UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

 

SCHEDULE TO

TENDER OFFER STATEMENT UNDER SECTION 14(D)(1) OR 13(E)(1)

OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

 

Liberty Global plc

(Name of Subject Company (Issuer) and Filing Person (Offeror))

Liberty Global Class A Ordinary Shares, nominal value $0.01 per share

Liberty Global Class C Ordinary Shares, nominal value $0.01 per share

(Title of Class of Securities)

Liberty Global Class A Ordinary Shares: G5480U 104

Liberty Global Class C Ordinary Shares: G5480U 120

(CUSIP Number of Ordinary Shares)

Bryan H. Hall, Esq.

Executive Vice President & General Counsel

Griffin House,

161 Hammersmith Rd,

London, United Kingdom

+44.208.483.6449 or +1.303.220.6600

(Name, address and telephone number of person authorized to receive notices and communications on behalf of filing persons)

With a copy to:

George Casey

Daniel Litowitz

Harald Halbhuber

Shearman & Sterling LLP

599 Lexington Avenue

New York, NY 10022-6069

+1.212.848.4000

 

 

CALCULATION OF FILING FEE

 

 

Transaction Valuation*   Amount Of
Filing Fee**

$2,500,000,000

  $303,000

 

 

*

The transaction value is estimated only for purposes of calculating the filing fee. This amount is based on the offer to purchase up to $625 million in value of the Class A ordinary shares, nominal value $0.01 per share, and up to $1.875 billion in value of the Class C ordinary shares, nominal value $0.01 per share.

**

The amount of the filing fee, calculated in accordance with Rule 0-11 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Fee Rate Advisory #1 for fiscal year 2019, issued August 24, 2018, by multiplying the transaction valuation by 0.0001212.

 

 

Check the box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing with which the offsetting fee was previously paid. Identify the previous filing by registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing.

 

  Amount Previously Paid:    N/A       Filing Party:    N/A
  Form or Registration No.:    N/A       Date Filed:    N/A

 

 

Check the box if the filing relates solely to preliminary communications made before the commencement of a tender offer.

Check the appropriate boxes below to designate any transactions to which the statement relates:

 

 

third-party tender offer subject to Rule 14d-1.

 

 

issuer tender offer subject to Rule 13e-4.

 

 

going-private transaction subject to Rule 13e-3.

 

 

amendment to Schedule 13D under Rule 13d-2.

Check the following box if the filing is a final amendment reporting the results of the tender offer:  ☐

If applicable, check the appropriate box(es) below to designate the appropriate rule provision(s) relied upon:

 

 

Rule 13e-4(i) (Cross-Border Issuer Tender Offer)

 

 

Rule 14d-1(d) (Cross-Border Third Party Tender Offer)

 

 

 


SCHEDULE TO

This Tender Offer Statement on Schedule TO relates to the invitation by Liberty Global plc, a public limited company organized under the laws of England and Wales (the “ Company ”), for its shareholders to tender (i) up to $625 million in value of its Class A ordinary shares, nominal value $0.01 per share (each, a “ Class  A Share ”), for purchase by Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC and HSBC Securities (USA) Inc., each acting as principal (each, a “ Counterparty Bank ,” and together, the “ Counterparty Banks ”), at a price not greater than $29.00 nor less than $25.25 per Class A Share (the “ Class  A Offer ), and (ii) up to $1.875 billion in value of its Class C ordinary shares, nominal value $0.01 per share (each, a “ Class  C Share ,” and the Class A Shares, individually or collectively with the Class C Shares, as appropriate, the “ Shares ”), for purchase by the Counterparty Banks at a price not greater than $28.50 nor less than $24.75 per Class C Share (the “ Class  C Offer ”), in each case, to the seller in cash, less any applicable withholding taxes and without interest. The Class A Offer and the Class C Offer are being made upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Offer to Purchase, dated August 12, 2019 together with any amendments or supplements thereto, the “ Offer to Purchase ”), the applicable Letter of Transmittal (together with any amendments or supplements thereto, each, a “ Letter of Transmittal ” or collectively, the “ Letters of Transmittal ”) and other related materials as may be amended or supplemented from time to time (collectively, with the Offer to Purchase and the Letters of Transmittal, the “ Offers ”). This Tender Offer Statement on Schedule TO is intended to satisfy the reporting requirements of Rule 13e-4(c)(2) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

The information in the Offer to Purchase, the Letter of Transmittal for Class A Shares and the Letter of Transmittal for Class C Shares, copies of which are filed with this Schedule TO as Exhibits (a)(1)(A), (a)(1)(B) and (a)(1)(C), respectively, are incorporated by reference in answer to Items 1 through 11 in this Tender Offer Statement on Schedule TO.

ITEM 1. SUMMARY TERM SHEET

The information set forth in the section captioned “Summary Term Sheet” of the Offer to Purchase, a copy of which is filed with this Schedule TO as Exhibit (a)(1)(A), is incorporated herein by reference.

ITEM 2. SUBJECT COMPANY INFORMATION

(a) Name and Address: The name of the subject company is Liberty Global plc, a public limited company organized under the laws of England and Wales. The addresses and telephone numbers of its principal executive offices are: Griffin House, 161 Hammersmith Road, London W6 8BS, United Kingdom (telephone number: +44 (208) 483-6449 or (303) 220-6600). The information set forth in Section 10 (“Certain Information Concerning Us”) of the Offer to Purchase is incorporated herein by reference.

(b) Securities: The information set forth in the section of the Offer to Purchase captioned “Introduction” and in Section 11 (“Interests of Directors and Executive Officers; Transactions and Arrangements Concerning the Shares”) of the Offer to Purchase is incorporated herein by reference.

(c) Trading Market and Price: The information set forth in the section of the Offer to Purchase captioned “Introduction” and Section 8 (“Price Range of Shares; Dividends”) of the Offer to Purchase is incorporated herein by reference.

ITEM 3. IDENTITY AND BACKGROUND OF FILING PERSON

(a) Name and Address: The name of the filing person is Liberty Global plc, a public limited company organized under the laws of England and Wales. The addresses and telephone numbers of its principal executive offices are: Griffin House, 161 Hammersmith Road, London W6 8BS, United Kingdom (telephone number: +44 (208) 483-6449 or (303) 220-6600). The information set forth in Section 10 (“Certain Information Concerning Us”) and Section 11 (“Interests of Directors and Executive Officers; Transactions and Arrangements Concerning the Shares”) of the Offer to Purchase and in Schedule I to the Offer to Purchase is incorporated herein by reference.


ITEM 4. TERMS OF THE TRANSACTION

(a) Material Terms: The information set forth in the sections of the Offer to Purchase captioned “Introduction” and “Summary Term Sheet,” and in Section 1 (“Number of Shares; Price; Proration”), Section 2 (“Purpose of the Offers; Certain Effects of the Offers; Plans and Proposals”), Section 3 (“Procedures for Tendering Shares”), Section 4 (“Withdrawal Rights”), Section 5 (“Purchase of Shares and Payment of Purchase Price”), Section 6 (“Conditional Tender of Shares”), Section 7 (“Conditions of the Offers”), Section 9 (“Source and Amount of Funds”), Section 11 (“Interests of Directors and Executive Officers; Transactions and Arrangements Concerning the Shares”), Section 13 (“Certain Tax Considerations”), Section 14 (“Extension of the Offers; Termination; Amendment”) and Section 16 (“Miscellaneous”) of the Offer to Purchase is incorporated herein by reference.

(b) Purchases: The information set forth in Section 11 (“Interests of Directors and Executive Officers; Transactions and Arrangements Concerning the Shares”) of the Offer to Purchase is incorporated herein by reference.

ITEM 5. PAST CONTACTS, TRANSACTIONS, NEGOTIATIONS AND AGREEMENTS

(a) Agreements Involving the Subject Company’s Securities: The information set forth in Section 11 (“Interests of Directors and Executive Officers; Transactions and Arrangements Concerning the Shares”) of the Offer to Purchase is incorporated herein by reference.

ITEM 6. PURPOSES OF THE TRANSACTION AND PLANS OR PROPOSALS

(a) Purposes: The information set forth in the section of the Offer to Purchase captioned “Summary Term Sheet” and in Section 2 (“Purpose of the Offers; Certain Effects of the Offers; Plans and Proposals”) of the Offer to Purchase is incorporated herein by reference.

(b) Use of the Securities Acquired: The information set forth in Section 2 (“Purpose of the Offers; Certain Effects of the Offers; Plans and Proposals”) of the Offer to Purchase is incorporated herein by reference.

(c) Plans: The information set forth in Section 2 (“Purpose of the Offers; Certain Effects of the Offers; Plans and Proposals”) of the Offer to Purchase is incorporated herein by reference.

ITEM 7. SOURCE AND AMOUNT OF FUNDS OR OTHER CONSIDERATION

(a) Source of Funds: The information set forth in the section of the Offer to Purchase captioned “Summary Term Sheet” and in Section 9 (“Source and Amount of Funds”) of the Offer to Purchase is incorporated herein by reference.

(b) Conditions: The information set forth in the section of the Offer to Purchase captioned “Summary Term Sheet” and in Section 9 (“Source and Amount of Funds”) of the Offer to Purchase is incorporated herein by reference.

(c) Borrowed Funds: The information set forth in the section of the Offer to Purchase captioned “Summary Term Sheet” and in Section 9 (“Source and Amount of Funds”) of the Offer to Purchase is incorporated herein by reference.

ITEM 8. INTEREST IN SECURITIES OF THE SUBJECT COMPANY

(a) Securities Ownership: The information set forth in Section 11 (“Interests of Directors and Executive Officers; Transactions and Arrangements Concerning the Shares”) of the Offer to Purchase is incorporated herein by reference.

(b) Securities Transactions: The information set forth in Section 11 (“Interests of Directors and Executive Officers; Transactions and Arrangements Concerning the Shares”) of the Offer to Purchase is incorporated herein by reference.


ITEM 9. PERSONS/ASSETS, RETAINED, EMPLOYED, COMPENSATED OR USED

(a) Solicitations or Recommendations: The information set forth in Section 15 (“Fees and Expenses”) of the Offer to Purchase is incorporated herein by reference.

ITEM 10. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(a) and (b) Not applicable.

 

ITEM 11.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

(a) Agreements, Regulatory Requirements and Legal Proceedings: The information set forth in Section 2 (“Purpose of the Offers; Certain Effects of the Offers; Plans and Proposals”), Section 11 (“Interests of Directors and Executive Officers; Transactions and Arrangements Concerning the Shares”) and Section 12 (“Certain Legal Matters; Regulatory Approvals”) of the Offer to Purchase is incorporated herein by reference.

(b) Other Material Information: The information in the Offer to Purchase, the Letter of Transmittal for Class A Shares and the Letter of Transmittal for Class C Shares, copies of which are filed with this Schedule TO as Exhibits (a)(1)(A), (a)(1)(B) and (a)(1)(C), respectively, is incorporated herein by reference.


ITEM 12. EXHIBIT INDEX

 

(a)(1)(A)*

   Offer to Purchase, dated August 12, 2019.

(a)(1)(B)*

   Letter of Transmittal for Class A Shares.

(a)(1)(C)*

   Letter of Transmittal for Class C Shares.

(a)(1)(D)*

   Notice of Guaranteed Delivery for Class A Shares.

(a)(1)(E)*

   Notice of Guaranteed Delivery for Class C Shares.

(a)(1)(F)*

   Letter to Brokers, Dealers, Banks, Trust Companies and Other Nominees.

(a)(1)(G)*

   Letter to Clients for Use by Brokers, Dealers, Banks, Trust Companies and Other Nominees.

(a)(1)(H)*

   Summary Advertisement, dated August 12, 2019.

(a)(1)(I)*

   Form of Notice of Withdrawal.

(a)(1)(J)*

   Letter to Participants in the Liberty Global 401(k) Savings and Stock Ownership Plan.

(a)(1)(K)*

   Direction Forms for Participants in the Liberty Global 401(k) Savings and Stock Ownership Plan.

(a)(2)

   Not applicable.

(a)(3)

   Not applicable.

(a)(4)

   Not applicable.

(a)(5)(A)

   Press Release, dated August 7, 2019 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on August 8, 2019).

(a)(5)(B)

   Earnings Call Transcript, dated August 8, 2019 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.1 to the Company’s Tender Offer Statement on Schedule TO-C filed with the SEC on August 8, 2019).

(a)(5)(C)*

   Press Release, dated August 12, 2019.

(b)

   None.

(d)(1)*

   Master Put/Call Agreement, between Liberty Global plc and Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, dated August 9, 2019.

(d)(2)*

   Master Put/Call Agreement, between Liberty Global plc and HSBC Securities (USA) Inc., dated August 9, 2019.

(d)(3)*

   Option Framework Agreement, between Liberty Global plc and Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, dated August 9, 2019.

(d)(4)*

   Option Framework Agreement, between Liberty Global plc and HSBC Securities (USA) Inc., dated August 9, 2019.

(d)(5)

   Liberty Global 2014 Incentive Plan (as amended and restated effective June  11, 2019) (the “Incentive Plan”) (incorporated by reference to Appendix B to the Company’s definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A filed with the SEC on April 30, 2019).

(d)(6)

   Form of Performance Share Units Agreement Under the Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on August 4, 2015).

(d)(7)

   Form of Share Appreciation Rights Agreement Under the Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.5 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on August 5, 2014).


(d)(8)

   Form of Restricted Share Units Agreement Under the Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.6 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on August 5, 2014).

(d)(9)

   Liberty Global, Inc. 2005 Incentive Plan (as amended and restated effective June  7, 2013) (the “2005 Incentive Plan”) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on June 7, 2013).

(d)(10)

   Virgin Media 2010 Stock Incentive Plan (as amended and restated effective June 7, 2013) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.4 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on June 7, 2013).

(d)(11)

   Form of Stock Appreciation Rights Agreement Under the 2005 Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to Liberty Global, Inc.’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on May 7, 2008).

(d)(12)

   Form of Performance Share Units Agreement for Executive Officers Under the Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.16 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on February 27, 2019).

(d)(13)

   Liberty Global 2017 Annual Performance Award Program for Executive Officers Under the Incentive Plan (description of said program is incorporated by reference to the description thereof included in Item 5.02(e) of the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on February 27, 2017).

(d)(14)

   Liberty Global 2017 Compensatory Awards for Certain Executive Officers Under the Incentive Plan (description of said awards is incorporated by reference to the description thereof included in Item 5.02(e) of the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on February 27, 2017).

(d)(15)

   Liberty Global 2018 Annual Performance Award Program for Executive Officers Under the Incentive Plan (description of said program is incorporated by reference to the description thereof included in Item 5.02(e) of the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on February 27, 2018).

(d)(16)

   Liberty Global 2018 Performance Incentive Plan for Executive Officers Under the Incentive Plan (a description of said plan is incorporated by reference to the description thereof included in Item 5.02(e) of the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on March 21, 2018).

(d)(17)

   Deferred Compensation Plan (as amended and restated effective October  26, 2015) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.29 to the Company’s Annual Report on the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on February 16, 2016).

(g)

   Not applicable.
(h)    Not applicable.

 

*

Filed herewith.

 

ITEM 13.

INFORMATION REQUIRED BY SCHEDULE 13E-3

Not applicable.


SIGNATURES

After due inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that the information set forth in this Schedule TO is true, complete and correct.

 

    LIBERTY GLOBAL PLC
Dated August 12, 2019     By:   /s/ Bryan H. Hall
    Name: Bryan H. Hall
    Title:   Executive Vice President, General Counsel
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EXHIBIT (a)(1)(A)

LIBERTY GLOBAL PLC

OFFER TO PURCHASE FOR CASH

UP TO $625 MILLION IN VALUE OF ITS CLASS A ORDINARY SHARES

AT A PURCHASE PRICE OF NOT GREATER THAN $29.00 PER SHARE

NOR LESS THAN $25.25 PER SHARE

AND

OFFER TO PURCHASE FOR CASH

UP TO $1.875 BILLION IN VALUE OF ITS CLASS C ORDINARY SHARES

AT A PURCHASE PRICE OF NOT GREATER THAN $28.50 PER SHARE

NOR LESS THAN $24.75 PER SHARE

Liberty Global Class A Ordinary Shares CUSIP: G5480U 104

Liberty Global Class C Ordinary Shares CUSIP: G5480U 120

 

THE OFFERS, PRORATION PERIODS AND WITHDRAWAL RIGHTS WILL EXPIRE AT

ONE (1) MINUTE AFTER 11:59 P.M., NEW YORK CITY TIME, ON SEPTEMBER 9, 2019,

UNLESS THE OFFERS ARE EXTENDED OR TERMINATED.

Liberty Global plc, a public limited company organized under the laws of England and Wales (the “ Company ,” “ Liberty Global ,” “ we ,” “ us ” or “ our ”), invites our shareholders to tender (i) up to $625 million in value of our Class A ordinary shares, nominal value $0.01 per share (each, a “ Class  A Share ”), for purchase by Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC and HSBC Securities (USA) Inc., each acting as principal (each, a “ Counterparty Bank ,” and together, the “ Counterparty Banks ”), at a price not greater than $29.00 nor less than $25.25 per Class A Share (the “ Class  A Offer ”), and (ii) up to $1.875 billion in value of our Class C ordinary shares, nominal value $0.01 per share (each, a “ Class  C Share ,” and the Class A Shares, individually or collectively with the Class C Shares, as appropriate, the “ Shares ”), for purchase by the Counterparty Banks at a price not greater than $28.50 nor less than $24.75 per Class C Share (the “ Class  C Offer ”), in each case, to the seller in cash, less any applicable withholding taxes and without interest. We sometimes refer to the Class A Offer and Class C Offer collectively as the “ Offers ” and individually as an “ Offer .” Each Offer will be conducted upon the terms and subject to the conditions described in this Offer to Purchase (together with any amendments or supplements thereto, the “ Offer to Purchase ”), in the applicable Letter of Transmittal (together with any amendments or supplements thereto, each, a “ Letter of Transmittal ” or collectively, the “ Letters of Transmittal ”) and in other related materials as may be amended or supplemented from time to time.

To ensure compliance with English law, any Shares purchased in the Offers will initially be purchased by a Counterparty Bank, acting as a principal and not as an agent, nominee or trustee. In turn, each Counterparty Bank shall sell, and Liberty Global shall purchase from the applicable Counterparty Bank, such Shares at a price equal to the price paid by such Counterparty Bank in the relevant Offer (along with certain other costs). The Shares to be purchased by the Counterparty Banks will be allocated equally between the Counterparty Banks in accordance with the Option Framework Agreements (as defined below). The Company intends to cancel the Shares so purchased by it from the Counterparty Banks.

Our purchase of Shares from the Counterparty Banks will be governed by the Master Put/Call Agreements entered into by the Company and each of the Counterparty Banks, each dated August 9, 2019 (the “ Master Put/Call Agreements ”), pursuant to which each Counterparty Bank has the right to require the Company to purchase from the relevant Counterparty Bank, and the Company has the right to require each Counterparty Bank to sell to the Company, the Shares purchased by such Counterparty Bank in the Offers. The specific terms of the purchase by the Counterparty Banks of the Shares in the Offers pursuant to the Master Put/Call Agreements will be governed by the Option Framework Agreements, between the Company and each of the Counterparty Banks, each dated August 9, 2019 (the “ Option Framework Agreements ”), pursuant to which each Counterparty


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Bank will purchase the Shares as principals (not as agents, nominees or trustees). In this Offer to Purchase, we sometimes refer to the Master Put/Call Agreements and the Option Framework Agreements collectively as the “ Counterparty Bank Agreements .” The Counterparty Banks are acting as principals in connection with the Offers and independently from each other, and their respective obligations pursuant to the applicable Counterparty Bank Agreement are several and not joint.

The Counterparty Banks will initially purchase their respective allocated portion of the Shares and take actions to facilitate our subsequent purchase of the Shares pursuant to the Counterparty Bank Agreements and the terms and conditions of the Offers set forth in this Offer to Purchase, and we will generally make all decisions and determinations with respect to the Offers, including with respect to the satisfaction or waiver of conditions to the Offers set forth in this Offer to Purchase and the acceptance of Shares for purchase by the Counterparty Banks. See Section 7. In this Offer to Purchase, we sometimes refer to our purchases of the Shares “through the Counterparty Banks,” which refers to the initial purchase of Shares in the Offers by the Counterparty Banks and our subsequent purchase of the same Shares pursuant to the Counterparty Bank Agreements and the terms and conditions of the Offers set forth in this Offer to Purchase. In no circumstances will we purchase Shares in connection with the Offers other than from the Counterparty Banks pursuant to the Counterparty Bank Agreements.

Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class A Offer, we will determine a single per share price for the Class A Shares that are properly tendered and not properly withdrawn from the Class A Offer, taking into account the total number of Class A Shares properly tendered and the prices specified, or deemed specified, by tendering shareholders. This single per share price for Class A Shares (the “ Final Class  A Purchase Price ”) will be the lowest single purchase price, not greater than $29.00 nor less than $25.25 per Class A Share, that would allow us to purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, $625 million in value of Class A Shares, or a lower amount, depending on the number of Class A Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn.

Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class C Offer, we will determine a single per share price for the Class C Shares that are properly tendered and not properly withdrawn from the Class C Offer, taking into account the total number of Class C Shares properly tendered and the prices specified, or deemed specified, by tendering shareholders. This single per share price for Class C Shares (the “ Final Class  C Purchase Price ”) will be the lowest single purchase price, not greater than $28.50 nor less than $24.75 per Class C Share, that would allow us to purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, $1.875 billion in value of Class C Shares, or a lower amount, depending on the number of Class C Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn. We sometimes refer to the Final Class A Purchase Price and Final Class C Purchase Price collectively as the “ Final Purchase Prices ” and individually as the “ Final Purchase Price .” The Final Purchase Prices will be denominated in U.S. dollars, and the obligation to make payment of amounts owing to a depositing shareholder whose shares are accepted for payment will be made in U.S. dollars.

No Class  A Shares and/or Class  C Shares tendered at prices in excess of the applicable Final Purchase Price will be purchased. If the price at which you tender your Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares in the applicable Offer exceeds the applicable Final Purchase Price, such Shares will not be purchased in the applicable Offer and will be returned to you promptly after one (1) minute after 11:59 P.M., New York City time, on September 9, 2019, unless the Offers are extended or terminated (such date, as may be extended, the “ Expiration Date ”). In the unlikely event the Offers have different Expiration Dates ( e.g. , due to an extension of one Offer and not the other), “Expiration Date” shall mean the applicable Expiration Date as the context shall so require.

Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class A Offer, if, based on the Final Class A Purchase Price, all Class A Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn have an aggregate value of less than $625 million, we will purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, all Class A Shares properly tendered at or below the Final Class A Purchase Price and not properly withdrawn prior to the Expiration Date. All Class A Shares acquired, if any, in the Class A Offer will be acquired at the Final Class A Purchase Price, including those

 

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Class A Shares tendered at a price lower than the Final Class A Purchase Price. Only Class A Shares properly tendered at prices at or below the Class A Final Purchase Price, and not properly withdrawn, will be purchased. If, based on the Final Class A Purchase Price, all Class A Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn have an aggregate value in excess of $625 million, all of the Class A Shares tendered at or below the Final Class A Purchase Price may not be purchased because of proration, “Odd Lot” priority and the conditional tender provisions described in this Offer to Purchase. Class A Shares not purchased in the Class A Offer will be returned to the tendering shareholders promptly after the Expiration Date.

Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class C Offer, if, based on the Final Class C Purchase Price, all Class C Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn have an aggregate value of less than $1.875 billion, we will purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, all Class C Shares properly tendered at or below the Final Class C Purchase Price and not properly withdrawn prior to the Expiration Date. All Class C Shares acquired, if any, in the Class C Offer will be acquired at the Final Class C Purchase Price, including those Class C Shares tendered at a price lower than the Final Class C Purchase Price. Only Class C Shares properly tendered at prices at or below the Final Class C Purchase Price, and not properly withdrawn, will be purchased. If, based on the Final Class C Purchase Price, all Class C Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn have an aggregate value in excess of $1.875 billion, all of the Class C Shares tendered at or below the Final Class C Purchase Price may not be purchased because of proration, “Odd Lot” priority and the conditional tender provisions described in this Offer to Purchase. Class C Shares not purchased in the Class C Offer will be returned to the tendering shareholders promptly after the Expiration Date.

We reserve the right, in our sole discretion, to change the per share purchase price range for the Class A Shares and/or the Class C Shares and to increase or decrease the aggregate value of Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares sought in the Offers, in each case, subject to applicable law and the authority of the Company to conduct the purchase of its ordinary shares in the capital of Liberty Global as approved by the shareholders of the Company at its annual general meeting of shareholders held on June 11, 2019 (the “ 2019 Shareholder Authorization ”). In accordance with the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ SEC ”) and subject to the 2019 Shareholder Authorization, if Class A Shares having an aggregate value in excess of $625 million and/or Class C Shares having an aggregate value in excess of $1.875 billion, in each case, are properly tendered in the applicable Offer at or below the applicable Final Purchase Price and not properly withdrawn, we may increase the number of Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares accepted for payment, through the Counterparty Banks, in the applicable Offer by no more than 2% of the outstanding Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares, as applicable, without extending the applicable Offer. See Section 1.

As of August 1, 2019, we had 205,370,209 issued and outstanding Class A Shares, 12,157,826 issued and outstanding Class B ordinary shares, nominal value $0.01 per share (each, a “ Class  B Share ”), and 513,200,439 issued and outstanding Class C Shares.

At the maximum Final Class A Purchase Price of $29.00 per Class A Share, 21,551,724 Class A Shares could be purchased in the Class A Offer if it is fully subscribed, which would represent approximately 10.5% of the issued and outstanding Class A Shares as of August 1, 2019. At the minimum Final Class A Purchase Price of $25.25 per Class A Share, 24,752,475 Class A Shares could be purchased in the Class A Offer if it is fully subscribed, which would represent approximately 12.1% of the issued and outstanding Class A Shares as of August 1, 2019.

At the maximum Final Class C Purchase Price of $28.50 per Class C Share, 65,789,473 Class C Shares could be purchased in the Class C Offer if it is fully subscribed, which would represent approximately 12.8% of the issued and outstanding Class C Shares as of August 1, 2019. At the minimum Final Class C Purchase Price of $24.75 per Class C Share, 75,757,575 Class C Shares could be purchased in the Class C Offer if it is fully subscribed, which would represent approximately 14.8% of the issued and outstanding Class C Shares as of August 1, 2019.

Assuming that the Class A Offer and the Class C Offer are fully subscribed, we expect that the maximum aggregate cost of these purchases, including all fees and expenses applicable to the Offers, will be approximately $2.5 billion.

 

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Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC (“ Credit Suisse ”) is acting for the Company as a co-dealer manager in connection with the Offers and is not advising, or acting for, any other person and will not be responsible to any person other than the Company for providing the protections afforded to the clients of Credit Suisse or for providing advice in relation to the Offers or any other matters or arrangements referred to or contained in this Offer to Purchase.

HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. (“ HSBC ”) is acting for the Company as a co-dealer manager in connection with the Offers and is not advising, or acting for, any other person and will not be responsible to any person other than the Company for providing the protections afforded to the clients of HSBC or for providing advice in relation to the Offers or any other matters or arrangements referred to or contained in this Offer to Purchase. We sometimes refer to Credit Suisse and HSBC as the “ Dealer Managers ” and each, a “ Dealer Manager .”

Credit Suisse and HSBC do not accept any responsibility or liability whatsoever for the contents of this Offer to Purchase, and no representation or warranty, express or implied, is made by Credit Suisse or HSBC in relation to the contents of this Offer to Purchase, including its accuracy, completeness or verification or for any other statement made or purported to be made by it, or on its behalf, in connection with the Company or the Offers. To the fullest extent permissible Credit Suisse and HSBC accordingly disclaim all and any responsibility or liability whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise (except as provided above) which it might otherwise have in respect of the contents of this Offer to Purchase or any such statement.

THE OFFERS ARE NOT CONDITIONED ON ANY MINIMUM NUMBER OF SHARES BEING TENDERED. THE OFFERS ARE, HOWEVER, SUBJECT TO CERTAIN OTHER CONDITIONS. SEE SECTION 7.

The Class A Shares and Class C Shares trade on the NASDAQ Global Select Market (“ NASDAQ ”) under the symbols “LBTYA” and “LBTYK,” respectively. On August 9, 2019, the last full trading day prior to the commencement of the Offers, the last reported sale price of the Class A Shares was $25.98 per Class A Share and the last reported sale price of the Class C Shares was $25.85 per Class C Share. S hareholders are urged to obtain current market quotations for the Shares before deciding whether and at what purchase price or purchase prices to tender their Shares. See Section  8.

OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS HAS AUTHORIZED THE OFFERS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE OFFERS SET FORTH IN THIS OFFER TO PURCHASE AND THE COUNTERPARTY BANK AGREEMENTS. HOWEVER, NONE OF THE COMPANY, THE MEMBERS OF OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS, THE COUNTERPARTY BANKS, THE DEALER MANAGERS, INNISFREE M&A INCORPORATED, THE INFORMATION AGENT FOR THE OFFERS (THE “INFORMATION AGENT”), OR COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A., THE DEPOSITARY FOR THE OFFERS (THE “DEPOSITARY”), MAKES ANY RECOMMENDATION TO YOU AS TO WHETHER YOU SHOULD TENDER OR REFRAIN FROM TENDERING YOUR SHARES OR AS TO THE PURCHASE PRICE OR PURCHASE PRICES AT WHICH YOU MAY CHOOSE TO TENDER YOUR SHARES. NEITHER WE NOR ANY MEMBER OF OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS, THE COUNTERPARTY BANKS, THE DEALER MANAGERS, THE INFORMATION AGENT OR THE DEPOSITARY HAS AUTHORIZED ANY PERSON TO MAKE ANY RECOMMENDATION WITH RESPECT TO THE OFFERS. YOU MUST MAKE YOUR OWN DECISION AS TO WHETHER TO TENDER YOUR SHARES AND, IF SO, HOW MANY SHARES TO TENDER AND THE PURCHASE PRICE OR PURCHASE PRICES AT WHICH YOU WILL TENDER THEM. WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU CONSULT YOUR OWN FINANCIAL AND TAX ADVISORS, AND READ CAREFULLY AND EVALUATE THE INFORMATION IN THIS OFFER TO PURCHASE AND IN THE APPLICABLE LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL, INCLUDING OUR REASONS FOR THE OFFERS, BEFORE TAKING ANY ACTION WITH RESPECT TO THE OFFERS. SEE SECTION 2.

THE OFFERS HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED BY THE SEC OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION NOR HAS THE SEC OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION PASSED UPON

 

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THE FAIRNESS OR MERITS OF THE OFFERS OR UPON THE ACCURACY OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS OFFER TO PURCHASE AND ANY RELATED DOCUMENTS, AND ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS UNLAWFUL AND MAY BE A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.

If you have questions or need assistance, you should contact the Information Agent or the Dealer Managers at their respective addresses and telephone numbers set forth on the back cover of this Offer to Purchase. If you require additional copies of this Offer to Purchase, one or both Letters of Transmittal, the Notice of Guaranteed Delivery or other related materials, you should contact the Information Agent.

The Information Agent for the Offers is:

 

 

LOGO

Innisfree M&A Incorporated

501 Madison Avenue, 20 th Floor

New York, New York 10022

Shareholders Call Toll-Free: (888) 750-5834

Banks and Brokers Call U.S. Local: (212) 750-5833

The Dealer Managers for the Offers are:

 

LOGO    LOGO

Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC

Eleven Madison Avenue

New York, New York 10010

Call Toll-Free: (800) 318-8219

Call U.S. Local: (212) 538-4581

  

HSBC Securities (USA) Inc.

452 Fifth Avenue

New York, New York 10018

Call Toll-Free: (888) 472-2456

Call U.S. Local: (212) 525-3672

Offer to Purchase dated August 12, 2019

 

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IMPORTANT

If you want to tender all or part of your Class A Shares pursuant to the Class A Offer and/or Class C Shares pursuant to the Class C Offer, you must do one of the following before such Offer expires at one (1) minute after 11:59 P.M., New York City time, on September 9, 2019 (unless either or both Offers are extended):

 

   

if your Shares are registered in the name of a broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee, contact the nominee and request that the nominee tender your Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares for you. Beneficial owners should be aware that their broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee may establish its own earlier deadlines for participation in either or both Offers. Accordingly, beneficial owners wishing to participate in either or both Offers should contact their broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee as soon as possible in order to determine the times by which such owner must take action in order to participate in either or both Offers;

 

   

if you hold certificates registered in your own name, complete and sign the applicable Letter of Transmittal (yellow for Class A Shares and grey for Class C Shares) according to its instructions, and deliver it, together with any required signature guarantees, any certificates for your Class A Shares or Class C Shares and any other documents required by the applicable Letter of Transmittal, to Computershare Trust Company, N.A., the Depositary for the Offers, at the address appearing on the back cover page of this Offer to Purchase;

 

   

if you are an institution participating in The Depository Trust Company, which we call the “ Book-Entry Transfer Facility ” in this Offer to Purchase, or hold book-entry Shares registered in your own name, tender your Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares according to the procedure for book-entry transfer described in Section 3;

 

   

if you are a holder of CREST depository interests (“ CDIs ”) representing Shares, you should refer to your CREST sponsor to obtain the procedures for tendering the Shares underlying your CDIs. In this Offer to Purchase, we sometimes refer to “ CREST ,” which is the U.K. system operated by Euroclear UK & Ireland Limited for the paperless settlement of trades in securities and the holding of uncertificated securities. Holders of CDIs representing Shares should contact their CREST sponsor in order to determine the times by which such holder must take action in order to participate in either or both Offers;

 

   

if your Shares are held in the Liberty Global 401(k) Savings and Stock Ownership Plan (the “ 401(k) Plan ”) or the Virgin Media Inc. Share Incentive Plan (the “ SIP Plan ,” and collectively, the “ Savings Plans ”), you must follow the separate instructions that will be sent to participants in the Savings Plans from the agent or trustee of each applicable plan. If you are a participant in either of the Savings Plans, there will be an earlier deadline for accepting the Offers. Participants in the Savings Plans should confirm their deadlines by carefully reading the materials provided to them by the applicable Savings Plan trustee;

 

   

if you are a holder of vested share appreciation rights (“ SARs ”), vested and earned performance-based share appreciation rights (“ PSARs ”) or vested stock options (including CSOP options and penny options) (“ Options ,” and together with vested SARs and PSARs, “ Vested SARs and Options ”), you may exercise your Vested SARs and Options and tender any of the Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares issued upon such exercise. You must exercise your Vested SARs and Options sufficiently in advance of the Expiration Date to receive your Shares in order to tender them in the applicable Offer. An exercise of Vested SARs and Options cannot be revoked even if Shares received upon the exercise thereof and tendered in either or both Offers are not purchased in such Offer for any reason; or

 

   

if you are a holder of restricted share units (“ RSUs ”) or performance-based restricted share units (“ PSUs ”), you may only tender the underlying Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares that you have acquired through vesting of RSUs or vesting of earned PSUs.

 

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If you wish to tender your Class A Shares pursuant to the Class A Offer and/or Class C Shares pursuant to the Class C Offer, but (a) the certificates for such Shares are not immediately available or cannot be delivered to the Depositary by the Expiration Date, (b) you cannot comply with the procedure for book-entry transfer by the Expiration Date, or (c) your other required documents cannot be delivered to the Depositary by the Expiration Date, you can still tender your Shares if you comply with the guaranteed delivery procedures described in Section 3.

If you wish to maximize the chance that your Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares will be purchased in the applicable Offer, you should check the box in the section of the applicable Letter of Transmittal captioned “Class A Shares Tendered At Price Determined In The Class A Offer” and/or “Class C Shares Tendered At Price Determined in the Class C Offer,” as applicable. If you agree to accept the Final Class A Purchase Price determined in the Class A Offer, your Class A Shares will be deemed to be tendered at $25.25 per Class A Share, which is the low end of the price range in the Class A Offer. If you agree to accept the Final Class C Purchase Price determined in the Class C Offer, your Class C Shares will be deemed to be tendered at $24.75 per Class C Share, which is the low end of the price range in the Class C Offer. You should understand that this election may lower the applicable Final Purchase Price and could result in your Class A Shares being purchased at $25.25 per Class A Share, which is the low end of the price range in the Class A Offer, or your Class C Shares being purchased at $24.75 per Class C Share, which is the low end of the price range in the Class C Offer, in each case, less any applicable withholding taxes and without interest. The low end of the price range in the Class A Offer is below the last reported sale price of the Class A Shares on NASDAQ on August 9, 2019, the last full trading day prior to the commencement of the Class A Offer, which was $25.98 per Class A Share. The low end of the price range in the Class C Offer is below the last reported sale price of the Class C Shares on NASDAQ on August 9, 2019, the last full trading day prior to the commencement of the Class C Offer, which was $25.85 per Class C Share.

All transfers of Shares pursuant to the Offers must be effected by book-entry transfer through the Book-Entry Transfer Facility, except for Shares held in certificated form outside of the Book-Entry Transfer Facility.

No Offers are being made to, and there will be no acceptance of any tendered Shares from, shareholders in any jurisdiction where it would be illegal to do so. However, we may, at our discretion and subject to applicable law, take any actions necessary to make the Offers to shareholders in any such jurisdiction.

You may contact the Information Agent, the Dealer Managers or your broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee for assistance. The contact information for the Information Agent and the Dealer Managers is set forth on the back cover of this Offer to Purchase. If you are a holder of CDIs, you should refer to your CREST sponsor to obtain the procedures for tendering the Shares underlying your CDIs. If you are tendering Shares under the Savings Plans, you must validly follow the tender instructions provided by the applicable Savings Plan trustee. You may contact the applicable Savings Plan trustee for assistance.

OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS HAS AUTHORIZED THE OFFERS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE OFFERS SET FORTH IN THIS OFFER TO PURCHASE AND THE COUNTERPARTY BANK AGREEMENTS. HOWEVER, NONE OF THE COMPANY, THE MEMBERS OF OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS, THE COUNTERPARTY BANKS, THE DEALER MANAGERS, THE INFORMATION AGENT OR THE DEPOSITARY HAS MADE ANY RECOMMENDATION AS TO WHETHER YOU SHOULD TENDER OR REFRAIN FROM TENDERING YOUR SHARES OR AS TO THE PURCHASE PRICE OR PURCHASE PRICES AT WHICH YOU MAY CHOOSE TO TENDER YOUR SHARES. NONE OF THE COMPANY, THE MEMBERS OF OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS, THE COUNTERPARTY BANKS, THE DEALER MANAGERS, THE INFORMATION AGENT OR THE DEPOSITARY HAS AUTHORIZED ANY PERSON TO MAKE ANY RECOMMENDATION ON OUR BEHALF AS TO WHETHER YOU SHOULD TENDER OR REFRAIN FROM TENDERING YOUR SHARES OR AS TO THE PURCHASE PRICE OR PURCHASE PRICES AT WHICH YOU MAY CHOOSE TO TENDER YOUR SHARES.

 

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NONE OF THE COMPANY, THE MEMBERS OF OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS, THE COUNTERPARTY BANKS, THE DEALER MANAGERS, THE INFORMATION AGENT OR THE DEPOSITARY HAS AUTHORIZED ANY PERSON TO GIVE ANY INFORMATION OR TO MAKE ANY REPRESENTATION IN CONNECTION WITH THE OFFERS OTHER THAN THOSE CONTAINED IN THIS OFFER TO PURCHASE OR IN THE APPLICABLE LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. YOU SHOULD NOT RELY ON ANY RECOMMENDATION, OR ANY SUCH REPRESENTATION OR INFORMATION, AS HAVING BEEN AUTHORIZED BY US, ANY MEMBER OF OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS, THE COUNTERPARTY BANKS, THE DEALER MANAGERS, THE INFORMATION AGENT OR THE DEPOSITARY.

THE STATEMENTS MADE IN THIS OFFER TO PURCHASE ARE MADE AS OF THE DATE ON THE COVER PAGE, AND THE STATEMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE ARE MADE AS OF THE DATE OF THE DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE. THE DELIVERY OF THIS OFFER TO PURCHASE AND THE APPLICABLE LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL SHALL NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES CREATE ANY IMPLICATION THAT THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN OR INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE IS CORRECT AS OF A LATER DATE OR THAT THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANY CHANGE IN SUCH INFORMATION OR IN OUR AFFAIRS SINCE SUCH DATES.

 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

          Page  
SUMMARY TERM SHEET      10  
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS      25  
INTRODUCTION      27  
THE OFFERS      31  
1.   

Number of Shares; Price; Proration

     31  
2.   

Purpose of the Offers; Certain Effects of the Offers; Plans and Proposals

     37  
3.   

Procedures for Tendering Shares

     41  
4.   

Withdrawal Rights

     47  
5.   

Purchase of Shares and Payment of Purchase Price

     48  
6.   

Conditional Tender of Shares

     50  
7.   

Conditions of the Offers

     51  
8.   

Price Range of Shares; Dividends

     54  
9.   

Source and Amount of Funds

     55  
10.   

Certain Information Concerning Us

     55  
11.   

Interests of Directors and Executive Officers; Transactions and Arrangements Concerning the Shares

     57  
12.   

Certain Legal Matters; Regulatory Approvals

     66  
13.   

Certain Tax Considerations

     67  
14.   

Extension of the Offers; Termination; Amendment

     72  
15.   

Fees and Expenses

     73  
16.   

Miscellaneous

     74  
SCHEDULE I Directors and Executive Officers of Liberty Global plc      76  

 

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SUMMARY TERM SHEET

We are providing this summary term sheet for your convenience. The information contained in this Summary Term Sheet is a summary only and is not meant to be a substitute for the more detailed description and information contained in the remainder of this Offer to Purchase (together with any amendments or supplements thereto, the “ Offer to Purchase ”), the accompanying Letters of Transmittal (together with any amendments or supplements thereto, each, a “ Letter of Transmittal ” or collectively, the “ Letters of Transmittal ”), and other related materials as may be amended or supplemented from time to time (collectively, with this Offer to Purchase and Letters of Transmittal, the “ Offers ”). To understand the Offers fully and for a more complete description of the terms of the Offers, we urge you to read carefully this Offer to Purchase, the applicable Letter of Transmittal and the other related materials that constitute part of the Offers in their entirety . We have included references to the sections of this Offer to Purchase where you will find a more complete description of the topics in this summary.

Who is inviting shareholders to tender Shares in the Offers?

The issuer of the Class A Shares (as defined below) and the Class C Shares (as defined below), Liberty Global plc, a public limited company organized under the laws of England and Wales (the “ Company ,” “ Liberty Global ,” “ we ,” “ us ” or “ our ”), invites our shareholders to tender the Class A Shares and the Class C Shares for purchase by the Counterparty Banks (as defined below), which Shares (as defined below) shall be subsequently purchased by us. However, none of the Company, the members of our Board of Directors, the Counterparty Banks, the Dealer Managers, the Depositary or the Information Agent (in each case, as defined below) makes any recommendation to you as to whether you should tender or refrain from tendering your Shares or as to the purchase price or purchase prices at which you may choose to tender your Shares. See Section 1.

How are the Offers being conducted?

Under the U.K. Companies Act 2006 (the “ Companies Act ”), we, like other U.K. public limited companies, are prohibited from purchasing our outstanding ordinary shares unless such purchases have been approved by a resolution of our shareholders. Shareholders may approve two different types of such share purchases: “on-market” purchases or “off-market” purchases. “On-market” purchases may only be made on a “recognised investment exchange,” as defined in section 693(5) of the Companies Act. This U.K. statutory definition does not include the NASDAQ Global Select Market (“ NASDAQ ”), which is the only exchange on which our shares are traded. As such, we may only conduct “off-market” purchases pursuant to a form of share repurchase contract, including the form of the Master Put/Call Agreement, and with any of the approved counterparties, which include Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC and HSBC Securities (USA) Inc., which was approved by our shareholders at the Company’s annual general meeting of shareholders held on June 11, 2019.

The Company and each of Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC and HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. (each, a “ Counterparty Bank ,” and together, the “ Counterparty Banks ”) have entered into the Master Put/Call Agreements each dated August 9, 2019 (the “ Master Put/Call Agreements ”), pursuant to which each Counterparty Bank has the right to require the Company to purchase from the relevant Counterparty Bank, and the Company has the right to require each Counterparty Bank to sell to the Company, the Shares purchased by such Counterparty Bank in the Offers. Pursuant to the Master Put/Call Agreements, the Company and each of the Counterparty Banks have also entered into the Option Framework Agreements, each dated August 9, 2019 (the “ Option Framework Agreements ,” and together with the Master Put/Call Agreements, the “ Counterparty Bank Agreements ”), pursuant to which each Counterparty Bank will purchase the Shares as principals (not as agents, nominees or trustees). The Counterparty Banks are acting as principals in connection with the Offers and independently from each other, and their respective obligations under the applicable Counterparty Bank Agreement are several and not joint. The Shares to be purchased by the Counterparty Banks will be allocated equally between the Counterparty Banks in accordance with the Option Framework Agreements.

 

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The Counterparty Banks will initially purchase their respective allocated portion of the Shares and take actions to facilitate our subsequent purchase of the Shares pursuant to the Counterparty Bank Agreements and the terms and conditions of the Offers set forth in this Offer to Purchase, and we will generally make all decisions and determinations with respect to the Offers, including with respect to the satisfaction or waiver of conditions to the Offers set forth in this Offer to Purchase and the acceptance of Shares for purchase by the Counterparty Banks. See Section 7. In this Offer to Purchase, we sometimes refer to our purchases of the Shares “through the Counterparty Banks,” which refers to the initial purchase of Shares in the Offers by the Counterparty Banks and our subsequent purchase of the same Shares pursuant to the Counterparty Bank Agreements and the terms and conditions of the Offers set forth in this Offer to Purchase. In no circumstances will we purchase Shares in connection with the Offers other than from the Counterparty Banks pursuant to the Counterparty Bank Agreements. See Section 2.

What is being offered?

We are inviting our shareholders to tender (i) up to $625 million in value of our Class A ordinary shares, nominal value $0.01 per share (each, a “ Class  A Share ,”), at a price not greater than $29.00 nor less than $25.25 per Class A Share (the “ Class  A Offer ”), and (ii) up to $1.875 billion in value of our Class C ordinary shares, nominal value $0.01 per share (each, a “ Class  C Share ,” and the Class A Shares, individually or collectively with the Class C Shares, as appropriate, the “ Shares ”), for purchase by the Counterparty Banks at a price not greater than $28.50 nor less than $24.75 per Class C Share (the “ Class  C Offer ”), in each case, to the seller in cash, less any applicable withholding taxes and without interest, upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Offers. We sometimes refer to the Class A Offer and Class C Offer collectively as the “ Offers ” and individually as an “ Offer .” See Section 1.

What is the purpose of the Offers?

We believe that the repurchase of Shares pursuant to the Offers is consistent with our long-term value creation strategy. Liberty Global is focused on delivering long-term value creation for shareholders through organic growth, disciplined and opportunistic mergers, acquisitions and dispositions in combination with a levered-equity capital structure. A core part of this levered-equity approach is returning capital to shareholders through share repurchases. We have undertaken various forms of share repurchases since our predecessor Liberty Global, Inc. was established in 2005, and we anticipate that share repurchases will remain a core pillar of our long-term value creation strategy.

The modified Dutch auction tender offer set forth in this Offer to Purchase provides our shareholders with the opportunity to tender all or a portion of their Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares and thereby receive a return of some or all of their investment in the Company if they so elect. The Offers also provide our shareholders with an efficient way to sell their Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares without incurring brokerage fees or commissions associated with open market sales. However, shareholders who hold Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares through nominees are urged to consult their nominees to determine whether transaction costs may apply.

If we complete the Offers, shareholders who do not participate in the Offers will automatically increase their respective relative percentage ownership interest and voting power, as applicable, in the Company and our future operations at no additional cost to them. See Section 2.

How many Shares will be purchased in the Offers?

Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Offers, we will purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, up to $625 million in value of our Class A Shares pursuant to the Class A Offer and up to $1.875 billion in value of our Class C Shares pursuant to the Class C Offer, or a lower amount, depending on the number of Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn pursuant to the Class A Offer and the Class C Offer, as applicable.

 

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We will select the lowest single purchase price (the “ Final Class  A Purchase Price ”) not greater than $29.00 nor less than $25.25 per Class A Share, that would allow us to purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, $625 million in value of Class A Shares, or a lower amount, depending on the number of Class A Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn. We will select the lowest single purchase price (the “ Final Class  C Purchase Price ”) not greater than $28.50 nor less than $24.75 per Class C Share, that would allow us to purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, $1.875 billion in value of Class C Shares, or a lower amount, depending on the number of Class C Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn. We sometimes refer to the Final Class A Purchase Price and the Final Class C Purchase Price collectively as the “ Final Purchase Prices ” and individually as the “ Final Purchase Price .” The Final Purchase Prices will be denominated in U.S. dollars, and the obligation to make payment of amounts owing to a depositing shareholder whose shares are accepted for payment will be made in U.S. dollars.

As of August 1, 2019, we had 205,370,209 issued and outstanding Class A Shares, 12,157,826 issued and outstanding Class B ordinary shares, nominal value $0.01 per share (each, a “ Class  B Share ”), and 513,200,439 issued and outstanding Class C Shares.

As of August 1, 2019, there were 66,631,989 shares remaining available for issuance under the Liberty Global 2014 Incentive Plan (amended and restated effective June 11, 2019) (the “ 2014 Incentive Plan ”), 8,662,113 shares remaining available for issuance under the Liberty Global 2014 Nonemployee Director Incentive Plan (the “ 2014 Director Incentive Plan ” and together with the 2014 Incentive Plan, the “ 2014 Equity Incentive Plans ”), and approximately 24,459,258 Class A Shares and 50,078,967 Class C Shares were subject to currently outstanding options, share appreciation rights (“ SARs ”), performance-based share appreciation rights (“ PSARs ”), restricted share units (“ RSUs ”) and performance-based restricted share units (“ PSUs ”) awarded under the 2014 Equity Incentive Plans. There were also 2,012,433 options outstanding under the Virgin Media Sharesave Plan and the Virgin Media Sharesave (Ireland) Plan as of August 1, 2019, which are not yet vested and exercisable. Prior to March 2014, such awards were granted under the Liberty Global 2005 Incentive Plan (as amended and restated effective June 7, 2013) (the “ 2005 Incentive Plan ”) and the 2005 Liberty Global Inc. Nonemployee Director Incentive Plan (the “ 2005 Director Incentive Plan ”). In addition, we assumed the Virgin Media 2010 Incentive Plan when we acquired Virgin Media in 2013 (the “ 2010 Virgin Media Plan ,” and together with the 2005 Incentive Plan and the 2005 Director Incentive Plan, the “ Prior Equity Incentive Plans ”). As of the January 30, 2014 approval of the 2014 Equity Incentive Plans, no further awards are granted under the Prior Equity Incentive Plans, and as of August 1, 2019, an aggregate of 4,041,420 Class A Shares and 10,927,659 Class C Shares remained outstanding under the Prior Equity Incentive Plans, which includes 284,553 vested and outstanding stock options (including CSOP and penny options) (“ Options ”) under the 2010 Virgin Media Plan. See Section 11.

At the maximum Final Class A Purchase Price of $29.00 per Class A Share, 21,551,724 Class A Shares could be purchased in the Class A Offer if it is fully subscribed, which would represent approximately 10.5% of the issued and outstanding Class A Shares as of August 1, 2019. At the minimum Final Class A Purchase Price of $25.25 per Class A Share, 24,752,475 Class A Shares could be purchased in the Class A Offer if it is fully subscribed, which would represent approximately 12.1% of the issued and outstanding Class A Shares as of August 1, 2019.

At the maximum Final Class C Purchase Price of $28.50 per Class C Share, 65,789,473 Class C Shares could be purchased in the Class C Offer if it is fully subscribed, which would represent approximately 12.8% of the issued and outstanding Class C Shares as of August 1, 2019. At the minimum Final Class C Purchase Price of $24.75 per Class C Share, 75,757,575 Class C Shares could be purchased in the Class C Offer if it is fully subscribed, which would represent approximately 14.8% of the issued and outstanding Class C Shares as of August 1, 2019. Assuming that the Class A Offer and the Class C Offer are fully subscribed, we expect that the maximum aggregate cost of these purchases, including all fees and expenses applicable to the Offers, will be approximately $2.5 billion.

 

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We expressly reserve the right to purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, additional Shares in either or both Offers, in each case, subject to applicable law and the authority of the Company to conduct the purchase of its ordinary shares in the capital of Liberty Global as approved by the shareholders of the Company at its annual general meeting of shareholders held on June 11, 2019 (the “ 2019 Shareholder Authorization ”). See Section 1. The Offers are not conditioned on any minimum number of Shares being tendered but are subject to certain other conditions. See Section 7. In accordance with the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ SEC ”) and subject to the 2019 Shareholder Authorization, if Class A Shares having an aggregate value in excess of $625 million and/or Class C Shares having an aggregate value in excess of $1.875 billion, in each case, are properly tendered and not properly withdrawn in the applicable Offer at or below the applicable Final Purchase Price, we may increase the number of Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares accepted for payment, through the Counterparty Banks, in the applicable Offer by no more than 2% of the outstanding Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares, as applicable, without extending the applicable Offer. See Section 1.

What will be the purchase price for the Shares, and what will be the form of payment?

We are conducting the Offers through a procedure commonly called a modified Dutch auction. This procedure allows you to select the price, within a price range specified by us, at which you are willing to tender your Shares. The price ranges for the Final Purchase Prices are $25.25 to $29.00 per Class A Share and $24.75 to $28.50 per Class C Share. Each Final Purchase Price will be a single per Share price that would allow us to purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, $625 million in value of Class A Shares or $1.875 billion in value of Class C Shares as applicable, or a lower amount, depending on the number of Class A Shares and Class C Shares, in each case, that are properly tendered and not properly withdrawn. We will purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, all Class A Shares and Class C Shares at the respective Final Purchase Price, in each case, less any applicable withholding taxes and without interest, even if you have selected a purchase price lower than the applicable Final Purchase Price; however, Class A Shares and Class C Shares tendered at a price above the applicable Final Purchase Price will not be purchased. If you are a participant in the Liberty Global 401(k) Savings and Stock Ownership Plan (the “ 401(k) Plan ”), you should be aware that the 401(k) Plan is prohibited from selling Shares to us for a price less than “adequate consideration.” More information on this potential limitation is provided in the letter to the 401(k) Plan participants being sent by the trustee of the 401(k) Plan (the “ 401(k) Trustee Letter ”). If you are a participant in the 401(k) Plan, you should review the 401(k) Trustee Letter with the other materials provided by the 401(k) Plan trustee. Similarly, if you are a participant in the Virgin Media Inc. Share Incentive Plan (the “ SIP Plan ”), you should review the communication to the SIP Plan participants that will be sent by the trustee of the SIP Plan (the “ SIP Trustee Letter ”) for information on any limitations related to the tender of Shares held under the SIP Plan. See Sections 1 and 5.

If you wish to maximize your chances of having your Class A Shares purchased in the Class A Offer, you should check the box in the subsection entitled “Class A Shares Tendered At Price Determined In The Class A Offer” (in the section captioned “Price (In Dollars) Per Class A Share At Which Class A Shares Are Being Tendered”) in the yellow Letter of Transmittal for Class A Shares, which will indicate that you will accept the Final Class A Purchase Price as determined by us in accordance with the terms of and subject to the conditions of the Class A Offer. If you agree to accept the Final Class A Purchase Price, your Class A Shares will be deemed to have been tendered at $25.25 per Class A Share, which is the low end of the price range in the Class A Offer. You should understand that this election may have the effect of lowering the Final Class A Purchase Price and could result in your Class A Shares being purchased at $25.25 per Class A Share, which is the low end of the price range in the Class A Offer, less any applicable withholding taxes and without interest, a price that is below the last reported sale price of the Class A Shares on NASDAQ on August 9, 2019, the last full trading day prior to the commencement of the Class A Offer, which was $25.98 per Class A Share, and could be below the last reported sale price of the Class A Shares on the Expiration Date.

If you wish to maximize your chances of having your Class C Shares purchased in the Class C Offer, you should check the box in the subsection entitled “Class C Shares Tendered At Price Determined In The Class C Offer” (in the section captioned “Price (In Dollars) Per Class C Share At Which Class C Shares Are Being

 

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Tendered”) in the grey Letter of Transmittal for Class C Shares, which will indicate that you will accept the Final Class C Purchase Price as determined by us in accordance with the terms of and subject to the conditions of the Class C Offer. If you agree to accept the Final Class C Purchase Price, your Class C Shares will be deemed to have been tendered at $24.75 per Class C Share, which is the low end of the price range in the Class C Offer. You should understand that this election may have the effect of lowering the Final Class C Purchase Price and could result in your Class C Shares being purchased at $24.75 per Class C Share, which is the low end of the price range in the Class C Offer, less any applicable withholding taxes and without interest, a price that is below the last reported sale price of the Class C Shares on NASDAQ on August 9, 2019, the last full trading day prior to the commencement of the Class C Offer, which was $25.85 per Class C Share, and could be below the last reported sale price of the Class C Shares on the Expiration Date.

If your Shares are purchased in the applicable Offers, we, through the Counterparty Banks, will pay you the applicable Final Purchase Price in cash, in each case, less any applicable withholding taxes and without interest, promptly after the Expiration Date. Under no circumstances will you receive interest on the Final Purchase Prices, even if there is a delay in making payment. See the Introduction, Section 1 and Section 3.

Shareholders are urged to obtain current market quotations for the Shares before deciding whether and at what price or prices to tender their Shares. See Section 8.

How will the Shares be paid for?

Assuming that the Class A Offer and the Class C Offer are fully subscribed, we expect that the maximum aggregate cost of these purchases, including all fees and expenses applicable to the Offers, will be approximately $2.5 billion.

In connection with the Offers, each Counterparty Bank will use cash on hand to purchase its respective allocation of the Shares that are properly tendered and not properly withdrawn pursuant to the Counterparty Bank Agreements and the terms and conditions of the Offers set forth in this Offer to Purchase. In turn, each Counterparty Bank shall sell, and Liberty Global shall purchase from each Counterparty Bank, such Shares at a price equal to the applicable Final Purchase Price (along with certain other costs) pursuant to the Counterparty Bank Agreements and the terms and conditions of the Offers set forth in this Offer to Purchase. As discussed in this Offer to Purchase, the Counterparty Banks are acting as principals (not as agents, nominees or trustees).

We intend to pay for the purchase of Shares from the Counterparty Banks with existing cash and cash equivalents, including cash proceeds received from the consummation of the previously announced sale of certain Liberty Global subsidiaries comprising Liberty Global’s businesses and operations in Germany, Romania, Hungary and the Czech Republic to Vodafone Group plc and certain of its subsidiaries (the “ Vodafone Transaction ”), which closed on July 31, 2019.

As of the date hereof, no alternative financing arrangements or alternative financing plans have been made.

After giving effect to the Offers, we believe that we will continue to have sufficient financial resources and working capital to conduct our business.

As noted above, the Company and the Counterparty Banks have entered into (i) the Master Put/Call Agreements, pursuant to which each Counterparty Bank has the right to require the Company to purchase from the relevant Counterparty Bank, and the Company has the right to require each Counterparty Bank to sell to the Company, the Shares purchased by such Counterparty Bank in the Offers, and pursuant to the Master Put/Call Agreements, and (ii) the Option Framework Agreements, pursuant to which each Counterparty Bank will purchase its respective allocation of the Shares as principals (not as agents, nominees or trustees).

In accordance with the rules of the SEC and subject to the 2019 Shareholder Authorization, if Class A Shares having an aggregate value in excess of $625 million and/or Class C Shares having an aggregate value in excess of $1.875 billion, in each case, are properly tendered and not properly withdrawn in the applicable Offer

 

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at or below the applicable Final Purchase Price, we may increase the number of Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares accepted for payment, through the Counterparty Banks, in the applicable Offer by no more than 2% of the outstanding Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares without extending the applicable Offer. See Section 1.

How long do I have to tender my Shares?

You may tender your Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares until the applicable Offer expires. Each Offer will expire one (1) minute after 11:59 P.M., New York City time, on September 9, 2019, unless we extend or terminate such Offer (such date, as may be extended, the “ Expiration Date ”). When used together with a specific time, the term Expiration Date refers to the date on which the applicable Offer expires. See Section 1. We may choose to extend either or both Offers at any time and for any reason, in each case, subject to applicable laws. We cannot assure you, however, that we will extend either or both Offers or, if we extend them, for how long. In the unlikely event the Offers have different Expiration Dates ( e.g. , due to an extension of one Offer and not the other), “Expiration Date” shall mean the applicable Expiration Date as the context shall so require. See Section 1 and Section 14.

Beneficial owners holding their Shares through a broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee should be aware that their broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee may establish its own earlier deadlines for you to instruct it to accept either or both Offers on your behalf. Accordingly, beneficial owners wishing to participate in either or both Offers should contact their broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee as soon as possible in order to determine the times by which such owner must take action in order to participate in either or both Offers. We urge you to contact the broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee that holds your Shares to find out its deadline. Similarly, if you are a participant in the 401(k) Plan or the SIP Plan (collectively, the “ Savings Plans ”), there will be an earlier deadline for accepting the Offers. Participants in the Savings Plans should confirm their deadlines by carefully reading the materials provided to them by the applicable Savings Plan trustee. See Section 3.

If you are a holder of CREST depository interests (“ CDIs ”) representing Shares, you should refer to your CREST sponsor to obtain the procedures for tendering the Shares underlying your CDIs. Holders of CDIs representing Shares should contact their CREST sponsor in order to determine the times by which such holder must take action in order to participate in either or both Offers. In this Offer to Purchase, we sometimes refer to “ CREST ,” which is the U.K. system operated by Euroclear UK & Ireland Limited for the paperless settlement of trades in securities and the holding of uncertificated securities.

Can the Offers be extended, amended or terminated, and if so, under what circumstances?

Yes. We can extend or amend either or both Offers in our sole discretion at any time, in each case, subject to applicable laws. We may, however, decide not to extend the Expiration Date for either or both Offers. If we extend the Expiration Date for either or both Offers, we cannot indicate, at this time, the length of any extension that we may provide. In any event, if we extend the Expiration Date for either or both Offers, we will delay the acceptance of any Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares that have been tendered, as applicable, until the extended expiration dates of the applicable Offer. See Section 14. We can also amend or terminate either or both Offers under certain circumstances and, in each case, subject to applicable law. See Section 7.

How will I be notified if you extend the Offers or amend the terms of the Offers?

If we extend either or both Offers, in each case, we will issue a press release not later than 9:00 a.m., New York City time, on the first (1 st ) business day after the previously scheduled Expiration Date. If we extend either or both Offers, you may withdraw your Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares until the Expiration Date, as extended. We will announce any amendment to either or both Offers by making a public announcement of the amendment. In the event that the terms of either or both Offers are amended, in each case, we will file an amendment to our Issuer Tender Offer Statement on Schedule TO describing the amendment to the Offers. See Section 14.

 

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Are there any conditions to the Offers?

Yes. The obligation to accept for payment and pay for your tendered Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares depends upon a number of conditions that must be satisfied in our reasonable judgment or waived by us on or prior to the Expiration Date. These conditions are described in Section 7 and include, among others:

 

   

each Counterparty Bank has not breached, or threatened to breach, the representations, warranties or covenants under the Counterparty Bank Agreements;

 

   

no legal action shall have been threatened, pending or taken that might, in our reasonable judgment, adversely affect the Offers;

 

   

no general suspension of trading in, or general limitation on prices for, securities on any national securities exchange or in the over-the-counter markets in the United States or the declaration of a banking moratorium or any suspension of payments in respect of banks in the United States or the United Kingdom shall have occurred;

 

   

with respect to the Class A Offer, no decrease of more than 10% in the sale price of the Class A Shares on NASDAQ or in the general level of market prices for equity securities in the United States or the New York Stock Exchange Composite Index, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the NASDAQ Global Market Composite Index or Standard & Poor’s Composite Index of 500 Industrial Companies measured from the close of trading on August 9, 2019, the last full trading day prior to the commencement of the Class A Offer, shall have occurred;

 

   

with respect to the Class C offer, no decrease of more than 10% in the sale price of the Class C Shares on NASDAQ or in the general level of market prices for equity securities in the United States or the New York Stock Exchange Composite Index, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the NASDAQ Global Market Composite Index or Standard & Poor’s Composite Index of 500 Industrial Companies measured from the close of trading on August 9, 2019, the last full trading day prior to the commencement of the Class C Offer, shall have occurred;

 

   

no commencement of a war, armed hostilities or other similar national or international calamity, including, but not limited to, an act of terrorism, directly or indirectly involving the United States or the United Kingdom shall have occurred on or after August 12, 2019, nor shall any material escalation of any war or armed hostilities which had commenced prior to August 12, 2019, have occurred;

 

   

no limitation, whether or not mandatory, by any governmental, regulatory or administrative agency or authority on, or any event that, in our reasonable judgment, could materially affect, the extension of credit by banks or other lending institutions in the United States or the United Kingdom shall have occurred;

 

   

no changes in the general political, market, economic or financial conditions, domestically or internationally, that are reasonably likely to materially and adversely affect our business or the trading in the Shares shall have occurred;

 

   

no change in law or in the official interpretation or administration of law, or relevant position or policy of a governmental authority with respect to any laws, applicable to the Offers shall have occurred;

 

   

no person shall have filed a Notification and Report Form under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended, or shall have proposed, announced or taken certain actions that could lead to the acquisition of us or a change of control transaction;

 

   

no material adverse change in our business, condition (financial or otherwise), assets, income, operations or prospects shall have occurred during the Offers;

 

   

any approval, permit, authorization, favorable review or consent of any governmental entity required to be obtained in connection with the Offers shall have been obtained on terms satisfactory to us in our reasonable discretion; and

 

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we shall not have determined that as a result of the consummation of the Offer and the purchase of Shares that there will be a reasonable likelihood that the Shares either (i) will be held of record by fewer than 300 persons or (ii) will be delisted from NASDAQ or be eligible for deregistration under the Exchange Act.

The obligation to accept for payment and pay for your tendered Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares is also subject to the condition that each Counterparty Bank, acting reasonably, has not, prior to the Expiration Date, provided us with written notice that we have failed to comply with certain of our obligations, or are in breach of certain of our representations and warranties, under the applicable Option Framework Agreement on or prior to the Expiration Date, and which failure to comply or breach has not been cured prior to the Expiration Date.

If any of the conditions in Section 7 is not satisfied, we may:

 

   

terminate either or both Offers and return all tendered Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares to the tendering shareholders;

 

   

extend either or both Offers and, subject to withdrawal rights as set forth in Section 4, retain all of the Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares until the expiration of the applicable Offer as so extended;

 

   

waive the condition and, subject to any requirement to extend the period of time during which the Offers are open, purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, all of the Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn prior to the Expiration Date; or

 

   

delay acceptance for payment or payment, through the Counterparty Banks, for Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares, in each case, subject to applicable law, until satisfaction or waiver of the conditions to the applicable Offer.

For a more detailed discussion of these and other conditions to the Offers, please see Section 7.

What is the role of the Counterparty Banks?

The use of Counterparty Banks in the Offers is to ensure compliance with English law. The Counterparty Banks will act as initial purchasers of the Shares and take actions to facilitate our subsequent purchase of the Shares pursuant to the Counterparty Bank Agreements and the terms and conditions of the Offers set forth in this Offer to Purchase. We will generally make all decisions and determinations with respect to the Offers, including with respect to the satisfaction or waiver of conditions to the Offers set forth in this Offer to Purchase and the acceptance of Shares for purchase by the Counterparty Banks. The only condition to the Offers that will be for the benefit of the Counterparty Banks is that each Counterparty Bank, acting reasonably, has not, prior to the Expiration Date, provided us with written notice that we have failed to comply with certain of our obligations, or are in breach of certain of our representations and warranties, under the applicable Option Framework Agreement on or prior to the Expiration Date, and which failure to comply or breach has not been cured prior to the Expiration Date. See Section 7.

How do I tender my Shares?

If you want to tender all or part of your Class A Shares pursuant to the Class A Offer and/or Class C Shares pursuant to the Class C Offer, you must do one of the following by the Expiration Date:

 

   

if your Shares are registered in the name of a broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee, contact the nominee and request that the nominee tender your Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares for you. Beneficial owners should be aware that their broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee may establish its own earlier deadlines for participation in either or both Offers. Accordingly, beneficial owners wishing to participate in either or both Offers should contact their broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee as soon as possible in order to determine the times by which such owner must take action in order to participate in either or both Offers;

 

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if you hold certificates, complete and sign the applicable Letter of Transmittal according to its instructions, and deliver it, together with any required signature guarantees, any certificates for your Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares and any other documents required by the applicable Letter of Transmittal, to Computershare Trust Company, N.A., the Depositary for the Offers, at the address appearing on the back cover page of this Offer to Purchase;

 

   

if you are an institution participating in The Depository Trust Company, which we call the “ Book-Entry Transfer Facility ” in this Offer to Purchase, or hold book-entry Shares registered in your own name, tender your Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares according to the procedure for book-entry transfer described in Section 3;

 

   

if you are a holder of CDIs representing Shares, you should contact your CREST sponsor to obtain the procedures for tendering the Shares underlying your CDIs. Holders of CDIs representing Shares should contact their CREST sponsor in order to determine the times by which such holder must take action in order to participate in either or both Offers;

 

   

if your Shares are held in either of the Savings Plans, you must follow the separate instructions that will be sent to Savings Plan participants from the agent or trustee of each applicable Savings Plan detailing how to withdraw Shares tendered under the Savings Plans. If you are a participant in either of the Savings Plans, there will be an earlier deadline for accepting the Offers. Participants in the Savings Plans should confirm their deadlines by carefully reading the materials provided to them by the applicable Savings Plan trustee;

 

   

if you are a holder of vested SARs, vested and earned PSARs or vested Options (together, “ Vested SARs and Options ”), you may exercise your Vested SARs and Options and tender any of the Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares issued upon such exercise. You must exercise your Vested SARs and Options sufficiently in advance of the Expiration Date to receive your Shares in order to tender them in the applicable Offer. An exercise of Vested SARs and Options cannot be revoked even if Shares received upon the exercise thereof and tendered in either or both Offers are not purchased in such Offer for any reason; or

 

   

if you are a holder of RSUs or PSUs, you may only tender the underlying Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares that you have acquired through vesting of RSUs or vesting of earned PSUs.

If you wish to tender your Class A Shares pursuant to the Class A Offer and/or Class C Shares pursuant to the Class C Offer, but (a) the certificates for such Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares are not immediately available or cannot be delivered to the Depositary by the Expiration Date, (b) you cannot comply with the procedure for book-entry transfer by the Expiration Date, or (c) your other required documents cannot be delivered to the Depositary by the Expiration Date, you can still tender your Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares if you comply with the guaranteed delivery procedures described in Section 3.

All transfers of Shares pursuant to the Offers must be effected by book-entry transfer through the Book-Entry Transfer Facility, except for Shares held in certificated form outside of the Book-Entry Transfer Facility.

No Offers are being made to, and there will be no acceptance of any tendered Shares from, shareholders in any jurisdiction where it would be illegal to do so. However, we may, at our discretion and subject to applicable law, take any actions necessary to make the Offers to shareholders in any such jurisdiction.

You may contact the Information Agent, the Dealer Managers or your broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee for assistance. The contact information for the Information Agent and the Dealer Managers is set forth on the back cover of this Offer to Purchase. If you are a holder of CDIs, you should refer to your CREST sponsor to obtain the procedures for tendering the Shares underlying your CDIs. If you are tendering Shares under either of the Savings Plans, you must validly follow the tender instructions provided by the applicable Savings Plan trustee. You may contact the applicable Savings Plan trustee for assistance. See Section 3 and the Instructions to the Letters of Transmittal.

 

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Once I have tendered Shares in the Offers, may I withdraw my tendered Shares?

Yes. You may withdraw any Shares you have tendered pursuant to either or both Offers at any time prior to the Expiration Date. Please note, however, that if you elect to tender Shares held in the Savings Plans, you will have an earlier deadline for withdrawing Shares you have previously tendered for administrative reasons. Participants in the Savings Plans should confirm their deadlines by carefully reading the materials provided by the applicable Savings Plan trustee. If, following the Expiration Date, we have not accepted for payment, through the Counterparty Banks, the applicable Shares you have tendered, through the Counterparty Banks, to us by one (1) minute after 11:59 P.M., New York City time, on October 7, 2019, you may also withdraw your Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares at any time thereafter. See Section 4.

How do I withdraw Shares I previously tendered?

If you are a registered holder of Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares, to properly withdraw your Shares, you must deliver on a timely basis a written notice of your withdrawal to the Depositary at one of the addresses appearing on the back cover of this Offer to Purchase. Your notice of withdrawal must specify your name, the number of Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares to be withdrawn and the name of the registered holder of such Shares. Some additional requirements apply if the certificates for such Shares to be withdrawn have been delivered to the Depositary or if your Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares have been tendered under the procedure for book-entry transfer set forth in Section 3. If you hold Shares through a broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or similar institution, you should consult that institution on the procedures you must comply with and the time by which such procedures must be completed in order for that institution to provide a written notice of withdrawal. If you hold CDIs representing Shares, you should contact your CREST sponsor to obtain the procedures for withdrawing any Shares tendered by your CREST sponsor. Participants in the Savings Plans whose Shares are held by the applicable Savings Plan trustee will receive separate instructions detailing how to withdraw Shares tendered under the 401(k) Plan. These instructions will set an earlier deadline for withdrawing the Shares under the Savings Plans for administrative reasons. See Section 4.

In what order will tendered Shares be purchased?

If the terms and conditions of the Offers have been satisfied or waived and, based on the applicable Final Purchase Prices, all Class A Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn have an aggregate value of less than $625 million and all Class C Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn have an aggregate value of less than $1.875 billion, as applicable, we will purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, all Shares properly tendered at prices at or below the applicable Final Purchase Price and not properly withdrawn.

Class  A Offer . Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class A Offer, if, based on the Final Class A Purchase Price, Class A Shares having an aggregate value in excess of $625 million (or such greater amount as we may elect to accept for payment, through the Counterparty Banks, subject to applicable law and the 2019 Shareholder Authorization) have been properly tendered at prices at or below the Final Class A Purchase Price and not properly withdrawn prior to the Expiration Date, we will purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, Class A Shares in the following order:

 

   

first , we will purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, Odd Lots (as defined in Section 1) of less than 100 Class A Shares at the Final Class A Purchase Price from shareholders who properly tender all of their Class A Shares at or below the Final Class A Purchase Price and who do not properly withdraw them before the Expiration Date. Tenders of less than all of the Class A Shares owned, beneficially or of record, by such Odd Lot Holder (as defined in Section 1) will not qualify for this preference. Tenders of Class A Shares held in the individual accounts in the 401(k) Plan also will not qualify for this preference. SIP Plan participants should reference the SIP Trustee Letter that will be sent for information related to the applicability of this preference;

 

   

second , after purchasing all Odd Lots that were properly tendered at or below the Final Class A Purchase Price, subject to the conditional tender provisions described in Section 6 (whereby a holder

 

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may specify a minimum number of such holder’s Class A Shares that must be purchased if any such Shares are purchased), we will purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, all Class A Shares properly tendered at or below the Final Class A Purchase Price on a pro rata basis with appropriate adjustment to avoid purchases of fractional Class A Shares; and

 

   

third , only if necessary to permit us to purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, $625 million in value of Class A Shares (or such greater amount as we may elect to purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, subject to applicable law and the 2019 Shareholder Authorization), we will purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, Class A Shares conditionally tendered (for which the condition was not initially satisfied) at or below the Final Class A Purchase Price, by random lot, to the extent feasible. To be eligible for purchase by random lot, shareholders whose Class A Shares are conditionally tendered must have tendered all of their Class A Shares. Random lot would be facilitated by the Company.

Therefore, because of “Odd Lot” priority, proration and conditional tender provisions described above, all of the Class A Shares that you tender, may not be purchased, even if you tender them at or below the Final Class A Purchase Price. No fractional Class A Shares will be purchased in the Class A Offer. See Section 1 and Section 6.

Class  C Offer . Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class C Offer, if, based on the Final Class C Purchase Price, Class C Shares having an aggregate value in excess of $1.875 billion (or such greater amount as we may elect to accept for payment, through the Counterparty Banks, subject to applicable law and the 2019 Shareholder Authorization) have been properly tendered at prices at or below the Final Class C Purchase Price and not properly withdrawn prior to the Expiration Date, we will purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, Class C Shares in the following order:

 

   

first , we will purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, Odd Lots of less than 100 Class C Shares at the Final Class C Purchase Price from shareholders who properly tender all of their Class C Shares at or below the Final Class C Purchase Price and who do not properly withdraw them before the Expiration Date. Tenders of less than all of the Class C Shares owned, beneficially or of record, by such Odd Lot Holder will not qualify for this preference. Tenders of Class C Shares held in the individual accounts in the 401(k) Plan also will not qualify for this preference. SIP Plan participants should reference the SIP Trustee Letter that will be sent for information related to the applicability of this preference;

 

   

second , after purchasing all Odd Lots that were properly tendered at or below the Final Class C Purchase Price, subject to the conditional tender provisions described in Section 6 (whereby a holder may specify a minimum number of such holder’s Class C Shares that must be purchased if any such Shares are purchased), we will purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, all Class C Shares properly tendered at or below the Final Class C Purchase Price on a pro rata basis with appropriate adjustment to avoid purchases of fractional Class C Shares; and

 

   

third , only if necessary to permit us to purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, $1.875 billion in value of Class C Shares (or such greater amount as we may elect to purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, subject to applicable law and the 2019 Shareholder Authorization), we will purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, Class C Shares conditionally tendered (for which the condition was not initially satisfied) at or below the Final Class C Purchase Price, by random lot, to the extent feasible. To be eligible for purchase by random lot, shareholders whose Class C Shares are conditionally tendered must have tendered all of their Class C Shares. Random lot would be facilitated by the Company.

Therefore, because of “Odd Lot” priority, proration and conditional tender provisions described above, all of the Class C Shares that you tender, may not be purchased, even if you tender them at or below the Final Class C Purchase Price. No fractional Class C Shares will be purchased in the Class C Offer. See Section 1 and Section 6.

 

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If I own fewer than 100 Class A Shares and/or fewer than 100 Class C Shares and I tender all of my Shares, will I be subject to proration?

If you (i) own, beneficially or of record, fewer than 100 Class A Shares or 100 Class C Shares, in each case, in the aggregate; (ii) properly tender all of these Shares at or below the applicable Final Purchase Price and do not properly withdraw them before the applicable Expiration Date; and (iii) complete the section(s) entitled “Odd Lots” in the applicable Letter of Transmittal and, if applicable, in the Notice of Guaranteed Delivery, we will purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, all of your Shares without subjecting them to the proration procedure. Notwithstanding the foregoing, you will not be entitled to the Odd Lot preference with respect to Shares tendered under the 401(k) Plan. SIP Plan participants should reference the SIP Trustee Letter that will be sent for information related to the applicability of the Odd Lot preference. See Section 1.

Has the Company or its Board of Directors adopted a position on the Offers?

