Smithson Inv.Trust - Publication of a Prospectus

The information contained in this announcement is restricted and is not for publication, release or distribution in the United States of America, any member state of the European Economic Area (other than the Republic of Ireland), Canada, Australia, Japan or the Republic of South Africa and any other jurisdiction where to do so would breach any applicable law.

1 April 2020

Smithson Investment Trust plc

Publication of Prospectus

The Board of Smithson Investment Trust plc (the "Company") is pleased to announce the publication of a prospectus (the "Prospectus") in relation to a placing programme of up to 40 million new ordinary shares of £0.01 each (the "Ordinary Shares") in the capital of the Company (the "Placing Programme").

The Placing Programme is intended to be flexible and may have a number of closing dates in order to provide the Company with the ability to issue and allot Ordinary Shares on appropriate occasions over a period of time.

The Placing Programme is intended to satisfy ongoing market demand for the Company's shares and to raise further money for investment in accordance with the Company's investment policy.

The Placing Programme will conclude on the earlier of 31 March 2021 or when the maximum number of Ordinary Shares available for issue, being 40 million Ordinary Shares, have been issued pursuant to the programme. There is no guarantee that the final number of Ordinary Shares issued will be 40 million or indeed that any Ordinary Shares will be issued at all.

The Prospectus will shortly be available from the Company's website (www.smithson.co.uk) and on the National Storage Mechanism at www.morningstar.co.uk/uk/NSM.

The Company's LEI is 52990070BDK2OKX5TH79.

Enquiries: 

Fundsmith LLP                                         +44 (0) 20 3551 6339

Mark Laurence, Chief Operating Officer

Simon Godwin, Chief Financial Officer

Investec Bank plc                                     +44 (0) 20 7597 4000

David Yovichic

Denis Flanagan

Important Information

This announcement which has been prepared by, and is the sole responsibility of, the Directors of the Company has been approved for the purposes of section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, as amended (the "FSMA"), by Fundsmith LLP ("Fundsmith"), which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

This announcement is an advertisement and does not constitute a prospectus or a key information document ("KID") relating to the Company and does not constitute, or form part of, any offer or invitation to sell or issue, or any solicitation of any offer to subscribe for, any shares in the Company in any jurisdiction nor shall it, or any part of it, or the fact of its distribution, form the basis of, or be relied on in connection with or act as any inducement to enter into, any contract therefor. Investors should not subscribe for or purchase any transferable securities referred to in this announcement except on the basis of information in the Prospectus. Copies of the Prospectus and the KID will be available from the Company's registered office and the Company's website (www.smithson.co.uk).

Neither the content of the Company's website, nor the content on any website accessible from hyperlinks on its website for any other website, is incorporated into, or forms part of, this announcement nor, unless previously published by means of an RIS announcement, should any such content be relied upon in reaching a decision as to whether or not to acquire, continue to hold, or dispose of, securities in the Company.

Recipients of this announcement who are considering acquiring Ordinary Shares following publication of the Prospectus and receipt of the KID are reminded that any such acquisition must be made only on the basis of the information contained in the Prospectus which may be different from the information contained in this announcement. The subscription for Ordinary Shares may be subject to specific legal and/or regulatory restrictions in certain jurisdictions. Persons distributing this announcement must satisfy themselves that it is lawful to do so. The Company assumes no responsibility in the event that there is a violation by any person of such restrictions.

This announcement may not be published, distributed or transmitted by any means or media, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, in or into the United States of America (including the District of Columbia) and any of its territories, possessions and other areas subject to its jurisdiction (the "United States"). This announcement does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, securities in the United States. The securities mentioned in this announcement have not been, and will not be, registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "US Securities Act") or with any securities regulatory authority of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States and will not be offered, sold, exercised, resold, transferred or delivered, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, any US person (as defined under Regulation S under the US Securities Act). The Company has not been, and will not be, registered under the U.S. Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

Neither this announcement nor any copy of it may be: (i) taken or transmitted into or distributed in any member state of the European Economic Area (other than the Republic of Ireland), Canada, Australia, Japan or the Republic of South Africa or any other jurisdiction where to do so would breach any applicable law or to any resident thereof. Any failure to comply with these restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws or the laws of any such jurisdiction. The distribution of this announcement in other jurisdictions may be restricted by law and the persons into whose possession this announcement comes should inform themselves about, and observe, any such restrictions.

