31.8% of Barclays to be owned by Middle Eastern investors PDF Print E-mail

Barclays has announced that two strategic Middle Eastern investors will own 31.8% of the Group. In its proposed new capital raising of £7.0 billion, current retail investors will not be able to participate. The capital raisingis more expensive than that of other UK financial institutions such as Royal Bank of Scotland, Lloyds TSB and HBOS which have agreed to investments by the UK government.

Barclays announces Capital Raising
The Board of Directors of Barclays today announces a proposal to raise up to £7.3 billion of
additional capital from existing and new strategic and institutional investors.
The Capital Raising, which is subject to approval by Barclays shareholders, will be effected
through an issue of £3 billion of Reserve Capital Instruments, with an associated issue of
warrants, and an issue of up to £4.3 billion of Mandatorily Convertible Notes.
As a result of the Capital Raising, Barclays expects to fully satisfy its commitment, as
announced to the market on 13th October 2008, to raise new external capital as part of its
overall plan to achieve the new higher capital targets set by the UK Financial Services Authority
for all UK banks.
The Capital Raising will:
• enable Barclays simultaneously to achieve its tier one and equity capital issuance
commitments to the FSA with certainty and ahead of the previously announced timetable;
• strengthen links with existing large shareholders and introduce a substantial new investor
to Barclays; and
• provide the opportunity for existing institutional shareholders to participate in the Capital
Raising by subscribing for Mandatorily Convertible Notes.
The Board estimates that, taking into account the proceeds of the Capital Raising, on a pro
forma basis (assuming issue and conversion of £4.3 billion of Mandatorily Convertible Notes)
Barclays would have reported a tier one ratio of 11.3% and an equity tier one ratio of 7.6% as
at 30th June 2008. This excludes the impact of any future exercise of the Warrants.
Barclays has also today released its Interim Management Statement stating that Group profit
before tax for the nine months ended 30th September 2008 was slightly ahead of 2007.
Income growth was strong, and costs grew broadly in line with the rate of income growth.
Impairment charges grew at a similar rate to the first half of the year. Third quarter 2008
results included a preliminary estimate of the net benefits arising on the acquisition of Lehman
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Brothers North American investment banking and capital markets businesses; and net losses
from credit market writedowns of £129 million, comprising writedowns of £1.2 billion offset by
£1.1 billion gains on the fair valuation of issued notes. In October, credit spreads narrowed
substantially leading to a reversal of £1 billion gains on the fair valuation of issued notes.
Highlights of the Capital Raising
Key highlights of the Capital Raising include:
• An issue of £3 billion of Reserve Capital Instruments (‘RCIs’) to Qatar Holding and entities
representing the beneficial interests of HH Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, a
member of the Royal Family of Abu Dhabi (‘HH Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan’).
The RCIs will pay an annual coupon of 14% until June 2019. In conjunction with this issue,
Qatar Holding and HH Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan have also subscribed (for a
nominal consideration) for warrants (‘Warrants’) to subscribe at their option for up to
1,516,875,236 new ordinary shares of Barclays PLC (‘Ordinary Shares’) with an exercise
price of 197.775 pence per share (equal to the Average Barclays Closing Price) or £3
billion in aggregate, representing 18.1% of Barclays existing issued ordinary share capital.
The Warrants are exercisable at any time for a five year term from the date of issue.
• An issue of £2.8 billion of Mandatorily Convertible Notes (‘MCNs’) to Qatar Holding,
Challenger Universal Limited (‘Challenger’) and HH Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan,
and a further issue of up to £1.5 billion of MCNs to existing institutional shareholders and
other institutional investors by way of an accelerated non-underwritten bookbuild placing.
The MCNs all carry the same terms and conditions. The MCNs will pay an annual coupon
of 9.75% until conversion into Ordinary Shares, which will occur on or before 30th June
2009. Conversion will result in the issue of 2,805,396,799 new Ordinary Shares,
representing 33.5% of Barclays existing issued ordinary share capital. The conversion
price is 153.276 pence, a discount of 22.5% to the Average Barclays Closing Price.
• Ordinary Shares to be issued upon conversion of the MCNs, and, as the case may be, the
exercise of Warrants, will increase Barclays equity tier one ratio, while the RCIs will qualify
as innovative tier one capital to the extent they are within the innovative tier one
allowance as defined by the FSA.
