FORM 6-K
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington D.C. 20549
Report of Foreign Private Issuer
Pursuant to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
For
September 14, 2020
Commission
File Number: 001-10306
NatWest
Group plc
RBS,
Gogarburn, PO Box 1000
Edinburgh
EH12 1HQ
(Address
of principal executive offices)
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual
reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F.
Form
20-F X Form 40-F
___
Indicate
by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper
as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule
101(b)(1):_________
Indicate
by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper
as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule
101(b)(7):_________
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the information
contained in this Form is also thereby furnishing the information
to the Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934.
Yes ___
No X
If
"Yes" is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the
registrant in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b): 82-
________
The following information was issued as Company announcements
in London, England and is furnished pursuant to General Instruction
B to the General Instructions to Form
6-K:
NATWEST GROUP PLC
COMMENCES CASH TENDER OFFERS FOR CERTAIN
OF ITS OUTSTANDING NOTES
NatWest
Group plc (the "Offeror") has today launched tender offers to
purchase for cash (each, an "Offer" and, together, the "Offers")
any and all of certain series of its U.S. dollar denominated notes
set out in the table below (the "Notes").
The Offers are being made on the terms and subject to the conditions set out in the offer to purchase dated September
14, 2020 (the "Offer to Purchase") and the related Notice of Guaranteed
Delivery (together, the "Offer
Documents"). Capitalized terms not otherwise defined in this announcement have the same meaning as in the Offer to Purchase.
Purpose of the Offers
The
Offeror is undertaking the Offers in order to provide the holders
of the Notes with an opportunity to have their Notes repurchased
while maintaining a prudent approach to the management of NatWest
Group's capital position. The Offeror will continue to meet all of
its capital requirements irrespective of the outcome of the
Offers.
Terms of the Offers
The
Offeror is offering to purchase for cash, on the terms and
conditions described in the Offer to Purchase any and all of the
outstanding Notes set out in the table below.
Title of Security
|
|
Issuer
|
|
ISIN/CUSIP
|
|
Principal Amount Issued
|
|
Principal Amount Outstanding
|
|
Fixed Spread (bps)
|
|
Reference U.S. Treasury Security
|
|
First Call Date
|
|
Maturity
|
|
Bloomberg Reference Page
|
|
Purchase Price(1)
|
6.425%
Non-Cumulative Trust Preferred Securities ("Trust Securities")
|
|
RBS
Capital Trust II
|
|
US74927PAA75
74927PAA7
|
|
$650,000,000(3)
|
|
$393,573,000(3)
|
|
105
|
|
0.625%
U.S. Treasury Security due August 2030
|
|
January
3, 2034
|
|
N/A
|
|
FIT1
|
|
To be
determined as described herein
|
7.648%
Dollar Perpetual Regulatory tier One Securities, Series 1
("PROs")
|
|
The
Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc(2)
|
|
US780097AH44
780097AH4
|
|
$1,200,000,000
|
|
$761,746,000
|
|
140
|
|
0.625%
U.S. Treasury Security due August 2030
|
|
September
30, 2031
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|
N/A
|
|
FIT1
|
|
To be
determined as described herein
|
6.125%
Subordinated Tier 2 Notes due 2022 ("2022 Notes")
|
|
The
Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc (2)
|
|
US780099CE50
780099CE5
|
|
$2,250,000,000
|
|
$2,250,000,000
|
|
145
|
|
0.125%
U.S. Treasury Security due August 2022
|
|
N/A
|
|
December
15, 2022
|
|
FIT1
|
|
To be
determined as described herein
|
6.100%
Subordinated Tier 2 Notes due 2023 ("2023 Notes")
|
|
The
Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc(2)
|
|
US780097AY76
780097AY7
|
|
$1,000,000,000
|
|
$1,000,000,000
|
|
155
|
|
0.125%
U.S. Treasury Security due August 2023
|
|
N/A
|
|
June
10, 2023
|
|
FIT1
|
|
To be
determined as described herein
|
(1)
Per $1,000 principal amount of the Notes (as defined herein)
validly tendered and accepted for purchase.
(2)
Currently NatWest Group plc.
(3)
Excluding $256,427,000 principal amount of 6.425%
Non-Cumulative Trust Preferred Securities, which are held by the
Offeror as of the date of this Offer to Purchase and are deemed not
to be outstanding.