Our Board of Directors has authorized the Offers in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Offers set forth in this Offer to Purchase and the Counterparty Bank Agreements. However, none of the Company, the members of our Board of Directors, the Counterparty Banks, the Dealer Managers, the Depositary or the Information Agent makes any recommendation to you as to whether you should tender or refrain from tendering your Shares or as to the purchase price or purchase prices at which you may choose to tender your Shares. We cannot predict how our Shares will trade after the Expiration Date, and it is possible that our share price will trade above the applicable Final Purchase Price after the Expiration Date. You must make your own decision as to whether to tender your Shares and, if so, how many Shares to tender and the purchase price or purchase prices at which you will tender them. We recommend that you read carefully the information in this Offer to Purchase, the applicable Letter of Transmittal and the other related materials that constitute part of the Offers, including our reasons for the Offers, before taking any action with respect to the Offers. See Section 2. In addition, you should discuss whether to tender your Shares with your broker or other financial or tax advisors.

Will the Company’s directors and executive officers tender Shares in the Offers?

Our directors and executive officers have informed us that they will not tender any of their Shares in the Offers. As a result, the Offers will increase the proportional holdings of our directors and executive officers. However, our directors and executive officers may, in compliance with applicable law, sell their Shares in open market transactions at prices that may or may not be more favorable than the applicable Final Purchase Price. See Section 11.

How will the Offers affect the voting power of the Company’s Chairman and our Chief Executive Officer, President and Vice Chairman?

If, at the minimum Final Class A Purchase Price of $25.25 per Class A Share, a maximum of 24,752,475 Class A Shares are purchased in the Class A Offer, our Chairman, John C. Malone, who beneficially owned Shares (including Shares purchasable upon exercise of options) representing approximately 28.3% of our aggregate voting power as of August 1, 2019, would beneficially own Shares representing approximately 30.6% of our aggregate voting power. In addition, if, at the minimum Final Class A Purchase Price of $25.25 per Class A Share, a maximum of 24,752,475 Class A Shares are purchased in the Class A Offer, our Chief Executive Officer, President and Vice Chairman, Michael T. Fries, who beneficially owned Shares (including Shares purchasable upon exercise of options) representing approximately 7.0% of our aggregate voting power as of August 1, 2019, would beneficially own Shares representing approximately 7.6% of our aggregate voting power. See Section 2.

If I decide not to tender, how will the Offers affect my Shares?

Shareholders who decide not to tender will own a greater percentage interest in the Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares, as applicable, following the consummation of the Offers. See Section 2.

Following the Offers, will you continue as a public company?

Yes. The Class A Shares and Class C Shares will continue to be authorized for quotation on NASDAQ and we will continue to be subject to the periodic reporting requirements of the Exchange Act. See Section 2.

 

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When and how will I be paid for the Shares I tender?

Each Counterparty Bank, acting as principal and not as agent, nominee or trustee, will use cash on hand to pay the applicable Final Purchase Price to the seller, in cash, less applicable withholding taxes and without interest, for its respective allocation of the Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn pursuant to the Counterparty Bank Agreements and the terms and conditions of the Offers set forth in this Offer to Purchase. In turn, each Counterparty Bank shall sell, and Liberty Global shall purchase from each Counterparty Bank, such Shares at a price equal to the applicable Final Purchase Price (along with certain other costs) pursuant to the Counterparty Bank Agreements and the terms and conditions of the Offers set forth in this Offer to Purchase.

If you are a participant in the 401(k) Plan, you should be aware that the 401(k) Plan is prohibited from selling Shares to us for a price less than “adequate consideration.” More information on this potential limitation is provided in the 401(k) Trustee Letter. Similarly, if you are a participant in the SIP Plan, you should review the SIP Trustee Letter that will be sent for information on any limitations related to the tender of Shares held under the SIP Plan.

As noted above, we intend to pay for the purchase of the Shares from the Counterparty Banks with existing cash and cash equivalents, including cash proceeds received from the Vodafone Transaction, which closed on July 31, 2019.

We will announce the preliminary results of the Offers, including price and preliminary information about any expected proration, on the next business day following the Expiration Date. We do not expect, however, to announce the final results of any proration or the Final Purchase Prices and, through the Counterparty Banks, to begin paying for tendered Shares until after the Expiration Date. We, through the Counterparty Banks, will pay for the Shares accepted for purchase by depositing the aggregate purchase price with the Depositary promptly after the Expiration Date. The Depositary will act as your agent and will transmit to you the payment for all of your Shares accepted for payment. See Section 1 and Section 5.

If I hold CDIs representing Shares, how do I participate in the Offers?

If you are a holder of CDIs representing Shares, you should refer to your CREST sponsor to obtain the procedures for tendering the Shares underlying your CDIs. Holders of CDIs representing Shares should contact their CREST sponsor in order to determine the times by which such holder must take action in order to participate in either or both Offers.

If I hold Shares in either of the Savings Plans, how do I participate in the Offers?

Participants in the Savings Plans whose Shares are held by either of the Savings Plan trustees participating in the Offers may not use the Letters of Transmittal to direct the tender of Shares held in the plan account but instead must follow the separate instructions that will be provided in the 401(k) Trustee Letter or SIP Trustee Letter, as applicable. With regard to the 401(k) Trustee Letter, these instructions will require that a 401(k) Plan participant who wishes to tender Shares held under the 401(k) Plan complete and execute a direction form for each applicable Offer (the “ 401(k) Direction Form ”). The applicable 401(k) Direction Form(s) will be provided with the 401(k) Trustee Letter, which will include instructions as to where to send the 401(k) Direction Form(s). Similarly, SIP Plan participants should follow the separate instructions provided in the SIP Trustee Letter, which will require that a SIP Plan participant complete a tender form for each applicable Offer (the “ SIP Tender Form ”) in order to properly tender Shares held in the SIP Plan. The SIP Tender Form(s) will be provided with the SIP Trustee Letter. For administrative reasons, the deadline for submitting instructions under either of the Savings Plans will be earlier than the expiration date of the Offers. Participants in the Savings Plans should confirm their deadlines by carefully reading the materials provided to them by the applicable Savings Plan trustee. See Section 3.

If I am a holder of Vested SARs and Options, how do I participate in the Offers?

If you are a holder of Vested SARs and Options, you may exercise your Vested SARs and Options and tender any Shares issued upon such exercise. You must exercise your Vested SARs and Options sufficiently in

 

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advance of the Expiration Date to receive your Shares in order to tender. An exercise of Vested SARs and Options cannot be revoked, however, if Shares received upon the exercise thereof and tendered in the Offers are not purchased in the Offers for any reason. The Offers are not extended to SARs, PSARs or Options that have not vested and/or been earned, as applicable, and tenders of such unvested and/or unearned SARs, PSARs or Options will not be accepted. See Section 3.

If I am a holder of RSUs or PSUs, how do I participate in the Offers?

The Offers are not extended to RSUs or PSUs that have not vested, been earned, or been paid out, and tenders of such unvested RSUs or PSUs will not be accepted. If you hold Shares that you have acquired through the vesting of RSUs or vesting of earned PSUs, such Shares may be tendered in the Offers. See Section 3.

What is the last reported sale price of my Shares?

The Class A Shares and the Class C Shares are listed and traded on NASDAQ under the symbol “LBTYA” and “LBTYK,” respectively. On August 9, 2019, the last full trading day before the commencement of the Offers, the last reported sale price of the Class A Shares and the Class C on NASDAQ was $25.98 per Class A Share and $25.85 per Class C Share. You are urged to obtain current market quotations for the Shares before deciding whether and at what purchase price or purchase prices to tender your Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares. See Section 8.

Will I have to pay brokerage commissions if I tender my Shares?

If you are a registered shareholder and you tender your Shares directly to the Depositary, you will not incur any brokerage commissions. If you hold Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares through a broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee, we urge you to consult your broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee to determine whether any transaction costs are applicable. Participants in the Savings Plans whose Shares are held by the applicable Savings Plan trustee will not incur any additional brokerage commissions. See the Introduction and Section 3.

Will I have to pay share transfer tax if I tender my Shares?

If you tender your Shares properly in accordance with the terms of the Offers and instruct the Depositary in the applicable Letter of Transmittal to make the payment for tendered Shares to the registered holder of such Shares, you will not bear the cost of share transfer taxes applicable to the transfer of your Shares, if any. If, however, you do not tender your Shares properly in accordance with the terms of the Offers, and/or if you give special instructions to the Depositary in connection with your tender of Shares, and/or if tendered certificates for Shares are registered in the name of someone other than the person signing the applicable Letter of Transmittal, then the cost of any share transfer taxes arising as a result will be borne by you. See Section 5 and Instruction 7 of the applicable Letter of Transmittal.

For certain considerations relating to U.K. stamp duty and stamp duty reserve tax, see Section 13.

What are the U.S. federal income tax consequences if I tender my Shares?

Generally, if you are a U.S. Holder (as defined in Section 13), your receipt of cash from us in exchange for the Shares you tender will be a taxable transaction for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The cash you receive for your tendered Shares will generally be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes either as consideration received in respect of a sale or exchange of the Shares purchased by us or as a distribution from us in respect of Shares. See Section 13 for a more detailed discussion of the tax treatment of the Offers. Special tax consequences may apply with respect to Shares tendered through the Savings Plans. We urge you to consult your tax advisor as to the particular tax consequences to you of the Offers.

 

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Whom should I contact with questions about the Offers?

The Information Agent or the Dealer Managers can help answer your questions. The Information Agent is Innisfree M&A Incorporated, and the Dealer Managers are Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC and HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. Their contact information is set forth below. The Offer to Purchase will be sent to participants in the Savings Plans for informational purposes only. If a participant in either of the Savings Plans has any questions relating to the Offers or the number of Shares held in his or her Savings Plan account, the participant should contact the party set forth in the 401(k) Trustee Letter or SIP Trustee Letter, as applicable.

The Information Agent for the Offers is:

 

LOGO

Innisfree M&A Incorporated

501 Madison Avenue, 20 th Floor

New York, New York 10022

Shareholders Call Toll-Free: (888) 750-5834

Banks and Brokers Call U.S. Local: (212) 750-5833

The Dealer Managers for the Offers are:

 

LOGO    LOGO

Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC

Eleven Madison Avenue

New York, New York 10010

Call Toll-Free: (800) 318-8219

Call U.S. Local: (212) 538-4581

  

HSBC Securities (USA) Inc.

452 Fifth Avenue

New York, New York 10018

Call Toll-Free: (888) 472-2456

Call U.S. Local: (212) 525-3672

 

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FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This Offer to Purchase and other documents we file with the SEC contain forward-looking statements that are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections and our management’s belief and assumptions about us, our future performance and our business. In addition, we, or others on our behalf, may make forward-looking statements in press releases or written statements, or in our communications and discussions with investors and analysts in the normal course of business through meetings, webcasts, phone calls and conference calls. Such words as “expect,” “anticipate,” “outlook,” “could,” “target,” “project,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “seek,” “estimate,” “should,” “may,” “assume,” and “continue,” as well as variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees and involve certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. We describe our respective risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could affect the outcome or results of operations in the “Risk Factors” section of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018 and our Quarterly Report filed on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2019. The accuracy of our expectations and predictions is also subject to the following risks and uncertainties:

 

   

our ability to complete the Offers;

 

   

the price and time at which we may make any additional Share repurchases following completion of the Offers and the number of Shares acquired in such repurchases;

 

   

economic and business conditions and industry trends in the countries in which we or our affiliates operate;

 

   

the competitive environment in the industries in the countries in which we or our affiliates operate, including competitor responses to our products and services;

 

   

fluctuations in currency exchange rates and interest rates;

 

   

instability in global financial markets, including sovereign debt issues and related fiscal reforms;

 

   

consumer disposable income and spending levels, including the availability and amount of individual consumer debt;

 

   

changes in consumer television viewing preferences and habits;

 

   

consumer acceptance of our existing service offerings, including our cable television, broadband internet, fixed-line telephony, mobile and business service offerings, and of new technology, programming alternatives and other products and services that we may offer in the future;

 

   

our ability to manage rapid technological changes;

 

   

our ability to maintain or increase the number of subscriptions to our cable television, broadband internet, fixed-line telephony and mobile service offerings and our average revenue per household;

 

   

our ability to provide satisfactory customer service, including support for new and evolving products and services;

 

   

our ability to maintain or increase rates to our subscribers or to pass through increased costs to our subscribers;

 

   

the impact of our future financial performance, or market conditions generally, on the availability, terms and deployment of capital;

 

   

changes in, or failure or inability to comply with, government regulations in the countries in which we or our affiliates operate and adverse outcomes from regulatory proceedings;

 

   

government intervention that requires opening our broadband distribution networks to competitors, such as the obligations imposed in Belgium;

 

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our ability to obtain regulatory approval and satisfy other conditions necessary to close acquisitions and dispositions (including the pending disposition of UPC Switzerland) and the impact of conditions imposed by competition and other regulatory authorities in connection with acquisitions;

 

   

our ability to successfully acquire new businesses and, if acquired, to integrate, realize anticipated efficiencies from, and implement our business plan with respect to, the businesses we have acquired or that we expect to acquire;

 

   

changes in laws or treaties relating to taxation, or the interpretation thereof, in the U.K., the U.S. or in other countries in which we or our affiliates operate;

 

   

changes in laws and government regulations that may impact the availability and cost of capital and the derivative instruments that hedge certain of our financial risks;

 

   

the ability of suppliers and vendors (including our third-party wireless network providers under our mobile virtual network operator arrangements) to timely deliver quality products, equipment, software, services and access;

 

   

the availability of attractive programming for our video services and the costs associated with such programming, including retransmission and copyright fees payable to public and private broadcasters;

 

   

uncertainties inherent in the development and integration of new business lines and business strategies;

 

   

our ability to adequately forecast and plan future network requirements, including the costs and benefits associated with our network extension programs;

 

   

the availability of capital for the acquisition and/or development of telecommunications networks and services;

 

   

problems we may discover post-closing with the operations, including the internal controls and financial reporting process, of businesses we acquire;

 

   

the leakage of sensitive customer data;

 

   

the outcome of any pending or threatened litigation;

 

   

the loss of key employees and the availability of qualified personnel;

 

   

changes in the nature of key strategic relationships with partners and joint venturers;

 

   

our equity capital structure; and

 

   

events that are outside of our control, such as political unrest in international markets, terrorist attacks, malicious human acts, natural disasters, pandemics and other similar events.

The broadband distribution and mobile service industries are changing rapidly, and, therefore, our forward-looking statements of expectations, plans and intent are subject to a significant degree of risk.

We have based our forward-looking statements on our management’s beliefs and assumptions based on information available to our management at the time the statements are made. We caution you that actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed, implied or forecast by our forward-looking statements.

 

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INTRODUCTION

To the holders of our Class A Shares (as defined below) and our Class C Shares (as defined below):

We invite our shareholders to tender (i) up to $625 million in value of our Class A ordinary shares, nominal value $0.01 per share (each, a “ Class  A Share ”), for purchase by Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC and HSBC Securities (USA) Inc., each acting as principal (each, a “ Counterparty Bank ,” and together, the “ Counterparty Banks ”), at a price not greater than $29.00 nor less than $25.25 per Class A Share (the “ Class  A Offer ”), and (ii) up to $1.875 billion in value of our Class C ordinary shares, nominal value $0.01 per share (each, a “ Class  C Share ,” and the Class A Shares, individually or collectively with the Class C Shares, as appropriate, the “ Shares ”), for purchase by the Counterparty Banks at a price not greater than $28.50 nor less than $24.75 per Class C Share (the “ Class  C Offer ”), in each case, to the seller in cash, less any applicable withholding taxes and without interest. We sometimes refer to the Class A Offer and Class C Offer collectively as the “ Offers ” and individually as an “ Offer .” Each Offer will be conducted upon the terms and subject to the conditions described in this Offer to Purchase (together with any amendments or supplements thereto, the “ Offer to Purchase ”), in the applicable Letter of Transmittal (together with any amendments or supplements thereto, each, a “ Letter of Transmittal ” or collectively, the “ Letters of Transmittal ”) and in other related materials as may be amended or supplemented from time to time.

To ensure compliance with English law, any Shares purchased in the Offers will initially be purchased by a Counterparty Bank, acting as a principal and not as an agent, nominee or trustee. In turn, each Counterparty Bank shall sell, and Liberty Global shall purchase from the applicable Counterparty Bank, such Shares at a price equal to the price paid by such Counterparty Bank in the relevant Offer (along with certain other costs). The Shares to be purchased by the Counterparty Banks will be allocated equally between the Counterparty Banks in accordance with the Option Framework Agreements (as defined below). The Company intends to cancel the Shares so purchased by it from the Counterparty Banks.

Our purchase of Shares from the Counterparty Banks will be governed by the Master Put/Call Agreements entered into by the Company and each of the Counterparty Banks, each dated August 9, 2019 (the “ Master Put/Call Agreements ”), pursuant to which each Counterparty Bank has the right to require the Company to purchase from the relevant Counterparty Bank, and the Company has the right to require each Counterparty Bank to sell to the Company, the Shares purchased by such Counterparty Bank in the Offers. The specific terms of the purchase by the Counterparty Banks of the Shares in the Offers pursuant to the Master Put/Call Agreements will be governed by the Option Framework Agreements between the Company and each of the Counterparty Banks, each dated August 9, 2019 (the “ Option Framework Agreements ”), pursuant to which each Counterparty Bank will purchase the Shares as principals (not as agents, nominees or trustees). In this Offer to Purchase, we sometimes refer to the Master Put/Call Agreements and the Option Framework Agreements, collectively as the “ Counterparty Bank Agreements .” The Counterparty Banks are acting as principals in connection with the Offers and independently from each other, and their respective obligations under the applicable Counterparty Bank Agreement are several and not joint.

The Counterparty Banks will initially purchase their respective allocated portion of the Shares and take actions to facilitate our subsequent purchase of the Shares pursuant to the Counterparty Bank Agreements and the terms and conditions of the Offers set forth in this Offer to Purchase, and we will generally make all decisions and determinations with respect to the Offers, including with respect to the satisfaction or waiver of conditions to the Offers set forth in this Offer to Purchase and the acceptance of Shares for purchase by the Counterparty Banks. See Section 7. In this Offer to Purchase, we sometimes refer to our purchases of the Shares “through the Counterparty Banks,” which refers to the initial purchase of Shares in the Offers by the Counterparty Banks and our subsequent purchase of the same Shares pursuant to the Counterparty Bank Agreements and the terms and conditions of the Offers as set forth in this Offer to Purchase. In no circumstances will we purchase Shares in connection with the Offers other than from the Counterparty Banks pursuant to the Counterparty Bank Agreements.

 

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Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class A Offer, we will determine a single per share price for the Class A Shares that are properly tendered and not properly withdrawn from the Class A Offer, taking into account the total number of Class A Shares properly tendered and the prices specified, or deemed specified, by tendering shareholders. This single per share price for Class A Shares (the “ Final Class  A Purchase Price ”) will be the lowest single purchase price, not greater than $29.00 nor less than $25.25 per Class A Share, that would allow us to purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, $625 million in value of Class A Shares, or a lower amount, depending on the number of Class A Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn.

Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class C Offer, we will determine a single per share price for the Class C Shares that are properly tendered and not properly withdrawn from the Class C Offer, taking into account the total number of Class C Shares properly tendered and the prices specified, or deemed specified, by tendering shareholders. This single per share price for Class C Shares (the “ Final Class  C Purchase Price ”) will be the lowest single purchase price, not greater than $28.50 nor less than $24.75 per Class C Share, that would allow us to purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, $1.875 billion in value of Class C Shares, or a lower amount, depending on the number of Class C Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn. We sometimes refer to the Final Class A Purchase Price and Final Class C Purchase Price collectively as the “ Final Purchase Prices ” and individually as the “ Final Purchase Price .” The Final Purchase Prices will be denominated in U.S. dollars, and the obligation to make payment of amounts owing to a depositing shareholder whose shares are accepted for payment will be made in U.S. dollars.

No Class  A Shares and/or Class  C Shares tendered at prices in excess of the applicable Final Purchase Price will be purchased . If the price at which you tender your Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares in the applicable Offer exceeds the applicable Final Purchase Price, such Shares will not be purchased in the applicable Offer and will be returned to you promptly after the Expiration Date. If you are a participant in the Liberty Global 401(k) Savings and Stock Ownership Plan (the “ 401(k) Plan ”) you should be aware that the 401(k) Plan is prohibited from selling Shares to us for a price less than “adequate consideration.” More information on this potential limitation is provided in the letter to the 401(k) Plan participants being sent by the trustee of the 401(k) Plan (the 401(k) Trustee Letter ”). If you are a participant in the 401(k) Plan, you should review the 401(k) Trustee Letter with the other materials provided by the 401(k) Plan trustee. Similarly, if you hold Shares in the Virgin Media Inc. Share Incentive Plan (the “ SIP Plan ”), you should reference the separate communication that will be sent by the trustee of the SIP Plan (the “ SIP Trustee Letter ”) for information on any limitations related to the tender of Shares held under the SIP Plan.

All of the Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares tendered at or below the applicable Final Purchase Price, may not be purchased, because of proration, “Odd Lot” priority and conditional tender provisions described in this Offer to Purchase.

Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class A Offer, if, based on the Final Class A Purchase Price, all Class A Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn have an aggregate value of less than $625 million, we will purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, all Class A Shares properly tendered at or below the Final Class A Purchase Price and not properly withdrawn prior to the Expiration Date. All Class A Shares acquired, if any, in the Class A Offer will be acquired at the Final Class A Purchase Price, including those Class A Shares tendered at a price lower than the Final Class A Purchase Price. Only Class A Shares properly tendered at prices at or below the Class A Final Purchase Price, and not properly withdrawn, will be purchased. If, based on the Final Class A Purchase Price, all Class A Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn have an aggregate value in excess of $625 million, because of proration, “Odd Lot” priority and the conditional tender provisions described in this Offer to Purchase, all of the Class A Shares tendered at or below the Final Class A Purchase Price may not be purchased. Class A Shares not purchased in the Class A Offer will be returned to the tendering shareholders promptly after the Expiration Date.

Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class C Offer, if, based on the Final Class C Purchase Price, all Class C Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn have an aggregate value of less than

 

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$1.875 billion, we will purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, all Class C Shares properly tendered at or below the Final Class C Purchase Price and not properly withdrawn prior to the Expiration Date. All Class C Shares acquired, if any, in the Class C Offer will be acquired at the Final Class C Purchase Price, including those Class C Shares tendered at a price lower than the Final Class C Purchase Price. Only Class C Shares properly tendered at prices at or below the Class C Final Purchase Price, and not properly withdrawn, will be purchased. If, based on the Final Class C Purchase Price, all Class C Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn have an aggregate value in excess of $1.875 billion, because of proration, “Odd Lot” priority and the conditional tender provisions described in this Offer to Purchase, all of the Class C Shares tendered at or below the Final Class C Purchase Price may not be purchased. Class C Shares not purchased in the Class C Offer will be returned to the tendering shareholders promptly after the Expiration Date.

We expressly reserve the right, in our sole discretion, to change the per Share purchase price range for the Shares and to increase or decrease the aggregate value of Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares sought in each Offer, in each case subject to applicable law and the authority of the Company to conduct the purchase of its ordinary shares in the capital of Liberty Global as approved by the shareholders of the Company at its annual general meeting of shareholders held on June 11, 2019 (the “ 2019 Shareholder Authorization ”). In accordance with the rules of the SEC and subject to the 2019 Shareholder Authorization, if Class A Shares having an aggregate value in excess of $625 million and/or Class C Shares having an aggregate value in excess of $1.875 billion, in each case, are properly tendered in the applicable Offer at or below the applicable Final Purchase Price and not properly withdrawn, we may increase the number of Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares accepted for payment, through the Counterparty Banks, in the applicable Offer by no more than 2% of the outstanding Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares without extending the applicable Offer. See Section 1.

If you are a holder of vested share appreciation rights (“ SARs ”), performance-based share appreciation Rights (“ PSARs ”) or stock options (including CSOP and penny options) (“ Options ”), (with vested SARs, PSARs and Options, together, “ Vested SARs and Options ”), you may exercise your Vested SARs and Options and tender any of the Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares issued upon exercise. You must exercise your Vested SARs and Options sufficiently in advance of the Expiration Date to receive your Shares in order to tender. An exercise of Vested SARs and Options cannot be revoked, however, if such Shares received upon the exercise thereof and tendered in either or both Offers are not purchased in the applicable Offer for any reason.

THE OFFERS ARE NOT CONDITIONED ON ANY MINIMUM NUMBER OF SHARES BEING TENDERED. THE OFFERS ARE, HOWEVER, SUBJECT TO CERTAIN OTHER CONDITIONS. SEE SECTION 7.

OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS HAS AUTHORIZED THE OFFERS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE OFFERS SET FORTH IN THIS OFFER TO PURCHASE AND THE COUNTERPARTY BANK AGREEMENTS. HOWEVER, NONE OF THE COMPANY, THE MEMBERS OF OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS, THE COUNTERPARTY BANKS, CREDIT SUISSE SECURITIES (USA) LLC (“CREDIT SUISSE”) OR HSBC SECURITIES (USA) INC. (“HSBC,” AND TOGETHER WITH CREDIT SUISSE, THE “DEALER MANAGERS”), INNISFREE M&A INCORPORATED, THE INFORMATION AGENT FOR THE OFFERS (THE “INFORMATION AGENT”), OR COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A., THE DEPOSITARY FOR THE OFFERS (THE “DEPOSITARY”), MAKES ANY RECOMMENDATION TO YOU AS TO WHETHER YOU SHOULD TENDER OR REFRAIN FROM TENDERING YOUR SHARES OR AS TO THE PURCHASE PRICE OR PURCHASE PRICES AT WHICH YOU MAY CHOOSE TO TENDER YOUR SHARES. NEITHER WE NOR ANY MEMBER OF OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS, THE COUNTERPARTY BANKS, THE DEALER MANAGERS, THE INFORMATION AGENT OR THE DEPOSITARY HAS AUTHORIZED ANY PERSON TO MAKE ANY RECOMMENDATION WITH RESPECT TO THE OFFERS. YOU MUST MAKE YOUR OWN DECISION AS TO WHETHER TO TENDER YOUR SHARES AND, IF SO, HOW MANY SHARES TO TENDER AND THE PURCHASE PRICE OR PURCHASE PRICES AT WHICH YOU WILL TENDER THEM. WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU CONSULT YOUR OWN FINANCIAL AND TAX ADVISORS, AND READ CAREFULLY AND EVALUATE THE INFORMATION IN THIS OFFER TO PURCHASE AND IN THE APPLICABLE

 

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LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL, INCLUDING OUR REASONS FOR THE OFFERS, BEFORE TAKING ANY ACTION WITH RESPECT TO THE OFFERS. SEE SECTION 2.

We will pay all reasonable out-of-pocket fees and expenses incurred in connection with the Offers by the Counterparty Banks, the Dealer Managers, the Information Agent and the Depositary. See Section 15.

As of August 1, 2019, we had 205,370,209 issued and outstanding Class A Shares, 12,157,826 issued and outstanding Class B ordinary shares, nominal value $0.01 per share (each, a “ Class  B Share ”), and 513,200,439 issued and outstanding Class C Shares. As of August 1, 2019, there were 66,631,989 shares remaining available for issuance under the Liberty Global 2014 Incentive Plan (amended and restated effective June 11, 2019) (the “ 2014 Incentive Plan ”), 8,662,113 shares remaining available for issuance under the Liberty Global 2014 Nonemployee Director Incentive Plan (the “ 2014 Director Incentive Plan ” and together with the 2014 Incentive Plan, the “ 2014 Equity Incentive Plans ”), and approximately 24,459,258 Class A Shares and 50,078,967 Class C Shares were subject to currently outstanding Options, SARs, PSARs, restricted share units (“ RSUs ”) and performance-based restricted share units (“ PSUs ”) awarded under the 2014 Equity Incentive Plans. There were also 2,012,433 options outstanding under the Virgin Media Sharesave Plan and the Virgin Media Sharesave (Ireland) Plan (together, the “ Sharesave Plans ”) as of August 1, 2019, which are not yet vested and exercisable. Prior to March 2014, such awards were granted under the Liberty Global 2005 Incentive Plan (as amended and restated effective June 7, 2013) (the “ 2005 Incentive Plan ”) and the 2005 Liberty Global Inc. Nonemployee Director Incentive Plan (the “ 2005 Director Incentive Plan ”). In addition, we assumed the Virgin Media 2010 Incentive Plan when we acquired Virgin Media in 2013 (the “ 2010 Virgin Media Plan ,” and together with the 2005 Incentive Plan and the 2005 Director Incentive Plan, the “ Prior Equity Incentive Plans ”). As of the January 30, 2014 approval of the 2014 Equity Incentive Plans, no further awards are granted under the Prior Equity Incentive Plans, and as of August 1, 2019, an aggregate of 4,041,420 Class A Shares and 10,927,659 Class C Shares remained outstanding under the Prior Equity Incentive Plans, which includes 284,553 vested and outstanding stock options (including CSOP and penny options) (“ Options ”) under the 2010 Virgin Media Plan. See Section 11.

At the maximum Final Class A Purchase Price of $29.00 per Class A Share, 21,551,724 Class A Shares could be purchased in the Class A Offer if it is fully subscribed, which would represent approximately 10.5% of the issued and outstanding Class A Shares as of August 1, 2019. At the minimum Final Class A Purchase Price of $25.25 per Class A Share, 24,752,475 Class A Shares could be purchased in the Class A Offer if it is fully subscribed, which would represent approximately 12.1% of the issued and outstanding Class A Shares as of August 1, 2019.

At the maximum Final Class C Purchase Price of $28.50 per Class C Share, 65,789,473 Class C Shares could be purchased in the Class C Offer if it is fully subscribed, which would represent approximately 12.8% of the issued and outstanding Class C Shares as of August 1, 2019. At the minimum Final Class C Purchase Price of $24.75 per Class C Share, 75,757,575 Class C Shares could be purchased in the Class C Offer if it is fully subscribed, which would represent approximately 14.8% of the issued and outstanding Class C Shares as of August 1, 2019.

Assuming that the Class A Offer and the Class C Offer are fully subscribed, we expect that the maximum aggregate cost of these purchases, including all fees and expenses applicable to the Offers, will be approximately $2.5 billion.

All Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares acquired, if any, in the applicable Offer will be acquired at the applicable Final Purchase Price, including those Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares tendered at a price lower than the applicable Final Purchase Price. Only Shares properly tendered at prices at or below the applicable Final Purchase Price, and not properly withdrawn, will be purchased. Shareholders are urged to obtain current market quotations for the Shares before deciding whether and at what purchase price or purchase prices to tender their Shares. See Section 8 and Section 11.

 

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Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC (“ Credit Suisse ”) is acting for the Company as a co-dealer manager in connection with the Offers and is not advising, or acting for, any other person and will not be responsible to any person other than the Company for providing the protections afforded to the clients of Credit Suisse or for providing advice in relation to the Offers or any other matters or arrangements referred to or contained in this Offer to Purchase.

HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. (“ HSBC ”) is acting for the Company as a co-dealer manager in connection with the Offers and is not advising, or acting for, any other person and will not be responsible to any person other than the Company for providing the protections afforded to the clients of HSBC or for providing advice in relation to the Offers or any other matters or arrangements referred to or contained in this Offer to Purchase. We sometimes refer to Credit Suisse and HSBC as the “ Dealer Managers ” and each, a “ Dealer Manager .”

Credit Suisse and HSBC do not accept any responsibility or liability whatsoever for the contents of this Offer to Purchase, and no representation or warranty, express or implied, is made by Credit Suisse or HSBC in relation to the contents of this Offer to Purchase, including its accuracy, completeness or verification or for any other statement made or purported to be made by it, or on its behalf, in connection with the Company or the Offers. To the fullest extent permissible Credit Suisse and HSBC accordingly disclaim all and any responsibility or liability whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise (except as provided above) which it might otherwise have in respect of the contents of this Offer to Purchase or any such statement.

The addresses and phone numbers for our principal executive offices are: Griffin House, 161 Hammersmith Road, London W6 8BS, United Kingdom (telephone number: +44 (208) 483-6449 or (303) 220-6600).

THE OFFERS

 

1.

Number of Shares; Price; Proration

Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class A Offer, we will purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, up to $625 million in value of Class A Shares, or a lower amount, depending on the number of Class A Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class A Offer, if, based on the Final Class A Purchase Price, all Class A Shares properly tendered at or below the Final Class A Purchase Price and not properly withdrawn prior to the Expiration Date have an aggregate value of less than $625 million, we will purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, all Class A Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn. If, based on the Final Class A Purchase Price, all Class A Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn have an aggregate value in excess of $625 million, because of proration, “Odd Lot” priority and the conditional tender provisions described in this Offer to Purchase, all of the Class A Shares tendered at or below the Final Class A Purchase Price may not be purchased. Class A Shares not purchased in the Class A Offer will be returned to the tendering shareholders promptly after the Expiration Date. See Section 1 (Priority of Purchases).

Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class C Offer, we will purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, up to $1.875 billion in value of Class C Shares, or a lower amount, depending on the number of Class C Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class C Offer, if, based on the Final Class C Purchase Price, all Class C Shares properly tendered at or below the Final Class C Purchase Price and not properly withdrawn prior to the Expiration Date have an aggregate value of less than $1.875 billion, we will purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, all Class C Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn. If, based on the Final Class C Purchase Price, all Class C Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn have an aggregate value in excess of $1.875 billion, because of proration, “Odd Lot” priority and the conditional tender provisions described in this Offer to Purchase, all of the Class C Shares tendered at or below the Final Class C Purchase Price may not be purchased. Class C Shares not purchased in the Class C Offer will be returned to the tendering shareholders promptly after the Expiration Date. See Section 1 (Priority of Purchases).

 

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The term “ Expiration Date ,” when used with reference to either Offer, means one (1) minute after 11:59 P.M., New York City time, on September 9, 2019, unless and until we, in our sole discretion, shall have extended the period of time during which such Offer will remain open, in which event the term “Expiration Date” shall refer to the latest time and date at which such Offer, as so extended by us, shall expire or unless we terminate such Offer. When used together with a specific time, the term Expiration Date refers to the date on which the applicable Offer expires. In the unlikely event the Offers have different Expiration Dates ( e.g. , due to an extension of one Offer and not the other), “Expiration Date” shall mean the applicable Expiration Date as the context shall so require. See Section 14 for a description of our right to extend, delay, terminate or amend the Offers.

In accordance with Instruction 5 of the yellow Letter of Transmittal for Class A Shares, shareholders desiring to tender Class A Shares must either (i) specify that they are willing to sell their Class A Shares to us, through the Counterparty Banks, at the Final Class A Purchase Price (which could result in the tendering shareholder receiving a purchase price per Class A Share as low as $25.25, the low end of the price range in the Class A Offer, less any applicable withholding taxes and without interest) or (ii) specify the price or prices, not greater than $29.00 nor less than $25.25 per Class A Share, at which they are willing to sell their Class A Shares to us, through the Counterparty Banks, in the Class A Offer. In the event that a shareholder specifies such a purchase price or purchase prices that exceeds the Final Class A Purchase Price, the Class A Shares of such shareholder will not be purchased. Prices may be specified in multiples of $0.25. Promptly following the Expiration Date, we will determine the Final Class A Purchase Price that we will pay, through the Counterparty Banks, for Class A Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn, taking into account the number of Class A Shares tendered and the prices specified, or deemed specified, by tendering shareholders. The Final Class A Purchase Price will be a single per share price not greater than $29.00 nor less than $25.25 per Class A Share, that would allow us to purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, $625 million in value of Class A Shares, or a lower amount, depending on the number of Class A Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn.

In accordance with Instruction 5 of the grey Letter of Transmittal for Class C Shares, shareholders desiring to tender Class C Shares must either (i) specify that they are willing to sell their Class C Shares to us, through the Counterparty Banks, at the Final Class C Purchase Price (which could result in the tendering shareholder receiving a purchase price per Class C Share as low as $24.75, the low end of the price range in the Class C Offer, less any applicable withholding taxes and without interest) or (ii) specify the price or prices, not greater than $28.50 nor less than $24.75 per Class C Share, at which they are willing to sell their Class C Shares to us, through the Counterparty Banks, in the Class C Offer. In the event that a shareholder specifies such a purchase price or purchase prices that exceeds the Final Class C Purchase Price, the Class C Shares of such shareholder will not be purchased. Prices may be specified in multiples of $0.25. Promptly following the Expiration Date, we will determine the Final Class C Purchase Price that we will pay, through the Counterparty Banks, for Class C Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn, taking into account the number of Class C Shares tendered and the prices specified, or deemed specified, by tendering shareholders. The Final Class C Purchase Price will be a single per share price not greater than $28.50 nor less than $24.75 per Class C Share, that would allow us to purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, $1.875 billion in value of Class C Shares, or a lower amount, depending on the number of Class C Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn.

We will pay, through the Counterparty Banks, the applicable Final Purchase Price for all Shares purchased in the Offers, in each case, less any applicable withholding taxes and without interest, promptly after the Expiration Date. Any Class A Shares or Class C Shares at a price in excess of the applicable Final Purchase Price will not be purchased.

If you specify that you are willing to sell your Class A Shares to us, through the Counterparty Banks, at the Final Class A Purchase Price (which could result in you receiving a purchase price per Class A Share as low as $25.25, the low end of the price range in the Class A Offer, less any applicable withholding taxes and without interest), your Class A Shares will be deemed to be tendered at $25.25 per share, which is the low end of the

 

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price range in the Class A Offer, for purposes of determining the Final Class A Purchase Price. You should understand that this election may effectively lower the Final Class A Purchase Price and could result in your Class A Shares being purchased at $25.25 per share, which is the low end of the price range in the Class A Offer, less any applicable withholding taxes and without interest, a price that is below the last reported sale price of the Class A Shares on the NASDAQ Global Select Market (“ NASDAQ ”) on August 9, 2019, the last full trading day prior to the commencement of the Class A Offer, which was $25.98 per Class A Share, and could be below the last reported sale price of the Class A Shares on NASDAQ on the Expiration Date.

If you specify that you are willing to sell your Class C Shares to us, through the Counterparty Banks, at the Final Class C Purchase Price (which could result in you receiving a purchase price per Class C Share as low as $24.75, the low end of the price range in the Class C Offer, less any applicable withholding taxes and without interest), your Class C Shares will be deemed to be tendered at $24.75 per share, which is the low end of the price range in the Class C Offer, for purposes of determining the Final Class C Purchase Price. You should understand that this election may effectively lower the Final Class C Purchase Price and could result in your Class C Shares being purchased at $24.75 per share, which is the low end of the price range in the Class C Offer, less any applicable withholding taxes and without interest, a price that is below the last reported sale price of the Class C Shares on NASDAQ on August 9, 2019, the last full trading day prior to the commencement of the Class C Offer, which was $25.85 per Class C Share, and could be below the last reported sale price of the Class C Shares on NASDAQ on the Expiration Date.

We will announce the Final Purchase Prices by press release as promptly as practicable after they have been determined. Such press release will also be filed as an amendment to our Issuer Tender Offer Statement on Schedule TO (the “ Schedule TO ”) that we have filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ SEC ”) relating to the Offers. We do not expect, however, to announce the final results of any proration or the Final Purchase Prices and to begin paying, through the Counterparty Banks, for tendered Shares until after the Expiration Date.

We, through the Counterparty Banks, will only purchase Shares properly tendered at prices at or below the applicable Final Purchase Price and not properly withdrawn. If, based on the applicable Final Purchase Price, all Class A Shares and all Class C Shares, in each case, properly tendered and not properly withdrawn have an aggregate value in excess of $625 million and $1.875 billion, as applicable, all of the Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares tendered at or below the applicable Final Purchase Price, may not be purchased, because of proration, “Odd Lot” priority and the conditional tender provisions described in this Offer to Purchase. We will return all Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares tendered and not purchased pursuant to the Offers, including Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares tendered at prices in excess of the applicable Final Purchase Price and Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares not purchased because of proration or conditional tenders, to the tendering shareholders at our expense promptly following the Expiration Date.

By following the Instructions to the Letters of Transmittal, shareholders can specify different minimum purchase prices for specified portions of their Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares, but a separate Letter of Transmittal must be submitted for Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares tendered at each respective price. Shareholders can also specify the order in which the specified portions will be purchased in the event that, as a result of proration or otherwise, some but not all of the tendered Shares are purchased pursuant to the Offers. In the event a shareholder does not designate such order and fewer than all Shares are purchased due to proration, the Depositary will select the order of Shares purchased.

We expressly reserve the right, in our sole discretion, to change the per Share purchase price range for the Shares and to increase or decrease the number of Shares sought in each Offer, in each case subject to applicable law and the 2019 Shareholder Authorization. In accordance with the rules of the SEC and subject to the 2019 Shareholder Authorization, if Class A Shares having an aggregate value in excess of $625 million and/or Class C Shares having an aggregate value in excess of $1.875 billion, in each case, are properly tendered and not properly withdrawn in the applicable Offer at or below the applicable Final Purchase Price, we may increase the number

 

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of Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares accepted for payment, through the Counterparty Banks, in the applicable Offer by no more than 2% of the outstanding Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares, as applicable, without extending the applicable Offer. However, if we, through the Counterparty Banks, purchase an additional number of Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares in excess of 2% of the outstanding Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares, we will amend and extend the applicable Offer to the extent required by applicable law. See Section 14.

In the event of an over-subscription of either or both Offers as described below, Shares tendered at or below the applicable Final Purchase Price prior to the Expiration Date will be subject to proration, except for Odd Lots as described below. The proration periods and withdrawal rights also expire on the Expiration Date.

THE OFFERS ARE NOT CONDITIONED ON OR ANY MINIMUM NUMBER OF SHARES BEING TENDERED. THE OFFERS ARE, HOWEVER, SUBJECT TO CERTAIN OTHER CONDITIONS. SEE SECTION 7.

Priority of Purchases

If the terms and conditions of the Offers have been satisfied or waived and, based on the applicable Final Purchase Prices, all Class A Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn have an aggregate value of less than $625 million and all Class C Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn have an aggregate value of less than $1.875 billion, as applicable, we will purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, all Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares properly tendered at prices at or below the applicable Final Purchase Price and not properly withdrawn.

Class  A Offer . Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class A Offer, if, based on the Final Class A Purchase Price, Class A Shares having an aggregate value in excess of $625 million (or such greater amount as we may elect to accept for payment, through the Counterparty Banks, subject to applicable law and the 2019 Shareholder Authorization) have been properly tendered at prices at or below the Final Class A Purchase Price and not properly withdrawn prior to the Expiration Date, we will purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, Class A Shares in the following order:

 

   

first , we will purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, Odd Lots (as defined in Section 1) of less than 100 Class A Shares at the Final Class A Purchase Price from shareholders who properly tender all of their Class A Shares at or below the Final Class A Purchase Price and who do not properly withdraw them before the Expiration Date. Tenders of less than all of the Class A Shares owned, beneficially or of record, by such Odd Lot Holder (as defined in Section 1) will not qualify for this preference. Tenders of Class A Shares held in the individual accounts in the 401(k) Plan also will not qualify for this preference. SIP Plan participants should reference the SIP Trustee Letter that will be sent for information related to the applicability of this preference;

 

   

second , after purchasing all Odd Lots that were properly tendered at or below the Final Class A Purchase Price, subject to the conditional tender provisions described in Section 6 (whereby a holder may specify a minimum number of such holder’s Class A Shares that must be purchased if any such Shares are purchased), we will purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, all Class A Shares properly tendered at or below the Final Class A Purchase Price on a pro rata basis with appropriate adjustment to avoid purchases of fractional Class A Shares; and

 

   

third , only if necessary to permit us to purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, $625 million in value of Class A Shares (or such greater amount as we may elect to purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, subject to applicable law and the 2019 Shareholder Authorization), we will purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, Class A Shares conditionally tendered (for which the condition was not initially satisfied) at or below the Final Class A Purchase Price, by random lot, to the extent feasible. To be eligible for purchase by random lot, shareholders whose Class A Shares are conditionally tendered must have tendered all of their Class A Shares. Random lot would be facilitated by the Company through the Counterparty Banks.

 

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As a result of the foregoing priorities applicable to the purchase of Class A Shares tendered, it is possible that fewer than all Class A Shares tendered by a shareholder will be purchased or that, if a tender is conditioned upon the purchase of a specified number of Class A Shares, none of those Class A Shares will be purchased even though those Class A Shares were tendered at prices at or below the Final Class A Purchase Price. No fractional Class A Shares will be purchased in the Class A Offer.

Class  C Offer . Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class C Offer, if, based on the Final Class C Purchase Price, Class C Shares having an aggregate value in excess of $1.875 billion (or such greater amount as we may elect to accept for payment, through the Counterparty Banks, subject to applicable law and the 2019 Shareholder Authorization) have been properly tendered at prices at or below the Final Class C Purchase Price and not properly withdrawn prior to the Expiration Date, we will purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, Class C Shares in the following order:

 

   

first , we will purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, Odd Lots of less than 100 Class C Shares at the Final Class C Purchase Price from shareholders who properly tender all of their Class C Shares at or below the Final Class C Purchase Price and who do not properly withdraw them before the Expiration Date. Tenders of less than all of the Class C Shares owned, beneficially or of record, by such Odd Lot Holder will not qualify for this preference. Tenders of Class C Shares held in the individual accounts in the 401(k) Plan also will not qualify for this preference. SIP Plan participants should reference the SIP Trustee Letter that will be sent for information related to the applicability of this preference;

 

   

second , after purchasing all Odd Lots that were properly tendered at or below the Final Class C Purchase Price, subject to the conditional tender provisions described in Section 6 (whereby a holder may specify a minimum number of such holder’s Class C Shares that must be purchased if any such Shares are purchased), we will purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, all Class C Shares properly tendered at or below the Final Class C Purchase Price on a pro rata basis with appropriate adjustment to avoid purchases of fractional Class C Shares; and

 

   

third , only if necessary to permit us to purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, $1.875 billion in value of Class C Shares (or such greater amount as we may elect to purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, subject to applicable law and the 2019 Shareholder Authorization), we will purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, Class C Shares conditionally tendered (for which the condition was not initially satisfied) at or below the Final Class C Purchase Price, by random lot, to the extent feasible. To be eligible for purchase by random lot, shareholders whose Class C Shares are conditionally tendered must have tendered all of their Class C Shares. Random lot would be facilitated by the Company through the Counterparty Banks.

As a result of the foregoing priorities applicable to the purchase of Class C Shares tendered, it is possible that fewer than all Class C Shares tendered by a shareholder will be purchased or that, if a tender is conditioned upon the purchase of a specified number of Class C Shares, none of those Class C Shares will be purchased even though those Class C Shares were tendered at prices at or below the Final Class C Purchase Price. No fractional Class C Shares will be purchased in the Class C Offer.

As we noted above, we may elect to purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, more than $625 million in value of Class A Shares and/or more than $1.875 billion in value of Class C Shares in the Class A Offer and the Class C Offer, respectively, subject to applicable law and the 2019 Shareholder Authorization. If we do so, the preceding provisions will apply to the greater number of Shares, as applicable.

Odd Lots

The term “ Odd Lots ” means with respect to the Class A Shares and the Class C Shares, all Shares of such class tendered by any person (such person, an “ Odd Lot Holder ”) who owned, beneficially or of record, an

 

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aggregate of fewer than 100 Class A Shares or Class C Shares, as the case may be, and certifies such fact in the appropriate place on the applicable Letter of Transmittal and, if applicable, on the applicable Notice of Guaranteed Delivery. Odd Lots are determined distinctly for Class A Shares and Class C Shares. Accordingly, if you own less than 100 Class A Shares and 100 or more Class C Shares you would be an Odd Lot Holder for purposes of the Class A Offer, but you would not be an Odd Lot Holder for purposes of the Class C Offer.

The Odd Lot preference is not available to partial tenders or beneficial or record holders of 100 or more Class A Shares, in the case of the Class A Offer, or 100 or more Class C Shares, in the case of the Class C Offer, even if such holders have separate accounts or certificates representing fewer than 100 Class A Shares or Class C Shares, as the case may be. The Odd Lot preference is also not available to Shares tendered under the 401(k) Plan. SIP Plan participants should reference the SIP Trustee Letter that will be sent for information related to the applicability of the Odd Lot preference. Odd Lots will be accepted for payment at the same time as other tendered Shares.

Proration

If proration of tendered Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares is required, we will determine the proration for each shareholder tendering such Shares, if any, promptly following the Expiration Date. Proration for each shareholder tendering such Shares (excluding Odd Lot Holders) will be based on the ratio of the number of such Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn by such shareholder to the total number of Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn by all shareholders (excluding Odd Lot Holders) at or below the applicable Final Purchase Price, subject to the provisions governing conditional tenders described in Section 6, any adjustment to avoid the purchase of fractional Shares and the terms and conditions of each Offer. No fractional Shares will be purchased in the Class A Offer or the Class C Offer. Due to the difficulty in determining the number of Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn, the conditional tender procedure described in Section 6 and the guaranteed delivery procedure described in Section 3, we expect that we will not be able to announce the final proration for each shareholder or commence payment for any Shares purchased pursuant to the Offers until after the Expiration Date. The preliminary results of any proration will be announced by press release as promptly as practicable after the Expiration Date.

As described in Section 13, the number of Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares that we will purchase from a shareholder pursuant to the Offers may affect the U.S. federal income tax consequences to the shareholder of the purchase and, therefore, may be relevant to a shareholder’s decision whether to tender Shares. The Letters of Transmittal afford each shareholder who tenders Shares registered in such shareholder’s name directly to the Depositary the opportunity to designate the order of priority in which Shares tendered are to be purchased in the event of proration, as well as the ability to condition such tender on a minimum number of Shares being purchased.

This Offer to Purchase and the Letters of Transmittal will be mailed to record holders of the Shares and will be furnished to brokers, dealers, commercial banks, trust companies and other nominees and similar persons whose names, or whose nominees’ names, appear on our shareholder list or, if applicable, who are listed as participants in a clearing agency’s security position listing for subsequent transmittal to beneficial owners of Shares.

If you are a participant in the 401(k) Plan, you should be aware that the 401(k) Plan is prohibited from selling Shares to us for a price less than “adequate consideration.” More information on this potential limitation is provided in the 401(k) Trustee Letter. Similarly, if you hold Shares in the SIP Plan, you should reference the SIP Trustee Letter that will be sent for information on any limitations related to the tender of Shares held under the SIP Plan.

 

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2.

Purpose of the Offers; Certain Effects of the Offers; Plans and Proposals

Purpose of the Offers

We believe that the repurchase of Shares pursuant to the Offers is consistent with our long-term value creation strategy. Liberty Global is focused on delivering long-term value creation for shareholders through organic growth, disciplined and opportunistic mergers, acquisitions and dispositions in combination with a levered-equity capital structure. A core part of this levered-equity approach is returning capital to shareholders through share repurchases. We have undertaken various forms of share repurchases since our predecessor Liberty Global, Inc. was established in 2005, and we anticipate that share repurchases will remain a core pillar of our long-term value creation strategy. The Offers also provide a mechanism for completing our authorized share repurchase program more rapidly than would be possible through open market repurchases. If we complete the Offers, shareholders who do not participate in the Offers will automatically increase their respective relative percentage ownership interest and voting power, as applicable, in the Company and our future operations at no additional cost to them.

The modified Dutch auction tender offer set forth in this Offer to Purchase provides our shareholders with the opportunity to tender all or a portion of their Shares and thereby receive a return of some or all of their investment in the Company if they so elect. The Offers also provide our shareholders with an efficient way to sell their Shares without incurring brokerage fees or commissions associated with open market sales. Participants in the Savings Plans whose Shares are held by the applicable Savings Plan trustee will not incur any additional brokerage commissions. However, shareholders who hold Shares through nominees are urged to consult their nominees to determine whether transaction costs may apply. Furthermore, Odd Lot Holders who hold Shares registered in their names and tender their Shares directly to the Depositary, and whose Shares are purchased in the Offers, will avoid any applicable Odd Lot discounts that might be payable on sales of their Shares in transactions on NASDAQ.

We believe that the Offers are an efficient way to improve shareholder return. On June 11, 2019, in the 2019 Shareholder Authorization, our shareholders approved the form agreements and counterparties pursuant to which Liberty Global may conduct the purchase of its ordinary shares in the capital of Liberty Global and authorized all or any of Liberty Global’s directors and senior officers to enter into, complete and make purchases of ordinary shares in the capital of Liberty Global pursuant to the form of agreements, which was the form of the Master Put/Call Agreement, and with any of the approved counterparties, which include the Counterparty Banks.

Under the U.K. Companies Act 2006 (the “ Companies Act ”), we, like other U.K. companies, are prohibited from purchasing our outstanding ordinary shares unless such purchases have been approved by a resolution of our shareholders. Shareholders may approve two different types of such share purchases: “on-market” purchases or “off-market” purchases. “On-market” purchases may only be made on a “recognised investment exchange,” as defined in section 693(5) of the Companies Act. This U.K. statutory definition does not include NASDAQ, which is the only exchange on which our shares are traded. As such, we may only conduct “off-market” purchases pursuant to a form of share repurchase contract, including the form of the Master Put/Call Agreement, and with any of the approved counterparties, which include the Counterparty Banks, which was approved by our shareholders at the Company’s annual general meeting of shareholders held on June 11, 2019.

Our share repurchases generally may be effected through “off-market” share repurchases, including (i) pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 and Rule 10b-18 plans; (ii) accelerated share repurchase programs; (iii) block trades with specified shareholders; and (iv) public self-tender offers, including fixed price and Dutch auction tender offers, in each case, with the assistance of investment banks as counterparties. U.S. incorporated, NASDAQ-listed companies generally have the ability to effect share repurchases through any of these means without the requirement to obtain shareholder approval.

On July 22, 2019, our Board of Directors authorized a public self-tender offer of up to $3 billion in value, which includes the Shares to be purchased pursuant to the Offers and delegated the authority to our Executive

 

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Committee to determine the final terms of the Offers. Following the completion or termination of the Offers, we may, from time to time, continue to repurchase Shares in accordance with applicable law. The amount of Shares we (or we, through a Counterparty Bank) buy and timing of any such repurchases depends on a number of factors, including our share price, the availability of cash and/or financing on acceptable terms, the timing of blackout periods in which we are restricted from repurchasing Shares as well as any decision to use cash for other strategic objectives.

Rule 13e-4 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “ Exchange Act ”), generally prohibits us and our affiliates from purchasing any Shares (including pursuant to share repurchase plans under Rule 10b5-1 and Rule 10b-18 of the Exchange Act), other than in the Offers, until at least ten (10) business days after the Expiration Date, except pursuant to certain limited exceptions provided in Exchange Act Rule 14e-5. Following that time, we expressly reserve the absolute right, from time to time in the future, subject to the 2019 Shareholder Authorization and applicable law, to purchase Shares, whether or not any Shares are purchased pursuant to the Offers, through open market purchases, privately-negotiated transactions, accelerated stock repurchases, tender offers, exchange offers or otherwise, upon the same terms or on terms that are more or less favorable to the selling stockholders in those transactions than the terms of the Offers. We cannot assure you as to which, if any, of these alternatives, or combinations thereof, we might pursue.

Certain Effects of the Offers

As of August 1, 2019, we had 205,370,209 issued and outstanding Class A Shares, 12,157,826 issued and outstanding Class B Shares, and 513,200,439 issued and outstanding Class C Shares. At the maximum Final Class A Purchase Price of $29.00 per Class A Share, 21,551,724 Class A Shares could be purchased in the Class A Offer if it is fully subscribed, which would represent approximately 10.5% of the issued and outstanding Class A Shares as of August 1, 2019. At the minimum Final Class A Purchase Price of $25.25 per Class A Share, 24,752,475 Class A Shares could be purchased in the Class A Offer if it is fully subscribed, which would represent approximately 12.1% of the issued and outstanding Class A Shares as of August 1, 2019.

At the maximum Final Class C Purchase Price of $28.50 per Class C Share, 65,789,473 Class C Shares could be purchased in the Class C Offer if it is fully subscribed, which would represent approximately 12.8% of the issued and outstanding Class C Shares as of August 1, 2019. At the minimum Final Class C Purchase Price of $24.75 per Class C Share, 75,757,575 Class C Shares could be purchased in the Class C Offer if it is fully subscribed, which would represent approximately 14.8% of the issued and outstanding Class C Shares as of August 1, 2019.

The Offers may present some potential benefits, risks, advantages and disadvantages to our continuing shareholders, including:

 

   

The Class A Offer will increase the relative voting power of holders of outstanding shares of our Class B Shares relative to the voting power of holders of our Class A Shares. Our Class C Shares do not vote, except as required by applicable law. Our Class B Shares provide holders with ten votes per share with respect to the election of directors and matters generally subject to a shareholder vote, whereas our Class A Shares provide holders with one vote per share. The Class B Shares are also convertible on a one-for-one basis into Class A Shares. The extent of the increase in the relative voting power of the Class B Shares will depend on the amount of Class A Shares we, through the Counterparty Banks, purchase in the Class A Offer. If, at the minimum Final Class A Purchase Price of $25.25 per Class A Share, a maximum of 24,752,475 Class A Shares are purchased in the Class A Offer, the voting power of holders of our outstanding shares of Class B Shares would increase from 37.2% (as of August 1, 2019) to 40.2%. As of August 1, 2019, our Chairman, John C. Malone, and Chief Executive Officer, President and Vice Chairman, Michael T. Fries, together beneficially own approximately 89.2% of the Class B Shares and 35.2% of our aggregate outstanding voting power. If, at the minimum Final Class A Purchase Price of $25.25 per Class A Share, a maximum of 24,752,475

 

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Class A Shares are purchased in the Class A Offer, the aggregate voting power of our directors and executive officers (other than Mr. Malone and Mr. Fries), who beneficially owned ordinary shares (including shares purchasable upon exercise of options) representing approximately 0.8% of our aggregate outstanding voting power as of August 1, 2019, would represent approximately 0.9% of our aggregate voting power.

 

   

The Class A Offer will increase the voting power of our Chairman, John C. Malone, who has advised us that he does not intend to tender any of his Shares pursuant to either Offer. If, at the minimum Final Class A Purchase Price of $25.25 per Class A Share, a maximum of 24,752,475 Class A Shares are purchased in the Class A Offer, Mr. Malone, who beneficially owned shares of our ordinary shares (including shares purchasable upon exercise of options) representing approximately 28.3% of our aggregate voting power as of August 1, 2019 (consisting of his beneficial ownership of approximately 2.3% of our Class A Shares, approximately 72.3% of our Class B Shares and approximately 3.4% Class C Shares), would beneficially own shares of our ordinary shares representing approximately 30.6% of our aggregate voting power. By virtue of Mr. Malone’s voting power in the Company as well as his position as our Chairman, Mr. Malone has significant influence over the outcome of any corporate transaction or other matters submitted to our shareholders for approval, including the election of directors, mergers, consolidations and the sale of all or substantially all of our assets. Mr. Malone’s rights to vote or dispose of his equity interests in the Company are not subject to any restrictions in favor of us other than as may be required by applicable law and except, in the case of options and restricted shares, for customary transfer restrictions pursuant to incentive award agreements.

 

   

The Class A Offer will increase the voting power of our Chief Executive Officer, President and Vice Chairman, Michael T. Fries, who has advised us that he does not intend to tender any of his Shares pursuant to either Offer. If, at the minimum Final Class A Purchase Price of $25.25 per Class A Share, a maximum of 24,752,475 Class A Shares are purchased in the Class A Offer, Mr. Fries, who beneficially owned shares of our ordinary shares (including shares purchasable upon exercise of options) representing approximately 7.0% of our aggregate voting power as of August 1, 2019 (consisting of his beneficial ownership of approximately 1.2% of our Class A Shares, approximately 17.0% of our Class B Shares and approximately 1.1% Class C Shares) would beneficially own shares of our ordinary shares representing approximately 7.6% of our aggregate voting power. By virtue of Mr. Fries’ voting power in the Company as well as his position as our Chief Executive Officer, President and Vice Chairman, Mr. Fries has significant influence over the outcome of any corporate transaction or other matters submitted to our shareholders for approval, including the election of directors, mergers, consolidations and the sale of all or substantially all of our assets. Mr. Fries’ rights to vote or dispose of his equity interests in the Company are not subject to any restrictions in favor of us other than as may be required by applicable law and except, in the case of options and restricted shares, for customary transfer restrictions pursuant to incentive award agreements.

If we complete the Offers, shareholders who do not participate in the Offers will automatically increase their relative percentage ownership interest and voting power, as applicable, in us and our future operations. These shareholders will also continue to bear the risks associated with owning the Shares. Shareholders may be able to sell non-tendered Class A Shares and Class C Shares in the future on NASDAQ or otherwise at a net price significantly higher or lower than the respective Final Purchase Prices. We can give no assurance as to the price at which a shareholder may be able to sell his or her Shares in the future.

There will be a sufficient number of Class A Shares and Class C Shares outstanding and publicly traded following completion of the Offers to ensure a continued trading market for the Shares. Based upon published guidelines of NASDAQ and the conditions of the Offers, our purchase of Shares in the Offers, through the Counterparty Banks, will not cause our remaining outstanding Shares to be delisted from NASDAQ. The Shares are registered under the Exchange Act, which requires, among other things, that we furnish certain information to our shareholders and comply with proxy rules in connection with meetings of our shareholders. Our purchase of Shares in the Offers, through the Counterparty Banks, will not result in the Shares becoming eligible for deregistration under the Exchange Act.

 

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The Shares are currently “margin securities” under the Regulations of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “ Federal Reserve Board ”), which has the effect, among other things, of allowing brokers to extend credit based on the use of Shares as collateral. We believe that, following the purchase of Class A Shares and Class C Shares pursuant to the Offers, the Class A Shares and Class C Shares will continue to the “margin securities” for purposes of the Federal Reserve Board’s margin regulations.

OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS HAS AUTHORIZED THE OFFERS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE OFFERS SET FORTH IN THIS OFFER TO PURCHASE AND THE COUNTERPARTY BANK AGREEMENTS. HOWEVER, NONE OF THE COMPANY, THE MEMBERS OF OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS, THE COUNTERPARTY BANKS, THE DEALER MANAGERS, THE INFORMATION AGENT OR THE DEPOSITARY, MAKES ANY RECOMMENDATION TO YOU AS TO WHETHER YOU SHOULD TENDER OR REFRAIN FROM TENDERING YOUR SHARES OR AS TO THE PURCHASE PRICE OR PURCHASE PRICES AT WHICH YOU MAY CHOOSE TO TENDER YOUR SHARES. NEITHER WE NOR ANY MEMBER OF OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS, THE COUNTERPARTY BANKS, THE DEALER MANAGERS, THE INFORMATION AGENT OR THE DEPOSITARY HAS AUTHORIZED ANY PERSON TO MAKE ANY RECOMMENDATION TO YOU AS TO WHETHER YOU SHOULD TENDER OR REFRAIN FROM TENDERING YOUR SHARES OR AS TO THE PURCHASE PRICE OR PURCHASE PRICES AT WHICH YOU MAY CHOOSE TO TENDER YOUR SHARES. YOU MUST MAKE YOUR OWN DECISION AS TO WHETHER TO TENDER YOUR SHARES AND, IF SO, HOW MANY SHARES TO TENDER AND THE PURCHASE PRICE OR PURCHASE PRICES AT WHICH YOU WILL TENDER THEM. IN DOING SO, YOU SHOULD CONSULT YOUR OWN FINANCIAL AND TAX ADVISORS, AND READ CAREFULLY AND EVALUATE THE INFORMATION IN THIS OFFER TO PURCHASE AND IN THE APPLICABLE LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL, INCLUDING OUR REASONS FOR THE OFFERS.

The Company intends to cancel the Shares purchased by it under the applicable Counterparty Bank Agreements and pursuant to the Offers.

Plans and Proposals

Except as disclosed or incorporated by reference in this Offer to Purchase, we have no current plans, proposals or negotiations that relate to or would result in:

 

   

any extraordinary transaction, such as a merger, reorganization or liquidation, involving us or any of our subsidiaries (other than in the case of our subsidiaries, mergers, reorganizations or liquidations done in the ordinary course of business or for purposes of internal reorganizations);

 

   

any purchase, sale or transfer of an amount of our assets or any of our subsidiaries’ assets which is material to us and our subsidiaries, taken as a whole;

 

   

any material change in our present dividend policy, our indebtedness (other than as described in Section 9), or capitalization;

 

   

any material change in our present Board of Directors or management or any plans or proposals to change the number or the terms of directors (although we may fill vacancies arising on our Board of Directors) or to change any material term of the employment contract of any executive officer;

 

   

any material change in our corporate structure or business;

 

   

any class of our equity securities becoming delisted from NASDAQ, or ceasing to be authorized to be quoted on NASDAQ;

 

   

any class of our equity securities becoming eligible for termination of registration under Section 12(g)(4) of the Exchange Act;

 

   

the termination or suspension of our obligation to file reports under 15(d) of the Exchange Act;

 

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the acquisition or disposition by any person of our securities, other than pursuant to our 2014 Equity Incentive Plans and the grant of options, SARs, PSARs, RSUs or PSUs to employees in the ordinary course of business; or

 

   

any changes in our charter, bylaws or other governing instruments or other actions that could impede the acquisition of control of us.

While we have no definitive plans or proposals regarding any of the foregoing as of the date of this Offer to Purchase (except as described in the documents incorporated by reference herein or as disclosed in this Offer to Purchase, including this Section 2), our management continually assesses and reassesses possible acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, restructurings, and other extraordinary corporate transactions and other matters. We reserve the right to change our plans and intentions at any time after the date of this Offer to Purchase, subject to our obligation to update this Offer to Purchase to reflect material changes in the information contained herein, and there can be no assurance that we will decide to undertake any such transactions. Shareholders tendering Shares in the Offers may run the risk of foregoing the benefit of any appreciation in the market price of the Shares resulting from such potential future events.

 

3.

Procedures for Tendering Shares

Proper Tender of Shares

For Shares to be properly tendered pursuant to the Offers, the certificates for such Shares (or confirmation of receipt of such Shares pursuant to the procedure for book-entry transfer set forth below), together with the applicable Letter of Transmittal, properly completed and duly executed, including any required signature guarantees, or an “Agent’s Message” (as defined below), and any other documents required by the applicable Letter of Transmittal, must be received before the Expiration Date by the Depositary at one of its addresses set forth on the back cover of this Offer to Purchase. Beneficial owners should be aware that their broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee may establish its own earlier deadlines for participation in either or both Offers on their behalf. Accordingly, beneficial owners wishing to participate in either or both Offers should contact their broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee as soon as possible in order to determine the times by which such owner must take action in order to participate in either or both Offers. Similarly, if you are a participant in the 401(k) Plan or the SIP Plan (together, the “ Savings Plans ”), there will be an earlier deadline for accepting the Offers. Participants in the Savings Plans should confirm their deadlines by carefully reading the materials provided to them by the applicable Savings Plan trustee.

In the alternative, the tendering shareholder must, before the Expiration Date, comply with the guaranteed delivery procedure described below.

In accordance with Instruction 5 of the yellow Letter of Transmittal for Class A Shares, each shareholder desiring to tender Class A Shares in the Class A Offer must complete the section captioned “Price (In Dollars) Per Class A Share At Which Class A Shares Are Being Tendered” by either (i) checking the box in the subsection entitled “Class A Shares Tendered At Price Determined In The Class A Offer,” which will indicate that you will accept the Final Class A Purchase Price as determined by us in accordance with the terms of and subject to the conditions of the Class A Offer, or (ii) checking one of the boxes in the subsection entitled “Class A Shares Tendered At Price Determined By Shareholder,” indicating the price at which Class A Shares are being tendered.

In accordance with Instruction 5 of the grey Letter of Transmittal for Class C Shares, each shareholder desiring to tender Class C Shares in the Class C Offer must complete the section captioned “Price (In Dollars) Per Class C Share At Which Class C Shares Are Being Tendered” by either (i) checking the box in the subsection entitled “Class C Shares Tendered At Price Determined In The Class C Offer,” which will indicate that you will accept the Final Class C Purchase Price as determined by us in accordance with the terms of and subject to the conditions of the Class C Offer, or (ii) checking one of the boxes in the subsection entitled “Class C Shares Tendered At Price Determined By Shareholder,” indicating the price at which Class C Shares are being tendered.

 

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Shareholders who desire to tender Shares of the same class at more than one price must complete a separate Letter of Transmittal for such Offer for each price at which such Shares are tendered, provided that the same Shares cannot be tendered (unless such Shares were properly withdrawn in accordance with Section 4) at more than one price. To tender Shares properly, one and only one box must be checked in the section captioned “Price (In Dollars) Per Class A Share At Which Class A Shares Are Being Tendered” or the section captioned “Price (In Dollars) Per Class C Share At Which Class C Shares Are Being Tendered,” as applicable, in the applicable Letter of Transmittal.

If you wish to maximize the chance that your Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares will be purchased in the applicable Offer, you should check the box in the section of the Letter of Transmittal captioned “Class A Shares Tendered At Price Determined In The Class A Offer” and/or “Class C Shares Tendered At Price Determined In The Class C Offer,” as applicable. If you agree to accept the Final Class A Purchase Price determined in the Class A Offer, your Class A Shares will be deemed to be tendered at $25.25 per Class A Share, which is the low end of the price range in the Class A Offer. If you agree to accept the Final Class C Purchase Price determined in the Class C Offer, your Class C Shares will be deemed to be tendered at $24.75 per Class C Share, which is the low end of the price range in the Class C Offer. You should understand that this election may lower the applicable Final Purchase Price and could result in your Class A Shares being purchased at $25.25 per Class A Share, which is the low end of the price range in the Class A Offer, or your Class C Shares being purchased at $24.75 per Class C Share, which is the low end of the price range in the Class C Offer, in each case, less any applicable withholding taxes and without interest. If tendering shareholders wish to indicate a specific price (in multiples of $0.25) at which their Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares are being tendered, they must check the appropriate box in the subsection entitled “Class A Shares Tendered At Price Determined By Shareholder” and/or “Class C Shares Tendered At Price Determined By Shareholder,” as applicable, in the section captioned “Price (In Dollars) Per Class A Share At Which Class A Shares Are Being Tendered” and/or “Price (In Dollars) Per Class C Share At Which Class C Shares Are Being Tendered,” as applicable, in the applicable Letter of Transmittal. Tendering shareholders should be aware that this election could mean that none of their Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares, as applicable, will be purchased if they check a box other than the box representing the price at or below the applicable Final Purchase Price.

All transfers of Shares pursuant to the Offers must be effected by book-entry transfer through the Book-Entry Transfer Facility, except for Shares held in certificated form outside of the Book-Entry Transfer Facility.

Shareholders holding their Shares through a broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee must contact the nominee in order to tender their Shares. Shareholders who hold Shares through nominees are urged to consult their nominees to determine whether transaction costs may apply if shareholders tender Shares through the nominees and not directly to the Depositary. If you are a holder of CDIs representing Shares, you should refer to your CREST sponsor to obtain the procedures for tendering the Shares underlying your CDIs. Holders of CDIs representing Shares should contact their CREST sponsor in order to determine the times by which such holder must take action in order to participate in either or both Offers. Participants in the Savings Plans whose Shares are held by the applicable Savings Plan trustee participating in the Offers may not use the Letters of Transmittal to direct the tender of Shares held in the applicable Savings Plan account. Instead, to tender Shares, Savings Plan participants must follow the separate instructions that will be provided in the 401(k) Trustee Letter and SIP Trustee Letter, as applicable. With regard to the 401(k) Trustee Letter, these instructions will require a participant of the 401(k) Plan to complete and execute a direction form for each applicable Offer (the 401(k) Direction Form ) provided with the 401(k) Trustee Letter in order to tender Shares held in 401(k) Plan accounts. The separate instructions will explain how participants can submit the 401(k) Direction Form(s) and will include the deadline for submitting the 401(k) Direction Form(s) to the 401(k) Plan trustee. Similarly, participants in the SIP Plan will be required to complete a tender form for each applicable Offer (the “ SIP Tender Form ”) in order to tender Shares held in the SIP Plan. The SIP Trustee Letter will explain how SIP Plan participants can properly submit their SIP Tender Forms to tender the applicable Shares. For administrative reasons, the deadline for submitting the instructions under either of the Savings Plans will be

 

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earlier than the expiration date of the Offers. Participants in the Savings Plans should confirm their deadlines by carefully reading the materials provided to them by the applicable Savings Plan trustee.

Shareholders may tender Shares subject to the condition that all, or a specified minimum number of Shares, be purchased. Any shareholder desiring to make such a conditional tender should so indicate in the box entitled “Conditional Tender” in the applicable Letter of Transmittal. It is the tendering shareholder’s responsibility to determine the minimum number of Shares to be purchased. Shareholders should consult their own financial and tax advisors with respect to the effect of proration of the Offers and the advisability of making a conditional tender. See Section 6 and Section 13.

Signature Guarantees and Method of Delivery

No signature guarantee is required if:

 

   

the applicable Letter of Transmittal is signed by the registered holder of the Shares (which term, for purposes of this Section 3, will include any participant in the Book-Entry Transfer Facility whose name appears on a security position listing as the owner of the Shares) tendered, or

 

   

Shares are tendered for the account of a bank, broker, dealer, credit union, savings association or other entity which is a member in good standing of the Securities Transfer Agents Medallion Program or an “eligible guarantor institution,” as the term is defined in Exchange Act Rule 17Ad–15 (an “ Eligible Institution ”). See Instruction 1 of the applicable Letter of Transmittal.

If a certificate for Shares is registered in the name of a person other than the person executing a Letter of Transmittal, or if payment is to be made, or new certificates for Shares not purchased or tendered are to be issued, to a person other than the registered holder, then the certificate must be endorsed or accompanied by an appropriate stock transfer form, signed in either case exactly as the name of the registered holder appears on the certificate, with the signature guaranteed by an Eligible Institution and the amount of all share transfer taxes, if any (whether imposed on the registered holder, such person or otherwise), payable as a result will be deducted from the applicable Final Purchase Price unless evidence satisfactory to us of the payment of share transfer taxes, or exemption from payment of the share transfer taxes, is submitted. See Instruction 7 of the applicable Letter of Transmittal.

Payment for Shares tendered and accepted for payment pursuant to the Offers will be made only after timely receipt by the Depositary of:

 

   

one of (a) certificates for the Shares or (b) a timely confirmation of the book-entry transfer of the Shares into the Depositary’s account at the Book-Entry Transfer Facility as described below;

 

   

one of (a) the applicable Letter of Transmittal, properly completed and duly executed, including any required signature guarantees or (b) an Agent’s Message (as defined below) in the case of a book-entry transfer; and

 

   

any other documents required by the applicable Letter of Transmittal.

Odd Lot Holders who tender all of their Shares must also complete the section captioned “Odd Lots” in the applicable Letter of Transmittal and, if applicable, in the Notice of Guaranteed Delivery to qualify for the priority treatment available to Odd Lot Holders as set forth in Section 1.

The method of delivery of all documents, including certificates for Shares, the Letters of Transmittal and any other required documents, is at the sole election and risk of the tendering shareholder. If delivery is by mail, then registered mail with return receipt requested, properly insured, is recommended. Shares will be deemed delivered only when actually received by the Depositary (including, in the case of a book-entry transfer, by book-entry confirmation). In all cases, sufficient time should be allowed to ensure timely delivery.

 

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All deliveries in connection with the Offers, including a Letter of Transmittal and certificates for Shares, must be made to the Depositary and not to us, the Counterparty Banks, the Dealer Managers, the Information Agent or the Book-Entry Transfer Facility. ANY DOCUMENTS DELIVERED TO US, THE COUNTERPARTY BANKS, THE DEALER MANAGERS, THE INFORMATION AGENT OR THE BOOK-ENTRY TRANSFER FACILITY WILL NOT BE FORWARDED TO THE DEPOSITARY AND WILL NOT BE DEEMED TO BE PROPERLY TENDERED.

Book-Entry Delivery

The Depositary will establish an account with respect to the Shares for purposes of the Offers at the Book-Entry Transfer Facility within two (2) business days after the date of this Offer to Purchase, and any financial institution that is a participant in the Book-Entry Transfer Facility’s system may make book-entry delivery of the Class A Shares and the Class C Shares by means of a book-entry transfer by causing the Book-Entry Transfer Facility to transfer such Shares into the Depositary’s account in accordance with the Book-Entry Transfer Facility’s procedures for transfer. Although delivery of Shares may be effected through a book-entry transfer into the Depositary’s account at the Book-Entry Transfer Facility, the applicable Letter of Transmittal, properly completed and duly executed, including any required signature guarantees, or an Agent’s Message, and any other required documents must, in any case, be transmitted to and received by the Depositary at one of its addresses set forth on the back cover of this Offer to Purchase before the Expiration Date, or the tendering shareholder must comply with the guaranteed delivery procedure described below. Delivery of the applicable Letter of Transmittal and any other required documents to the Book-Entry Transfer Facility does not constitute delivery to the Depositary.

The term “ Agent’s Message ” means a message transmitted by the Book-Entry Transfer Facility to, and received by, the Depositary, which states that the Book-Entry Transfer Facility has received an express acknowledgement from the participant in the Book-Entry Transfer Facility tendering the Shares that such participant has received and agrees to be bound by the terms of the applicable Letter of Transmittal and that we may enforce such agreement against the participant.

Guaranteed Delivery

If you wish to tender Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares in an Offer and your certificates for such Shares are not immediately available or the procedures for book-entry transfer cannot be completed on a timely basis or time will not permit all required documents to reach the Depositary prior to the Expiration Date, your tender may be effected if all the following conditions are met:

 

   

your tender is made by or through an Eligible Institution;

 

   

the applicable Notice Guaranteed Delivery, properly completed and duly executed, in the form we have provided is received by the Depositary, as provided below, prior to the Expiration Date; and

 

   

the Depositary receives at the address listed on the back cover of this Offer to Purchase, within the period of two (2) NASDAQ trading days after the date of execution of that applicable Notice of Guaranteed Delivery, either: (i) the certificates representing the Shares being tendered, in the proper form for transfer, together with all other required documents and an applicable Letter of Transmittal, which has been properly completed and duly executed and includes all signature guarantees required, or (ii) confirmation of book-entry transfer of the Shares into the Depositary’s account at the Book-Entry Transfer Facility, together with all other required documents and either an applicable Letter of Transmittal, which has been properly completed and duly executed and includes all signature guarantees required, or an Agent’s Message.

The applicable Notice of Guaranteed Delivery must be delivered to the Depositary by overnight courier, email transmission (at canoticeofguarantee@computershare.com ) or mail before the Expiration Date and must include a guarantee by an Eligible Institution in the form set forth in the applicable Notice of Guaranteed

 

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Delivery. This email address can only be used for delivery of a Notice of Guaranteed Delivery. Any transmission of other materials or inquiries will not be accepted, answered, and will not be considered a valid tender under the Offers.

Procedures for SARs and Stock Options

We are not offering, as part of the Offers, to purchase any outstanding but unvested and/or unearned, as applicable, SARs, PSARs or Options, and tenders of unvested and/or unearned SARs, PSARs or Options will not be accepted. Holders of Vested SARs and Options may exercise such Vested SARs and Options and tender the Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares received upon exercise in the Offers. Vested SARs and Options must be exercised sufficiently in advance of the Expiration Date in order to have time for the exercise to settle before such Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares received upon exercise of the Vested SARs and Options may be tendered. An exercise of Vested SARs and Options cannot be revoked even if the Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares received upon the exercise thereof and tendered in the Offers are not purchased in the Offers for any reason.

