Amsterdam, 19 September 2024 – X5 Retail Group N.V. (the “Company”, LSE and MOEX ticker: FIVE) announces the commencement of the process to appoint a new depositary for the Company’s Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”) programme.
Following the resignation notice of The Bank of New York Mellon (“BNY”) as the current depositary, the Company notified BNY of its intention to appoint Stichting STAK X5 Retail Group as successor depositary. Stichting STAK X5 Retail Group (“STAK”) is a Dutch legal entity incorporated by the Company to act as ‘Administration Office’ for the continuation of its depositary receipts programme.
The appointment shall take place following the cancellation of the Company’s GDRs from the official list of the UK Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”) and the cancellation of the admission to trading of the GDRs on the main market for listed securities of the London Stock Exchange. Both cancellations are expected to take effect, at the earliest, on 1 October 2024.
The transition process from BNY to STAK is expected to be completed by ultimately 18 December 2024. The Company shall continue to inform GDR holders during the transition process with further updates as necessary.
Further to the expected share distribution in the capital of X5 Corporate Centre (“X5CC”) in Russia to both the Russian shareholders of the Company and non-Russian shareholders of the Company that have opted to take shares in X5CC (together, “X5CC Shareholders”), the Company and STAK are preparing to distinguish between X5CC Shareholders and shareholders (depositary receipt holders) of the Company that have not taken or will not take shares in X5CC (“NV Only Shareholders/DR holders”). After the distribution of shares by X5CC to X5CC Shareholders, the Company and STAK will consider NV Only Shareholders/DR Holders as the only Shareholders/DR Holders to be eligible to exercise the rights that are attached to the shares/depositary receipts in the Company, since the X5CC Shareholders will take a financial/voting interest in X5CC. Both the Company and STAK will subsequently act exclusively in the interest of the NV Only Shareholders/DR Holders.