Blueprint
FORM 6-K
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
REPORT OF
FOREIGN ISSUER
Pursuant
to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
For the
month of October, 2018
UNILEVER
N.V.
(Translation
of registrant's name into English)
WEENA 455, 3013 AL, P.O. BOX 760, 3000 DK, ROTTERDAM, THE
NETHERLANDS
(Address
of principal executive offices)
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual
reports
under
cover 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- ________
Exhibit
99 attached hereto is incorporated herein by
reference.
Signatures
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf
by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
UNILEVER
N.V.
|
|
/S/ R SOTAMAA
BY R SOTAMAA
CHIEF LEGAL OFFICER AND GROUP SECRETARY
|
|
|
Date:
01 October, 2018
EXHIBIT
INDEX
------------------------
EXHIBIT
NUMBER
|
EXHIBIT
DESCRIPTION
|
99
|
Notice
to Euronext, Amsterdam dated 01
October 2018
|
|
SIMPLIFICATION OF UNILEVER CORPORATE STRUCTURE
|
Exhibit
99
NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART,
IN, INTO OR FROM ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A
VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OF SUCH JURISDICTION
SIMPLIFICATION OF UNILEVER CORPORATE STRUCTURE
London/Rotterdam, 1 October 2018 - Unilever
published the shareholder documentation for its Simplification
proposal on 11th September 2018. Since then, some PLC
shareholders have sought confirmation regarding a number of
governance matters.
- Preference
shares and ADSs: It is the intention of
the Unilever Board to cancel the NV preference shares acquired
earlier this year and this will be effected as part of the
Simplification process. They will not be voted as part of the
Simplification proposals in the NV EGM or at any subsequent
shareholder meetings. As has long been our practice, Unilever
will not direct the unexercised votes of
ADSs. 1
- Closure
of the Trust Office (Stichting): Unilever currently has a
Trust office which sits as part of the Depositary Receipt structure
of NV. As part of Unilever's Simplification proposal, with
the agreement of the Trust Office board and the meeting of
Depositary Receipt holders, the existing Trust Office will be
closed and the Depositary Receipt structure will be terminated and
will not and cannot be put back in place without shareholder
approval.
- No
Time-Out Period: There has been some
publicity regarding the possible introduction of a 250 day
'time-out period' into Dutch law. The Unilever Board would
like to state its position that it would not invoke such a time-out
period now or in the future.
- Accountability
of Board Members: The Simplification
proposals include provision for the annual re-election of Board
members. A 3% shareholding in New Unilever NV will be able to
call a shareholder meeting (within 8 weeks) and a 1% shareholding
in New Unilever NV will be able to table a resolution at
shareholder meetings, including to propose a change in the
directors or to the articles of association.
1 Note:
this right will not be included in the new Depositary Agreement to
be entered into following Simplification.
Enquiries
Unilever PLC
Unilever House
100 Victoria Embankment
London EC4Y 0DY
United Kingdom
|
Unilever NV
Weena 455
3013 AL Rotterdam
The Netherlands
|
Media: Media
Relations
team
Investors:
Investor Relations team
UK
+44 78 2527 3767 lucila.zambrano@unilever.com +44207 822 6830 investor.relations@unilever.com
Or +44 77 7999
9683 jsibun@tulchangroup.com
NL +31 61 5008
293 fleur-van.bruggen@unilever.com
Safe Harbour
Where relevant, these actions are subject to the appropriate
consultations and approvals.
This announcement may contain forward-looking statements, including
'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of the United
States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such
as 'will', 'aims', 'expects', anticipates', 'intends', 'seeks',
'looks', 'believes', 'vision', or the negative of these terms and
other similar expressions of future performance or results and
their negatives, are intended to identify such forward-looking
statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon current
expectations and assumptions regarding anticipated developments and
other factors affecting the Unilever Group (the "Group" or
"Unilever"). They are not historical facts, nor are they guarantees
of future performance.
Because these forward-looking statements involve risks and
uncertainties, there are important factors that could cause actual
results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by
these forward-looking statements. Among other risks and
uncertainties, the material or principal factors which could cause
actual results to differ materially are: Unilever's global brands
not meeting consumer preferences; Unilever's ability to innovate
and remain competitive; Unilever's investment choices in its
portfolio management; inability to find sustainable solutions to
support long-term growth; customer relationships; the recruitment
and retention of talented employees; disruptions in our supply
chain; the cost of raw materials and commodities; the production of
safe and high quality products; secure and reliable IT
infrastructure; successful execution of acquisitions, divestitures
and business transformation projects; economic and political risks
and natural disasters; the effect of climate change on Unilever's
business; financial risks; failure to meet high and ethical
standards; and managing regulatory, tax and legal matters. These
forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this
announcement. Except as required by any applicable law or
regulation, the Group expressly disclaims any obligation or
undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any
forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change
in the Group's expectations with regard thereto or any change in
events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is
based. Further details of potential risks and uncertainties
affecting the Group are described in the prospectus published today
by New Unilever NV and the Group's filings with the London Stock
Exchange, the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (Stichting
Autoriteit Financiële Markten) and the US Securities and
Exchange Commission, including in the Annual Report on Form 20-F
2017 and the Unilever Annual Report and Accounts 2017.