If you are a holder of Vested SARs and Options that you have not yet exercised, you should evaluate this Offer to Purchase carefully to determine if participation would be advantageous to you, based on the exercise prices of your Vested SARs and Options, the date of your grants, the remaining term in which you may exercise your Vested SARs and Options and the provisions for prorated purchases described in Section 1.

Procedures for RSUs and PSUs

We are not offering, as part of the Offers, to purchase RSUs or PSUs that have not vested, been earned or been paid out, and tenders of such unvested RSUs or unvested and/or unearned PSUs will not be accepted. If you hold Shares that you have acquired through the vesting of RSUs or vesting of earned PSUs, such Shares may be tendered in the Offers.

Procedures for CDIs

We are not offering, as part of the Offers, to purchase CDIs representing Shares. Holders of CDIs representing Shares should contact their CREST sponsor to obtain the procedures for tendering their Shares underlying their CDIs and the times by which such holder must take action in order to participate in either or both Offers.

Return of Unpurchased Shares

If all properly tendered Shares are not purchased under either or both Offers or are properly withdrawn before the Expiration Date: (i) in the case of certificated Shares, the certificate(s) will be returned to the tendering shareholder, or (ii) in the case of Shares tendered by book-entry transfer at the Book-Entry Transfer Facility, the Shares will be credited to the appropriate account maintained by the tendering shareholder at the Book-Entry Transfer Facility, in each case, without expense to the tendering shareholder. In the case of certificated Shares, if less than all certificated Shares evidenced by a shareholder’s certificate(s) are tendered or accepted for purchase by us, through the Counterparty Banks, the Depositary will cancel the existing certificate(s) and new certificate(s) will be issued and mailed to the shareholder reflecting the amount of Shares not tendered or accepted for purchase by us, through the Counterparty Banks, in each case, without expense to the tendering shareholder. In the case of Shares tendered by book-entry transfer at the Book-Entry Transfer Facility, if less than all Shares tendered are accepted for purchase by us, through the Counterparty Banks, the remaining Shares will be credited to the appropriate account maintained by the tendering shareholder at the Book-Entry Transfer Facility without expense to the tendering shareholder.

 

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Determination of Validity; Rejection of Shares; Waiver of Defects; No Obligation to Give Notice of Defects

All questions as to the number of Class A Shares and Class C Shares to be accepted, the applicable Final Purchase Price to be paid for such Shares to be accepted and the validity, form, eligibility (including time of receipt) and acceptance for payment of any tender of Shares will be determined by us, in our sole discretion, and our determination will be final and binding on all parties absent a finding to the contrary by a court of competent jurisdiction. We, through the Counterparty Banks, reserve the absolute right to reject any or all tenders of any Shares that we determine are not in proper form or the acceptance for payment of or payment for which may, in the opinion of our counsel, be unlawful. We also reserve the absolute right to waive any of the conditions of the Offers on or prior to the Expiration Date, or any defect or irregularity in any tender with respect to any particular Shares or any particular shareholder (whether or not we waive similar defects or irregularities in the case of other shareholders), and our interpretation of the terms of the Offers will be final and binding on all parties absent a finding to the contrary by a court of competent jurisdiction. In the event a condition is waived with respect to any particular shareholder, the same condition will be waived with respect to all shareholders. No tender of Shares will be deemed to have been properly made until all defects or irregularities have been cured by the tendering shareholder or waived by us. We will not be liable for failure to waive any condition of the Offers, or any defect or irregularity in any tender of Shares. None of the Company, the Counterparty Banks, the Dealer Managers, the Depositary, the Information Agent or any other person will be obligated to give notice of any defects or irregularities in tenders, nor will any of the foregoing incur any liability for failure to give any such notification.

Tendering Shareholder’s Representation and Warranty; Our Acceptance Constitutes an Agreement

It is a violation of Exchange Act Rule 14e-4 for a person, directly or indirectly, to tender Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares for that person’s own account unless, at the time of tender and at the end of the proration periods or period during which Shares are accepted by lot (including any extensions of such period), the person so tendering (i) has a “net long position” equal to or greater than the amount of Shares tendered in (a) Shares or (b) other securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for Shares and, upon acceptance of the tender, will acquire the Shares by conversion, exchange or exercise and (ii) will deliver or cause to be delivered the Shares in accordance with the terms of the Offers. Rule 14e-4 also provides a similar restriction applicable to a tender on behalf of another person.

A tender of Shares in accordance with any of the procedures described above will constitute the tendering shareholder’s acceptance of the terms and conditions of the Offers, as well as the tendering shareholder’s representation and warranty to us that (i) the shareholder has a “net long position,” within the meaning of Rule 14e-4 promulgated under the Exchange Act, in the Shares or equivalent securities at least equal to the Shares being tendered, and (ii) the tender of Shares complies with Rule 14e-4. Our acceptance for payment, through the Counterparty Banks, of the Shares tendered pursuant to the Offers will constitute a binding agreement between the tendering shareholder and the applicable Counterparty Bank on the terms and subject to the conditions of the Offers, which agreement will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware.

A tender of Shares made pursuant to any method of delivery set forth herein will also constitute a representation and warranty to the Counterparty Banks and us that the tendering shareholder has full power and authority to tender, sell, assign and transfer the Shares tendered, and that, when the same are accepted for purchase by us, through the Counterparty Banks, we will acquire good, marketable and unencumbered title thereto, free and clear of all security interests, liens, restrictions, claims, encumbrances and other obligations relating to the sale or transfer of the Shares, and the same will not be subject to any adverse claim or right. Any such tendering shareholder will, on request by the Depositary or us, execute and deliver any additional documents deemed by the Depositary or us to be necessary or desirable to complete the sale, assignment and transfer of the Shares tendered, all in accordance with the terms of the Offers.

All authority conferred or agreed to be conferred by delivery of the applicable Letter of Transmittal shall be binding on the successors, assigns, heirs, personal representatives, executors, administrators and other legal

 

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representatives of the tendering shareholder and shall not be affected by, and shall survive, the death or incapacity of such tendering shareholder.

Lost or Destroyed Certificates

Shareholders whose certificates for part or all of their Shares have been lost, destroyed or stolen may contact Computershare Trust Company, N.A. as transfer agent at the toll-free number 1 (888) 218-4391 or at the address set forth on the back cover of this Offer to Purchase for instructions to obtain a replacement certificate. Those certificates will then be required to be submitted together with the applicable Letter of Transmittal in order to receive payment for Shares that are tendered and accepted for payment. A bond may be required to be posted by the shareholder to secure against the risk that the certificates may be subsequently recirculated. The applicable Letter of Transmittal and related documents cannot be processed until the procedures for replacing lost or destroyed certificates have been followed. Shareholders are requested to contact Computershare Trust Company, N.A. immediately in order to permit timely processing of this documentation. Certificates for Shares, together with a properly completed applicable Letter of Transmittal and any other documents required by the applicable Letter of Transmittal, must be delivered to the Depositary and not to us, the Dealer Managers or the Information Agent. Any certificates delivered to us, the Dealer Managers or the Information Agent will not be forwarded to the Depositary and will not be deemed to be properly tendered.

Backup U.S. Federal Income Tax Withholding

To avoid backup withholding of U.S. federal income tax, each tendering shareholder that is a U.S. person for U.S. federal income tax purposes (a “ U.S. Person ”) should provide the applicable withholding agent with a properly completed IRS Form W-9 which includes the shareholder’s correct Taxpayer Identification Number and appropriate certifications. In order for a tendering shareholder that is not a U.S. Person to avoid backup withholding, such shareholder may be required to provide the applicable withholding agent with a properly completed applicable IRS Form W-8 signed under penalties of perjury, attesting to that shareholder’s non-U.S. status. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules from payments made to a tendering shareholder may be refunded or credited against such shareholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability, if any, provided that the required information is timely furnished to the IRS.

 

4.

Withdrawal Rights

Except as otherwise provided in this Section 4, tenders of Shares pursuant to either Offer are irrevocable. Shares tendered pursuant to either Offer may be withdrawn at any time before the Expiration Date. If, following the Expiration Date, we have not accepted for payment, through the Counterparty Banks, the Shares you have tendered to us, through the Counterparty Banks, by one (1) minute after 11:59 P.M., New York City time, on October 7, 2019, you may also withdraw your Shares at any time thereafter.

If you are a registered holder of Shares, for a withdrawal to be effective, a notice of withdrawal, in written form, must be received in a timely manner by the Depositary at one of its addresses set forth on the back cover of this Offer to Purchase. Any notice of withdrawal must specify the name of the tendering shareholder, the number of Shares to be withdrawn and the name of the registered holder of the Shares. If certificates for Shares to be withdrawn have been delivered or otherwise identified to the Depositary, then, before the release of the certificates, the tendering shareholder must also submit the serial numbers shown on the particular certificates for Shares to be withdrawn and the signature(s) on the written notice of withdrawal must be guaranteed by an Eligible Institution (except in the case of Shares tendered for the account of an Eligible Institution). If Shares have been tendered pursuant to the procedure for book-entry transfer described in Section 3, the notice of withdrawal also must specify the name and the number of the account at the Book-Entry Transfer Facility to be credited with the withdrawn Shares and must otherwise comply with the Book-Entry Transfer Facility’s procedures. If a shareholder has used more than one Letter of Transmittal or has otherwise tendered Shares in more than one group of Shares, the shareholder may withdraw Shares using either separate written notices of withdrawal or a combined written notice of withdrawal, so long as the information specified above is included.

 

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If you hold Shares through a broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or similar institution, you should consult that institution on the procedures you must comply with and the time by which such procedures must be completed in order for that institution to provide a written notice of withdrawal. If you hold CDIs representing Shares, you should contact your CREST sponsor to obtain the procedures for withdrawing any Shares tendered by your CREST sponsor. For Shares held through the Savings Plans, please refer to the special instructions that are being sent to Savings Plan participants for information about withdrawal rights and the earlier deadline for submitting withdrawal instructions.

We will determine all questions as to the form and validity, including the time of receipt, of any notice of withdrawal, in our sole discretion, which determination will be final and binding on all parties absent a finding to the contrary by a court of competent jurisdiction. Neither we nor the Counterparty Banks, Dealer Managers, the Depositary, the Information Agent or any other person will be obligated to give notice of any defects or irregularities in any notice of withdrawal, nor will any of the foregoing incur liability for failure to give any such notification. Withdrawals may not be rescinded, and any Shares properly withdrawn will be deemed not properly tendered for purposes of the Offers. However, withdrawn Shares may be re-tendered before the Expiration Date by again following one of the procedures described in Section 3.

If we extend an Offer, are delayed in our purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, of the Shares or are unable to purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, Shares pursuant to an Offer for any reason, then, without prejudice to our rights under such Offer, the Depositary may, subject to applicable law, retain tendered Shares on our behalf, and the Shares may not be withdrawn except to the extent tendering shareholders are entitled to withdrawal rights as described in this Section 4. Our reservation of the right to delay payment for Shares that we have accepted for payment, through the Counterparty Banks, is limited by Exchange Act Rule 13e-4(f)(5), which requires that we must pay the consideration offered or return the Shares tendered promptly after termination or withdrawal of such Offer.

 

5.

Purchase of Shares and Payment of Purchase Price

Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Offers, promptly following the Expiration Date, we will:

 

   

determine the Final Class A Purchase Price, taking into account the number of Class A Shares so tendered and the prices specified, or deemed specified, by tendering shareholders, and, through the Counterparty Banks, will accept for payment and pay for, up to $625 million in value of Class A Shares (or such greater amount as we may elect to purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, subject to applicable law and the 2019 Shareholder Authorization) properly tendered and not properly withdrawn prior to the Expiration Date at or below the Final Class A Purchase Price; and

 

   

determine the Final Class C Purchase Price, taking into account the number of Class C Shares so tendered and the prices specified, or deemed specified, by tendering shareholders, and, through the Counterparty Banks, will accept for payment and pay for, up to $1.875 billion in value of Class C Shares (or such greater amount as we may elect to purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, subject to applicable law and the 2019 Shareholder Authorization) properly tendered and not properly withdrawn prior to the Expiration Date at or below the Final Class C Purchase Price.

Subject to the 2019 Shareholder Authorization, we may increase the number of Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares, in each case, accepted for payment, through the Counterparty Banks, in such Offer by no more than 2% of the outstanding Shares, to which such Offer relates, without extending such Offer.

For purposes of the Offers, we will be deemed to have accepted for payment, through the Counterparty Banks (and therefore be deemed to have purchased), subject to proration, “Odd Lot” priority and conditional tender provisions of the Offers, Class A Shares or Class C Shares, as the case may be, that are properly tendered at or below the applicable Final Purchase Price and not properly withdrawn only when, as and if we give oral or written notice to the Depositary of our acceptance, through the Counterparty Banks, of the Shares for payment pursuant to the Offers.

 

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Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Offers, promptly after the Expiration Date, we, through the Counterparty Banks, will accept for payment and pay (i) the Final Class A Purchase Price per share for all of the Class A Shares and (ii) the Final Class C Purchase Price per share for all of the Class C Shares, in each case, accepted for payment in accordance with the Offers. In all cases, payment for Shares properly tendered and accepted for payment in accordance with the Offers will be made promptly, subject to possible delay due to proration, but only after timely receipt by the Depositary of:

 

   

certificates for Shares or a timely confirmation of a book-entry transfer of Shares into the Depositary’s account at the Book-Entry Transfer Facility;

 

   

the applicable Letter of Transmittal, properly completed and duly executed or an Agent’s Message in the case of book-entry transfer; and

 

   

any other documents required.

On August 9, 2019, the Company entered into a Master Put/Call Agreement with each of the Counterparty Banks. The form of the Master Put/Call Agreement and the names of the Counterparty Banks were previously approved by our shareholders at the Company’s annual general meeting of shareholders held on June 11, 2019. Each Master Put/Call Agreement grants to the applicable Counterparty Bank the option to require the Company to purchase, and grants to us the option to require the applicable Counterparty Bank to sell, Shares of Liberty Global owned by it in consideration of cash payment by Liberty Global. Each Master Put/Call Agreement permits multiple exercises of the options granted pursuant to it.

On August 9, 2019, the Company entered into an Option Framework Agreement with each of the Counterparty Banks, pursuant to which each Counterparty Bank will purchase the Shares as principals (not as agents, nominees or trustees) in connection with the Offers. The Option Framework Agreements govern the specific terms of the purchase by the Counterparty Banks of the Shares in the Offers pursuant to the Master Put/Call Agreements. The Shares to be purchased by the Counterparty Banks will be allocated equally between the Counterparty Banks in accordance with the Option Framework Agreements. In accordance with the terms of the applicable Option Framework Agreement, and conditional on the Offers not being terminated in accordance with their terms, on the Expiration Date, each Counterparty Bank is required to purchase its respective allocation of the Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn prior to the Expiration Date, and to notify the Company of the number of Shares purchased by it in the Offers, following which, each Counterparty Bank and the Company each become entitled to exercise their respective rights to sell or purchase, as the case may be, such Shares under the relevant Counterparty Bank Agreements. In turn, each Counterparty Bank shall sell, and Liberty Global shall purchase from the applicable Counterparty Bank, such Shares at a price equal to the price paid by such Counterparty Bank in the relevant Offer (along with certain other costs). The obligation of each Counterparty Bank to purchase their respective allocation of Shares under the Counterparty Bank Agreements is subject to the condition that each Counterparty Bank, acting reasonably, has not, prior to the Expiration Date, provided us with written notice that we have failed to comply with certain of our obligations, or are in breach of certain of our representations and warranties, under the relevant Option Framework Agreement on or prior to the Expiration Date, and which failure to comply or breach has not been cured prior to the Expiration Date.

The Counterparty Banks will initially purchase their respective allocation of the Shares and take actions to facilitate our subsequent purchase of the Shares pursuant to the Counterparty Bank Agreements and the terms and conditions of the Offers set forth in this Offer to Purchase, and we will generally make all decisions and determinations with respect to the Offers, including with respect to the satisfaction or waiver of conditions to the Offers set forth in this Offer to Purchase and the acceptance of Shares for purchase by the Counterparty Banks. See Section 7. The Counterparty Banks are acting as principals in connection with the Offers and independently from each other, and their respective obligations under the applicable Counterparty Bank Agreement are several and not joint. In no circumstances will we purchase Shares in connection with the Offer other than from the Counterparty Banks pursuant to the Counterparty Bank Agreements.

 

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Each Counterparty Bank will pay for its respective allocation of Shares purchased pursuant to the Offers by depositing the aggregate purchase price for such Shares with the Depositary, which will act as agent for tendering shareholders for the purpose of receiving payment from the Counterparty Banks and transmitting payment to the tendering shareholders. In the event of proration, the Depositary will determine the proration for each shareholder tendering Shares and pay for those tendered Shares accepted for payment promptly after the Expiration Date. Certificate(s) representing all Shares tendered and not purchased under either or both Offers, including where such Shares are tendered at prices in excess of the applicable Final Purchase Price or under conditional tenders, will be returned to the tendering shareholder promptly after the expiration or termination of the applicable Offer at our expense. If less than all certificated Shares evidenced by a shareholder’s certificate(s) are purchased due to such Shares being tendered at prices in excess of the applicable Final Purchase Price, proration or conditional tenders, the Depositary will cancel the existing certificate(s) and new certificate(s) reflecting the amount of Shares not accepted for purchase will be issued and mailed to the tendering shareholder promptly after the expiration or termination of the applicable Offer at our expense. In the case of Shares tendered by book-entry transfer at prices in excess of the applicable Final Purchase Price and Shares not purchased due to proration or conditional tenders, such Shares will be credited to book-entry with the Depositary, and, in the case of Shares tendered by book-entry transfer, will be credited to the account maintained with the Book-Entry Transfer Facility by the participant who delivered the Shares promptly after the expiration or termination of the applicable Offer at our expense.

If you are a participant in the 401(k) Plan, you should be aware that the 401(k) Plan is prohibited from selling Shares to us for a price less than “adequate consideration.” More information on this potential limitation is provided in the 401(k) Trustee Letter. Similarly, if you hold Shares in the SIP Plan, you should reference the SIP Trustee Letter that will be sent for information on any limitations related to the tender of Shares held under the SIP Plan.

Under no circumstances will interest be paid on the Final Purchase Prices for the Shares, regardless of any delay in making payment. In addition, if certain events occur, we may not be obligated to purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, Shares pursuant to the Offers. See Section 7.

We will cause the Counterparty Banks to pay, or to cause to be paid, all share transfer taxes, if any, applicable to the transfer of their respective allocations of Shares properly tendered and purchased in accordance with the terms of the Offers; however, if such Shares are not properly tendered in accordance with the terms of the Offers, and/or if payment of the applicable Final Purchase Price is to be made to, and/or (under the circumstances permitted by the Offers) if unpurchased Shares are to be registered in the name of, any person other than the registered holder, and/or if certificates for tendered Shares are registered in the name of any person other than the person signing the applicable Letter of Transmittal, we may elect that all share transfer taxes, if any (whether imposed on the registered holder, such person or otherwise), payable as a result will not be so paid or, if they are nevertheless so paid, that the amount of such share transfer taxes will be deducted from the applicable Final Purchase Price unless evidence satisfactory to us of the payment of share transfer taxes, or exemption from payment of the share transfer taxes, is submitted. See Instruction 7 of the applicable Letter of Transmittal.

The price payable by us to the Counterparty Banks for the transfer of purchased Shares to us pursuant to the Counterparty Bank Agreements includes an amount equal to U.K. stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax (“ SDRT ”) on the acquisition of the Shares by the Counterparty Banks pursuant to the Offers. Such taxes are anticipated to arise on the acquisition by the Counterparty Banks of those tendered Shares that are held in certificated form outside of the Book-Entry Transfer Facility. See Section 13.

 

6.

Conditional Tender of Shares

In the event of an over-subscription of the Class A Offer and/or the Class C Offer, Shares tendered at or below the applicable Final Purchase Price prior to the Expiration Date will be subject to proration (subject to the

 

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exception for Odd Lot Holders). See Section 1. As discussed in Section 13, the number of Shares to be purchased from a particular shareholder may affect the U.S. federal income tax treatment of the purchase to the shareholder and the shareholder’s decision whether to tender. Accordingly, a shareholder may tender Shares subject to the condition that a specified minimum number of the shareholder’s Shares tendered pursuant to an applicable Letter of Transmittal must be purchased if any Shares tendered are purchased. Any shareholder desiring to make a conditional tender must so indicate in the box entitled “Conditional Tender” in the applicable Letter of Transmittal, and, if applicable, in the Notice of Guaranteed Delivery. Notwithstanding the general discussion contained in this Section 6, conditional tenders are not permissible with respect to the tender of Shares under the 401(k) Plan. SIP Plan participants should reference the SIP Trustee Letter that will be sent for information related to the applicability of conditional tenders with regard to Shares under the SIP Plan. W e urge each shareholder to consult with his or her own financial or tax advisor with respect to the advisability of making a conditional tender.

Any tendering shareholder wishing to make a conditional tender must calculate and appropriately indicate the minimum number of Shares that must be purchased from that shareholder if any are to be purchased. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Offers, if, based on the applicable Final Purchase Prices, all Class A Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn have an aggregate value in excess of $625 million and/or all Class C Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn have an aggregate value in excess of $1.875 billion, as applicable, so that we must prorate our acceptance of and payment, through the Counterparty Banks, for tendered Shares, we will calculate preliminary proration percentages for the Class A Shares and the Class C Shares based upon the Class A Shares and Class C Shares, as applicable, properly tendered, conditionally or unconditionally (including Shares of Odd Lot Holders). If the effect of this preliminary proration would be to reduce the number of Shares to be purchased from any shareholder below the minimum number specified, the conditional tender will automatically be regarded as withdrawn (except as provided in the next paragraph). All Shares tendered by a shareholder subject to a conditional tender pursuant to the applicable Letter of Transmittal and regarded as withdrawn as a result of proration will be returned promptly after the Expiration Date.

After giving effect to these withdrawals, we will accept the remaining Shares properly tendered, conditionally or unconditionally, at or below the applicable Final Purchase Price on a pro rata basis, if necessary. If conditional tenders would otherwise be regarded as withdrawn and would cause the aggregate value of Class A Shares to be purchased to fall below $625 million or the aggregate value of Class C Shares to be purchased to fall below $1.875 billion (or, in each case, such greater amount as we may elect to purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, subject to applicable law and the 2019 Shareholder Authorization) then, to the extent feasible, we will select for purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, by random lot, enough of the conditional tenders that would otherwise have been deemed withdrawn to permit us to purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, such number of Shares.

 

7.

Conditions of the Offers

The Offers are not conditioned on any minimum number of Shares being tendered. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Offers, we, through the Counterparty Banks, will not be required to accept for payment, purchase or pay for any Shares tendered, and we may terminate or amend the Offers or may postpone the acceptance for payment of or the payment for Shares tendered, subject to Exchange Act Rule 13e-4(f)(5), which requires that we must pay the consideration offered or return the Shares tendered promptly after termination or withdrawal of the Offers, if, at any time on or after the commencement of the Offers and prior to the Expiration Date, any of the following events have occurred (or are determined by us to have occurred) that, in our reasonable judgment and regardless of the circumstances giving rise to the event or events (including any action or inaction by us), makes it inadvisable to proceed with the Offers or with acceptance for payment or payment for the Shares in the Offers:

 

   

one or both Counterparty Banks has or have breached, or threatened to breach, their representations, warranties or covenants under the Counterparty Bank Agreements;

 

   

there has been any action threatened, pending or taken, including any settlement, or any approval withheld, or any statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order or injunction threatened, invoked, proposed,

 

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sought, promulgated, enacted, entered, amended, enforced or deemed to be applicable to the Offers or us or any of our subsidiaries, including any settlement, by any court, government or governmental, regulatory or administrative authority, agency or tribunal, domestic, foreign or supranational, that, in our reasonable judgment, seeks to or could directly or indirectly:

 

   

make illegal, or delay or otherwise directly or indirectly restrain, prohibit or otherwise affect the consummation of the Offers, the acquisition of some or all of the Shares pursuant to the Offers or otherwise relates in any manner to the Offers;

 

   

make the acceptance for payment of, or payment for, some or all of the Shares illegal or otherwise restrict or prohibit consummation of the Offers;

 

   

delay or restrict our ability, or render us unable, to accept for payment or pay for some or all of the Shares to be purchased pursuant to the Offers; or

 

   

materially and adversely affect our or our subsidiaries’ or our affiliates’ business, condition (financial or otherwise), income, operations or prospects, taken as a whole, or otherwise materially impair our ability to purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, some or all of the Shares pursuant to the Offers;

 

   

there has occurred any of the following:

 

   

any general suspension of trading in, or limitation on prices for, securities on any United States national securities exchange or in the over-the-counter market;

 

   

the declaration of a banking moratorium or any suspension of payments in respect of banks in the United States or the United Kingdom, whether or not mandatory;

 

   

a material change in United States, the United Kingdom or any other currency exchange rates or a suspension of or limitation on the markets therefor;

 

   

with respect to the Class A Offer, a decrease of more than 10% in the sale price of the Class A Shares on NASDAQ or in the general level of market prices for equity securities in the United States or the New York Stock Exchange Composite Index, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the NASDAQ Global Market Composite Index or Standard & Poor’s Composite Index of 500 Industrial Companies measured from the close of trading on August 9, 2019, the last full trading day prior to the commencement of the Class A Offer, shall have occurred;

 

   

with respect to the Class C Offer, a decrease of more than 10% in the sale price of the Class C Shares on NASDAQ or in the general level of market prices for equity securities in the United States or the New York Stock Exchange Composite Index, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the NASDAQ Global Market Composite Index or Standard & Poor’s Composite Index of 500 Industrial Companies measured from the close of trading on August 9, 2019, the last full trading day prior to the commencement of the Class C Offer, shall have occurred;

 

   

the commencement of a war, armed hostilities or other similar national or international calamity, including, but not limited to, an act of terrorism, directly or indirectly involving the United States or the United Kingdom, on or after August 12, 2019;

 

   

any material escalation of any war or armed hostilities which had commenced prior to August 12, 2019;

 

   

any limitation, whether or not mandatory, by any governmental, regulatory or administrative agency or authority on, or any event that, in our reasonable judgment, could materially affect, the extension of credit by banks or other lending institutions in the United States or the United Kingdom;

 

   

any change in the general political, market, economic or financial conditions, domestically or internationally, that is reasonably likely to materially and adversely affect our business or the trading in the Shares; or

 

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in the case of any of the foregoing existing at the time of the commencement of the Offers, a material acceleration or worsening thereof;

 

   

a tender or exchange offer for any or all of the Shares (other than the Offers), or any merger, acquisition, business combination or other similar transaction with or involving us or any subsidiary, has been proposed, announced or made by any person or has been publicly disclosed;

 

   

we learn that:

 

   

any entity, “group” (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) or person has acquired or proposes to acquire beneficial ownership of more than 5% of the outstanding Shares, whether through the acquisition of stock, the formation of a group, the grant of any option or right, or otherwise (other than as and to the extent disclosed in a Schedule 13D or Schedule 13G filed with the SEC prior to August 9, 2019);

 

   

any entity, group or person who has filed a Schedule 13D or Schedule 13G with the SEC prior to August 9, 2019, has acquired or proposes to acquire, whether through the acquisition of stock, the formation of a group, the grant of any option or right, or otherwise (other than by virtue of the Offers made hereby), beneficial ownership of an additional 2% or more of the outstanding Class A Shares;

 

   

any entity, group or person who has filed a Schedule 13D or Schedule 13G with the SEC prior to August 9, 2019, has acquired or proposes to acquire, whether through the acquisition of stock, the formation of a group, the grant of any option or right, or otherwise (other than by virtue of the Offers made hereby), beneficial ownership of an additional 2% or more of the outstanding Class C Shares;

 

   

any change in law or in the official interpretation or administration of law, or relevant position or policy of a governmental authority with respect to any laws, applicable to the Offers;

 

   

any person, entity or group has filed a Notification and Report Form under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended, reflecting an intent to acquire us or any of the Shares, or has made a public announcement reflecting an intent to acquire us or any of our subsidiaries or any of our or their respective assets or securities; or

 

   

any change or changes have occurred or are threatened in our or our subsidiaries’ or affiliates’ business, condition (financial or otherwise), properties, assets, income, operations or prospects that, in our reasonable judgment, has or could have a material adverse effect on us or any of our subsidiaries or affiliates or the benefits of the Offers to us;

 

   

any approval, permit, authorization, favorable review or consent of any governmental entity required to be obtained in connection with the Offers shall not have been obtained on terms satisfactory to us in our reasonable discretion; or

 

   

we determine that the consummation of the Offers and the purchase of the Shares may (i) cause the Shares to be held of record by fewer than 300 persons or (ii) cause the Shares to be delisted from NASDAQ or to be eligible for deregistration under the Exchange Act.

The obligation to accept for payment and pay for your tendered Shares is also subject to the condition that each Counterparty Bank, acting reasonably, has not, prior to the Expiration Date, provided us with written notice that we have failed to comply with certain of our obligations, or are in breach of certain of our representations and warranties, under the applicable Option Framework Agreement on or prior to the Expiration Date, and which failure to comply or breach has not been cured prior to the Expiration Date.

If any of the conditions referred to above is not satisfied, we may:

 

   

terminate either or both Offers and return all tendered Shares to the tendering shareholders;

 

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extend either or both Offers and, subject to withdrawal rights as set forth in Section 4, retain all of the tendered Shares until the expiration of such Offer as so extended;

 

   

waive the condition and, subject to any requirement to extend the period of time during which either or both Offers are open, purchase all of the Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn prior to the Expiration Date; or

 

   

delay acceptance for payment or payment for Shares, subject to applicable law, until satisfaction or waiver of the conditions to the Offers.

The conditions referred to above are generally for our sole benefit and may be asserted by us regardless of the circumstances giving rise to any such condition. They may be determined to be satisfied (or not satisfied) by us in our reasonable judgment, or waived by us, in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time on or prior to the Expiration Date, subject to applicable laws. The only condition to the Offers that will be for the benefit of the Counterparty Banks is that each Counterparty Bank, acting reasonably, has not, prior to the Expiration Date, provided us with written notice, that we have failed to comply with certain of our obligations, or are in breach of certain of our representations and warranties, under the applicable Option Framework Agreement on or prior to the Expiration Date, and which failure to comply or breach has not been cured prior to the Expiration Date. Any waiver of that last condition would require the consent of the relevant Counterparty Bank.

The failure at any time to exercise any of the foregoing rights will not be deemed a waiver of any right, and each such right will be deemed an ongoing right that may be asserted at any time and from time to time. In certain circumstances, if we waive any of the conditions described above, we may be required to extend the Expiration Date. Any determination by us or, where applicable, the relevant Counterparty Bank concerning the events described above will be final and binding on all parties. See Section 14.

 

8.

Price Range of Shares; Dividends

The Class A Shares and the Class C Shares are listed and traded on NASDAQ under the trading symbol “LBTYA” And “LBTYK,” respectively. The following table sets forth, for the fiscal quarters indicated, the high and low closing sales prices of the Class A Shares and the Class C Shares on NASDAQ:

 

     Class A Shares      Class C Shares  
     High      Low      High      Low  

2017

           

First Quarter

   $ 37.45      $ 30.65      $ 36.63      $ 29.80  

Second Quarter

   $ 35.94      $ 28.69      $ 35.08      $ 27.85  

Third Quarter

   $ 34.61      $ 31.24      $ 33.51      $ 30.37  

Fourth Quarter

   $ 35.84      $ 29.35      $ 33.88      $ 28.34  

2018

           

First Quarter

   $ 38.49      $ 31.14      $ 36.70      $ 30.03  

Second Quarter

   $ 33.25      $ 27.54      $ 32.05      $ 26.61  

Third Quarter

   $ 29.47      $ 25.90      $ 28.51      $ 25.22  

Fourth Quarter

   $ 28.24      $ 20.28      $ 27.61      $ 19.55  

2019

           

First Quarter

   $ 26.46      $ 20.56      $ 25.77      $ 19.79  

Second Quarter

   $ 28.29      $ 24.37      $ 27.39      $ 23.99  

Third Quarter (through August 9, 2019)

   $ 28.10      $ 25.52      $ 27.42      $ 24.97  

On August 9, 2019, the last full trading day before the commencement of the Offers, the last closing sale price of the Class A Shares and the Class C Shares on NASDAQ was $25.98 per Class A Share and $25.85 per Class C Share. S hareholders are urged to obtain current market quotations for the Shares .

 

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We have not paid any cash dividends on any of our Shares, and we have no present intention of doing so. Any future payment of cash dividends will be determined by our Board of Directors in light of our earnings, financial condition and other relevant considerations, including applicable laws in England and Wales.

 

9.

Source and Amount of Funds

Assuming that the Class A Offer and Class C Offer are fully subscribed the aggregate purchase price for such Class A Shares and Class C Shares will be approximately $2.5 billion. We expect that the maximum aggregate cost of these purchases, including all fees and expenses applicable to the Offers, will be approximately $2.5 billion.

To ensure compliance with English law and in connection with the Offers, each Counterparty Bank will use cash on hand to purchase their respective allocated portion of the Shares that are properly tendered and not properly withdrawn upon the terms and subject to the conditions described in the Offers. In turn, each Counterparty Bank shall sell, and Liberty Global shall purchase from each Counterparty Bank, such Shares at a price equal to the applicable Final Purchase Price (along with certain other costs) pursuant to the Counterparty Bank Agreements and the terms and conditions of the Offers set forth in this Offer to Purchase. As discussed in this Offer to Purchase, the Counterparty Banks are acting as principals (not as agents, nominees or trustees).

We intend to pay for the purchase of Shares from the Counterparty Banks with existing cash and cash equivalents, including cash proceeds received from the consummation of the previously announced sale of certain Liberty Global subsidiaries comprising Liberty Global’s businesses and operations in Germany, Romania, Hungary and the Czech Republic to Vodafone Group plc and certain of its subsidiaries (the “ Vodafone Transaction ”), which closed on July 31, 2019. For further information with respect to the Vodafone Transaction, please refer to our Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on May 9, 2018, May 11, 2018, July 18, 2019, August 1, 2019, August 5, 2019 and August 6, 2019. See Section 10.

After giving effect to the Offers, we believe that we will continue to have sufficient financial resources and working capital to conduct our business.

As of the date hereof, no alternative financing arrangements or alternative financing plans have been made.

 

10.

Certain Information Concerning Us

General

Liberty Global is one of the world’s leading converged video, broadband and communication companies, with operations in six European countries under the consumer brands Virgin Media, Telenet and UPC. We invest in the infrastructure and platforms that empower our customers to make the most of the digital revolution. Our substantial scale and commitment to innovation enable us to develop market-leading products delivered through next-generation, fibre-based networks that connect over 11 million customers subscribing to 25 million TV, broadband internet and telephone services. We also serve 6 million mobile subscribers and offer WiFi service through millions of access points across our footprint.

In addition, Liberty Global owns 50% of VodafoneZiggo, a joint venture in the Netherlands with 4 million customers subscribing to 10 million fixed-line and 5 million mobile services, as well as significant content investments in ITV, All3Media, ITI Neovision, LionsGate, Formula E racing series and several regional sports networks.

Liberty Global plc was incorporated under the laws of England and Wales on January 29, 2013. The addresses and phone numbers of our principal executive offices are: Griffin House, 161 Hammersmith Road, London W6 8BS, United Kingdom (telephone number: +44 (208) 483-6449 or (303) 220-6600). Our website is located at https://www.libertyglobal.com. Information contained on our website is not a part of the Offers.

 

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The Counterparty Banks that are principals to the Offers are Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC and HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC was organized under the laws of Delaware in January 17, 2003. The address and phone number of the principal executive offices of Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC are: Eleven Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10010 (telephone number: (212) 325-2000). HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. was incorporated under the laws of Delaware in December 31, 1969. The address and phone number of the principal executive offices of HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. are: 452 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10018 (telephone number: (212) 525-3154).

Availability of Reports and Other Information

We are subject to the informational filing requirements of the Exchange Act, which obligate us to file reports, statements and other information with the SEC relating to our business, financial condition and other matters. Information, as of particular dates, concerning our directors and officers, their remuneration, options granted to them, the principal holders of our securities and any material interest of these persons in transactions with us is required to be disclosed in proxy statements distributed to our shareholders and filed with the SEC. As required by Exchange Act Rule 13e-4(c)(2), we have also filed with the SEC the Schedule TO, which includes additional information relating to the Offers.

These reports, statements and other information, including the Schedule TO and documents incorporated by reference, are available to the public on the SEC’s site at https://www.sec.gov. This website address is not intended to function as a hyperlink, and the information contained on the SEC’s website is not incorporated by reference in this Offer to Purchase and it should not be considered to be a part of this Offer to Purchase.

Incorporation by Reference

The rules of the SEC allow us to “incorporate by reference” information into this document, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to another document filed separately with the SEC. The following documents contain important information about us and we incorporate them by reference:

 

SEC Filings

  

Date Filed

Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018

   February 27, 2019

Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarters ended March 31, 2019 and June 30, 2019

   May 6, 2019 and August 8, 2019

Current Reports on Form 8-K

   May 9, 2018, May 11, 2018, February 27, 2019, March 1, 2019, March 13, 2019, April 5, 2019, May 14, 2019, May 30, 2019, June 14, 2019, June 21, 2019, July 1, 2019, July 9, 2019, July 18, 2019, August 1, 2019, August 5, 2019, August 6, 2019 and August 8, 2019
Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A    April 30, 2019

Any statement contained in any document incorporated by reference into this Offer to Purchase shall be deemed to be modified or superseded to the extent that an inconsistent statement is made in this Offer to Purchase or any subsequently filed document. Any statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this Offer to Purchase.

You can obtain any of the documents incorporated by reference in this document from us or from the SEC’s website at the address described above. Documents incorporated by reference are available from us without charge, excluding any exhibits to those documents, at our principal executive office located at Griffin House, 161 Hammersmith Road, London W6 8BS, United Kingdom. Please be sure to include your complete name and address in your request. If you request any incorporated documents, we will promptly mail them to you by

 

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first class mail, or another equally prompt means. You may also find additional information by visiting our website at https://www.libertyglobal.com. Information on our website does not form part of the Offers and is not incorporated by reference in this Offer to Purchase.

 

11.

Interests of Directors and Executive Officers; Transactions and Arrangements Concerning the Shares

A list of our directors and executive officers as of August 1, 2019, is attached to this Offer to Purchase as Schedule I.

Beneficial Ownership

As of August 1, 2019, we had 205,370,209 issued and outstanding Class A Shares, 12,157,826 issued and outstanding Class B Shares, and 513,200,439 issued and outstanding Class C Shares. At the maximum Final Class A Purchase Price of $29.00 per Class A Share, 21,551,724 Class A Shares could be purchased in the Class A Offer if it is fully subscribed, which would represent approximately 10.5% of the issued and outstanding Class A Shares as of August 1, 2019. At the minimum Final Class A Purchase Price of $25.25 per Class A Share, 24,752,475 Class A Shares could be purchased in the Class A Offer if it is fully subscribed, which would represent approximately 12.1% of the issued and outstanding Class A Shares as of August 1, 2019.

At the maximum Final Class C Purchase Price of $28.50 per Class C Share, 65,789,473 Class C Shares could be purchased in the Class C Offer if it is fully subscribed, which would represent approximately 12.8% of the issued and outstanding Class C Shares as of August 1, 2019. At the minimum Final Class C Purchase Price of $24.75 per Class C Share, 75,757,575 Class C Shares could be purchased in the Class C Offer if it is fully subscribed, which would represent approximately 14.8% of the issued and outstanding Class C Shares as of August 1, 2019.

As of August 1, 2019, our directors and executive officers as a group (15 persons) beneficially owned, as defined in accordance with the rules of the SEC, an aggregate of (i) 9,282,640 Class A Shares, (ii) 10,899,097 Class B Shares and (iii) 28,901,407 Class C Shares, in each case, outstanding on that date (in each case, including shares that such persons had the right to purchase within sixty (60) days of August 1, 2019, pursuant to outstanding options, SARs and RSUs) representing approximately 35.8% of our aggregate voting power (including the shares and RSUs referred to in the preceding parenthetical) as of August 1, 2019. Assuming we, through the Counterparty Banks, purchase a maximum of 24,752,475 Class A Shares at the minimum Final Class A Purchase Price of $25.25 per Class A Share pursuant to the Class A Offer and a maximum of 75,757,575 Class C Shares at the minimum Final Class C Purchase Price of $24.75 pursuant to the Class C Offer, and that our directors and executive officers do not tender any Shares pursuant to either Offer, then, after the Offers, our directors and executive officers as a group will beneficially own (i) less than 5.1% of the total issued and outstanding Class A Shares and (ii) less than 6.5% of the total issued and outstanding Class C Shares.

Our directors and executive officers are entitled to participate in the Offers on the same basis as all other shareholders. However, our directors and executive officers have informed us that they will not tender any of their Shares in the Offers.

The following table sets forth information with respect to the beneficial ownership by each of our directors and each of our executive officers as described below, and by all of our directors and executive officers as a group, of each class of our outstanding shares. The address of each of our directors and executive officers is care of Liberty Global plc, Griffin House, 161 Hammersmith Road, London W6 8BS, United Kingdom (telephone number: +44 (208) 483-6449 or (303) 220-6600).

The security ownership information is given as of August 1, 2019 and, in the case of percentage ownership information, is based upon (1) 205,370,209 Class A Shares, (2) 12,157,826 Class B Shares and (3) 513,200,439 Class C Shares, in each case, outstanding on that date. Although beneficial ownership of our Class C Shares is set

 

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forth below, our Class C Shares are non-voting and, therefore, in the case of voting power, are not included. The percentage of voting power is presented on an aggregate basis for each person or group listed below.

Ordinary shares issuable on or within sixty (60) days after August 1, 2019, upon exercise of options or SARs, vesting of RSUs, conversion of convertible securities or exchange of exchangeable securities, are deemed to be outstanding and to be beneficially owned by the person holding the options, SARs, RSUs or convertible or exchangeable securities for the purpose of computing the percentage ownership of that person, but are not treated as outstanding for the purpose of computing the percentage ownership of any other person. For purposes of the following presentation, beneficial ownership of our Class B Shares, although convertible on a one-for-one basis into our Class A Shares, is reported as beneficial ownership of our Class B Shares only, and not as beneficial ownership of our Class A Shares.

So far as is known to us, the persons indicated below have sole voting power and sole dispositive power with respect to the ordinary shares indicated as owned by them, except as otherwise stated in the notes to the table. With respect to certain of our executive officers and directors, the number of shares indicated as owned by them includes shares held by the 401(k) Plan as of June 30, 2019, for their respective accounts.

 

Name and Address of
Beneficial Owner
   Title of Class      Amount and Nature of
Beneficial Ownership
   Percent
of Class
    Voting
Power
 

John C. Malone

     Liberty Global Class A        4,667,867     (1)(2)(3)(4)      2.3     28.3

Chairman of the Board

     Liberty Global Class B        8,787,373     (5)(6)      72.3  
     Liberty Global Class C        17,486,844     (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)      3.4  

Andrew J. Cole

     Liberty Global Class A        48,527     (4)(7)      *       *  

Director

     Liberty Global Class B        —            —      
     Liberty Global Class C        112,962     (4)      *    

Miranda Curtis

     Liberty Global Class A        163,364     (4)      *       *  

Director

     Liberty Global Class B        —            —      
     Liberty Global Class C        460,369     (4)      *    

John W. Dick

     Liberty Global Class A        76,702     (4)      *       *  

Director

     Liberty Global Class B        —            —      
     Liberty Global Class C        196,461     (4)      *    

Michael T. Fries

     Liberty Global Class A        2,544,469     (4)(8)(9)      1.2     7.0

Chief Executive Officer,

     Liberty Global Class B        2,060,295     (6)(10)      17.0  

President and Vice Chairman

     Liberty Global Class C        5,860,368     (4)(8)(9)      1.1  

Paul A. Gould

     Liberty Global Class A        253,366     (4)      *       *  

Director

     Liberty Global Class B        51,429          *    
     Liberty Global Class C        1,054,629     (4)      *    

Richard R. Green

     Liberty Global Class A        40,275     (4)      *       *  

Director

     Liberty Global Class B        —            —      
     Liberty Global Class C        93,767     (4)      *    

David E. Rapley

     Liberty Global Class A        30,279     (4)      *       *  

Director

     Liberty Global Class B        —            —      
     Liberty Global Class C        71,337     (4)      *    

Larry E. Romrell

     Liberty Global Class A        55,573     (4)      *       *  

Director

     Liberty Global Class B        —            —      
     Liberty Global Class C        122,232     (4)      *    

JC Sparkman

     Liberty Global Class A        37,188     (4)      *       *  

Director

     Liberty Global Class B        —            —      
     Liberty Global Class C        85,224     (4)      *    

 

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Name and Address of
Beneficial Owner
   Title of Class      Amount and Nature of
Beneficial Ownership
   Percent
of Class
    Voting
Power
 

David Wargo

     Liberty Global Class A        89,428     (4)(11)      *       *  

Director

     Liberty Global Class B        —            —      
     Liberty Global Class C        244,861     (4)(11)      *    

Charles H.R. Bracken

     Liberty Global Class A        565,570     (4)      *       *  

Executive Vice President &

     Liberty Global Class B        —            —      

Chief Financial Officer

     Liberty Global Class C        1,342,294     (4)      *    

Bryan H. Hall

     Liberty Global Class A        463,922     (4)(12)      *       *  

Executive Vice President &

     Liberty Global Class B        —            —      

General Counsel & Secretary

     Liberty Global Class C        1,171,532     (4)(8)(12)      *    

Enrique Rodriguez

     Liberty Global Class A        33,706     (4)      *       *  

Executive Vice President &

     Liberty Global Class B        —            —      

Chief Technology Officer

     Liberty Global Class C        68,910     (4)(8)      *    

Andrea Salvato

     Liberty Global Class A        212,404     (4)      *       *  

Senior Vice President &

     Liberty Global Class B        —            —      

Chief Development Officer

     Liberty Global Class C        529,617     (4)      *    

All directors and executive officers as a group (15 persons)

     Liberty Global Class A        9,282,640     (13)(14)      4.5     35.8
     Liberty Global Class B        10,899,097     (13)      89.7  
     Liberty Global Class C        28,901,407     (13)(14)      5.5  

 

*

Less than one percent.

(1)

Includes 124,808 Class A Shares and 756,405 Class C Shares held by Mr. Malone’s spouse, as to which shares Mr. Malone has disclaimed beneficial ownership.

(2)

Includes 2,140,050 Class A Shares and 4,736,253 Class C Shares held by Columbus Holding LLC, in which Mr. Malone has a controlling interest.

(3)

Includes 1,345,685 Class A Shares and 3,765,681 Class C Shares pledged to Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (“ Merrill Lynch ”) in connection with loan facilities extended by Merrill Lynch and 952,177 Class A Shares and 1,210,195 Class C Shares pledged to Fidelity Brokerage Services, LLC (“ Fidelity ”) in connection with a margin facility extended by Fidelity.

(4)

Includes shares that are subject to options or SARs, which were exercisable as of, or will be exercisable within sixty (60) days of, August 1, 2019, as follows:

 

Owner    Class A
Shares
     Class C
Shares
 

John C. Malone

     105,147        261,085  

Andrew J. Cole

     27,907        61,033  

Miranda Curtis

     33,893        79,132  

John W. Dick

     33,893        79,132  

Michael T. Fries

     1,765,662        4,532,527  

Paul A. Gould

     32,417        74,726  

Richard R. Green

     33,893        79,132  

David E. Rapley

     26,915        71,337  

Larry E. Romrell

     31,085        70,716  

JC Sparkman

     24,488        58,923  

J. David Wargo

     32,417        74,726  

Charles H.R. Bracken

     544,755        1,295,136  

Bryan H. Hall

     393,359        1,000,250  

Enrique Rodriguez

     17,944        35,888  

Andrea Salvato

     177,909        433,890  

 

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(5)

Includes 110,148 Class B Shares held by two trusts managed by an independent trustee, of which the beneficiaries are Mr. Malone’s adult children. Mr. Malone has no pecuniary interest in the trusts, but he retains the right to substitute the assets held by the trusts. Mr. Malone has disclaimed beneficial ownership of the shares held in the trusts. Also, includes 8,677,225 Class B Shares and 6,757,225 Class C Shares held by a trust with respect to which Mr. Malone is the sole trustee and, with his spouse, retains a unitrust interest in the trust (the “ Malone Trust ”).

(6)

Based on the Schedule 13D/A (Amendment No. 7) of Mr. Malone filed with the SEC on February 18, 2014, pursuant to a letter agreement dated as of February 13, 2014, among Michael T. Fries, our CEO and one of our directors, Mr. Malone and the Malone Trust have agreed that, for so long as Mr. Fries is employed as a principal executive officer by us or serving on our board of directors, (a) in the event the Malone Trust or any permitted transferee (as defined in the letter agreement) is not voting the Class B Shares owned by the Malone Trust, Mr. Fries will have the right to vote such Class B Shares and (b) in the event the Malone Trust or any permitted transferee determines to sell such Class B Shares, Mr. Fries (individually or through an entity he controls) will have an exclusive right to negotiate to purchase such shares, and if the parties fail to come to an agreement and the Malone Trust or any permitted transferee subsequently intends to enter into a sale transaction with a third party, Mr. Fries (or an entity controlled by him) will have a right to match the offer made by such third party.

(7)

Includes 32 Class A Shares held by Mr. Cole’s minor daughter.

(8)

Includes shares held in the 401(k) Plan as follows:

 

Owner    Class A
Shares
     Class C
Shares
 

Michael T. Fries

     1,977        13,061  

Bryan H. Hall

     —          4,144  

Enrique Rodriguez

     —          1,480  

 

(9)

Includes 46,200 Class A Shares and 283,360 Class C Shares held by a trust managed by an independent trustee, of which the beneficiaries are Mr. Fries’ adult children. Mr. Fries has no pecuniary interest in the trust, but he retains the right to substitute the assets held by the trust. Mr. Fries has disclaimed beneficial ownership of the shares held by the trust. Also includes 246,327 Class A Shares and 805,340 Class C Shares pledged to Morgan Stanley Inc. (“ Morgan Stanley ”) together with other assets as part of a general pledge in connection with a loan facility extended by Morgan Stanley and 315,242 Class A Shares pledged to Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (“ Goldman ”) together with other assets as part of a general pledge in connection with loan facilities extended by Goldman.

(10)

Includes 670,000 restricted Class B Shares, none of which will vest within sixty (60) days of August 1, 2019.

(11)

Includes 158 Class A Shares and 524 Class C Shares held in various accounts managed by Mr. Wargo, as to which shares Mr. Wargo has disclaimed beneficial ownership. Also includes 32 Class C Shares held by Mr. Wargo’s spouse, as to which Mr. Wargo has disclaimed beneficial ownership. Further includes 46,170 Class A Shares and 137,855 Class C Shares pledged to Fidelity in connection with loan facilities extended by Fidelity.

(12)

Includes 51,063 Class A Shares and 111,353 Class C Shares pledged to Morgan Stanley in connection with loan facilities extended by Morgan Stanley.

(13)

Includes 171,166 Class A Shares, 110,148 Class B Shares and 1,040,321 Class C Shares held by relatives of certain directors and executive officers or held pursuant to certain trust arrangements or in managed accounts, as to which shares beneficial ownership has been disclaimed.

(14)

Includes 3,103,775 Class A Shares and 7,765,698 Class C Shares that are subject to options or SARs, which were exercisable as of, or will be exercisable or vest within sixty (60) days of, August 1, 2019; 1,977 Class A Shares and 18,685 Class C Shares held by the 401(k) Plan; and 3,081,472 Class A Shares and 6,786,829 Class C Shares pledged in support of various loan facilities, lines of credit or margin accounts.

 

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The following table sets forth information, to the extent known by us or ascertainable from public filings, concerning our ordinary shares beneficially owned by each person or entity known by us to own more than 5% of any class of our outstanding voting shares.

Except as otherwise indicated in the notes to the table, the security ownership information is given as of August 1, 2019 and, in the case of percentage ownership information, is based upon (1) 205,370,209 Class A Shares, (2) 12,157,826 Class B Shares, and (3) 513,200,439 Class C Shares, in each case, outstanding on that date. Beneficial ownership of our Class C Shares is set forth below only to the extent known by us or ascertainable from public filings. Our Class C Shares are, however, non-voting and, therefore, in the case of voting power, are not included.

Ordinary shares issuable on or within sixty (60) days after August 1, 2019, upon exercise of options or SARs, vesting of RSUs, conversion of convertible securities or exchange of exchangeable securities, are deemed to be outstanding and to be beneficially owned by the person holding the options, SARs, RSUs or convertible or exchangeable securities for the purpose of computing the percentage ownership of that person, but are not treated as outstanding for the purpose of computing the percentage ownership of any other person. Also, for purposes of the following presentation, beneficial ownership of our Class B Shares, although convertible on a one-for-one basis into our Class A Shares, is reported as beneficial ownership of our Class B Shares only, and not as beneficial ownership of our Class A Shares. The percentage of voting power is presented on an aggregate basis for each person or entity named below.

So far as is known to us, the persons indicated below have sole voting power and sole dispositive power with respect to the ordinary shares indicated as beneficially owned by them, except as otherwise stated in the notes to the table.

 

Name and Address of
Beneficial Owner
   Title of Class      Amount and Nature of
Beneficial Ownership
   Percent
of Class
    Voting
Power
 

John C. Malone

     Liberty Global Class A        4,667,867     (1)(2)(3)      2.3     28.3

c/o Liberty Global plc

     Liberty Global Class B        8,787,373     (4)(5)      72.3  

161 Hammersmith Road

     Liberty Global Class C        17,486,844     (1)(2)(3)(4)      3.4  

London W6 8BS U.K.

            

Michael T. Fries

     Liberty Global Class A        2,544,469     (6)(7)(8)      1.2     7.0

c/o Liberty Global plc

     Liberty Global Class B        2,060,295     (5)(6)      17.0  

161 Hammersmith Road

     Liberty Global Class C        5,860,368     (6)(7)(8)      1.1  

London W6 8BS U.K.

            

Robert R. Bennett

     Liberty Global Class A        208     (9)      *       3.0

c/o Liberty Media Corporation

     Liberty Global Class B        993,552     (9)      8.2  

12300 Liberty Boulevard

            

Englewood, CO 80112

            

Berkshire Hathaway Inc.

     Liberty Global Class A        19,791,000     (10)      9.6     6.1

3555 Farnam Street

     Liberty Global Class B        —            —      

Omaha, NE 68131

            

BlackRock, Inc.

     Liberty Global Class A        11,815,739     (11)      5.8     3.6

50 East 52nd Street

     Liberty Global Class B        —            —      

New York, NY 10055

            

Dodge & Cox

     Liberty Global Class A        18,957,003     (12)      9.2     5.8

555 California Street

     Liberty Global Class B        —            —      

40th Floor

San Francisco, CA 94104

            

 

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Name and Address of
Beneficial Owner
   Title of Class      Amount and Nature of
Beneficial Ownership
   Percent
of Class
    Voting
Power
 

William H Gates III

     Liberty Global Class A        10,855,524     (13)      5.3     3.3

Cascade Investments LLC

     Liberty Global Class B        —            —      

2365 Carillon Point

            

Kirkland, WA 98033

            

Harris Associates L.P.

     Liberty Global Class A        25,294,509     (14)      12.3     7.7

111 S. Wacker Drive,

     Liberty Global Class B        —            —      

Suite 4600

            

Chicago, IL 60606

            

 

*

Less than one percent.

(1)

Includes 124,808 Class A Shares and 756,405 Class C Shares held by Mr. Malone’s spouse, as to which shares Mr. Malone has disclaimed beneficial ownership.

(2)

Includes 105,147 Class A Shares and 261,085 Class C Shares, that are subject to options, which were exercisable as of, or will be exercisable within sixty (60) days of, August 1, 2019.

(3)

Includes 2,140,050 Class A Shares and 4,736,253 Class C Shares held by Columbus Holding LLC, in which Mr. Malone has a controlling interest.

(4)

Includes 110,148 Class B Shares held by two trusts managed by an independent trustee, of which the beneficiaries are Mr. Malone’s adult children. Mr. Malone has no pecuniary interest in the trusts, but he retains the right to substitute the assets held by the trusts. Mr. Malone has disclaimed beneficial ownership of the shares held by the trusts. Also, includes 8,677,225 Class B Shares and 6,757,225 Class C Shares held by the Malone Trust.

(5)

Based on the Schedule 13D/A (Amendment No. 7) of Mr. Malone filed with the SEC on February 18, 2014, pursuant to a letter agreement dated as of February 13, 2014, among Michael T. Fries, our CEO and one of our directors, Mr. Malone and the Malone Trust have agreed that, for so long as Mr. Fries is employed as a principal executive officer by us or serving on our board of directors, (a) in the event the Malone Trust or any permitted transferee (as defined in the letter agreement) is not voting the Class B Shares owned by the Malone Trust, Mr. Fries will have the right to vote such Class B Shares and (b) in the event the Malone Trust or any permitted transferee determines to sell such Class B Shares, Mr. Fries (individually or through an entity he controls) will have an exclusive right to negotiate to purchase such shares, and if the parties fail to come to an agreement and the Malone Trust or any permitted transferee subsequently intends to enter into a sale transaction with a third party, Mr. Fries (or an entity controlled by him) will have a right to match the offer made by such third party.

(6)

Includes 1,765,662 Class A Shares and 4,532,527 Class C Shares that are subject to SARs, which were exercisable as of, or will be exercisable within sixty (60) days of, August 1, 2019. Also includes 670,000 restricted Class B Shares, none of which will vest within sixty (60) days of August 1, 2019.

(7)

Includes 1,977 Class A Shares and 13,061 Class C Shares held in the 401(k) Plan for the benefit of Mr. Fries.

(8)

Includes 46,200 Class A Shares and 283,360 Class C Shares held by a trust managed by an independent trustee, of which the beneficiaries are Mr. Fries’ adult children. Mr. Fries has no pecuniary interest in the trust, but he retains the right to substitute the assets held by the trust. Mr. Fries has disclaimed beneficial ownership of the shares held by the trust.

(9)

The number of Class A Shares and Class B Shares is based upon a Form 8.3 dated November 4, 2015, submitted by Mr. Bennett pursuant to the U.K. Takeover Code. Of the shares reported, a Schedule 13D/A filed by Mr. Bennett on March 6, 2014, shows Mr. Bennett and his spouse jointly owning 749,539 Class B shares and Hilltop Investments, LLC, which is jointly owned by Mr. Bennett and his spouse, owning 232,334 Class B Shares.

(10)

The number of Class A Shares is based upon the Schedule 13G/A (Amendment No. 1) for the year ended December 31, 2018, filed with the SEC on February 14, 2019, by Warren E. Buffett on behalf of himself and Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (“ Berkshire ”), as well as on behalf of the following for the respected number

 

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  of Class A Shares indicated: National Indemnity Company (11,412,000), GEICO Corporation (11,190,970), Government Employees Insurance Company (8,075,130), GEICO Indemnity Company (1,752,278), The Buffalo News Drivers/Distributors Pension Plan (27,000), BNSF Master Retirement Trust (2,624,000), Lubrizol Master Trust Pension (340,000), The Buffalo News Mechanical Pension Plan (30,000), GEICO Advantage Insurance Company (1,363,562), Berkshire Hathaway Consolidated Pension Plan Master Retirement Trust (2,375,000), GEICO Corporation Pension Plan Trust (950,000), Scott Fetzer Collective Investment Trust (400,000), Acme Brick Company Pension Trust (395,000), The Buffalo News Editorial Pension Plan (265,000), The Buffalo News Office Pension Plan (159,000) and Precision Castparts Corp. Master Trust (814,000). Mr. Buffett (who may be deemed to control Berkshire), Berkshire and GEICO Corporation are each a parent holding company. National Indemnity Company, Government Employees Insurance Company, GEICO Indemnity Company and GEICO Advantage Insurance Company are each an insurance company and the remaining reporting persons are each an employee benefit plan. Mr. Buffett, Berkshire and the other reporting persons share voting and dispositive power over the shares listed in the table.
(11)

The number of Class A Shares is based upon the Schedule 13G for the year ended December 31, 2018, filed with the SEC on February 8, 2019, by BlackRock Inc. BlackRock Inc. is a parent holding company of various investment companies. The Schedule 13G reflects that BlackRock Inc. has sole voting power over 11,068,265 of the Class A Shares and sole dispositive power over all of the Class A Shares.

(12)

The number of Class A Shares is based upon the Schedule 13G/A (Amendment No. 2) for the year ended December 31, 2018, filed with the SEC on February 14, 2019, by Dodge & Cox. Dodge & Cox is an investment advisor to various investment companies and managed accounts. Dodge & Cox International Stock Fund, an investment company, has an interest in 18,753,503 of the Class A Shares reported in the table.

(13)

The number of Class A Shares is based on a Schedule 13G filed with the SEC on May 18, 2018, by William H. Gates III, Cascade Investment, L.L.C. (“ Cascade ”), the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Trust (the “ Gates Trust ”) and Melinda French Gates. All Class A Shares held by Cascade may be deemed to be beneficially owned by Mr. Gates as the sole member of Cascade. All of the Class A Shares beneficially owned by the Gates Trust may be deemed to be beneficially owned by Mr. and Mrs. Gates as co-trustees of the Gates Trust. The Schedule 13G reflects that Mr. Gates has sole voting and dispositive power over 8,736,009 Class A Shares and shared voting and dispositive power over 2,119,515 Class A Shares; Cascade has sole voting and dispositive power over 8,736,009 Class A Shares; and the Gates Trust and Mrs. Gates each have shared voting and dispositive power over 2,119,515 Class A Shares. Mr. Gates’ address is One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052.

(14)

The number of Class A Shares is based upon the Schedule 13G/A (Amendment No. 2) for the year ended December 31, 2018, filed with the SEC on February 14, 2019, by Harris Associates Inc. (“ HAI ”) on behalf of itself and as general partner of Harris Associates L.P. (“ Harris L.P. ”). HAI is an investment advisor to various clients. The Schedule 13G/A reflects that HAI and Harris L.P. each have sole voting power over 20,643,508 of the Class A Shares and sole dispositive power over all of the Class A Shares.

 

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Securities Transactions

Based on our records and on information provided to us by our directors, executive officers, affiliates and subsidiaries, neither we nor any of our directors, our executive officers, our affiliates or our subsidiaries, nor, to the best of our knowledge, any person controlling the Company or any executive officer or director of any such controlling entity or of our subsidiaries, has effected any transactions involving the Shares during the sixty (60) days prior to the date hereof, except for the following transactions:

 

Name of
Reporting Person

  Date of
Transaction
 

Nature of

Transaction

 

Title of Class

  Number
of Shares
     Disposition
or Grant
Price as
Applicable
 

Andrew J. Cole

  June 30, 2019   Payment of Director Fees in shares  

Liberty Global Class A

Liberty Global Class C

   

391

780

 

 

    

A

A

 

 

   $

$

26.99

26.53

 

 

John W. Dick

  June 3, 2019   Exercised option shares  

Liberty Global Class A

Liberty Global Class C

Liberty Global Class C

   

10,501

20,908

10,454

 

 

 

    

A

A

A

 

 

 

   $

$

$

5.93

5.85

5.86

 

 

 

John W. Dick

  June 3, 2019   Sold option shares to cover option prices and taxes  

Liberty Global Class A

Liberty Global Class C

   

3,800

11,375

 

 

    

D

D

 

 

   $

$

24.80

24.32

 

 

John W. Dick

  June 30, 2019   Payment of Director Fees in shares  

Liberty Global Class A

Liberty Global Class C

   

349

697

 

 

    

A

A

 

 

   $

$

26.99

26.53

 

 

Paul A. Gould

  June 30, 2019   Payment of Director Fees in shares  

Liberty Global Class A

Liberty Global Class C

   

72

142

 

 

    

A

A

 

 

   $

$

26.99

26.53

 

 

JC Sparkman

  June 6, 2019   Exercised option shares  

Liberty Global Class A

Liberty Global Class C

Liberty Global Class C

   

5,250

10,454

5,227

 

 

 

    

A

A

A

 

 

 

   $

$

$

5.93

5.85

5.86

 

 

 

JC Sparkman

  June 6, 2019   Sold option shares  

Liberty Global Class A

Liberty Global Class C

   

5,250

15,681

 

 

    

D

D

 

 

   $

$

25.62

25.13

 

 

J. David Wargo

  June 30, 2019   Payment of Director Fees in shares  

Liberty Global Class A

Liberty Global Class C

   

58

117

 

 

    

A

A

 

 

   $

$

26.99

26.53

 

 

Enrique Rodriguez

  July 23, 2019   RSUs vested  

Liberty Global Class A

Liberty Global Class C

   

29,436

58,872

 

 

    

A

A

 

 

    

N/A

N/A

 

 

Enrique Rodriguez

  July 23, 2019   Shares transferred to the Company for taxes upon vesting of RSUs  

Liberty Global Class A

Liberty Global Class C

   

16,439

32,860

 

 

    

D

D

 

 

   $

$

27.77

27.13

 

 

Arrangements Concerning the Shares

Master Put/Call Agreements. On August 9, 2019, the Company entered into a Master Put/Call Agreement with each of the Counterparty Banks. The form of the Master Put/Call Agreement and the names of the Counterparty Banks were previously approved by our shareholders at the Company’s annual general meeting of shareholders held on June 11, 2019. Each Master Put/Call Agreement grants to the applicable Counterparty Bank the option to require the Company to purchase, and grants to us the option to require the applicable Counterparty Bank to sell, Shares of Liberty Global owned by it in consideration of cash payment by Liberty Global. Each Master Put/Call Agreement permits multiple exercises of the options granted pursuant to it.

Option Framework Agreements . On August 9, 2019, the Company entered into an Option Framework Agreement with each of the Counterparty Banks, pursuant to which each Counterparty Bank will purchase the

 

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Shares as principals (not as agents, nominees or trustees) in connection with the Offers. The Option Framework Agreements govern the specific terms of the purchase by the Counterparty Banks of the Shares in the Offers pursuant to the Master Put/Call Agreements. The Shares to be purchased by the Counterparty Banks will be allocated equally between the Counterparty Banks in accordance with the Option Framework Agreements. In accordance with the terms of the applicable Option Framework Agreement, and conditional on the Offers not being terminated in accordance with their terms, on the Expiration Date, each Counterparty Bank is required to purchase its respective allocation of the Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn prior to the Expiration Date, and to notify the Company of the number of Shares purchased by it in the Offers, following which, each Counterparty Bank and the Company each become entitled to exercise their respective rights to sell or purchase, as the case may be, such Shares under the relevant Counterparty Bank Agreements. In turn, each Counterparty Bank shall sell, and Liberty Global shall purchase from the applicable Counterparty Bank, such Shares at a price equal to the price paid by such Counterparty Bank in the relevant Offer (along with certain other costs). The obligation of each Counterparty Bank to purchase their respective allocation of Shares under the Counterparty Bank Agreements is subject to the condition that each Counterparty Bank, acting reasonably, has not, prior to the Expiration Date, provided us with written notice that we have failed to comply with certain of our obligations, or are in breach of certain of our representations and warranties, under the applicable Option Framework Agreement on or prior to the Expiration Date, and which failure to comply or breach has not been cured prior to the Expiration Date.

The Counterparty Banks are acting as principals in connection with the Offers and independently from each other, and their respective obligations under the applicable Counterparty Bank Agreement are several and not joint. In no circumstances will we purchase Shares in connection with the Offers other than from the Counterparty Banks pursuant to the Counterparty Bank Agreements.

Employee Equity Compensation . We are authorized to grant options, SARs, restricted shares, RSUs, cash awards and/or performance awards, or any combination of the foregoing, under the 2014 Incentive Plan. Unless a different committee is appointed by our Board of Directors, the Compensation Committee of our Board of Directors determines the recipients of the equity awards, the type of awards, the required performance measures, and the timing and duration of each grant. The maximum number of shares reserved for issuance under the 2014 Incentive Plan is 155,000,000, provided, however, that the maximum number of Class B Shares reserved for issuance under the 2014 Incentive Plan is 50,250,000 Class B Shares. As of August 1, 2019, there were 66,631,989 shares remaining available for issuance under the 2014 Incentive Plan.

Director Equity Compensation . We are authorized to grant options, SARs, restricted shares, RSUs and cash awards, or any combination of the foregoing, under the 2014 Director Incentive Plan. As of the date of each annual general meeting of shareholders, each continuing non-executive director receives an equity award under the 2014 Director Incentive Plan. Our Chairman of the Board, however, receives his annual equity award at the same time as such awards are granted to our executive officers. The equity grants to directors are based solely on Class A Shares and Class C Shares, with our Chairman of the Board receiving his equity award based solely on Class C Shares. In addition, a non-executive director receives a grant of options for each of Class A Shares and Class C Shares with a combined grant date fair value equal to $187,500 upon the date that he or she is first elected or appointed to our Board of Directors. The maximum number of shares reserved for issuance under the 2014 Director Incentive Plan is 10,500,000. As of August 1, 2019, there were 8,662,113 shares remaining available for issuance under the 2014 Director Incentive Plan.

Share Repurchase Authorization . At our annual general meeting of shareholders held on June 11, 2019, in the 2019 Shareholder Authorization, our shareholders approved the form agreements and counterparties pursuant to which Liberty Global may conduct the purchase of its ordinary shares in the capital of Liberty Global and authorized all or any of Liberty Global’s directors and senior officers to enter into, complete and make purchases of ordinary shares in the capital of Liberty Global pursuant to the form of agreements, which was the form of the Master Put/Call Agreement, and with any of the approved counterparties, which include the Counterparty Banks.

 

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We believe that the repurchase of Shares pursuant to the Offers is consistent with our long-term value creation strategy. Liberty Global is focused on delivering long-term value creation for shareholders through organic growth, disciplined and opportunistic mergers, acquisitions and dispositions in combination with a levered-equity capital structure. A core part of this levered-equity approach is returning capital to shareholders through share repurchases. We have undertaken various forms of share repurchases since our predecessor Liberty Global, Inc. was established in 2005, and we anticipate that share repurchases will remain a core pillar of our long-term value creation strategy.

Our share repurchases generally may be effected through “off-market” share repurchases, including (i) pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 and Rule 10b-18 plans; (ii) accelerated share repurchase programs; (iii) block trades with specified shareholders; and (iv) public self-tender offers, including fixed price and Dutch auction tender offers, in each case, with the assistance of investment banks as counterparties.

On July 22, 2019, our Board of Directors authorized a public self-tender offer of up to $3 billion in value, which includes the Shares to be purchased pursuant to the Offers and delegated the authority to our Executive Committee to determine the final terms of the Offers. Following the completion or termination of the Offers, we may, from time to time, continue to repurchase Shares in accordance with applicable law. The amount of Shares we (or we, through a Counterparty Bank) buy and timing of any such repurchases depends on a number of factors, including our share price, the availability of cash and/or financing on acceptable terms, the timing of blackout periods in which we are restricted from repurchasing Shares as well as any decision to use cash for other strategic objectives.

Rule 13e-4 under the Exchange Act generally prohibits us and our affiliates from purchasing any Shares (including pursuant to share repurchase plans under Rule 10b5-1 and Rule 10b-18 of the Exchange Act), other than in the Offers, until at least ten (10) business days after the Expiration Date, except pursuant to certain limited exceptions provided in Exchange Act Rule 14e-5. Following that time, we expressly reserve the absolute right, from time to time in the future, subject to the 2019 Shareholder Authorization and applicable law, to purchase Shares, whether or not any Shares are purchased pursuant to the Offers, through open market purchases, privately-negotiated transactions, accelerated stock repurchases, tender offers, exchange offers or otherwise, upon the same terms or on terms that are more or less favorable to the selling stockholders in those transactions than the terms of the Offers. We cannot assure you as to which, if any, of these alternatives, or combinations thereof, we might pursue.

The foregoing descriptions of agreements and arrangements involving the Shares are qualified in their entirety by reference to the text of the respective agreements and arrangements, copies of which have been filed with the SEC.

Except as otherwise described herein, neither we nor, to the best of our knowledge, any of our affiliates, directors or executive officers, is a party to any contract, agreement, arrangement, understanding or relationship with any other person with respect to any of our securities.

 

12.

Certain Legal Matters; Regulatory Approvals

We are not aware of any license or regulatory permit that is reasonably likely to be material to our business that might be adversely affected by our acquisition of Shares as contemplated in the Offers or of any approval or other action by any government or governmental, administrative or regulatory authority or agency, domestic, foreign or supranational, that would be required for our acquisition or ownership of Shares as contemplated by the Offers. Should any approval or other action be required, we presently contemplate that we will seek that approval or other action, but we have no current intention to delay the purchase of Shares tendered pursuant to the Offers pending the outcome of any such matter, subject to our right to decline to purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, Shares if any of the conditions in Section 7 have occurred or are deemed by us to have occurred or have not been waived. We cannot predict whether we would be required to delay the acceptance for

 

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payment of or payment for Shares tendered pursuant to the Offers pending the outcome of any such matter. We cannot assure you that any approval or other action, if needed, would be obtained or would be obtained without substantial cost or conditions or that the failure to obtain the approval or other action might not result in adverse consequences to our business and financial condition. If certain types of adverse actions are taken with respect to the matters discussed above, or certain approvals, consents, licenses or permits identified above are not obtained, we can decline to accept for payment or pay for any Shares tendered. See Section 7.

 

13.

Certain Tax Considerations

The following summary contains a description of certain U.S. federal income tax considerations and U.K. stamp duty and SDRT considerations regarding the exchange of Shares for cash pursuant to the Offers. It is not a comprehensive discussion of all the tax considerations that may be relevant to a decision to exchange the Shares, it is not applicable to all categories of investors, some of which may be subject to special rules, and it does not specifically address all of the U.S. federal income tax considerations or U.K. stamp duty and SDRT considerations applicable to any particular holder. It is based upon the tax laws of the United States and the United Kingdom in effect as of the date of this Offer to Purchase, which are subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect, and to differing interpretations.

Holders of Shares are advised to consult their tax advisors about the particular U.S. federal, state, local, foreign and other tax consequences to them of participating in the Offers.

Certain U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations For U.S. Holders

The following discussion is a summary of certain U.S. federal income tax considerations of participating in the Offers. This discussion applies only to beneficial owners of Shares that are “U.S. Holders,” as defined below, that hold Shares as “capital assets” for U.S. federal income tax purposes (generally, property held for investment). This discussion is based upon the provisions of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “ Code ”), Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder, administrative rulings and judicial decisions, all as of the date hereof. We have not sought any ruling from the Internal Revenue Service (the “ IRS ”) with respect to the statements made and the conclusions reached in the following summary, and there can be no assurance that the IRS will agree with such statements and conclusions.

This discussion also does not address the tax considerations arising under the laws of any U.S. state or local or any non-U.S. jurisdiction, the Medicare tax on net investment income or any alternative minimum tax consequences. In addition, this discussion does not address tax considerations applicable to an investor’s particular circumstances or to investors that may be subject to special tax rules, including, without limitation:

 

   

insurance companies;

 

   

tax-exempt organizations;

 

   

dealers in securities or currencies;

 

   

traders in securities that make mark-to-market elections with respect to Shares;

 

   

banks or other financial institutions;

 

   

real estate investment trusts;

 

   

regulated investment companies;

 

   

grantor trusts;

 

   

persons whose functional currency for U.S. federal income tax purposes is not the U.S. dollar;

 

   

U.S. expatriates;

 

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persons that hold Shares as part of a hedge, straddle, conversion, constructive sale or other integrated transaction;

 

   

persons that own or have owned, directly, indirectly, or constructively, 10% or more of the total combined voting power or value of our Shares; or

 

   

persons who acquired Shares pursuant to the exercise of any employee share option or otherwise as compensation.

Except where specifically described below, this discussion assumes that we are not a passive foreign investment company (a “ PFIC ”) for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Please see the discussion under the heading “Passive Foreign Investment Company Rules” below.

In addition, this discussion does not address the tax treatment of partnerships or other entities or arrangements that are pass-through entities for U.S. federal income tax purposes or persons that hold Shares through partnerships or other pass-through entities or arrangements. Accordingly, partnerships or other passthrough entities or arrangements that hold Shares and partners in such partnerships or pass-through entities or arrangements should consult their tax advisors.

As used herein, the term “ U.S. Holder ” means a beneficial owner of Shares that is for U.S. federal income tax purposes:

 

   

an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States;

 

   

a corporation, or any other entity taxable as a corporation, created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, any state thereof, or the District of Columbia;

 

   

an estate the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income tax regardless of its source; or

 

   

a trust if (1) a court within the United States is able to exercise primary supervision over its administration and one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (2) the trust has a valid election in effect under applicable Treasury regulations to be treated as a U.S. person.

Investors are urged to consult their tax advisors with respect to the application of the U.S. federal income tax laws to their particular situation, as well as any tax consequences to them of participating in the Offers arising under U.S. federal estate or gift tax rules or under the laws of any U.S. state or local or any non-U.S. or other taxing jurisdiction or under any applicable tax treaty.

Non-Tendering U.S. Holders

The Offers generally will not result in any U.S. federal income tax consequences to non-tendering U.S. Holders.

Tender of Shares Pursuant to the Offers

Characterization of the Purchase Distribution vs. Sale Treatment. The exchange of Shares for cash pursuant to the Offers should be treated as a redemption by us that is a taxable transaction for U.S. federal income tax purposes. A U.S. Holder that participates in the Offers will be treated, depending on such U.S. Holder’s particular circumstances, either as recognizing gain or loss from the disposition of the Shares or as receiving a distribution from us as described in more detail below.

Under the stock redemption rules of Section 302 of the Code, a U.S. Holder will recognize gain or loss on an exchange of Shares for cash if the exchange: (a) results in a “complete termination” of all such U.S. Holder’s equity interest in the Company, (b) results in a “substantially disproportionate” redemption with respect to such

 

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U.S. Holder, or (c) is “not essentially equivalent to a dividend” with respect to the U.S. Holder (together, the “ Section  302 tests ”). In applying the Section 302 tests, a U.S. Holder must take into account stock that such U.S. Holder constructively owns under certain attribution rules, pursuant to which the U.S. Holder will be treated as owning Shares owned by certain family members (except that in the case of a “complete termination” a U.S. Holder may waive, under certain circumstances, attribution from family members) and related entities and Shares that the U.S. Holder has the right to acquire by exercise of an option. An exchange of Shares for cash will be a substantially disproportionate redemption with respect to a U.S. Holder if (i) the percentage of voting stock owned (directly and by attribution) by such U.S. Holder in the Company immediately after the exchange (and other exchanges made pursuant to the Offers) is less than 80% of the percentage of the same percentage owned (directly and by attribution) by such U.S. Holder in the Company immediately before the exchange (and other exchanges made pursuant to the Offers) and (ii) the percentage of the then-outstanding common stock (voting or nonvoting) owned (directly and by attribution) by such U.S. Holder in the Company immediately after the exchange (and other exchanges made pursuant to the Offers) is less than 80% of the same percentage owned (directly and by attribution) by such U.S. Holder in the Company immediately before the exchange (and other exchanges made pursuant to the Offers). If an exchange of Shares for cash fails to satisfy the “substantially disproportionate” test, the U.S. Holder nonetheless may satisfy the “not essentially equivalent to a dividend” test. An exchange of Shares for cash will generally satisfy the “not essentially equivalent to a dividend” test if it results in a “meaningful reduction” of the U.S. Holder’s equity interest in the Company. An exchange of Shares for cash that results in any reduction of the proportionate equity interest in the Company held by a U.S. Holder with a relative equity interest that is minimal and who does not exercise any control over or participate in the Company’s management should generally be treated as “not essentially equivalent to a dividend.” U.S. Holders are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the application of the rules of Section 302 in their particular circumstances.