This announcement may include "forward-looking statements". All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this announcement, including, without limitation, those regarding the Company's financial position, business strategy, plans and objectives of management for future operations (including development plans and objectives) are forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties and accordingly the Company's actual future financial results and operational performance may differ materially from the results and performance expressed in, or implied by, the statements. These factors include but are not limited to those described in the Prospectus. These forward-looking statements speak only as at the date of this announcement. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this announcement to reflect actual results or any change in the assumptions, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements are based unless required to do so by the FSMA, the Listing Rules or Prospectus Regulation Rules of the Financial Conduct Authority or other applicable laws, regulations or rules. Investec Bank plc ("Investec"), which is authorised in the United Kingdom by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority, is acting exclusively for the Company and for no one else in relation to the Placing Programme and/or the matters referred to in this announcement. Investec will not regard any other person (whether or not a recipient of this announcement) as its client in relation to the Placing Programme and/or the matters referred to in this announcement and will not be responsible to anyone other than the Company for providing the protections afforded to its clients or for providing any advice in relation to the Placing Programme and/or the matters referred to in this announcement. Apart from the responsibilities and liabilities, if any, which may be imposed on Investec by the FSMA or the regulatory regime established thereunder, Investec does not make any representation express or implied in relation to, nor accepts any responsibility whatsoever for, the contents of this announcement or the matters described herein or any other statement made or purported to be made by it or on its behalf in connection with the Company and/or the matters referred to in this announcement. Investec (and its affiliates) accordingly, to the fullest extent permissible by law, disclaims all and any responsibility or liability (save for any statutory liability) whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise which it might have in respect of the contents of this announcement or any other statement made or purported to be made by it or on its behalf in connection with the Company and/or the matters referred to herein.

Information to Distributors

Solely for the purposes of the product governance requirements contained within: (a) EU Directive 2014/65/EU on markets in financial instruments, as amended ("MiFID II"); (b) Articles 9 and 10 of Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2017/593 supplementing MiFID II; and (c) local implementing measures (together, the "MiFID II Product Governance Requirements"), and disclaiming all and any liability, whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise, which any "manufacturer" (for the purposes of the MiFID II Product Governance Requirements) may otherwise have with respect thereto, the Ordinary Shares have been subject to a product approval process, which has determined that the Ordinary Shares are: (i) compatible with an end target market of retail investors and investors who meet the criteria of professional clients and eligible counterparties, each as defined in MiFID II; and (ii) eligible for distribution through all distribution channels as are permitted by MiFID II (the "Target Market Assessment"). Notwithstanding the Target Market Assessment, distributors should note that: the price of the Ordinary Shares may decline and investors could lose all or part of their investment; the Ordinary Shares offer no guaranteed income and no capital protection; and an investment in the Ordinary Shares is compatible only with investors who do not need a guaranteed income or capital protection, who (either alone or in conjunction with an appropriate financial or other adviser) are capable of evaluating the merits and risks of such an investment and who have sufficient resources to be able to bear any losses that may result therefrom. The Target Market Assessment is without prejudice to the requirements of any contractual, legal or regulatory selling restrictions in relation to the Placing Programme.

For the avoidance of doubt, the Target Market Assessment does not constitute: (a) an assessment of suitability or appropriateness for the purposes of MiFID II; or (b) a recommendation to any investor or group of investors to invest in, or purchase, or take any other action whatsoever with respect to the Ordinary Shares.

Each distributor is responsible for undertaking its own Target Market Assessment in respect of the Ordinary Shares and determining appropriate distribution channels.

PRIIPS (as defined below)

ln accordance with the Regulation (EU) No 1286/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 November 2014 on key information documents for packaged retail and insurance-based investment products ("PRIIPs") and its implementing and delegated acts (the "PRIIPs Regulation"), Fundsmith has prepared a KID in respect of the Ordinary Shares. The KID is made available by Fundsmith to "retail investors" prior to them making an investment decision in respect of the Ordinary Shares at the Company's website (www.smithson.co.uk).

If you are distributing Ordinary Shares, it is your responsibility to ensure that the KID is provided to any clients that are "retail clients".

Fundsmith is the only manufacturer of the Ordinary Shares for the purposes of the PRIIPs Regulation and Investec is not a manufacturer for these purposes. Investec makes no representations, express or implied, or accepts any responsibility whatsoever for the contents of the KID prepared by Fundsmith or any future key information document prepared by Fundsmith nor accepts any responsibility to update the contents of the KID in accordance with the PRIIPs Regulation, to undertake any review processes in relation thereto or to provide the KID to future distributors of Ordinary Shares. Investec and its affiliates accordingly disclaim all and any liability whether arising in tort or contract or otherwise which it or they might have in respect of the KID. Investors should note that the procedure for calculating the risks, costs and potential returns in the KID are prescribed by laws. The figures in the KID may not reflect actual returns for the Company and anticipated performance returns cannot be guaranteed.