The
Trust Securities, the PROs and Tier 2 Notes are collectively
referred to as the "Notes" and each, a "Series".
The Offers will expire at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on September 21, 2020, unless extended (such date and
time, as the same may be extended, the "Expiration Deadline") or
earlier terminated.
Purchase Price; Accrued Interest
Purchase Price
The
Purchase Price for each $1,000 principal amount of the relevant
Series validly tendered and not validly withdrawn at or prior to
the Expiration Deadline and accepted for purchase by the Offeror
will be equal to an amount (rounded to the nearest $0.01) that
would reflect, as of the Settlement Date, a yield to the maturity
date, in the case of Tier 2 Notes, or the yield on the first call
date, in the case of Trust Securities and PROs, equal to the sum of
(i) the Reference Yield for such Series of Notes, plus (ii) the
Fixed Spread set forth in the table above. Specifically, the
Purchase Price will equal (i) the value of all remaining payments
of principal and interest on the relevant Series of Notes up to and
including the scheduled maturity (in the case of the Tier 2 Notes)
or the First Call Date (in the case of the Trust Securities and
PROs) of the relevant Series, discounted to the Settlement Date (as
defined herein), at a discount rate equal to (x) the relevant
Reference Yield (as defined herein) plus (y) the relevant Fixed
Spread, minus (ii) Accrued Interest (in the case of the Tier 2
Notes and PROs) or Accrued Distribution (in the case of the Trust
Securities).
Accrued Interest
In
addition to the Purchase Price, holders of the PROs and Tier 2
Notes accepted for purchase pursuant to the Offers will also
receive accrued and unpaid interest on each $1,000 principal amount
of such Notes (rounded to the nearest $0.01) from, and including,
the last interest payment date up to, but not including, the
Settlement Date (as defined below) (the "Accrued
Interest"). Accrued Interest for each $1,000 principal
amount of such Notes validly tendered and accepted for purchase
will be rounded to the nearest $0.01, with $0.005 being rounded
upwards.
Accrued Distribution
In
addition to the Purchase Price, holders of the Trust Securities
accepted for purchase pursuant to the Offers will also receive an
amount equal to accrued and unpaid interest on each $1,000
principal amount of such Trust Securities (rounded to the nearest
$0.01) from, and including, the last distribution payment date up
to, but not including, the Settlement Date (the "Accrued
Distribution"). Accrued Distribution for each
$1,000 principal amount of Trust Securities validly
tendered and accepted for purchase will be rounded to the nearest
$0.01, with $0.005 being rounded upwards.
Settlement
Unless
the Offers are extended, reopened or earlier terminated, payment of
the Purchase Price, plus any Accrued Interest or Accrued
Distribution, as the case may be, to holders of Notes that are
validly tendered and not withdrawn and accepted for purchase is
expected to be made on September 24, 2020 (the "Settlement
Date").
Offer Conditions
The
Offers are not conditional upon any minimum amount of Notes being
tendered. However, the Offers are conditional upon the satisfaction
or waiver of certain conditions described in the Offer to
Purchase.
Withdrawal Rights
Notes
tendered pursuant an Offer may be withdrawn at any time before the
earlier of (i) the Withdrawal Deadline and (ii) if the relevant
Offer is extended, the 10th Business Day after the commencement of
the Offers. Notes tendered pursuant to an Offer may also be
withdrawn at any time after the 60th Business Day after
commencement of the Offers if, for any reason, that Offer has not
been consummated within 60 Business Days of
commencement.
The relevant deadline set by the relevant Clearing System or any intermediary for the submission of Tender Instructions may be earlier than the deadlines set out herein.
Indicative Timetable
The following table sets out the expected dates and times of the key events relating to the Offers. This is an indicative timetable and is subject to change.