We cannot predict whether any particular U.S. Holder will be subject to sale or exchange treatment, on the one hand, or distribution treatment, on the other hand. Contemporaneous dispositions or acquisitions of Shares (pursuant to the Offers or otherwise, including market sales and purchases) by a U.S. Holder or related individuals or entities may be deemed to be part of a single integrated transaction and may be taken into account in determining whether the Section 302 tests have been satisfied. Each U.S. Holder should be aware that because proration may occur in the Offers, even if all the Shares actually and constructively owned by a U.S. Holder are tendered pursuant to the Offers, fewer than all of such Shares may be purchased by us. Consequently, we cannot assure you that a sufficient number of any particular U.S. Holder’s Shares will be purchased to ensure that this purchase will be treated as a sale or exchange, rather than as a distribution, for U.S. federal income tax purposes pursuant to the rules discussed herein. Accordingly, a tendering U.S. Holder may choose to submit a “conditional tender” under the procedures described in Section 6, which allows the U.S. Holder to tender Shares subject to the condition that a specified minimum number of the U.S. Holder’s Shares must be purchased by us if any such Shares so tendered are purchased.

Sale or Exchange Treatment . If a U.S. Holder is treated under the Section 302 tests as recognizing gain or loss from the “sale or exchange” of the Shares for cash, such gain or loss will be equal to the difference, if any, between the amount of cash received and such U.S. Holder’s tax basis in the Shares exchanged therefor. Generally, a U.S. Holder’s tax basis in the Shares will be equal to the cost of the Shares to the U.S. Holder reduced by any previous returns of capital. Any gain or loss will be capital gain or loss and will be long-term capital gain or loss if the holding period of the Shares exceeds one (1) year as of the date of the exchange. Long-term capital gain is subject to a reduced rate of tax for non-corporate U.S. Holders (including individuals). The deductibility of capital losses is subject to limitations. A U.S. Holder must calculate gain or loss separately for each block of Shares (generally, Shares acquired at the same cost in a single transaction). A U.S. Holder may be able to designate which blocks of Shares it wishes to tender and the order in which different blocks will be purchased in the event that less than all of its Shares are tendered.

Distribution Treatment. If a U.S. Holder is not treated under the Section 302 tests as recognizing gain or loss from the “sale or exchange” of Shares for cash, the entire amount of cash received by such U.S. Holder pursuant

 

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to the Offers will be treated as a distribution with respect to the U.S. Holder’s Shares. The amount of any distribution made to a U.S. Holder with respect to Shares generally will be included in such holder’s gross income as dividend income in the year actually or constructively received, but only to the extent that the distribution is paid out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits (as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles). Distributions in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits will be treated first as a non-taxable return of capital, thereby reducing the U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis (but not below zero) in the Shares and thereafter as either long-term or short-term capital gain, as applicable. Any remaining tax basis in the Shares tendered will be transferred to any remaining Shares held by such U.S. Holder. Any amount treated as a distribution generally will be reported to U.S. Holders as a dividend in its entirety if we are unable to determine the portion of such distribution which is characterized as a dividend.

Any amounts we pay, through the Counterparty Banks, that are treated as dividends will not be eligible for the dividends-received deduction allowed to qualifying corporations under Section 243 of the Code. With respect to certain non-corporate U.S. Holders, including individual U.S. Holders, dividends paid with respect to Shares may be eligible to be taxed at favorable rates applicable to “qualified dividend income,” provided that (1) the Shares are readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States (which the Shares should be considered to be, so long as they are listed on NASDAQ), (2) we are not a PFIC (as discussed below) for either our taxable year in which the dividend is paid or the preceding taxable year and (3) certain minimum holding period and other requirements are met.

Any amounts we pay, through the Counterparty Banks, that are treated as dividends generally would be treated as foreign source income for foreign tax credit purposes. Although dividends we pay are not subject to U.K. tax, treating a dividend as foreign source income could increase the amount of foreign taxes on other income that could be claimed by a U.S. Holder as a foreign tax credit. However, under Section 904(h) of the Code, dividends paid by a non-U.S. corporation that is treated as 50% or more owned, by vote or value, by U.S. persons may be treated, for U.S. foreign tax credit purposes, as U.S. source income (rather than foreign source income) to the extent the foreign corporation earns U.S. source income. U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisors regarding the possible impact if Section 904(h) of the Code were to apply.

Passive Foreign Investment Company Rules

The treatment of U.S. Holders in some cases could be materially different from that described above if, at any relevant time, Liberty Global was a PFIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

For U.S. federal income tax purposes, a foreign corporation is classified as a PFIC for any taxable year if either (i) 75% or more of its gross income is “passive income” (as defined for such purposes) or (ii) the average percentage of assets held by such corporation which produce passive income or which are held for the production of passive income is at least 50%. For purposes of applying the tests in the preceding sentence, the foreign corporation is deemed to own its proportionate share of the assets, and to receive directly its proportionate share of the income, of any other corporation of which the foreign corporation owns, directly or indirectly, at least 25% (by value) of the stock.

Liberty Global believes that it was not a PFIC for the taxable year ended December 31, 2018 and should not be a PFIC for the current or future taxable years. The tests for determining PFIC status are applied annually, and it is difficult to accurately predict future income and assets relevant to this determination. Accordingly, Liberty Global cannot assure U.S. Holders that Liberty Global will not be or will not become a PFIC. If we are treated as a PFIC, unless a U.S. Holder elects to be taxed annually on a mark-to-market basis with respect to the Shares, U.S. Holders may be subject to adverse tax consequences upon an exchange of Shares pursuant to the Offers, including the requirement to pay tax at certain maximum rates and pay an interest charge with respect to their tax liability. U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisors regarding the potential application of the PFIC rules.

 

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Tax Considerations for Participants in the Savings Plans

Special tax consequences may apply with respect to Shares tendered through the Savings Plans. Please refer to the 401(k) Trustee Letter or SIP Trustee Letter, as applicable, for additional information regarding the tax consequences applicable to Shares held pursuant to the Savings Plans.

Backup Withholding and Information Reporting

In general, payments of the proceeds of an exchange of Shares pursuant to the Offers paid within the United States or through certain United States-connected financial intermediaries to a U.S. Holder are subject to information reporting and may be subject to backup withholding unless the holder (i) establishes that it is a corporation or other exempt recipient and demonstrates this fact when so required or (ii) with respect to backup withholding, provides an accurate taxpayer identification number and certifies that it is a U.S. person and that no loss of exemption from backup withholding has occurred.

Backup withholding is not an additional tax. The amount of any backup withholding tax required to be withheld from a payment to a U.S. Holder will be allowed as a credit against the U.S. Holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability, provided that the required information is timely furnished to the IRS. A U.S. Holder generally may obtain a refund of any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules that exceed its U.S. federal income tax liability by timely filing a refund claim with the IRS.

Certain U.S. Holders are required to report information to the IRS with respect to their investment in Shares unless certain requirements are met. Investors who fail to report required information can become subject to substantial penalties. Prospective investors are encouraged to consult their tax advisors regarding the implications of this requirement on their investment in our Shares.

U.K. Stamp Duty and SDRT

The sale of Shares pursuant to the Offers will not give rise to any liability to U.K. stamp duty or SDRT for the tendering shareholder.

The transfer to the Counterparty Banks pursuant to the Offers of Shares held in certificated form outside of the Book-Entry Transfer Facility will generally attract a charge to U.K. stamp duty at a rate of 0.5% of the consideration for the relevant transfer (converted into pounds sterling at the appropriate exchange rate), rounded up to the next multiple of £5, which must be paid in order for the relevant instrument of transfer to be treated as duly stamped such that the transfer is recognized in the Company’s register of members. This cost will in practice be borne by the Company. A charge to SDRT will also arise on the agreement to transfer such Shares, but in practice the SDRT liability will be cancelled when the relevant instrument of transfer is duly stamped by the U.K. tax authorities against payment of the appropriate U.K. stamp duty.

U.K. stamp duty will also be payable by the Company on its purchase of Shares from the Counterparty Banks at a rate of 0.5% of the consideration for the purchase (converted into pounds sterling at the appropriate exchange rate), rounded up to the next multiple of £5. This will apply in respect of all Shares purchased by the Company, whether they are held in certificated form, within a clearance system or otherwise.

Holders of certificated Shares outside of the Book-Entry Transfer Facility should note that the deposit of such Shares into the Book-Entry Transfer Facility (or into any other clearance system or depositary receipt system) will generally attract U.K. stamp duty and/or SDRT at the higher rate of 1.5%. The Offers do not contemplate a deposit of such Shares, and the Company will not bear the cost to a holder implementing a deposit of such Shares into the Book-Entry Transfer Facility (or into any other clearance system or depositary receipt system).

 

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The above discussion is not intended to constitute a complete analysis of all tax consequences relating to participating in the Offers. You should consult your tax advisor concerning the tax consequences applicable in your particular situation.

THE TAX DISCUSSION SET FORTH ABOVE IS INCLUDED FOR GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY AND IS NOT TAX ADVICE. YOU ARE URGED TO CONSULT YOUR TAX ADVISOR TO DETERMINE THE PARTICULAR TAX CONSEQUENCES TO YOU OF THE OFFERS, INCLUDING THE APPLICABILITY AND EFFECT OF STATE, LOCAL, FOREIGN AND OTHER TAX LAWS AND TREATIES.

 

14.

Extension of the Offers; Termination; Amendment

We expressly reserve the right to extend the period of time the Offers are open and delay acceptance for payment of, and payment for, any Shares by giving oral or written notice of such extension to the Depositary and making a public announcement of such extension. During any such extension, all Shares previously tendered and not properly withdrawn will remain subject to the Offers and to the rights of a tendering shareholder to withdraw such shareholder’s Shares.

We also expressly reserve the right, in our sole discretion, not to accept for payment and not to pay for, in each case, through the Counterparty Banks, any Shares not previously accepted for payment or paid for, subject to applicable law, to postpone payment for Shares, through the Counterparty Banks, or terminate the Offers upon the occurrence of any of the conditions specified in Section 7 by giving oral or written notice of the termination or postponement to the Depositary and making a public announcement of the termination or postponement. Our reservation of the right to delay payment for Shares that we have accepted for payment, through the Counterparty Banks, is limited by Exchange Act Rule 13e-4(f)(5), which requires that we must pay the consideration offered or return the Shares tendered promptly after termination or withdrawal of the Offers.

Subject to compliance with applicable law and the 2019 Shareholder Authorization, we further reserve the right, in our reasonable discretion, and regardless of whether any of the events set forth in Section 7 have occurred or are deemed by us to have occurred, to amend the Offers in any respect, including, without limitation, by changing the per Share purchase price range or by increasing or decreasing the number of Shares sought in the Offers. Amendments to the Offers may be made at any time and from time to time by public announcement of the amendment. In the case of an extension, the amendment shall be issued no later than 9:00 a.m., New York City time, on the next business day after the last previously scheduled or announced Expiration Date. Any public announcement made pursuant to the Offers will be disseminated promptly to shareholders in a manner reasonably designed to inform shareholders of the change. Without limiting the manner in which we may choose to make a public announcement, except as required by applicable law, we will have no obligation to publish, advertise or otherwise communicate any public announcement other than by issuing a press release to the PR Newswire or comparable service.

If we materially change the terms of the Offers or the information concerning the Offers, or if we waive a material condition of the Offers, we will extend the Offers to the extent required by Exchange Act Rule 13e-4(e)(3) and 13e-4(f)(1). This rule and related releases and interpretations of the SEC provide that the minimum period during which an Offer must remain open following material changes in the terms of the Offers or information concerning the Offers (other than a change in price or a change in percentage of securities sought) will depend on the facts and circumstances, including the relative materiality of the terms or information. If:

 

   

subject to the 2019 Shareholder Authorization, we increase or decrease the price range to be paid for Class A Shares or increase or decrease the value of Class A Shares sought in the Class A Offer (and thereby increase or decrease the number of Class A Shares sought to be purchased in the Class A Offer), and in the event of an increase in the value of Class A Shares purchased in the Class A Offer, the number of Class A Shares that may be accepted for payment in the Class A Offer increases by more than 2% of the outstanding Class A Shares,

 

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subject to the 2019 Shareholder Authorization, we increase or decrease the price range to be paid for Class C Shares or increase or decrease the value of Class C Shares sought in the Class C Offer (and thereby increase or decrease the number of Class C Shares sought to be purchased in the Class C Offer), and in the event of an increase in the value of Class C Shares purchased in the Class C Offer, the number of Class C Shares that may be accepted for payment in the Class C Offer increases by more than 2% of the outstanding Class C Shares), and

 

   

the Offers are scheduled to expire at any time earlier than the expiration of a period ending on the tenth (10 th ) business day from, and including, the date that notice of such an increase or decrease is first published, sent or given to security holders in the manner specified in this Section 14,

then, in each case, the Offers will be extended until the expiration of the period of at least ten (10) business days from, and including, the date of such notice. For purposes of the Offers, a “ business day ” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or Federal holiday and consists of the time period from 12:01 A.M. through one (1) minute after 11:59 P.M., New York City time.

In accordance with the rules of the SEC and subject to the 2019 Shareholder Authorization, if Class A Shares having an aggregate value in excess of $625 million and/or Class C Shares having an aggregate value in excess of $1.875 billion, in each case, are properly tendered and not properly withdrawn in the applicable Offer at or below the applicable Final Purchase Price, we may increase the number of Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares accepted for payment, through the Counterparty Banks, in the applicable Offer by no more than 2% of the outstanding Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares, as applicable, without extending the applicable Offer. See Section 1.

 

15.

Fees and Expenses

An affiliate of ours has retained Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC and HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. to act as the Dealer Managers in connection with the Offers. The Dealer Managers may communicate with brokers, dealers, commercial banks and trust companies with respect to the Offers. The Dealer Managers will receive a reasonable and customary fee for these services. An affiliate of ours has also agreed to indemnify the Dealer Managers (in their capacities as dealer managers) against liabilities in connection with the Offers, including liabilities under the federal securities laws.

The Dealer Managers and their affiliates have provided, and may in the future provide, various investment banking, commercial banking and other services to us for which they have received, or we expect they will receive, customary compensation from us.

In the ordinary course of business, including in their trading and brokerage operations and in a fiduciary capacity, the Dealer Managers and their affiliates may hold positions, both long and short, for their own accounts and for those of their customers, in our securities. The Dealer Managers may from time to time hold Shares in their proprietary accounts, and, to the extent they own Shares in these accounts at the time of the Offers, the Dealer Managers may tender the Shares pursuant to the Offers.

An affiliate of ours has retained Innisfree M&A Incorporated to act as Information Agent in connection with the Offers. We and an affiliate of ours have retained Computershare Trust Company, N.A. to act as Depositary in connection with the Offers. The Information Agent may contact holders of Shares by mail, telephone, email and personal interviews and may request brokers, dealers, commercial banks, trust companies and other nominee shareholders to forward materials relating to the Offers to beneficial owners. The Information Agent and the Depositary will each receive reasonable and customary compensation for their respective services, will be reimbursed for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses and will be indemnified by an affiliate of ours against certain liabilities in connection with the Offers.

We will not pay any fees or commissions to brokers, dealers, commercial banks, trust companies or other nominees (other than fees to the Dealer Managers and the Information Agent as described above) for soliciting

 

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tenders of Shares pursuant to the Offers. Shareholders holding Shares through brokers, dealers, commercial banks, trust companies or other nominees are urged to consult the brokers, dealers, commercial banks, trust companies or other nominees to determine whether transaction costs may apply if shareholders tender Shares through the brokers, dealers, commercial banks, trust companies or other nominees and not directly to the Depositary. We will, however, upon request, reimburse brokers, dealers, commercial banks, trust companies or other nominees for customary mailing and handling expenses incurred by them in forwarding this Offer to Purchase, the Letters of Transmittal and related materials to the beneficial owners of Shares held by them as a nominee or in a fiduciary capacity. No broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee has been authorized to act as our agent or the agent of the Dealer Managers, the Information Agent or the Depositary for purposes of the Offers. We will cause the Counterparty Banks to pay, or to cause to be paid, all share transfer taxes, if any, applicable to the transfer of their respective allocations of Shares properly tendered and purchased in accordance with the terms of the Offers, except as otherwise provided in this Offer to Purchase and Instruction 7 of the applicable Letter of Transmittal.

 

16.

Miscellaneous

We are not aware of any jurisdiction where the making of the Offers is not in compliance with applicable law. If we become aware of any jurisdiction where the making of the Offers or the acceptance of Shares pursuant to the Offers is not in compliance with any applicable law, we will make a good faith effort to comply with the applicable law. If, after a good faith effort, we cannot comply with the applicable law, the Offers will not be made to, nor will tenders be accepted from or on behalf of, the holders of Shares residing in that jurisdiction. In any jurisdiction where the securities, “blue sky” or other laws require the Offers to be made by a licensed broker or dealer, the Offers will be deemed to be made on our behalf by the Dealer Managers or one or more registered brokers or dealers licensed under the laws of the jurisdiction.

Pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 13e-4, we have filed with the SEC the Schedule TO, which contains additional information relating to the Offers. The Schedule TO, including the exhibits and any amendments thereto, may be examined, and copies may be obtained, at the same places and in the same manner set forth in Section 10 with respect to information concerning our company.

You should rely only on the information contained in this document or to which we have referred you. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with information or to make any representation on our behalf in connection with the Offers other than those contained in this Offer to Purchase and the Letters of Transmittal. If given or made, you should not rely on that information or representation as having been authorized by us, any member of our Board of Directors, the Counterparty Banks, the Dealer Managers, the Depositary or the Information Agent.

OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS HAS AUTHORIZED THE OFFERS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE OFFERS SET FORTH IN THIS OFFER TO PURCHASE AND THE COUNTERPARTY BANK AGREEMENTS. HOWEVER, NONE OF THE COMPANY, THE MEMBERS OF OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS, THE COUNTERPARTY BANKS, THE DEALER MANAGERS, THE INFORMATION AGENT OR THE DEPOSITARY HAS MADE ANY RECOMMENDATION AS TO WHETHER YOU SHOULD TENDER OR REFRAIN FROM TENDERING YOUR SHARES OR AS TO THE PURCHASE PRICE OR PURCHASE PRICES AT WHICH YOU MAY CHOOSE TO TENDER YOUR SHARES. NONE OF THE COMPANY, THE MEMBERS OF OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS, THE COUNTERPARTY BANKS, THE DEALER MANAGERS, THE INFORMATION AGENT OR THE DEPOSITARY HAS AUTHORIZED ANY PERSON TO MAKE ANY RECOMMENDATION ON OUR BEHALF AS TO WHETHER YOU SHOULD TENDER OR REFRAIN FROM TENDERING YOUR SHARES OR AS TO THE PURCHASE PRICE OR PURCHASE PRICES AT WHICH YOU MAY CHOOSE TO TENDER YOUR SHARES. NONE OF THE COMPANY, THE MEMBERS OF OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS, THE COUNTERPARTY BANKS, THE DEALER MANAGERS, THE INFORMATION AGENT OR THE

 

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DEPOSITARY HAS AUTHORIZED ANY PERSON TO GIVE ANY INFORMATION OR TO MAKE ANY REPRESENTATION IN CONNECTION WITH THE OFFERS OTHER THAN THOSE CONTAINED IN THIS OFFER TO PURCHASE OR IN THE LETTERS OF TRANSMITTAL. YOU SHOULD NOT RELY ON ANY RECOMMENDATION, OR ANY SUCH REPRESENTATION OR INFORMATION, AS HAVING BEEN AUTHORIZED BY US, ANY MEMBER OF OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS, THE COUNTERPARTY BANKS, THE DEALER MANAGERS, THE INFORMATION AGENT OR THE DEPOSITARY.

Liberty Global plc

August 12, 2019

 

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SCHEDULE I

DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF LIBERTY GLOBAL PLC

The following table sets forth the names and positions of the directors and executive officers of Liberty Global plc. The address of each of our directors and executive officers is care of Liberty Global plc, Griffin House, 161 Hammersmith Road, London W6 8BS, United Kingdom (telephone number: +44 (208) 483-6449 or (303) 220-6600).

 

Name    Position(s)

Officers

Michael T. Fries    Chief Executive Officer, President and Vice Chairman of the Board
Charles H.R. Bracken    Executive Vice President and Financial Officer
Bryan H. Hall    Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
Enrique Rodriguez    Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer
Andrea Salvato    Senior Vice President and Chief Development Officer

Directors

John C. Malone    Chairman of the Board
Michael T. Fries    Chief Executive Officer, President and Vice Chairman of the Board
Andrew J. Cole    Director
Miranda Curtis    Director
John W. Dick    Director
Paul A. Gould    Director
Richard R. Green    Director
David E. Rapley    Director
Larry E. Romrell    Director
J.C. Sparkman    Director
J. David Wargo    Director

 

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The applicable Letter of Transmittal and certificates for Shares, and any other required documents should be sent or delivered by each shareholder or the shareholder’s broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or nominee to the Depositary at one of its addresses set forth below. To confirm delivery of Shares, shareholders are directed to contact the Depositary. Shareholders submitting certificates representing Shares to be tendered must deliver such certificates together with the applicable Letter of Transmittal and any other required documents by mail or overnight courier. Facsimile copies of Share certificates will not be accepted.

The Depositary for the Offers is:

 

 

LOGO

Computershare Trust Company, N.A.

 

By Mail:    By Express or Overnight Courier:

Computershare Trust Company, N.A.

c/o Voluntary Corporate Actions
P.O. Box 43011
Providence, Rhode Island 02940-3011

  

Computershare Trust Company, N.A.

c/o Voluntary Corporate Actions
150 Royall Street, Suite V
Canton, Massachusetts 02021

Any questions or requests for assistance may be directed to the Information Agent or the Dealer Managers at their respective telephone numbers and addresses set forth on the following page. Requests for additional copies of this Offer to Purchase, one or both Letters of Transmittal, the Notice of Guaranteed Delivery or related documents may be directed to the Information Agent at its telephone number or address set forth below. You may also contact your broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee for assistance concerning the Offers.

The Information Agent for the Offers is:

 

 

LOGO

Innisfree M&A Incorporated

501 Madison Avenue, 20 th Floor

New York, New York 10022

Shareholders Call Toll-Free: (888) 750-5834

Banks and Brokers Call U.S. Local: (212) 750-5833

The Dealer Managers for the Offers are:

 

 

LOGO    LOGO

Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC

Eleven Madison Avenue

New York, New York 10010

Call Toll-Free: (800) 318-8219

Call U.S. Local: (212) 538-4581

  

HSBC Securities (USA) Inc.

452 Fifth Avenue

New York, New York 10018

Call Toll-Free: (888) 472-2456

Call U.S. Local: (212) 525-3672

EXHIBIT (a)(1)(B)

 

Letter of Transmittal

For Tender of Shares of Class A Ordinary Shares

Pursuant to the Offer to Purchase, Dated August 12, 2019

by

Liberty Global plc

Up to $625 million in value of its Class A Ordinary Shares

At a Cash Purchase Price Not Greater than $29.00 per Class A Share Nor Less than $25.25 per Class A Share

 

THE CLASS A OFFER, PRORATION PERIOD AND WITHDRAWAL RIGHTS WILL EXPIRE AT ONE (1) MINUTE AFTER 11:59 P.M., NEW YORK CITY TIME, ON SEPTEMBER 9, 2019, UNLESS THE CLASS A OFFER IS EXTENDED OR TERMINATED.

The undersigned represents that I (we) have full authority to tender without restriction the Class A Shares (as defined herein) listed below. You are hereby authorized and instructed to deliver to the address indicated below (unless otherwise instructed in the boxes in the following page) a check representing a cash payment for Class A ordinary shares, nominal value $0.01 per share (each, a “ Class  A Share ,” and collectively, “ Class  A Shares ”), of Liberty Global plc (the “ Company ,” “ we ,” “ us ” or “ our ”) tendered pursuant to this Letter of Transmittal, for purchase by Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC and HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. (each, a “ Counterparty Bank ,” and together, the “ Counterparty Banks ”), at a price not greater than $29.00 nor less than $25.25 per Class A Share (the “ Class  A Offer ”), to the seller in cash, less any applicable withholding taxes and without interest, upon the terms and subject to the conditions in this Letter of Transmittal (together with any amendments and supplements thereto, this “ Letter of Transmittal ”), the Offer to Purchase, dated August 12, 2019 (together with any amendments or supplements thereto, the “ Offer to Purchase ”) and other related materials as may be amended or supplemented from time to time.

THIS FORM SHOULD BE COMPLETED, SIGNED AND SENT TOGETHER WITH ALL OTHER DOCUMENTS, INCLUDING YOUR CERTIFICATES FOR SHARES TO COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A. (THE “DEPOSITARY”) AT ONE OF THE ADDRESSES SET FORTH BELOW. DELIVERY OF THIS LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL OR OTHER DOCUMENTS TO AN ADDRESS OTHER THAN AS SET FORTH BELOW DOES NOT CONSTITUTE VALID DELIVERY. DELIVERIES TO THE COMPANY, THE COUNTERPARTY BANKS, CREDIT SUISSE SECURITIES (USA) LLC AND HSBC SECURITIES (USA) INC. (THE “DEALER MANAGERS”) OR INNISFREE M&A INCORPORATED (THE “INFORMATION AGENT”) WILL NOT BE FORWARDED TO THE DEPOSITARY AND THEREFORE WILL NOT CONSTITUTE VALID DELIVERY. DELIVERIES TO THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY WILL NOT CONSTITUTE VALID DELIVERY TO THE DEPOSITARY.

Method of delivery of the certificate(s) is at the option and risk of the owner thereof. See Instruction 2.

Mail or deliver this Letter of Transmittal, together with the certificate(s) representing your Class A Shares, to:

 

If delivering by express mail, courier or

other expedited service:

 

  By mail:

Computershare Trust Company, N.A.

c/o Voluntary Corporate Actions

150 Royall Street, Suite V
Canton, Massachusetts 02021

 

Computershare Trust Company, N.A.

c/o Voluntary Corporate Actions

P.O. Box 43011
Providence, Rhode Island 02940-3011

 

VOLUNTARY CORPORATE ACTIONS COY: LGIP CA1


Pursuant to the Class A Offer to purchase up to $625 million in value of Class A Shares, the undersigned encloses herewith and tenders the following certificates representing shares of the Company:

 

 
DESCRIPTION OF CLASS A SHARES TENDERED (See Instructions 3 and 4)
   

Name(s) and Address(es) of
Registered Holder(s)

(If blank, please fill in exactly as
name(s) appear(s) on share
certificate(s)

  Class A Shares Tendered
   
     (Please fill in. Attach separate schedule if needed –
See Instruction 3)
     
     Certificated Shares**   Book-Entry Shares or
Shares Electronically
held in a Custody
Account, if applicable
         
    

Certificate

No(s)*

 

Total number

of Shares

Represented by

Certificate(s)*

  Number of
Shares
Tendered**
  Number of
Shares
Tendered***
         
                 
         
                 
         
                 
         
                 
         
                 
         
                 
         
                 
         
    TOTAL SHARES            

    *  Need not be completed if Class A Shares are delivered by book-entry transfer by your broker to DTC.

  **  Unless otherwise indicated, it will be assumed that all Class A Shares represented by any certificates delivered to the Depositary are being tendered. See Instruction 4.

***  If your Class A Shares are held as Book-Entry Shares or Shares Electronically held in a Custody Account, if applicable, indicate the amount of Class A Shares you are tendering in the column Number of Shares Tendered.

 

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READ THE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY BEFORE

COMPLETING THIS LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL.

 

Indicate below the order (by certificate number) in which Class A Shares are to be purchased in the event of proration (attach additional signed list if necessary). If you do not designate an order and if less than all Class A Shares tendered are purchased due to proration, Class A Shares will be selected for purchase by the Depositary. See Instruction 14.

 

1st:                                               

  2nd:                                                  3rd:                                               

4th:                                               

  5th:                                                 

 

YOU MUST SIGN THIS LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL WHERE INDICATED BELOW AND COMPLETE THE IRS FORM W-9 PROVIDED BELOW OR, IF APPROPRIATE, IRS FORM W-8.

This Letter of Transmittal (together with any amendments and supplements thereto, this “ Letter of Transmittal ”) is to be used either if certificates for Class A ordinary shares, nominal value $0.01 per share (each, a “ Class  A Share ,” and collectively, “ Class  A Shares ”), of Liberty Global plc (the “ Company ,” “ we ,” “ us ” or “ our ”) being tendered are to be forwarded with this Letter of Transmittal or, unless an Agent’s Message (defined below) is utilized, if delivery of Class A Shares is to be made by book-entry transfer to an account maintained by Computershare Trust Company N.A., the depositary for the Class A Offer (the “ Depositary ”), at The Depository Trust Company, which is referred to as the “ Book-Entry Transfer Facility ,” pursuant to the procedures set forth in Section 3 of the Offer to Purchase dated August 12, 2019 (together with any amendments or supplements thereto, the “ Offer to Purchase ,” and together with this Letter of Transmittal and other related materials, as each may be amended or supplemented from time to time and with respect to the Class A Shares, the “ Class  A Offer ”). Tendering shareholders must deliver either the certificates for, or timely confirmation of book-entry transfer in accordance with the procedures described in Section 3 of the Offer to Purchase with respect to, their Class A Shares and all other documents required by this Letter of Transmittal to the Depositary by one (1) minute after 11:59 p.m., New York City time, on September 9, 2019, unless we extend or terminate the Class A Offer (such date and time, as they may be extended, the “ Expiration Date ”). When used together with a specific time, the term Expiration Date refers to the date on which the Class A Offer expires.

The Class A Offer will be conducted such that, the Counterparty Banks will initially purchase their respective allocated portion of the Class A Shares and take actions to facilitate our subsequent purchase of the Class A Shares pursuant to the Counterparty Bank Agreements and the terms and conditions of the Class A Offer set forth in the Offer to Purchase. We will generally make all decisions and determinations with respect to the Class A Offer, including with respect to the satisfaction or waiver of conditions to the Class A Offer set forth in the Offer to Purchase and the acceptance of Class A Shares for purchase by the Counterparty Banks. We sometimes refer to our purchases of the Class A Shares “through the Counterparty Banks,” which refers to the initial purchase of Class A Shares in the Class A Offer by the Counterparty Banks and our subsequent purchase of the same Class A Shares pursuant to the Counterparty Bank Agreements and the terms and conditions of the Class A Offer set forth in the Offer to Purchase. In no circumstances will we purchase Class A Shares in connection with the Class A Offer other than from the Counterparty Banks pursuant to the Counterparty Bank Agreements.

Tendering shareholders whose certificates for Class A Shares are not immediately available or who cannot deliver either the certificates for, or timely confirmation of book-entry in accordance with the procedures described in Section 3 of the Offer to Purchase with respect to, their Class A Shares and all other documents

 

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required by this Letter of Transmittal to the Depositary by the Expiration Date must tender their Class A Shares in accordance with the guaranteed delivery procedures set forth in Section 3 of the Offer to Purchase. All capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein have the meaning ascribed to them in the Offer to Purchase.

Your attention is directed in particular to the following:

 

1.

If you wish to retain Class A Shares you own, you do not need to take any action.

 

2.

If you wish to participate in the Class A Offer and wish to maximize your chances of having Class A Shares you are tendering by this Letter of Transmittal purchased in the Class A Offer, you should check the box marked “Class A Shares Tendered At Price Determined Under The Class A Offer” below and complete the other portions of this Letter of Transmittal as appropriate. You should understand that this election will indicate that you will accept the Final Class A Purchase Price as determined by us in accordance with the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class A Offer, and this election may have the effect of lowering the Final Class A Purchase Price and could result in your tendered Class A Shares being purchased at $25.25 per Class A Share, which is the low end of the price range in the Class A Offer, less any applicable withholding taxes and without interest.

 

3.

If you wish to select a specific price (in multiples of $0.25) at which you will be tendering your Class A Shares, you must select the appropriate box in the section captioned “Class A Shares Tendered At Price Determined By Shareholder” below and complete the other portions of this Letter of Transmittal as appropriate. You should understand that this election could mean that none of your tendered Class A Shares will be purchased if you select a box other than the box representing a price at or below the Final Class A Purchase Price.

 

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METHOD OF DELIVERY

 

CHECK HERE IF CERTIFICATES FOR TENDERED CLASS A SHARES ARE ENCLOSED HEREWITH.

 

CHECK HERE IF TENDERED CLASS A SHARES ARE BEING DELIVERED BY BOOK-ENTRY TRANSFER MADE TO AN ACCOUNT MAINTAINED BY THE DEPOSITARY WITH THE BOOK-ENTRY TRANSFER FACILITY AND COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING (ONLY PARTICIPANTS IN THE BOOK- ENTRY TRANSFER FACILITY MAY DELIVER CLASS A SHARES BY BOOK-ENTRY TRANSFER):

 

Name of Tendering Institution:  

Account Number:  

Transaction Code Number:  

 

CHECK HERE IF TENDERED CLASS A SHARES ARE BEING DELIVERED PURSUANT TO THE GUARANTEED DELIVERY PROCEDURES OUTLINED IN SECTION 3 OF THE OFFER TO PURCHASE AND COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING:

 

Name (s) of Registered Owner (s):  

Date of Execution of Notice of Guaranteed  Delivery:  

Name of Institution that Guaranteed Delivery:  

Account Number:  

 

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PRICE (IN U.S. DOLLARS) PER CLASS A SHARE AT WHICH CLASS A SHARES ARE BEING TENDERED

(See Instruction 5)

THE UNDERSIGNED IS TENDERING CLASS A SHARES AS FOLLOWS (CHECK ONLY ONE BOX UNDER (1) OR (2) BELOW).

(1) CLASS A SHARES TENDERED AT PRICE DETERMINED UNDER THE CLASS A OFFER

BY CHECKING THE BOX BELOW INSTEAD OF ONE OF THE BOXES UNDER “Class A Shares Tendered At Price Determined By Shareholder,” the undersigned hereby tenders Class A Shares at the Final Class A Purchase Price as shall be determined by the Company in accordance with the terms of and subject to the conditions of the Class A Offer.

 

The undersigned wishes to maximize its chances that all of the Class A Shares the undersigned is tendering by this Letter of Transmittal are purchased in the Class A Offer (subject to the possibility of proration). Accordingly, by checking this box instead of one of the price boxes below, the undersigned hereby tenders its Class A Shares at, and is willing to accept, the Final Class A Purchase Price as determined by the Company in accordance with the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class A Offer. The undersigned understands that checking this box will result in its Class A Shares being deemed to have been tendered at $25.25 per Class A Share, which is the low end of the price range in the Class A Offer, for purposes of determining the Final Class A Purchase Price. The undersigned also understands that this may have the effect of lowering the Final Class A Purchase Price and could result in the undersigned receiving a per Class A Share price as low as $25.25, which is the low end of the price range in the Class A Offer, less any applicable withholding taxes and without interest.

-OR-

(2) CLASS A SHARES TENDERED AT PRICE DETERMINED BY SHAREHOLDER

BY CHECKING ONE OF THE FOLLOWING BOXES INSTEAD OF THE BOX UNDER “Class A Shares Tendered At Price Determined Under The Class A Offer,” the undersigned hereby tenders Class A Shares at the price per Class A Share checked. The undersigned understands that this action could result in none of the Class A Shares tendered hereby being purchased in the Class A Offer if you select a box other than the box representing a price at or below the Final Class A Purchase Price as determined by the Company in accordance with the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class A Offer.

 

☐ $25.25    ☐ $26.50    ☐ $27.75    ☐ $29.00
☐ $25.50    ☐ $26.75    ☐ $28.00   
☐ $25.75    ☐ $27.00    ☐ $28.25   
☐ $26.00    ☐ $27.25    ☐ $28.50   
☐ $26.25    ☐ $27.50    ☐ $28.75   

 

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A SHAREHOLDER DESIRING TO TENDER CLASS A SHARES AT MORE THAN ONE PRICE MUST COMPLETE A SEPARATE LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL FOR EACH PRICE AT WHICH CLASS A SHARES ARE TENDERED. THE SAME CLASS A SHARES CANNOT BE TENDERED AT MORE THAN ONE PRICE UNLESS PREVIOUSLY PROPERLY WITHDRAWN AS PROVIDED IN SECTION 4 OF THE OFFER TO PURCHASE.

CHECK ONLY ONE BOX UNDER (1) OR (2) ABOVE. IF MORE THAN ONE BOX IS CHECKED ABOVE, OR IF NO BOX IS CHECKED, THERE IS NO VALID TENDER OF CLASS A SHARES AND YOUR CLASS A SHARES WILL NOT BE PURCHASED IN THE CLASS A OFFER.

 

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ODD LOTS

(See Instruction 13)

As described in Section 1 of the Offer to Purchase, under certain conditions, shareholders holding less than 100 Class A Shares may have their Class A Shares accepted for payment before any proration of other tendered Class A Shares. This preference is not available to partial tenders, or to beneficial or record holders of an aggregate of 100 or more Class A Shares, even if such holders have separate accounts or certificates representing less than 100 Class A Shares. Accordingly, this section is to be completed ONLY if Class A Shares are being tendered by or on behalf of a person owning, beneficially or of record, an aggregate of less than 100 Class A Shares. The undersigned certifies that it either (check one box):

 

owns, beneficially or of record, an aggregate of less than 100 Class A Shares and is tendering all such Class A Shares; or

 

is a broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee that (i) is tendering, on behalf of the beneficial owner(s), Class A Shares with respect to which it is the record holder and (ii) believes, based upon representations made to it by the beneficial owner(s) of such Class A Shares, that each such person is the beneficial owner of an aggregate of less than 100 Class A Shares and is tendering all such Class A Shares.

CONDITIONAL TENDER

(See Instruction 12)

A shareholder may tender Class A Shares subject to the condition that a specified minimum number of the shareholder’s Class A Shares tendered pursuant to the Letter of Transmittal must be purchased if any Class A Shares tendered are purchased, all as described in the Offer to Purchase and particularly in Section 6 of the Offer to Purchase. Unless at least the minimum number of Class A Shares indicated below is purchased by us, through the Counterparty Banks, pursuant to the terms of the Class A Offer, none of the Class A Shares tendered will be purchased. It is the tendering shareholder’s responsibility to calculate that minimum number of Class A Shares that must be purchased if any are purchased, and the Company urges shareholders to consult their own financial and tax advisors before completing this section. Unless this box has been checked and a minimum specified, the tender will be deemed unconditional.

 

The minimum number of Class A Shares that must be purchased, if any are purchased, is:              Class A Shares.

If, because of proration, the minimum number of Class A Shares designated will not be purchased, conditional tenders may be accepted, through the Counterparty Banks, by random lot, if necessary. However, to be eligible for purchase by random lot, the tendering shareholder must have tendered all of his or her Class A Shares and checked this box:

 

The tendered Class A Shares represent all Class A Shares held by the undersigned.

 

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LOST OR DESTROYED CERTIFICATE(S)

IF ANY SHARE CERTIFICATE REPRESENTING CLASS A SHARES THAT YOU OWN HAS BEEN LOST, STOLEN OR DESTROYED, PLEASE CONTACT COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A. (“ COMPUTERSHARE ”) AS THE TRANSFER AGENT AT 1 (888) 218-4391 PROMPTLY TO OBTAIN INSTRUCTIONS AS TO THE STEPS THAT MUST BE TAKEN IN ORDER TO REPLACE THE CERTIFICATE. THIS LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL AND RELATED DOCUMENTS CANNOT BE PROCESSED UNTIL THE PROCEDURES FOR REPLACING LOST OR DESTROYED CERTIFICATES HAVE BEEN FOLLOWED. PLEASE CONTACT COMPUTERSHARE IMMEDIATELY TO PERMIT TIMELY PROCESSING OF THE REPLACEMENT DOCUMENTATION. SEE INSTRUCTION 11.

NOTE: SIGNATURES MUST BE PROVIDED WHERE INDICATED BELOW. PLEASE READ THE ACCOMPANYING INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY.

Ladies and Gentlemen:

The undersigned hereby tenders to Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC and HSBC Securities (USA) Inc., as applicable (each, a “ Counterparty Bank ,” and together, the “ Counterparty Banks ”), the above-described shares, nominal value $0.01 per share, of the Class A ordinary shares (each, a “ Class  A Share ,” and collectively “ Class  A Shares ”) of Liberty Global plc, a public limited company organized under the laws of England and Wales (the “ Company ,” “ we ,” “ us ” or “ our ”), at the price per Class A Share indicated in this Letter of Transmittal, to the seller in cash, less any applicable withholding taxes and without interest, which will subsequently be purchased by the Company upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Company’s Offer to Purchase, dated August 12, 2019 (together with any amendments or supplements thereto, the “ Offer to Purchase ”), this Letter of Transmittal (together with any amendments or supplements thereto, this “ Letter of Transmittal ”) and other related materials as may be amended or supplemented from time to time (collectively, with the Offer to Purchase and this Letter of Transmittal, in each case, with respect to the Class A Shares, the “ Class  A Offer ”), receipt of which is hereby acknowledged.

Subject to and effective on acceptance for payment of, and payment for, Class A Shares tendered pursuant to this Letter of Transmittal in accordance with the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class A Offer, the undersigned hereby agrees to sell, assign and transfer to the applicable Counterparty Bank, or upon the order of the Company will sell, assign and transfer to the applicable Counterparty Bank, all right, title and interest in and to all Class A Shares that are being tendered hereby, and to the full extent of the undersigned’s rights with respect to such tendered Class A Shares to:

 

1.

deliver certificates for such tendered Class A Shares or transfer ownership of such tendered Class A Shares on the account books maintained by The Depository Trust Company (which, in the Class A Offer, is called the “ Book-Entry Transfer Facility ”), together, in any such case, with all accompanying evidence of transfer and authenticity to, or upon the order of, the Company upon receipt by Computershare Trust Company, N.A., the depositary for the Class A Offer (the “ Depositary ”), as the undersigned’s agent, of the aggregate purchase price (less any applicable withholding taxes and without interest) with respect to such tendered Class A Shares;

 

2.

present certificate(s) for such tendered Class A Shares held in certificated form outside of the Book-Entry Transfer Facility for cancellation by the Depositary;

 

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3.

receive all benefits and otherwise exercise all rights of beneficial ownership of such tendered Class A Shares, all in accordance with the terms of and subject to the conditions of the Class A Offer and, for so long as the undersigned remains the registered holder of any Class A Shares held in certificated form outside of the Book-Entry Transfer Facility, to:

 

  a.

hold such Class A Shares together with all dividends and any other distributions of profits or other assets in respect of such Class A Shares, and all rights arising out of or in connection with them, in trust for the applicable Counterparty Bank;

 

  b.

deal with and dispose of such Class A Shares, dividends, distributions, assets and rights as the applicable Counterparty Bank may direct;

 

  c.

exercise all voting rights attached to such Class A Shares in such manner as the applicable Counterparty Bank may direct, and, upon the order of the applicable Counterparty Bank, execute all instruments or other documents as may be necessary to enable the applicable Counterparty Bank to attend and vote at any meeting of the Company, in respect of which matters the applicable Counterparty Bank shall act as agent;

 

  d.

ratify and confirm whatever the applicable Counterparty Bank shall lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue of this undertaking; and

 

  e.

indemnify and hold harmless the applicable Counterparty Bank and its successors against all actions, demands, proceedings, claims, costs, expenses, obligations, liabilities and losses of any description arising from the exercise of any of the powers hereby granted to the applicable Counterparty Bank.

The undersigned hereby appoints the Depositary as the undersigned’s agent for the purposes of signing one or more global stock transfer form(s) transferring to the relevant Counterparty Bank all of the Class A Shares properly tendered pursuant to any of the procedures described in Section 3 of the Offer to Purchase and the instructions to this Letter of Transmittal and not properly withdrawn pursuant to Section 4 of the Offer to Purchase from shareholders of the Company who have forwarded their certificates representing the tendered Class A Shares to the Depositary.

The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned:

 

1.

has a “net long position” in Class A Shares or Equivalent Securities (as defined below) that is at least equal to the number of Class A Shares being tendered;

 

2.

has full power and authority to tender, sell, assign and transfer the tendered Class A Shares and that, when the same are accepted for payment, the applicable Counterparty Bank will acquire good title thereto, free and clear of all liens, security interests, restrictions, charges, claims, encumbrances, conditional sales agreements or other similar obligations relating to the sale or transfer of the tendered Class A Shares, and the same will not be subject to any adverse claim or right; and

 

3.

will, on request by the Depositary or the Company, execute any additional documents deemed by the Depositary or the Company to be necessary or desirable to complete the sale, assignment and transfer of the tendered Class A Shares (and any and all such other Class A Shares or other securities or rights), all in accordance with the terms of and subject to the conditions of the Class A Offer.

All authority conferred or agreed to be conferred pursuant to this Letter of Transmittal shall be binding on the successors, assigns, heirs, personal representatives, executors, administrators and other legal representatives of the undersigned and shall not be affected by, and shall survive, the death or incapacity of the undersigned. Except as stated in the Offer to Purchase, this tender is irrevocable.

The undersigned understands that:

 

1.

the tender of Class A Shares properly tendered pursuant to any of the procedures described in Section 3 of the Offer to Purchase and in the instructions to this Letter of Transmittal and not properly withdrawn

 

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  pursuant to Section 4 of the Offer to Purchase constitutes the undersigned’s acceptance of the terms and conditions of the Class A Offer, and the applicable Counterparty Bank’s acceptance for payment of the Class A Shares tendered pursuant to the Class A Offer will constitute a binding agreement between the undersigned and the applicable Counterparty Bank in accordance with the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class A Offer;

 

2.

it is a violation of Rule 14e-4 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (“ Exchange Act ”), for a person, acting alone or in concert with others, directly or indirectly, to tender Class A Shares for such person’s own account unless, at the time of tender and at the Expiration Date (as defined in the Offer to Purchase), such person has a “net long position” in (i) the Class A Shares that is equal to or greater than the amount tendered, and will deliver or cause to be delivered such Class A Shares for the purpose of tender to the applicable Counterparty Bank within the period specified in the Class A Offer, or (ii) other securities immediately convertible into, exercisable for or exchangeable into Class A Shares (“ Equivalent Securities ”) that is equal to or greater than the amount tendered and, upon the acceptance of such tender, will acquire such Class A Shares by conversion, exchange or exercise of such Equivalent Securities to the extent required by the terms of the Class A Offer, and will deliver or cause to be delivered such Class A Shares so acquired for the purpose of tender to the applicable Counterparty Bank within the period specified in the Class A Offer. Rule 14e-4 also provides a similar restriction applicable to the tender or guarantee of a tender on behalf of another person. A tender of Class A Shares made pursuant to any method of delivery set forth in this Letter of Transmittal will constitute the tendering shareholder’s representation and warranty to the Company and the applicable Counterparty Bank that (i) such shareholder has a “net long position” in Class A Shares or Equivalent Securities being tendered within the meaning of Rule 14e-4, and (ii) such tender of Class A Shares complies with Rule 14e-4;

 

3.

the applicable Counterparty Bank will, upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class A Offer, purchase Class A Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn at a price not greater than $29.00 nor less than $25.25 per Class A Share, to the seller in cash, less any applicable withholding taxes and without interest;

 

4.

upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class A Offer, the Company will determine a single per share price that it will pay for Class A Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn from the Class A Offer, taking into account the number of Class A Shares properly tendered and the prices specified, or deemed specified, by tendering shareholders. This single per share price (the “ Final Class  A Purchase Price ”) will be the lowest single purchase price, not greater than $29.00 nor less than $25.25 per Class A Share, that would allow the Company to purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, $625 million in value of Class A Shares, or a lower amount, depending on the number of Class A Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn;

 

5.

the Company reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to change the per Class A Share purchase price range and to increase or decrease the number of Class A Shares sought in the Class A Offer, subject to applicable law and the authority of the Company to conduct the purchase of its ordinary shares in the capital of the Company as approved by the shareholders of the Company at its annual general meeting of shareholders held on June 11, 2019 (the “ 2019 Shareholder Authorization ”). In accordance with the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ SEC ”) and subject to the 2019 Shareholder Authorization, if Class A Shares having an aggregate value in excess of $625 million are properly tendered in the Class A Offer at or below the applicable Final Class A Purchase Price and not properly withdrawn, we may increase the number of Class A Shares accepted for payment, through the Counterparty Banks, in the Class A Offer by no more than 2% of the outstanding Class A Shares without extending the Class A Offer;

 

6.

only Class A Shares properly tendered at prices at or below the Final Class A Purchase Price, and not properly withdrawn, will be purchased upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class A Offer. If, based on the Final Class A Purchase Price, all Class A Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn have an aggregate value in excess of $625 million, all of the Class A Shares tendered at or below the Final

 

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  Class A Purchase Price may not be purchased because of proration, “Odd Lot” priority and the conditional tender provisions described in the Offer to Purchase;

 

7.

Class A Shares not purchased in the Class A Offer, including Class A Shares tendered at prices in excess of the Final Class A Purchase Price and Class A Shares not purchased because of proration or conditional tender, will be returned to you at the Company’s expense promptly after the Expiration Date;

 

8.

upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class A Offer and subject to applicable law, the Company expressly reserves the right, (i) upon the occurrence of any of the events set forth in Section 7 of the Offer to Purchase, (a) to terminate the Class A Offer and return all tendered Class A Shares to tendering shareholders, (b) extend the Class A Offer and, subject to withdrawal rights as set forth in the Offer to Purchase, retain all of the tendered Class A Shares until the expiration of the Class A Offer as so extended, (c) waive a condition of the Class A Offer and, subject to any requirement to extend the period of time during which the Class A Offer is open, purchase all of the Class A Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn prior to the Expiration Date or (d) delay acceptance of payment or payment for Class A Shares, subject to applicable law, until satisfaction or waiver of the conditions to the Class A Offer, and (ii) to extend the period of time during which the Class A Offer is open, and thereby delay acceptance for payment of, and payment for, any Class A Shares, by giving oral or written notice of such extension to the Depositary and making a public announcement thereof. During any such extension, all Class A Shares previously tendered and not properly withdrawn will remain subject to the Class A Offer and to the rights of a tendering shareholder to withdraw such shareholder’s Class A Shares;

 

9.

shareholders who cannot deliver certificates for their Class A Shares and all other required documents to the Depositary or complete the procedures for book-entry transfer prior to the Expiration Date may tender their Class A Shares by properly completing and duly executing the Notice of Guaranteed Delivery pursuant to the guaranteed delivery procedures set forth in Section 3 of the Offer to Purchase (for the avoidance of doubt, in the event such certificates have been lost, destroyed or stolen, a replacement certificate is still required to be delivered to the Depositary within the period of two (2) NASDAQ trading days after the date of execution of that applicable Notice of Guaranteed Delivery);

 

10.

the Company has advised the undersigned to consult with the undersigned’s own advisors as to the consequences of tendering Class A Shares pursuant to the Class A Offer; and

 

11.

THE CLASS A OFFER IS NOT BEING MADE TO, NOR WILL TENDERS OF CLASS A SHARES BE ACCEPTED FROM OR ON BEHALF OF, SHAREHOLDERS IN ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH THE MAKING OR ACCEPTANCE OF THE CLASS A OFFER WOULD NOT BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THAT JURISDICTION.

The undersigned agrees to all of the terms and conditions of the Class A Offer.

Please issue the check for the purchase price for Class A Shares accepted for payment (less any applicable withholding taxes) in the name(s) of, and/or return any certificates for Class A Shares not properly tendered or accepted for payment to, the name(s) of the registered holder(s) appearing under “Description of Class A Shares Tendered.” Similarly, please mail the check for the purchase price for Class A Shares accepted for payment (less any applicable withholding taxes) and/or return any certificates for Class A Shares not properly tendered or accepted for payment (and accompanying documents, as appropriate) to the address(es) of the registered owner(s) appearing under “Description of Class A Shares Tendered.”

 

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IMPORTANT: SHAREHOLDERS SIGN HERE

(please also complete IRS Form W-9 below or appropriate IRS Form W-8)

 

Signature of Owner(s):  

 

Signature(s) of Owner(s):  

 

Dated:  

 

 

(Must be signed by registered holder(s) exactly as name(s) appear(s) on share certificate(s) or by person(s) authorized to become registered holder(s) of share certificate(s) as evidenced by endorsement or stock transfer forms transmitted herewith. If signed by a trustee, executor, administrator, guardian, attorney-in-fact, officer of a corporation or other person acting in a fiduciary or representative capacity, the full title of the person should be set forth. See Instruction 6).

 

Name(s):  

 

  (Please Print)
Capacity (full title):  

 

Address:  

 

    
  (Include Zip Code)
Daytime Area Code and Telephone Number:  

 

Taxpayer Identification or Social Security No.:  

 

 

Complete accompanying IRS Form W-9 or appropriate IRS Form W-8.

GUARANTEE OF SIGNATURE(S)

 

(For use by Eligible Institutions only;

see Instructions 1 and 6)

 

Name of Firm:  

 

Address:  

 

 
(Include Zip Code)
Authorized Signature:  

 

Name:  

 

(Please Type or Print)
Area Code and Telephone Number:  

 

Dated:                          , 2019  

 

NOTE: A notarization by a notary public is not acceptable.

 

PLACE MEDALLION GUARANTEE IN SPACE BELOW.

 

VOLUNTARY CORPORATE ACTIONS COY: LGIP CA1

 

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INSTRUCTIONS

Forming Part of the Terms and Conditions of the Class A Offer

 

1.

Guarantee of Signatures. No signature guarantee is required on this Letter of Transmittal if (i) this Letter of Transmittal is signed by the registered holder(s) (which term, for purposes of this Instruction 1, includes any participant in the Book-Entry Transfer Facility’s system whose name appears on a security position listing as the owner of Class A Shares) of Class A Shares tendered herewith on this Letter of Transmittal or (ii) such Class A Shares are tendered for the account of a bank, broker, dealer, credit union, savings association or other entity that is a member in good standing of a Medallion Program approved by the Securities Transfer Agents Association, Inc., including the Securities Transfer Agents Medallion Program, the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. Medallion Signature Program or the Stock Exchange Medallion Program, or is otherwise an “eligible guarantor institution” as the term is defined in Exchange Act Rule 17Ad-15 (each an “ Eligible Institution ”). In all other cases, all signatures on this Letter of Transmittal must be guaranteed by an Eligible Institution. See Instruction 6. If you have any questions regarding the need for a signature guarantee, please call the Information Agent at (888) 750-5834.

 

2.

Requirements of Tender. This Letter of Transmittal is to be completed by shareholders either if certificates are to be forwarded herewith or, unless an Agent’s Message (as defined below) is utilized, if delivery of Class A Shares is to be made pursuant to the procedures for book-entry transfer set forth in Section 3 of the Offer to Purchase. For a shareholder to validly tender Class A Shares pursuant to the Class A Offer, (i) this Letter of Transmittal, properly completed and duly executed, and the certificate(s) representing the tendered Class A Shares, together with any required signature guarantees, and any other required documents, must be received by the Depositary at one of its addresses set forth on the back of this Letter of Transmittal prior to the Expiration Date, (ii) this Letter of Transmittal, properly completed and duly executed, together with any required Agent’s Message and any other required documents, must be received by the Depositary at one of its addresses set forth on the back of this Letter of Transmittal prior to the Expiration Date and Class A Shares must be delivered pursuant to the procedures for book-entry transfer set forth in this Letter of Transmittal (and a book-entry confirmation must be received by the Depositary) prior to the Expiration Date or (iii) the shareholder must comply with the guaranteed delivery procedures set forth below and in Section 3 of the Offer to Purchase.

Tenders of Class A Shares made pursuant to the Class A Offer may be withdrawn at any time prior to the Expiration Date. If the Company extends the Class A Offer beyond that time, tendered Class A Shares may be withdrawn at any time until the extended Expiration Date. If, following the Expiration Date, the Company has note accepted for payment, through the Counterparty Banks, Class A Shares that a shareholder has properly tendered by one (1) minute after 11:59 P.M., New York City time, on September 9, 2019, such shareholder may also withdraw its Class A Shares at any time thereafter. To withdraw tendered Class A Shares, shareholders must deliver a written notice of withdrawal to the Depositary within the prescribed time period at one of the addresses set forth in this Letter of Transmittal.

Any notice of withdrawal must specify the name of the tendering shareholder, the number of Class A Shares to be withdrawn, and the name of the registered holder of such Class A Shares. In addition, if the certificates for Class A Shares to be withdrawn have been delivered or otherwise identified to the Depositary, then, before the release of the certificates, the tendering shareholder must also submit the serial numbers shown on the particular certificates for Class A Shares to be withdrawn and the signature(s) on the notice of withdrawal must be guaranteed by an Eligible Institution (except in the case of Class A Shares tendered by an Eligible Institution). If Class A Shares have been tendered pursuant to the procedures for book-entry transfer, the notice of withdrawal must also specify the name and number on the account at the Book-Entry Transfer Facility to be credited with the withdrawn Class A Shares and otherwise comply with the procedures of that facility. Withdrawals may not be rescinded and any Class A Shares withdrawn will not be properly tendered for purposes of the Class A Offer unless the withdrawn Class A Shares are properly re-tendered prior to the Expiration Date by following the procedures described above.

 

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Shareholders whose certificates for Class A Shares are not immediately available or who cannot deliver their certificates and all other required documents to the Depositary or complete the procedures for book-entry transfer prior to the Expiration Date may tender their Class A Shares by properly completing and duly executing the Notice of Guaranteed Delivery pursuant to the guaranteed delivery procedures set forth in Section 3 of the Offer to Purchase. Pursuant to those procedures, (a) tender must be made by or through an Eligible Institution, (b) a properly completed and duly executed Notice of Guaranteed Delivery, substantially in the form provided by the Company, must be received by the Depositary prior to the Expiration Date and (c) the certificates for all tendered Class A Shares in proper form for transfer (or a book-entry confirmation with respect to all such Class A Shares), together with a Letter of Transmittal, properly completed and duly executed, with any required signature guarantees, or, in the case of a book-entry transfer, an Agent’s Message, and any other required documents, must be received by the Depositary, in each case, within two trading days after the date of execution of the Notice of Guaranteed Delivery as provided in Section 3 of the Offer to Purchase. A “ trading day ” is any day on which NASDAQ is open for business. The term “ Agent’s Message ” means a message transmitted by the Book-Entry Transfer Facility to, and received by, the Depositary, which states that the Book-Entry Transfer Facility has received an express acknowledgment from the participant in the Book-Entry Transfer Facility tendering Class A Shares that such participant has received and agrees to be bound by the terms of the Letter of Transmittal and that the applicable Counterparty Bank may enforce such agreement against the participant.

THE METHOD OF DELIVERY OF CLASS A SHARES, THIS LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL AND ANY OTHER REQUIRED DOCUMENTS, INCLUDING DELIVERY THROUGH THE BOOK-ENTRY TRANSFER FACILITY, IS AT THE SOLE ELECTION AND RISK OF THE TENDERING SHAREHOLDER. CLASS A SHARES, AND THIS LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL AND ALL OTHER DOCUMENTS WILL BE DEEMED DELIVERED ONLY WHEN ACTUALLY RECEIVED BY THE DEPOSITARY (INCLUDING, IN THE CASE OF A BOOK-ENTRY TRANSFER, BY BOOK-ENTRY CONFIRMATION). WHEN DELIVERING BY MAIL, WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU USE REGISTERED MAIL WITH RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED, AND THAT YOU PROPERLY INSURE THE DOCUMENTS. IN ALL CASES, YOU SHOULD ALLOW SUFFICIENT TIME TO ENSURE TIMELY DELIVERY.

Except as specifically provided by the Offer to Purchase, no alternative, conditional or contingent tenders will be accepted. No fractional Class A Shares will be purchased. All tendering shareholders, by execution of this Letter of Transmittal, waive any right to receive any notice of the acceptance for payment of their Class A Shares.

 

3.

Inadequate Space. If the space provided in this Letter of Transmittal is inadequate, the certificate numbers and/or the number of Class A Shares should be listed on a separate signed schedule attached hereto.

 

4.

Partial Tenders (Not Applicable to Shareholders Who Tender by Book-Entry Transfer). If fewer than all of the Class A Shares represented by any certificate submitted to the Depositary are to be tendered, fill in the number of Class A Shares that are to be tendered in the box entitled “Description of Class A Shares Tendered.” In any such case, new certificate(s) for the remainder of the Class A Shares that were evidenced by the old certificate(s) will be sent to the registered holder(s), unless otherwise provided in the appropriate box on this Letter of Transmittal, as soon as practicable after the acceptance for payment of, and payment for, Class A Shares tendered herewith. All Class A Shares represented by certificates delivered to the Depositary will be deemed to have been tendered unless otherwise indicated.

 

5.

Indication of Price at Which Shares are Being Tendered. For Class A Shares to be properly tendered, the shareholder MUST either (1) check the box in the section captioned “Class A Shares Tendered At Price Determined Under The Class A Offer” in order to maximize the chance that all of the Class A Shares tendered pursuant to this Letter of Transmittal are accepted for payment (subject to the possibility of proration) or (2) check the box indicating the price per Class A Share at which such shareholder is tendering Class A Shares under “Class A Shares Tendered At Price Determined by Shareholder.” Selecting option

 

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  (1) could result in the shareholder receiving a price per Class A Share as low as $25.25, the low end of the price range in the Class A Offer, less any applicable withholding taxes and without interest.

ONLY ONE BOX UNDER (1) OR (2) MAY BE CHECKED. IF MORE THAN ONE BOX IS CHECKED OR IF NO BOX IS CHECKED, THERE IS NO PROPER TENDER OF CLASS A SHARES. A SHAREHOLDER WISHING TO TENDER PORTIONS OF SUCH SHAREHOLDER’S CLASS A SHARE HOLDINGS AT DIFFERENT PRICES MUST COMPLETE A SEPARATE LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL FOR EACH PRICE AT WHICH SUCH SHAREHOLDER WISHES TO TENDER EACH SUCH PORTION OF SUCH SHAREHOLDER’S CLASS A SHARES. The same Class A Shares cannot be tendered more than once, unless previously properly withdrawn as provided in Section 4 of the Offer to Purchase, at more than one price.

 

6.

Signatures on Letter of Transmittal, Stock Transfer Forms and Endorsements. If this Letter of Transmittal is signed by the registered
holder(s) of Class A Shares tendered hereby, the signature(s) must correspond with the name(s) as written on the face of the certificate(s) without any change or alteration whatsoever.

If any of the Class A Shares tendered hereby are owned of record by two or more joint owners, all such persons must sign this Letter of Transmittal.

If any Class A Shares tendered hereby are registered in different names on several certificates, it will be necessary to complete, sign and submit as many separate Letters of Transmittal as there are different registrations of certificates.

If this Letter of Transmittal or any certificate or stock transfer form is signed by a trustee, executor, administrator, guardian, attorney-in-fact, officer of a corporation or other person acting in a fiduciary or representative capacity, he or she should so indicate when signing and submit proper evidence satisfactory to the Company of his or her authority to so act.

If this Letter of Transmittal is signed by the registered owner(s) of Class A Shares tendered hereby, no endorsements of certificates or separate stock transfer form are required unless payment of the purchase price is to be made, or certificates for Class A Shares not tendered or accepted for payment are to be issued, to a person other than the registered owner(s). Signatures on any such certificates or stock transfer form must be guaranteed by an Eligible Institution.

If this Letter of Transmittal is signed by a person other than the registered owner(s) of Class A Shares tendered hereby, the certificate(s) representing such Class A Shares must be properly endorsed for transfer or accompanied by appropriate stock transfer form, in either case, signed exactly as the name(s) of the registered owner(s) appear(s) on the certificates(s). The signature(s) on any such certificate(s) or stock transfer
form(s) must be guaranteed by an Eligible Institution.

 

7.

Share Transfer Taxes. Except as otherwise provided in this Instruction 7, the Company will cause the Counterparty Banks to pay, or to cause to be paid, all share transfer taxes, if any, applicable to the transfer of its respective allocation of Class A Shares properly tendered and purchased in accordance with the terms of the Class A Offer. If, however, such Shares are not tendered properly in accordance with the terms of the Class A Offer, and/or if payment of the Final Class A Purchase Price for Class A Shares is to be made to, and/or (in the circumstances permitted by the Class A Offer) if unpurchased Class A Shares are to be registered in the name of, any person other than the registered holder(s), and/or if tendered certificates for Class A Shares are registered in the name of any person other than the person(s) signing this Letter of Transmittal, we may elect that all share transfer taxes, if any (whether imposed on the registered holder(s), such other person or otherwise), payable as a result will not be so paid or, if they are nevertheless so paid, that the amount of such share transfer taxes will be deducted from the Final Class A Purchase Price unless evidence satisfactory to the Company of the payment of share transfer taxes, or exemption from the payment of share transfer taxes, is submitted with this Letter of Transmittal.

 

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Except as provided in this Instruction 7, it will not be necessary for transfer tax stamps to be affixed to the certificates listed in this Letter of Transmittal.

 

8.

Waiver of Conditions; Irregularities. All questions as to the number of Class A Shares to be accepted, the purchase price to be paid for Class A Shares to be accepted, the validity, form, eligibility (including time of receipt) and acceptance for payment of any tender of Class A Shares and the validity (including time of receipt) and form of any notice of withdrawal of tendered Class A Shares will be determined by the Company, subject to applicable laws, and such determination will be final and binding on all parties absent a finding to the contrary by a court of competent jurisdiction. The Company may delegate power in whole or in part to the Depositary. The Company reserves the absolute right to reject any or all tenders of any Class A Shares that the Company determines are not in proper form or the acceptance for payment of or payment for which may, in the opinion of the Company’s counsel, be unlawful. The Company reserves the absolute right to reject any notices of withdrawal that it determines are not in proper form. The Company also reserves the right, subject to the applicable rules and regulations of the SEC, to waive conditions of the Class A Offer prior to the Expiration Date or any defect or irregularity in any tender or withdrawal with respect to any particular Class A Shares or any particular shareholder (whether or not the Company waives similar defects or irregularities in the case of other shareholders), and the Company’s interpretation of the terms of the Class A Offer (including these instructions) will be final and binding on all parties absent a finding to the contrary by a court of competent jurisdiction. In the event a condition of the Class A Offer is waived with respect to any particular shareholder, the same condition will be waived with respect to all shareholders. No tender or withdrawal of Class A Shares will be deemed to have been properly made until all defects or irregularities have been cured by the tendering or withdrawing shareholder or waived by the Company. The Company will not be liable for failure to waive any condition of the Class A Offer, or any defect or irregularity in any tender or withdrawal of Class A Shares. Unless waived, any defects or irregularities in connection with tenders or withdrawals must be cured within the period of time the Company determines. None of the Company, the Counterparty Banks, the Dealer Managers, the Information Agent, the Depositary or any other person will be obligated to give notice of any defects or irregularities in any tender or withdrawal, nor will any of the foregoing incur any liability for failure to give any such notification.

 

9.

Backup Withholding. In order to avoid backup withholding of U.S. federal income tax on payments of cash pursuant to the Class A Offer, a U.S. Holder (as defined below) tendering Class A Shares in the Class A Offer must (a) qualify for an exemption, as described below or (b) provide the Depositary or other applicable withholding agent with such U.S. Holder’s correct taxpayer identification number (“ TIN ”) (i.e., social security number or employer identification number) on IRS Form W-9, a copy of which is included with this Letter of Transmittal, and certify under penalties of perjury that (i) the TIN provided is correct, (ii) (x) the U.S. Holder is exempt from backup withholding, (y) the U.S. Holder has not been notified by the Internal Revenue Service (the “ IRS ”) that such U.S. Holder is subject to backup withholding as a result of a failure to report all interest or dividends, or (z) the IRS has notified the U.S. Holder that such U.S. Holder is no longer subject to backup withholding, and (iii) the U.S. Holder is a U.S. person (including a U.S. resident alien). If a U.S. Holder does not provide a correct TIN or fails to provide the certifications described above, the payment of cash to such U.S. Holder pursuant to the Class A Offer may be subject to backup withholding at the applicable statutory rate.

A “ U.S. Holder ” is any shareholder that for U.S. federal income tax purposes is (i) a citizen or resident of the United States, including an alien individual who is a lawful permanent resident of the United States or meets the “substantial presence” test under Section 7701(b) of the Code, (ii) a corporation or partnership created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, (iii) an estate, the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source, or (iv) a trust, if a court within the United States is able to exercise primary supervision over the administration of the trust and one or more “United States persons” within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code

 

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have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust, or, if the trust was in existence on August 20, 1996, and it has elected to continue to be treated as a United States person.

Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Rather, the amount of the backup withholding can be credited against the U.S. federal income tax liability of the person subject to the backup withholding, provided that the required information is timely given to the IRS. If backup withholding results in an overpayment of tax, a refund can be obtained upon timely filing an income tax return. A tendering U.S. Holder is required to give the Depositary or other applicable withholding agent the TIN of the record owner of the Shares being tendered. If Shares are held in more than one name or are not in the name of the actual owner, consult the instructions to the enclosed IRS Form W-9 for guidance on which number to report.

If a U.S. Holder has not been issued a TIN and has applied for one or intends to apply for one in the near future, such U.S. Holder should write “Applied For” in the space provided for the TIN in Part I of the IRS Form W-9, and sign and date the IRS Form W-9. Writing “Applied For” means that a U.S. Holder has already applied for a TIN or that such U.S. Holder intends to apply for one soon. Notwithstanding that the U.S. Holder has written “Applied For” in Part I, the Depositary will withhold the applicable statutory rate on all payments made prior to the time a properly certified TIN is provided to the Depositary.

Some shareholders are exempt from backup withholding. To prevent possible erroneous backup withholding, exempt shareholders should consult the instructions to the enclosed IRS Form W-9 for additional guidance.

Non-U.S. Holders (as defined below) should complete and sign the main signature form and IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E, if applicable, or other applicable IRS Form W-8 in order to avoid backup withholding. A copy of the appropriate IRS Form W-8 may be obtained from the Depositary or from the IRS website ( www.irs.gov ). A “ Non-U.S. Holder ” is a shareholder that is not a U.S. Holder. A disregarded domestic entity that has a foreign owner must use the appropriate IRS Form W-8, and not the IRS Form W-9. See the instructions to the enclosed IRS Form W-9 for more instructions.

Any payments made pursuant to the Class A Offer, whether to U.S. or Non-U.S. Holders, that are treated as wages will be subject to applicable wage withholding (regardless of whether an IRS Form W-9 or applicable IRS Form W-8 is provided).

Each holder is urged to consult its tax advisors for further guidance regarding the completion of IRS Form W-9, IRS Form W-8BEN, IRS Form W-8BEN-E or another version of IRS Form W-8 to claim exemption from backup withholding.

 

10.

Requests for Assistance or Additional Copies. If you have questions or need assistance, you should contact the Information Agent or the Dealer Managers at their respective addresses and telephone numbers set forth on the back cover of the Offer to Purchase. If you require additional copies of the Offer to Purchase, this Letter of Transmittal, the Notice of Guaranteed Delivery, the IRS Form W-9 or other related materials, you should contact the Information Agent. Copies will be furnished promptly at the Company’s expense.

 

11.

Lost, Destroyed or Stolen Certificates. If any certificate representing Shares has been lost, destroyed or stolen, the shareholder should promptly notify Computershare, as the transfer agent, at the toll-free number 1 (888) 218-4391. The shareholder will then be instructed by Computershare as to the steps that must be taken in order to replace the certificate. This Letter of Transmittal and related documents cannot be processed until the procedures for replacing lost, destroyed or stolen certificates have been followed.

 

12.

Conditional Tenders. As described in Sections 3 and 6 of the Offer to Purchase, shareholders may condition their tenders on all or a minimum number of their tendered Shares being purchased.

If you wish to make a conditional tender you must indicate this in the box captioned “Conditional Tender” in this Letter of Transmittal and, if applicable, the Notice of Guaranteed Delivery. In this box in this Letter

 

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of Transmittal and, if applicable, the Notice of Guaranteed Delivery, you must calculate and appropriately indicate the minimum number of Shares that must be purchased if any are to be purchased.

As discussed in Sections 3 and 6 of the Offer to Purchase, proration may affect whether conditional tenders are accepted and may result in Class A Shares tendered pursuant to a conditional tender being deemed withdrawn if the minimum number of Class A Shares would not be purchased. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class A Offer, if, because of proration (because more than the number of Class A Shares sought are properly tendered), the minimum number of Class A Shares that you designate will not be purchased, conditional tenders made at or below the Final Class A Purchase Price may be accepted by random lot, if necessary. However, to be eligible for purchase by random lot, you must have tendered all of your Class A Shares and check the box so indicating. Upon selection by lot, if any, the purchase of Class A Shares, in each case, will be limited to the designated minimum number of Class A Shares.

All tendered Class A Shares will be deemed unconditionally tendered unless the “Conditional Tender” box is completed. If you are an Odd Lot Holder (as defined in the Offer to Purchase) and you tender all of your Class A Shares, you cannot conditionally tender, because your Class A Shares will not be subject to proration.

The conditional tender alternative is made available so that a shareholder may seek to structure the purchase of Class A Shares pursuant to the Class A Offer in such a manner that the purchase will be treated as a sale of such Class A Shares by the shareholder, rather than the payment of a dividend to the shareholder, for U.S. federal income tax purposes. It is the tendering shareholder’s responsibility to calculate the minimum number of Class A Shares that must be purchased from the shareholder in order for the shareholder to qualify for sale rather than dividend treatment. Each shareholder is urged to consult his or her own tax advisor. See Section 6 of the Offer to Purchase.

 

13.

Odd Lots. As described in Section 1 of the Offer to Purchase, if the Company is to purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, fewer than all Class A Shares properly tendered before the Expiration Date and not properly withdrawn, Class A Shares purchased first will consist of all Odd Lots of less than 100 Class A Shares from shareholders who validly tender all of their Class A Shares at or below the Final Class A Purchase Price and who do not validly withdraw them before the Expiration Date. Tenders of less than all of the Class A Shares owned, beneficially or of record, by such Odd Lot Holder will not qualify for this preference. This preference will not be available unless the section captioned “Odd Lots” in this Letter of Transmittal is completed.

 

14.

Order of Purchase in Event of Proration. As described in Section 1 of the Offer to Purchase, shareholders may designate the order in which their Class A Shares are to be purchased in the event of proration. The order of purchase may have an effect on the U.S. federal income tax classification and the amount of any gain or loss on Class A Shares purchased. See Section 1 and Section 13 of the Offer to Purchase.

 

15.

IMPORTANT : THIS LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL, TOGETHER WITH ANY REQUIRED SIGNATURE GUARANTEES, OR, IN THE CASE OF A BOOK-ENTRY TRANSFER, AN AGENT’S MESSAGE, AND ANY OTHER REQUIRED DOCUMENTS, MUST BE RECEIVED BY THE DEPOSITARY PRIOR TO THE EXPIRATION DATE, AND EITHER CERTIFICATES FOR TENDERED CLASS A SHARES MUST BE RECEIVED BY THE DEPOSITARY OR SHARES MUST BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO THE PROCEDURES FOR BOOK-ENTRY TRANSFER, IN EACH CASE, PRIOR TO THE EXPIRATION DATE, OR THE TENDERING SHAREHOLDER MUST COMPLY WITH THE PROCEDURES FOR GUARANTEED DELIVERY.

 

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EXHIBIT (a)(1)(C)


Letter of Transmittal

For Tender of Shares of Class C Ordinary Shares

Pursuant to the Offer to Purchase, Dated August 12, 2019

by

Liberty Global plc

Up to $1.875 billion in value of its Class C Ordinary Shares

At a Cash Purchase Price Not Greater than $28.50 per Class C Share Nor Less than $24.75 per Class C Share

 

 

THE CLASS C OFFER, PRORATION PERIOD AND WITHDRAWAL RIGHTS WILL EXPIRE AT

ONE (1) MINUTE AFTER 11:59 P.M., NEW YORK CITY TIME, ON SEPTEMBER 9, 2019, UNLESS

THE CLASS C OFFER IS EXTENDED OR TERMINATED.

The undersigned represents that I (we) have full authority to tender without restriction the Class C Shares (as defined herein) listed below. You are hereby authorized and instructed to deliver to the address indicated below (unless otherwise instructed in the boxes in the following page) a check representing a cash payment for Class C ordinary shares, nominal value $0.01 per share (each, a “ Class  C Share ,” and collectively, “ Class  C Shares ”), of Liberty Global plc (the “ Company ,” “ we ,” “ us ” or “ our ”) tendered pursuant to this Letter of Transmittal, for purchase by Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC and HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. (each, a “ Counterparty Bank ,” and together, the “ Counterparty Banks ”), at a price not greater than $28.50 nor less than $24.75 per Class C Share (the “ Class  C Offer ”), to the seller in cash, less any applicable withholding taxes and without interest, upon the terms and subject to the conditions in this Letter of Transmittal (together with any amendments and supplements thereto, this “ Letter of Transmittal ”), the Offer to Purchase, dated August 12, 2019 (together with any amendments or supplements thereto, the “ Offer to Purchase ”) and other related materials as may be amended or supplemented from time to time.

THIS FORM SHOULD BE COMPLETED, SIGNED AND SENT TOGETHER WITH ALL OTHER DOCUMENTS, INCLUDING YOUR CERTIFICATES FOR SHARES TO COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A. (THE “DEPOSITARY”) AT ONE OF THE ADDRESSES SET FORTH BELOW. DELIVERY OF THIS LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL OR OTHER DOCUMENTS TO AN ADDRESS OTHER THAN AS SET FORTH BELOW DOES NOT CONSTITUTE VALID DELIVERY. DELIVERIES TO THE COMPANY, THE COUNTERPARTY BANKS, CREDIT SUISSE SECURITIES (USA) LLC AND HSBC SECURITIES (USA) INC. (THE “DEALER MANAGERS”) OR INNISFREE M&A INCORPORATED (THE “INFORMATION AGENT”) WILL NOT BE FORWARDED TO THE DEPOSITARY AND THEREFORE WILL NOT CONSTITUTE VALID DELIVERY. DELIVERIES TO THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY WILL NOT CONSTITUTE VALID DELIVERY TO THE DEPOSITARY.

Method of delivery of the certificate(s) is at the option and risk of the owner thereof. See Instruction 2.

