Pollen Street Group Limited
23 September 2026
NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN, INTO OR FROM ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OF SUCH JURISDICTION
THIS IS AN ANNOUNCEMENT FALLING UNDER RULE 2.4 OF THE CITY CODE ON TAKEOVERS AND MERGERS (THE "CODE"). THERE CAN BE NO CERTAINTY THAT ANY FIRM OFFER WILL BE MADE, NOR AS TO THE TERMS OF ANY SUCH OFFER
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONTAINS INSIDE INFORMATION
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
23 September 2026
Announcement regarding media speculation
Pollen Street Group Limited ("Pollen Street" or the "Company") notes the recent media speculation relating to it.
As announced in its results for the six months ended 30 June 2026, the Company continues to deliver against its strategy, as evidenced by sustained fundraising momentum across both its Private Credit and Private Equity strategies and continued growth in assets under management.
The Board confirms it has commenced an assessment of the strategic options available to the Company with a view to delivering greater value for shareholders. While multiple options are being assessed, one such possibility is for the Company to be taken private.
Against that backdrop, the Company confirms that it has initiated preliminary discussions with a limited number of third parties to establish their suitability as a strategic partner and whether they might be interested in making a possible offer for the Company.
These discussions are at a very early stage and remain ongoing. As such, there can be no certainty that an offer will be made for the Company, nor as to the terms on which any such offer might be made, nor that the Company will pursue or participate in any other transaction as a result of the strategic review, nor as to the terms of any such transaction.
The Panel Executive has granted a dispensation from the requirements of Rules 2.4(a) and 2.4(b) of the Code such that the Company is not required to identify in any announcement any potential offeror with which the Company is in talks, or from which an approach has been received, unless that potential offeror has been specifically identified in any rumour or speculation.
Pollen Street is now in an "offer period" as defined in the Code and the attention of Pollen Street shareholders is drawn to the dealing disclosure requirements of Rule 8 of the Code, which are summarised below.
A further announcement will be made as and when appropriate.
The person responsible for arranging the release of this announcement on behalf of Pollen Street is Chris Palmer, General Counsel.
Enquiries:
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Pollen Street |
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Lindsey McMurray, Managing Partner Crispin Goldsmith, Chief Financial Officer |
+44 20 3728 6750 |
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Ardea Partners (Financial Adviser to Pollen Street) |
+44 20 3848 8700 |
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Simon Lyons Jack Williams |
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Important notice
Ardea Partners International LLP ("Ardea Partners"), which is regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Conduct Authority, is acting exclusively for Pollen Street and no one else in connection with the matters described herein and will not be responsible to anyone other than Pollen Street for providing the protections afforded to clients of Ardea Partners nor for providing advice in relation to the matters described herein.
This announcement is not intended to, and does not, constitute or form part of any offer, invitation or the solicitation of an offer to purchase, otherwise acquire, subscribe for, sell or otherwise dispose of, any securities, or the solicitation of any vote or approval in any jurisdiction, whether pursuant to this announcement or otherwise. Any offer, if made, will be made solely by certain offer documentation which will contain the full terms and conditions of any offer, including details of how it may be accepted.
The release, distribution or publication of this announcement in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, in, into or from jurisdictions outside the United Kingdom may be restricted by law and therefore persons into whose possession this announcement comes should inform themselves about, and observe, such restrictions. Any failure to comply with the restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities law of any such jurisdiction.
Inside information
The information contained within this announcement is deemed by Pollen Street to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No.596/2014 (as it forms part of UK domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018). On the publication of this announcement via a Regulatory Information Service, such information is now considered to be in the public domain.
Disclosure requirements of the Code
Under Rule 8.3(a) of the Code, any person who is interested (directly or indirectly) in 1% or more of any class of relevant securities of an offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror (being any offeror other than an offeror in respect of which it has been announced that its offer is, or is likely to be, solely in cash) must make an Opening Position Disclosure following the commencement of the offer period and, if later, following the announcement in which any securities exchange offeror is first identified.
An Opening Position Disclosure must contain details of the person's interests and short positions in, and rights to subscribe for, any relevant securities of each of (i) the offeree company and (ii) any securities exchange offeror(s). An Opening Position Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(a) applies must be made by no later than 3.30 pm (London time) on the 10th business day following the commencement of the offer period and, if appropriate, by no later than 3.30 pm (London time) on the 10th business day following the announcement in which any securities exchange offeror is first identified. Relevant persons who deal in the relevant securities of the offeree company or of a securities exchange offeror prior to the deadline for making an Opening Position Disclosure must instead make a Dealing Disclosure.
Under Rule 8.3(b) of the Code, any person who is, or becomes, interested (directly or indirectly) in 1% or more of any class of relevant securities of the offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror must make a Dealing Disclosure if the person deals in any relevant securities of the offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror. A Dealing Disclosure must contain details of the dealing concerned and of the person's interests and short positions in, and rights to subscribe for, any relevant securities of each of (i) the offeree company and (ii) any securities exchange offeror(s), save to the extent that these details have previously been disclosed under Rule 8. A Dealing Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(b) applies must be made by no later than 3.30 pm (London time) on the business day following the date of the relevant dealing.
If two or more persons act together pursuant to an agreement or understanding, whether formal or informal, to acquire or control an interest in relevant securities of an offeree company or a securities exchange offeror, they will be deemed to be a single person for the purpose of Rule 8.3.
Opening Position Disclosures must also be made by the offeree company and by any offeror and Dealing Disclosures must also be made by the offeree company, by any offeror and by any persons acting in concert with any of them (see Rules 8.1, 8.2 and 8.4).
Details of the offeree and offeror companies in respect of whose relevant securities Opening Position Disclosures and Dealing Disclosures must be made can be found in the Disclosure Table on the Takeover Panel's website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk, including details of the number of relevant securities in issue, when the offer period commenced and when any offeror was first identified. You should contact the Panel's Market Surveillance Unit on +44 (0) 20 7638 0129 if you are in any doubt as to whether you are required to make an Opening Position Disclosure or a Dealing Disclosure.
Rule 2.9 disclosure
In accordance with Rule 2.9 of the Code, Pollen Street confirms that, as at close of business on 22 September 2026 it had 59,023,184 ordinary shares of one pence each in issue (excluding treasury shares). The ISIN reference for these securities is GG00BMHG0H12 and the Company's LEI number is 894500LP94M98N8CY487.
Rule 26.1 information
In accordance with Rule 26.1 of the Code, a copy of this announcement will be available (subject to certain restrictions relating to persons resident in restricted jurisdictions) on Pollen Street's website at www.pollenstreetgroup.com by no later than 12 noon (London time) on the business day following the date of this announcement. The content of Pollen Street's website is not incorporated into, and does not form part of, this announcement.
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