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Repurchase of Shares on the Open Market

Published: 2023-05-31 16:21:26 ET
<<<  go to JSE:LEW company page
Lewis Group Limited
Registration Number: 2004/009817/06
Share Code: LEW
ISIN Code: ZAE 000058236
Bond Code: LEWI
(“Lewis” or “the company”)


REPURCHASE OF SHARES ON THE OPEN MARKET


1.   INTRODUCTION

     In terms of paragraph 5.79 and 11.27 of the JSE Listing Requirements, shareholders are advised
     that Lewis has purchased a further 2 801 999 of its own ordinary shares, being 4.8% of issued
     share capital as at the beginning of the share repurchase program (“original issued share capital”)
     in terms of the general authority granted by shareholders at the company’s annual general meeting
     held on 28 October 2022. The company had said authority granted at the annual general meeting
     to conduct a general repurchase of shares up to 10% of its original issued share capital. The
     cumulative repurchases in terms of the current authority is 7.8% and, therefore, the company can
     repurchase a further 2.2% of its original issued share capital.

     The general repurchase was effected through the order book operated by the JSE trading system
     without any prior understanding or arrangement between Lewis and the counter parties. Shares
     were repurchased during a prohibited period in accordance with a closed period repurchase
     program put in place prior to the prohibited period pursuant to paragraph 5.72(h) of the JSE Listing
     Requirements.

     The repurchase was funded from available cash resources.

2.   DETAILS OF THE REPURCHASE

      Dates of repurchase of securities:              Between 12 May 2023 and 30 May 2023
      Highest price paid per Share:                   R 41.80
      Lowest price paid per Share:                    R 38.10
      Number of Shares repurchased:                   2 801 999
      Value of Shares repurchased:                    R 114 042 815
      The number of Shares which may still be         1 308 859
      repurchased by the Company in terms of the
      General Authority:
      The percentage of Shares which may still be     2.2%
      repurchased by the Company in terms of the
      General Authority:
      Total shares in issue after the share           54 200 032 shares
      repurchase (Note 1):
      Number of treasury shares held after the        Nil.
      share repurchase
     Note 1: The 54 200 032 shares reflected above assume that all shares have been delisted by the
     JSE. At the date of this announcement, 3 059 020 shares repurchased still need to be delisted by
     the JSE. Application to delist these shares will be made in due course.

3.   STATEMENT BY THE DIRECTORS

     The directors of Lewis confirm that, after considering the effect of the above share repurchases, for
     a period of 12 months after the date of this announcement:

     -   Lewis and its subsidiaries (“the group”) will be able in the ordinary course of business to pay
         its debts;
     -   the assets of Lewis and the group will be in excess of the liabilities of Lewis and the group;
     -   the share capital and reserves of Lewis and the group will be adequate for ordinary business
         purposes; and
     -   the working capital of Lewis and the group will be adequate for ordinary business purposes.


4.   IMPACT OF SHARE REPURCHASE PROGRAM ON FINANCIAL INFORMATION

     The impact of the share repurchase program on the financial statements of the company and the
     group is not material. The net effect has been a cash outflow of R 114.5 million and a
     corresponding reduction in shareholder’s equity and will result in the interest earned on the cash
     resources being forgone in future.


Cape Town
31 May 2023
Sponsor: The Standard Bank of South Africa Limited

Debt Sponsor
Absa Bank Limited, acting through its Corporate and Investment Banking Division