Events
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Dates and Times
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Commencement Date
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Commencement
of the Offers upon the terms and subject to the conditions set
forth in the Offer to Purchase.
|
September
14, 2020
|
Price Determination Time
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|
The
time at which the Reference Yield for each Series of Notes will be
determined by the Dealer Managers.
|
02:00
p.m., New York City time, on September 21, 2020, unless otherwise
extended
|
Withdrawal Deadline
|
|
The
deadline for holders to validly withdraw Notes tendered before this
date and time, unless otherwise extended as described
herein.
|
5:00
p.m., New York City time, on September 21, 2020, unless otherwise
extended
|
Expiration Deadline
|
|
The
deadline for holders to tender Notes pursuant to the Offers in
order to qualify for payment of the Purchase Price plus any Accrued
Interest and/or Accrued Distribution, as applicable.
|
5:00
p.m., New York City time, on September 21, 2020, unless otherwise
extended
|
Guaranteed Delivery Date
The
deadline for holders using the guaranteed delivery procedures
described in the Offer to Purchase to deliver their
Notes.
|
Close
of business on the second Business Day following the Expiration
Deadline
|
Settlement Date
|
|
Payment
of the Purchase Price, plus any Accrued Interest or Accrued
Distribution, as applicable, for all Notes validly tendered and not
validly withdrawn and accepted for purchase pursuant to the
Offers.
|
Expected
on September 24, 2020
|
The
times and dates above are subject, where applicable, to the right
of the Offeror to extend, re-open, amend, limit, terminate or
withdraw the Offers, subject to applicable law. Accordingly, the
actual timetable may differ significantly from the expected
timetable set out above.
Holders
should confirm with the bank, securities broker or any other
intermediary through which they hold their Notes whether such
intermediary needs to receive instructions from a holder before the
deadlines specified above in order for that holder to be able to
participate in, or withdraw their instruction to participate in,
the Offers.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Copies of the Offer Documents are available at the
following web address: www.lucid-is.com/natwest
Requests for additional
copies of the Offer Documents and information in relation to the procedures for tendering
should be directed to:
Tender Agent
David
Shilson
Telephone: +44 20
7704-0880
NatWest Treasury
Markets
Head
of Treasury
DCM
Telephone: +44 (0)7747 455969
Investor Relations
Head of Debt Investor Relations
Telephone: +44 776 916
1183
250
Bishopsgate
London,
EC2M 4AA
Global Arranger and Lead Dealer Manager
NatWest
Markets
Telephone: +44 20 7678-5222
Attn: Liability Management
Dealer Managers
Goldman
Sachs & Co.
LLC
Telephone: +1 800 828-3182
Telephone: +44 20 7552-6157
Collect: +1 212 357-0215
Toll Free: +1 800 828 3182
Attn: Liability Management Group
UBS
Investment
Bank
Telephone: + 1 888 719-4210
Collect: (203) 719 4210
Attn: Liability Management
DISCLAIMER
This announcement and the Offer to Purchase (including the documents incorporated by reference therein) contain important information which should be read carefully before any decision is made with respect to the Offer. If you are in any doubt as to the contents of this announcement or the Offer to Purchase or the action you should take, you are
recommended to seek your own financial and legal advice, including as to any tax consequences, immediately from your stockbroker, bank manager, solicitor, accountant or other independent financial or legal adviser. Any individual or company whose Notes are held on its behalf by broker, dealer, bank, custodian, trust company or other nominee or
intermediary must contact such entity if it wishes to participate in the Offer. None of the Offeror, the Dealer Managers, the Tender Agent
or the trustee with respect to the Notes (or any of their
respective directors, employees or affiliates)
make any recommendation as to whether holders should tender Notes pursuant to the Offer.
OFFER RESTRICTIONS
European
Economic Area ("EEA")
The
communication of this announcement, the Offer to Purchase and any
other documents or materials relating to the Offers does not
constitute an offer of securities to the public for the purposes of
Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 and accordingly the requirement to
produce a prospectus does not apply to the Offers.
United Kingdom
The
communication of this announcement, the Offer to Purchase and any
other documents or materials relating to the Offers are not being
made, and such documents and/or materials have not been approved,
by an authorized person for the purposes of section 21 of the
Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (the "FSMA"). Accordingly,
this announcement, the Offer to Purchase and such other documents
and/or materials are not being distributed to, and must not be
passed on to, the general public in the United Kingdom. The
communication of the Offer to Purchase and such other documents
and/or materials is exempt from the restriction on financial
promotions under section 21 of the FSMA on the basis that they are
only being distributed to and are only directed at persons to whom
they can lawfully be circulated outside the United Kingdom or to:
(i) persons in the United Kingdom having professional experience in
matters relating to investments falling within the definition of
investment professionals (as defined in Article 19(5) of the
Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order
2005 (as amended, the "Financial Promotion Order")); (ii) persons
falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) ("high net worth companies,
unincorporated associations etc.") of the Financial Promotion
Order; (iii) persons falling within Article 43 of the Financial
Promotion Order; or (iv) any other persons to whom the Offer to
Purchase and such other documents and/or materials may otherwise
lawfully be communicated under the Financial Promotion Order (all
such persons together being referred to as "relevant persons").