Important Information
This announcement is for informational purposes only and does not
constitute or form part of an offer to sell or the solicitation of
an offer to buy or subscribe to any securities, nor shall there be
any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer,
solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or
qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.
It is not an advertisement and not a prospectus for the purposes of
Directive 2003/71/EC, as amended. This announcement is not an
offer of securities for sale into the United States. No offering of
securities shall be made in the United States except pursuant to
registration under the US Securities Act of 1933 (the "Securities
Act"), or an exemption therefrom.
Any purchase of securities of New Unilever NV should only be made
on the basis of information contained in the prospectus issued in
connection with the proposed admission of New Unilever NV's
ordinary shares to (i) listing and trading on Euronext in Amsterdam
(ii) the Official List of the United Kingdom Listing Authority and
(iii) trading on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange (the
"EU Prospectus"), and approved by the Dutch Authority for the
Financial Markets (Stichting Autoriteit Financiële Markten)
and passported to the United Kingdom, and any supplement or
amendment thereto. The EU Prospectus contains detailed information
about Unilever and its management, as well as financial statements
and other financial data. It may be unlawful to distribute the EU
Prospectus in certain jurisdictions.
In connection with the reorganisation of Unilever PLC and Unilever
NV and their respective group companies ("Simplification") under a
new holding company, New Unilever NV, New Unilever NV has filed a
prospectus with the Securities Exchange Commission in the United
States (the "US Prospectus") with respect to the legal merger of
one of its subsidiaries with Unilever NV (the "Dutch Merger") and
Simplification. The US Prospectus is incorporated in the EU
Prospectus by reference. The US Prospectus will be delivered to
shareholders of Unilever NV with a registered address in the United
States and holders of Unilever NV New York registry
shares.
New Unilever NV also expects to issue ordinary shares to security
holders of Unilever PLC pursuant to a UK scheme of arrangement (the
"UK Scheme") in reliance upon the exemption from the registration
requirements of the US Securities Act provided by section 3(a)(10)
for which it will not file a registration statement. Unilever PLC
has sent or otherwise disseminated a scheme circular (the "Scheme
Document") and other relevant documents with respect to the UK
Scheme and Simplification to security holders of Unilever
PLC.
The release, publication or distribution of this announcement in
certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law and therefore
persons in such jurisdictions into which this announcement is
released, published or distributed should inform themselves about
and observe such restrictions.
SHAREHOLDERS AND SECURITY HOLDERS OF UNILEVER NV ARE URGED TO READ
THE EU PROSPECTUS AND THE US PROSPECTUS REGARDING THE DUTCH MERGER
AND SIMPLIFICATION AND OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS CAREFULLY AND IN
THEIR ENTIRETY, INCLUDING THE EXHIBITS THERETO AND ANY DOCUMENTS
INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE INTO THE EU PROSPECTUS OR THE US
PROSPECTUS AS WELL AS ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS TO THOSE
DOCUMENTS, BECAUSE THESE DOCUMENTS CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION
ABOUT UNILEVER, THE DUTCH MERGER AND SIMPLIFICATION.
SHAREHOLDERS AND SECURITY HOLDERS OF UNILEVER PLC ARE ADVISED TO
READ THE SCHEME DOCUMENT, THE EU PROSPECTUS AND OTHER RELEVANT
DOCUMENTS REGARDING THE UK SCHEME AND THE SIMPLIFICATION CAREFULLY
AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY, INCLUDING ANY DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY
REFERENCE INTO THE EU PROSPECTUS AS WELL AS ANY AMENDMENTS OR
SUPPLEMENTS TO THOSE DOCUMENTS, BECAUSE THESE DOCUMENTS CONTAIN
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT UNILEVER, THE UK SCHEME AND
SIMPLIFICATION.
Shareholders and
security holders can obtain free copies of the US Prospectus, as
well as other filings containing information about New Unilever NV,
Unilever PLC and Unilever NV, without charge, at the SEC's website
at www.sec.gov. Shareholders and security holders may obtain the EU
Prospectus, the US Prospectus and the Scheme Document, without
charge, from Unilever's website at www.unilever.com/simplification.
Shareholders and security holders may also obtain the EU
Prospectus, US Prospectus and Scheme Document, without charge, at
the offices of Unilever NV (Weena 455, Rotterdam) or may obtain the
Scheme Document or EU Prospectus by contacting Computershare on the
Shareholder Helpline on 0370 600 3977 if calling from the UK or +44
370 600 3977 if calling from outside the UK. The helpline is open
between 8.30 a.m. and 5.30 p.m., Monday to Friday (excluding public
holidays in England and Wales).