Mail or deliver this Letter of Transmittal, together with the certificate(s) representing your Class C Shares, to:

 

If delivering by express mail, courier or

other expedited service:

 

Computershare Trust Company, N.A.

c/o Voluntary Corporate Actions

150 Royall Street, Suite V

Canton, Massachusetts 02021

 

By mail:

 

 

Computershare Trust Company, N.A.

c/o Voluntary Corporate Actions

P.O. Box 43011

Providence, Rhode Island 02940-3011

 

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Pursuant to the Class C Offer to purchase up to $1.875 billion in value of Class C Shares, the undersigned encloses herewith and tenders the following certificates representing shares of the Company:

 

 
DESCRIPTION OF CLASS C SHARES TENDERED (See Instructions 3 and 4)
   

Name(s) and Address(es) of
Registered Holder(s)

(If blank, please fill in exactly as
name(s) appear(s) on share
certificate(s)

  Class C Shares Tendered
   
     (Please fill in. Attach separate schedule if needed –
See Instruction 3)
     
     Certificated Shares**   Book-Entry Shares or
Shares Electronically
held in a Custody
Account, if applicable
         
    

Certificate

No(s)*

 

Total number

of Shares

Represented by

Certificate(s)*

  Number of
Shares
Tendered**
  Number of
Shares
Tendered***
         
                 
         
                 
         
                 
         
                 
         
                 
         
                 
         
                 
         
    TOTAL SHARES            

    *  Need not be completed if Class C Shares are delivered by book-entry transfer by your broker to DTC.

  **  Unless otherwise indicated, it will be assumed that all Class C Shares represented by any certificates delivered to the Depositary are being tendered. See Instruction 4.

***  If your Class C Shares are held as Book-Entry Shares or Shares Electronically held in a Custody Account, if applicable, indicate the amount of Class C Shares you are tendering in the column Number of Shares Tendered.

 

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READ THE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY BEFORE

COMPLETING THIS LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL.

 

Indicate below the order (by certificate number) in which Class C Shares are to be purchased in the event of proration (attach additional signed list if necessary). If you do not designate an order and if less than all Class C Shares tendered are purchased due to proration, Class C Shares will be selected for purchase by the Depositary. See Instruction 14.

1st:                                               

  2nd:                                                  3rd:                                               

4th:                                               

  5th:                                                 

 

YOU MUST SIGN THIS LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL WHERE INDICATED BELOW AND COMPLETE THE IRS FORM W-9 PROVIDED BELOW OR, IF APPROPRIATE, IRS FORM W-8.

This Letter of Transmittal (together with any amendments and supplements thereto, this “ Letter of Transmittal ”) is to be used either if certificates for Class C ordinary shares, nominal value $0.01 per share (each, a “ Class  C Share ,” and collectively, “ Class  C Shares ”), of Liberty Global plc (the “ Company ,” “ we ,” “ us ” or “ our ”) being tendered are to be forwarded with this Letter of Transmittal or, unless an Agent’s Message (defined below) is utilized, if delivery of Class C Shares is to be made by book-entry transfer to an account maintained by Computershare Trust Company N.A., the depositary for the Class C Offer (the “ Depositary ”), at The Depository Trust Company, which is referred to as the “ Book-Entry Transfer Facility ,” pursuant to the procedures set forth in Section 3 of the Offer to Purchase dated August 12, 2019 (together with any amendments or supplements thereto, the “ Offer to Purchase ,” and together with this Letter of Transmittal and other related materials, as each may be amended or supplemented from time to time and with respect to the Class C Shares, the “ Class  C Offer ”). Tendering shareholders must deliver either the certificates for, or timely confirmation of book-entry transfer in accordance with the procedures described in Section 3 of the Offer to Purchase with respect to, their Class C Shares and all other documents required by this Letter of Transmittal to the Depositary by one (1) minute after 11:59 p.m., New York City time, on September 9, 2019, unless we extend or terminate the Class C Offer (such date and time, as they may be extended, the “ Expiration Date ”). When used together with a specific time, the term Expiration Date refers to the date on which the Class C Offer expires.

The Class C Offer will be conducted such that, the Counterparty Banks will initially purchase their respective allocated portion of the Class C Shares and take actions to facilitate our subsequent purchase of the Class C Shares pursuant to the Counterparty Bank Agreements and the terms and conditions of the Class C Offer set forth in the Offer to Purchase. We will generally make all decisions and determinations with respect to the Class C Offer, including with respect to the satisfaction or waiver of conditions to the Class C Offer set forth in the Offer to Purchase and the acceptance of Class C Shares for purchase by the Counterparty Banks. We sometimes refer to our purchases of the Class C Shares “through the Counterparty Banks,” which refers to the initial purchase of Class C Shares in the Class C Offer by the Counterparty Banks and our subsequent purchase of the same Class C Shares pursuant to the Counterparty Bank Agreements and the terms and conditions of the Class C Offer set forth in the Offer to Purchase. In no circumstances will we purchase Class C Shares in connection with the Class C Offer other than from the Counterparty Banks pursuant to the Counterparty Bank Agreements.

Tendering shareholders whose certificates for Class C Shares are not immediately available or who cannot deliver either the certificates for, or timely confirmation of book-entry in accordance with the procedures described in Section 3 of the Offer to Purchase with respect to, their Class C Shares and all other documents

 

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required by this Letter of Transmittal to the Depositary by the Expiration Date must tender their Class C Shares in accordance with the guaranteed delivery procedures set forth in Section 3 of the Offer to Purchase. All capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein have the meaning ascribed to them in the Offer to Purchase.

Your attention is directed in particular to the following:

 

1.

If you wish to retain Class C Shares you own, you do not need to take any action.

 

2.

If you wish to participate in the Class C Offer and wish to maximize your chances of having Class C Shares you are tendering by this Letter of Transmittal purchased in the Class C Offer, you should check the box marked “Class C Shares Tendered At Price Determined Under The Class C Offer” below and complete the other portions of this Letter of Transmittal as appropriate. You should understand that this election will indicate that you will accept the Final Class C Purchase Price as determined by us in accordance with the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class C Offer, and this election may have the effect of lowering the Final Class C Purchase Price and could result in your tendered Class C Shares being purchased at $24.75 per Class C Share, which is the low end of the price range in the Class C Offer, less any applicable withholding taxes and without interest.

 

3.

If you wish to select a specific price (in multiples of $0.25) at which you will be tendering your Class C Shares, you must select the appropriate box in the section captioned “Class C Shares Tendered At Price Determined By Shareholder” below and complete the other portions of this Letter of Transmittal as appropriate. You should understand that this election could mean that none of your tendered Class C Shares will be purchased if you select a box other than the box representing a price at or below the Final Class C Purchase Price.

 

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METHOD OF DELIVERY

 

CHECK HERE IF CERTIFICATES FOR TENDERED CLASS C SHARES ARE ENCLOSED HEREWITH.

 

CHECK HERE IF TENDERED CLASS C SHARES ARE BEING DELIVERED BY BOOK-ENTRY TRANSFER MADE TO AN ACCOUNT MAINTAINED BY THE DEPOSITARY WITH THE BOOK-ENTRY TRANSFER FACILITY AND COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING (ONLY PARTICIPANTS IN THE BOOK- ENTRY TRANSFER FACILITY MAY DELIVER CLASS C SHARES BY BOOK-ENTRY TRANSFER):

 

Name of Tendering Institution:  

Account Number:  

Transaction Code Number:  

 

CHECK HERE IF TENDERED CLASS C SHARES ARE BEING DELIVERED PURSUANT TO THE GUARANTEED DELIVERY PROCEDURES OUTLINED IN SECTION 3 OF THE OFFER TO PURCHASE AND COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING:

 

Name (s) of Registered Owner (s):  

Date of Execution of Notice of Guaranteed  Delivery:  

Name of Institution that Guaranteed Delivery:  

Account Number:  

 

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PRICE (IN U.S. DOLLARS) PER CLASS C SHARE AT WHICH CLASS C SHARES ARE BEING TENDERED

(See Instruction 5)

THE UNDERSIGNED IS TENDERING CLASS C SHARES AS FOLLOWS (CHECK ONLY ONE BOX UNDER (1) OR (2) BELOW).

(1) CLASS C SHARES TENDERED AT PRICE DETERMINED UNDER THE CLASS C OFFER

BY CHECKING THE BOX BELOW INSTEAD OF ONE OF THE BOXES UNDER “Class C Shares Tendered At Price Determined By Shareholder,” the undersigned hereby tenders Class C Shares at the Final Class C Purchase Price as shall be determined by the Company in accordance with the terms of and subject to the conditions of the Class C Offer.

 

The undersigned wishes to maximize its chances that all of the Class C Shares the undersigned is tendering by this Letter of Transmittal are purchased in the Class C Offer (subject to the possibility of proration). Accordingly, by checking this box instead of one of the price boxes below, the undersigned hereby tenders its Class C Shares at, and is willing to accept, the Final Class C Purchase Price as determined by the Company in accordance with the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class C Offer. The undersigned understands that checking this box will result in its Class C Shares being deemed to have been tendered at $24.75 per Class C Share, which is the low end of the price range in the Class C Offer, for purposes of determining the Final Class C Purchase Price. The undersigned also understands that this may have the effect of lowering the Final Class C Purchase Price and could result in the undersigned receiving a per Class C Share price as low as $24.75, which is the low end of the price range in the Class C Offer, less any applicable withholding taxes and without interest.

-OR-

(2) CLASS C SHARES TENDERED AT PRICE DETERMINED BY SHAREHOLDER

BY CHECKING ONE OF THE FOLLOWING BOXES INSTEAD OF THE BOX UNDER “Class C Shares Tendered At Price Determined Under The Class C Offer,” the undersigned hereby tenders Class C Shares at the price per Class C Share checked. The undersigned understands that this action could result in none of the Class C Shares tendered hereby being purchased in the Class C Offer if you select a box other than the box representing a price at or below the Final Class C Purchase Price as determined by the Company in accordance with the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class C Offer.

 

☐ $24.75    ☐ $26.00    ☐ $27.25    ☐ $28.50
☐ $25.00    ☐ $26.25    ☐ $27.50   
☐ $25.25    ☐ $26.50    ☐ $27.75   
☐ $25.50    ☐ $26.75    ☐ $28.00   
☐ $25.75    ☐ $27.00    ☐ $28.25   

 

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A SHAREHOLDER DESIRING TO TENDER CLASS C SHARES AT MORE THAN ONE PRICE MUST COMPLETE A SEPARATE LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL FOR EACH PRICE AT WHICH CLASS C SHARES ARE TENDERED. THE SAME CLASS C SHARES CANNOT BE TENDERED AT MORE THAN ONE PRICE UNLESS PREVIOUSLY PROPERLY WITHDRAWN AS PROVIDED IN SECTION 4 OF THE OFFER TO PURCHASE.

CHECK ONLY ONE BOX UNDER (1) OR (2) ABOVE. IF MORE THAN ONE BOX IS CHECKED ABOVE, OR IF NO BOX IS CHECKED, THERE IS NO VALID TENDER OF CLASS C SHARES AND YOUR CLASS C SHARES WILL NOT BE PURCHASED IN THE CLASS C OFFER.

 

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ODD LOTS

(See Instruction 13)

As described in Section 1 of the Offer to Purchase, under certain conditions, shareholders holding less than 100 Class C Shares may have their Class C Shares accepted for payment before any proration of other tendered Class C Shares. This preference is not available to partial tenders, or to beneficial or record holders of an aggregate of 100 or more Class C Shares, even if such holders have separate accounts or certificates representing less than 100 Class C Shares. Accordingly, this section is to be completed ONLY if Class C Shares are being tendered by or on behalf of a person owning, beneficially or of record, an aggregate of less than 100 Class C Shares. The undersigned certifies that it either (check one box):

 

owns, beneficially or of record, an aggregate of less than 100 Class C Shares and is tendering all such Class C Shares; or

 

is a broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee that (i) is tendering, on behalf of the beneficial owner(s), Class C Shares with respect to which it is the record holder and (ii) believes, based upon representations made to it by the beneficial owner(s) of such Class C Shares, that each such person is the beneficial owner of an aggregate of less than 100 Class C Shares and is tendering all such Class C Shares.

CONDITIONAL TENDER

(See Instruction 12)

A shareholder may tender Class C Shares subject to the condition that a specified minimum number of the shareholder’s Class C Shares tendered pursuant to the Letter of Transmittal must be purchased if any Class C Shares tendered are purchased, all as described in the Offer to Purchase and particularly in Section 6 of the Offer to Purchase. Unless at least the minimum number of Class C Shares indicated below is purchased by us, through the Counterparty Banks, pursuant to the terms of the Class C Offer, none of the Class C Shares tendered will be purchased. It is the tendering shareholder’s responsibility to calculate that minimum number of Class C Shares that must be purchased if any are purchased, and the Company urges shareholders to consult their own financial and tax advisors before completing this section. Unless this box has been checked and a minimum specified, the tender will be deemed unconditional.

 

The minimum number of Class C Shares that must be purchased, if any are purchased, is:              Class C Shares.

If, because of proration, the minimum number of Class C Shares designated will not be purchased, conditional tenders may be accepted, through the Counterparty Banks, by random lot, if necessary. However, to be eligible for purchase by random lot, the tendering shareholder must have tendered all of his or her Class C Shares and checked this box:

 

The tendered Class C Shares represent all Class C Shares held by the undersigned.

 

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LOST OR DESTROYED CERTIFICATE(S)

IF ANY SHARE CERTIFICATE REPRESENTING CLASS C SHARES THAT YOU OWN HAS BEEN LOST, STOLEN OR DESTROYED, PLEASE CONTACT COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A. (“ COMPUTERSHARE ”) AS THE TRANSFER AGENT AT 1 (888) 218-4391 PROMPTLY TO OBTAIN INSTRUCTIONS AS TO THE STEPS THAT MUST BE TAKEN IN ORDER TO REPLACE THE CERTIFICATE. THIS LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL AND RELATED DOCUMENTS CANNOT BE PROCESSED UNTIL THE PROCEDURES FOR REPLACING LOST OR DESTROYED CERTIFICATES HAVE BEEN FOLLOWED. PLEASE CONTACT COMPUTERSHARE IMMEDIATELY TO PERMIT TIMELY PROCESSING OF THE REPLACEMENT DOCUMENTATION. SEE INSTRUCTION 11.

NOTE: SIGNATURES MUST BE PROVIDED WHERE INDICATED BELOW. PLEASE READ THE ACCOMPANYING INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY.

Ladies and Gentlemen:

The undersigned hereby tenders to Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC and HSBC Securities (USA) Inc., as applicable (each, a “ Counterparty Bank ,” and together, the “ Counterparty Banks ”), the above-described shares, nominal value $0.01 per share, of the Class C ordinary shares (each, a “ Class  C Share ,” and collectively “ Class  C Shares ”) of Liberty Global plc, a public limited company organized under the laws of England and Wales (the “ Company ,” “ we ,” “ us ” or “ our ”), at the price per Class C Share indicated in this Letter of Transmittal, to the seller in cash, less any applicable withholding taxes and without interest, which will subsequently be purchased by the Company upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Company’s Offer to Purchase, dated August 12, 2019 (together with any amendments or supplements thereto, the “ Offer to Purchase ”), this Letter of Transmittal (together with any amendments or supplements thereto, this “ Letter of Transmittal ”) and other related materials as may be amended or supplemented from time to time (collectively, with the Offer to Purchase and this Letter of Transmittal, in each case, with respect to the Class C Shares, the “ Class  C Offer ”), receipt of which is hereby acknowledged.

Subject to and effective on acceptance for payment of, and payment for, Class C Shares tendered pursuant to this Letter of Transmittal in accordance with the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class C Offer, the undersigned hereby agrees to sell, assign and transfer to the applicable Counterparty Bank, or upon the order of the Company will sell, assign and transfer to the applicable Counterparty Bank, all right, title and interest in and to all Class C Shares that are being tendered hereby, and to the full extent of the undersigned’s rights with respect to such tendered Class C Shares to:

 

1.

deliver certificates for such tendered Class C Shares or transfer ownership of such tendered Class C Shares on the account books maintained by The Depository Trust Company (which, in the Class C Offer, is called the “ Book-Entry Transfer Facility ”), together, in any such case, with all accompanying evidence of transfer and authenticity to, or upon the order of, the Company upon receipt by Computershare Trust Company, N.A., the depositary for the Class C Offer (the “ Depositary ”), as the undersigned’s agent, of the aggregate purchase price (less any applicable withholding taxes and without interest) with respect to such tendered Class C Shares;

 

2.

present certificate(s) for such tendered Class C Shares held in certificated form outside of the Book-Entry Transfer Facility for cancellation by the Depositary;

 

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3.

receive all benefits and otherwise exercise all rights of beneficial ownership of such tendered Class C Shares, all in accordance with the terms of and subject to the conditions of the Class C Offer and, for so long as the undersigned remains the registered holder of any Class C Shares held in certificated form outside of the Book-Entry Transfer Facility, to:

 

  a.

hold such Class C Shares together with all dividends and any other distributions of profits or other assets in respect of such Class C Shares, and all rights arising out of or in connection with them, in trust for the applicable Counterparty Bank;

 

  b.

deal with and dispose of such Class C Shares, dividends, distributions, assets and rights as the applicable Counterparty Bank may direct;

 

  c.

exercise all voting rights attached to such Class C Shares in such manner as the applicable Counterparty Bank may direct, and, upon the order of the applicable Counterparty Bank, execute all instruments or other documents as may be necessary to enable the applicable Counterparty Bank to attend and vote at any meeting of the Company, in respect of which matters the applicable Counterparty Bank shall act as agent;

 

  d.

ratify and confirm whatever the applicable Counterparty Bank shall lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue of this undertaking; and

 

  e.

indemnify and hold harmless the applicable Counterparty Bank and its successors against all actions, demands, proceedings, claims, costs, expenses, obligations, liabilities and losses of any description arising from the exercise of any of the powers hereby granted to the applicable Counterparty Bank.

The undersigned hereby appoints the Depositary as the undersigned’s agent for the purposes of signing one or more global stock transfer form(s) transferring to the relevant Counterparty Bank all of the Class C Shares properly tendered pursuant to any of the procedures described in Section 3 of the Offer to Purchase and the instructions to this Letter of Transmittal and not properly withdrawn pursuant to Section 4 of the Offer to Purchase from shareholders of the Company who have forwarded their certificates representing the tendered Class C Shares to the Depositary.

The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned:

 

1.

has a “net long position” in Class C Shares or Equivalent Securities (as defined below) that is at least equal to the number of Class C Shares being tendered;

 

2.

has full power and authority to tender, sell, assign and transfer the tendered Class C Shares and that, when the same are accepted for payment, the applicable Counterparty Bank will acquire good title thereto, free and clear of all liens, security interests, restrictions, charges, claims, encumbrances, conditional sales agreements or other similar obligations relating to the sale or transfer of the tendered Class C Shares, and the same will not be subject to any adverse claim or right; and

 

3.

will, on request by the Depositary or the Company, execute any additional documents deemed by the Depositary or the Company to be necessary or desirable to complete the sale, assignment and transfer of the tendered Class C Shares (and any and all such other Class C Shares or other securities or rights), all in accordance with the terms of and subject to the conditions of the Class C Offer.

All authority conferred or agreed to be conferred pursuant to this Letter of Transmittal shall be binding on the successors, assigns, heirs, personal representatives, executors, administrators and other legal representatives of the undersigned and shall not be affected by, and shall survive, the death or incapacity of the undersigned. Except as stated in the Offer to Purchase, this tender is irrevocable.

The undersigned understands that:

 

1.

the tender of Class C Shares properly tendered pursuant to any of the procedures described in Section 3 of the Offer to Purchase and in the instructions to this Letter of Transmittal and not properly withdrawn

 

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  pursuant to Section 4 of the Offer to Purchase constitutes the undersigned’s acceptance of the terms and conditions of the Class C Offer, and the applicable Counterparty Bank’s acceptance for payment of the Class C Shares tendered pursuant to the Class C Offer will constitute a binding agreement between the undersigned and the applicable Counterparty Bank in accordance with the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class C Offer;

 

2.

it is a violation of Rule 14e-4 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (“ Exchange Act ”), for a person, acting alone or in concert with others, directly or indirectly, to tender Class C Shares for such person’s own account unless, at the time of tender and at the Expiration Date (as defined in the Offer to Purchase), such person has a “net long position” in (i) the Class C Shares that is equal to or greater than the amount tendered, and will deliver or cause to be delivered such Class C Shares for the purpose of tender to the applicable Counterparty Bank within the period specified in the Class C Offer, or (ii) other securities immediately convertible into, exercisable for or exchangeable into Class C Shares (“ Equivalent Securities ”) that is equal to or greater than the amount tendered and, upon the acceptance of such tender, will acquire such Class C Shares by conversion, exchange or exercise of such Equivalent Securities to the extent required by the terms of the Class C Offer, and will deliver or cause to be delivered such Class C Shares so acquired for the purpose of tender to the applicable Counterparty Bank within the period specified in the Class C Offer. Rule 14e-4 also provides a similar restriction applicable to the tender or guarantee of a tender on behalf of another person. A tender of Class C Shares made pursuant to any method of delivery set forth in this Letter of Transmittal will constitute the tendering shareholder’s representation and warranty to the Company and the applicable Counterparty Bank that (i) such shareholder has a “net long position” in Class C Shares or Equivalent Securities being tendered within the meaning of Rule 14e-4, and (ii) such tender of Class C Shares complies with Rule 14e-4;

 

3.

the applicable Counterparty Bank will, upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class C Offer, purchase Class C Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn at a price not greater than $28.50 nor less than $24.75 per Class C Share, to the seller in cash, less any applicable withholding taxes and without interest;

 

4.

upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class C Offer, the Company will determine a single per share price that it will pay for Class C Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn from the Class C Offer, taking into account the number of Class C Shares properly tendered and the prices specified, or deemed specified, by tendering shareholders. This single per share price (the “ Final Class  C Purchase Price ”) will be the lowest single purchase price, not greater than $28.50 nor less than $24.75 per Class C Share, that would allow the Company to purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, $1.875 billion in value of Class C Shares, or a lower amount, depending on the number of Class C Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn;

 

5.

the Company reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to change the per Class C Share purchase price range and to increase or decrease the number of Class C Shares sought in the Class C Offer, subject to applicable law and the authority of the Company to conduct the purchase of its ordinary shares in the capital of the Company as approved by the shareholders of the Company at its annual general meeting of shareholders held on June 11, 2019 (the “ 2019 Shareholder Authorization ”). In accordance with the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ SEC ”) and subject to the 2019 Shareholder Authorization, if Class C Shares having an aggregate value in excess of $1.875 billion are properly tendered in the Class C Offer at or below the applicable Final Class C Purchase Price and not properly withdrawn, we may increase the number of Class C Shares accepted for payment, through the Counterparty Banks, in the Class C Offer by no more than 2% of the outstanding Class C Shares without extending the Class C Offer;

 

6.

only Class C Shares properly tendered at prices at or below the Final Class C Purchase Price, and not properly withdrawn, will be purchased upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class C Offer. If, based on the Final Class C Purchase Price, all Class C Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn have an aggregate value in excess of $1.875 billion, all of the Class C Shares tendered at or below the Final

 

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  Class C Purchase Price may not be purchased because of proration, “Odd Lot” priority and the conditional tender provisions described in the Offer to Purchase;

 

7.

Class C Shares not purchased in the Class C Offer, including Class C Shares tendered at prices in excess of the Final Class C Purchase Price and Class C Shares not purchased because of proration or conditional tender, will be returned to you at the Company’s expense promptly after the Expiration Date;

 

8.

upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class C Offer and subject to applicable law, the Company expressly reserves the right, (i) upon the occurrence of any of the events set forth in Section 7 of the Offer to Purchase, (a) to terminate the Class C Offer and return all tendered Class C Shares to tendering shareholders, (b) extend the Class C Offer and, subject to withdrawal rights as set forth in the Offer to Purchase, retain all of the tendered Class C Shares until the expiration of the Class C Offer as so extended, (c) waive a condition of the Class C Offer and, subject to any requirement to extend the period of time during which the Class C Offer is open, purchase all of the Class C Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn prior to the Expiration Date or (d) delay acceptance of payment or payment for Class C Shares, subject to applicable law, until satisfaction or waiver of the conditions to the Class C Offer, and (ii) to extend the period of time during which the Class C Offer is open, and thereby delay acceptance for payment of, and payment for, any Class C Shares, by giving oral or written notice of such extension to the Depositary and making a public announcement thereof. During any such extension, all Class C Shares previously tendered and not properly withdrawn will remain subject to the Class C Offer and to the rights of a tendering shareholder to withdraw such shareholder’s Class C Shares;

 

9.

shareholders who cannot deliver certificates for their Class C Shares and all other required documents to the Depositary or complete the procedures for book-entry transfer prior to the Expiration Date may tender their Class C Shares by properly completing and duly executing the Notice of Guaranteed Delivery pursuant to the guaranteed delivery procedures set forth in Section 3 of the Offer to Purchase (for the avoidance of doubt, in the event such certificates have been lost, destroyed or stolen, a replacement certificate is still required to be delivered to the Depositary within the period of two (2) NASDAQ trading days after the date of execution of that applicable Notice of Guaranteed Delivery);

 

10.

the Company has advised the undersigned to consult with the undersigned’s own advisors as to the consequences of tendering Class C Shares pursuant to the Class C Offer; and

 

11.

THE CLASS C OFFER IS NOT BEING MADE TO, NOR WILL TENDERS OF CLASS C SHARES BE ACCEPTED FROM OR ON BEHALF OF, SHAREHOLDERS IN ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH THE MAKING OR ACCEPTANCE OF THE CLASS C OFFER WOULD NOT BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THAT JURISDICTION.

The undersigned agrees to all of the terms and conditions of the Class C Offer.

Please issue the check for the purchase price for Class C Shares accepted for payment (less any applicable withholding taxes) in the name(s) of, and/or return any certificates for Class C Shares not properly tendered or accepted for payment to, the name(s) of the registered holder(s) appearing under “Description of Class C Shares Tendered.” Similarly, please mail the check for the purchase price for Class C Shares accepted for payment (less any applicable withholding taxes) and/or return any certificates for Class C Shares not properly tendered or accepted for payment (and accompanying documents, as appropriate) to the address(es) of the registered owner(s) appearing under “Description of Class C Shares Tendered.”

 

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IMPORTANT: SHAREHOLDERS SIGN HERE

(please also complete IRS Form W-9 below or appropriate IRS Form W-8)

 

Signature of Owner(s):  

 

Signature(s) of Owner(s):  

 

Dated:  

 

 

(Must be signed by registered holder(s) exactly as name(s) appear(s) on share certificate(s) or by person(s) authorized to become registered holder(s) of share certificate(s) as evidenced by endorsement or stock transfer forms transmitted herewith. If signed by a trustee, executor, administrator, guardian, attorney-in-fact, officer of a corporation or other person acting in a fiduciary or representative capacity, the full title of the person should be set forth. See Instruction 6).

 

Name(s):  

 

  (Please Print)
Capacity (full title):  

 

Address:  

 

 
  (Include Zip Code)
Daytime Area Code and Telephone Number:  

 

Taxpayer Identification or Social Security No.:  

 

 

VOLUNTARY CORPORATE ACTIONS COY: LGIP CC1

 

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Complete accompanying IRS Form W-9 or appropriate IRS Form W-8.

GUARANTEE OF SIGNATURE(S)

 

(For use by Eligible Institutions only;

see Instructions 1 and 6)

 

Name of Firm:  

 

Address:  

 

 
(Include Zip Code)
Authorized Signature:  

 

Name:  

 

(Please Type or Print)
Area Code and Telephone Number:  

 

Dated:                          , 2019  

 

NOTE: A notarization by a notary public is not acceptable.

PLACE MEDALLION GUARANTEE IN SPACE BELOW.

 

VOLUNTARY CORPORATE ACTIONS COY: LGIP CC1

 

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INSTRUCTIONS

Forming Part of the Terms and Conditions of the Class C Offer

 

1.

Guarantee of Signatures. No signature guarantee is required on this Letter of Transmittal if (i) this Letter of Transmittal is signed by the registered holder(s) (which term, for purposes of this Instruction 1, includes any participant in the Book-Entry Transfer Facility’s system whose name appears on a security position listing as the owner of Class C Shares) of Class C Shares tendered herewith on this Letter of Transmittal or (ii) such Class C Shares are tendered for the account of a bank, broker, dealer, credit union, savings association or other entity that is a member in good standing of a Medallion Program approved by the Securities Transfer Agents Association, Inc., including the Securities Transfer Agents Medallion Program, the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. Medallion Signature Program or the Stock Exchange Medallion Program, or is otherwise an “eligible guarantor institution” as the term is defined in Exchange Act Rule 17Ad-15 (each an “ Eligible Institution ”). In all other cases, all signatures on this Letter of Transmittal must be guaranteed by an Eligible Institution. See Instruction 6. If you have any questions regarding the need for a signature guarantee, please call the Information Agent at (888) 750-5834.

 

2.

Requirements of Tender. This Letter of Transmittal is to be completed by shareholders either if certificates are to be forwarded herewith or, unless an Agent’s Message (as defined below) is utilized, if delivery of Class C Shares is to be made pursuant to the procedures for book-entry transfer set forth in Section 3 of the Offer to Purchase. For a shareholder to validly tender Class C Shares pursuant to the Class C Offer, (i) this Letter of Transmittal, properly completed and duly executed, and the certificate(s) representing the tendered Class C Shares, together with any required signature guarantees, and any other required documents, must be received by the Depositary at one of its addresses set forth on the back of this Letter of Transmittal prior to the Expiration Date, (ii) this Letter of Transmittal, properly completed and duly executed, together with any required Agent’s Message and any other required documents, must be received by the Depositary at one of its addresses set forth on the back of this Letter of Transmittal prior to the Expiration Date and Class C Shares must be delivered pursuant to the procedures for book-entry transfer set forth in this Letter of Transmittal (and a book-entry confirmation must be received by the Depositary) prior to the Expiration Date or (iii) the shareholder must comply with the guaranteed delivery procedures set forth below and in Section 3 of the Offer to Purchase.

Tenders of Class C Shares made pursuant to the Class C Offer may be withdrawn at any time prior to the Expiration Date. If the Company extends the Class C Offer beyond that time, tendered Class C Shares may be withdrawn at any time until the extended Expiration Date. If, following the Expiration Date, the Company has note accepted for payment, through the Counterparty Banks, Class C Shares that a shareholder has properly tendered by one (1) minute after 11:59 P.M., New York City time, on September 9, 2019, such shareholder may also withdraw its Class C Shares at any time thereafter. To withdraw tendered Class C Shares, shareholders must deliver a written notice of withdrawal to the Depositary within the prescribed time period at one of the addresses set forth in this Letter of Transmittal.

Any notice of withdrawal must specify the name of the tendering shareholder, the number of Class C Shares to be withdrawn, and the name of the registered holder of such Class C Shares. In addition, if the certificates for Class C Shares to be withdrawn have been delivered or otherwise identified to the Depositary, then, before the release of the certificates, the tendering shareholder must also submit the serial numbers shown on the particular certificates for Class C Shares to be withdrawn and the signature(s) on the notice of withdrawal must be guaranteed by an Eligible Institution (except in the case of Class C Shares tendered by an Eligible Institution). If Class C Shares have been tendered pursuant to the procedures for book-entry transfer, the notice of withdrawal must also specify the name and number on the account at the Book-Entry Transfer Facility to be credited with the withdrawn Class C Shares and otherwise comply with the procedures of that facility. Withdrawals may not be rescinded and any Class C Shares withdrawn will not be properly tendered for purposes of the Class C Offer unless the withdrawn Class C Shares are properly re-tendered prior to the Expiration Date by following the procedures described above.

 

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Shareholders whose certificates for Class C Shares are not immediately available or who cannot deliver their certificates and all other required documents to the Depositary or complete the procedures for book-entry transfer prior to the Expiration Date may tender their Class C Shares by properly completing and duly executing the Notice of Guaranteed Delivery pursuant to the guaranteed delivery procedures set forth in Section 3 of the Offer to Purchase. Pursuant to those procedures, (a) tender must be made by or through an Eligible Institution, (b) a properly completed and duly executed Notice of Guaranteed Delivery, substantially in the form provided by the Company, must be received by the Depositary prior to the Expiration Date and (c) the certificates for all tendered Class C Shares in proper form for transfer (or a book-entry confirmation with respect to all such Class C Shares), together with a Letter of Transmittal, properly completed and duly executed, with any required signature guarantees, or, in the case of a book-entry transfer, an Agent’s Message, and any other required documents, must be received by the Depositary, in each case, within two trading days after the date of execution of the Notice of Guaranteed Delivery as provided in Section 3 of the Offer to Purchase. A “ trading day ” is any day on which NASDAQ is open for business. The term “ Agent’s Message ” means a message transmitted by the Book-Entry Transfer Facility to, and received by, the Depositary, which states that the Book-Entry Transfer Facility has received an express acknowledgment from the participant in the Book-Entry Transfer Facility tendering Class C Shares that such participant has received and agrees to be bound by the terms of the Letter of Transmittal and that the applicable Counterparty Bank may enforce such agreement against the participant.

THE METHOD OF DELIVERY OF CLASS C SHARES, THIS LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL AND ANY OTHER REQUIRED DOCUMENTS, INCLUDING DELIVERY THROUGH THE BOOK-ENTRY TRANSFER FACILITY, IS AT THE SOLE ELECTION AND RISK OF THE TENDERING SHAREHOLDER. CLASS C SHARES, AND THIS LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL AND ALL OTHER DOCUMENTS WILL BE DEEMED DELIVERED ONLY WHEN ACTUALLY RECEIVED BY THE DEPOSITARY (INCLUDING, IN THE CASE OF A BOOK-ENTRY TRANSFER, BY BOOK-ENTRY CONFIRMATION). WHEN DELIVERING BY MAIL, WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU USE REGISTERED MAIL WITH RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED, AND THAT YOU PROPERLY INSURE THE DOCUMENTS. IN ALL CASES, YOU SHOULD ALLOW SUFFICIENT TIME TO ENSURE TIMELY DELIVERY.

Except as specifically provided by the Offer to Purchase, no alternative, conditional or contingent tenders will be accepted. No fractional Class C Shares will be purchased. All tendering shareholders, by execution of this Letter of Transmittal, waive any right to receive any notice of the acceptance for payment of their Class C Shares.

 

3.

Inadequate Space. If the space provided in this Letter of Transmittal is inadequate, the certificate numbers and/or the number of Class C Shares should be listed on a separate signed schedule attached hereto.

 

4.

Partial Tenders (Not Applicable to Shareholders Who Tender by Book-Entry Transfer). If fewer than all of the Class C Shares represented by any certificate submitted to the Depositary are to be tendered, fill in the number of Class C Shares that are to be tendered in the box entitled “Description of Class C Shares Tendered.” In any such case, new certificate(s) for the remainder of the Class C Shares that were evidenced by the old certificate(s) will be sent to the registered holder(s), unless otherwise provided in the appropriate box on this Letter of Transmittal, as soon as practicable after the acceptance for payment of, and payment for, Class C Shares tendered herewith. All Class C Shares represented by certificates delivered to the Depositary will be deemed to have been tendered unless otherwise indicated.

 

5.

Indication of Price at Which Shares are Being Tendered. For Class C Shares to be properly tendered, the shareholder MUST either (1) check the box in the section captioned “Class C Shares Tendered At Price Determined Under The Class C Offer” in order to maximize the chance that all of the Class C Shares tendered pursuant to this Letter of Transmittal are accepted for payment (subject to the possibility of proration) or (2) check the box indicating the price per Class C Share at which such shareholder is tendering Class C Shares under “Class C Shares Tendered At Price Determined by Shareholder.” Selecting option

 

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  (1) could result in the shareholder receiving a price per Class C Share as low as $24.75, the low end of the price range in the Class C Offer, less any applicable withholding taxes and without interest.

ONLY ONE BOX UNDER (1) OR (2) MAY BE CHECKED. IF MORE THAN ONE BOX IS CHECKED OR IF NO BOX IS CHECKED, THERE IS NO PROPER TENDER OF CLASS C SHARES. A SHAREHOLDER WISHING TO TENDER PORTIONS OF SUCH SHAREHOLDER’S CLASS C SHARE HOLDINGS AT DIFFERENT PRICES MUST COMPLETE A SEPARATE LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL FOR EACH PRICE AT WHICH SUCH SHAREHOLDER WISHES TO TENDER EACH SUCH PORTION OF SUCH SHAREHOLDER’S CLASS C SHARES. The same Class C Shares cannot be tendered more than once, unless previously properly withdrawn as provided in Section 4 of the Offer to Purchase, at more than one price.

 

6.

Signatures on Letter of Transmittal, Stock Transfer Forms and Endorsements. If this Letter of Transmittal is signed by the registered
holder(s) of Class C Shares tendered hereby, the signature(s) must correspond with the name(s) as written on the face of the certificate(s) without any change or alteration whatsoever.

If any of the Class C Shares tendered hereby are owned of record by two or more joint owners, all such persons must sign this Letter of Transmittal.

If any Class C Shares tendered hereby are registered in different names on several certificates, it will be necessary to complete, sign and submit as many separate Letters of Transmittal as there are different registrations of certificates.

If this Letter of Transmittal or any certificate or stock transfer form is signed by a trustee, executor, administrator, guardian, attorney-in-fact, officer of a corporation or other person acting in a fiduciary or representative capacity, he or she should so indicate when signing and submit proper evidence satisfactory to the Company of his or her authority to so act.

If this Letter of Transmittal is signed by the registered owner(s) of Class C Shares tendered hereby, no endorsements of certificates or separate stock transfer form are required unless payment of the purchase price is to be made, or certificates for Class C Shares not tendered or accepted for payment are to be issued, to a person other than the registered owner(s). Signatures on any such certificates or stock transfer form must be guaranteed by an Eligible Institution.

If this Letter of Transmittal is signed by a person other than the registered owner(s) of Class C Shares tendered hereby, the certificate(s) representing such Class C Shares must be properly endorsed for transfer or accompanied by appropriate stock transfer form, in either case, signed exactly as the name(s) of the registered owner(s) appear(s) on the certificates(s). The signature(s) on any such certificate(s) or stock transfer
form(s) must be guaranteed by an Eligible Institution.

 

7.

Share Transfer Taxes. Except as otherwise provided in this Instruction 7, the Company will cause the Counterparty Banks to pay, or to cause to be paid, all share transfer taxes, if any, applicable to the transfer of its respective allocation of Class C Shares properly tendered and purchased in accordance with the terms of the Class C Offer. If, however, such Shares are not tendered properly in accordance with the terms of the Class C Offer, and/or if payment of the Final Class C Purchase Price for Class C Shares is to be made to, and/or (in the circumstances permitted by the Class C Offer) if unpurchased Class C Shares are to be registered in the name of, any person other than the registered holder(s), and/or if tendered certificates for Class C Shares are registered in the name of any person other than the person(s) signing this Letter of Transmittal, we may elect that all share transfer taxes, if any (whether imposed on the registered holder(s), such other person or otherwise), payable as a result will not be so paid or, if they are nevertheless so paid, that the amount of such share transfer taxes will be deducted from the Final Class C Purchase Price unless evidence satisfactory to the Company of the payment of share transfer taxes, or exemption from the payment of share transfer taxes, is submitted with this Letter of Transmittal.

 

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Except as provided in this Instruction 7, it will not be necessary for transfer tax stamps to be affixed to the certificates listed in this Letter of Transmittal.

 

8.

Waiver of Conditions; Irregularities. All questions as to the number of Class C Shares to be accepted, the purchase price to be paid for Class C Shares to be accepted, the validity, form, eligibility (including time of receipt) and acceptance for payment of any tender of Class C Shares and the validity (including time of receipt) and form of any notice of withdrawal of tendered Class C Shares will be determined by the Company, subject to applicable laws, and such determination will be final and binding on all parties absent a finding to the contrary by a court of competent jurisdiction. The Company may delegate power in whole or in part to the Depositary. The Company reserves the absolute right to reject any or all tenders of any Class C Shares that the Company determines are not in proper form or the acceptance for payment of or payment for which may, in the opinion of the Company’s counsel, be unlawful. The Company reserves the absolute right to reject any notices of withdrawal that it determines are not in proper form. The Company also reserves the right, subject to the applicable rules and regulations of the SEC, to waive conditions of the Class C Offer prior to the Expiration Date or any defect or irregularity in any tender or withdrawal with respect to any particular Class C Shares or any particular shareholder (whether or not the Company waives similar defects or irregularities in the case of other shareholders), and the Company’s interpretation of the terms of the Class C Offer (including these instructions) will be final and binding on all parties absent a finding to the contrary by a court of competent jurisdiction. In the event a condition of the Class C Offer is waived with respect to any particular shareholder, the same condition will be waived with respect to all shareholders. No tender or withdrawal of Class C Shares will be deemed to have been properly made until all defects or irregularities have been cured by the tendering or withdrawing shareholder or waived by the Company. The Company will not be liable for failure to waive any condition of the Class C Offer, or any defect or irregularity in any tender or withdrawal of Class C Shares. Unless waived, any defects or irregularities in connection with tenders or withdrawals must be cured within the period of time the Company determines. None of the Company, the Counterparty Banks, the Dealer Managers, the Information Agent, the Depositary or any other person will be obligated to give notice of any defects or irregularities in any tender or withdrawal, nor will any of the foregoing incur any liability for failure to give any such notification.

 

9.

Backup Withholding. In order to avoid backup withholding of U.S. federal income tax on payments of cash pursuant to the Class C Offer, a U.S. Holder (as defined below) tendering Class C Shares in the Class C Offer must (a) qualify for an exemption, as described below or (b) provide the Depositary or other applicable withholding agent with such U.S. Holder’s correct taxpayer identification number (“ TIN ”) (i.e., social security number or employer identification number) on IRS Form W-9, a copy of which is included with this Letter of Transmittal, and certify under penalties of perjury that (i) the TIN provided is correct, (ii) (x) the U.S. Holder is exempt from backup withholding, (y) the U.S. Holder has not been notified by the Internal Revenue Service (the “ IRS ”) that such U.S. Holder is subject to backup withholding as a result of a failure to report all interest or dividends, or (z) the IRS has notified the U.S. Holder that such U.S. Holder is no longer subject to backup withholding, and (iii) the U.S. Holder is a U.S. person (including a U.S. resident alien). If a U.S. Holder does not provide a correct TIN or fails to provide the certifications described above, the payment of cash to such U.S. Holder pursuant to the Class C Offer may be subject to backup withholding at the applicable statutory rate.

A “ U.S. Holder ” is any shareholder that for U.S. federal income tax purposes is (i) a citizen or resident of the United States, including an alien individual who is a lawful permanent resident of the United States or meets the “substantial presence” test under Section 7701(b) of the Code, (ii) a corporation or partnership created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, (iii) an estate, the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source, or (iv) a trust, if a court within the United States is able to exercise primary supervision over the administration

 

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of the trust and one or more “United States persons” within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust, or, if the trust was in existence on August 20, 1996, and it has elected to continue to be treated as a United States person.

Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Rather, the amount of the backup withholding can be credited against the U.S. federal income tax liability of the person subject to the backup withholding, provided that the required information is timely given to the IRS. If backup withholding results in an overpayment of tax, a refund can be obtained upon timely filing an income tax return. A tendering U.S. Holder is required to give the Depositary or other applicable withholding agent the TIN of the record owner of the Shares being tendered. If Shares are held in more than one name or are not in the name of the actual owner, consult the instructions to the enclosed IRS Form W-9 for guidance on which number to report.

If a U.S. Holder has not been issued a TIN and has applied for one or intends to apply for one in the near future, such U.S. Holder should write “Applied For” in the space provided for the TIN in Part I of the IRS Form W-9, and sign and date the IRS Form W-9. Writing “Applied For” means that a U.S. Holder has already applied for a TIN or that such U.S. Holder intends to apply for one soon. Notwithstanding that the U.S. Holder has written “Applied For” in Part I, the Depositary will withhold the applicable statutory rate on all payments made prior to the time a properly certified TIN is provided to the Depositary.

Some shareholders are exempt from backup withholding. To prevent possible erroneous backup withholding, exempt shareholders should consult the instructions to the enclosed IRS Form W-9 for additional guidance.

Non-U.S. Holders (as defined below) should complete and sign the main signature form and IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E, if applicable, or other applicable IRS Form W-8 in order to avoid backup withholding. A copy of the appropriate IRS Form W-8 may be obtained from the Depositary or from the IRS website ( www.irs.gov ). A “ Non-U.S. Holder ” is a shareholder that is not a U.S. Holder. A disregarded domestic entity that has a foreign owner must use the appropriate IRS Form W-8, and not the IRS Form W-9. See the instructions to the enclosed IRS Form W-9 for more instructions.

Any payments made pursuant to the Class C Offer, whether to U.S. or Non-U.S. Holders, that are treated as wages will be subject to applicable wage withholding (regardless of whether an IRS Form W-9 or applicable IRS Form W-8 is provided).

Each holder is urged to consult its tax advisors for further guidance regarding the completion of IRS Form W-9, IRS Form W-8BEN, IRS Form W-8BEN-E or another version of IRS Form W-8 to claim exemption from backup withholding.

 

10.

Requests for Assistance or Additional Copies. If you have questions or need assistance, you should contact the Information Agent or the Dealer Managers at their respective addresses and telephone numbers set forth on the back cover of the Offer to Purchase. If you require additional copies of the Offer to Purchase, this Letter of Transmittal, the Notice of Guaranteed Delivery, the IRS Form W-9 or other related materials, you should contact the Information Agent. Copies will be furnished promptly at the Company’s expense.

 

11.

Lost, Destroyed or Stolen Certificates. If any certificate representing Shares has been lost, destroyed or stolen, the shareholder should promptly notify Computershare, as the transfer agent, at the toll-free number 1 (888) 218-4391. The shareholder will then be instructed by Computershare as to the steps that must be taken in order to replace the certificate. This Letter of Transmittal and related documents cannot be processed until the procedures for replacing lost, destroyed or stolen certificates have been followed.

 

12.

Conditional Tenders. As described in Sections 3 and 6 of the Offer to Purchase, shareholders may condition their tenders on all or a minimum number of their tendered Shares being purchased.

 

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If you wish to make a conditional tender you must indicate this in the box captioned “Conditional Tender” in this Letter of Transmittal and, if applicable, the Notice of Guaranteed Delivery. In this box in this Letter of Transmittal and, if applicable, the Notice of Guaranteed Delivery, you must calculate and appropriately indicate the minimum number of Shares that must be purchased if any are to be purchased.

As discussed in Sections 3 and 6 of the Offer to Purchase, proration may affect whether conditional tenders are accepted and may result in Class C Shares tendered pursuant to a conditional tender being deemed withdrawn if the minimum number of Class C Shares would not be purchased. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class C Offer, if, because of proration (because more than the number of Class C Shares sought are properly tendered), the minimum number of Class C Shares that you designate will not be purchased, conditional tenders made at or below the Final Class C Purchase Price may be accepted by random lot, if necessary. However, to be eligible for purchase by random lot, you must have tendered all of your Class C Shares and check the box so indicating. Upon selection by lot, if any, the purchase of Class C Shares, in each case, will be limited to the designated minimum number of Class C Shares.

All tendered Class C Shares will be deemed unconditionally tendered unless the “Conditional Tender” box is completed. If you are an Odd Lot Holder (as defined in the Offer to Purchase) and you tender all of your Class C Shares, you cannot conditionally tender, because your Class C Shares will not be subject to proration.

The conditional tender alternative is made available so that a shareholder may seek to structure the purchase of Class C Shares pursuant to the Class C Offer in such a manner that the purchase will be treated as a sale of such Class C Shares by the shareholder, rather than the payment of a dividend to the shareholder, for U.S. federal income tax purposes. It is the tendering shareholder’s responsibility to calculate the minimum number of Class C Shares that must be purchased from the shareholder in order for the shareholder to qualify for sale rather than dividend treatment. Each shareholder is urged to consult his or her own tax advisor. See Section 6 of the Offer to Purchase.

 

13.

Odd Lots. As described in Section 1 of the Offer to Purchase, if the Company is to purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, fewer than all Class C Shares properly tendered before the Expiration Date and not properly withdrawn, Class C Shares purchased first will consist of all Odd Lots of less than 100 Class C Shares from shareholders who validly tender all of their Class C Shares at or below the Final Class C Purchase Price and who do not validly withdraw them before the Expiration Date. Tenders of less than all of the Class C Shares owned, beneficially or of record, by such Odd Lot Holder will not qualify for this preference. This preference will not be available unless the section captioned “Odd Lots” in this Letter of Transmittal is completed.

 

14.

Order of Purchase in Event of Proration. As described in Section 1 of the Offer to Purchase, shareholders may designate the order in which their Class C Shares are to be purchased in the event of proration. The order of purchase may have an effect on the U.S. federal income tax classification and the amount of any gain or loss on Class C Shares purchased. See Section 1 and Section 13 of the Offer to Purchase.

 

15.

IMPORTANT : THIS LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL, TOGETHER WITH ANY REQUIRED SIGNATURE GUARANTEES, OR, IN THE CASE OF A BOOK-ENTRY TRANSFER, AN AGENT’S MESSAGE, AND ANY OTHER REQUIRED DOCUMENTS, MUST BE RECEIVED BY THE DEPOSITARY PRIOR TO THE EXPIRATION DATE, AND EITHER CERTIFICATES FOR TENDERED CLASS C SHARES MUST BE RECEIVED BY THE DEPOSITARY OR SHARES MUST BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO THE PROCEDURES FOR BOOK-ENTRY TRANSFER, IN EACH CASE, PRIOR TO THE EXPIRATION DATE, OR THE TENDERING SHAREHOLDER MUST COMPLY WITH THE PROCEDURES FOR GUARANTEED DELIVERY.

 

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EXHIBIT (a)(1)(D)

Notice of Guaranteed Delivery

For Tender of Class A Ordinary Shares of

Liberty Global plc

 

THE CLASS A OFFER, PRORATION PERIOD AND WITHDRAWAL RIGHTS WILL EXPIRE AT

ONE (1) MINUTE AFTER 11:59 P.M., NEW YORK CITY TIME, ON SEPTEMBER 9, 2019, UNLESS

THE CLASS A OFFER IS EXTENDED OR TERMINATED.

This Notice of Guaranteed Delivery, or a form substantially equivalent hereto, must be used to accept the Class A Offer (as defined below) if you want to tender your Class A Shares (as defined below) but:

 

   

certificates for your Class A Shares are not immediately available or cannot be delivered to the Depositary by one (1) minute after 11:59 P.M., New York City time, on September 9, 2019, unless the Class A Offer is extended or terminated (such date, as may be extended, the “ Expiration Date ”);

 

   

you cannot comply with the procedure for book-entry transfer by the Expiration Date (set forth in Section 3 of the Offer to Purchase); or

 

   

your other required documents cannot be delivered to the Depositary by the Expiration Date,

in which case, you can still tender your Class A Shares if you comply with the guaranteed delivery procedure described in Section 3 of the Offer to Purchase, dated August 12, 2019 (together with any amendments or supplements thereto, the “ Offer to Purchase ”).

This Notice of Guaranteed Delivery, properly completed and duly executed, may be delivered to the Depositary by mail, overnight courier or email in accordance with the procedures set forth in the Offer to Purchase prior to the Expiration Date. See Section 3 of the Offer to Purchase.

Deliver to:

 

LOGO

the Depositary for the Class A Offer

 

If delivering by express mail,

courier or other expedited service:

  By mail:

Computershare Trust Company, N.A.

c/o Voluntary Corporate Actions

150 Royall Street, Suite V
Canton, Massachusetts 02021

 

Computershare Trust Company, N.A.

c/o Voluntary Corporate Actions

P.O. Box 43011
Providence, Rhode Island 02940-3011

If delivering by email: canoticeofguarantee@computershare.com

This email address can ONLY be used for delivery of this Notice of Guaranteed Delivery. Any transmission of other materials or inquiries will not be accepted, answered, and will not be considered a valid tender under the Class A Offer.

For this Notice of Guaranteed Delivery to be validly delivered, it must be received by the Depositary at one of the above addresses, or by email, prior to the Expiration Date. Delivery of this instrument to an address other than as set forth above will not constitute a valid delivery. Deliveries to the Company (as defined below), Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC or HSBC Securities (USA) Inc., the Counterparty Banks for

 

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the Class A Offer, Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC or HSBC Securities (USA) Inc., the Dealer Managers for the Class A Offer, or Innisfree M&A Incorporated, the Information Agent, will not be forwarded to the Depositary and therefore will not constitute valid delivery. Deliveries to The Depository Trust Company will not constitute valid delivery to the Depositary.

This Notice of Guaranteed Delivery is not to be used to guarantee signatures. If a signature on the applicable Letter of Transmittal is required to be guaranteed by an Eligible Institution under the instructions to the applicable Letter of Transmittal, the signature guarantee must appear in the applicable space provided in the signature box on the applicable Letter of Transmittal.

 

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Ladies and Gentlemen:

The undersigned hereby tenders shares of Liberty Global plc, a public limited company organized under the laws of England and Wales (the “ Company ”), upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in its Offer to Purchase, dated August 12, 2019 (together with any amendments or supplements thereto, the “ Offer to Purchase ”), the applicable Letter of Transmittal (together with any amendments or supplements thereto, the “ Letter of Transmittal ”) and other related materials as may be amended or supplemented from time to time (collectively, with the Offer to Purchase and the Letter to Transmittal, in each case, with respect to the Class A Shares, the “ Class  A Offer ”), receipt of which is hereby acknowledged by the undersigned, the number of shares of Class A ordinary shares of the Company, nominal value $0.01 per share (each, a “ Class  A Share ,” and collectively, “ Class  A Shares ”), listed below pursuant to the guaranteed delivery procedures set forth in Section 3 of the Offer to Purchase. Capitalized terms used herein and not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Offer to Purchase. Participants should notify the Depositary prior to covering through the submission of a physical security directly to the Depositary based on a guaranteed delivery that was submitted via The Depository Trust Company’s PTOP platform. The undersigned acknowledges that the Company will determine the allocation of Class A Shares that are properly tendered and not properly withdrawn to be purchased by the Counterparty Banks, and the Class A Shares properly tendered by the undersigned may be purchased by one or both of the Counterparty Banks in accordance with the Offer to Purchase.

Number of Class A Shares to be tendered:                     Class A Shares.

NOTE : SIGNATURES MUST BE PROVIDED WHERE INDICATED BELOW

PRICE (IN DOLLARS) PER CLASS A SHARE AT WHICH CLASS A SHARES ARE BEING TENDERED

(See Instruction 5 to the applicable Letter of Transmittal)

THE UNDERSIGNED IS TENDERING CLASS A SHARES AS FOLLOWS (CHECK ONLY ONE BOX UNDER (1) OR (2) BELOW):

(1) CLASS A SHARES TENDERED AT PRICE DETERMINED UNDER THE CLASS A OFFER

BY CHECKING THE BOX BELOW INSTEAD OF ONE OF THE BOXES UNDER “Class A Shares Tendered At Price Determined By Shareholder,” the undersigned hereby tenders Class A Shares at the Final Class A Purchase Price (as defined in the Offer to Purchase) as shall be determined by the Company in accordance with the terms of and subject to the conditions of the Class A Offer.

 

The undersigned wishes to maximize its chances that all of the Class A Shares the undersigned is tendering (subject to the possibility of proration) will be purchased in the Class A Offer. Accordingly, by checking this box instead of one of the price boxes below, the undersigned hereby tenders its Class A Shares at, and is willing to accept, the Final Class A Purchase Price as determined by the Company in accordance with the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class A Offer. The undersigned understands that checking this box will result in its Class A Shares being deemed to have been tendered at $25.25 per Class A Share, which is the low end of the price range in the Class A Offer, for purposes of determining the Final Class A Purchase Price. The undersigned also understands that this may have the effect of lowering the Final Class A Purchase Price and could result in the undersigned receiving a per share price as low as $25.25, the low end of the price range in the Class A Offer, less any applicable withholding taxes and without interest.

-OR-

(2) CLASS A SHARES TENDERED AT PRICE DETERMINED BY SHAREHOLDER

BY CHECKING ONE OF THE FOLLOWING BOXES INSTEAD OF THE BOX UNDER “Class A Shares Tendered At Price Determined Under the Class A Offer,” the undersigned hereby tenders Class A Shares at the

 

3


price per Class A Share checked. The undersigned understands that this action could result in none of the Class A Shares tendered hereby being purchased if you select a box other than the box representing a price at or below the Final Class A Purchase Price as determined by the Company in accordance with the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class A Offer.

 

☐ $25.25    ☐ $26.50    ☐ $27.75    ☐ $29.00
☐ $25.50    ☐ $26.75    ☐ $28.00   
☐ $25.75    ☐ $27.00    ☐ $28.25   
☐ $26.00    ☐ $27.25    ☐ $28.50   
☐ $26.25    ☐ $27.50    ☐ $28.75   

CHECK ONLY ONE BOX UNDER (1) OR (2) ABOVE. IF MORE THAN ONE BOX IS CHECKED ABOVE, OR IF NO BOX IS CHECKED, THERE IS NO VALID TENDER OF CLASS A SHARES AND YOUR CLASS A SHARES WILL NOT BE PURCHASED IN THE CLASS A OFFER.

A SHAREHOLDER DESIRING TO TENDER CLASS A SHARES AT MORE THAN ONE PRICE MUST COMPLETE A SEPARATE INSTRUCTION FORM FOR EACH PRICE AT WHICH CLASS A SHARES ARE TENDERED. THE SAME CLASS A SHARES CANNOT BE TENDERED AT MORE THAN ONE PRICE UNLESS PREVIOUSLY PROPERLY WITHDRAWN AS PROVIDED IN SECTION 4 OF THE OFFER TO PURCHASE.

ODD LOTS

(See Instruction 13 of the applicable Letter of Transmittal)

As described in Section 1 of the Offer to Purchase, under certain conditions, shareholders holding less than 100 Class A Shares may have their Class A Shares accepted for payment before any proration of other tendered Class A Shares. This preference is not available to partial tenders, or to beneficial or record holders of an aggregate of 100 or more Class A Shares, even if such holders have separate accounts or certificates representing less than 100 Class A Shares. Accordingly, this section is to be completed ONLY if Class A Shares are being tendered by or on behalf of a person owning, beneficially or of record, an aggregate of less than 100 Class A Shares. The undersigned certifies that it either (check one box):

 

owns, beneficially or of record, an aggregate of less than 100 Class A Shares and is tendering all such Class A Shares; or

 

is a broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee that (i) is tendering, on behalf of the beneficial owner(s), Class A Shares with respect to which it is the record holder and (ii) believes, based upon representations made to it by the beneficial owner(s) of such Class A Shares, that each such person is the beneficial owner of an aggregate of less than 100 Class A Shares and is tendering all such Class A Shares.

CONDITIONAL TENDER

(See Instruction 12 of the applicable Letter of Transmittal)

A shareholder may tender Class A Shares subject to the condition that a specified minimum number of the shareholder’s Class A Shares tendered pursuant to the applicable Letter of Transmittal must be purchased if any Class A Shares tendered are purchased, all as described in the Offer to Purchase and particularly in Section 6 thereof. Unless at least that minimum number of Class A Shares indicated below is purchased by the Company pursuant to the terms of the Class A Offer, none of the Class A Shares tendered by you will be purchased. It is the tendering shareholder’s responsibility to calculate that minimum number of Class A Shares that must be purchased if any are purchased, and the Company urges shareholders to consult their own financial or tax advisors before completing this section. Unless this box has been checked and a minimum specified, the tender will be deemed unconditional.

 

4


☐    The minimum number of Class A Shares that must be purchased, if any are purchased, is:                     Class A Shares.

If, because of proration, the minimum number of Class A Shares designated will not be purchased, conditional tenders may be accepted by random lot, if necessary. However, to be eligible for purchase by random lot, the tendering shareholder must have tendered all of his or her Class A Shares and checked this box:

 

The tendered Class A Shares represent all Class A Shares held by the undersigned.

 

5


PLEASE SIGN ON THIS PAGE

 

Name(s) of Record Holder(s):    
  (Please Print)

 

Signature(s):    

 

Address(es):     
    
   (Include Zip Code)

 

Area code and telephone number:

   

 

☐   If delivery will be by book-entry transfer, check this box.

 

Name of tendering institution:

   

 

Account number:

   

 

6


GUARANTEE

(NOT TO BE USED FOR SIGNATURE GUARANTEE)

The undersigned, a bank, broker, dealer, credit union, savings association or other entity which is a member in good standing of the Securities Transfer Association Medallion Signature Guarantee Program, or an “eligible guarantor institution” (as such term is defined in Rule 17Ad-15 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 , as amended (the “ Exchange Act ”)) (an “ Eligible Institution ”), hereby guarantees: (i) that the above-named person(s) “own(s)” and has or have a net long position in the Class A Shares being tendered within the meaning of Rule 14e-4 promulgated under the Exchange Act, (ii) that such tender of Class A Shares complies with Rule 14e-4 and (iii) it will deliver to the Depositary (at one of its addresses set forth above) certificate(s) for the Class A Shares tendered hereby, in proper form for transfer, or a confirmation of the book-entry transfer of the Class A Shares into the Depositary’s account at The Depository Trust Company together with a properly completed and duly executed Letter of Transmittal (or a manually signed email thereof) and any other required documents, within two (2) trading days (as defined in the Letter of Transmittal) after the date of receipt by the Depositary of this Notice of Guaranteed Delivery.

The Eligible Institution that completes this form must communicate the guarantee to the Depositary and must deliver the applicable Letter of Transmittal and certificates for Class A Shares to the Depositary within the time period shown herein. Failure to do so could result in financial loss to such Eligible Institution. Participants should notify the Depositary prior to covering through the submission of a physical security directly to the Depositary based on a guaranteed delivery that was submitted via The Depository Trust Company’s PTOP platform.

 

              
Name of Eligible Institution Guaranteeing Delivery     Authorized Signature
       
Address     Name (Print Name)
       
Zip Code     Title
       
(Area Code) Telephone No.     Dated:                  , 2019

This form is not to be used to guarantee signatures. If a signature on a Letter of Transmittal is required to be guaranteed by an Eligible Institution under the instructions thereto, such signature guarantee must appear in the applicable space provided in the signature box on the applicable Letter of Transmittal.

NOTE : DO NOT SEND SHARE CERTIFICATES WITH THIS FORM. YOUR SHARE CERTIFICATES MUST BE SENT WITH THE APPLICABLE LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL.

 

7

EXHIBIT (a)(1)(E)

Notice of Guaranteed Delivery

For Tender of Class C Ordinary Shares of

Liberty Global plc

 

THE CLASS C OFFER, PRORATION PERIOD AND WITHDRAWAL RIGHTS WILL EXPIRE AT

ONE (1) MINUTE AFTER 11:59 P.M., NEW YORK CITY TIME, ON SEPTEMBER 9, 2019, UNLESS

THE CLASS C OFFER IS EXTENDED OR TERMINATED.

This Notice of Guaranteed Delivery, or a form substantially equivalent hereto, must be used to accept the Class C Offer (as defined below) if you want to tender your Class C Shares (as defined below) but:

 

   

certificates for your Class C Shares are not immediately available or cannot be delivered to the Depositary by one (1) minute after 11:59 P.M., New York City time, on September 9, 2019, unless the Class C Offer is extended or terminated (such date, as may be extended, the “ Expiration Date ”);

 

   

you cannot comply with the procedure for book-entry transfer by the Expiration Date (set forth in Section 3 of the Offer to Purchase); or

 

   

your other required documents cannot be delivered to the Depositary by the Expiration Date,

in which case, you can still tender your Class C Shares if you comply with the guaranteed delivery procedure described in Section 3 of the Offer to Purchase, dated August 12, 2019 (together with any amendments or supplements thereto, the “ Offer to Purchase ”).

This Notice of Guaranteed Delivery, properly completed and duly executed, may be delivered to the Depositary by mail, overnight courier or email in accordance with the procedures set forth in the Offer to Purchase prior to the Expiration Date. See Section 3 of the Offer to Purchase.

Deliver to:

 

LOGO

the Depositary for the Class C Offer

 

If delivering by express mail,

courier or other expedited service:

  By mail:

Computershare Trust Company, N.A.

c/o Voluntary Corporate Actions

150 Royall Street, Suite V

Canton, Massachusetts 02021

 

Computershare Trust Company, N.A.

c/o Voluntary Corporate Actions

P.O. Box 43011

Providence, Rhode Island 02940-3011

If delivering by email: canoticeofguarantee@computershare.com

This email address can ONLY be used for delivery of this Notice of Guaranteed Delivery. Any transmission of other materials or inquiries will not be accepted, answered, and will not be considered a valid tender under the Class C Offer.

For this Notice of Guaranteed Delivery to be validly delivered, it must be received by the Depositary at one of the above addresses, or by email, prior to the Expiration Date. Delivery of this instrument to an address other than as set forth above will not constitute a valid delivery. Deliveries to the Company (as defined

 

VOLUNTARY CORPORATE ACTIONS COY: LGIP CC1


below), Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC or HSBC Securities (USA) Inc., the Counterparty Banks for the Class C Offer, Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC or HSBC Securities (USA) Inc., the Dealer Managers for the Class C Offer, or Innisfree M&A Incorporated, the Information Agent, will not be forwarded to the Depositary and therefore will not constitute valid delivery. Deliveries to The Depository Trust Company will not constitute valid delivery to the Depositary.

This Notice of Guaranteed Delivery is not to be used to guarantee signatures. If a signature on the applicable Letter of Transmittal is required to be guaranteed by an Eligible Institution under the instructions to the applicable Letter of Transmittal, the signature guarantee must appear in the applicable space provided in the signature box on the applicable Letter of Transmittal.

 

VOLUNTARY CORPORATE ACTIONS COY: LGIP CC1

 

2


Ladies and Gentlemen:

The undersigned hereby tenders shares of Liberty Global plc, a public limited company organized under the laws of England and Wales (the “ Company ”), upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in its Offer to Purchase, dated August 12, 2019 (together with any amendments or supplements thereto, the “ Offer to Purchase ”), the applicable Letter of Transmittal (together with any amendments or supplements thereto, the “ Letter of Transmittal ”) and other related materials as may be amended or supplemented from time to time (collectively, with the Offer to Purchase and the Letter to Transmittal, in each case, with respect to the Class C Shares, the “ Class  C Offer ”), receipt of which is hereby acknowledged by the undersigned, the number of shares of Class C ordinary shares of the Company, nominal value $0.01 per share (each, a “ Class  C Share ,” and collectively, “ Class  C Shares ”), listed below pursuant to the guaranteed delivery procedures set forth in Section 3 of the Offer to Purchase. Capitalized terms used herein and not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Offer to Purchase. Participants should notify the Depositary prior to covering through the submission of a physical security directly to the Depositary based on a guaranteed delivery that was submitted via The Depository Trust Company’s PTOP platform. The undersigned acknowledges that the Company will determine the allocation of Class C Shares that are properly tendered and not properly withdrawn to be purchased by the Counterparty Banks, and the Class C Shares properly tendered by the undersigned may be purchased by one or both of the Counterparty Banks in accordance with the Offer to Purchase.

Number of Class C Shares to be tendered:                     Class C Shares.

NOTE : SIGNATURES MUST BE PROVIDED WHERE INDICATED BELOW

PRICE (IN DOLLARS) PER CLASS C SHARE AT WHICH CLASS C SHARES ARE BEING TENDERED

(See Instruction 5 to the applicable Letter of Transmittal)

THE UNDERSIGNED IS TENDERING CLASS C SHARES AS FOLLOWS (CHECK ONLY ONE BOX UNDER (1) OR (2) BELOW):

(1) CLASS C SHARES TENDERED AT PRICE DETERMINED UNDER THE CLASS C OFFER

BY CHECKING THE BOX BELOW INSTEAD OF ONE OF THE BOXES UNDER “Class C Shares Tendered At Price Determined By Shareholder,” the undersigned hereby tenders Class C Shares at the Final Class C Purchase Price (as defined in the Offer to Purchase) as shall be determined by the Company in accordance with the terms of and subject to the conditions of the Class C Offer.

 

The undersigned wishes to maximize its chances that all of the Class C Shares the undersigned is tendering (subject to the possibility of proration) will be purchased in the Class C Offer. Accordingly, by checking this box instead of one of the price boxes below, the undersigned hereby tenders its Class C Shares at, and is willing to accept, the Final Class C Purchase Price as determined by the Company in accordance with the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class C Offer. The undersigned understands that checking this box will result in its Class C Shares being deemed to have been tendered at $24.75 per Class C Share, which is the low end of the price range in the Class C Offer, for purposes of determining the Final Class C Purchase Price. The undersigned also understands that this may have the effect of lowering the Final Class C Purchase Price and could result in the undersigned receiving a per share price as low as $24.75, the low end of the price range in the Class C Offer, less any applicable withholding taxes and without interest.

-OR-

(2) CLASS C SHARES TENDERED AT PRICE DETERMINED BY SHAREHOLDER

BY CHECKING ONE OF THE FOLLOWING BOXES INSTEAD OF THE BOX UNDER “Class C Shares Tendered At Price Determined Under the Class C Offer,” the undersigned hereby tenders Class C Shares at the

 

3


price per Class C Share checked. The undersigned understands that this action could result in none of the Class C Shares tendered hereby being purchased if you select a box other than the box representing a price at or below the Final Class C Purchase Price as determined by the Company in accordance with the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class C Offer.

 

☐ $24.75    ☐ $26.00    ☐ $27.25    ☐ $28.50
☐ $25.00    ☐ $26.25    ☐ $27.50   
☐ $25.25    ☐ $26.50    ☐ $27.75   
☐ $25.50    ☐ $26.75    ☐ $28.00   
☐ $25.75    ☐ $27.00    ☐ $28.25   

CHECK ONLY ONE BOX UNDER (1) OR (2) ABOVE. IF MORE THAN ONE BOX IS CHECKED ABOVE, OR IF NO BOX IS CHECKED, THERE IS NO VALID TENDER OF CLASS C SHARES AND YOUR CLASS C SHARES WILL NOT BE PURCHASED IN THE CLASS C OFFER.

A SHAREHOLDER DESIRING TO TENDER CLASS C SHARES AT MORE THAN ONE PRICE MUST COMPLETE A SEPARATE INSTRUCTION FORM FOR EACH PRICE AT WHICH CLASS C SHARES ARE TENDERED. THE SAME CLASS C SHARES CANNOT BE TENDERED AT MORE THAN ONE PRICE UNLESS PREVIOUSLY PROPERLY WITHDRAWN AS PROVIDED IN SECTION 4 OF THE OFFER TO PURCHASE.

ODD LOTS

(See Instruction 13 of the applicable Letter of Transmittal)

As described in Section 1 of the Offer to Purchase, under certain conditions, shareholders holding less than 100 Class C Shares may have their Class C Shares accepted for payment before any proration of other tendered Class C Shares. This preference is not available to partial tenders, or to beneficial or record holders of an aggregate of 100 or more Class C Shares, even if such holders have separate accounts or certificates representing less than 100 Class C Shares. Accordingly, this section is to be completed ONLY if Class C Shares are being tendered by or on behalf of a person owning, beneficially or of record, an aggregate of less than 100 Class C Shares. The undersigned certifies that it either (check one box):

 

owns, beneficially or of record, an aggregate of less than 100 Class C Shares and is tendering all such Class C Shares; or

 

is a broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee that (i) is tendering, on behalf of the beneficial owner(s), Class C Shares with respect to which it is the record holder and (ii) believes, based upon representations made to it by the beneficial owner(s) of such Class C Shares, that each such person is the beneficial owner of an aggregate of less than 100 Class C Shares and is tendering all such Class C Shares.

CONDITIONAL TENDER

(See Instruction 12 of the applicable Letter of Transmittal)

A shareholder may tender Class C Shares subject to the condition that a specified minimum number of the shareholder’s Class C Shares tendered pursuant to the applicable Letter of Transmittal must be purchased if any Class C Shares tendered are purchased, all as described in the Offer to Purchase and particularly in Section 6 thereof. Unless at least that minimum number of Class C Shares indicated below is purchased by the Company pursuant to the terms of the Class C Offer, none of the Class C Shares tendered by you will be purchased. It is the tendering shareholder’s responsibility to calculate that minimum number of Class C Shares that must be purchased if any are purchased, and the Company urges shareholders to consult their own financial or tax advisors before completing this section. Unless this box has been checked and a minimum specified, the tender will be deemed unconditional.

 

4


The minimum number of Class C Shares that must be purchased, if any are purchased, is:                     Class C Shares.

If, because of proration, the minimum number of Class C Shares designated will not be purchased, conditional tenders may be accepted by random lot, if necessary. However, to be eligible for purchase by random lot, the tendering shareholder must have tendered all of his or her Class C Shares and checked this box:

 

The tendered Class C Shares represent all Class C Shares held by the undersigned.

 

5


PLEASE SIGN ON THIS PAGE

 

Name(s) of Record Holder(s):    
(Please Print)

 

Signature(s):    

 

Address(es):     
    
(Include Zip Code)

 

Area code and telephone number:

   

 

☐   If delivery will be by book-entry transfer, check this box.

 

Name of tendering institution:

   

 

Account number:

   

 

6


GUARANTEE

(NOT TO BE USED FOR SIGNATURE GUARANTEE)

The undersigned, a bank, broker, dealer, credit union, savings association or other entity which is a member in good standing of the Securities Transfer Association Medallion Signature Guarantee Program, or an “eligible guarantor institution” (as such term is defined in Rule 17Ad-15 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 , as amended (the “ Exchange Act ”)) (an “ Eligible Institution ”), hereby guarantees: (i) that the above-named person(s) “own(s)” and has or have a net long position in the Class C Shares being tendered within the meaning of Rule 14e-4 promulgated under the Exchange Act, (ii) that such tender of Class C Shares complies with Rule 14e-4 and (iii) it will deliver to the Depositary (at one of its addresses set forth above) certificate(s) for the Class C Shares tendered hereby, in proper form for transfer, or a confirmation of the book-entry transfer of the Class C Shares into the Depositary’s account at The Depository Trust Company together with a properly completed and duly executed Letter of Transmittal (or a manually signed email thereof) and any other required documents, within two (2) trading days (as defined in the Letter of Transmittal) after the date of receipt by the Depositary of this Notice of Guaranteed Delivery.

The Eligible Institution that completes this form must communicate the guarantee to the Depositary and must deliver the applicable Letter of Transmittal and certificates for Class C Shares to the Depositary within the time period shown herein. Failure to do so could result in financial loss to such Eligible Institution. Participants should notify the Depositary prior to covering through the submission of a physical security directly to the Depositary based on a guaranteed delivery that was submitted via The Depository Trust Company’s PTOP platform.

 

              
Name of Eligible Institution Guaranteeing Delivery     Authorized Signature
       
Address     Name (Print Name)
       
Zip Code     Title
       
(Area Code) Telephone No.     Dated:                  , 2019

This form is not to be used to guarantee signatures. If a signature on a Letter of Transmittal is required to be guaranteed by an Eligible Institution under the instructions thereto, such signature guarantee must appear in the applicable space provided in the signature box on the applicable Letter of Transmittal.

NOTE : DO NOT SEND SHARE CERTIFICATES WITH THIS FORM. YOUR SHARE CERTIFICATES MUST BE SENT WITH THE APPLICABLE LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL.

 

7

EXHIBIT (a)(1)(F)

Offer to Purchase for Cash

by

Liberty Global plc

Up to $625 million in value of its Class A Ordinary Shares

At a Cash Purchase Price Not Greater than $29.00 per Share Nor Less than $25.25 per Share

AND

Up to $1.875 billion in value of its Class C Ordinary Shares

At a Cash Purchase Price Not Greater than $28.50 per Share Nor Less than $24.75 per Share

 

THE OFFERS, PRORATION PERIODS AND WITHDRAWAL RIGHTS WILL EXPIRE AT ONE (1) MINUTE AFTER 11:59 P.M., NEW YORK CITY TIME, ON SEPTEMBER 9, 2019,

UNLESS THE OFFERS ARE EXTENDED OR TERMINATED.

August 12, 2019

To Brokers, Dealers, Commercial Banks, Trust Companies and Other Nominees:

Liberty Global plc, a public limited company organized under the laws of England and Wales (the “ Company ”), has appointed us to act as Dealer Managers in connection with its invitation for its shareholders to tender (i) up to $625 million in value of its issued and outstanding Class A ordinary shares, nominal value $0.01 per share (each, a “ Class  A Share ”), for purchase by Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC and HSBC Securities (USA) Inc., each acting as principal (each, a “ Counterparty Bank ,” and together, the “ Counterparty Banks ”), at a price not greater than $29.00 nor less than $25.25 per Class A Share (the “ Class  A Offer ”), and (ii) up to $1.875 billion in value of its issued and outstanding Class C ordinary shares, nominal value $0.01 per share (each, a “ Class  C Share ,” and the Class A Shares, individually or collectively with the Class C Shares, as appropriate, the “ Shares ”), for purchase by the Counterparty Banks at a price not greater than $28.50 nor less than $24.75 per Class C Share (the “ Class  C Offer ”), in each case, to the seller in cash, less any applicable withholding taxes and without interest, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Offer to Purchase, dated August 12, 2019 (together with any amendments or supplements thereto, the “ Offer to Purchase ”), the applicable Letter of Transmittal (together with any amendments or supplements thereto, each, a “ Letter of Transmittal ” or collectively, the “ Letters of Transmittal ”) and other related materials as may be amended or supplemented from time to time. The Class A Offer and Class C Offer are sometimes collectively referred to as the “ Offers ” and individually as an “ Offer .”

The Offers will be conducted such that the Counterparty Banks will initially purchase their respective allocated portion of the Shares, and take actions to facilitate the Company’s subsequent purchase of the Shares, pursuant to the Counterparty Bank Agreements (as defined in the Offer to Purchase) and the terms and conditions of the Offer to Purchase. The Company will generally make all decisions and determinations with respect to the Offers, including with respect to the satisfaction or waiver of conditions to the Offers set forth in the Offer to Purchase, the acceptance of Shares for purchase by the Counterparty Banks. As used herein, the reference to the Company’s purchases of the Shares “through the Counterparty Banks,” refers to the initial purchase of Shares in the Offers by the Counterparty Banks and the Company’s subsequent purchase of the same Shares pursuant to the Counterparty Bank Agreements and the terms and conditions of the Offer to Purchase. The Shares to be purchased by the Counterparty Banks will be allocated equally between the Counterparty Banks in accordance with the Option Framework Agreements (as defined in the Offer to Purchase).

The Company will, upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class A Offer, determine a single per Share price for the Class A Shares that are properly tendered and not properly withdrawn from the Class A Offer, taking into account the total number of Class A Shares properly tendered and the prices specified, or deemed specified by tendering shareholders. This single per Share price for Class A Shares (the “ Final Class  A Purchase Price ”) will be the lowest single purchase price, not greater than $29.00 nor less than $25.25 per


Class A Share, that would allow the Company to purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, $625 million in value of Class A Shares, or a lower amount, depending on the number of Class A Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn.

The Company will, upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class C Offer, determine a single per Share price for the Class C Shares that are properly tendered and not properly withdrawn from the Class C Offer, taking into account the total number of Class C Shares properly tendered and the prices specified, or deemed specified by tendering shareholders. This single per Share price for Class C Shares (the “ Final Class  C Purchase Price ”) will be the lowest single purchase price, not greater than $28.50 nor less than $24.75 per Class C Share, that would allow the Company to purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, $1.875 billion in value of Class C Shares, or a lower amount, depending on the number of Class C Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn. The Company sometimes refers to the Final Class A Purchase Price and Final Class C Purchase Price collectively as the “ Final Purchase Prices ” and individually as the “ Final Purchase Price .”