This announcement and the Offer to Purchase and such documents
and/or materials are directed only at relevant persons and must not
be acted on or relied on by persons who are not relevant persons.
Any investment or investment activity to which this announcement
and the Offer to Purchase relate is available only to
relevant persons and will be engaged in only with relevant
persons.
Belgium
Neither this announcement, the Offer to Purchase
nor any other documents or materials relating to the Offers have
been submitted to or will be submitted for approval or recognition
to the Financial Services and Markets Authority
(Autorité
des services et marchés financiers / Autoriteit voor
financiële diensten en markten) and, accordingly, the Offers may not be made in
Belgium by way of a public offering, as defined in Articles 3 and 6
of the Belgian Law of April 1, 2007 on public takeover bids as
amended or replaced from time to time. Accordingly, the Offers may
not be advertised and the Offers will not be extended, and neither
this announcement, the Offer to Purchase nor any other documents or
materials relating to the Offers (including any memorandum,
information circular, brochure or any similar documents) have been
or shall be distributed or made available, directly or indirectly,
to any person in Belgium other than "qualified investors" in the
sense of Article 10 of the Belgian Law of June 16, 2006 on the
public offer of placement instruments and the admission to trading
of placement instruments on regulated markets, acting on their own
account. This announcement and the Offer to Purchase have been
issued only for the personal use of the above qualified investors
and exclusively for the purpose of the Offers. Accordingly, the
information contained in this announcement and the Offer to
Purchase may not be used for any other purpose or disclosed to any
other person in Belgium.
France
This announcement, the Offer to Purchase and any
other documents or offering materials relating to the Offers may
not be distributed in the Republic of France except to qualified
investors (investisseurs
qualifiés) as defined in
Article 2(e) of the Prospectus Regulation. This announcement and
the Offer to Purchase have not been and will not be submitted for
clearance to the Autorité des marchés
financiers.
Italy
None of the Offers, this announcement, the Offer
to Purchase or any other documents or materials relating to the
Offers has been or will be submitted to the clearance procedure of
the Commissione Nazionale per le
Società e la Borsa ("CONSOB"), pursuant to applicable Italian
laws and regulations.
The
Offers are being carried out in the Republic of Italy ("Italy") as
an exempted offer pursuant to article 101-bis, paragraph 3-bis of
the Legislative Decree No. 58 of February 24, 1998, as amended (the
"Financial Services Act") and article 35-bis, paragraph 4 of CONSOB
Regulation No. 11971 of May 14, 1999, as amended (the "Issuers'
Regulation"). The Offers are also being carried out in compliance
with article 35-bis, paragraph 7 of the Issuers'
Regulation.
Holders
or beneficial owners of the Notes located in Italy can tender the
Notes through authorized persons (such as investment firms, banks
or financial intermediaries permitted to conduct such activities in
Italy in accordance with the Financial Services Act, CONSOB
Regulation No. 20307 of February 15, 2018, as amended from time to
time, and Legislative Decree No. 385 of September 1, 1993, as
amended) and in compliance with applicable laws and regulations or
with requirements imposed by CONSOB or any other Italian
authority.
Each intermediary must comply with the applicable
laws and regulations concerning information
duties vis-à-vis its
clients in connection with the Notes and the
Offers.
Canada
The
materials relating to the Offers do not constitute, and may not be
used in connection with, an offer or solicitation in any place
where offers or solicitations are not permitted by law. Any offer
or solicitation in Canada must be made through a dealer that is
appropriately registered under the laws of the applicable province
or territory of Canada, or pursuant to an exemption from that
requirement.
Hong Kong
The communication of this Offer to Purchase and
any other documents or materials relating to the Offers and/or the
Notes is not being made in Hong Kong, by means of any document,
other than (i) in circumstances which do not constitute an offer to
the public within the meaning of the Companies (Winding Up and
Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance (Cap. 32, Laws of Hong Kong)
(the "CWUMPO"), or (ii) under the exemptions applicable under
the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571, Laws of Hong Kong)
(the "SFO") and any rules made thereunder, or (iii) in
other circumstances which do not result in the Offer to Purchase
and any other documents or materials relating to the Offers and/or
the Notes being a "prospectus" as defined in the
CWUMPO.
