Article 141 Merger relief

With the exception made by Article 142(8) (group reconstruction) this Article applies where the issuing company has secured at least a 90 per cent. equity holding in another company in pursuance of an arrangement providing for the allotment of equity shares in the issuing company on terms that the consideration for the shares allotted is to be provided—

If the equity shares in the issuing company allotted in pursuance of the arrangement in consideration for the acquisition or cancellation of equity shares in the other company are issued at a premium, Article 140 does not apply to the premiums on those shares.

Where the arrangement also provides for the allotment of any shares in the issuing company on terms that the consideration for those shares is to be provided by the issue or transfer to the issuing company of non-equity shares in the other company or by the cancellation of any such shares in that company not held by the issuing company, relief under paragraph (2) extends to any shares in the issuing company allotted on those terms in pursuance of the arrangement.

Subject to paragraph (5), the issuing company is to be regarded for the purposes of this Article as having secured at least a 90 per cent. equity holding in another company in pursuance of such an arrangement as is mentioned in paragraph (1) if in consequence of an acquisition or cancellation of equity shares in that company (in pursuance of that arrangement) it holds equity shares in that company (whether all or any of those shares were acquired in pursuance of that arrangement or not) of an aggregate nominal value equal to 90 per cent. or more of the nominal value of that company's equity share capitalF1 (excluding any shares in that company held as treasury shares).

Where the equity share capital of the other company is divided into different classes of shares, this Article does not apply unless the requirements of paragraph (1) are satisfied in relation to each of those classes of shares taken separately.

Shares held by a company which is the issuing company's holding company or subsidiary, or a subsidiary of the issuing company's holding company, or by its or their nominees, are to be regarded for the purposes of this Article as held by the issuing company.

In relation to a company and its shares and capital, the following definitions apply for the purposes of this Article—

and “arrangement” means any agreement, scheme or arrangement (including an arrangement sanctioned under F2section 899 of the Companies Act 2006 (court sanction for compromise or arrangement with creditors or members) orF3 Article 96 of the Insolvency Order (liquidator accepting shares, etc. as consideration for sale of company property)).

The relief allowed by this Article does not apply if the issue of shares took place before 4th February 1981.