Capitalized terms used herein and not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Offer to Purchase. The description of the Offers in this letter is only a summary and is qualified by the terms and conditions of the Offers set forth in the Offer to Purchase, the applicable Letter of Transmittal and other related materials.

No Class  A Shares and/or Class  C Shares tendered at prices in excess of the applicable Final Purchase Price will be purchased . Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class A Offer, if, based on the Final Class A Purchase Price, all Class A Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn have an aggregate value of less than $625 million, the Company will purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, all Class A Shares properly tendered at or below the Final Class A Purchase Price and not properly withdrawn prior to one (1) minute after 11:59 P.M., New York City time, on September 9, 2019, unless the Offers are extended or terminated (such date, as may be extended, the “ Expiration Date ”). When used together with a specific time, the term “Expiration Date” refers to the date on which the applicable Offer expires.

Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class C Offer, if, based on the Final Class C Purchase Price, all Class C Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn have an aggregate value of less than $1.875 billion, the Company will purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, all Class C Shares properly tendered at or below the Final Class C Purchase Price and not properly withdrawn prior to the Expiration Date. Only Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares properly tendered at prices at or below the applicable Final Purchase Price, and not properly withdrawn, will be purchased in the applicable Offer upon the terms of and subject to the conditions of such Offer (including the “Odd Lot” priority, proration and the conditional tender provisions described in the Offer to Purchase). Shares not purchased in the Class A Offer and/or Class C Offer will be returned to the tendering shareholders promptly after the Expiration Date. In the unlikely event the Offers have different Expiration Dates ( e.g. , due to an extension of one Offer and not the other), “Expiration Date” shall mean the applicable Expiration Date as the context shall so require.

Under no circumstances will interest be paid on the applicable Final Purchase Price for the Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares regardless of any delay in making such payment. All Shares acquired in the Offers, if any, will be acquired at the applicable Final Purchase Price. The Company reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to change the per Share purchase price range and to increase or decrease the aggregate value of Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares sought in the Offers, in each case, subject to applicable law and the authority of the Company to conduct the purchase of its ordinary shares in the capital of Liberty Global as approved by the shareholders of the Company at its annual general meeting of shareholders held on June 11, 2019 (the “ 2019 Shareholder Authorization ”). In accordance with the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission and subject to the 2019 Shareholder Authorization, if Class A Shares having an aggregate value of more than $625 million and/or if Class C Shares having an aggregate value of more than $1.875 billion, in each case, are properly tendered in the applicable Offer at or below the applicable Final Purchase Price and not properly withdrawn, the Company may increase the number of Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares accepted for payment, through the Counterparty

 

2


Banks, in the applicable Offer by no more than 2% of the outstanding Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares, as applicable, without extending the applicable Offer.

The Company reserves the right to (i) upon the occurrence of certain conditions to the Offers more specifically described in the Offer to Purchase, (a) terminate either or both Offers and return all tendered Shares to the tendering shareholders, (b) extend either or both Offers and, subject to the withdrawal rights set forth in the Offer to Purchase, retain all of the tendered Shares until the expiration of the Offers as so extended, (c) waive a condition to the Offers and, subject to any requirement to extend the period of time during which the Offers are open, purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, all of the Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn prior to the Expiration Date or (d) delay acceptance for payment of or payment for Shares, subject to applicable law, until satisfaction or waiver of such condition, or (ii) amend either or both Offers in any respect, subject to applicable law and the 2019 Shareholder Authorization.

Class  A Offer . Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class A Offer, if, based on the Final Class A Purchase Price, Class A Shares having an aggregate value in excess of $625 million (or such greater amount as the Company may elect to accept for payment, through the Counterparty Banks, subject to applicable law and the 2019 Shareholder Authorization) have been properly tendered at prices at or below the Final Class A Purchase Price and not properly withdrawn prior to the Expiration Date, the Company will purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, Class A Shares in the following order:

 

   

first , all Odd Lots of less than 100 Class A Shares at the Final Class A Purchase Price from shareholders who properly tender all of their Class A Shares at or below the Final Class A Purchase Price and who do not properly withdraw them before the Expiration Date. Tenders of less than all of the Class A Shares owned, beneficially or of record, by such Odd Lot Holder will not qualify for this preference;

 

   

second , after purchasing all Odd Lots that were properly tendered at or below the Final Class A Purchase Price, subject to the conditional tender provisions (whereby a holder may specify a minimum number of such holder’s Class A Shares that must be purchased if any such Shares are purchased), the Company will purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, all Class A Shares properly tendered at or below the Final Class A Purchase Price on a pro rata basis with appropriate adjustment to avoid purchases of fractional Class A Shares; and

 

   

third , only if necessary to permit the Company to purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, $625 million in value of Class A Shares (or such greater amount as the Company may elect to purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, subject to applicable law and the 2019 Shareholder Authorization), the Company will purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, Class A Shares conditionally tendered (for which the condition was not initially satisfied) at or below the Final Class A Purchase Price, by random lot, to the extent feasible. To be eligible for purchase by random lot, shareholders whose Class A Shares are conditionally tendered must have tendered all of their Class A Shares. Random lot would be facilitated by the Company through the Counterparty Banks.

As a result of the foregoing priorities applicable to the purchase of Class A Shares tendered, it is possible that fewer than all Class A Shares tendered by a shareholder will be purchased or that, if a tender is conditioned upon the purchase of a specified number of Class A Shares, none of those Class A Shares will be purchased even though those Class A Shares were tendered at prices at or below the Final Class A Purchase Price. No fractional Class A Shares will be purchased in the Class A Offer.

 

3


Class  C Offer . Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class C Offer, if, based on the Final Class C Purchase Price, Class C Shares having an aggregate value in excess of $1.875 billion (or such greater amount as the Company may elect to accept for payment, through the Counterparty Banks, subject to applicable law and the 2019 Shareholder Authorization) have been properly tendered at prices at or below the Final Class C Purchase Price and not properly withdrawn prior to the Expiration Date, the Company will purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, Class C Shares in the following order:

 

   

first , all Odd Lots of less than 100 Class C Shares at the Final Class C Purchase Price from shareholders who properly tender all of their Class C Shares at or below the Final Class C Purchase Price and who do not properly withdraw them before the Expiration Date. Tenders of less than all of the Class C Shares owned, beneficially or of record, by such Odd Lot Holder will not qualify for this preference;

 

   

second , after purchasing all Odd Lots that were properly tendered at or below the Final Class C Purchase Price, subject to the conditional tender provisions (whereby a holder may specify a minimum number of such holder’s Class C Shares that must be purchased if any such Shares are purchased), the Company will purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, all Class C Shares properly tendered at or below the Final Class C Purchase Price on a pro rata basis with appropriate adjustment to avoid purchases of fractional Class C Shares; and

 

   

third , only if necessary to permit the Company to purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, $1.875 billion in value of Class C Shares (or such greater amount as the Company may elect to purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, subject to applicable law and the 2019 Shareholder Authorization), the Company will purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, Class C Shares conditionally tendered (for which the condition was not initially satisfied) at or below the Final Class C Purchase Price, by random lot, to the extent feasible. To be eligible for purchase by random lot, shareholders whose Class C Shares are conditionally tendered must have tendered all of their Class C Shares. Random lot would be facilitated by the Company through the Counterparty Banks.

As a result of the foregoing priorities applicable to the purchase of Class C Shares tendered, it is possible that fewer than all Class C Shares tendered by a shareholder will be purchased or that, if a tender is conditioned upon the purchase of a specified number of Class C Shares, none of those Class C Shares will be purchased even though those Class C Shares were tendered at prices at or below the Final Class C Purchase Price. No fractional Class C Shares will be purchased in the Class C Offer.

Shares not purchased in the Offers, including Shares tendered at prices in excess of the applicable Final Purchase Price and Shares not purchased because of proration or conditional tender, will be returned to the tendering shareholders at the Company’s expense promptly after the Expiration Date. See Section 1, Section 3 and Section 5 of the Offer to Purchase.

The Offers are not conditioned on any minimum number of Shares being tendered. The Offers are, however, subject to certain other conditions. See Section 7 of the Offer to Purchase.

For your information and for forwarding to those of your clients for whom you hold Shares registered in your name or in the name of your nominee, we are enclosing the following documents:

 

1.

The Offer to Purchase;

 

2.

The yellow Letter of Transmittal for Class A Shares and the grey Letter of Transmittal for Class C Shares for your use and for the information of your clients, including an IRS Form W-9;

 

3.

Notice of Guaranteed Delivery for Class A Shares and Notice of Guaranteed Delivery for Class C Shares to be used to accept either or both Offer if the Share certificates and all other required documents cannot be delivered to the Depositary, or if the procedure for book-entry transfer cannot be completed, before the Expiration Date, as described in Section 3 of the Offer to Purchase;

 

4


4.

A letter to clients that you may send to your clients for whose accounts you hold Shares registered in your name or in the name of your nominee, with space provided for obtaining such clients’ instructions with regard to the Offers; and

 

5.

A return envelope addressed to Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as Depositary for the Offers.

The Company’s Board of Directors has authorized the Offers in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Offer to Purchase and the Counterparty Bank Agreements. However, none of the Company, the members of its Board of Directors, the Counterparty Banks, Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC or HSBC Securities (USA) Inc., the dealer managers for the Offers (the “Dealer Managers”), Computershare Trust Company, S.A., the depositary for the Offers (the “Depositary”), or Innisfree M&A Incorporated, the information agent for the Offers (the “Information Agent”), makes any recommendation to any shareholder as to whether to tender or refrain from tendering any Shares or as to the price or prices at which shareholders may choose to tender their Shares. None of the Company, the members of its Board of Directors, the Counterparty Banks, the Dealer Managers, the Depositary or the Information Agent has authorized any person to make any recommendation to you as to whether you should tender or refrain from tendering your Shares or as to the purchase price or purchase prices at which you may choose to tender your Shares. Shareholders should carefully evaluate all information in the Offer to Purchase and the applicable Letter of Transmittal, and should consult their financial and tax advisors. Shareholders must decide whether to tender or refrain from tendering their Shares and, if deciding to tender, how many Shares to tender and the price or prices at which they wish to tender. In doing so, a shareholder should read carefully the information in the Offer to Purchase and the applicable Letter of Transmittal before making any decision with respect to the Offers.

YOUR PROMPT ACTION IS REQUESTED. WE URGE YOU TO CONTACT YOUR CLIENTS AS PROMPTLY AS POSSIBLE. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE OFFERS, PRORATION PERIODS AND WITHDRAWAL RIGHTS EXPIRE ONE (1) MINUTE AFTER 11:59 P.M., NEW YORK CITY TIME, ON SEPTEMBER 9, 2019, UNLESS THE OFFERS ARE EXTENDED.

For Shares to be tendered properly pursuant to the Offers, one of the following must occur: (i) the certificates for such Shares, or confirmation of receipt of such Shares pursuant to the procedure for book-entry transfer set forth in Section 3 of the Offer to Purchase, together with (a) the applicable Letter of Transmittal, properly completed and duly executed, including any required signature guarantees and any documents required by the applicable Letter of Transmittal, or (b) an Agent’s Message (as defined in Section 3 of the Offer to Purchase) in the case of a book-entry transfer, must be received before the Expiration Date by the Depositary at one of its addresses set forth on the back cover of the Offer to Purchase or (ii) shareholders whose certificates for Shares are not immediately available or who cannot deliver their certificates and all other required documents to the Depositary, or cannot complete the procedures for book-entry transfer prior to the Expiration Date, must properly complete and duly execute the applicable Notice of Guaranteed Delivery pursuant to the guaranteed delivery procedures set forth in Section 3 of the Offer to Purchase.

The Company will not pay any fees or commissions to brokers, dealers, commercial banks or trust companies or other nominees (other than fees to the Dealer Managers and the Information Agent, as described in Section 15 of the Offer to Purchase) for soliciting tenders of Shares pursuant to the Offers. The Company will, however, upon request, reimburse brokers, dealers (including, if applicable, the Dealer Managers), commercial banks, trust companies or other nominees for customary mailing and handling expenses incurred by them in forwarding the Offers and related materials to the beneficial owners of Shares held by them as a nominee or in a fiduciary capacity. No broker, dealer, commercial bank or trust company has been authorized to act as the agent of the Company, the Dealer Managers, the Information Agent or the Depositary for purposes of the Offers. The Company will cause the Counterparty Banks to pay, or to cause to be paid, all share transfer taxes, if any, applicable to the transfer of their respective allocations of Shares properly tendered and purchased in accordance with the terms of the Offers, except as otherwise provided in the Offer to Purchase or Instruction 7 in the applicable Letter of Transmittal.

 

5


Any inquiries you may have with respect to the Offers may be addressed to the Dealer Managers at their respective addresses and telephone numbers listed below.

Additional copies of the Offer to Purchase, the Letters of Transmittal and other related materials may also be obtained from the Information Agent for the Offers collect at (888) 750-5834.

Very truly yours,

Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC

HSBC Securities (USA) Inc.

NOTHING CONTAINED IN THIS DOCUMENT OR IN THE ENCLOSED DOCUMENTS WILL MAKE YOU OR ANY OTHER PERSON AN AGENT OF THE COMPANY, THE COUNTERPARTY BANKS, THE DEALER MANAGERS, THE INFORMATION AGENT OR THE DEPOSITARY OR ANY AFFILIATE OF ANY OF THE FOREGOING, OR AUTHORIZE YOU OR ANY OTHER PERSON TO USE ANY DOCUMENT OR MAKE ANY STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF ANY OF THEM IN CONNECTION WITH THE OFFER OTHER THAN THE DOCUMENTS ENCLOSED AND THE STATEMENTS CONTAINED IN THOSE DOCUMENTS.

 

The Dealer Managers for the Offers are:

 

LOGO    LOGO

Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC

Eleven Madison Avenue

New York, New York 10010

Call Toll-Free: (800) 318-8219

Call U.S. Local: (212) 538-4581

  

HSBC Securities (USA) Inc.

452 Fifth Avenue

New York, New York 10018

Call Toll-Free: (888) 472-2456

Call U.S. Local: (212) 525-3672

 

6

EXHIBIT (a)(1)(G)

Offer to Purchase for Cash

by

Liberty Global plc

Up to $625 million in value of its Class A Ordinary Shares

At a Cash Purchase Price Not Greater than $29.00 per Share Nor Less than $25.25 per Share

AND

Up to $1.875 billion in value of its Class C Ordinary Shares

At a Cash Purchase Price Not Greater than $28.50 per Share Nor Less than $24.75 per Share

 

 

THE OFFERS, PRORATION PERIODS AND WITHDRAWAL RIGHTS WILL EXPIRE AT ONE (1)

MINUTE AFTER 11:59 P.M., NEW YORK CITY TIME, ON SEPTEMBER 9, 2019,

UNLESS THE OFFERS ARE EXTENDED OR TERMINATED.

 

August 12, 2019

To Our Clients :

Enclosed for your consideration are the Offer to Purchase, dated August 12, 2019 (together with any amendments or supplements thereto, the “ Offer to Purchase ”), the applicable Letter of Transmittal (together with any amendments or supplements thereto, each, a “ Letter of Transmittal ” or collectively, the “ Letters of Transmittal ”) and other related materials in connection with the invitation by Liberty Global plc, a public limited company organized under the laws of England and Wales (the “ Company ”), for its shareholders to tender (i) up to $625 million in value of its issued and outstanding Class A ordinary shares, nominal value $0.01 per share (each, a “ Class  A Share ”) for purchase by Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC and HSBC Securities (USA) Inc., each acting as principal (each, a “ Counterparty Bank ,” and together, the “ Counterparty Banks ”), at a price not greater than $29.00 nor less than $25.25 per Class A Share (the “ Class  A Offer ”), and (ii) up to $1.875 billion in value of its issued and outstanding Class C ordinary shares, nominal value $0.01 per share (each, a “ Class  C Share ,” and the Class A Shares, individually or collectively with the Class C Shares, as appropriate, the “ Shares ”), for purchase by the Counterparty Banks at a price not greater than $28.50 nor less than $24.75 per Class C Share (the “ Class  C Offer ”), in each case, to the seller in cash, less any applicable withholding taxes and without interest, upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the applicable Offer. The Class A Offer and Class C Offer are sometimes collectively referred to as the “ Offers ” and individually as an “ Offer .”

The Offers will be conducted such that the Counterparty Banks will initially purchase their respective allocated portion of the Shares, and take actions to facilitate the Company’s subsequent purchase of the Shares, pursuant to the Counterparty Bank Agreements (as defined in the Offer to Purchase) and the terms and conditions of the Offer to Purchase. The Company will generally make all decisions and determinations with respect to the Offers, including with respect to the satisfaction or waiver of conditions to the Offers set forth in the Offer to Purchase, the acceptance of Shares for purchase by the Counterparty Banks. The Company’s purchases of the Shares “through the Counterparty Banks,” is sometimes referred to as the initial purchase of Shares in the Offers by the Counterparty Banks and the Company’s subsequent purchase of the same Shares pursuant to the Counterparty Bank Agreements and the terms and conditions of the Offer to Purchase. The Shares to be purchased by the Counterparty Banks will be allocated equally between the Counterparty Banks in accordance with the Option Framework Agreements (as defined in the Offer to Purchase).

The Company will, upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class A Offer, determine a single per Share price for the Class A Shares that are properly tendered and not properly withdrawn from the Class A Offer, taking into account the total number of Class A Shares properly tendered and the prices specified, or deemed specified (as described in the attached Instruction Form), by tendering shareholders. This single per Share price for Class A Shares (the “ Final Class  A Purchase Price ”) will be the lowest single purchase price, not greater than $29.00 nor less than $25.25 per Class A Share, that would allow the Company to purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, $625 million in value of Class A Shares, or a lower amount, depending on the number of Class A Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn.


The Company will, upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class C Offer, determine a single per Share price for the Class C Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn from the Class C Offer, taking into account the total number of Class C Shares properly tendered and the prices specified, or deemed specified (as described in the attached Instruction Form), by tendering shareholders. This single per Share price for Class C Shares (the “ Final Class  C Purchase Price ”) will be the lowest single purchase price, not greater than $28.50 nor less than $24.75 per Class C Share, that would allow the Company to purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, $1.875 billion in value of Class C Shares, or a lower amount, depending on the number of Class C Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn. The Company sometimes refers to the Final Class A Purchase Price and Final Class C Purchase Price collectively as the “ Final Purchase Prices ” and individually as the “ Final Purchase Price .”

Capitalized terms used herein and not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Offer to Purchase. The description of the Offers in this letter is only a summary and is qualified by the terms and conditions of the Offers set forth in the Offer to Purchase, the applicable Letter of Transmittal and other related materials.

No Class  A Shares and/or Class  C Shares tendered at prices in excess of the applicable Final Purchase Price will be purchased . Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class A Offer, if, based on the Final Class A Purchase Price, all Class A Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn have an aggregate value of less than $625 million, the Company will purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, all Class A Shares properly tendered at or below the Final Class A Purchase Price and not properly withdrawn prior to one (1) minute after 11:59 P.M., New York City time, on September 9, 2019, unless the Offers are extended or terminated (such date, as may be extended, the “ Expiration Date ”).

Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class C Offer, if, based on the Final Class C Purchase Price, all Class C Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn have an aggregate value of less than $1.875 billion, the Company will purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, all Class C Shares properly tendered at or below the Final Class C Purchase Price and not properly withdrawn prior to the Expiration Date. In the unlikely event the Offers have different Expiration Dates ( e.g. , due to an extension of one Offer and not the other), “Expiration Date” shall mean the applicable Expiration Date as the context shall so require. Only Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares properly tendered at prices at or below the applicable Final Purchase Price and not properly withdrawn, will be purchased in the applicable Offer upon the terms of and subject to the conditions of such Offer (including the “Odd Lot” priority, proration and the conditional tender provisions described in the Offer to Purchase). Shares not purchased in the Class A Offer and/or Class C Offer will be returned to the tendering shareholders promptly after the Expiration Date.

Under no circumstances will interest be paid on the applicable Final Purchase Price for the Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares regardless of any delay in making such payment. All Shares acquired in the Offers, if any, will be acquired at the applicable Final Purchase Price. The Company reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to change the per Share purchase price range and to increase or decrease the aggregate value of Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares sought in the Offers, in each case, subject to applicable law and the authority of the Company to conduct the purchase of its ordinary shares in the capital of Liberty Global as approved by the shareholders of the Company at its annual general meeting of shareholders held on June 11, 2019 (the “ 2019 Shareholder Authorization ”). In accordance with the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission and subject to the 2019 Shareholder Authorization, if Class A Shares having an aggregate value in excess of $625 million and/or if Class C Shares having an aggregate value in excess of $1.875 billion, in each case, are properly tendered in the applicable Offer at or below the applicable Final Purchase Price and not properly withdrawn, the Company may increase the number of Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares accepted for payment, through the Counterparty Banks, in the applicable Offer by no more than 2% of the outstanding Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares, as applicable, without extending the applicable Offer.

The Company reserves the right to (i) upon the occurrence of certain conditions to either or both Offers more specifically described in the Offer to Purchase, (a) terminate either or both Offers and return all tendered

 

2


Shares to the tendering shareholders, (b) extend either or both Offers and, subject to the withdrawal rights set forth in the Offer to Purchase, retain all of the tendered Shares until the expiration of applicable Offer as so extended, (c) waive a condition to either or both Offers and, subject to any requirement to extend the period of time during which the Offers are open, purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, all of the Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn prior to the Expiration Date or (d) delay acceptance for payment of or payment, through the Counterparty Banks, for Shares, subject to applicable law, until satisfaction or waiver of such condition, or (ii) amend either or both Offers in any respect, subject to applicable law and the 2019 Shareholder Authorization.

Class  A Offer . Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class A Offer, if, based on the Final Class A Purchase Price, Class A Shares having an aggregate value in excess of $625 million (or such greater amount as the Company may elect to accept for payment, through the Counterparty Banks, subject to applicable law and the 2019 Shareholder Authorization) have been properly tendered at prices at or below the Final Class A Purchase Price and not properly withdrawn prior to the Expiration Date, the Company will purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, Class A Shares in the following order:

 

   

first , all Odd Lots (as defined in the Offer to Purchase) of less than 100 Class A Shares at the Final Class A Purchase Price from shareholders who properly tender all of their Class A Shares at or below the Final Class A Purchase Price and who do not properly withdraw them before the Expiration Date. Tenders of less than all of the Class A Shares owned, beneficially or of record, by such Odd Lot Holder (as defined in the Offer to Purchase) will not qualify for this preference;

 

   

second , after purchasing all Odd Lots that were properly tendered at or below the Final Class A Purchase Price, subject to the conditional tender provisions (whereby a holder may specify a minimum number of such holder’s Class A Shares that must be purchased if any such Shares are purchased), the Company will purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, all Class A Shares properly tendered at or below the Final Class A Purchase Price on a pro rata basis with appropriate adjustment to avoid purchases of fractional Class A Shares; and

 

   

third , only if necessary to permit the Company to purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, $625 million in value of Class A Shares (or such greater amount as the Company may elect to purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, subject to applicable law and the 2019 Shareholder Authorization), the Company will purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, Class A Shares conditionally tendered (for which the condition was not initially satisfied) at or below the Final Class A Purchase Price, by random lot, to the extent feasible. To be eligible for purchase by random lot, shareholders whose Class A Shares are conditionally tendered must have tendered all of their Class A Shares. Random lot would be facilitated by the Company through the Counterparty Banks.

As a result of the foregoing priorities applicable to the purchase of Class A Shares tendered, it is possible that fewer than all Class A Shares tendered by a shareholder will be purchased or that, if a tender is conditioned upon the purchase of a specified number of Class A Shares, none of those Class A Shares will be purchased even though those Class A Shares were tendered at prices at or below the Final Class A Purchase Price. No fractional Class A Shares will be purchased in the Class A Offer.

Class  C Offer . Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class C Offer, if, based on the Final Class C Purchase Price, Class C Shares having an aggregate value in excess of $1.875 billion (or such greater amount as the Company may elect to accept for payment, through the Counterparty Banks, subject to applicable law and the 2019 Shareholder Authorization) have been properly tendered at prices at or below the Final Class C Purchase Price and not properly withdrawn prior to the Expiration Date, the Company will purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, Class C Shares in the following order:

 

   

first , all Odd Lots of less than 100 Class C Shares at the Final Class C Purchase Price from shareholders who properly tender all of their Class C Shares at or below the Final Class C Purchase Price and who do not properly withdraw them before the Expiration Date. Tenders of less than all of

 

3


 

the Class C Shares owned, beneficially or of record, by such Odd Lot Holder will not qualify for this preference;

 

   

second , after purchasing all Odd Lots that were properly tendered at or below the Final Class C Purchase Price, subject to the conditional tender provisions (whereby a holder may specify a minimum number of such holder’s Class C Shares that must be purchased if any such Shares are purchased), the Company will purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, all Class C Shares properly tendered at or below the Final Class C Purchase Price on a pro rata basis with appropriate adjustment to avoid purchases of fractional Class C Shares; and

 

   

third , only if necessary to permit the Company to purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, $1.875 billion in value of Class C Shares (or such greater amount as the Company may elect to purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, subject to applicable law and the 2019 Shareholder Authorization), the Company will purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, Class C Shares conditionally tendered (for which the condition was not initially satisfied) at or below the Final Class C Purchase Price, by random lot, to the extent feasible. To be eligible for purchase by random lot, shareholders whose Class C Shares are conditionally tendered must have tendered all of their Class C Shares. Random lot would be facilitated by the Company through the Counterparty Banks.

As a result of the foregoing priorities applicable to the purchase of Class C Shares tendered, it is possible that fewer than all Class C Shares tendered by a shareholder will be purchased or that, if a tender is conditioned upon the purchase of a specified number of Class C Shares, none of those Class C Shares will be purchased even though those Class C Shares were tendered at prices at or below the Final Class C Purchase Price. No fractional Class C Shares will be purchased in the Class C Offer.

Shares not purchased in the Offers, including Shares tendered at prices in excess of the applicable Final Purchase Price and Shares not purchased because of proration or conditional tender, will be returned to the tendering shareholders at the Company’s expense promptly after the Expiration Date. See Section 1, Section 3 and Section 5 of the Offer to Purchase.

The Offers are not conditioned on any minimum number of Shares being tendered. The Offers are, however, subject to certain other conditions. See Section 7 of the Offer to Purchase.

We are the owner of record of Shares held for your account. As such, we are the only ones who can tender your Shares, and we can tender your Shares only pursuant to your instructions. WE ARE SENDING YOU THE LETTERS OF TRANSMITTAL AND OTHER TENDER OFFER MATERIALS FOR YOUR INFORMATION ONLY; YOU CANNOT USE IT OR ANY OTHER MATERIALS TO TENDER SHARES WE HOLD FOR YOUR ACCOUNT.

Please instruct us as to whether you wish us to tender any or all of the Shares we hold for your account in accordance with the terms and subject to the conditions of the Offers.

Please note the following:

 

1.

You may tender your Class A Shares at a price or prices not greater than $29.00 nor less than $25.25 per Class A Share, or your Class C Shares at a price or prices not greater than $28.50 nor less than $24.75 per Class C Share, as indicated in the attached Instruction Form, to be paid to you in cash, less any applicable withholding taxes and without interest, or you may instruct us to tender your Shares at the applicable Final Purchase Price determined by the Company in accordance with the terms and subject to the conditions of the Offers.

 

2.

You should consult with your broker or other financial or tax advisors on the possibility of designating the priority in which your Shares will be purchased in the event of proration.

 

3.

The Offers, proration periods and withdrawal rights will expire at one (1) minute after 11:59 P.M., New York City time, on September 9, 2019, unless the Company extends or terminates either or both Offers in accordance with the terms and subject to the conditions of the applicable Offer, subject to applicable law.

 

4


4.

At the maximum Final Class A Purchase Price of $29.00 per Class A Share, 21,551,724 Class A Shares could be purchased in the Class A Offer if it is fully subscribed, which would represent approximately 10.5% of the issued and outstanding Class A Shares as of August 1, 2019. At the minimum Final Class A Purchase Price of $25.25 per Class A Share, 24,752,475 Class A Shares could be purchased in the Class A Offer if it is fully subscribed, which would represent approximately 12.1% of the issued and outstanding Class A Shares as of August 1, 2019. At the maximum Final Class C Purchase Price of $28.50 per Class C Share, 65,789,473 Class C Shares could be purchased in the Class C Offer if it is fully subscribed, which would represent approximately 12.8% of the issued and outstanding Class C Shares as of August 1, 2019. At the minimum Final Class C Purchase Price of $24.75 per Class C Share, 75,757,575 Class C Shares could be purchased in the Class C Offer if it is fully subscribed, which would represent approximately 14.8% of the issued and outstanding Class C Shares as of August 1, 2019. Assuming that the Class A Offer and the Class C Offer are fully subscribed, we expect that the maximum aggregate cost of these purchases, including all fees and expenses applicable to the Offers, will be approximately $2.5 billion.

 

5.

If you hold an aggregate of fewer than 100 Class A Shares or 100 Class C Shares, and you instruct us to tender on your behalf all such Shares before the Expiration Date at or below the applicable Final Purchase Price and check the box captioned “Odd Lots” on the attached Instruction Form, the Company will accept all such Shares for purchase before proration, if any, of the purchase of other Shares of the same class properly tendered at or below the applicable Final Purchase Price and not properly withdrawn pursuant to the applicable Offer.

 

6.

If you wish to make your tender conditional upon the purchase of all Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares that you tender or upon the Company’s purchase of a specified minimum number of the Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares that you tender, you may elect to do so and thereby avoid possible proration of your tender. The Company’s purchase of such Shares from all tenders at or below the applicable Final Purchase Price that are so conditioned will be determined by random lot to the extent feasible, and to be eligible for purchase by random lot, any shareholder whose Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares are conditionally tendered must have tendered all of its Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares. To elect such a condition, complete the box entitled “Conditional Tender” in the attached Instruction Form.

 

7.

If you wish to tender portions of your Shares of the same class at different prices, you must complete a separate Instruction Form for each price at which you wish to tender each such portion of your Shares. We will submit a separate applicable Letter of Transmittal on your behalf for each price you will accept for each portion of such Shares tendered.

 

8.

Tendering shareholders who are tendering Shares registered in their name and who are tendering such Shares directly to the Depositary will not be obligated to pay any brokerage commissions or fees to the Company or to the Dealer Managers and, except as set forth in the Offer to Purchase and the applicable Letter of Transmittal, will not bear the cost of share transfer tax applicable to the transfer of their Shares, if any.

YOUR PROMPT ACTION IS REQUESTED. YOUR INSTRUCTION FORM SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO US WITH AMPLE TIME TO PERMIT THE COMPANY TO SUBMIT A TENDER ON YOUR BEHALF BEFORE THE EXPIRATION DATE. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE OFFERS, PRORATION PERIODS AND WITHDRAWAL RIGHTS WILL EXPIRE AT ONE (1) MINUTE AFTER 11:59 P.M., NEW YORK CITY TIME, ON SEPTEMBER 9, 2019, UNLESS THE OFFERS ARE EXTENDED OR TERMINATED.

If you wish to have us tender any or all of your Shares, please so instruct us by completing, executing, detaching and returning the attached Instruction Form to us. If you authorize us to tender your Shares, we will tender all such Shares unless you specify otherwise on the attached Instruction Form.

The Offers are being made solely under the Offer to Purchase, the Letters of Transmittal and related materials, and is being made to all record holders of Shares. The Offers are not being made to, nor will tenders be

 

5


accepted from or on behalf of, holders of Shares residing in any jurisdiction in which the making of the Offers or acceptance thereof will not be in compliance with the securities, “blue sky” or other applicable laws of such jurisdiction.

 

6


INSTRUCTION FORM FOR CLASS A SHARES

The undersigned acknowledge(s) receipt of your letter and the enclosed Offer to Purchase, dated August 12, 2019 (together with any amendments or supplements thereto, the “ Offer to Purchase ”), the applicable Letter of Transmittal (together with any amendments or supplements thereto, each, a “ Letter of Transmittal ” or collectively, the “ Letters of Transmittal ”) and other related materials (collectively, with the Offer to Purchase and this Letter of Transmittal, in each case, with respect to the Class A Shares, the “ Class  A Offer ”) in connection with the invitation by Liberty Global plc, a public limited company organized under the laws of England and Wales (the “ Company ”), for its shareholders to tender up to $625 million in value of its issued and outstanding Class A ordinary shares, nominal value $0.01 per share (each, a “ Class  A Share ”) for purchase by Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC and HSBC Securities (USA) Inc., each acting as principal (each, a “ Counterparty Bank ,” and together, the “ Counterparty Banks ”), at a price not greater than $29.00 nor less than $25.25 per Class A Share, to the seller in cash, less any applicable withholding taxes and without interest, upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class A Offer. Capitalized terms used herein and not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Offer to Purchase.

The undersigned hereby instruct(s) you to tender the number of Class A Shares indicated below, or, if no number is specified, all Class A Shares you hold for the account of the undersigned, at the price per Class A Share indicated below, upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class A Offer.

Aggregate Number Of Class A Shares To Be Tendered

By You For The Account Of The Undersigned:                        Class A Shares.

PRICE (IN DOLLARS) PER CLASS A SHARE AT WHICH SHARES ARE BEING TENDERED

(See Instruction 5 of the applicable Letter of Transmittal)

THE UNDERSIGNED IS TENDERING CLASS A SHARES AS FOLLOWS (CHECK ONLY ONE BOX UNDER (1) OR (2) BELOW):

(1) CLASS A SHARES TENDERED AT PRICE DETERMINED UNDER THE CLASS A OFFER

BY CHECKING THE BOX BELOW INSTEAD OF ONE OF THE BOXES UNDER “Class A Shares Tendered At Price Determined By Shareholder,” the undersigned hereby tenders Shares at the Final Class A Purchase Price as shall be determined by the Company in accordance with the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class A Offer.

 

The undersigned wishes to maximize its chances that all of the Class A Shares the undersigned is tendering (subject to the possibility of proration) are purchased. Accordingly, by checking this box instead of one of the price boxes below, the undersigned hereby tenders its Class A Shares at, and is willing to accept, the Final Class A Purchase Price as determined by the Company in accordance with the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class A Offer. The undersigned understands that checking this box will result in its Class A Shares being deemed to have been tendered at $25.25 per Class A Share, which is the low end of the price range in the Class A Offer, for purposes of determining the Final Class A Purchase Price. The undersigned also understands that this may have the effect of lowering the Final Class A Purchase Price and could result in the undersigned receiving a per Class A Share price as low as $25.25, which is the low end of the price range in the Class A Offer, less any applicable withholding taxes and without interest.

(2) CLASS A SHARES TENDERED AT PRICE DETERMINED BY SHAREHOLDER

BY CHECKING ONE OF THE FOLLOWING BOXES INSTEAD OF THE BOX UNDER “Class A Shares Tendered At Price Determined Under The Class A Offer,” the undersigned hereby tenders Class A Shares at the price per Class A Share checked. The undersigned understands that this action could result in the Company

 

7


purchasing none of the Class A Shares tendered hereby if you select a box other than the box representing a price at or below the Final Class A Purchase Price as determined by the Company in accordance with the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class A Offer.

 

☐ $25.25   ☐ $26.50   ☐ $27.75   ☐ $29.00
☐ $25.50   ☐ $26.75   ☐ $28.00  
☐ $25.75   ☐ $27.00   ☐ $28.25  
☐ $26.00   ☐ $27.25   ☐ $28.50  
☐ $26.25   ☐ $27.50   ☐ $28.75  

CHECK ONLY ONE BOX UNDER (1) OR (2) ABOVE. IF MORE THAN ONE BOX IS CHECKED ABOVE, OR IF NO BOX IS CHECKED, THERE IS NO VALID TENDER OF CLASS A SHARES AND YOUR CLASS A SHARES WILL NOT BE PURCHASED IN THE CLASS A OFFER.

A SHAREHOLDER DESIRING TO TENDER CLASS A SHARES AT MORE THAN ONE PRICE FOR CLASS A SHARES MUST COMPLETE A SEPARATE INSTRUCTION FORM FOR EACH PRICE AT WHICH CLASS A SHARES ARE TENDERED. THE SAME CLASS A SHARES CANNOT BE TENDERED AT MORE THAN ONE PRICE UNLESS PREVIOUSLY PROPERLY WITHDRAWN AS PROVIDED IN SECTION 4 OF THE OFFER TO PURCHASE.

 

8


ODD LOTS

(See Instruction 13 of the applicable Letter of Transmittal)

As described in Section 1 of the Offer to Purchase, under certain conditions, shareholders holding less than 100 Class A Shares may have their Class A Shares accepted for payment before any proration of other tendered Class A Shares. This preference is not available to partial tenders, or to beneficial or record holders of an aggregate of more than 100 Class A Shares, even if such holders have separate accounts or certificates representing less than 100 Class A Shares. Accordingly, this section is to be completed ONLY if Class A Shares are being tendered by or on behalf of a person owning, beneficially or of record, an aggregate of less than 100 Class A Shares. The undersigned certifies that it either (check one box):

 

owns, beneficially or of record, an aggregate of less than 100 Class A Shares and is tendering all such Class A Shares; or

 

is a broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee that (i) is tendering, on behalf of the beneficial owner(s), Class A Shares with respect to which it is the record holder and (ii) believes, based upon representations made to it by the beneficial owner(s) of such Shares, that each such person is the beneficial owner of an aggregate of less than 100 Class A Shares and is tendering all such Shares.

CONDITIONAL TENDER

(See Instruction 12 of the applicable Letter of Transmittal)

A shareholder may tender Class A Shares subject to the condition that a specified minimum number of the shareholder’s Class A Shares tendered pursuant to the applicable Letter of Transmittal must be purchased if any Class A Shares tendered are purchased, all as described in the Offer to Purchase and particularly in Section 6 thereof. Unless at least that minimum number of Class A Shares indicated below is purchased by the Company pursuant to the terms of the Class A Offer, none of the Class A Shares tendered by you will be purchased. It is the tendering shareholder’s responsibility to calculate that minimum number of Class A Shares that must be purchased if any are purchased, and the Company urges shareholders to consult their own financial or tax advisors before completing this section. Unless this box has been checked and a minimum specified, the tender will be deemed unconditional.

 

The minimum number of Class A Shares that must be purchased, if any are purchased, is:                     Class A Shares.

If, because of proration, the minimum number of Class A Shares designated will not be purchased, the Company may accept conditional tenders by random lot, if necessary. However, to be eligible for purchase by random lot, the tendering shareholder must have tendered all of his or her Class A Shares and checked this box:

 

The tendered Class A Shares represent all Class A Shares held by the undersigned.

The method of delivery of this document is at the election and risk of the tendering shareholder. If delivery is by mail, then registered mail with return receipt requested, properly insured, is recommended. In all cases, sufficient time should be allowed to ensure timely delivery.

The Company’s Board of Directors has authorized the Offers in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Offers set forth in the Offer to Purchase and the Counterparty Bank Agreements. However, none of the Company, any of the members of its Board of Directors, the Counterparty Banks, the Dealer Managers, the Information Agent or the Depositary makes any recommendation to shareholders as to whether they should tender or refrain from tendering their Shares or as to the purchase price or purchase prices at which any shareholder may choose to tender Shares. None of the Company, any of the members of its Board of Directors, the Counterparty Banks, the Dealer Managers, the

 

9


Information Agent or the Depositary has authorized any person to make any recommendation to you as to whether you should tender or refrain from tendering your Shares or as to the purchase price or purchase prices at which you may choose to tender your Shares. Shareholders should carefully evaluate all information in the Offer to Purchase and in the applicable Letter of Transmittal, consult their own financial and tax advisors and make their own decisions about whether to tender or refrain from tendering your Shares and, if deciding to tender, how many Shares to tender and the purchase price or purchase prices at which to tender.

 

10


SIGNATURE

 

Signature(s) :

   

Name(s) :

   

(Please Print)

 

Taxpayer Identification or Social Security No.: 

   

(Please Print)

 

Address(es):

   
   

(Include Zip Code)

 

Phone Number (including Area Code):

   

Date: _______________, 2019

 

 

11


INSTRUCTION FORM FOR CLASS C SHARES

The undersigned acknowledge(s) receipt of your letter and the enclosed Offer to Purchase, dated August 12, 2019 (together with any amendments or supplements thereto, the “ Offer to Purchase ”), the applicable Letter of Transmittal (together with any amendments or supplements thereto, each, a “ Letter of Transmittal ” or collectively, the “ Letters of Transmittal ”) and other related materials (collectively, with the Offer to Purchase and this Letter of Transmittal, in each case, with respect to the Class C Shares, the “ Class  C Offer ”) in connection with the invitation by Liberty Global plc, a public limited company organized under the laws of England and Wales (the “ Company ”), for its shareholders to tender up to $1.875 billion in value of its issued and outstanding Class C ordinary shares, nominal value $0.01 per share (each, a “ Class  C Share ”) for purchase by Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC and HSBC Securities (USA) Inc., each acting as principal (each, a “ Counterparty Bank ,” and together, the “ Counterparty Banks ”), at a price not greater than $28.50 nor less than $24.75 per Class C Share, to the seller in cash, less any applicable withholding taxes and without interest, upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class C Offer. Capitalized terms used herein and not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Offer to Purchase.

The undersigned hereby instruct(s) you to tender the number of Class C Shares indicated below, or, if no number is specified, all Class C Shares you hold for the account of the undersigned, at the price per Class C Share indicated below, upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class C Offer.

Aggregate Number Of Class C Shares To Be Tendered

By You For The Account Of The Undersigned:                             Class C Shares.

PRICE (IN DOLLARS) PER CLASS C SHARE AT WHICH SHARES ARE BEING TENDERED

(See Instruction 5 of the applicable Letter of Transmittal)

THE UNDERSIGNED IS TENDERING CLASS C SHARES AS FOLLOWS (CHECK ONLY ONE BOX UNDER (1) OR (2) BELOW):

(1) CLASS C SHARES TENDERED AT PRICE DETERMINED UNDER THE CLASS C OFFER

BY CHECKING THE BOX BELOW INSTEAD OF ONE OF THE BOXES UNDER “Class C Shares Tendered At Price Determined By Shareholder,” the undersigned hereby tenders Shares at the Final Class C Purchase Price as shall be determined by the Company in accordance with the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class C Offer.

 

The undersigned wishes to maximize its chances that all of the Class C Shares the undersigned is tendering (subject to the possibility of proration) are purchased. Accordingly, by checking this box instead of one of the price boxes below, the undersigned hereby tenders its Class C Shares at, and is willing to accept, the Final Class C Purchase Price as determined by the Company in accordance with the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class C Offer. The undersigned understands that checking this box will result in its Class C Shares being deemed to have been tendered at $24.75 per Class C Share, which is the low end of the price range in the Class C Offer, for purposes of determining the Final Class C Purchase Price. The undersigned also understands that this may have the effect of lowering the Final Class C Purchase Price and could result in the undersigned receiving a per Class C Share price as low as $24.75, which is the low end of the price range in the Class C Offer, less any applicable withholding taxes and without interest.

(2) CLASS C SHARES TENDERED AT PRICE DETERMINED BY SHAREHOLDER

BY CHECKING ONE OF THE FOLLOWING BOXES INSTEAD OF THE BOX UNDER “Class C Shares Tendered At Price Determined Under The Class C Offer,” the undersigned hereby tenders Class C Shares at the

 

12


price per Class C Share checked. The undersigned understands that this action could result in the Company purchasing none of the Class C Shares tendered hereby if you select a box other than the box representing a price at or below the Final Class C Purchase Price as determined by the Company in accordance with the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class C Offer.

 

☐ $24.75    ☐ $26.00    ☐ $27.25    ☐ $28.50
☐ $25.00    ☐ $26.25    ☐ $27.50   
☐ $25.25    ☐ $26.50    ☐ $27.75   
☐ $25.50    ☐ $26.75    ☐ $28.00   
☐ $25.75    ☐ $27.00    ☐ $28.25   

CHECK ONLY ONE BOX UNDER (1) OR (2) ABOVE. IF MORE THAN ONE BOX IS CHECKED ABOVE, OR IF NO BOX IS CHECKED, THERE IS NO VALID TENDER OF CLASS C SHARES AND YOUR CLASS C SHARES WILL NOT BE PURCHASED IN THE CLASS C OFFER.

A SHAREHOLDER DESIRING TO TENDER CLASS C SHARES AT MORE THAN ONE PRICE FOR CLASS C SHARES MUST COMPLETE A SEPARATE INSTRUCTION FORM FOR EACH PRICE AT WHICH CLASS C SHARES ARE TENDERED. THE SAME CLASS C SHARES CANNOT BE TENDERED AT MORE THAN ONE PRICE UNLESS PREVIOUSLY PROPERLY WITHDRAWN AS PROVIDED IN SECTION 4 OF THE OFFER TO PURCHASE.

 

13


ODD LOTS

(See Instruction 13 of the applicable Letter of Transmittal)

As described in Section 1 of the Offer to Purchase, under certain conditions, shareholders holding less than 100 Class C Shares may have their Class C Shares accepted for payment before any proration of other tendered Class C Shares. This preference is not available to partial tenders, or to beneficial or record holders of an aggregate of more than 100 Class C Shares, even if such holders have separate accounts or certificates representing less than 100 Class C Shares. Accordingly, this section is to be completed ONLY if Class C Shares are being tendered by or on behalf of a person owning, beneficially or of record, an aggregate of less than 100 Class C Shares. The undersigned certifies that it either (check one box):

 

owns, beneficially or of record, an aggregate of less than 100 Class C Shares and is tendering all such Class C Shares; or

 

is a broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee that (i) is tendering, on behalf of the beneficial owner(s), Class C Shares with respect to which it is the record holder and (ii) believes, based upon representations made to it by the beneficial owner(s) of such Shares, that each such person is the beneficial owner of an aggregate of less than 100 Class C Shares and is tendering all such Shares.

CONDITIONAL TENDER

(See Instruction 12 of the applicable Letter of Transmittal)

A shareholder may tender Class C Shares subject to the condition that a specified minimum number of the shareholder’s Class C Shares tendered pursuant to the applicable Letter of Transmittal must be purchased if any Class C Shares tendered are purchased, all as described in the Offer to Purchase and particularly in Section 6 thereof. Unless at least that minimum number of Class C Shares indicated below is purchased by the Company pursuant to the terms of the Class C Offer, none of the Class C Shares tendered by you will be purchased. It is the tendering shareholder’s responsibility to calculate that minimum number of Class C Shares that must be purchased if any are purchased, and the Company urges shareholders to consult their own financial or tax advisors before completing this section. Unless this box has been checked and a minimum specified, the tender will be deemed unconditional.

 

The minimum number of Class C Shares that must be purchased, if any are purchased, is:                     Class C Shares.

If, because of proration, the minimum number of Class C Shares designated will not be purchased, the Company may accept conditional tenders by random lot, if necessary. However, to be eligible for purchase by random lot, the tendering shareholder must have tendered all of his or her Class C Shares and checked this box:

 

The tendered Class C Shares represent all Class C Shares held by the undersigned.

The method of delivery of this document is at the election and risk of the tendering shareholder. If delivery is by mail, then registered mail with return receipt requested, properly insured, is recommended. In all cases, sufficient time should be allowed to ensure timely delivery.

The Company’s Board of Directors has authorized the Offers in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Offers set forth in the Offer to Purchase and the Counterparty Bank Agreements. However, none of the Company, any of the members of its Board of Directors, the Counterparty Banks, the Dealer Managers, the Information Agent or the Depositary makes any recommendation to shareholders as to whether they should tender or refrain from tendering their Shares or as to the purchase price or purchase prices at which any shareholder may choose to tender Shares. None of the Company, any of the members of its Board of Directors, the Counterparty Banks, the Dealer Managers, the

 

14


Information Agent or the Depositary has authorized any person to make any recommendation to you as to whether you should tender or refrain from tendering your Shares or as to the purchase price or purchase prices at which you may choose to tender your Shares. Shareholders should carefully evaluate all information in the Offer to Purchase and in the applicable Letter of Transmittal, consult their own financial and tax advisors and make their own decisions about whether to tender or refrain from tendering your Shares and, if deciding to tender, how many Shares to tender and the purchase price or purchase prices at which to tender.

 

15


SIGNATURE

 

Signature(s):

   

Name(s):

   

(Please Print)

 

Taxpayer Identification or Social Security No.: 

   

(Please Print)

 

Address(es):

   
   

(Include Zip Code)

 

Phone Number (including Area Code):

   

Date: _______________, 2019

 

 

16

EXHIBIT (a)(1)(H)

This announcement is neither an offer to purchase nor a solicitation of an offer to sell ordinary shares of Liberty Global plc. The Offers (as defined below) are made solely by the Offer to Purchase, dated August 12, 2019, and the related Letters of Transmittal (as defined below), and any amendments or supplements thereto. The Offers are not being made to, nor will tenders be accepted from or on behalf of, holders of ordinary shares in any jurisdiction in which the making or acceptance of offers to sell ordinary shares would not be in compliance with applicable law. In any jurisdiction where the securities, blue sky or other laws require the Offers be made by a licensed broker or dealer, the Offers shall be deemed made on behalf of Liberty Global plc by the Dealer Managers (as defined below) or one or more brokers or dealers registered under the laws of such jurisdiction.

Notice of Offer to Purchase for Cash

by

Liberty Global plc

Up to $625 million in value of its Class A Ordinary Shares

At a Cash Purchase Price Not Greater than $29.00 per Share Nor Less than $25.25 per Share

AND

Up to $1.875 billion in value of its Class C Ordinary Shares

At a Cash Purchase Price Not Greater than $28.50 per Share Nor Less than $24.75 per Share

Liberty Global plc, a public limited company organized under the laws of England and Wales (the “ Company ”), invites the Company’s shareholders to tender (i) up to $625 million in value of the Company’s Class A ordinary shares, nominal value $0.01 per share (each, a “ Class  A Share ”), for purchase by Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC and HSBC Securities (USA) Inc., each acting as principal (each, a “ Counterparty Bank ,” and together, the “ Counterparty Banks ”), at a price not greater than $29.00 nor less than $25.25 per Class A Share (the “ Class  A Offer ”), and (ii) up to $1.875 billion in value of the Company’s Class C ordinary shares, nominal value $0.01 per share (each, a “ Class  C Share ,” and the Class A Shares, individually or collectively with the Class C Shares, as appropriate, the “ Shares ”), for purchase by the Counterparty Banks at a price not greater than $28.50 nor less than $24.75 per Class C Share (the “ Class  C Offer ”), in each case, to the seller in cash, less any applicable withholding taxes and without interest. Each Offer will be conducted upon the terms and subject to the conditions described in the Offer to Purchase (together with any amendments or supplements thereto, the “ Offer to Purchase ”), in the applicable Letter of Transmittal (together with any amendments or supplements thereto, each, a “ Letter of Transmittal ” or collectively, the “ Letters of Transmittal ”) and in other related materials as may be amended or supplemented from time to time. The Company sometimes refers to the Class A Offer and Class C Offer collectively as the “ Offers ” and individually as an “ Offer .” The description of the Offers herein is only a summary and is qualified by the terms and conditions of the Offers set forth in the Offer to Purchase, the applicable Letter of Transmittal and other related materials.

To ensure compliance with English law, any Shares purchased in the Offers will initially be purchased by a Counterparty Bank, acting as a principal and not as an agent, nominee or trustee. In turn, each Counterparty Bank shall sell, and the Company shall purchase from the applicable Counterparty Bank, such Shares at a price equal to the price paid by such Counterparty Bank in the relevant Offer (along with certain other costs). The Shares purchased by the Counterparty Banks will be allocated equally between the Counterparty Banks in accordance with the Option Framework Agreements (as defined below). The Company intends to cancel the Shares so purchased by it from the Counterparty Banks.

The Company’s purchase of Shares from the Counterparty Banks will be governed by the Master Put/Call Agreements entered into by the Company and each of the Counterparty Banks, each dated August 9, 2019 (the “ Master Put/Call Agreements ”), pursuant to which each Counterparty Bank has the right to require the Company to purchase from the relevant Counterparty Bank, and the Company has the right to require each Counterparty Bank to sell to the Company, the Shares purchased by such


Counterparty Bank in the Offers. The specific terms of the purchase by the Counterparty Banks of the Shares in the Offers pursuant to the Master Put/Call Agreements will be governed by the Option Framework Agreements, between the Company and each of the Counterparty Banks, each dated August 9, 2019 (the “ Option Framework Agreements ”), pursuant to which each Counterparty Bank will purchase the Shares as principals (not as agents, nominees or trustees). The Company sometimes refers to the Master Put/Call Agreements and the Option Framework Agreements collectively as the “ Counterparty Bank Agreements .” The Counterparty Banks are acting as principals in connection with the Offers and independently from each other, and their respective obligations pursuant to the applicable Counterparty Bank Agreements are several and not joint.

The Counterparty Banks will initially purchase their respective allocated portion of the Shares and take actions to facilitate the Company’s subsequent purchase of the Shares pursuant to the Counterparty Bank Agreements and the terms and conditions of the Offers set forth in the Offer to Purchase, and the Company will generally make all decisions and determinations with respect to the Offers, including with respect to the satisfaction or waiver of conditions to the Offers set forth in the Offer to Purchase and the acceptance of Shares for purchase by the Counterparty Banks. The Company sometimes refers to the Company’s purchases of the Shares “through the Counterparty Banks,” which refers to the initial purchase of Shares in the Offers by the Counterparty Banks and the Company’s subsequent purchase of the same Shares pursuant to the Counterparty Bank Agreements and the terms and conditions of the Offers set forth in the Offer to Purchase. In no circumstances will the Company purchase Shares in connection with the Offers other than from the Counterparty Banks pursuant to the Counterparty Bank Agreements.

 

 

THE OFFERS, PRORATION PERIODS AND WITHDRAWAL RIGHTS WILL EXPIRE AT ONE (1)

MINUTE AFTER 11:59 P.M., NEW YORK CITY TIME, ON SEPTEMBER 9, 2019, UNLESS THE

OFFERS ARE EXTENDED OR TERMINATED.

The Offers are not conditioned on any minimum number of Shares being tendered. The Offers are, however, subject to certain other conditions as set forth in the Offer to Purchase.

Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class A Offer, which will be conducted through a modified Dutch auction process, the Company will determine a single per Share price for the Class A Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn from the Class A Offer, taking into account the total number of Class A Shares tendered and the prices specified, or deemed specified by tendering shareholders. This single per Share price for Class A Shares (the “ Final Class  A Purchase Price ”) will be the lowest single purchase price, not greater than $29.00 nor less than $25.25 per Class A Share, that would allow the Company to purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, $625 million in value of Class A Shares, or a lower amount, depending on the number of Class A Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn.

Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Class C Offer, which will be conducted through a modified Dutch auction process, the Company will determine a single per Share price for the Class C Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn from the Class C Offer, taking into account the total number of Class C Shares tendered and the prices specified, or deemed specified by tendering shareholders. This single per Share price for Class C Shares (the “ Final Class  C Purchase Price ”) will be the lowest single purchase price, not greater than $28.50 nor less than $24.75 per Class C Share, that would allow the Company to purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, $1.875 billion in value of Class C Shares, or a lower amount, depending on the number of Class C Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn. The Company sometimes refers to the Final Class A Purchase Price and Final Class C Purchase Price collectively as the “ Final Purchase Prices ” and individually as the “ Final Purchase Price .”

All Shares acquired, if any, in the Offers will be acquired at the applicable Final Purchase Price, including those Shares tendered at a price lower than the applicable Final Purchase Price. Only Shares properly tendered at prices at or below the applicable Final Purchase Price, and not properly withdrawn, will be purchased. If, based on the applicable Final Purchase Price, all Class A Shares and all Class C Shares, in each case, properly tendered and not properly withdrawn have an aggregate value in excess of $625 million and $1.875 billion, as applicable, all of the Class A Shares and Class C Shares, as the case may be, tendered at or below the applicable Final Purchase Price may not be purchased because of proration, “Odd Lot” priority and the conditional tender provisions described in the Offer to Purchase.


If all properly tendered Shares are not purchased under either or both Offers or are properly withdrawn before the Expiration Date: (i) in the case of certificated Shares, the certificate(s) will be returned to the tendering shareholder, or (ii) in the case of Shares tendered by book-entry transfer at The Depository Trust Company (the “ Book-Entry Transfer Facility ”), the Shares will be credited to the appropriate account maintained by the tendering shareholder at the Book-Entry Transfer Facility, in each case, without expense to the tendering shareholder. In the case of certificated Shares, if less than all certificated Shares evidenced by a shareholder’s certificate(s) are tendered or accepted for purchase by the Company, through the Counterparty Banks, the Depositary will cancel the existing certificate(s) and new certificate(s) will be issued and mailed to the shareholder reflecting the amount of Shares not tendered or accepted for purchase by the Company, through the Counterparty Banks, in each case, without expense to the tendering shareholder. In the case of Shares tendered by book-entry transfer at the Book-Entry Transfer Facility, if less than all Shares tendered are accepted for purchase by the Company, through the Counterparty Banks, the remaining Shares will be credited to the appropriate account maintained by the tendering shareholder at the Book-Entry Transfer Facility without expense to the tendering shareholder.

The Company reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to change the per share purchase price range and to increase or decrease the aggregate value of Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares sought in the Offers, subject to applicable law and the authority of the Company to conduct the purchase of its ordinary shares in the capital of Liberty Global as approved by the shareholders of the Company at its annual general meeting of shareholders held on June 11, 2019 (the “ 2019 Shareholder Authorization ”). In accordance with the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ SEC ”) and subject to the 2019 Shareholder Authorization, if Class A Shares having an aggregate value in excess of $625 million and/or Class C Shares having an aggregate value in excess of $1.875 billion, in each case, are properly tendered in the applicable Offer at or below the applicable Final Purchase Price and not properly withdrawn, the Company may increase the number of Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares accepted for payment, through the Counterparty Banks, in the applicable Offer by no more than 2% of the outstanding Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares, as applicable, without extending the applicable Offer.

As of August 1, 2019, the Company had 205,370,209 issued and outstanding Class A Shares, 12,157,826 issued and outstanding Class B ordinary shares, nominal value $0.01 per share, and 513,200,439 issued and outstanding Class C Shares.

At the maximum Final Class A Purchase Price of $29.00 per Class A Share, 21,551,724 Class A Shares could be purchased in the Class A Offer if it is fully subscribed, which would represent approximately 10.5% of the issued and outstanding Class A Shares as of August 1, 2019. At the minimum Final Class A Purchase Price of $25.25 per Class A Share, 24,752,475 Class A Shares could be purchased in the Class A Offer if it is fully subscribed, which would represent approximately 12.1% of the issued and outstanding Class A Shares as of August 1, 2019. At the maximum Final Class C Purchase Price of $28.50 per Class C Share, 65,789,473 Class C Shares could be purchased in the Class C Offer if it is fully subscribed, which would represent approximately 12.8% of the issued and outstanding Class C Shares as of August 1, 2019. At the minimum Final Class C Purchase Price of $24.75 per Class C Share, 75,757,575 Class C Shares could be purchased in the Class C Offer if it is fully subscribed, which would represent approximately 14.8% of the issued and outstanding Class C Shares as of August 1, 2019.

Assuming that the Class A Offer and the Class C Offer are fully subscribed, the Company expects that the maximum aggregate cost of these purchases, including all fees and expenses applicable to the Offers, will be approximately $2.5 billion.

The Class A Shares and Class C Shares trade on the NASDAQ Global Select Market (“ NASDAQ ”) under the symbols “LBTYA” and “LBTYK,” respectively. Shareholders are urged to obtain current market quotations for the Shares before deciding whether and at what purchase price or purchase prices to tender their Shares.


The Company expressly reserves the right, in its sole discretion, at any time and from time to time and subject to applicable laws, to extend the period of time during which each Offer is open and thereby delay acceptance for payment of, and payment for, in each case, through the Counterparty Banks, any Shares by giving oral or written notice of such extension to Computershare Trust Company N.A., the depositary for the Offers (the “ Depositary ”), and making a public announcement of such extension not later than 9:00 a.m., New York City time, on the next business day after the previously scheduled or announced Expiration Date. The Offers will expire at one minute after 11:59 p.m., New York City time, on September 9, 2019, unless either or both Offers are terminated or the Company exercises its right to extend the period of time during which either Offer will remain open (such date, as may be extended, the “ Expiration Date ”). Beneficial owners should be aware that their broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee may establish its own earlier deadlines for them to instruct it to accept either or both Offers on their behalf. Accordingly, beneficial owners wishing to participate in either or both Offers should contact their broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee as soon as possible in order to determine the times by which such owner must take action in order to participate in either or both Offers.

In accordance with the instructions to the applicable Letter of Transmittal, shareholders wishing to tender Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares must specify the price or prices, not greater than $29.00 nor less than $25.25 per Class A Share, or not greater than $28.50 nor less than $24.75 per Class C Share, at which they are willing to sell their Shares to the Company in the Offers. Alternatively, shareholders desiring to tender Shares can choose not to specify a price and, instead, specify that they are willing to sell their Shares at the applicable Final Purchase Price (which could result in such tendering shareholders receiving a purchase price per Class A Share as low as $25.25 or a purchase price per Class C Share as low as $24.75, as applicable, the low end of each respective price range in the Offers, less any applicable withholding taxes and without interest). See the Offer to Purchase for recent sales prices for the Shares.

Shareholders wishing to tender Shares must follow the procedures set forth in the Offer to Purchase, the applicable Letter of Transmittal and the other related materials. Generally, for Shares to be properly tendered pursuant to the Offers, the certificates for such Shares (or confirmation of receipt of such Shares pursuant to the procedure for book-entry transfer set forth in the Offer to Purchase), together with the applicable Letter of Transmittal, properly completed and duly executed, including any required signature guarantees or an “Agent’s Message” (as defined in the Offer to Purchase), and any other documents required by the applicable Letter of Transmittal, must be delivered to the Depositary by the Expiration Date at one of its addresses set forth on the back cover of the Offer to Purchase.

If the terms and conditions of the Offers have been satisfied or waived and, based on the applicable Final Purchase Prices, all Class A Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn have an aggregate value of less than $625 million and all Class C Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn have an aggregate value of less than $1.875 billion, as applicable, the Company will purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, all Shares properly tendered at prices at or below the applicable Final Purchase Price and not properly withdrawn.

Class  A Offer . If, based on the Final Class A Purchase Price, Class A Shares having an aggregate value in excess of $625 million (or such greater amount as the Company may elect to accept for payment, through the Counterparty Banks, subject to applicable law and the 2019 Shareholder Authorization) have been properly tendered at prices at or below the Final Class A Purchase Price and not properly withdrawn prior to the Expiration Date, we will purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, Class A Shares in the following order:

 

   

first , all Odd Lots (as defined in the Offer to Purchase) of less than 100 Class A Shares at the Final Class A Purchase Price from shareholders who properly tender all of their Class A Shares at or below the Final Class A Purchase Price and who do not properly withdraw them before the Expiration Date. Tenders of less than all of the Class A Shares owned, beneficially or of record, by such Odd Lot Holder (as defined in the Offer to Purchase) will not qualify for this preference. Tenders of Class A Shares held in the individual accounts in the Liberty Global 401(k) Savings and Stock Ownership Plan (the “ 401(k) Plan ”) also will not qualify for this preference. Participants in the Virgin Media Inc. Share Incentive Plan (the “ SIP Plan ”) should reference the separate communication that will be sent by the trustee of the SIP Plan (the “ SIP Trustee Letter ”) for information related to the applicability of this preference;

 

   

second , after purchasing all Odd Lots that were properly tendered at or below the Final Class A Purchase Price, subject to the conditional tender provisions (whereby a holder may specify a minimum number of such holder’s Class A Shares that must be purchased if any such Shares are purchased), the Company will purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, all Class A Shares properly tendered at or below the Final Class A Purchase Price on a pro rata basis with appropriate adjustment to avoid purchases of fractional Class A Shares; and


   

third , only if necessary to permit the Company to purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, $625 million in value of Class A Shares (or such greater amount as the Company may elect to purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, subject to applicable law and the 2019 Shareholder Authorization), the Company will purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, Class A Shares conditionally tendered (for which the condition was not initially satisfied) at or below the Final Class A Purchase Price, by random lot, to the extent feasible. To be eligible for purchase by random lot, shareholders whose Class A Shares are conditionally tendered must have tendered all of their Class A Shares. Random lot would be facilitated by the Company through the Counterparty Banks.

As a result of the foregoing priorities applicable to the purchase of Class A Shares tendered, it is possible that fewer than all Class A Shares tendered by a shareholder will be purchased or that, if a tender is conditioned upon the purchase of a specified number of Class A Shares, none of those Class A Shares will be purchased even though those Class A Shares were tendered at prices at or below the Final Class A Purchase Price. No fractional Class A Shares will be purchased in the Class A Offer.

Class  C Offer . If, based on the Final Class A Purchase Price, Class C Shares having an aggregate value in excess of $1.875 billion (or such greater amount as the Company may elect to accept for payment, through the Counterparty Banks, subject to applicable law and the 2019 Shareholder Authorization) have been properly tendered at prices at or below the Final Class C Purchase Price and not properly withdrawn prior to the Expiration Date, we will purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, Class C Shares in the following order:

 

   

first , all Odd Lots of less than 100 Class C Shares at the Final Class C Purchase Price from shareholders who properly tender all of their Class C Shares at or below the Final Class C Purchase Price and who do not properly withdraw them before the Expiration Date. Tenders of less than all of the Class C Shares owned, beneficially or of record, by such Odd Lot Holder will not qualify for this preference. Tenders of Class C Shares held in the individual accounts in the 401(k) Plan also will not qualify for this preference. SIP Plan participants should reference the SIP Trustee Letter that will be sent for information related to the applicability of this preference;

 

   

second , after purchasing all Odd Lots that were properly tendered at or below the Final Class C Purchase Price, subject to the conditional tender provisions (whereby a holder may specify a minimum number of such holder’s Class C Shares that must be purchased if any such Shares are purchased), the Company will purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, all Class C Shares properly tendered at or below the Final Class C Purchase Price on a pro rata basis with appropriate adjustment to avoid purchases of fractional Class C Shares; and

 

   

third , only if necessary to permit the Company to purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, $1.875 billion in value of Class C Shares (or such greater amount as the Company may elect to purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, subject to applicable law and the 2019 Shareholder Authorization), the Company will purchase, through the Counterparty Banks, Class C Shares conditionally tendered (for which the condition was not initially satisfied) at or below the Final Class C Purchase Price, by random lot, to the extent feasible. To be eligible for purchase by random lot, shareholders whose Class C Shares are conditionally tendered must have tendered all of their Class C Shares. Random lot would be facilitated by the Company through the Counterparty Banks.

As a result of the foregoing priorities applicable to the purchase of Class C Shares tendered, it is possible that fewer than all Class C Shares tendered by a shareholder will be purchased or that, if a tender is conditioned upon the purchase of a specified number of Class C Shares, none of those Class C Shares will be purchased even though those Class C Shares were tendered at prices at or below the Final Class C Purchase Price. No fractional Class C Shares will be purchased in the Class C Offer.

For purposes of the Offers, the Company will be deemed to have accepted for payment, through the Counterparty Banks (and therefore be deemed to have purchased), subject to proration, “Odd Lot” priority and conditional tender provisions of the Offers, Class A Shares or Class C Shares, as the case may be, that are properly tendered at or below the applicable Final Purchase Price and not properly withdrawn only when, as and if the Company gives oral or written notice to the Depositary of the Company’s acceptance, through the Counterparty Banks, of the Shares for payment pursuant to the Offers.

Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Offers, promptly after the Expiration Date, the Company, through the Counterparty Banks, will accept for payment and pay (i) the Final Class A Purchase Price per share for all Class A Shares and (ii) the Final Class C Purchase Price per share for all Class C Shares, in each case, accepted for payment in accordance with the Offers. In all cases, payment for Shares properly tendered and


accepted for payment in accordance with the Offers will be made promptly, subject to possible delay due to proration, but only after timely receipt by the Depositary of: (i) certificates for Shares or a timely confirmation of a book-entry transfer of Shares into the Depositary’s account at the Book-Entry Transfer Facility; (ii) the applicable Letter of Transmittal, properly completed and duly executed, including any required signature guarantee; and (iii) any other documents required.

Due to the difficulty in determining the number of Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn, and because of the conditional tender procedure and the guaranteed delivery procedure described in the Offer to Purchase, the Company expects that it will not be able to announce the final proration for each shareholder or commence payment, through the Counterparty Banks, for any Shares purchased pursuant to the Offers until after the Expiration Date. The preliminary results of any proration will be announced by press release as promptly as practicable after the Expiration Date.

Tenders of Shares are irrevocable, except that Shares tendered pursuant to the Offers may be withdrawn at any time prior to the Expiration Date and, unless such Shares have been accepted for payment, shareholders may also withdraw their previously tendered Shares at any time after one (1) minute after 11:59 p.m., New York City time, on October 7, 2019. For a withdrawal to be effective, a written notice of withdrawal must be received in a timely manner by the Depositary at one of its addresses listed on the back cover of the Offer to Purchase. Any such notice of withdrawal must specify the name of the tendering shareholder, the number of Shares to be withdrawn and the name of the registered holder of the Shares. If certificates for Shares to be withdrawn have been delivered or otherwise identified to the Depositary, then, before the release of the certificates, the tendering shareholder must also submit the serial numbers shown on the particular certificates for Shares to be withdrawn and the signature(s) on the written notice of withdrawal must be guaranteed by an Eligible Institution (as defined in the Offer to Purchase), except in the case of Shares tendered for the account of an Eligible Institution. If a shareholder has used more than one Letter of Transmittal or has otherwise tendered Shares in more than one group of Shares, the shareholder may withdraw Shares using either separate written notices of withdrawal or a combined written notice of withdrawal, so long as the information specified above is included. If Shares have been tendered pursuant to the procedures for book-entry transfer described in the Offer to Purchase, the written notice of withdrawal must also specify the name and number of the account at the Book-Entry Transfer Facility to be credited with the withdrawn Shares and otherwise comply with the Book-Entry Transfer Facility’s procedures.

The Company will decide, in its sole discretion, all questions as to the form and validity, including time of receipt, of notices of withdrawal, and each such decision will be final and binding on all parties absent a finding to the contrary by a court of competent jurisdiction. None of the Company, its Board of Directors, the Counterparty Banks, Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC or HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. (together, the “ Dealer Managers ”), Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as the Depositary, Innisfree M&A Incorporated, as the information agent (the “ Information Agent ”), or any other person will be under any duty to give notification of any defects or irregularities in tenders or any notice of withdrawal, nor will any of the foregoing incur any liability for failure to give any such notification.

The Company believes that the repurchase of Shares pursuant to the Offers is consistent with the Company’s long-term value creation strategy. The Offers also provide a mechanism for completing the Company’s authorized share repurchase program more rapidly than would be possible through open market repurchases. The Company intends to pay for the subsequent purchase of the Shares from the Counterparty Banks with existing cash and cash equivalents, including cash proceeds received from the Vodafone Transaction (as defined in the Offer to Purchase).

The modified Dutch auction tender offer set forth in the Offer to Purchase provides the Company’s shareholders with the opportunity to tender all or a portion of their Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares and thereby receive a return of some or all of their investment in the Company if they so elect. The Offers also provide the Company’s shareholders with an efficient way to sell their Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares without incurring brokerage fees or commissions associated with open market sales. However, shareholders who hold Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares through nominees are urged to consult their nominees to determine whether transaction costs may apply. If the Company completes the Offers, shareholders who do not participate in the Offers will automatically increase their relative percentage ownership interest and voting power, as applicable, in the Company and its future operations at no additional cost to them.


Generally, if you are a U.S. Holder (as defined in the Offer to Purchase), your receipt of cash from the Company in exchange for the Shares that you tender should be a taxable transaction for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The cash you receive for your tendered Shares should generally be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes either as consideration received in respect of a sale or exchange of the Shares purchased by the Company or as a distribution from the Company in respect of Shares. See the Offer to Purchase for a more detailed discussion of the tax treatment of the Offers. The Company urges you to consult your tax advisor as to the particular tax consequences to you of the Offers.

The Company’s Board of Directors has authorized the Offers in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Offer to Purchase and the Counterparty Bank Agreements. However, none of the Company, the members of its Board of Directors, the Counterparty Banks, the Dealer Managers, the Depositary or the Information Agent makes any recommendation to any shareholder as to whether to tender or refrain from tendering Shares or as to the purchase price or purchase prices at which any shareholder may choose to tender Shares. None of the Company, the members of its Board of Directors, the Counterparty Banks, the Dealer Managers, the Depositary or the Information Agent has authorized any person to make any recommendation as to whether any shareholder should tender or refrain from tendering Shares or as to the purchase price or purchase prices at which any shareholder may choose to tender Shares. Shareholders should carefully evaluate all information in the Offer to Purchase and in the Letters of Transmittal and should consult their own financial and tax advisors. Shareholders must make their own decision as to whether to tender their Shares and, if so, how many Shares to tender and the purchase price or purchase prices at which they will tender them. In doing so, a shareholder should read carefully the information in the Offer to Purchase and in the Letters of Transmittal before making any decision with respect to the Offers.

The information required to be disclosed by Rule 13e-4(d)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, is contained in the Offer to Purchase and is incorporated herein by reference. The Company is also filing with the SEC an Issuer Tender Offer Statement on Schedule TO, which includes additional information relating to the Offers.

Copies of the Offer to Purchase, the Letters of Transmittal and other related materials are being mailed to record holders of Shares, including brokers, dealers, commercial banks and trust companies (including the trustees of the 401(k) Plan and the SIP Plan) and similar persons whose names, or the names of whose nominees, appear on the Company’s shareholder list or, if applicable, who are listed as participants in a clearing agency’s security position listing for subsequent transmittal to beneficial owners of Shares. The Offers are explained in detail in those materials.

Questions or requests for assistance may be directed to the Information Agent or the Dealer Managers at their respective addresses and telephone numbers set forth below. Copies of the Offer to Purchase, the Letters of Transmittal and other related materials will be furnished promptly by the Information Agent at the Company’s expense. Shareholders may also contact their broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee for assistance concerning the Offers.

The Information Agent for the Offers is:

 

LOGO

Innisfree M&A Incorporated

501 Madison Avenue, 20 th Floor

New York, New York 10022

Shareholders Call Toll-Free: (888) 750-5834

Banks and Brokers Call U.S. Local: (212) 750-5833


The Dealer Managers for the Offers are:

 

LOGO    LOGO

Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC

Eleven Madison Avenue

New York, New York 10010

Call Toll-Free: (800) 318-8219

Call U.S. Local: (212) 538-4581

  

HSBC Securities (USA) Inc.

452 Fifth Avenue

New York, New York 10018

Call Toll-Free: (888) 472-2456

Call U.S. Local: (212) 525-3672

August 12, 2019

EXHIBIT (a)(1)(I)

Notice of Withdrawal

For Tender of Shares

Pursuant to the Offer to Purchase, Dated August 12, 2019

by

Liberty Global plc

Up to $625 million in value of its Class A Ordinary Shares

At a Cash Purchase Price Not Greater than $29.00 per Share Nor Less than $25.25 per Share

AND

Up to $1.875 billion in value of its Class C Ordinary Shares

At a Cash Purchase Price Not Greater than $28.50 per Share Nor Less than $24.75 per Share

 

THE OFFERS, PRORATION PERIODS AND WITHDRAWAL RIGHTS WILL EXPIRE AT ONE (1)

MINUTE AFTER 11:59 P.M., NEW YORK CITY TIME, ON SEPTEMBER 12, 2019,

UNLESS THE OFFERS ARE EXTENDED OR TERMINATED.

The undersigned hereby withdraws the tender of his, her or its (i) ordinary Class A shares, nominal value $0.01 per share (each, a “ Class  A Share ”) and/or (ii) ordinary Class C shares, nominal value $0.01 per share (each, a “ Class  C Share ,” and the Class A Shares, individually or collectively with the Class C Shares, as appropriate, the “ Shares ”) of Liberty Global plc, a public limited company organized under the laws of England and Wales (the “ Company ”) pursuant to the invitation to tender (i) up to $625 million in value of the Company’s issued and outstanding Class A Shares for purchase by Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC and HSBC Securities (USA) Inc., each acting as principal (each, a “ Counterparty Bank ,” and together, the “ Counterparty Banks ”), at a price not greater than $29.00 nor less than $25.25 per Class A Share (the “ Class  A Offer ”) and (ii) up to $1.875 billion in value of the Company’s issued and outstanding Class C Shares for purchase by the Counterparty Banks at a price not greater than $28.50 nor less than $24.75 per Class C Share (the “ Class  C Offer ”), in each case, to the seller in cash, less any applicable withholding taxes and without interest, upon the terms and conditions described in the Offer to Purchase, dated August 12, 2019 (together with any amendments or supplements thereto, the “ Offer to Purchase ”), in the applicable Letter of Transmittal (individually, a “ Letter of Transmittal ” or collectively, the “ Letters of Transmittal ”) and in other related materials as may be amended or supplemented from time to. The Class A Offer and Class C Offer are sometimes collectively referred to as the “ Offers ” and individually as an “ Offer .”

If you have questions or need assistance, you should contact the Innisfree M&A Incorporated, the information agent for the Offers (the “ Information Agent ”), or Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC or HSBC Securities (USA) Inc., the dealer managers for the Offers (together, the “ Dealer Managers ”), at their respective addresses and telephone numbers set forth on the back cover of the Offer to Purchase. If you require additional copies of the Offer to Purchase, the Letters of Transmittal, the Notice of Guaranteed Delivery, the IRS Form W-9 or other related materials, you should contact the Information Agent. Copies will be furnished promptly at the Company’s expense.

All withdrawals of Shares previously tendered in the Offers must comply with the procedures set forth in Section 4 of the Offer to Purchase.

The undersigned has identified in the table below the Class A Shares that are being withdrawn from the Class A Offer. If a shareholder has used more than one Letter of Transmittal for Class A Shares or has otherwise tendered Class A Shares in more than one group of Shares, the shareholder may withdraw Class A Shares using either separate written notices of withdrawal or a combined written notice of withdrawal, so long as the information specified above is included.


DESCRIPTION OF CLASS A SHARES TO BE WITHDRAWN

CLASS A SHARES TO BE WITHDRAWN

  

PRICE (IN DOLLARS) PER CLASS A
SHARE AT WHICH CLASS A SHARES
WERE TENDERED

Number of Shares: ______________________________________

 

CUSIP NO.: ___________________________________________

 

Name of Tendering Shareholder: ______________________________________________________

 

Name of Registered Holder of the Shares: ______________________________________________________

 

Serial Numbers for Certificates for Shares (if applicable):

______________________________________________________

 

______________________________________________________

  

☐ Class A Shares Tendered At Price Determined By Shareholder

☐ $25.25

☐ $25.50

☐ $25.75

☐ $26.00

☐ $26.25

☐ $26.50

☐ $26.75

☐ $27.00

☐ $27.25

☐ $27.50

☐ $27.75

☐ $28.00

☐ $28.25

☐ $28.50

☐ $28.75

☐ $29.00

Number of Shares: ______________________________________

 

CUSIP NO.: ___________________________________________

 

Name of Tendering Shareholder: ______________________________________________________

 

Name of Registered Holder of the Shares: ______________________________________________________

 

Serial Numbers for Certificates for Shares (if applicable):

______________________________________________________

 

______________________________________________________

  

☐ Class A Shares Tendered At Price Determined By Shareholder

☐ $25.25

☐ $25.50

☐ $25.75

☐ $26.00

☐ $26.25

☐ $26.50

☐ $26.75

☐ $27.00

☐ $27.25

☐ $27.50

☐ $27.75

☐ $28.00

☐ $28.25

☐ $28.50

☐ $28.75

☐ $29.00

 

2


The undersigned has identified in the table below the Class C Shares that are being withdrawn from the Class C Offer. If a shareholder has used more than one Letter of Transmittal for Class C Shares or has otherwise tendered Class C Shares in more than one group of Shares, the shareholder may withdraw Class C Shares using either separate written notices of withdrawal or a combined written notice of withdrawal, so long as the information specified above is included.