General
The
Offers do not constitute an offer to buy or the solicitation of an
offer to sell Notes (and offers to sell will not be accepted from
the holders) in any circumstances in which such offer or
solicitation is unlawful. In those jurisdictions where the
securities or other laws require the Offers to be made by a
licensed broker or dealer or similar and any of the Dealer Managers
or any of the Dealer Manager's respective affiliates is such a
licensed broker or dealer in that jurisdiction, the Offers shall be
deemed to be made by such Dealer Manager or affiliate, as the case
may be, on behalf of the Offeror in such jurisdiction.
Each
holder participating in the Offers will be deemed to give certain
representations in respect of the jurisdictions referred to above
and generally as set out in the Offer to Purchase. Any tender of
Notes pursuant to the Offer to Purchase from a holder that is
unable to make these representations will be rejected. Each of the
Offeror, the Dealer Managers and Lucid Issuer Services Limited
reserves the right, in its absolute discretion (and without
prejudice to the relevant holder's responsibility for the
representations made by it), to investigate in relation to any
tender of Notes, whether any such representation given by a holder
is correct and, if such investigation is undertaken and as a result
the Offeror determines (for any reason) that such representation is
not correct, such offer to sell will be rejected.
The
Offeror and its affiliates expressly reserve the right at any time
or from time to time following completion or termination of the
Offers, to purchase or exchange or offer to purchase or exchange
Notes or to issue an invitation to submit offers to sell Notes
(including, without limitation, those tendered pursuant to the
Offers but not accepted for purchase) through open market
purchases, privately negotiated transactions, tender offers,
exchange offers or otherwise, in each case on terms that may be
more or less favorable than those contemplated by the Offers. In
addition, the Offeror also reserves the right to issue new debt
securities from time to time, including during the term of the
Offers.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONTAINS INSIDE INFORMATION FOR THE PURPOSES OF
ARTICLE 7 OF THE MARKET ABUSE REGULATION (EU) 596/2014. FOR
THE PURPOSES OF MAR, THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS MADE BY ALEXANDER
HOLCROFT, HEAD OF INVESTOR RELATIONS FOR NATWEST GROUP
PLC.
Legal Entity Identifiers
|
|
NatWest Group plc
|
2138005O9XJIJN4JPN90
|
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
From time to time, we may make statements, both
written and oral, regarding our assumptions, projections,
expectations, intentions or beliefs about future events.
These statements constitute "forward-looking statements". We
caution that these statements may and often do vary materially from
actual results. Accordingly, we cannot assure you that actual
results will not differ materially from those expressed or implied
by the forward-looking statements. You should read the sections
entitled "Risk
Factors" in the Offer to
Purchase, in our Annual Report and H1 2020 Interim Report which are
incorporated by reference herein and in our interim report on Form
6-K containing our unaudited condensed consolidated financial
statements for the three months ended as at March 31, 2020 filed
with the SEC on May 1, 2020 (the "Q1 2020 Interim
Report") and
"Forward-Looking
Statements" in our Annual
Report and H1 2020 Interim Report, which are incorporated by
reference in the Offer to Purchase. You should also read the
sections entitled "Risk
Factors" and
"Forward-Looking
Statements" in our Q1 2020
Interim Report.
Any
forward-looking statements made herein or in the documents
incorporated by reference herein speak only as of the date they are
made. Except as required by the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority
(the "FCA"), any applicable stock exchange or any applicable law,
we expressly disclaim any obligation or undertaking to release
publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statement
contained in the Offer to Purchase or the documents incorporated by
reference herein to reflect any changes in expectations with regard
thereto or any new information or any changes in events, conditions
or circumstances on which any such statement is based. The reader
should, however, consult any additional disclosures that we have
made or may make in documents we have filed or may file with the
SEC.
Date: 14
September 2020
|
NATWEST
GROUP plc (Registrant)
|
|
|
|
By: /s/
Jan Cargill
|
|
|
|
Name:
Jan Cargill
|
|
Title:
Deputy Secretary
|