Investors
Qatar Holding has agreed to invest £500 million in MCNs and £1.5 billion in RCIs, and has
subscribed for Warrants to purchase up to £1.5 billion of Ordinary Shares. Challenger has
agreed to invest £300 million in MCNs. Assuming the conversion of their MCNs and full
exercise of their Warrants, and taking into account their existing holdings of Barclays shares,
Qatar Holding would hold 1,607,402,170 Ordinary Shares, representing 12.7% of the fully
diluted share capital (assuming the issue and conversion of £4.3 billion of MCNs and full
exercise of Warrants) (the ‘Fully Diluted Share Capital’) and Challenger would hold
353,704,737 Ordinary Shares, representing 2.8% of the Fully Diluted Share Capital.
HH Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan has agreed to invest £2 billion in MCNs and £1.5
billion in RCIs, and subscribed for Warrants to purchase up to £1.5 billion of Ordinary Shares.
Assuming the conversion of their MCNs and full exercise of their Warrants, HH Sheikh Mansour
Bin Zayed Al Nahyan would be beneficially entitled to 2,063,273,339 Ordinary Shares,
representing 16.3% of the Fully Diluted Share Capital.
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Barclays has appointed Barclays Capital, Credit Suisse and JPMorgan Cazenove as joint
bookrunners to undertake an accelerated non-underwritten bookbuild placing of up to a
further £1.5 billion of MCNs with existing institutional shareholders and other institutional
investors (the ‘Institutional Placing’).
John Varley, Group Chief Executive of Barclays, said:
“The capital raising announced today enables Barclays to meet the capital issuance plan agreed
with the UK authorities following the decision by the FSA to increase the capital ratio
requirements for all UK banks. We are pleased to have the continuing support of Qatar Holding
and Challenger, and to welcome HH Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan as a substantial new
investor, as well as enabling broad participation by existing institutional shareholders. Today’s
capital raising provides certainty and speed of execution, and combined with the strong thirdquarter
performance in a volatile operating environment enables us to continue to implement
our strategy and build our business by serving clients and customers around the world.”
Marcus Agius, Chairman of Barclays, said:
“Given the continuing uncertainties in world capital markets, the Board of Barclays resolved to
satisfy the capital raising requirements agreed with the UK authorities without delay. This we
have done. The Board believes that this maintains Barclays as a strong, independent and well
capitalised bank.”
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Details of the Capital Raising
1. Introduction
The Board of Directors of Barclays today announces a Capital Raising to raise up to £7.3 billion
of new capital through the issue of MCNs, RCIs and Warrants.
Capitalised terms used in this announcement have the meanings given in Appendix 1.
2. Reasons for the Capital Raising
On 13th October 2008, Barclays announced that, following the decision of the FSA to set
stronger capital ratio requirements for all UK banks, the Board had agreed a plan to increase
the capital of Barclays through measures including the raising of over £6.5 billion of tier one
capital, of which £3 billion would be in the form of preference shares and the remainder would
be in the form of Ordinary Shares.
In common with other large UK-headquartered banks, Barclays has had detailed discussions
with the FSA regarding its balance sheet and capital position. Target capital levels have been
agreed with the FSA which include consideration of a number of possible stress scenarios. The
Capital Raising, together with other measures management is taking in the business to improve
Barclays capital position, are in accordance with the plans agreed with the FSA.
The Board has completed a thorough exploration of possible capital raising structures and
arrangements to meet its commitment to the FSA. A fully pre-emptive offer to all Shareholders
would require a period of market risk exposure of up to some two months which the Board
believes represents a risk that is unacceptable to shareholders at this time. The Board has
concluded that the Capital Raising provides the best combination of financial terms, certainty
and speed for Barclays, which are important given current market conditions. The Board
attaches a high degree of importance to pre-emption rights generally and has sought to
recognise these to the extent possible in the context of the Capital Raising by giving
institutional investors the ability to participate in the issue of MCNs.
The objective of the plan to raise tier one capital via the issue of preference shares will be met
through the issuance of the RCIs. Coupons on the RCIs should be tax deductible for Barclays
and the RCIs qualify as tier one capital, within the innovative tier one allowance as defined by
the FSA. The issuance of MCNs rather than Ordinary Shares enables certainty of commitment
of the required ordinary equity within a short period of time and permits the immediate
economic participation of certain significant investors, prior to the receipt of any required
regulatory approvals.
Barclays remains committed to mobilise an additional £1.5 billion in equity resources from
balance sheet and operational efficiencies referred to in the announcement of 13th October
2008. Barclays also announced on 13th October 2008 that, in the light of the new capital
ratios agreed with the FSA and in recognition of the need to maximise capital resources in the
current economic climate, the Board has concluded that it would not be appropriate to
recommend the payment of a final dividend for 2008.