 

DESCRIPTION OF CLASS C SHARES TO BE WITHDRAWN

CLASS C SHARES TO BE WITHDRAWN

  

PRICE (IN DOLLARS) PER CLASS C
SHARE AT WHICH CLASS C SHARES
WERE TENDERED

Number of Shares: ______________________________________

 

CUSIP NO.: ___________________________________________

 

Name of Tendering Shareholder:

______________________________________________________

 

Name of Registered Holder of the Shares:

______________________________________________________

 

Serial Numbers for Certificates for Shares (if applicable):

______________________________________________________

 

______________________________________________________

  

☐ Class C Shares Tendered At Price Determined By Shareholder

☐ $24.75

☐ $25.00

☐ $25.25

☐ $25.50

☐ $25.75

☐ $26.00

☐ $26.25

☐ $26.50

☐ $26.75

☐ $27.00

☐ $27.25

☐ $27.50

☐ $27.75

☐ $28.00

☐ $28.25

☐ $28.50

Number of Shares: ______________________________________

 

CUSIP NO.: ___________________________________________

 

Name of Tendering Shareholder:

______________________________________________________

 

Name of Registered Holder of the Shares:

______________________________________________________

 

Serial Numbers for Certificates for Shares (if applicable):

______________________________________________________

 

______________________________________________________

  

☐ Class C Shares Tendered At Price Determined By Shareholder

☐ $24.75

☐ $25.00

☐ $25.25

☐ $25.50

☐ $25.75

☐ $26.00

☐ $26.25

☐ $26.50

☐ $26.75

☐ $27.00

☐ $27.25

☐ $27.50

☐ $27.75

☐ $28.00

☐ $28.25

☐ $28.50

 

3


For withdrawals of Shares delivered through The Depository Trust Company (the “Book-Entry Transfer Facility”), this notice of withdrawal (this “Notice of Withdrawal”) should only be used for such withdrawals if the undersigned needs to withdraw Shares after the Book-Entry Transfer Facility closes, which is expected to occur at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Expiration Date. The “Expiration Date” is one (1) minute after 11:59 P.M., New York City time, on September 9, 2019, unless the Offers are extended or terminated, as extended. In the unlikely event the Offers have different Expiration Dates ( e.g. , due to an extension of one Offer and not the other), “Expiration Date” shall mean the applicable Expiration Date as the context shall so require. Otherwise, the Book-Entry Transfer Facility’s form of notice of withdrawal should be used for such Shares.

This form must be signed below by the applicable Book-Entry Transfer Facility participant as its name appears on a security position listing showing such participant as the owner of the Shares being tendered. If signed by a trustee, executor, administrator, guardian, attorney-in-fact, officer or other person acting in a fiduciary or representative capacity, please set forth the full title of such persons.

 

Name of Book-Entry Transfer Facility Participant:   

 

Account Number(s):   

 

Signature(s):   

 

Capacity (Full Title):   

 

Address (and Zip Code):   

 

Telephone Number:   

 

TIN or SSN:   

 

Book-Entry Transfer Facility Participant No.:   

 

Transaction Code Number:   

 

Date:   

 

The Company will determine all questions as to the form and validity, including the time of receipt, of any notice of withdrawal, in its sole discretion, which determination will be final and binding on all parties absent a finding to the contrary by a court of competent jurisdiction. Neither the Company nor the Counterparty Banks, the Dealer Managers, the Depositary, the Information Agent or any other person will be obligated to give notice of any defects or irregularities in any notice of withdrawal, nor will any of the foregoing incur liability for failure to give any such notification.

Withdrawals may not be rescinded, and any Shares properly withdrawn will be deemed not properly tendered for purposes of the Offers. However, withdrawn Shares may be re-tendered before the applicable Expiration Date by again following one of the procedures described in Section 3 of the Offer to Purchase.

 

4

EXHIBIT(a)(1)(J)

IMMEDIATE ATTENTION REQUIRED

Re: Liberty Global plc – Tender Offers

Dear Plan Participant:

Our records reflect that, as a participant in the Liberty Global 401(k) Savings & Stock Ownership Plan (the “Plan”), all or a portion of your individual Plan account is invested in Class A ordinary shares (“Class A Shares”) and/or Class C ordinary shares (“Class C Shares”) of Liberty Global plc (the Class A Shares and the Class C Shares, individually or collectively, as appropriate, the “Shares”) within the Liberty Global Class A Stock Fund and/or the Liberty Global Class C Stock Fund (each individually, a “Stock Fund”, and collectively, as appropriate, the “Stock Funds”), respectively. There is an important decision that you must make regarding the Shares that are credited to your Plan account. You must act no later than 4:00 p.m., New York City Time, on Tuesday, September 3, 2019, as further described below.

The enclosed Offer to Purchase dated August 12, 2019 (the “Offer to Purchase”) and Direction Form(s) require your immediate attention. The tender offer materials detail Liberty Global plc’s invitation for shareholders to tender (i) up to $625 million in value of its Class A Shares, for purchase by Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC and HSBC Securities (USA) Inc., each acting as principal (each, a “Counterparty Bank” and together, the “Counterparty Banks”), at a purchase price of not greater than $29.00 nor less than $25.25 per Class A Share (the “Class A Offer”), and (ii) up to $1.875 billion in value of its Class C Shares, for purchase by the Counterparty Banks at a purchase price of not greater than $28.50 nor less than $24.75 per Class C Share (the “Class C Offer,” and together with the Class A Offer, the “Offers”). As described below, you have the right to instruct Fidelity Management Trust Company (“Fidelity”), as trustee of the Plan, concerning whether to tender Shares credited to your individual account under the Plan.

If you wish to instruct Fidelity on this matter, you will need to complete the enclosed Direction Form(s) and return the form(s) to Fidelity’s tabulator in the enclosed return envelope (or provide directions via the Internet) so that the form(s) are RECEIVED by 4:00 p.m., New York City Time, on September 3, 2019, unless one or both of the Offers are extended, in which case the deadline for receipt of instructions will, to the extent feasible, be four (4) business days prior to the extended expiration date for the Class A Offer and/or Class C Offer, as applicable (such time, as it may be extended, the “Direction Deadline”). If you do not provide directions to Fidelity’s tabulator on a timely basis, you will be deemed to have elected not to participate in the Offers and no Shares credited to your individual account under the Plan will be tendered.

If you are invested in BOTH of the Stock Funds as of August 1, 2019, you will have the ability to instruct Fidelity whether, and at what price(s), to tender any Class  A Shares and/or Class  C Shares credited to your Plan account, and there should be two Direction Forms within this package. If you wish to instruct Fidelity with respect to BOTH Class  A Shares and Class  C Shares, you will either need to complete and return BOTH forms, or provide instructions via the Internet, being sure to follow the internet instructions separately for each control number on each of the two forms.

The remainder of this letter summarizes the transaction, your rights under the Plan and the procedures for providing your directions to Fidelity. You should also review the more detailed explanation provided in the Offer to Purchase enclosed with this letter.

BACKGROUND

Liberty Global plc has invited shareholders to tender up to $625 million in value of its Class A Shares, at a purchase price not greater than $29.00 nor less than $25.25 per Class A Share and up to $1.875 billion in value of its Class C Shares, at a purchase price not greater than $28.50 nor less than $24.75 per Class C Share, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the enclosed Offer to Purchase, in each case, for purchase by the Counterparty Banks. Liberty Global plc will select the lowest purchase price (in increments of $0.25) that will allow the


Counterparty Banks to purchase $625 million in value of its Class A Shares and $1.875 billion in value of its Class C Shares. To ensure compliance with English law, any Shares purchased in the Offers will initially be purchased by a Counterparty Bank, acting as a principal and not as an agent, nominee or trustee. In turn, each Counterparty Bank will sell, and Liberty Global plc will purchase from each Counterparty Bank, such Shares at a price equal to the price paid by such Counterparty Bank in the relevant Offer (along with certain other costs).

Subject to the terms and conditions of the Offers as set forth in the Offer to Purchase, if the total value of Shares tendered is less than or equal to $625 million for the Class A Offer and $1.875 billion for the Class C Offer, the Counterparty Banks will purchase all Shares that are properly tendered and not properly withdrawn. All Shares acquired in the Class A Offer will be acquired at the same purchase price and all Shares acquired in the Class C Offer will be acquired at the same purchase price, regardless of whether the shareholder tendered at a lower price.

The enclosed Offer to Purchase sets forth the terms and conditions of the Offers and is being provided to all Liberty Global plc shareholders. To understand the Offers fully and for a more complete description of the terms and conditions of the Offers, you should carefully read the entire Offer to Purchase.

The Offers extend to the Shares held by the Plan; as of August 1, 2019 the Plan held approximately 27,386 Class A Shares and 399,581 Class C Shares. Only Fidelity, as trustee of the Plan, can tender these Shares in the Offers. Nonetheless, as a participant under the Plan, you have the right to direct Fidelity whether or not to tender some or all of the Shares credited to your individual account under the Plan, and at what price or prices. Unless otherwise required by applicable law, Fidelity will tender Shares credited to participant Plan accounts in accordance with participant instructions and Fidelity will not tender Shares credited to participant Plan accounts for which it does not receive timely instructions. For any Shares in the Plan that are not credited to participant Plan accounts, Fidelity will tender such Shares in proportion to instructions received from Plan participants. If you do not complete the enclosed Direction Form(s) and return the form(s) to Fidelity’s tabulator on a timely basis, or do not provide timely directions via the Internet, you will be deemed to have elected not to participate in the Offers and no Shares credited to your Plan account will be tendered.

LIMITATIONS ON FOLLOWING YOUR DIRECTION

The enclosed Direction Form(s), and Fidelity’s tabulator’s website, allow you to specify the percentage of the Shares credited to your Plan account that you wish to tender and the price or prices at which you want to tender Shares credited to your Plan account. As detailed below, when Fidelity tenders Shares on behalf of the Plan, it may be required to tender Shares on terms different than those set forth on your Direction Form(s) and on Fidelity’s tabulator’s website.

The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), prohibits the Plan’s sale of Shares to Liberty Global plc for less than “adequate consideration,” which is defined by ERISA for a publicly-traded security as the prevailing market price on a national securities exchange. Fidelity will determine “adequate consideration,” based on the prevailing or closing market price of the Shares on the NASDAQ Global Select Market, on or about the date the Shares are tendered by Fidelity (the “prevailing market price”). Accordingly, depending on the prevailing market price of the Shares on such date, Fidelity may be unable to follow participant directions to tender Shares to the Counterparty Banks at certain prices within the offered range. Fidelity will tender or not tender Shares as follows:

 

   

If the prevailing market price is greater than the applicable maximum tender price under the Class A Offer and/or Class C Offer, as applicable ($29.00 per Class A Share or $28.50 per Class C Share), notwithstanding your direction to tender Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares in the Offers, the applicable Shares will not be tendered.

 

   

If the applicable prevailing market price is lower than the price at which you direct Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares be tendered, Fidelity will follow your direction both as to percentage of such Shares to tender and as to the price at which such Shares are tendered.

 

   

If the prevailing market price is greater than the price at which you direct the Shares be tendered but within the range of $25.25 to $29.00 for Class A Shares or $24.75 to $28.50 for Class C Shares, Fidelity will follow your direction regarding the percentage of Shares to be tendered, but will increase the price at which such Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares are to be tendered to the lowest applicable tender price that is not less than the prevailing market price.

 

   

If the prevailing market price is within the range of $25.25 to $29.00 for Class A Shares or $24.75 to $28.50 for Class C Shares, for all Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares directed to be tendered at the “per Share purchase price to be determined pursuant to the tender offer,” Fidelity will tender such Shares at the lowest applicable tender price that is not less than the prevailing market price.

 

2


Unless otherwise required by applicable law, Fidelity will not tender Shares credited to participant Plan accounts for which it has not received the completed Direction Form(s) or directions via the Internet, or for which it has received a direction not to tender pursuant to the Direction Form(s). Fidelity makes no recommendation as to whether to direct the tender of Shares or whether to refrain from directing the tender of Shares. EACH PARTICIPANT OR BENEFICIARY MUST MAKE HIS OR HER OWN DECISIONS.

CONFIDENTIALITY

To assure the confidentiality of your decision, Fidelity and their affiliates or agents will tabulate participant directions. Neither Fidelity nor their affiliates or agents will make your individual direction to Fidelity available to Liberty Global plc.

PROCEDURE FOR DIRECTING TRUSTEE

Enclosed you will find Direction Form(s) that should be completed and returned to Fidelity’s tabulator. You may also utilize the Internet to provide your directions. Please note that each Direction Form indicates the number of Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares credited to your Plan account as of August 1, 2019. However, for purposes of the final tabulation, Fidelity will apply your instructions to the number of Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares credited to your Plan account as of September 4, 2019, or as of a later date if one or both of the Offers are extended and it is feasible. If you do not provide timely and proper directions, such Shares will be considered NOT TENDERED.

To properly complete your Direction Form(s), you must do the following:

 

  (1)

On the face of the Direction Form(s), check Box 1 or 2. CHECK ONLY ONE BOX (if more than one box is checked, you will be deemed to have not tendered):

 

 

CHECK BOX 1 if you do not want the Shares credited to your Plan account tendered for sale in accordance with the terms of the Offers and simply want your Plan account to continue holding such Shares.

 

 

CHECK BOX 2 in all other cases and complete the table immediately below Box 2. Specify the percentage (between 1% and 100% in whole numbers) of Shares credited to your Plan account that you want to tender at each price indicated.

You may direct the tender of Shares credited to your Plan account at different prices. To do so, you must state the percentage (between 1% and 100% in whole numbers) of Shares to be sold at each price by filling in the percentage of such Shares on the line immediately before the price. Also, you may elect to accept the per Share purchase price to be determined pursuant to the Offers, which will result in receiving a price per Class A Share as low as $25.25 or as high as $29.00 or Class C Share as low as $24.75 or as high as $28.50. You should understand that an election to accept the per Share purchase price to be determined pursuant to the Offers may cause the purchase price to be lower and could result in the tendered Class A Shares being purchased at the minimum price of $25.25 per Class A Share or the tendered Class C Shares being purchased at the minimum price of $24.75 per Class C Share. Leave a given line blank if you want no Shares tendered at that particular price. The total of the percentages you provide on each Direction Form may not exceed 100%, but it may be less than 100%. If this amount is less than 100%, you will be deemed to have instructed Fidelity NOT to tender the balance of the Shares credited to your Plan account.

 

  (2)

Date and sign the Direction Form(s) in the space provided.

 

  (3)

Return the Direction Form(s) in the enclosed return envelope so that it is received by Fidelity’s tabulator not later than the Direction Deadline. If you have lost the return envelope, you may return the form(s) to the tabulator at Broadridge, Attn: Re-Organization Dept., P.O. Box 9116, Farmingdale, NY 11735. If you wish to return the form(s) by overnight courier, please send to Fidelity’s tabulator at Broadridge, Attn: BCIS-VP 401K Plan Processing, 51 Mercedes Way, Edgewood, NY 11717. Direction Forms will not be accepted via facsimile.

 

3


You may also use the Internet to provide directions to the trustee . If you wish to use the Internet to provide your directions to the trustee, please go to www.proxyvote.com/tender. You will be asked to enter the 16-digit control number from your Trustee Direction Form into the box directly under “Enter Control Number” and click on the “Submit” button. You will then be able to provide your direction to the trustee on the following screen. Please note that you are not allowed to elect more than 100% between the various price choices; you will get an error message if you do so and be asked to make a new election. You may, however, choose to elect less than 100% between the various price choices; in such event the remaining percentage of the Shares credited to your Plan account will be considered undirected. Note that if you have received more than one Direction Form and wish to make an election with respect to both Class A Shares and Class C Shares, you will need to enter in the distinct 16-digit control number from each form separately. The website will be available 24 hours per day through the Direction Deadline.

Your direction will be deemed irrevocable unless withdrawn by the Direction Deadline. In order to make an effective withdrawal, you must submit a new Direction Form which may be obtained by calling Fidelity at 1-800-835-5097 (Monday through Friday (except holidays), between 8:30 a.m. and midnight Eastern time). Upon receipt by Fidelity’s tabulator of a new Direction Form from you prior to the Direction Deadline, your previous direction will be deemed cancelled. Additionally, you may change or redirect the tendering of any Shares credited to your Plan account by obtaining an additional Direction Form from Fidelity, or by providing new directions via the Internet, and repeating the previous instructions for directing your tender as set forth in this letter, in each case, prior to the Direction Deadline.

After the deadline above for returning tender directions to Fidelity’s tabulator, Fidelity and their affiliates or agents will complete the tabulation of all directions. Fidelity will tender the appropriate number of Shares, at the appropriate price(s), on behalf of the Plan.

Subject to the satisfaction of the conditions described in the Offer to Purchase, the Counterparty Banks will purchase up to $625 million in value of the Class A Shares and up to $1.875 billion in value of the Class C Shares, in each case, or a lower amount, depending on the number of Class A Shares and/or Class C Shares properly tendered and not properly withdrawn prior to the expiration date of the Offers. As described in the Offer to Purchase, if one or both of the Offers is oversubscribed, the Shares tendered pursuant to the Class A Offer and/or Class C Offer may be subject to proration. Any Shares credited to your Plan account that are not purchased in the Class A Offer and/or Class C Offer will remain allocated to your individual account under the Plan.

The conditional tender of Shares described in the Offer to Purchase will not apply to participants in the Plan. Additionally, the odd-lot provisions of the Offers will not apply to Plan participants.

EFFECT OF TENDER ON YOUR PLAN ACCOUNT

If you direct Fidelity to tender some or all of the Shares credited to a given Stock Fund within your Plan account, as of 4:00 p.m., New York City Time, on September 4, 2019, certain transactions involving Shares held within the relevant Stock Fund(s) credited to your Plan account, including all exchanges out, loans, withdrawals and distributions, will be prohibited until all processing related to the Offers has been completed, unless the Offers are terminated or the completion dates are extended. We currently anticipate that this freeze on transactions will last until approximately the week of September 16, 2019. This freeze on transactions will apply to ALL Shares credited to the relevant Stock Fund(s) within your Plan account, even if you elect to tender less than 100% of the Shares credited to the relevant Stock Fund(s) within your Plan account.

In the event that the Class A Offer and/or the Class C Offer are extended, the freeze on transactions involving the relevant Stock Fund(s) will, if feasible, be temporarily lifted until three days prior to the new expiration date of the applicable Offer, as extended, at which time a new freeze on these transactions involving the relevant Stock Fund(s) will commence. You can call Fidelity at 1-800-835-5097 (Monday through Friday (except holidays), between 8:30 a.m. and midnight Eastern time) to obtain updated information on expiration dates, deadlines and Stock Fund freezes.

 

4


If you directed Fidelity NOT to tender any of the Shares in a given Stock Fund credited to your account or you did not provide directions in a timely manner, you will continue to have access to all transactions normally available to such Stock Fund, subject to Plan rules.

INVESTMENT OF PROCEEDS

For any Shares in the Plan that are tendered and purchased in the Offers, including any shares held in the Plan’s forfeiture account that will be tendered proportionately, the Plan will receive cash. INDIVIDUAL PARTICIPANTS IN THE PLAN WILL NOT, HOWEVER, RECEIVE ANY CASH TENDER PROCEEDS DIRECTLY. ALL SUCH PROCEEDS WILL REMAIN IN THE PLAN AND MAY BE WITHDRAWN ONLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS OF THE PLAN.

If you elect to tender Shares and such Shares are accepted in the Offers, any proceeds received in respect of such Shares will remain in the Plan, and Fidelity will invest proceeds received with respect to Shares credited to your Plan account in the Vanguard Treasury Money Market Fund Investor Shares as soon as administratively possible after receipt of proceeds. Fidelity anticipates that the processing of participant accounts will be completed five (5) to seven (7) business days after receipt of these proceeds. You may call Fidelity at 1-800-835-5097 (Monday through Friday (except holidays), between 8:30 a.m. and midnight Eastern time) or log on to www.netbenefits.com after the reinvestment is complete to learn the effect of the tender on your Plan account or to have the proceeds invested in other investment options offered under the Plan.

SHARES OUTSIDE THE PLAN

If you hold Shares outside of the Plan, you will receive, under separate cover, materials for the Offers to be used to tender those Shares. Those materials may not be used to direct Fidelity to tender or not tender the Shares credited to your individual account under the Plan. Likewise, the tender of Shares credited to your individual account under the Plan will not be effective with respect to Shares you hold outside of the Plan. The direction to tender or not tender Shares credited to your individual account under the Plan may only be made in accordance with the procedures in this letter. Similarly, the enclosed Direction Form(s) may not be used to tender Shares held outside of the Plan.

TAX CONSEQUENCES

While you will not recognize any immediate tax gain or loss as a result of the tender and sale of any Shares credited to your account in the Plan, the tax treatment of future distributions from the Plan may be impacted. Proceeds from the Offers will be subject to all applicable taxes at the time you receive a distribution from the Plan. We encourage you to consult your tax advisor concerning your decision to participate in the Offers and possible tax ramifications.

FURTHER INFORMATION

If you require additional information concerning the procedure to tender Shares credited to your individual account under the Plan, please contact Fidelity at 1-800-835-5097 (Monday through Friday (except holidays), between 8:30 a.m. and midnight Eastern time). If you require additional information concerning the terms and conditions of the Offers, please call Innisfree M&A Incorporated, the information agent of the Offers, at 1-212-750-5833 or toll free at 1-888-750-5834.

 

Sincerely,
Fidelity Management Trust Company

 

5

Exhibit (a)(1)(K)

 

LOGO

BROADRIDGE CORPORATE ISSUER SOLUTIONS, INC.

ATTN: REORGANIZATION DEPARTMENT

P.O. BOX 9116

FARMINGDALE, NY 11735-9547

VOTE BY INTERNET - www.proxyvote.com/tender

If you wish to use the Internet to provide your directions regarding participation in the Offer, please go to the website www.proxyvote.com/tender , enter the 16-digit control number from your Trustee Direction Form (located in the box below next to the arrow) and click on the Submit button. You will then be able to provide your direction regarding participation in the Offer on the following screen.

BY HAND OR OVERNIGHT DELIVERY

Broadridge, Attn: BCIS-VP 401K Plan Processing, 51 Mercedes Way, Edgewood, NY 11717

VOTE BY MAIL

Broadridge, Attn: Re-Organization Dept., P.O. Box 9116, Farmingdale, NY 11735-9547

 

 

 

 

E80250-S85896        

— — — — — — — — — — — —  — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —  — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

 

   
As of August 1, 2019, the number of shares of the Liberty Global Class A Stock Fund credited to your account in the Liberty Global 401(k) Savings and Stock Ownership Plan (the “Plan”) is shown above your 16-digit control number. In connection with the invitation made by Liberty Global plc to tender shares through an Offer described in the enclosed Offer to Purchase dated August 12, 2019, you hereby instruct Fidelity Management Trust Company (“Fidelity”) to tender the Liberty Global Class A Shares credited to your account under the Plan as of September 4, 2019, unless a later deadline is announced, as follows (check only one box and complete):  

PLEASE MAKE YOUR SELECTION

(CHECK BOX ONE OR TWO)

  LOGO

 

Box 1   Please refrain from tendering and continue to HOLD all shares credited to my individual account under the Plan.   
Box 2   Please TENDER shares credited to my individual account under the Plan as indicated below for each of the prices provided. A blank space before a given price will be taken to mean that no shares credited to my account are to be tendered at that price.   

FILL IN THE TABLE BELOW ONLY IF YOU HAVE CHECKED BOX 2.

Percentage of Shares to be Tendered (The total of all percentages must be less than or equal to 100%. If the total is less than 100%, you will be deemed to have directed the Plan Trustees NOT to tender the remaining percentage.)

 

 

  % at $25.25  

 

  % at $26.50  

 

  % at $27.75  

 

  % at $29.00

 

  % at $25.50  

 

  % at $26.75  

 

  % at $28.00  

 

  % at TBD

 

  % at $25.75  

 

  % at $27.00  

 

  % at $28.25    

 

  % at $26.00  

 

  % at $27.25  

 

  % at $28.50    

 

  % at $26.25  

 

  % at $27.50  

 

  % at $28.75    

** By entering a percentage on the % line at TBD, the undersigned is willing to accept the Purchase Price resulting from

the Dutch Auction, for the percentage of shares elected. This could result in receiving a price per Share as low as

$25.25 or as high as $29.00 per Share.

Please sign exactly as your name appears hereon.

 

        
Signature [PLEASE SIGN WITHIN BOX]   Date   


 

 

 

 

 

E80251-S85896

— — — — — — — — — — — — —  — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —  — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

 

TRUSTEE DIRECTION FORM

LIBERTY GLOBAL PLC - CLASS A SHARES

BEFORE COMPLETING THIS FORM,

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY ENCLOSED

MATERIALS

PLEASE NOTE THAT IF YOUR TRUSTEE DIRECTION FORM IS NOT RECEIVED BY FIDELITY’S TABULATION AGENT, PROPERLY COMPLETED AND SIGNED, BY 4:00 P.M., NEW YORK CITY TIME ON SEPTEMBER 3, 2019 UNLESS THE TENDER OFFER DEADLINE IS EXTENDED, FIDELITY WILL NOT MAKE AN ELECTION WITH RESPECT TO THE CLASS A SHARES CREDITED TO YOUR PLAN ACCOUNT, UNLESS OTHERWISE REQUIRED BY LAW.

Fidelity makes no recommendation to any participant in the Plan with regard to the Offer.

This Trustee Direction Form, if properly signed, completed and received by Fidelity’s tabulation agent in a timely manner, will supersede any previous Trustee Direction Form with respect to the tender offer.

PLEASE SIGN AND DATE ON THE REVERSE SIDE.


LOGO

BROADRIDGE CORPORATE ISSUER SOLUTIONS, INC.

ATTN: REORGANIZATION DEPARTMENT

P.O. BOX 9116

FARMINGDALE, NY 11735-9547

VOTE BY INTERNET - www.proxyvote.com/tender

If you wish to use the Internet to provide your directions regarding participation in the Offer, please go to the website www.proxyvote.com/tender , enter the 16-digit control number from your Trustee Direction Form (located in the box below next to the arrow) and click on the Submit button. You will then be able to provide your direction regarding participation in the Offer on the following screen.

BY HAND OR OVERNIGHT DELIVERY

Broadridge, Attn: BCIS-VP 401K Plan Processing, 51 Mercedes Way, Edgewood, NY 11717

VOTE BY MAIL

Broadridge, Attn: Re-Organization Dept., P.O. Box 9116, Farmingdale, NY 11735-9547

 

 

 

 

E80250-S85896        

— — — — — — — — — — — —  — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —  — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

 

   
As of August 1, 2019, the number of shares of the Liberty Global Class C Stock Fund credited to your account in the Liberty Global 401(k) Savings and Stock Ownership Plan (the “Plan”) is shown above your 16-digit control number. In connection with the invitation made by Liberty Global plc to tender shares through an Offer described in the enclosed Offer to Purchase dated August 12, 2019, you hereby instruct Fidelity Management Trust Company (“Fidelity”) to tender the Liberty Global Class C Shares credited to your account under the Plan as of September 4, 2019, unless a later deadline is announced, as follows (check only one box and complete):  

PLEASE MAKE YOUR SELECTION

(CHECK BOX ONE OR TWO)

  LOGO

 

Box 1   Please refrain from tendering and continue to HOLD all shares credited to my individual account under the Plan.   
Box 2   Please TENDER shares credited to my individual account under the Plan as indicated below for each of the prices provided. A blank space before a given price will be taken to mean that no shares credited to my account are to be tendered at that price.   

FILL IN THE TABLE BELOW ONLY IF YOU HAVE CHECKED BOX 2.

Percentage of Shares to be Tendered (The total of all percentages must be less than or equal to 100%. If the total is less than 100%, you will be deemed to have directed the Plan Trustees NOT to tender the remaining percentage.)

 

 

  % at $24.75  

 

  % at $26.00  

 

  % at $27.25  

 

  % at $28.50

 

  % at $25.00  

 

  % at $26.25  

 

  % at $27.50  

 

 

% at TBD

 

  % at $25.25  

 

  % at $26.50  

 

  % at $27.75    

 

  % at $25.50  

 

  % at $26.75  

 

  % at $28.00    

 

  % at $25.75  

 

  % at $27.00  

 

  % at $28.25    

** By entering a percentage on the % line at TBD, the undersigned is willing to accept the Purchase Price resulting from

the Dutch Auction, for the percentage of shares elected. This could result in receiving a price per Share as low as

$24.75 or as high as $28.50 per Share.

Please sign exactly as your name appears hereon.

 

        
Signature [PLEASE SIGN WITHIN BOX]   Date   


 

 

 

 

 

E80251-S85896

— — — — — — — — — — — — —  — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —  — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

 

TRUSTEE DIRECTION FORM

LIBERTY GLOBAL PLC - CLASS C SHARES

BEFORE COMPLETING THIS FORM,

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY ENCLOSED

MATERIALS

PLEASE NOTE THAT IF YOUR TRUSTEE DIRECTION FORM IS NOT RECEIVED BY FIDELITY’S TABULATION AGENT, PROPERLY COMPLETED AND SIGNED, BY 4:00 P.M., NEW YORK CITY TIME ON SEPTEMBER 3, 2019 UNLESS THE TENDER OFFER DEADLINE IS EXTENDED, FIDELITY WILL NOT MAKE AN ELECTION WITH RESPECT TO THE CLASS C SHARES CREDITED TO YOUR PLAN ACCOUNT, UNLESS OTHERWISE REQUIRED BY LAW.

Fidelity makes no recommendation to any participant in the Plan with regard to the Offer.

This Trustee Direction Form, if properly signed, completed and received by Fidelity’s tabulation agent in a timely manner, will supersede any previous Trustee Direction Form with respect to the tender offer.

PLEASE SIGN AND DATE ON THE REVERSE SIDE.

Exhibit (a)(5)(C)

 

LOGO

 

LIBERTY GLOBAL COMMENCES $2.5 BILLION MODIFIED DUTCH AUCTION TENDER OFFERS TO PURCHASE UP TO $625 MILLION OF ITS CLASS A SHARES AND UP TO $1.875 BILLION OF ITS CLASS C SHARES

 

Denver, Colorado – August 12, 2019

 

Liberty Global plc (NASDAQ: LBTYA, LBTYB and LBTYK) (“Liberty Global,” the “Company,” “our” or “we”), one of the world’s leading converged video, broadband and communications companies, today announced that it commenced “modified Dutch Auction” tender offers to invite its shareholders to tender an aggregate value of up to $2.5 billion of its ordinary shares consisting of (i) up to $625 million of its issued and outstanding ordinary Class A shares, nominal value $0.01 per share (each, a “Class A Share”), for purchase by Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC and HSBC Securities (USA) Inc., each acting as principal (each, a “Counterparty Bank,” and together, the “Counterparty Banks”), at a price not greater than $29.00 nor less than $25.25 per Class A Share, and (ii) up to $1.875 billion of its issued and outstanding ordinary Class C shares, nominal value $0.01 per share (each, a “Class C Share,” and together with the Class A Shares, the “Shares”), for purchase by the Counterparty Banks at a price not greater than $28.50 nor less than $24.75 per Class C Share, in each case, in cash, less any applicable withholding taxes and without interest. The tender offers are made in accordance with the terms and subject to the conditions described in the offer to purchase and other related materials, as may be amended or supplemented from time to time.

 

To ensure compliance with English law, any Shares purchased in the tender offers will initially be purchased by a Counterparty Bank, acting as a principal and not as an agent, nominee or trustee. In turn, each Counterparty Bank will sell, and Liberty Global will purchase from the applicable Counterparty Bank, such Shares at the price paid by such Counterparty Bank in the relevant tender offer (along with certain other costs). The Company intends to cancel the Shares purchased by it from the Counterparty Banks.

 

The closing price of the Shares on the NASDAQ Global Select Market on August 9, 2019, the last full trading day before the commencement of the tender offers, was $25.98 per Class A Share and $25.85 per


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Class C Share. The tender offers are scheduled to expire at one (1) minute after 11:59 P.M., New York City time, on September 9, 2019, unless the offers are extended or terminated.

 

The tender offers are not contingent upon any minimum number of Shares being tendered. However, the tender offers are subject to a number of other terms and conditions, which are described in detail in the offer to purchase filed today with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Specific instructions and a complete explanation of the terms and conditions of the tender offers are contained in the offer to purchase, the applicable letter of transmittal and other related materials, which will be mailed to shareholders of record promptly after commencement of the tender offer.

 

None of the Company, the members of its Board of Directors, the Counterparty Banks, the dealer managers, the information agent or the depositary makes any recommendation as to whether any shareholder should participate or refrain from participating in the tender offers or as to the purchase price(s) at which shareholders may choose to tender their Shares in the tender offers.

 

The information agent for the tender offer is Innisfree M&A Incorporated. The depositary for the tender offer is Computershare Trust Company, N.A. The dealer managers for the tender offer are Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC and HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. For all questions relating to the tender offer, please call the information agent, Innisfree M&A Incorporated, toll-free at (888) 750-5834; banks and brokers may call either dealer manager, Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC at (800) 318-8219 or HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. at (888) 472-2456.

 

ABOUT LIBERTY GLOBAL

 

Liberty Global (NASDAQ: LBTYA, LBTYB and LBTYK) is one of the world’s leading converged video, broadband and communications companies, with operations in six European countries under the consumer brands Virgin Media, Telenet and UPC. We invest in the infrastructure and digital platforms that empower our customers to make the most of the digital revolution. Our substantial scale and commitment to innovation enable us to develop market-leading products delivered through next-generation networks that connect 11 million customers subscribing to 25 million TV, broadband internet and telephony services. We also serve 6 million mobile subscribers and offer WiFi service through millions of access points across our footprint.


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In addition, Liberty Global owns 50% of VodafoneZiggo, a joint venture in the Netherlands with 4 million customers subscribing to 10 million fixed-line and 5 million mobile services, as well as significant investments in ITV, All3Media, ITI Neovision, LionsGate, the Formula E racing series and several regional sports networks.

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING THE TENDER OFFER

 

This press release is for informational purposes only. This press release is not a recommendation to buy or sell Shares or any other securities of Liberty Global, and it is neither an offer to purchase nor a solicitation of an offer to sell Shares or any other securities of Liberty Global. Liberty Global will be filing today a tender offer statement on Schedule TO, including an offer to purchase, letters of transmittal and other related materials, with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). The tender offers will only be made pursuant to the offer to purchase, the applicable letter of transmittal and other related materials filed as part of the issuer tender offer statement on Schedule TO, in each case as may be amended or supplemented from time to time. Shareholders should read carefully the offer to purchase, the applicable letter of transmittal and other related materials because they contain important information, including the various terms of, and conditions to, the tender offer. Shareholders will be able to obtain a free copy of the tender offer statement on Schedule TO, the offer to purchase, the letters of transmittal and other related materials that Liberty Global will be filing with the SEC at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. In addition, free copies of these documents may be obtained by contacting Innisfree M&A Incorporated, the information agent for the tender offer, toll-free at (888) 750-5834.

 

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS AND DISCLAIMER

 

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including the expected size or other terms of the tender offers and the Company’s ability to complete the tender offers. These forward-looking statements involve certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these statements. These risks and uncertainties include events that are outside of our control, such as the continued use by subscribers and potential subscribers of our and our affiliates’ services and their willingness to upgrade to our more advanced offerings; our and our affiliates’ ability to meet challenges from competition, to manage rapid technological change or to maintain or increase rates to subscribers or to pass through increased costs to subscribers; the effects of changes in laws or regulation; general economic factors; our and our affiliates’ ability to obtain regulatory approval and satisfy regulatory conditions associated with acquisitions and dispositions; our and affiliates’ ability to successfully acquire and integrate


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new businesses and realize anticipated efficiencies from acquired businesses; the availability of attractive programming for our and our affiliates’ video services and the costs associated with such programming; our and our affiliates’ ability to achieve forecasted financial and operating targets; the outcome of any pending or threatened litigation; the ability of our operating companies and affiliates to access cash of their respective subsidiaries; the impact of our operating companies’ and affiliates’ future financial performance, or market conditions generally, on the availability, terms and deployment of capital; fluctuations in currency exchange and interest rates; the ability of suppliers, vendors and contractors to timely deliver quality products, equipment, software, services and access; our and our affiliates’ ability to adequately forecast and plan future network requirements including the costs and benefits associated with network expansions; and other factors detailed from time to time in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our most recently filed Form 10- K and Form 10-Q. Further, estimated cash proceeds from pending dispositions are inherently uncertain and represent management’s expectations and beliefs and do not take into account the ultimate use of the proceeds or any other changes in our capital structure or tax effects, directly or indirectly related to the pending dispositions. The accuracy of our expectations and predictions is also subject to the following risks and uncertainties: (1) our ability to complete the tender offers; and (2) the price and time at which we may make any additional share repurchases following completion of the tender offers and the number of Shares acquired in such repurchases. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this release. We expressly disclaim any obligation or undertaking to disseminate any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statement contained herein to reflect any change in our expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.

 

For more information, please visit www.libertyglobal.com or contact:

 

Investor Relations:

Matt Coates +44 20 8483 6333

John Rea +1 303 220 4238

Stefan Halters +44 20 8483 6211

  

Corporate Communications:

Molly Bruce +1 303 220 4202

Matt Beake +44 20 8483 6428

Exhibit (d)(1)

 

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Dated 9 August 2019

CREDIT SUISSE SECURITIES (USA) LLC

- and -

LIBERTY GLOBAL PLC

 

 

MASTER PUT / CALL AGREEMENT

 

 

WE OPERATE IN THE UK AND ITALY AS SHEARMAN & STERLING (LONDON) LLP, A LIMITED LIABILITY PARTNERSHIP ORGANISED IN THE UNITED STATES UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE, WHICH LAWS LIMIT THE PERSONAL LIABILITY OF PARTNERS. SHEARMAN & STERLING (LONDON) LLP IS AUTHORISED AND REGULATED BY THE SOLICITORS REGULATION AUTHORITY (FIRM SRA NUMBER 211340). A LIST OF ALL PARTNERS’ NAMES, WHICH INCLUDES SOLICITORS AND REGISTERED FOREIGN LAWYERS, IS OPEN FOR INSPECTION AT THE ABOVE ADDRESS. EACH PARTNER OF SHEARMAN & STERLING (LONDON) LLP IS ALSO A PARTNER OF SHEARMAN & STERLING LLP WHICH HAS OFFICES IN THE OTHER CITIES NOTED ABOVE.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

     Page  

1. DEFINITIONS

     1  

2. GRANT OF OPTIONS

     2  

3. EXERCISE OF OPTIONS

     3  

4. SETTLEMENT OF OPTION EXERCISE

     4  

5. PRINCIPAL TRANSACTIONS

     4  

6. FURTHER ASSURANCE

     4  

7. GENERAL

     5  

8. GOVERNING LAW AND JURISDICTION

     7  

 

i


THIS AGREEMENT is dated 9 August 2019 (the “ Agreement ”)

PARTIES

 

(1)

CREDIT SUISSE SECURITIES (USA) LLC , whose registered office is at 11 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10010 (the “ Counterparty ”); and

 

(2)

LIBERTY GLOBAL PLC , (registered number 08379990) whose registered office is at Griffin House, 161 Hammersmith Road, London, United Kingdom, W6 8BS (the “ Issuer ”),

(which are together “ the parties ” and each “ a party ” to this Agreement).

 

1.

DEFINITIONS

 

1.1

In this Agreement:

Business Day ” means a day other than a Saturday or a Sunday on which banks are generally open for business in the city of New York unless the trading in the Shares on the exchange on which they are then listed is materially disrupted or does not occur at all on such a day;

Call Option ” means the right of one party to require the other party to sell Exercise Shares to such first party, as set forth in Clause 2;

Commission ” means an amount equal to $0.01 per Share or such other amount as the parties may agree from time to time;

Exercise Date ” means: (i) with respect to the Options granted under Clause 2.1, any Business Day on which the Counterparty has purchased Shares pursuant to an Off-Market Framework Agreement; or (ii) with respect to the Options granted under Clause 2.2 and Clause 2.3: (x) an exercise date pursuant to the executed confirmation supplementing the relevant Option Framework Agreement, if the transaction under such Option Framework Agreement is an option transaction; (y) a settlement date set forth in the executed confirmation supplementing the relevant Option Framework Agreement or any prepayment date specified as an Exercise Date for the purpose of this Agreement, if the transaction under such Option Framework Agreement is a forward transaction; or (z) such other date as may be identified in the Option Framework Agreement as being an Exercise Date for the purposes of this Agreement and any such Options;

Exercise Notice ” means, in respect of each Exercise Date, a written notice (which, for the avoidance of doubt, shall include, but not be limited to, e-mail) sent by the exercising party to a representative of the other party designated in the relevant Off-Market Framework Agreement or Option Framework Agreement to receive notices, specifying the number of Exercise Shares to be acquired following the Exercise Date pursuant to the relevant Option or containing such other information as the Issuer and the Counterparty may agree;

Exercise Price means, in respect of each Exercise Date: (i) in the case of Exercise Shares acquired by the Counterparty in accordance with an Off-Market Framework Agreement, the price paid by the Counterparty to purchase each Exercise Share (as may be evidenced by the relevant trade confirmation submitted by the Counterparty); or (ii) in the case of an Option Framework Agreement, the per Share price identified as the Exercise Price for the purposes of this Agreement (which price, for the avoidance of doubt, may be zero) in the Option Framework Agreement (including any confirmation supplementing such Option Framework Agreement) and/or any premium or prepayment or other amount that is specified as an Exercise Price in the relevant Option Framework Agreement;

 

1


Exercise Shares ” means, in respect of each Exercise Date, the number of any class of Shares equal to (i) the number of such class of Shares that the Counterparty has purchased on such Exercise Date in accordance with the terms of an Off-Market Framework Agreement, in the case of an Off-Market Framework Agreement; or (ii) the number of Shares identified as Exercise Shares in the Option Framework Agreement;

Off-Market Framework Agreement ” means any agreement between the Counterparty and the Issuer identified as an Off-Market Framework Agreement setting out the circumstances in which the Counterparty may acquire Shares;

Option ” means a Put Option or a Call Option, as applicable, and “ Options ” means more than one of the Put Options and/or Call Options, as applicable;

Option Framework Agreement ” means any agreement (including any confirmation supplementing such agreement) between the Counterparty and the Issuer identified as an Option Framework Agreement setting out the terms of certain option or forward or other transactions between the Counterparty and the Issuer pursuant to which the Issuer may be required, and/or may have the right, to acquire Shares pursuant to this Agreement and which may require the Issuer to pay a premium and/or a prepayment and/or other amount(s) as specified in such agreement (including any confirmation supplementing such an agreement);

Option Period ” means the period between the date of this Agreement and 11 June 2024;

Put Option ” means the right of one party to require the other party to purchase Exercise Shares from such first party, as set forth in Clause 2;

Settlement ” means the settlement of a sale and purchase of Exercise Shares pursuant to an Option, as described in Clause 4; and

Shares ” means any shares issued by the Issuer, as specified by the applicable Option Framework Agreement or Off-Market Framework Agreement.

 

1.2

Words importing the singular shall include the plural and vice versa and words importing any gender shall include all other genders and references to persons shall include corporations and unincorporated associations.

 

1.3

The clause headings in this Agreement are for convenience only and shall not affect the interpretation hereof.

 

1.4

A reference to any statutory provision shall include such provision as from time to time amended, consolidated or re-enacted (whether before or on or after the date at which such reference is required to be construed) and shall be deemed to include provisions of all statutory instruments or orders from time to time made pursuant to such provision.

 

2.

GRANT OF OPTIONS

 

2.1

Subject to Clause 2.4 and the exercise procedures set forth in Clause 3:

 

  (a)

the Issuer hereby grants the Counterparty the right to require the Issuer to purchase; and

 

  (b)

the Counterparty hereby grants the Issuer the right to require the Counterparty to sell,

 

2


the right, interest and title in the Exercise Shares acquired by or on behalf of the Counterparty in accordance with the terms of any Off-Market Framework Agreement, in each case in consideration of the payment by the Issuer to the Counterparty of an amount in cash equal to the sum of (i) the aggregate of the Exercise Prices for the relevant applicable Exercise Shares being purchased pursuant to the relevant Option, and (ii) the product of the Commission and the number of applicable Exercise Shares.

 

2.2

Subject to Clause 2.4 and the exercise procedures set forth in Clause 3, the Counterparty hereby grants the Issuer the right to require the Counterparty, in the case of each relevant Option Framework Agreement which contains a right for the Issuer to exercise rights under this Agreement to acquire Exercise Shares from the Counterparty, to sell to the Issuer the Exercise Shares in accordance with this Agreement.

 

2.3

Subject to Clause 2.4 and the exercise procedures set forth in Clause 3, the Issuer hereby grants the Counterparty the right to require the Issuer, in the case of each relevant Option Framework Agreement which contains a right for the Counterparty to exercise rights under this Agreement to deliver Exercise Shares to the Issuer, to buy the Exercise Shares in accordance with this Agreement.

 

2.4

The Options granted by the Counterparty and the Issuer under Clauses 2.1, 2.2 and 2.3 shall only be exercisable during the Option Period.

 

2.5

On the exercise of the Options under Clause 2.2 and/or Clause 2.3 by either the Issuer or the Counterparty in accordance with the exercise procedures set forth in clause 3, and subject to clause 2.7, the Counterparty shall deliver to the Issuer the Exercise Shares applicable for the relevant Option Framework Agreement, and the Issuer shall pay the Counterparty an amount in cash equal to the aggregate of the Exercise Prices for the relevant Exercise Shares being purchased pursuant to the relevant Option. The parties acknowledge that in addition to paying the aggregate of the Exercise Prices for the relevant Exercise Shares, the Issuer may also pay or have paid a premium or prepayment or other amount(s) under the Option Framework Agreement prior to settlement of the relevant Option.

 

2.6

The Counterparty agrees that it shall not create any liens, charges, encumbrances or other third party rights over or in respect of the Exercise Shares that it requires the Issuer to purchase or is required to sell to the Issuer pursuant to this Agreement.

 

2.7

If, on any date, pursuant to a transaction entered into by the parties hereto under an Option Framework Agreement (an “ Option Framework Transaction ”) and pursuant to this Agreement: (i) each party to such Option Framework Transaction has an obligation to deliver a number of Shares to the other party thereto (whether under this Agreement or the Option Framework Transaction); and (ii) either: (x) each party is obliged to deliver the same number of Shares to the other party, in which case each party’s obligation to make such a delivery will be automatically discharged and satisfied; or (y) the aggregate number of Shares that is deliverable by one party to such Option Framework Transaction exceeds the aggregate number of Shares that is deliverable by the other party thereto (whether under this Agreement or the Option Framework Transaction), in which case (without duplication with any provision of similar effect to this Clause 2.7 contained in any such Option Framework Agreement), such obligations shall be replaced by an obligation of the party by whom the larger aggregate number of Shares is deliverable to deliver to the other party the excess of the larger aggregate number of Shares over the smaller aggregate number of Shares. Upon such delivery, each party’s obligations under this Agreement and such Option Framework Agreement will be automatically satisfied and discharged with regard to such Option Framework Transaction.

 

3.

EXERCISE OF OPTIONS

 

3.1

With respect to the Options granted under Clause 2.1, on or within three (3) Business Days following any Exercise Date (or such other period as the relevant parties may agree), the Issuer or the Counterparty, as the case may be, may exercise their relevant Option by delivery of an Exercise Notice to the other.

 

3


3.2

With respect to the Call Option granted under Clause 2.2, on or within three (3) Business Days following any Exercise Date (or such other date as the relevant parties may agree), the Issuer may exercise such Call Option by delivery of an Exercise Notice to the Counterparty.

 

3.3

With respect to the Put Option granted under Clause 2.3, on or within three (3) Business Days following any Exercise Date (or such other date as the relevant Parties may agree), the Counterparty may exercise such Put Option by delivery of an Exercise Notice to the Issuer.

 

3.4

With respect to Shares purchased under an Option granted under Clause 2.1, all dividends and other distributions actually paid or made by the Issuer in respect of such Shares by reference to a record date which falls between the related Exercise Date (but not including the Exercise Date) and the date on which the sale and purchase of the Shares is settled shall belong to, and be payable to, the Issuer.

 

3.5

For the avoidance of doubt, (i) multiple exercises of the Options are permitted, and (ii) the Counterparty or the Issuer may exercise an Option hereunder with respect to an Option Framework Agreement only if such Option has become exercisable in accordance with the terms of the relevant Option Framework Agreement.

 

4.

SETTLEMENT OF OPTION EXERCISE

 

4.1

For each exercise of an Option, Settlement of a sale and purchase of Exercise Shares pursuant to such Option (after giving effect to Clause 2.7 hereof) shall take place no later than five (5) Business Days after such Option is exercised or such other date as the parties may agree (including pursuant to the provisions of a relevant Off-Market Framework Agreement or a relevant Option Framework Agreement); provided that if a Settlement disruption due to an event beyond the control of either party occurs on any scheduled Settlement date, Settlement shall take place as soon as reasonably practicable after such event ceases to exist, unless the parties otherwise agree.

 

4.2

For each relevant cash payment pursuant to the Options, the Issuer shall pay the Exercise Price by wiring funds to the account of the Counterparty or to such other account as the Counterparty shall inform the Issuer prior to Settlement, by no later than the date of delivery of the Exercise Shares.

 

4.3

The Issuer shall be responsible for the payment of any stamp duty or financial transaction tax, or similar levy that is due in respect of the purchase or delivery of any Shares from the Counterparty.

 

5.

PRINCIPAL TRANSACTIONS

The Counterparty and the Issuer acknowledge and agree that nothing in this Agreement shall constitute a party acting as the agent of the other for any purpose. No party shall describe itself as an agent or in any way hold itself out as being an agent of the other(s).

 

6.

FURTHER ASSURANCE

At all times after the date of this Agreement the parties shall, at their own expense, execute all such documents and do all such acts and things as may reasonably be required for the purpose of giving full effect to this Agreement.

 

4


7.

GENERAL

 

7.1

The parties agree and acknowledge that this Agreement is for the sole benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns and nothing herein, express or implied, is intended to or shall confer upon any other person or entity any legal or equitable right, benefit or remedy of any nature whatsoever under or by reason of this Agreement.

 

7.2

Without prejudice to Clause 7.3, no party may, without the prior written consent of the other parties (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld), assign, grant any security interest over, hold on trust or otherwise transfer the benefit of the whole or any part of this Agreement save that: (i) the Counterparty may assign its rights and duties under this Agreement if, and to the extent that, at the same time as such assignment, it assigns its rights and duties under the Option Framework Agreement to the same person and extent in accordance with the Option Framework Agreement; and (ii) the Counterparty may assign its rights and duties under this Agreement if, and to the extent that, at the same time as such assignment, it assigns its rights and duties under the Off-Market Framework Agreement to the same person and extent in accordance with the Off-Market Framework Agreement.

 

7.3

The parties agree that, to the extent the Counterparty is required by laws and regulation to which it is subject to include such provisions in this Agreement, the following provisions shall apply:

 

  (a)

the terms of the ISDA 2016 Bail-in Article 55 BRRD Protocol (Dutch/French/German/Irish/Italian/Luxembourg/Spanish/UK entity-in-resolution version) (the “ ISDA Bail-in Protocol ”), as published by ISDA on July 14, 2016 and available on the ISDA website (www.isda.org), are incorporated into and form part of this Agreement. The parties further agree that this Agreement shall be deemed to be a “ Protocol Covered Agreement ” and that the “ Implementation Date ” shall be the effective date of this Agreement, each for the purposes of such ISDA Bail-in Protocol, regardless of the definitions of such terms in such ISDA Bail-in Protocol. In the event of any inconsistencies between this Agreement and the ISDA Bail-in Protocol, the ISDA Bail-in Protocol will prevail;

 

  (b)

the terms of the ISDA UK (PRA Rule) Jurisdictional Module to the ISDA Resolution Stay Jurisdictional Modular Protocol (the “ UK Jurisdictional Module ”), as published by ISDA on May 3, 2016 and available on the ISDA website (www.isda.org), are incorporated into and form part of this Agreement. For purposes thereof (i) the Counterparty shall be a Regulated Entity and/or Regulated Entity Counterparty, as applicable and (ii) the Issuer shall be a Module Adhering Party. The parties further agree that this Agreement will be deemed to be a “ Covered Agreement ” and that the Implementation Date shall be the effective date of this Agreement as amended by the parties for the purposes of such UK Jurisdictional Module regardless of the definition of such terms in the UK Jurisdictional Module. In the event of any inconsistencies between this Agreement and the UK Jurisdictional Module, the UK Jurisdictional Module will prevail; and

 

  (c)

in the event that:

 

  (i)

the Counterparty becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer of this Agreement (and any interest and obligation in or under, and any property securing, this Agreement) from the Counterparty will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement (and any interest and obligation in or under, and any property securing, this Agreement) were governed by the laws of the United Sates or a state of the United States; and/ or

 

5


  (ii)

the Counterparty or an Affiliate of the Counterparty becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights with respect to this Agreement that may be exercised against the Counterparty are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than the Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.

For the purposes of this Clause 7.3(c) the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:

 

  (A)

Affiliate ” has the meaning given in the Bank Holding Company Act (12 U.S.C. § 1841(k));

 

  (B)

Default Right ” means any:

 

  (1)

right of a party, whether contractual or otherwise (including, without limitation, rights incorporated by reference to any other contract, agreement, or document, and rights afforded by statute, civil code, regulation, and common law), to liquidate, terminate, cancel, rescind, or accelerate such agreement or transactions thereunder, set off or net amounts owing in respect thereto (except rights related to same-day payment netting), exercise remedies in respect of collateral or other credit support or property related thereto (including the purchase and sale of property), demand payment or delivery thereunder or in respect thereof (other than a right or operation of a contractual provision arising solely from a change in the value of collateral or margin or a change in the amount of an economic exposure), suspend, delay, or defer payment or performance thereunder, or modify the obligations of a party thereunder, or any similar rights; and

 

  (2)

right or contractual provision that alters the amount of collateral or margin that must be provided with respect to an exposure thereunder, including by altering any initial amount, threshold amount, variation margin, minimum transfer amount, the margin value of collateral, or any similar amount, that entitles a party to demand the return of any collateral or margin transferred by it to the other party or a custodian or that modifies a transferee’s right to reuse collateral or margin (if such right previously existed), or any similar rights, in each case, other than a right or operation of a contractual provision arising solely from a change in the value of collateral or margin or a change in the amount of an economic exposure; and

 

  (C)

U.S. Special Resolution Regime ” means the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1811–1835a) and regulations promulgated thereunder and Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (12 U.S.C. 5381–5394) and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

7.4

This Agreement, any Off-Market Framework Agreement and any Option Framework Agreement, as supplemented by executed confirmations (if any) supplementing the relevant Option Framework Agreement, constitute the entire, separate and only legally binding agreements between the parties relating to their own subject matter and no variation of this Agreement shall be effective unless made in writing signed by or on behalf of all parties, approved in any manner as may be required by law and expressed to be such a variation.

 

6


7.5

This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and execution by each of the parties of any one of such counterparts will constitute due execution of this Agreement.

 

8.

GOVERNING LAW AND JURISDICTION

This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with, and this Agreement and all matters arising out of or relating in any way whatsoever to this Agreement (whether in contract, tort or otherwise) shall be governed by the law of the State of New York, without regard to any choice or conflict of laws provisions or rules (whether of the State of New York or any other jurisdiction), and the parties hereto irrevocably submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Courts of the State of New York in respect of any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with this Agreement.

In witness whereof, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed as of the date first written above by their respective authorised persons.

 

CREDIT SUISSE SECURITIES (USA) LLC
By:  

/s/ Barry Dixon

Name: Barry Dixon
Title: Director
Signed for and on behalf of
LIBERTY GLOBAL PLC
By:  

/s/ Jeremy Evans

Name: Jeremy Evans
Title: Authorized Officer

 

7

Exhibit (d)(2)

 

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Dated 9 August 2019

HSBC SECURITIES (USA) INC.

- and -

LIBERTY GLOBAL PLC

 

 

MASTER PUT / CALL AGREEMENT

 

 

WE OPERATE IN THE UK AND ITALY AS SHEARMAN & STERLING (LONDON) LLP, A LIMITED LIABILITY PARTNERSHIP ORGANISED IN THE UNITED STATES UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE, WHICH LAWS LIMIT THE PERSONAL LIABILITY OF PARTNERS. SHEARMAN & STERLING (LONDON) LLP IS AUTHORISED AND REGULATED BY THE SOLICITORS REGULATION AUTHORITY (FIRM SRA NUMBER 211340). A LIST OF ALL PARTNERS’ NAMES, WHICH INCLUDES SOLICITORS AND REGISTERED FOREIGN LAWYERS, IS OPEN FOR INSPECTION AT THE ABOVE ADDRESS. EACH PARTNER OF SHEARMAN & STERLING (LONDON) LLP IS ALSO A PARTNER OF SHEARMAN & STERLING LLP WHICH HAS OFFICES IN THE OTHER CITIES NOTED ABOVE.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

     Page  

1. DEFINITIONS

     1  

2. GRANT OF OPTIONS

     2  

3. EXERCISE OF OPTIONS

     3  

4. SETTLEMENT OF OPTION EXERCISE

     4  

5. PRINCIPAL TRANSACTIONS

     4  

6. FURTHER ASSURANCE

     4  

7. GENERAL

     5  

8. GOVERNING LAW AND JURISDICTION

     7  

 

i


THIS AGREEMENT is dated 9 August 2019 (the “ Agreement ”)

PARTIES

 

(1)

HSBC SECURITIES (USA) INC. , whose registered office is at 452 Fifth Ave, New York, NY 10018 (the “ Counterparty ”); and

 

(2)

LIBERTY GLOBAL PLC , (registered number 08379990) whose registered office is at Griffin House, 161 Hammersmith Road, London, United Kingdom, W6 8BS (the “ Issuer ”),

(which are together “ the parties ” and each “ a party ” to this Agreement).

 

1.

DEFINITIONS

 

1.1

In this Agreement:

Business Day ” means a day other than a Saturday or a Sunday on which banks are generally open for business in the city of New York unless the trading in the Shares on the exchange on which they are then listed is materially disrupted or does not occur at all on such a day;

Call Option ” means the right of one party to require the other party to sell Exercise Shares to such first party, as set forth in Clause 2;

Commission ” means an amount equal to $0.01 per Share or such other amount as the parties may agree from time to time;

Exercise Date ” means: (i) with respect to the Options granted under Clause 2.1, any Business Day on which the Counterparty has purchased Shares pursuant to an Off-Market Framework Agreement; or (ii) with respect to the Options granted under Clause 2.2 and Clause 2.3: (x) an exercise date pursuant to the executed confirmation supplementing the relevant Option Framework Agreement, if the transaction under such Option Framework Agreement is an option transaction; (y) a settlement date set forth in the executed confirmation supplementing the relevant Option Framework Agreement or any prepayment date specified as an Exercise Date for the purpose of this Agreement, if the transaction under such Option Framework Agreement is a forward transaction; or (z) such other date as may be identified in the Option Framework Agreement as being an Exercise Date for the purposes of this Agreement and any such Options;

Exercise Notice ” means, in respect of each Exercise Date, a written notice (which, for the avoidance of doubt, shall include, but not be limited to, e-mail) sent by the exercising party to a representative of the other party designated in the relevant Off-Market Framework Agreement or Option Framework Agreement to receive notices, specifying the number of Exercise Shares to be acquired following the Exercise Date pursuant to the relevant Option or containing such other information as the Issuer and the Counterparty may agree;

Exercise Price means, in respect of each Exercise Date: (i) in the case of Exercise Shares acquired by the Counterparty in accordance with an Off-Market Framework Agreement, the price paid by the Counterparty to purchase each Exercise Share (as may be evidenced by the relevant trade confirmation submitted by the Counterparty); or (ii) in the case of an Option Framework Agreement, the per Share price identified as the Exercise Price for the purposes of this Agreement (which price, for the avoidance of doubt, may be zero) in the Option Framework Agreement (including any confirmation supplementing such Option Framework Agreement) and/or any premium or prepayment or other amount that is specified as an Exercise Price in the relevant Option Framework Agreement;

 

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Exercise Shares ” means, in respect of each Exercise Date, the number of any class of Shares equal to (i) the number of such class of Shares that the Counterparty has purchased on such Exercise Date in accordance with the terms of an Off-Market Framework Agreement, in the case of an Off-Market Framework Agreement; or (ii) the number of Shares identified as Exercise Shares in the Option Framework Agreement;

Off-Market Framework Agreement ” means any agreement between the Counterparty and the Issuer identified as an Off-Market Framework Agreement setting out the circumstances in which the Counterparty may acquire Shares;

Option ” means a Put Option or a Call Option, as applicable, and “ Options ” means more than one of the Put Options and/or Call Options, as applicable;

Option Framework Agreement ” means any agreement (including any confirmation supplementing such agreement) between the Counterparty and the Issuer identified as an Option Framework Agreement setting out the terms of certain option or forward or other transactions between the Counterparty and the Issuer pursuant to which the Issuer may be required, and/or may have the right, to acquire Shares pursuant to this Agreement and which may require the Issuer to pay a premium and/or a prepayment and/or other amount(s) as specified in such agreement (including any confirmation supplementing such an agreement);

Option Period ” means the period between the date of this Agreement and 11 June 2024;

Put Option ” means the right of one party to require the other party to purchase Exercise Shares from such first party, as set forth in Clause 2;

Settlement ” means the settlement of a sale and purchase of Exercise Shares pursuant to an Option, as described in Clause 4; and

Shares ” means any shares issued by the Issuer, as specified by the applicable Option Framework Agreement or Off-Market Framework Agreement.

 

1.2

Words importing the singular shall include the plural and vice versa and words importing any gender shall include all other genders and references to persons shall include corporations and unincorporated associations.

 

1.3

The clause headings in this Agreement are for convenience only and shall not affect the interpretation hereof.

 

1.4

A reference to any statutory provision shall include such provision as from time to time amended, consolidated or re-enacted (whether before or on or after the date at which such reference is required to be construed) and shall be deemed to include provisions of all statutory instruments or orders from time to time made pursuant to such provision.

 

2.

GRANT OF OPTIONS

 

2.1

Subject to Clause 2.4 and the exercise procedures set forth in Clause 3:

 

  (a)

the Issuer hereby grants the Counterparty the right to require the Issuer to purchase; and

 

  (b)

the Counterparty hereby grants the Issuer the right to require the Counterparty to sell,

 

2


the right, interest and title in the Exercise Shares acquired by or on behalf of the Counterparty in accordance with the terms of any Off-Market Framework Agreement, in each case in consideration of the payment by the Issuer to the Counterparty of an amount in cash equal to the sum of (i) the aggregate of the Exercise Prices for the relevant applicable Exercise Shares being purchased pursuant to the relevant Option, and (ii) the product of the Commission and the number of applicable Exercise Shares.

 

2.2

Subject to Clause 2.4 and the exercise procedures set forth in Clause 3, the Counterparty hereby grants the Issuer the right to require the Counterparty, in the case of each relevant Option Framework Agreement which contains a right for the Issuer to exercise rights under this Agreement to acquire Exercise Shares from the Counterparty, to sell to the Issuer the Exercise Shares in accordance with this Agreement.

 

2.3

Subject to Clause 2.4 and the exercise procedures set forth in Clause 3, the Issuer hereby grants the Counterparty the right to require the Issuer, in the case of each relevant Option Framework Agreement which contains a right for the Counterparty to exercise rights under this Agreement to deliver Exercise Shares to the Issuer, to buy the Exercise Shares in accordance with this Agreement.

 

2.4

The Options granted by the Counterparty and the Issuer under Clauses 2.1, 2.2 and 2.3 shall only be exercisable during the Option Period.

 

2.5

On the exercise of the Options under Clause 2.2 and/or Clause 2.3 by either the Issuer or the Counterparty in accordance with the exercise procedures set forth in clause 3, and subject to clause 2.7, the Counterparty shall deliver to the Issuer the Exercise Shares applicable for the relevant Option Framework Agreement, and the Issuer shall pay the Counterparty an amount in cash equal to the aggregate of the Exercise Prices for the relevant Exercise Shares being purchased pursuant to the relevant Option. The parties acknowledge that in addition to paying the aggregate of the Exercise Prices for the relevant Exercise Shares, the Issuer may also pay or have paid a premium or prepayment or other amount(s) under the Option Framework Agreement prior to settlement of the relevant Option.

 

2.6

The Counterparty agrees that it shall not create any liens, charges, encumbrances or other third party rights over or in respect of the Exercise Shares that it requires the Issuer to purchase or is required to sell to the Issuer pursuant to this Agreement.

 

2.7

If, on any date, pursuant to a transaction entered into by the parties hereto under an Option Framework Agreement (an “ Option Framework Transaction ”) and pursuant to this Agreement: (i) each party to such Option Framework Transaction has an obligation to deliver a number of Shares to the other party thereto (whether under this Agreement or the Option Framework Transaction); and (ii) either: (x) each party is obliged to deliver the same number of Shares to the other party, in which case each party’s obligation to make such a delivery will be automatically discharged and satisfied; or (y) the aggregate number of Shares that is deliverable by one party to such Option Framework Transaction exceeds the aggregate number of Shares that is deliverable by the other party thereto (whether under this Agreement or the Option Framework Transaction), in which case (without duplication with any provision of similar effect to this Clause 2.7 contained in any such Option Framework Agreement), such obligations shall be replaced by an obligation of the party by whom the larger aggregate number of Shares is deliverable to deliver to the other party the excess of the larger aggregate number of Shares over the smaller aggregate number of Shares. Upon such delivery, each party’s obligations under this Agreement and such Option Framework Agreement will be automatically satisfied and discharged with regard to such Option Framework Transaction.

 

3.

EXERCISE OF OPTIONS

 

3.1

With respect to the Options granted under Clause 2.1, on or within three (3) Business Days following any Exercise Date (or such other period as the relevant parties may agree), the Issuer or the Counterparty, as the case may be, may exercise their relevant Option by delivery of an Exercise Notice to the other.

 

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3.2

With respect to the Call Option granted under Clause 2.2, on or within three (3) Business Days following any Exercise Date (or such other date as the relevant parties may agree), the Issuer may exercise such Call Option by delivery of an Exercise Notice to the Counterparty.

 

3.3

With respect to the Put Option granted under Clause 2.3, on or within three (3) Business Days following any Exercise Date (or such other date as the relevant Parties may agree), the Counterparty may exercise such Put Option by delivery of an Exercise Notice to the Issuer.

 

3.4

With respect to Shares purchased under an Option granted under Clause 2.1, all dividends and other distributions actually paid or made by the Issuer in respect of such Shares by reference to a record date which falls between the related Exercise Date (but not including the Exercise Date) and the date on which the sale and purchase of the Shares is settled shall belong to, and be payable to, the Issuer.

 

3.5

For the avoidance of doubt, (i) multiple exercises of the Options are permitted, and (ii) the Counterparty or the Issuer may exercise an Option hereunder with respect to an Option Framework Agreement only if such Option has become exercisable in accordance with the terms of the relevant Option Framework Agreement.

 

4.

SETTLEMENT OF OPTION EXERCISE

 

4.1

For each exercise of an Option, Settlement of a sale and purchase of Exercise Shares pursuant to such Option (after giving effect to Clause 2.7 hereof) shall take place no later than five (5) Business Days after such Option is exercised or such other date as the parties may agree (including pursuant to the provisions of a relevant Off-Market Framework Agreement or a relevant Option Framework Agreement); provided that if a Settlement disruption due to an event beyond the control of either party occurs on any scheduled Settlement date, Settlement shall take place as soon as reasonably practicable after such event ceases to exist, unless the parties otherwise agree.

 

4.2

For each relevant cash payment pursuant to the Options, the Issuer shall pay the Exercise Price by wiring funds to the account of the Counterparty or to such other account as the Counterparty shall inform the Issuer prior to Settlement, by no later than the date of delivery of the Exercise Shares.

 

4.3

The Issuer shall be responsible for the payment of any stamp duty or financial transaction tax, or similar levy that is due in respect of the purchase or delivery of any Shares from the Counterparty.

 

5.

PRINCIPAL TRANSACTIONS

The Counterparty and the Issuer acknowledge and agree that nothing in this Agreement shall constitute a party acting as the agent of the other for any purpose. No party shall describe itself as an agent or in any way hold itself out as being an agent of the other(s).

 

6.

FURTHER ASSURANCE

At all times after the date of this Agreement the parties shall, at their own expense, execute all such documents and do all such acts and things as may reasonably be required for the purpose of giving full effect to this Agreement.

 

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7.

GENERAL

 

7.1

The parties agree and acknowledge that this Agreement is for the sole benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns and nothing herein, express or implied, is intended to or shall confer upon any other person or entity any legal or equitable right, benefit or remedy of any nature whatsoever under or by reason of this Agreement.

 

7.2

Without prejudice to Clause 7.3, no party may, without the prior written consent of the other parties (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld), assign, grant any security interest over, hold on trust or otherwise transfer the benefit of the whole or any part of this Agreement save that: (i) the Counterparty may assign its rights and duties under this Agreement if, and to the extent that, at the same time as such assignment, it assigns its rights and duties under the Option Framework Agreement to the same person and extent in accordance with the Option Framework Agreement; and (ii) the Counterparty may assign its rights and duties under this Agreement if, and to the extent that, at the same time as such assignment, it assigns its rights and duties under the Off-Market Framework Agreement to the same person and extent in accordance with the Off-Market Framework Agreement.

 

7.3

The parties agree that, to the extent the Counterparty is required by laws and regulation to which it is subject to include such provisions in this Agreement, the following provisions shall apply:

 

  (a)

the terms of the ISDA 2016 Bail-in Article 55 BRRD Protocol (Dutch/French/German/Irish/Italian/Luxembourg/Spanish/UK entity-in-resolution version) (the “ ISDA Bail-in Protocol ”), as published by ISDA on July 14, 2016 and available on the ISDA website (www.isda.org), are incorporated into and form part of this Agreement. The parties further agree that this Agreement shall be deemed to be a “ Protocol Covered Agreement ” and that the “ Implementation Date ” shall be the effective date of this Agreement, each for the purposes of such ISDA Bail-in Protocol, regardless of the definitions of such terms in such ISDA Bail-in Protocol. In the event of any inconsistencies between this Agreement and the ISDA Bail-in Protocol, the ISDA Bail-in Protocol will prevail;

 

  (b)

the terms of the ISDA UK (PRA Rule) Jurisdictional Module to the ISDA Resolution Stay Jurisdictional Modular Protocol (the “ UK Jurisdictional Module ”), as published by ISDA on May 3, 2016 and available on the ISDA website (www.isda.org), are incorporated into and form part of this Agreement. For purposes thereof (i) the Counterparty shall be a Regulated Entity and/or Regulated Entity Counterparty, as applicable and (ii) the Issuer shall be a Module Adhering Party. The parties further agree that this Agreement will be deemed to be a “ Covered Agreement ” and that the Implementation Date shall be the effective date of this Agreement as amended by the parties for the purposes of such UK Jurisdictional Module regardless of the definition of such terms in the UK Jurisdictional Module. In the event of any inconsistencies between this Agreement and the UK Jurisdictional Module, the UK Jurisdictional Module will prevail; and

 

  (c)

in the event that:

 

  (i)

the Counterparty becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer of this Agreement (and any interest and obligation in or under, and any property securing, this Agreement) from the Counterparty will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement (and any interest and obligation in or under, and any property securing, this Agreement) were governed by the laws of the United Sates or a state of the United States; and/ or

 

5


  (ii)

the Counterparty or an Affiliate of the Counterparty becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights with respect to this Agreement that may be exercised against the Counterparty are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than the Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.

For the purposes of this Clause 7.3(c) the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:

 

  (A)

Affiliate ” has the meaning given in the Bank Holding Company Act (12 U.S.C. § 1841(k));

 

  (B)

Default Right ” means any:

 

  (1)

right of a party, whether contractual or otherwise (including, without limitation, rights incorporated by reference to any other contract, agreement, or document, and rights afforded by statute, civil code, regulation, and common law), to liquidate, terminate, cancel, rescind, or accelerate such agreement or transactions thereunder, set off or net amounts owing in respect thereto (except rights related to same-day payment netting), exercise remedies in respect of collateral or other credit support or property related thereto (including the purchase and sale of property), demand payment or delivery thereunder or in respect thereof (other than a right or operation of a contractual provision arising solely from a change in the value of collateral or margin or a change in the amount of an economic exposure), suspend, delay, or defer payment or performance thereunder, or modify the obligations of a party thereunder, or any similar rights; and

 

  (2)

right or contractual provision that alters the amount of collateral or margin that must be provided with respect to an exposure thereunder, including by altering any initial amount, threshold amount, variation margin, minimum transfer amount, the margin value of collateral, or any similar amount, that entitles a party to demand the return of any collateral or margin transferred by it to the other party or a custodian or that modifies a transferee’s right to reuse collateral or margin (if such right previously existed), or any similar rights, in each case, other than a right or operation of a contractual provision arising solely from a change in the value of collateral or margin or a change in the amount of an economic exposure; and

 

  (C)

U.S. Special Resolution Regime ” means the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1811–1835a) and regulations promulgated thereunder and Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (12 U.S.C. 5381–5394) and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

7.4

This Agreement, any Off-Market Framework Agreement and any Option Framework Agreement, as supplemented by executed confirmations (if any) supplementing the relevant Option Framework Agreement, constitute the entire, separate and only legally binding agreements between the parties relating to their own subject matter and no variation of this Agreement shall be effective unless made in writing signed by or on behalf of all parties, approved in any manner as may be required by law and expressed to be such a variation.

 

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7.5

This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and execution by each of the parties of any one of such counterparts will constitute due execution of this Agreement.

 

8.

GOVERNING LAW AND JURISDICTION

This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with, and this Agreement and all matters arising out of or relating in any way whatsoever to this Agreement (whether in contract, tort or otherwise) shall be governed by the law of the State of New York, without regard to any choice or conflict of laws provisions or rules (whether of the State of New York or any other jurisdiction), and the parties hereto irrevocably submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Courts of the State of New York in respect of any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with this Agreement.

In witness whereof, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed as of the date first written above by their respective authorised persons.

 

HSBC SECURITIES (USA) INC.
By:  

/s/ Jeffrey Nicklas

Name: Jeffrey Nicklas
Title: Director
Signed for and on behalf of
LIBERTY GLOBAL PLC
By:  

/s/ Jeremy Evans

Name: Jeremy Evans
Title: Authorized Officer

 

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Exhibit (d)(3)

EXECUTION VERSION

Liberty Global plc

Griffin House, 161 Hammersmith Road,

London W6 8BS,

United Kingdom

Tel.: +44 (20) 8483-6300

+1 (303) 220-6600

Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC

Eleven Madison Avenue

New York, New York 10010

August 9, 2019

Dear Sirs,

Liberty Global plc (the “Company”) – Option Framework Agreement (this “Agreement”).

We refer to the Offer to Purchase, to be dated August 12, 2019 or thereabouts (together with any amendments or supplements thereto, the “ Offer to Purchase ”), the related Letter of Transmittal (together with any amendments or supplements thereto, the “ Letter of Transmittal ”), and the other related materials as may be amended or supplemented from time to time (together with the Offer to Purchase and the Letter of Transmittal, the “ Tender Offer Documents ”) sent by the Company to its shareholders and the tender offers referred to therein.

This Agreement constitutes an Option Framework Agreement for the purposes of the Master Put/Call Agreement dated August 9, 2019 (the “ Master Put/Call Agreement ”), among Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC (“ Dealer ”) and the Company.

We write to confirm the terms on which (a) the Company appoints Dealer, acting as a principal and not as an agent, nominee or trustee, to purchase from shareholders of the Company (the “ Shareholders ”) (i) up to $625 million in value of the Company’s Class A ordinary shares, nominal value $0.01 per share (each, a “ Class  A Share ”), at a price range to be set forth in the Offer to Purchase (the “ Class  A Offer ”), and (ii) up to $1.875 billion in value of the Company’s Class C ordinary shares, nominal value $0.01 per share (each, a “ Class  C Share, ” and the Class A Shares, individually or collectively with the Class C Shares, as appropriate, the “ Liberty Shares ”), at a price range to be set forth in the Offer to Purchase (the “ Class  C Offer ”), in each case, to the seller in cash, less any applicable withholding taxes and without interest, upon the terms and subject to the conditions described in the Offer to Purchase; (b) the Company agrees to grant to Dealer the right to exercise rights under the Master Put/Call Agreement to require the Company to purchase the Liberty Shares purchased by Dealer in the Tender Offers; and (c) Dealer agrees to grant to the Company the right to exercise rights under the Master Put/Call Agreement to require Dealer to sell to the Company the Liberty Shares purchased by Dealer in the Tender Offers. The Class A Offer and Class C Offer are collectively referred to as the “ Tender Offers ” and individually as a “ Tender Offer .”

Terms used in this Agreement shall, unless otherwise indicated, bear the same meanings as are attributed to them in the Offer to Purchase. For the purposes of this Agreement, (a) “ Business Day ” means “business day” as defined in the Offer to Purchase, (b) “ Class  A Tendered Shares ” means the Class A Shares which are properly tendered in the Class A Offer by the Shareholders and not properly withdrawn from the Class A Offer and acquired by Dealer as principal pursuant to the Class A Offer, (c) “ Class  C Tendered Shares ” means the Class C Shares which are properly tendered in the Class C Offer by the Shareholders and not properly withdrawn from the Class C Offer and acquired by Dealer as principal pursuant to the Class C Offer, (d) “ Class  A Strike Price ” means the price per Class A Share at which the Class A Shares are acquired by Dealer in the Class A Offer pursuant to the terms of the Offer to Purchase, (e) “ Class  C Strike Price ” means the price per Class C Share at which the Class C Shares are acquired by Dealer in the Class C Offer pursuant to the terms of the Offer to Purchase, (f) “ Tendered Shares ” means, collectively, the Class A Tendered Shares and the Class C Tendered Shares and (g) “ Strike Price ” means the Class A Strike Price or the Class C Strike Price, as applicable.


1.

