to consider, progress or
    give effect to the Corporatisation.
    Reasons
    49. In coming to the decision to grant ARG the waiver in respect of Rule
    3.4.3, NZXMS has considered that:
    
    a. the policy behind Rule 3.4.3 is to prevent situations arising whereby
    Directors who have a vested interest in a transaction may authorise the entry
    into, or implementation of, matters that are detrimental to the interests of
    shareholders as a result of that "interest";
    
    b. the "interest" of the Directors of the Manager in this instance arises by
    virtue of the unique operating and management arrangement of a unit trust;
    and
    
    c. unit holders of ARG will have the opportunity to consider and vote on the
    Corporatisation and other proposals affecting the management of ARG in
    accordance with the relevant provisions of the Act and the Rules.
    Confidentiality
    50. ARG has submitted that this decision, and the information contained
    within this decision, are confidential and commercially sensitive. ARG
    requests that this decision remains confidential until the Corporatisation
    Offering Document is distributed to ARG unitholders.
    
    51. NZXMS grants ARG's request for confidentiality, as it accords with the
    policy of Rules 1.11.2 and 1.11.4 and the footnotes to those Rules.
    ENDS.
    End CA:00219136 For:ARG    Type:WAV/RULE   Time:2012-02-02 17:01:06
    				
 
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