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The Board estimates that, taking into account the proceeds of the Capital Raising, on a pro
forma basis (assuming the issue and full conversion of £4.3 billion of MCNs) Barclays would
have reported a tier one ratio of 11.3% and an equity tier one ratio of 7.6% as at 30th June
2008. This excludes the impact of any future exercise of the Warrants.
3. Details of the Mandatorily Convertible Notes
The MCNs will carry an annual coupon of 9.75%, payable quarterly in arrears, until conversion
into Ordinary Shares. The MCNs will have a mandatory conversion date of 30th June 2009.
Conversion of any outstanding MCNs will occur on the mandatory conversion date and will be
at the holder’s option up until the fifth business day prior to such date. The conversion price is
fixed at 153.276 pence, a discount of 22.5% to the Average Barclays Closing Price (subject to
certain limited adjustment events summarised in Appendix 2).
Qatar Holding has agreed to subscribe for £500 million of MCNs and Challenger has agreed to
subscribe for £300 million of MCNs. HH Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan has agreed to
subscribe for £2 billion of MCNs.
Barclays Capital, Credit Suisse and JPMorgan Cazenove, who are acting as joint bookrunners,
will undertake an accelerated non-underwritten bookbuild placing of up to an additional £1.5
billion of MCNs to existing institutional shareholders and other institutional investors. Books
are open with immediate effect and are expected to close at 5:00pm today but may be closed
earlier or later at the discretion of the joint bookrunners and without further notice. Further
details of the MCNs and the bookbuild placing are set out in Appendices 2 and 3.
The issue of the MCNs is conditional upon receipt of necessary shareholder approvals. Subject
to obtaining the required shareholder consents, the MCNs are expected to be issued on the
third business day following the General Meeting.
The MCNs will not qualify as capital until conversion into Ordinary Shares. Applications will be
made for the MCNs to be admitted to the Official List of the UKLA and to trading on the
London Stock Exchange’s regulated market. Barclays has undertaken to apply for the Ordinary
Shares to be issued upon conversion of the MCNs to be admitted to listing on the Official List
of the UKLA and admitted to trading on the London Stock Exchange’s regulated market.
4. Details of the Reserve Capital Instruments and Warrants
The RCIs are perpetual securities, redeemable in whole (but not in part) at the option of
Barclays Bank PLC from June 2019. The RCIs will pay an annual coupon of 14% until June 2019
and 3-month LIBOR plus 13.4% thereafter. The initial coupon represents a cost to Barclays of
approximately 10% on an after-tax basis. The RCIs will qualify as innovative tier one capital to
the extent they are within the innovative tier one allowance as defined by the FSA.
Qatar Holding and HH Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan have each agreed to subscribe for
£1.5 billion of RCIs. In conjunction with this subscription, Qatar Holding and HH Sheikh
Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan have each subscribed (for a nominal consideration) for Warrants
to subscribe for up to £1.5 billion of new Ordinary Shares. The exercise price of the Warrants
will be 197.775 pence , equal to the Average Barclays Closing Price, subject to certain antidilutive
provisions. The Warrants are exercisable at any time for a five year period following
issue.
Page 6 of 25
The issue of the RCIs is conditional upon receipt of necessary shareholder approvals. Subject to
obtaining the required shareholder consents, the RCIs are expected to be issued on the third
business day following the General Meeting. The Warrants were subscribed for unconditionally
today but exercise is conditional upon obtaining necessary shareholder approvals and issuance
of the RCIs. The original subscribers for the Warrants are entitled to a reduction in the warrant
exercise price in the event that Barclays issues further Ordinary Shares by way of a rights issue
between 1 July 2009 and 30 June 2011 and the share price at the time of the rights issue is less
than 197.775 pence.
Applications will be made for the RCIs and the Warrants to be admitted to the Official List of
the UKLA and to trading on the London Stock Exchange's regulated market (or, in the case of 
the Warrants, an alternative recognised investment exchange or regulated market). The
Warrants may be traded separately from the RCIs.
5. Enlarged share capital
Conversion of the MCNs would result in the issue of 2,805,396,799 new Ordinary Shares,
equivalent to 33.5% of Barclays existing ordinary share capital (assuming issue and conversion
of £4.3 billion of MCNs). Full exercise of the Warrants would result in the issue of a further
1,516,875,236 new Ordinary Shares, equivalent to 18.1% of Barclays existing ordinary share
capital.