TENDER OFFERS

 

1.1

The parties hereto hereby acknowledge and agree that the Tendered Shares purchased in the Tender Offers will initially be purchased by Dealer and HSBC Securities (USA) Inc., each acting as a principal and not as agent, nominee or trustee. Dealer agrees to (a) purchase the number of Tendered Shares equal to fifty percent (50%) of the Tendered Shares in the applicable Tender Offer at the applicable Strike Price, in each case, set forth in the Final Results Notice (as defined below) (such Tendered Shares, the “ Dealer Purchased Shares ”), (b) wire to the Depositary (as defined in the Offer to Purchase) the amount of funds required to purchase the Dealer Purchased Shares in accordance with the wire instructions in the Final Results Notice on the date and time set forth in the Final Results Notice and (c) wire to the Depositary (or such other person as mutually agreed by the parties hereto) an amount in pounds sterling equal to any and all stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax (and any interest or penalties thereon) payable by Dealer as a result of the Dealer’s acquisition of the Dealer Purchased Shares reasonably promptly following being notified of (1) such amount by the Depositary and (2) the deposit by the Company of an amount equal to the Liability (as defined below) in the Sterling Account (as defined below) in accordance with Section 2.10.

 

1.2

The parties hereto further acknowledge and agree that, the Company shall, in its sole discretion, make all decisions and determinations with respect to the Tender Offers, including with respect to the amendment or extension of any Tender Offer, the satisfaction or waiver of any conditions described in the Offer to Purchase, and, subject to Section 3, the acceptance of the Dealer Purchased Shares for purchase by Dealer.

 

1.3

By no later than 9:00 am New York City time on the first (1 st ) Business Day after the Expiration Date (as set forth in the Offer to Purchase) (the “ Initial Expiration Date ”) or, in the event a Tender Offer is, or the Tender Offers are, extended, at such time on the first (1 st ) Business Day after the then scheduled expiration date (the “ Expiration Date ”), the Company will deliver to Dealer a written notice stating that (a) either Tender Offer expired on the Initial Expiration Date or then scheduled Expiration Date, as the case may be, or (b) the Company has extended either Tender Offer (including specifying the applicable extension period and subsequent Expiration Date).

 

1.4

If the Company delivers a written notice in accordance with Section 1.3(a), on the first (1 st ) Business Day after the Initial Expiration Date or in the event a Tender Offer is, or the Tender Offers are, extended past the Initial Expiration Date or a subsequent Expiration Date, as the case may be, the first (1 st ) Business Day after the applicable Expiration Date, the Company shall deliver to Dealer a notice (such notice, the “ Preliminary Results Notice ” and the date on which such notice is delivered, the “ Preliminary Results Date ”) setting forth (a) the preliminary results of the Tender Offers and (b) the Company’s good faith estimate of (i) the number of the Dealer Purchased Shares based on such preliminary results, (ii) the resulting Required Amount (as defined below) assuming a Class A Strike Price equal to the estimate of the Final Class A Purchase Price (as defined in the Offer to Purchase) set forth in the Company’s press release announcing the preliminary results of the Tender Offers and a Class C Strike Price equal to the estimate of the Final Class C Purchase Price (as defined in the Offer to Purchase) set forth in the Company’s press release announcing the preliminary results of the Tender Offers and (iii) the aggregate amount of the Liability (as defined below) in respect of the Dealer Purchased Shares, if any.

 

1.5

On the Business Day immediately preceding the day on which the Company publicly announces the final results of a Tender Offer or the Tender Offers, the Company shall deliver to Dealer a notice (the “ Final Results Notice ”) setting forth (a) the final results of the Tender Offers, (b) the number of Tendered Shares in the applicable Tender Offer to be purchased by Dealer, (c) the resulting Required Amount, (d) the Company’s good faith estimate of the aggregate amount of the Liability, if any, (e) wire instructions of the Depositary for the deposit of the amount of funds required to purchase the Dealer Purchased Shares and (f) the date on, and the time prior to, which Dealer shall wire to the Depositary the amount of funds required to purchase the Dealer Purchased Shares; provided that such time shall not be earlier than 9:00 am New York City Time (such date, the “ Settlement Date ”).

 

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2.

GRANT OF OPTIONS

 

2.1

Subject to the Tender Offer becoming unconditional in all respects and not being terminated in accordance with the Offer to Purchase and to Dealer purchasing and receiving (subject to the completion of stamping formalities, if necessary) the Dealer Purchased Shares: (a) the Company hereby grants to Dealer the right (the “ Put Option ”) to exercise rights under the Master Put/Call Agreement to require the Company to purchase the Dealer Purchased Shares from Dealer; and (b) Dealer hereby grants to the Company the right (the “ Call Option ”) to exercise rights under the Master Put/Call Agreement to require Dealer to sell the Dealer Purchased Shares to the Company, each on the terms of this Agreement. In this Agreement, the term “ Option ” refers to whichever of the Put Option and the Call Option has been exercised. If an Option is exercised, the party hereto which exercises such Option shall also exercise the equivalent “Option” under the Master Put/Call Agreement at the same time in accordance with Section 2.3. For the purposes of the Master Put/Call Agreement: (x) the “Exercise Shares” (as defined in the Master Put/Call Agreement) shall be a number of Liberty Shares equal to the number of the Dealer Purchased Shares; (y) the “Exercise Price” (as defined in the Master Put/Call Agreement) shall be equal to (i) the applicable Strike Price for the Dealer Purchased Shares and (ii) the amount of any Liability in respect of those Dealer Purchased Shares in each case being purchased in the applicable Tender Offer; and (z) the “Exercise Date” (as defined in the Master Put/Call Agreement) shall be the date on which the Option is exercised.

 

2.2

Subject to Section 2.3, notice to exercise the relevant Option may be given at any time on or after the Preliminary Results Notice is delivered or, subject to the Master Put/Call Agreement, such other time(s) or date(s) as the Company and Dealer agree in respect of all (but not less than all) of the Dealer Purchased Shares (a) by Dealer to the Company by way of a written notice in the form set out in Schedule 1 of this Agreement in respect of the exercise of the Put Option (the “ Put Option Exercise Notice ”) or (b) by the Company to Dealer by way of a written notice in the form set out in Schedule 2 of this Agreement in respect of the exercise of the Call Option (the “ Call Option Exercise Notice ”).

 

2.3

Following service of a Put Option Exercise Notice or a Call Option Exercise Notice pursuant to Section 2.2 (being an “ Option Exercise Notice ”), no further Option Exercise Notice may be served. The Option Exercise Notice shall also comprise an “Exercise Notice” (as defined in the Master Put/Call Agreement) for the purposes of the Master Put/Call Agreement and accordingly exercise of an Option shall also constitute exercise of the equivalent “Option” under the Master Put/Call Agreement without requirement for delivery of any further notice.

 

2.4

Each Dealer Purchased Share purchased by the Company from Dealer on exercise of an Option and of the equivalent “Option” under the Master Put/Call Agreement shall be purchased at a price per Dealer Purchased Share equal to the sum of applicable Strike Price and the amount of any Liability in respect of that Dealer Purchased Share.

 

2.5

The amount to be paid in connection with the exercise of the Option shall be an amount equal to the sum of:

 

  (a)

the product of (i) the number of Class A Shares identified as the Dealer Purchased Shares multiplied by (ii) the Class A Strike Price (the “ Class  A Amount ”), plus

 

  (b)

the product of (i) the number of Class C Shares identified as the Dealer Purchased Shares multiplied by (ii) the Class C Strike Price (such amount together with the Class A Amount, the “ Required Amount ”), plus

 

  (c)

necessary funds to cover any amounts payable under Section 2.15 (the “ Liability ”).

 

2.6

Not later than 4:30 p.m. New York Time on the Expiration Date (such time and date, the “ Cut-Off Time ”), the Company shall (a) either (A) deposit in cleared funds to the Company’s equity account with Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC (such account, the “ Pre-Funding Account ” and Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC in such capacity, the “ Broker ”) an amount equal to $1.25 billion (the “ Funded Amount ”) or (B) cause to be held in the Pre-Funding Account U.S. treasury bills (having maturity dates equal to or less than 12 months) with an aggregate value, based on the market value of such U.S. treasury bills as measured on the Business Day prior to the Expiration Date, equal to not less than the Funded Amount and (b) deliver to the Broker a specimen signature in respect of each of Philip Maton and Nick Marchant (the “ Authorized Signatories ”), who shall each be duly authorized by the Company to direct the dispositions of any funds contained in the Pre-Funding Account; provided that, in the case of clause (a) of this Section 2.6, if the Company amends the Tender Offer in a way that would increase the potential amount of the Required Amount, the Funded Amount shall be deemed adjusted equal to such greater potential Required Amount.

 

3


2.7

Not later than the Cut-Off Time, the Company shall deliver to the Broker an irrevocable payment instruction in the form attached hereto as Schedule 3 (the “ First Payment Instruction ”) duly executed by one or both of the Authorized Signatories instructing the Broker, if cleared funds equal to the Required Amount are not already in the Pre-Funding Account, to sell a sufficient number of U.S. treasury bills held in the Pre-Funding Account for cash on the first Business Day prior to the Settlement Date, for settlement on the Settlement Date so that the cash held in the Pre-Funding Account on the Settlement Date is equal to the Required Amount and, upon receipt by the Broker of a copy of the Settlement Notice (as defined below), to transfer an amount equal to the Required Amount (as set forth in the Settlement Notice) in cleared funds from the Pre-Funding Account to the account of Dealer designated in the Payment Instruction, in order to effect the “Settlement” (as defined in the Master Put/Call Agreement) of the “Option” (as defined in the Master Put/Call Agreement) exercised pursuant to this Agreement and the Master Put/Call Agreement (“ Completion ”).

 

2.8

If on the Preliminary Results Date:

 

  (a)

the Company publicly announces that a Tender Offer or the Tender Offers are undersubscribed and, as a result of such undersubscription, the Funded Amount is greater than the Required Amount, then, on the Preliminary Results Date, the Company shall be entitled to withdraw from the Pre-Funding Account an amount of cash and/or securities with an aggregate value equal to the difference between the Funded Amount and the Required Amount; and

 

  (b)

the Company publicly announces its intention to exercise its right to upsize a Tender Offer or the Tender Offers and, as a result of such upsizing, the Required Amount is greater than Funded Amount, then, on the Preliminary Results Date, the Company shall increase the amount held in the Pre-Funding Account by an amount of cash and/or securities with an aggregate value equal to the difference between the Required Amount and the Funded Amount.

 

2.9

On the Settlement Date, the Company shall cause an amount equal to the Required Amount to be held in the Pre-Funding Account in cleared funds.

 

2.10

Not later than 4:30 p.m. New York time on the first (1 st ) Business Day after the amount of the Liability, if any, has been confirmed to Dealer and the Company by the Depositary following Dealer’s receipt of the Dealer Purchased Shares, and subject to receipt by the Company of the Settlement Notice (as defined below), the Company shall (a) deposit in cleared funds to a pound sterling denominated account established by and opened with the Broker or an affiliate thereof in the name of the Company an amount equal to the Liability (such account, the “ Sterling Account ”) and (b) deliver to the Broker or the Broker’s relevant affiliate an irrevocable payment instruction substantially in the form attached hereto as Schedule 3 (the “ Second Payment Instruction ”, and together with the First Payment Instruction, the “ Payment Instructions ”) duly executed by one or both Authorized Signatories instructing the Broker to transfer the amount of the Liability in cleared funds from the Sterling Account to the account of Dealer designated in the Second Payment Instruction. Payment of the Required Amount and the Liability to the account of Dealer designated in the Payment Instructions shall satisfy the Company’s obligations to pay any amount on “Settlement” under the Master Put/Call Agreement.

 

2.11

The parties acknowledge and agree that the Depositary (or such other person as mutually agreed by the parties hereto) has been instructed to co-ordinate stamp duty matters in relation to the Dealer Purchased Shares tendered in certificated form, including the calculation of the amount of the Liability.

 

2.12

Immediately following (x) Dealer depositing with the Depositary the funds required to purchase the Dealer Purchased Shares and (y) (subject to the completion of stamping formalities, if necessary) Dealer’s receipt of the Dealer Purchased Shares, Dealer will send a written notice informing the Company and the Broker that the settlement of the Dealer Purchased Shares has occurred (the “ Settlement Notice ”). As soon as is reasonably practicable, but in no event later than one (1) Business Day following Settlement (as defined in the Master Put/Call Agreement), Dealer shall provide the Company with a trade confirmation in respect of the acquisition by the Company of the Dealer Purchased Shares from Dealer pursuant to the exercise of the equivalent “Option” under the Master Put/Call Agreement.

 

4


2.13

Immediately following exercise of an Option in accordance with this Agreement and subject to receipt by the Company of the Settlement Notice, Dealer shall:

 

  (a)

in the case of Dealer Purchased Shares held in uncertificated form, deliver the Dealer Purchased Shares to the Depositary for cancellation; and

 

  (b)

in the case of Dealer Purchased Shares held in certificated form:

 

  a.

deliver a stock transfer form in relation to such Dealer Purchased Shares to the Depositary (or such other person as mutually agreed by the parties hereto), duly executed by Dealer in favor of the Company; and

 

  b.

instruct the Depositary (or such other person as mutually agreed by the parties hereto) to deliver the definitive share certificates evidencing title to such Dealer Purchased Shares to the Company for cancellation following receipt by the Company of the duly stamped stock transfer form in respect of such Dealer Purchased Shares,

in each case in order to effect the “Settlement” (as defined in the Master Put/Call Agreement) of the “Option” (as defined in the Master Put/Call Agreement) exercised pursuant to this Agreement and the Master Put/Call Agreement and Completion for the purposes of this Agreement.

 

2.14

Dealer hereby assigns to the Company, with effect from Completion, all such benefit as it may have, immediately prior to Completion, in any covenants, representations and warranties relating to title and encumbrances in respect of the Dealer Purchased Shares, and the Dealer Purchased Shares shall be sold at Completion with all such right, interest and title as Dealer may have acquired in those Dealer Purchased Shares pursuant to the Tender Offers and the Master Put/Call Agreement.

 

2.15

By way of additional consideration in connection with the exercise of the Option, the Company agrees that it will pay to Dealer in the manner set out in this Agreement an amount equal to any and all stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax (and any interest or penalties thereon) payable by Dealer as a result of Dealer’s acquisition of the Dealer Purchased Shares in accordance with the Tender Offer Documents (excluding any stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax arising under sections 67, 70, 93 or 96 of the UK Finance Act 1986 and any interest, penalties or other damages or charges attributable to any unreasonable delay by the Dealer in connection with the relevant stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax).

 

2.16

The Company acknowledges that it will be liable for, and accordingly agrees that it will pay (or procure the payment of), any and all stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax (and any interest or penalties thereon) attributable to the acquisition of the Dealer Purchased Shares by the Company on exercise of an Option.

 

2.17

Dealer shall pay or cause to be paid all share transfer taxes, if any, applicable to the transfer to it of the Dealer Purchased Shares in the circumstances set out in the Tender Offer Documents, provided that stamp duty and stamp duty reserve tax shall be dealt with in accordance with Sections 1.1(c), 2.11, 2.15 and 2.16.

 

3.

CONDITIONS TO TENDER OFFER

The Company and Dealer each agree and acknowledge that the obligation of Dealer to purchase the Dealer Purchased Shares pursuant to this Agreement and in accordance with the terms of the Tender Offers is subject to the following conditions being satisfied as of the Expiration Date, as determined by Dealer acting reasonably (and in the case of clause (c) upon the advice of Dealer’s counsel):

 

  (a)

the Company has complied with its obligations under Sections 2.6 and 2.7;

 

  (b)

the Company has complied with its obligations under Section 7.3;

 

5


  (c)

the representations and warranties of the Company set forth in Sections 7.1(a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (i), (j) (without regard to sub clause (iii) thereof), and (k) are true and correct.

In the event that Dealer determines that any of the foregoing conditions are not satisfied at any time prior to 11:59 p.m. New York City time on the Expiration Date (the “ Conditions Time ”), Dealer shall promptly notify the Company in writing of the facts (in reasonable detail) giving rise to the failure of such condition (such notice, a “ Condition Breach Notice ”). If the Company has not cured the breach set forth in the Condition Breach Notice prior to the Conditions Time or the breach set forth in the Condition Breach Notice is incapable of being cured prior to the Conditions Time, then Dealer shall not be required to purchase the Dealer Purchased Shares pursuant to this Agreement or in accordance with the terms of the Tender Offers.

 

4.

TENDER OFFER DOCUMENTS

The Company agrees to furnish Dealer with as many copies as it may reasonably request of the Tender Offer Documents to be used by the Company in connection with the Tender Offers. The Company agrees that, prior to using the Tender Offer Documents, it will submit copies of such documents to Dealer and will give reasonable consideration to Dealer’s comments, if any, thereon.

If any event occurs as a result of which any Tender Offer Documents will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, the Company shall, promptly upon becoming aware of any such event, prepare and furnish copies of such amendments or supplements to correct any such Tender Offer Documents to Dealer, and upon notification pursuant to Section 8, Dealer agrees not to use the Tender Offer Documents, in such case, until the Tender Offer Documents are so supplemented or amended.

 

5.

RIGHTS OVER THE REQUIRED AMOUNT; NO SECURITY INTEREST

 

5.1

Without prejudice to the terms of the Payment Instructions, Dealer agrees that (a) unless and until the funds are transferred at Completion in connection with the Required Amount and all amounts are paid in accordance with Section 2.15 and (b) if following Completion or payment to Dealer in accordance with Section 2.15 there are any funds remaining in the Pre-Funding Account or the Sterling Account, as applicable, the Company is entitled to the full beneficial interest in the credit balance of the Pre-Funding Account or the Sterling Account, as applicable, and Dealer shall not have any interest in the credit balance of the Pre-Funding Account or the Sterling Account, as applicable.

 

5.2

Nothing in this Agreement is intended to create or does create in favor of any person any mortgage, charge, lien, pledge, encumbrance or other security interest in the Pre-Funding Account or the Sterling Account or the credit balance of the Pre-Funding Account or the Sterling Account.

 

5.3

From the Cut-Off Time until Completion or in the case of the Liability, payment of all amounts required under Section 2.15 (or termination of this Agreement in accordance with Section  6 ), the Company shall:

 

  (a)

not create or have outstanding any security interest over all or any part of its interest in the Pre-Funding Account or the Sterling Account;

 

  (b)

not transfer, assign or otherwise dispose of all or any part of the Company’s interest in the Pre-Funding Account or the Sterling Account;

 

  (c)

except as set forth in Section 2.8 and Section 5.5, not withdraw any of the Company’s monies from the Pre-Funding Account or the Sterling Account; and

 

  (d)

not revoke or attempt to revoke the Payment Instructions.

 

5.4

Neither the Required Amount nor the Liability shall be affected in any way by:

 

  (a)

any time, indulgence, concession or waiver (other than in writing) given to the Company or any other person, whether by Dealer or any other person; or

 

6


  (b)

the winding up or liquidation of the Company or any other person, or any step being taken for any such winding-up or liquidation.

 

5.5

If, on the Preliminary Results Date, there is an outstanding balance in the Pre-Funding Account in excess of the Required Amount, the Company shall be unconditionally and absolutely entitled to withdraw such balance from the Pre-Funding Account in accordance with Section 2.8, and Dealer undertakes to provide any consents that may be requested by the Company (acting reasonably) to effect such release, including any instructions that may be required by the Broker.

 

5.6

If this Agreement is terminated in accordance with Section 6, the Company shall be unconditionally and absolutely entitled to withdraw any amounts outstanding in the Pre-Funding Account and the Sterling Account, and Dealer undertakes to provide any instructions that may be requested by the Company (acting in good faith) to effect such release, including any instructions that may be required by the Broker.

 

6.

TERMINATION; CONDITIONALITY

 

6.1

This Agreement shall automatically terminate immediately, without any further actions required by the parties hereto, with respect to a Tender Offer upon the Company publicly announcing the termination of such Tender Offer.

 

6.2

None of the Company’s representations, warranties, covenants, undertakings or other agreements contained anywhere in this Agreement (a) shall serve as conditions to Dealer’s obligations hereunder other than as expressly set forth in Section 3 or (b) give Dealer a right to terminate this Agreement. Dealer’s obligations hereunder shall not be subject to (x) any conditions other than as expressly set forth in Section 3 and (y) termination by Dealer for any reason.

 

7.

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES; UNDERTAKINGS

 

7.1

The Company represents and warrants that:

 

  (a)

The Company is validly existing under the laws of England and Wales, with power and authority (corporate and other) to execute and deliver this Agreement and perform its obligations hereunder (and under the Master Put/Call Agreement).

 

  (b)

The Tender Offers and the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement (and under the Master Put/Call Agreement) have been duly authorized by the Company and, to the extent applicable, its subsidiaries, and the Company has received all required approvals of its Shareholders with respect thereto.

 

  (c)

This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Company and, assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by Dealer, is the valid and legally binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles.

 

  (d)

The Company currently has, and will continue to have until Completion, sufficient distributable reserves to satisfy the purchase in full by it of the Tendered Shares pursuant to this Agreement.

 

  (e)

When each notice and Payment Instruction is delivered by the Company pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, it will have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and will be a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable in accordance with its terms and subject to its conditions.

 

  (f)

The Company will have duly filed at the commencement of the Tender Offer the Schedule TO and all other documents required to be filed by it pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC thereunder (collectively, the “ Exchange Act ”). The Tender Offer Documents comply or will comply in all material respects with the applicable provisions of the Exchange Act, and the Tender Offer Documents do not and (as

 

7


  amended or supplemented, if amended or supplemented) will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements made therein, in light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading; provided , however , that no representation is made with respect to any statements contained in, or any matter omitted from, the Tender Offer Documents based upon written information pertaining to Dealer furnished to the Company by Dealer specifically for use therein.

 

  (g)

The financial statements included in or incorporated by reference into the Tender Offer Documents present fairly the financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries as of the dates shown and their results of operations and cash flows for the periods presented, and such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States applied on a consistent basis.

 

  (h)

The Company will, if legally required, distribute or cause to be distributed to the Shareholders, any and all necessary amendments or supplements to the Tender Offer Documents filed with the SEC or any other Federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory authorities or any court that, in each case, has jurisdiction over the Company or its properties (“ Other Agency ”) and will promptly furnish to Dealer true and complete copies of each such amendment and supplement upon the filing thereof.

 

  (i)

The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement and the consummation by the Company of the Tender Offers or the other transactions contemplated to occur pursuant to this Agreement do not and will not require any consent, approval, authorization, or order of, or filing or registration with, the SEC or any Other Agency, except for the filings that may be required under the Exchange Act, the UK Companies Act 2006 or UK stamp tax legislation.

 

  (j)

The Tender Offers and the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement (and under the Master Put/Call Agreement), do not and will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, (i) the memorandum and articles of association of the Company, (ii) any statute, rule, regulation, judgment, decree or order of any governmental agency or body or any court having jurisdiction over the Company or its properties, or (iii) any agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which the Company is bound or to which any of its properties are subject; except, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, breaches, violations and defaults which, individually and in the aggregate, would not result in material adverse effect on the business, affairs or condition (financial or other) or results of operations of the Company and any of its subsidiaries, taken as whole.

 

  (k)

No stop order, restraining order or denial of an application for approval has been issued, and no investigation officially disclosed in writing to the Company, proceeding or litigation has been commenced by the SEC or any Other Agency in the United Kingdom with respect to the making or consummation of the Tender Offer (including the use of funds to purchase the Dealer Purchased Shares pursuant to this Agreement) or the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement.

 

  (l)

To the Company’s knowledge, no proceeding or litigation has been commenced or threatened in writing by or before the SEC or any Other Agency, with respect to the making or consummation of the Tender Offer (including the use of funds to purchase the Dealer Purchased Shares pursuant to this Agreement) or the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement.

 

  (m)

Except as disclosed in the Tender Offer Documents, since the end of the period covered by the latest audited financial statements included in or incorporated by reference into the Tender Offer Documents there has been no material adverse change in the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

 

8


  (n)

Subject to the qualifications in the Offer to Purchase, the Company believes that it was not a “passive foreign investment company” (a “ PFIC ”) as defined in Section 1297 of the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, for the taxable year ended December 31, 2018 and should not be a PFIC for the current or future taxable years.

The representations and warranties in this Section 7.1 shall be deemed repeated as of the Expiration Date.

 

7.2

The Company undertakes that it will advise Dealer promptly of:

 

  (a)

the occurrence of any event that could, in the reasonable judgment of the Company, cause the Company to withdraw, rescind modify or terminate the Tender Offer or the other transactions contemplated to occur pursuant to this Agreement;

 

  (b)

the occurrence of any event, or the discovery of any fact, the occurrence or existence of which the Company believes would require the making of any change or amendment in any of the Tender Offer Documents then being used or would cause any representation or warranty contained in this Agreement to be untrue or inaccurate in any material respect (to the extent not otherwise so qualified);

 

  (c)

any proposal or requirement to make, amend or supplement the Tender Offer Documents, including any filing required to be made by the Company under the Exchange Act in connection with the Tender Offer or the other transactions contemplated to occur pursuant to this Agreement or the Tender Offer Documents, or any other filing in connection with the Tender Offer or the other transactions contemplated to occur pursuant to this Agreement or the Tender Offer Documents pursuant to any other applicable law, rule or regulation;

 

  (d)

the issuance by the SEC or any Other Agency of any formal or informal comment or order or the taking of any other action concerning the Tender Offer or the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Tender Offer Documents (and, if in writing, will furnish Dealer with a copy thereof);

 

  (e)

any other material developments in connection with the Tender Offer or the other transactions contemplated to occur pursuant to this Agreement or the Tender Offer Documents, including, without limitation, the commencement of any lawsuit concerning the Tender Offer; and

 

  (f)

any other information relating to the Tender Offer, the Tender Offer Documents, this Agreement or the other transactions contemplated to occur pursuant to this Agreement or the Tender Offer Documents which Dealer may from time to time reasonably request.

 

7.3

The Company undertakes to Dealer that, on or prior to the Expiration Date, the Company will cause to be delivered to Dealer opinions of Shearman & Sterling LLP addressed to Dealer as to certain matters of US and UK law in the forms previously agreed.

 

7.4

U.S. Tax Provisions . The Company represents, warrants, covenants and agrees that:

 

  (a)

The Company is a “non-U.S. branch of a foreign person” (as that term is used in Section 1.1441-4(a)(3)(ii) of the United States Treasury Regulations) for United States federal income tax purposes. The Company is a “foreign person” (as that term is used in Section 1.6041-4(a)(4) of the United States Treasury Regulations) for United States federal income tax purposes. No income received or to be received under this Agreement will be effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business by the Company in the United States. The Company shall provide to Dealer a validly completed and signed U.S. Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN-E, or any successor thereto, (i) on or before the date of execution of this Agreement, (ii) upon reasonable request of Dealer and (iii) promptly upon learning that any such tax form previously provided by Dealer has become obsolete or incorrect.

 

9


7.5

Dealer represents, warrants, covenants and agrees that:

 

  (a)

all consents and approvals by it to acquire the Dealer Purchased Shares pursuant to the Tender Offers and the sale of such Dealer Purchased Shares to the Company on the terms of this Agreement have been obtained or will be obtained prior to the Expiration Date;

 

  (b)

this Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by Dealer and is a valid and binding agreement of Dealer, enforceable in accordance with its terms and subject to its condition;

 

  (c)

it will not make any statements in connection with the Tender Offers other than the statements that are set forth in, or derived from, the Tender Offer Documents without the prior written consent of the Company; and

 

  (d)

Dealer shall be responsible for any filing, reporting, payment and other obligations it may have under the Exchange Act in connection with its purchase and sale of the Dealer Purchased Shares or otherwise in connection with the Tender Offers and this Agreement.

 

8.

NOTICES

 

8.1

Any notice or other document to be given to the Company under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed duly given if left at, or sent by (i) hand or same day courier; or (ii) email (with a hard copy to follow by first class post) to, the following address:

 

Name:    Liberty Global plc
Address:    Griffin House, 161 Hammersmith Road,
   London W6 8BS,
   United Kingdom
Marked for the attention of:    Office of General Counsel
Email:    ***
   ***
With a copy to:    Shearman and Sterling LLP
Address:    599 Lexington Avenue
   New York City, New York
   10022, United States of America
Marked for the attention of:    George Casey
   Daniel Litowitz
   Simon Burrows
Email copy:    George.Casey@Shearman.com
   Daniel.Litowitz@Shearman.com
   Simon.Burrows@Shearman.com

or to such other address as the Company may by notice to Dealer expressly substitute therefor.

 

8.2

Any notice or other document to be given to Dealer under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed duly given if left at, or sent by (i) hand or same day courier or (ii) email (with a hard copy to follow by first class post) to, the following address:

Name:    Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC
Address:    Eleven Madison Avenue
  

New York, New York 10010

 

10


Marked for the attention of:    Craig A. Wiele
   Stephen Gray
   Lin Yu
   Michael Soumas
Email:    ***
   ***
   ***
   ***
   ***
With a copy to:    Latham & Watkins LLP
Address:    885 Third Ave. New York, New York 10022
Marked for the attention of:    Witold Balaban
   Catherine Lee
   Jeremy Green
Email copy:    Witold.Balaban@lw.com
   Catherine.Lee@lw.com
   Jeremy.Green@lw.com

or to such other address as Dealer may by notice to the Company expressly substitute therefor.

 

8.3

Any notice or other document to be given to a party hereto under this Agreement shall be deemed to have been given, in the case of delivery by hand or same day courier, on the date of such delivery and, in the case of delivery by email, when sent ( provided that the sender does not within one (1) hour of sending receive a message stating that the email was undeliverable).

 

8.4

In proving the giving of a notice it shall be sufficient to prove that the notice was left or that the envelope containing such notice was properly addressed and couriered or that the email was properly addressed and dispatched (as the case may be).

 

9.

MISCELLANEOUS

 

9.1

Save as expressly provided in Section 6, no party hereto may terminate or rescind this Agreement for any reason whatsoever.

 

9.2

All representations, warranties and undertakings contained in this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding completion of the sale and purchase of the Tendered Shares pursuant to this Agreement.

 

9.3

This Agreement may be varied only by a document duly executed by each of the Company and Dealer.

 

9.4

No breach of any provision of this Agreement shall be waived or discharged except with the express written consent of each of the Company and Dealer; provided that a breach of any provision which is included in this Agreement exclusively for the benefit of the Company may, if the Company so determines (in its absolute and unfettered discretion), be waived or discharged unilaterally by the Company; and provided that a breach of any provision which is included in this Agreement exclusively for the benefit of Dealer may, if Dealer so determines (in its absolute and unfettered discretion), be waived or discharged unilaterally by Dealer. No failure or delay by the Company or Dealer to exercise any of its rights under this Agreement shall operate as a waiver thereof, and no single or partial exercise of any such right shall prevent any other or further exercise of that or any other right.

 

11


9.5

The rights and remedies provided in this Agreement are cumulative and not exclusive of any other rights or remedies (whether provided by law or otherwise). Where there is any ambiguity or conflict between the rights conferred by law and those conferred by or pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, this Agreement shall prevail.

 

9.6

This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts which together shall constitute one document. The Company or Dealer may enter into this Agreement by executing a counterpart and this Agreement shall not take effect until it has been executed by the Company and Dealer. Delivery of an executed signature page of a counterpart by facsimile transmission or in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) sent by electronic mail, together with a complete copy of the relevant counterpart (which may, itself be unsigned), shall take effect as delivery of an executed counterpart of this Agreement. If either method is adopted, without prejudice to the validity of such Agreement, each of the Company and Dealer shall provide the other with the original of such page counterpart as soon as reasonably practicable thereafter.

 

9.7

The Agreement, and all disputes arising out of or in connection with this Agreement or the subject matter hereof, will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York without reference to choice of law doctrine and each party hereto hereby submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the Courts of the State of New York or the U.S. federal courts in each case located in the Borough of Manhattan in New York City.

 

9.8

EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY WAIVES TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY WITH RESPECT TO ANY DISPUTES DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF, UNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED TO OCCUR PURSUANT TO THIS AGREEMENT. EACH OF THE HERETO PARTIES HEREBY (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF THE OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT HAS BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT AND THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED TO OCCUR PURSUANT TO THIS AGREEMENT, AS APPLICABLE, BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION 9.8.

 

9.9

The parties hereto have participated jointly in the negotiation and drafting of this Agreement, and each has been represented by counsel of its choosing, and in the event an ambiguity or question of intent or interpretation arises, this Agreement shall be construed as jointly drafted by the parties hereto, and no presumption or burden of proof shall arise favoring or disfavoring any party hereto by virtue of the authorship of any provision of this Agreement.

 

9.10

The parties hereto irrevocably consent to service of process given in the manner provided for notices under Section 8. Nothing in this Agreement will affect the right of either party hereto to serve process in any other manner permitted by law.

[ Signature Page Follows ]

 

12


Please indicate your acceptance and agreement to the terms of this Agreement by signing and returning the enclosed duplicate of this Agreement.

 

CREDIT SUISSE SECURITIES (USA) LLC

By:   /s/ Barry Dixon
Name:   Barry Dixon
Title:   Director

[Signature Page – Option Framework Agreement (Credit Suisse)]


Confirmed as of the date first written above:

 

LIBERTY GLOBAL PLC

By:   /s/ Jeremy Evans

Name:

 

Jeremy Evans

Title:

 

Authorized Officer

[Signature Page – Option Framework Agreement (Credit Suisse)]


SCHEDULE 1

 

From:

  

Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC

  

Eleven Madison Avenue

  

New York, New York 10010

To:

  

Liberty Global plc

  

Griffin House, 161 Hammersmith Road,

  

London W6 8BS,

  

United Kingdom

  

For the attention of: [ 🌑 ]

Dear Sirs

OPTION FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT – PUT OPTION EXERCISE NOTICE

We refer to the option framework agreement dated August 9, 2019 between yourselves and ourselves (the “ Option Framework Agreement ”) and the Final Results Notice. Capitalized terms used herein shall have the same meanings as are attributed to them in the Option Framework Agreement, unless the context otherwise requires.

We hereby exercise the Put Option in respect of all of the Dealer Purchased Shares.

This notice shall also comprise an “Exercise Notice” (as defined in the Master Put/Call Agreement) for the purposes of the master put/call agreement between yourselves and ourselves dated August 9, 2019.

 

[ 🌑 ]

 

Yours faithfully

 

 

[Name and title]

For and on behalf of [ 🌑 ]


SCHEDULE 2

 

From:

  

Liberty Global plc

  

Griffin House, 161 Hammersmith Road,

  

London W6 8BS,

  

United Kingdom

To:

  

Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC

  

Eleven Madison Avenue

  

New York, New York 10010

  

For the attention of: Craig Wiele

Dear Sirs

OPTION FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT – CALL OPTION EXERCISE NOTICE

We refer to the option framework agreement dated August 9, 2019 between yourselves and ourselves (the “ Option Framework Agreement ”) and the Final Results Notice. Capitalized terms used herein shall have the same meanings as are attributed to them in the Option Framework Agreement, unless the context otherwise requires.

We hereby exercise the Call Option in respect of all of the Dealer Purchased Shares.

This notice shall also comprise an “Exercise Notice” (as defined in the Master Put/Call Agreement) for the purposes of the master put/call agreement between yourselves and ourselves dated August 9, 2019.

 

[ 🌑 ]

 

Yours faithfully

 

 

[Name and title]

For and on behalf of Liberty Global plc


SCHEDULE 3

Form of Irrevocable Payment Instructions

Liberty Global plc

Griffin House, 161 Hammersmith Road,

London W6 8BS,

United Kingdom

Tel.: +44 (20) 8483-6300

+1 (303) 220-6600

Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC

Eleven Madison Avenue

New York, New York 10010

[ 🌑 ], 2019

Liberty Global plc (the “Company”) – Irrevocable Payment Instruction (the “Instruction”).

We refer to the Option Framework Agreement dated August 9, 2019 (the “ Option Framework Agreement ”), among Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC (“ Dealer ”) and the Company and any capitalized terms not defined herein shall have the meaning assigned to such terms in the Option Framework Agreement.

The Company has (x) established an equity account with you with account number [________] (the “ Account ”) and (y) provided you with a specimen signature in respect of the undersigned.

In addition, pursuant to the Option Framework Agreement, the Company has deposited into the Account an amount equal to USD [______] in respect of the Funded Amount and instructed you to use such funds to purchase certain U.S. treasury bills treasury bills. We hereby irrevocably instruct you to sell such treasury bills for cash on the first Business Day immediately prior to the Settlement Date, which such sale to settle on the Settlement Date.

We hereby irrevocably instruct you to, upon receipt of the Settlement Notice from Dealer, transfer an amount in USD equal to the Required Amount specified in the Settlement Notice, to Dealer at an account specified by Dealer.

Nothing contained in this Instruction shall prohibit, restrict or otherwise prevent the Company from withdrawing cash and/or securities from the Pre-Funding Account in accordance with Section 2.8(a) and Section 5.5 of the Option Framework Agreement.

In the event you receive any instructions or communications purporting to terminate this Instruction from the Company or any entity other than Dealer, you shall not comply with such instructions and shall provide immediate written notice to Dealer of such instructions at the following notice details:

 

Name:    Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC
Address:    Eleven Madison Avenue
   New York, New York 10010
Marked for the attention of:    Craig A. Wiele
   Stephen Gray
   Lin Yu
   Michael Soumas
Email:    ***
   ***
   ***
   ***
   ***


With a copy to:    Latham & Watkins LLP
Address:    885 Third Ave. New York, New York 10022
Marked for the attention of:    Witold Balaban
   Catherine Lee
   Jeremy Green
Email copy:    Witold.Balaban@lw.com
   Catherine.Lee@lw.com
   Jeremy.Green@lw.com

Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall this Instruction be deemed to be a pledge of the Company’s interest in the Account or the Funded Amount.

 

Yours faithfully,

 

 

[Name and title]

For and on behalf of Liberty Global plc

Exhibit (d)(4)

EXECUTION VERSION

Liberty Global plc

Griffin House, 161 Hammersmith Road,

London W6 8BS,

United Kingdom

Tel.: +44 (20) 8483-6300

+1 (303) 220-6600

HSBC Securities (USA) Inc.

452 Fifth Ave

New York, New York 10018

August 9, 2019

Dear Sirs,

Liberty Global plc (the “Company”) – Option Framework Agreement (this “Agreement”).

We refer to the Offer to Purchase, to be dated August 12, 2019 or thereabouts (together with any amendments or supplements thereto, the “ Offer to Purchase ”), the related Letter of Transmittal (together with any amendments or supplements thereto, the “ Letter of Transmittal ”), and the other related materials as may be amended or supplemented from time to time (together with the Offer to Purchase and the Letter of Transmittal, the “ Tender Offer Documents ”) sent by the Company to its shareholders and the tender offers referred to therein.

This Agreement constitutes an Option Framework Agreement for the purposes of the Master Put/Call Agreement dated August 9, 2019 (the “ Master Put/Call Agreement ”), among HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. (“ Dealer ”) and the Company.

We write to confirm the terms on which (a) the Company appoints Dealer, acting as a principal and not as an agent, nominee or trustee, to purchase from shareholders of the Company (the “ Shareholders ”) (i) up to $625 million in value of the Company’s Class A ordinary shares, nominal value $0.01 per share (each, a “ Class  A Share ”), at a price range to be set forth in the Offer to Purchase (the “ Class  A Offer ”), and (ii) up to $1.875 billion in value of the Company’s Class C ordinary shares, nominal value $0.01 per share (each, a “ Class  C Share, ” and the Class A Shares, individually or collectively with the Class C Shares, as appropriate, the “ Liberty Shares ”), at a price range to be set forth in the Offer to Purchase (the “ Class  C Offer ”), in each case, to the seller in cash, less any applicable withholding taxes and without interest, upon the terms and subject to the conditions described in the Offer to Purchase; (b) the Company agrees to grant to Dealer the right to exercise rights under the Master Put/Call Agreement to require the Company to purchase the Liberty Shares purchased by Dealer in the Tender Offers; and (c) Dealer agrees to grant to the Company the right to exercise rights under the Master Put/Call Agreement to require Dealer to sell to the Company the Liberty Shares purchased by Dealer in the Tender Offers. The Class A Offer and Class C Offer are collectively referred to as the “ Tender Offers ” and individually as a “ Tender Offer .”

Terms used in this Agreement shall, unless otherwise indicated, bear the same meanings as are attributed to them in the Offer to Purchase. For the purposes of this Agreement, (a) “ Business Day ” means “business day” as defined in the Offer to Purchase, (b) “ Class  A Tendered Shares ” means the Class A Shares which are properly tendered in the Class A Offer by the Shareholders and not properly withdrawn from the Class A Offer and acquired by Dealer as principal pursuant to the Class A Offer, (c) “ Class  C Tendered Shares ” means the Class C Shares which are properly tendered in the Class C Offer by the Shareholders and not properly withdrawn from the Class C Offer and acquired by Dealer as principal pursuant to the Class C Offer, (d) “ Class  A Strike Price ” means the price per Class A Share at which the Class A Shares are acquired by Dealer in the Class A Offer pursuant to the terms of the Offer to Purchase, (e) “ Class  C Strike Price ” means the price per Class C Share at which the Class C Shares are acquired by Dealer in the Class C Offer pursuant to the terms of the Offer to Purchase, (f) “ Tendered Shares ” means, collectively, the Class A Tendered Shares and the Class C Tendered Shares and (g) “ Strike Price ” means the Class A Strike Price or the Class C Strike Price, as applicable.

 

1.

TENDER OFFERS

 

1.1

The parties hereto hereby acknowledge and agree that the Tendered Shares purchased in the Tender Offers will initially be purchased by Dealer and Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, each acting as a principal and


  not as agent, nominee or trustee. Dealer agrees to (a) purchase the number of Tendered Shares equal to fifty percent (50%) of the Tendered Shares in the applicable Tender Offer at the applicable Strike Price, in each case, set forth in the Final Results Notice (as defined below) (such Tendered Shares, the “ Dealer Purchased Shares ”), (b) wire to the Depositary (as defined in the Offer to Purchase) the amount of funds required to purchase the Dealer Purchased Shares in accordance with the wire instructions in the Final Results Notice on the date and time set forth in the Final Results Notice and (c) wire to the Depositary (or such other person as mutually agreed by the parties hereto) an amount in pounds sterling equal to any and all stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax (and any interest or penalties thereon) payable by Dealer as a result of Dealer’s acquisition of the Dealer Purchased Shares reasonably promptly following being notified of (1) such amount by the Depositary and (2) the deposit by the Company of an amount equal to the Liability (as defined below) in the Sterling Account (as defined below) in accordance with Section 2.10.

 

1.2

The parties hereto further acknowledge and agree that, the Company shall, in its sole discretion, make all decisions and determinations with respect to the Tender Offers, including with respect to the amendment or extension of any Tender Offer, the satisfaction or waiver of any conditions described in the Offer to Purchase, and, subject to Section 3, the acceptance of the Dealer Purchased Shares for purchase by Dealer.

 

1.3

By no later than 9:00 am New York City time on the first (1 st ) Business Day after the Expiration Date (as set forth in the Offer to Purchase) (the “ Initial Expiration Date ”) or, in the event a Tender Offer is, or the Tender Offers are, extended, at such time on the first (1 st ) Business Day after the then scheduled expiration date (the “ Expiration Date ”), the Company will deliver to Dealer a written notice stating that (a) either Tender Offer expired on the Initial Expiration Date or then scheduled Expiration Date, as the case may be, or (b) the Company has extended either Tender Offer (including specifying the applicable extension period and subsequent Expiration Date).

 

1.4

If the Company delivers a written notice in accordance with Section 1.3(a), on the first (1 st ) Business Day after the Initial Expiration Date or in the event a Tender Offer is, or the Tender Offers are, extended past the Initial Expiration Date or a subsequent Expiration Date, as the case may be, the first (1 st ) Business Day after the applicable Expiration Date, the Company shall deliver to Dealer a notice (such notice, the “ Preliminary Results Notice ” and the date on which such notice is delivered, the “ Preliminary Results Date ”) setting forth (a) the preliminary results of the Tender Offers and (b) the Company’s good faith estimate of (i) the number of the Dealer Purchased Shares based on such preliminary results, (ii) the resulting Required Amount (as defined below) assuming a Class A Strike Price equal to the estimate of the Final Class A Purchase Price (as defined in the Offer to Purchase) set forth in the Company’s press release announcing the preliminary results of the Tender Offers and a Class C Strike Price equal to the estimate of the Final Class C Purchase Price (as defined in the Offer to Purchase) set forth in the Company’s press release announcing the preliminary results of the Tender Offers and (iii) the aggregate amount of the Liability (as defined below) in respect of the Dealer Purchased Shares, if any.

 

1.5

On the Business Day immediately preceding the day on which the Company publicly announces the final results of a Tender Offer or the Tender Offers, the Company shall deliver to Dealer a notice (the “ Final Results Notice ”) setting forth (a) the final results of the Tender Offers, (b) the number of Tendered Shares in the applicable Tender Offer to be purchased by Dealer, (c) the resulting Required Amount, (d) the Company’s good faith estimate of the aggregate amount of the Liability, if any, (e) wire instructions of the Depositary for the deposit of the amount of funds required to purchase the Dealer Purchased Shares and (f) the date on, and the time prior to, which Dealer shall wire to the Depositary the amount of funds required to purchase the Dealer Purchased Shares; provided that such time shall not be earlier than 9:00 am New York City Time (such date, the “ Settlement Date ”).

 

2.

GRANT OF OPTIONS

 

2.1

Subject to the Tender Offer becoming unconditional in all respects and not being terminated in accordance with the Offer to Purchase and to Dealer purchasing and receiving (subject to the completion of stamping formalities, if necessary) the Dealer Purchased Shares: (a) the Company hereby grants to Dealer the right (the “ Put Option ”) to exercise rights under the Master Put/Call Agreement to require the Company to purchase the Dealer Purchased Shares from Dealer; and (b) Dealer hereby grants to the Company the right (the “ Call Option ”) to exercise rights under the Master Put/Call Agreement to require Dealer to sell the

 

2


  Dealer Purchased Shares to the Company, each on the terms of this Agreement. In this Agreement, the term “ Option ” refers to whichever of the Put Option and the Call Option has been exercised. If an Option is exercised, the party hereto which exercises such Option shall also exercise the equivalent “Option” under the Master Put/Call Agreement at the same time in accordance with Section 2.3. For the purposes of the Master Put/Call Agreement: (x) the “Exercise Shares” (as defined in the Master Put/Call Agreement) shall be a number of Liberty Shares equal to the number of the Dealer Purchased Shares; (y) the “Exercise Price” (as defined in the Master Put/Call Agreement) shall be equal to (i) the applicable Strike Price for the Dealer Purchased Shares and (ii) the amount of any Liability in respect of those Dealer Purchased Shares in each case being purchased in the applicable Tender Offer; and (z) the “Exercise Date” (as defined in the Master Put/Call Agreement) shall be the date on which the Option is exercised.

 

2.2

Subject to Section 2.3, notice to exercise the relevant Option may be given at any time on or after the Preliminary Results Notice is delivered or, subject to the Master Put/Call Agreement, such other time(s) or date(s) as the Company and Dealer agree in respect of all (but not less than all) of the Dealer Purchased Shares (a) by Dealer to the Company by way of a written notice in the form set out in Schedule 1 of this Agreement in respect of the exercise of the Put Option (the “ Put Option Exercise Notice ”) or (b) by the Company to Dealer by way of a written notice in the form set out in Schedule 2 of this Agreement in respect of the exercise of the Call Option (the “ Call Option Exercise Notice ”).

 

2.3

Following service of a Put Option Exercise Notice or a Call Option Exercise Notice pursuant to Section 2.2 (being an “ Option Exercise Notice ”), no further Option Exercise Notice may be served. The Option Exercise Notice shall also comprise an “Exercise Notice” (as defined in the Master Put/Call Agreement) for the purposes of the Master Put/Call Agreement and accordingly exercise of an Option shall also constitute exercise of the equivalent “Option” under the Master Put/Call Agreement without requirement for delivery of any further notice.

 

2.4

Each Dealer Purchased Share purchased by the Company from Dealer on exercise of an Option and of the equivalent “Option” under the Master Put/Call Agreement shall be purchased at a price per Dealer Purchased Share equal to the sum of applicable Strike Price and the amount of any Liability in respect of that Dealer Purchased Share.

 

2.5

The amount to be paid in connection with the exercise of the Option shall be an amount equal to the sum of:

 

  (a)

the product of (i) the number of Class A Shares identified as the Dealer Purchased Shares multiplied by (ii) the Class A Strike Price (the “ Class  A Amount ”), plus

 

  (b)

the product of (i) the number of Class C Shares identified as the Dealer Purchased Shares multiplied by (ii) the Class C Strike Price (such amount together with the Class A Amount, the “ Required Amount ”), plus

 

  (c)

necessary funds to cover any amounts payable under Section 2.15 (the “ Liability ”).

 

2.6

Not later than 4:30 p.m. New York Time on the Expiration Date (such time and date, the “ Cut-Off Time ”), the Company shall (a) either (i) cause Liberty Global Europe 2 Limited to purchase and hold until the Settlement Date, shares of the HSBC US Dollar Liquidity Fund with an aggregate value, based on the market value of such shares as measured on the Expiration Date, equal to not less than $1.25 billion (the “ Funded Amount ”) in Liberty Global Europe 2 Limited’s (“ Liberty Europe ”) account with or managed by HSBC Global Asset Management (USA) Inc. or such other affiliate of Dealer as the parties may mutually agree (the “ Liberty Europe Broker ”, and such account, the “ Liberty Europe Equity Account ”) or (ii) deposit in cleared funds to the Company’s equity account with HSBC Securities (USA) LLC (in such capacity, the “ Broker ” and such account, the “ Company Equity Account ” and together with, the Liberty Europe Equity Account, each a “ Pre-Funding Account ”) an amount equal to the Funded Amount and (b) deliver to the Broker a specimen signature in respect of each of Philip Maton and Nick Marchant (the “ Authorized Signatories ”), who shall each be duly authorized by the Company to direct the dispositions of any funds contained in the Company Equity Account; provided that, in the case of clause (a) of this Section 2.6, if the Company amends the Tender Offer in a way that would increase the potential amount of the Required Amount, the Funded Amount shall be deemed adjusted equal to such greater potential Required Amount.

 

3


2.7

Not later than the Cut-Off Time, the Company shall deliver to the Broker an irrevocable payment instruction in the form attached hereto as Schedule 3 (the “ First Payment Instruction ”) duly executed by one or both of the Authorized Signatories instructing the Broker (upon receipt by the Broker of a copy of the Settlement Notice (as defined below)) to transfer an amount equal to the Required Amount (as set forth in the Settlement Notice) in cleared funds from the Company Equity Account to the account of Dealer designated in the Payment Instruction, in order to effect the “Settlement” (as defined in the Master Put/Call Agreement) of the “Option” (as defined in the Master Put/Call Agreement) exercised pursuant to this Agreement and the Master Put/Call Agreement (“ Completion ”).

 

2.8

If on the Preliminary Results Date:

 

  (a)

the Company publicly announces that a Tender Offer or the Tender Offers are undersubscribed and, as a result of such undersubscription, the Funded Amount is greater than the Required Amount, then, on the Preliminary Results Date, Liberty Europe or the Company shall be entitled to withdraw from the applicable Pre-Funding Account an amount of cash and/or securities with an aggregate value equal to the difference between the Funded Amount and the Required Amount; and

 

  (b)

the Company publicly announces its intention to exercise its right to upsize a Tender Offer or the Tender Offers and, as a result of such upsizing, the Required Amount is greater than Funded Amount, then, on the Preliminary Results Date, the Company shall, or shall cause Liberty Europe to, increase the amount held in the applicable Pre-Funding Account by an amount of cash and/or securities with an aggregate value equal to the difference between the Required Amount and the Funded Amount.

 

2.9

The Company shall, by no later than (x) 4:00 p.m. Paris time, deliver to Dealer reasonable evidence of the steps taken to cause an amount of cash in cleared funds equal to the Required Amount to be wired to the Company Equity Account by 9:00 a.m. New York City time on the Settlement Date and (y) 9:00 a.m. New York City time, cause an amount of cash in cleared funds equal to the Required Amount to be held in the Company Equity Account by on the Settlement Date.

 

2.10

Not later than 4:30 p.m. New York time on the first (1 st ) Business Day after the amount of the Liability, if any, has been confirmed to Dealer and the Company by the Depositary following Dealer’s receipt of the Dealer Purchased Shares, and subject to receipt by the Company of the Settlement Notice (as defined below), the Company shall (a) deposit in cleared funds to a pound sterling denominated account established by and opened with the Broker or an affiliate thereof in the name of the Company an amount equal to the Liability (such account, the “ Sterling Account ”) and (b) deliver to the Broker or the Broker’s relevant affiliate an irrevocable payment instruction substantially in the form attached hereto as Schedule 3 (the “ Second Payment Instruction ”, and together with the First Payment Instruction, the “ Payment Instructions ”) duly executed by one or both Authorized Signatories instructing the Broker to transfer the amount of the Liability in cleared funds from the Sterling Account to the account of Dealer designated in the Second Payment Instruction. Payment of the Required Amount and the Liability to the account of Dealer designated in the Payment Instructions shall satisfy the Company’s obligations to pay any amount on “Settlement” under the Master Put/Call Agreement.

 

2.11

The parties acknowledge and agree that the Depositary (or such other person as mutually agreed by the parties hereto) has been instructed to co-ordinate stamp duty matters in relation to the Dealer Purchased Shares tendered in certificated form, including the calculation of the amount of the Liability.

 

2.12

Immediately following (x) Dealer depositing with the Depositary the funds required to purchase the Dealer Purchased Shares and (y) (subject to the completion of stamping formalities, if necessary) Dealer’s receipt of the Dealer Purchased Shares, Dealer will send a written notice informing the Company and the Broker that the settlement of the Dealer Purchased Shares has occurred (the “ Settlement Notice ”). As soon as is reasonably practicable, but in no event later than one (1) Business Day following Settlement (as defined in the Master Put/Call Agreement), Dealer shall provide the Company with a trade confirmation in respect of the acquisition by the Company of the Dealer Purchased Shares from Dealer pursuant to the exercise of the equivalent “Option” under the Master Put/Call Agreement.

 

4


2.13

Immediately following exercise of an Option in accordance with this Agreement and subject to receipt by the Company of the Settlement Notice, Dealer shall:

 

  (a)

in the case of Dealer Purchased Shares held in uncertificated form, deliver the Dealer Purchased Shares to the Depositary for cancellation; and

 

  (b)

in the case of Dealer Purchased Shares held in certificated form:

 

  a.

deliver a stock transfer form in relation to such Dealer Purchased Shares to the Depositary (or such other person as mutually agreed by the parties hereto), duly executed by Dealer in favor of the Company; and

 

  b.

instruct the Depositary (or such other person as mutually agreed by the parties hereto) to deliver the definitive share certificates evidencing title to such Dealer Purchased Shares to the Company for cancellation following receipt by the Company of the duly stamped stock transfer form in respect of such Dealer Purchased Shares,

in each case in order to effect the “Settlement” (as defined in the Master Put/Call Agreement) of the “Option” (as defined in the Master Put/Call Agreement) exercised pursuant to this Agreement and the Master Put/Call Agreement and Completion for the purposes of this Agreement.

 

2.14

Dealer hereby assigns to the Company, with effect from Completion, all such benefit as it may have, immediately prior to Completion, in any covenants, representations and warranties relating to title and encumbrances in respect of the Dealer Purchased Shares, and the Dealer Purchased Shares shall be sold at Completion with all such right, interest and title as Dealer may have acquired in those Dealer Purchased Shares pursuant to the Tender Offers and the Master Put/Call Agreement.

 

2.15

By way of additional consideration in connection with the exercise of the Option, the Company agrees that it will pay to Dealer in the manner set out in this Agreement an amount equal to any and all stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax (and any interest or penalties thereon) payable by Dealer as a result of Dealer’s acquisition of the Dealer Purchased Shares in accordance with the Tender Offer Documents (excluding any stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax arising under sections 67, 70, 93 or 96 of the UK Finance Act 1986 and any interest, penalties or other damages or charges attributable to any unreasonable delay by the Dealer in connection with the relevant stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax).

 

2.16

The Company acknowledges that it will be liable for, and accordingly agrees that it will pay (or procure the payment of), any and all stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax (and any interest or penalties thereon) attributable to the acquisition of the Dealer Purchased Shares by the Company on exercise of an Option.

 

2.17

Dealer shall pay or cause to be paid all share transfer taxes, if any, applicable to the transfer to it of the Dealer Purchased Shares in the circumstances set out in the Tender Offer Documents, provided that stamp duty and stamp duty reserve tax shall be dealt with in accordance with Sections 1.1(c), 2.11, 2.15 and 2.16.

 

3.

CONDITIONS TO TENDER OFFER

The Company and Dealer each agree and acknowledge that the obligation of Dealer to purchase the Dealer Purchased Shares pursuant to this Agreement and in accordance with the terms of the Tender Offers is subject to the following conditions being satisfied as of the Expiration Date, as determined by Dealer acting reasonably (and in the case of clause (c) upon the advice of Dealer’s counsel):

 

  (a)

the Company has complied with its obligations under Sections 2.6 and 2.7;

 

  (b)

the Company has complied with its obligations under Section 7.3;

 

  (c)

the representations and warranties of the Company set forth in Sections 7.1(a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (i), (j) (without regard to sub clause (iii) thereof), and (k) are true and correct.

 

5


In the event that Dealer determines that any of the foregoing conditions are not satisfied at any time prior to 11:59 p.m. New York City time on the Expiration Date (the “ Conditions Time ”), Dealer shall promptly notify the Company in writing of the facts (in reasonable detail) giving rise to the failure of such condition (such notice, a “ Condition Breach Notice ”). If the Company has not cured the breach set forth in the Condition Breach Notice prior to the Conditions Time or the breach set forth in the Condition Breach Notice is incapable of being cured prior to the Conditions Time, then Dealer shall not be required to purchase the Dealer Purchased Shares pursuant to this Agreement or in accordance with the terms of the Tender Offers.

 

4.

TENDER OFFER DOCUMENTS

The Company agrees to furnish Dealer with as many copies as it may reasonably request of the Tender Offer Documents to be used by the Company in connection with the Tender Offers. The Company agrees that, prior to using the Tender Offer Documents, it will submit copies of such documents to Dealer and will give reasonable consideration to Dealer’s comments, if any, thereon.

If any event occurs as a result of which any Tender Offer Documents will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, the Company shall, promptly upon becoming aware of any such event, prepare and furnish copies of such amendments or supplements to correct any such Tender Offer Documents to Dealer, and upon notification pursuant to Section 8, Dealer agrees not to use the Tender Offer Documents, in such case, until the Tender Offer Documents are so supplemented or amended.

 

5.

RIGHTS OVER THE REQUIRED AMOUNT; NO SECURITY INTEREST

 

5.1

Without prejudice to the terms of the Payment Instructions, Dealer agrees that (a) unless and until the funds are transferred at Completion in connection with the Required Amount and all amounts are paid in accordance with Section 2.15 and (b) if following Completion or payment to Dealer in accordance with Section 2.15 there are any funds remaining in a Pre-Funding Account or the Sterling Account, as applicable, the Company is entitled to the full beneficial interest in the credit balance of a Pre-Funding Account or the Sterling Account, as applicable, and Dealer shall not have any interest in the credit balance of a Pre-Funding Account or the Sterling Account, as applicable.

 

5.2

Nothing in this Agreement is intended to create or does create in favor of any person any mortgage, charge, lien, pledge, encumbrance or other security interest in a Pre-Funding Account or the Sterling Account or the credit balance of a Pre-Funding Account or the Sterling Account.

 

5.3

From the Cut-Off Time until Completion or in the case of the Liability, payment of all amounts required under Section 2.15 (or termination of this Agreement in accordance with Section  6 ), the Company shall:

 

  (a)

not create or have outstanding any security interest over all or any part of its interest in a Pre-Funding Account or the Sterling Account;

 

  (b)

not transfer, assign or otherwise dispose of all or any part of the Company’s interest in a Pre-Funding Account or the Sterling Account;

 

  (c)

except as set forth in Section 2.8 and Section 5.5, not withdraw any of the Company’s monies from a Pre-Funding Account or the Sterling Account; and

 

  (d)

not revoke or attempt to revoke the Payment Instructions.

 

5.4

Neither the Required Amount nor the Liability shall be affected in any way by:

 

  (a)

any time, indulgence, concession or waiver (other than in writing) given to the Company or any other person, whether by Dealer or any other person; or

 

  (b)

the winding up or liquidation of the Company or any other person, or any step being taken for any such winding-up or liquidation.

 

6


5.5

If, on the Preliminary Results Date, there is an outstanding balance in a Pre-Funding Account in excess of the Required Amount, the Company shall be unconditionally and absolutely entitled to withdraw such balance from a Pre-Funding Account in accordance with Section 2.8, and Dealer undertakes to provide any consents that may be requested by the Company (acting reasonably) to effect such release, including any instructions that may be required by the Broker.

 

5.6

If this Agreement is terminated in accordance with Section 6, the Company shall be unconditionally and absolutely entitled to withdraw any amounts outstanding in a Pre-Funding Account and the Sterling Account, and Dealer undertakes to provide any instructions that may be requested by the Company (acting in good faith) to effect such release, including any instructions that may be required by the Broker.

 

6.

TERMINATION; CONDITIONALITY

 

6.1

This Agreement shall automatically terminate immediately, without any further actions required by the parties hereto, with respect to a Tender Offer upon the Company publicly announcing the termination of such Tender Offer.

 

6.2

None of the Company’s representations, warranties, covenants, undertakings or other agreements contained anywhere in this Agreement (a) shall serve as conditions to Dealer’s obligations hereunder other than as expressly set forth in Section 3 or (b) give Dealer a right to terminate this Agreement. Dealer’s obligations hereunder shall not be subject to (x) any conditions other than as expressly set forth in Section 3 and (y) termination by Dealer for any reason.

 

7.

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES; UNDERTAKINGS

 

7.1

The Company represents and warrants that:

 

  (a)

The Company is validly existing under the laws of England and Wales, with power and authority (corporate and other) to execute and deliver this Agreement and perform its obligations hereunder (and under the Master Put/Call Agreement).

 

  (b)

The Tender Offers and the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement (and under the Master Put/Call Agreement) have been duly authorized by the Company and, to the extent applicable, its subsidiaries, and the Company has received all required approvals of its Shareholders with respect thereto.

 

  (c)

This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Company and, assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by Dealer, is the valid and legally binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles.

 

  (d)

The Company currently has, and will continue to have until Completion, sufficient distributable reserves to satisfy the purchase in full by it of the Tendered Shares pursuant to this Agreement.

 

  (e)

When each notice and Payment Instruction is delivered by the Company pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, it will have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and will be a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable in accordance with its terms and subject to its conditions.

 

  (f)

The Company will have duly filed at the commencement of the Tender Offer the Schedule TO and all other documents required to be filed by it pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC thereunder (collectively, the “ Exchange Act ”). The Tender Offer Documents comply or will comply in all material respects with the applicable provisions of the Exchange Act, and the Tender Offer Documents do not and (as amended or supplemented, if amended or supplemented) will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the

 

7


  statements made therein, in light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading; provided , however , that no representation is made with respect to any statements contained in, or any matter omitted from, the Tender Offer Documents based upon written information pertaining to Dealer furnished to the Company by Dealer specifically for use therein.

 

  (g)

The financial statements included in or incorporated by reference into the Tender Offer Documents present fairly the financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries as of the dates shown and their results of operations and cash flows for the periods presented, and such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States applied on a consistent basis.

 

  (h)

The Company will, if legally required, distribute or cause to be distributed to the Shareholders, any and all necessary amendments or supplements to the Tender Offer Documents filed with the SEC or any other Federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory authorities or any court that, in each case, has jurisdiction over the Company or its properties (“ Other Agency ”) and will promptly furnish to Dealer true and complete copies of each such amendment and supplement upon the filing thereof.

 

  (i)

The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement and the consummation by the Company of the Tender Offers or the other transactions contemplated to occur pursuant to this Agreement do not and will not require any consent, approval, authorization, or order of, or filing or registration with, the SEC or any Other Agency, except for the filings that may be required under the Exchange Act, the UK Companies Act 2006 or UK stamp tax legislation.

 

  (j)

The Tender Offers and the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement (and under the Master Put/Call Agreement), do not and will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, (i) the memorandum and articles of association of the Company, (ii) any statute, rule, regulation, judgment, decree or order of any governmental agency or body or any court having jurisdiction over the Company or its properties, or (iii) any agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which the Company is bound or to which any of its properties are subject; except, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, breaches, violations and defaults which, individually and in the aggregate, would not result in material adverse effect on the business, affairs or condition (financial or other) or results of operations of the Company and any of its subsidiaries, taken as whole.

 

  (k)

No stop order, restraining order or denial of an application for approval has been issued, and no investigation officially disclosed in writing to the Company, proceeding or litigation has been commenced by the SEC or any Other Agency in the United Kingdom with respect to the making or consummation of the Tender Offer (including the use of funds to purchase the Dealer Purchased Shares pursuant to this Agreement) or the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement.

 

  (l)

To the Company’s knowledge, no proceeding or litigation has been commenced or threatened in writing by or before the SEC or any Other Agency, with respect to the making or consummation of the Tender Offer (including the use of funds to purchase the Dealer Purchased Shares pursuant to this Agreement) or the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement.

 

  (m)

Except as disclosed in the Tender Offer Documents, since the end of the period covered by the latest audited financial statements included in or incorporated by reference into the Tender Offer Documents there has been no material adverse change in the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

 

  (n)

Subject to the qualifications in the Offer to Purchase, the Company believes that it was not a “passive foreign investment company” (a “ PFIC ”) as defined in Section 1297 of the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, for the taxable year ended December 31, 2018 and should not be a PFIC for the current or future taxable years.

 

8


The representations and warranties in this Section 7.1 shall be deemed repeated as of the Expiration Date.

 

7.2

The Company undertakes that it will advise Dealer promptly of:

 

  (a)

the occurrence of any event that could, in the reasonable judgment of the Company, cause the Company to withdraw, rescind modify or terminate the Tender Offer or the other transactions contemplated to occur pursuant to this Agreement;

 

  (b)

the occurrence of any event, or the discovery of any fact, the occurrence or existence of which the Company believes would require the making of any change or amendment in any of the Tender Offer Documents then being used or would cause any representation or warranty contained in this Agreement to be untrue or inaccurate in any material respect (to the extent not otherwise so qualified);

 

  (c)

any proposal or requirement to make, amend or supplement the Tender Offer Documents, including any filing required to be made by the Company under the Exchange Act in connection with the Tender Offer or the other transactions contemplated to occur pursuant to this Agreement or the Tender Offer Documents, or any other filing in connection with the Tender Offer or the other transactions contemplated to occur pursuant to this Agreement or the Tender Offer Documents pursuant to any other applicable law, rule or regulation;

 

  (d)

the issuance by the SEC or any Other Agency of any formal or informal comment or order or the taking of any other action concerning the Tender Offer or the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Tender Offer Documents (and, if in writing, will furnish Dealer with a copy thereof);

 

  (e)

any other material developments in connection with the Tender Offer or the other transactions contemplated to occur pursuant to this Agreement or the Tender Offer Documents, including, without limitation, the commencement of any lawsuit concerning the Tender Offer; and

 

  (f)

any other information relating to the Tender Offer, the Tender Offer Documents, this Agreement or the other transactions contemplated to occur pursuant to this Agreement or the Tender Offer Documents which Dealer may from time to time reasonably request.

 

7.3

The Company undertakes to Dealer that, on or prior to the Expiration Date, the Company will cause to be delivered to Dealer opinions of Shearman & Sterling LLP addressed to Dealer as to certain matters of US and UK law in the forms previously agreed.

 

7.4

U.S. Tax Provisions . The Company represents, warrants, covenants and agrees that:

 

  (a)

The Company is a “non-U.S. branch of a foreign person” (as that term is used in Section 1.1441-4(a)(3)(ii) of the United States Treasury Regulations) for United States federal income tax purposes. The Company is a “foreign person” (as that term is used in Section 1.6041-4(a)(4) of the United States Treasury Regulations) for United States federal income tax purposes. No income received or to be received under this Agreement will be effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business by the Company in the United States. The Company shall provide to Dealer a validly completed and signed U.S. Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN-E, or any successor thereto, (i) on or before the date of execution of this Agreement, (ii) upon reasonable request of Dealer and (iii) promptly upon learning that any such tax form previously provided by Dealer has become obsolete or incorrect.

 

7.5

Dealer represents, warrants, covenants and agrees that:

 

  (a)

all consents and approvals by it to acquire the Dealer Purchased Shares pursuant to the Tender Offers and the sale of such Dealer Purchased Shares to the Company on the terms of this Agreement have been obtained or will be obtained prior to the Expiration Date;

 

9


  (b)

this Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by Dealer and is a valid and binding agreement of Dealer, enforceable in accordance with its terms and subject to its condition;

 

  (c)

it will not make any statements in connection with the Tender Offers other than the statements that are set forth in, or derived from, the Tender Offer Documents without the prior written consent of the Company; and

 

  (d)

Dealer shall be responsible for any filing, reporting, payment and other obligations it may have under the Exchange Act in connection with its purchase and sale of the Dealer Purchased Shares or otherwise in connection with the Tender Offers and this Agreement.

 

8.

NOTICES

 

8.1

Any notice or other document to be given to the Company under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed duly given if left at, or sent by (i) hand or same day courier; or (ii) email (with a hard copy to follow by first class post) to, the following address:

 

Name:    Liberty Global plc
Address:    Griffin House, 161 Hammersmith Road,
   London W6 8BS,
   United Kingdom
Marked for the attention of:    Office of General Counsel
Email:    ***
   ***
With a copy to:    Shearman and Sterling LLP
Address:    599 Lexington Avenue
   New York City, New York
   10022, United States of America
Marked for the attention of:    George Casey
   Daniel Litowitz
   Simon Burrows
Email copy:    George.Casey@Shearman.com
   Daniel.Litowitz@Shearman.com
   Simon.Burrows@Shearman.com

or to such other address as the Company may by notice to Dealer expressly substitute therefor.

 

8.2

Any notice or other document to be given to Dealer under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed duly given if left at, or sent by (i) hand or same day courier or (ii) email (with a hard copy to follow by first class post) to, the following address:

 

Name:    HSBC Securities (USA) LLC
Address:    452 Fifth Avenue, 8th Floor
   New York, NY 10018
Marked for the attention of:    Jeffrey Nicklas, Director, Equity Capital Markets—Americas
Email:    ***
With a copy to:    Latham & Watkins LLP
Address:    885 Third Ave. New York, New York 10022

 

10


Marked for the attention of:    Witold Balaban
   Catherine Lee
   Jeremy Green
Email copy:    Witold.Balaban@lw.com
   Catherine.Lee@lw.com
   Jeremy.Green@lw.com

or to such other address as Dealer may by notice to the Company expressly substitute therefor.

 

8.3

Any notice or other document to be given to a party hereto under this Agreement shall be deemed to have been given, in the case of delivery by hand or same day courier, on the date of such delivery and, in the case of delivery by email, when sent ( provided that the sender does not within one (1) hour of sending receive a message stating that the email was undeliverable).

 

8.4

In proving the giving of a notice it shall be sufficient to prove that the notice was left or that the envelope containing such notice was properly addressed and couriered or that the email was properly addressed and dispatched (as the case may be).

 

9.

MISCELLANEOUS

 

9.1

Save as expressly provided in Section 6, no party hereto may terminate or rescind this Agreement for any reason whatsoever.

 

9.2

All representations, warranties and undertakings contained in this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding completion of the sale and purchase of the Tendered Shares pursuant to this Agreement.

 

9.3

This Agreement may be varied only by a document duly executed by each of the Company and Dealer.

 

9.4

No breach of any provision of this Agreement shall be waived or discharged except with the express written consent of each of the Company and Dealer; provided that a breach of any provision which is included in this Agreement exclusively for the benefit of the Company may, if the Company so determines (in its absolute and unfettered discretion), be waived or discharged unilaterally by the Company; and provided that a breach of any provision which is included in this Agreement exclusively for the benefit of Dealer may, if Dealer so determines (in its absolute and unfettered discretion), be waived or discharged unilaterally by Dealer. No failure or delay by the Company or Dealer to exercise any of its rights under this Agreement shall operate as a waiver thereof, and no single or partial exercise of any such right shall prevent any other or further exercise of that or any other right.

 

9.5

The rights and remedies provided in this Agreement are cumulative and not exclusive of any other rights or remedies (whether provided by law or otherwise). Where there is any ambiguity or conflict between the rights conferred by law and those conferred by or pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, this Agreement shall prevail.

 

9.6

This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts which together shall constitute one document. The Company or Dealer may enter into this Agreement by executing a counterpart and this Agreement shall not take effect until it has been executed by the Company and Dealer. Delivery of an executed signature page of a counterpart by facsimile transmission or in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) sent by electronic mail, together with a complete copy of the relevant counterpart (which may, itself be unsigned), shall take effect as delivery of an executed counterpart of this Agreement. If either method is adopted, without prejudice to the validity of such Agreement, each of the Company and Dealer shall provide the other with the original of such page counterpart as soon as reasonably practicable thereafter.

 

9.7

The Agreement, and all disputes arising out of or in connection with this Agreement or the subject matter hereof, will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York without reference to choice of law doctrine and each party hereto hereby submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the Courts of the State of New York or the U.S. federal courts in each case located in the Borough of Manhattan in New York City.

 

11


9.8

EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY WAIVES TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY WITH RESPECT TO ANY DISPUTES DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF, UNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED TO OCCUR PURSUANT TO THIS AGREEMENT. EACH OF THE HERETO PARTIES HEREBY (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF THE OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT HAS BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT AND THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED TO OCCUR PURSUANT TO THIS AGREEMENT, AS APPLICABLE, BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION 9.8.

 

9.9

The parties hereto have participated jointly in the negotiation and drafting of this Agreement, and each has been represented by counsel of its choosing, and in the event an ambiguity or question of intent or interpretation arises, this Agreement shall be construed as jointly drafted by the parties hereto, and no presumption or burden of proof shall arise favoring or disfavoring any party hereto by virtue of the authorship of any provision of this Agreement.

 

9.10

The parties hereto irrevocably consent to service of process given in the manner provided for notices under Section 8. Nothing in this Agreement will affect the right of either party hereto to serve process in any other manner permitted by law.

[ Signature Page Follows ]

 

12


Please indicate your acceptance and agreement to the terms of this Agreement by signing and returning the enclosed duplicate of this Agreement.

 

HSBC SECURITIES (USA) LLC
By:   /s/ Jeffrey Nicklas
Name:   Jeffrey Nicklas
Title:   Director

[Signature Page – Option Framework Agreement (HSBC)]


Confirmed as of the date first written above:

 

LIBERTY GLOBAL PLC

By:   /s/ Jeremy Evans
Name:   Jeremy Evans
Title:   Authorized Officer

[Signature Page – Option Framework Agreement (HSBC)]


SCHEDULE 1

 

From:    HSBC Securities (USA) Inc.
   452 Fifth Ave
   New York, New York 10018
To:    Liberty Global plc
   Griffin House, 161 Hammersmith Road,
   London W6 8BS,
   United Kingdom
   For the attention of: [ 🌑 ]

Dear Sirs

OPTION FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT – PUT OPTION EXERCISE NOTICE

We refer to the option framework agreement dated August 9, 2019 between yourselves and ourselves (the “ Option Framework Agreement ”) and the Final Results Notice. Capitalized terms used herein shall have the same meanings as are attributed to them in the Option Framework Agreement, unless the context otherwise requires.

We hereby exercise the Put Option in respect of all of the Dealer Purchased Shares.

This notice shall also comprise an “Exercise Notice” (as defined in the Master Put/Call Agreement) for the purposes of the master put/call agreement between yourselves and ourselves dated August 9, 2019.

 

[ 🌑 ]

 

Yours faithfully

 

 

[Name and title]

For and on behalf of [ 🌑 ]


SCHEDULE 2

 

From:    Liberty Global plc
   Griffin House, 161 Hammersmith Road,
   London W6 8BS,
   United Kingdom
To:    HSBC Securities (USA) Inc.
   452 Fifth Ave
   New York, New York 10018
   For the attention of: Jeffrey Nicklas, Director, Equity Capital Markets - Americas

Dear Sirs

OPTION FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT – CALL OPTION EXERCISE NOTICE

We refer to the option framework agreement dated August 9, 2019 between yourselves and ourselves (the “ Option Framework Agreement ”) and the Final Results Notice. Capitalized terms used herein shall have the same meanings as are attributed to them in the Option Framework Agreement, unless the context otherwise requires.

We hereby exercise the Call Option in respect of all of the Dealer Purchased Shares.

This notice shall also comprise an “Exercise Notice” (as defined in the Master Put/Call Agreement) for the purposes of the master put/call agreement between yourselves and ourselves dated August 9, 2019.

 

[ 🌑 ]

 

Yours faithfully

 

 

[Name and title]

For and on behalf of Liberty Global plc


SCHEDULE 3

Form of Irrevocable Payment Instructions

Liberty Global plc

Griffin House, 161 Hammersmith Road,

London W6 8BS,

United Kingdom

Tel.: +44 (20) 8483-6300

+1 (303) 220-6600

HSBC Securities (USA) Inc.

452 Fifth Ave

New York, New York 10018

[ 🌑 ], 2019

Liberty Global plc (the “Company”) – Irrevocable Payment Instruction (the “Instruction”).

We refer to the Option Framework Agreement dated August 9, 2019 (the “ Option Framework Agreement ”), among HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. (“ Dealer ”) and the Company and any capitalized terms not defined herein shall have the meaning assigned to such terms in the Option Framework Agreement.

The Company has (x) established an equity account with you with account number [________] (the “ Account ”) and (y) provided you with a specimen signature in respect of the undersigned.

Pursuant to the Option Framework Agreement, the Company will deposit in the Account on or prior to the Settlement Date an amount equal to USD equal to the Required Amount.

We hereby irrevocably instruct you to, upon receipt of the Settlement Notice from Dealer, transfer an amount in USD equal to the Required Amount specified in the Settlement Notice, to Dealer at the following account:

Bank        [                           ]

ABA #    [                          ]

Account [                          ]

Account #                [                          ]

DTC#    [                           ]

Nothing contained in this Instruction shall prohibit, restrict or otherwise prevent the Company from withdrawing cash and/or securities from the Liberty Europe Equity Account in accordance with Section 2.8(a) and Section 5.5 of the Option Framework Agreement

In the event you receive any instructions or communications purporting to terminate this Instruction from the Company or any entity other than Dealer, you shall not comply with such instructions and shall provide immediate written notice to Dealer of such instructions at the following notice details:

 

Name:    HSBC Securities (USA) LLC
Address:    452 Fifth Avenue, 8th Floor
   New York, NY 10018
Marked for the attention of:    Jeffrey Nicklas, Director, Equity Capital Markets - Americas
Email:    ***
With a copy to:    Latham & Watkins LLP
Address:    885 Third Ave. New York, New York 10022


Marked for the attention of:

  

Witold Balaban

  

Catherine Lee

  

Jeremy Green

Email copy:

   Witold.Balaban@lw.com
   Catherine.Lee@lw.com
   Jeremy.Green@lw.com

Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall this Instruction be deemed to be a pledge of the Company’s interest in the Account or the Funded Amount.

 

Yours faithfully,

 

 

[Name and title]

For and on behalf of Liberty Global plc