Universe Group plc
("Universe", the "Company" or the "Group")
Exercise of Options, Director/PDMR Shareholding and Total Voting Rights
Universe Group plc (AIM: UNG.L), a leading developer and supplier of point of sale, payment and loyalty systems announces that it has issued and allotted 14,676,260 new ordinary shares of 1 pence each in the Company ("Ordinary Shares") pursuant to the exercise of options by a number of Directors and other employees of the Company, in connection with the recommended acquisition of the Company by Inform Information Systems Limited (a wholly owned subsidiary of Professional DataSolutions Inc.). The following transactions occurred for Directors as shown below:
| Director/ PDMR | Position | Number of Ordinary Shares over which option exercised | Exercise price per Ordinary Share | Options remaining after exercise | Type of option |
| Neil Radley | Chief Executive Officer | 6,207,760 | 5.4 pence | - | Non-tax advantaged option |
| Adrian Wilding | Chief Financial Officer | 2,444,000 | 5.4 pence | - | Non-tax advantaged option |
| Malcolm Coster | Non-Executive Director | 100,000 | 5.5 pence | - | Non-tax advantaged option |
Admission
Following the above transactions, application has been made for the 14,676,260 new Ordinary Shares to be admitted to trading on AIM ("Admission") and dealings are expected to commence on 18 January 2022. The new Ordinary Shares will rank pari passu with the Company's existing Ordinary Shares.
The total number of Ordinary Shares in issue following Admission will be 275,742,980. Accordingly, the figure of 275,742,980 may be used by shareholders as the denominator for the calculations by which they will determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in the Company under the FCA's Disclosure and Transparency Rules.
PDMR Shareholdings
The total number of Ordinary Shares over which each Director/PDMR holds options and the total number of Ordinary Shares with voting rights held following Admission is:
| Director/ PDMR | Position | Total number of Options over Ordinary Shares | Total number of Ordinary Shares | Percentage of issued share capital |
| Andrew Blazye | Executive Chairman | - | 20,342,785 | 7.38% |
| Neil Radley | Chief Executive Officer | - | 8,207,550 | 2.98% |
| Adrian Wilding | Chief Financial Officer | - | 2,644,000 | 0.96% |
| Malcolm Coster | Non-Executive Director | - | 9,315,754* | 3.38% |
| Ivan Brooks | Non-Executive Director | - | 520,736** | 0.19% |
*Includes 6,371,643 shares held in the name of Teresa Coster, who is Malcolm Coster's daughter in law.
**Includes 78,236 shares held in the name of Thomas Brooks and 42,500 shares held in the name of Alexander Brooks, who are Ivan Brooks' sons.
For further information, please contact:
| Universe Group plc Andrew Blazye, Executive Chairman Neil Radley, Chief Executive Officer Adrian Wilding, Chief Financial Officer | T: +44 2380 689 510 |
| finnCap Henrik Persson / Seamus Fricker (Corporate Finance) Richard Chambers (Corporate Broking) | T: +44 2072 200 500
|
| IFC Advisory | T: +44 2039 346 630 |
| Tim Metcalfe / Florence Chandler
| |
The Notification of Dealing Form set out below is provided in accordance with the requirements of the EU Market Abuse Regulation.
1. | Details of the person discharging managerial responsibilities/person closely associated | |||||
| a) | Name: | Neil Radley | ||||
2. | Reason for the notification | |||||
| a) | Position/status: | Chief Executive Officer | ||||
| b) | Initial notification/Amendment: | Initial notification | ||||
3. | Details of the issuer, emission allowance market participant, auction platform, auctioneer or auction monitor | |||||
| a) | Name: | Universe Group plc | ||||
| b) | LEI: | 213800YEBEDVKK4EDE08 | ||||
4. | Details of the transaction(s): section to be repeated for (i) each type of instrument; (ii) each type of transaction; (iii) each date; and (iv) each place where transactions have been conducted | |||||
| a) | Description of the financial instrument, type of instrument: Identification code: | Ordinary shares of 1 pence each GB0009483594 | ||||
| b) | Nature of the transaction: | Exercise of options | ||||
| c) | Price(s) and volume(s): |
| ||||
| d) | Aggregated information: · Aggregated volume: · Price: |
As above | ||||
| e) | Date of the transaction: | 14 January 2022 | ||||
| f) | Place of the transaction: | London Stock Exchange, AIM Market (XLON) | ||||
1. | Details of the person discharging managerial responsibilities/person closely associated | |||||
| a) | Name: | Adrian Wilding | ||||
2. | Reason for the notification | |||||
| a) | Position/status: | Chief Financial Officer | ||||
| b) | Initial notification/Amendment: | Initial notification | ||||
3. | Details of the issuer, emission allowance market participant, auction platform, auctioneer or auction monitor | |||||
| a) | Name: | Universe Group plc | ||||
| b) | LEI: | 213800YEBEDVKK4EDE08 | ||||
4. | Details of the transaction(s): section to be repeated for (i) each type of instrument; (ii) each type of transaction; (iii) each date; and (iv) each place where transactions have been conducted | |||||
| a) | Description of the financial instrument, type of instrument: Identification code: | Ordinary shares of 1 pence each GB0009483594 | ||||
| b) | Nature of the transaction: | Exercise of options | ||||
| c) | Price(s) and volume(s): |
| ||||
| d) | Aggregated information: · Aggregated volume: · Price: |
As above | ||||
| e) | Date of the transaction: | 14 January 2022 | ||||
| f) | Place of the transaction: | London Stock Exchange, AIM Market (XLON) | ||||
1. | Details of the person discharging managerial responsibilities/person closely associated | |||||
| a) | Name: | Malcolm Coster | ||||
2. | Reason for the notification | |||||
| a) | Position/status: | Non-Executive Director | ||||
| b) | Initial notification/Amendment: | Initial notification | ||||
3. | Details of the issuer, emission allowance market participant, auction platform, auctioneer or auction monitor | |||||
| a) | Name: | Universe Group plc | ||||
| b) | LEI: | 213800YEBEDVKK4EDE08 | ||||
4. | Details of the transaction(s): section to be repeated for (i) each type of instrument; (ii) each type of transaction; (iii) each date; and (iv) each place where transactions have been conducted | |||||
| a) | Description of the financial instrument, type of instrument: Identification code: | Ordinary shares of 1 pence each GB0009483594 | ||||
| b) | Nature of the transaction: | Exercise of options | ||||
| c) | Price(s) and volume(s): |
| ||||
| d) | Aggregated information: · Aggregated volume: · Price: |
As above | ||||
| e) | Date of the transaction: | 14 January 2022 | ||||
| f) | Place of the transaction: | London Stock Exchange, AIM Market (XLON) | ||||
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