6. Commissions and fees
Net proceeds of the Capital Raising are expected to be up to £7.0 billion, after commissions,
fees and expenses of £0.3 billion.
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Qatar Holding, Challenger and HH Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan will each receive a
commission of 4 per cent. of the principal amount of the MCNs for which they have
respectively agreed to subscribe.
Qatar Holding and HH Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan will each receive a commission of
2 per cent. of the principal amount of the RCIs for which they have respectively agreed to
subscribe.
In addition, Qatar Holding will receive a fee of £66 million for having arranged certain of the
subscriptions in the Capital Raising.
Credit Suisse and JPMorgan Cazenove will each receive a fee of 0.75 per cent. of the principal
amount of the MCNs placed in the Institutional Placing.
Credit Suisse and JPMorgan Cazenove will each receive a fee of £900,000 (£1.8 million in total)
in respect of their roles assisting Barclays in relation to the RCIs.
Barclays will pay the commissions on the due date for issue of the MCNs and RCIs. The
commissions are payable even if the proposed resolutions are not passed at the General
Meeting.
7. Current trading and prospects
Barclays has also today released its Interim Management Statement stating that Group profit
before tax for the nine months ended 30th September 2008 was slightly ahead of 2007.
Income growth was strong, and costs grew broadly in line with the rate of income growth.
Impairment charges grew at a similar rate to the first half of the year. Third quarter 2008
results included a preliminary estimate of the net benefits arising on the acquisition of Lehman
Brothers North American investment banking and capital markets businesses; and net losses
from credit market writedowns of £129 million, comprising writedowns of £1.2 billion offset by
£1.1 billion gains on the fair valuation of issued notes. In October, credit spreads narrowed
substantially leading to a reversal of £1 billion gains on the fair valuation of issued notes.
8. Dividend policy
As announced on 13th October 2008, in the light of the new capital ratios agreed with the FSA
and in recognition of the need to maximise capital resources in the current economic climate,
the Board has concluded that it would not be appropriate to recommend the payment of a final
dividend for 2008. The Board intends to resume dividend payments in the second half of 2009,
at which time it is intended to pay dividends quarterly.
9. Approvals
The issue of the RCIs and the MCNs, and exercise of the Warrants, are conditional upon receipt
of the requisite shareholder approvals. The Board has resolved to convene a General Meeting
on or around 24th November 2008 to approve, amongst other matters, an increase in the
Company’s authorised ordinary share capital sufficient to permit completion of the Capital
Raising, and to grant authorities for the issue of new Ordinary Shares in accordance with the
terms of the MCNs and the Warrants.
Page 8 of 25
A circular convening the General Meeting will be sent to Shareholders on or around 8th
November. Copies of the circular will be forwarded to the FSA and will be available for
inspection at the UKLA's Document Viewing Facility, which is situated at: The Financial Services 
Authority, 25 The North Colonnade, Canary Wharf, London E14 5HS.
The Board will unanimously recommend that shareholders vote in favour of all the resolutions
to be proposed at the General Meeting, as the Directors intend to do in respect of their own
beneficial holdings.
The acquisition by Qatar Holding, Challenger and HH Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan of
the full amount of the shareholdings resulting from the conversion of their MCNs and the
exercise of their Warrants will require certain approvals to be obtained from, and filings to be
made with, regulators and other governmental authorities in a number of countries in which
Barclays operates. Qatar Holding, Challenger and HH Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan
have undertaken to Barclays not to deliver a conversion notice under the MCNs or exercise
their rights under the Warrants to the extent that certain relevant approvals and filings have
not been obtained and made. In addition, the terms of the MCNs envisage that where a holder
of MCNs does not deliver a conversion notice prior to the mandatory conversion of the MCNs,
the Ordinary Shares in Barclays that would otherwise have been issued to that holder on such
conversion will be issued to the trustee of the MCNs and sold for that holder’s benefit.
10. Expected timetable of principal events
The expected timetable of the principal events is set out below:
Placing of MCNs to institutional investors 31st October 2008
Posting of Barclays shareholder circular 8th November 2008
General Meeting 24th November 2008
Issuance of MCNs and RCIs 27th November 2008
Mandatory conversion date of MCNs 30th June 2009
Last date for exercise of the Warrants 31st October 2013
Comments (1)add comment

a guest said:

After seeing what a complete mess Barclays has made of its capital raising, I can't imagine any company using Barclays investment bank for capital raising advice.
 
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November 20, 2008
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