Mercury NZ Limited/Announcement
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Mercury green bond offer – interest rate set

Debt Issuance4 September 2020MCYUtilities

`
The Mercury Building, 33 Broadway, Newmarket 1023


PHONE:

+ 64 9 308 8200

mercury.co.nz

PO Box 90399, Auckland 1142

New Zealand


FAX:

+ 64 9 308 8209




Mercury NZ Limited green bond offer – interest rate set

4 September 2020 - Mercury NZ Limited (Mercury) today announced that, following a bookbuild for its offer of 7

year unsecured, unsubordinated fixed rate green bonds (Green Bonds), $200 million of Green Bonds have been

allocated to participants (or their clients) in the bookbuild process. There was no public pool for the offer.


The interest rate for the Green Bonds has been set at 1.56% per annum. This reflects a margin of 1.25% per

annum over the underlying swap rate.


The Green Bonds will be issued on Monday 14 September 2020 and will mature on Tuesday 14 September 2027.


The Green Bonds are expected to be quoted on the NZX Debt Market under the ticker code MCY030.


Details of the offer are contained in Mercury’s Product Disclosure Statement (PDS). To obtain a free copy of the

PDS for the Green Bonds, investors should contact one of the Joint Lead Managers listed below, or their usual

financial adviser. A copy of the PDS is also available at www.mercury.co.nz/green-bonds.


A copy of the final terms sheet has been provided to NZX with this announcement.


Arranger, Green Bond Co-ordinator and Joint Lead Manager


0800 269 476



Joint Lead Managers


0800 284 017 0800 226 263 0800 367 227

STOCK EXCHANGE LISTINGS: NZX (MCY) / ASX (MCY)


NEWS RELEASE


| Page 2 of 2

ENDS

Howard Thomas

General Counsel and Company Secretary

Mercury NZ Limited


For investor relations queries, please contact:

William Meek

Chief Financial Officer

0275 173 470

For media queries, please contact:

Craig Dowling

Head of Communications

0272 105 337



ABOUT MERCURY NZ LIMITED

Mercury’s mission is energy freedom. Our purpose is to inspire New Zealanders to enjoy energy in more wonderful

ways and our goal is to be New Zealand’s leading energy brand. We focus on our customers, our people, our

partners and our country; maintain a long-term view of sustainability; and promote wonderful choices. Mercury is

energy made wonderful. Visit us at: www.mercury.co.nz

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FINAL
TERMS SHEET.

FIXED RATE

GREEN BONDS.

4 SEPTEMBER 2020.

Arranger, Green Bond

Co-ordinator & Joint

Lead Manager

Joint Lead

Managers

IssuerMercury NZ Limited (Mercury)
Description of

Green Bonds

Unsecured, unsubordinated fixed rate green bonds (Green Bonds).

Term7 years, maturing Tuesday 14 September 2027.

Issue Amount$200,000,000.

Credit RatingsIssuer Credit RatingCredit Rating for Green Bonds

S&P Global RatingsBBB+ (stable)BBB+

Mercury’s current Issuer Credit Rating includes a one-notch uplift from the company’s stand-alone credit

profile of ‘bbb’, reflecting the legislated majority ownership by the Crown. The Crown does not guarantee the

Green Bonds and is under no obligation to provide financial support to Mercury.

A credit rating is an independent opinion of the capability and willingness of an entity to repay its debts (in

other words, its creditworthiness). It is not a guarantee that the financial product being offered is a safe

investment. A credit rating should be considered alongside all other relevant information when making an

investment decision.

A credit rating is not a recommendation by any rating organisation to buy, sell or hold Green Bonds. The

above credit ratings are current as at the date of this Terms Sheet and may be subject to suspension, revision

or withdrawal at any time by S&P Global Ratings.

The Green Bond

Principles and Climate

Bonds Standard

Mercury has developed and adopted the Green Financing Framework to ensure that, as at the date of the

PDS, its processes for identifying Eligible Projects and managing the use of the proceeds of the Green Bonds

are consistent with the Green Bond Principles published by the International Capital Market Association and

the Climate Bonds Standard.

If Mercury fails to comply with the Green Financing Framework or related matters or if the Green Bonds

cease to satisfy the Green Bond Principles or Climate Bonds Standard:

• no Event of Default or any other breach will occur in relation to the Green Bonds; and

• neither you nor Mercury have any right for the Green Bonds to be repaid early.

This means there is no legal obligation on Mercury to comply with the Green Financing Framework, the

Green Bond Principles or the Climate Bonds Standard on an ongoing basis. See the PDS for further

information.

FINAL TERMS SHEET.

Final Terms Sheet for an issue of $200,000,000 unsecured, unsubordinated fixed rate green bonds due

Tuesday 14 September 2027

Dated 4 September 2020

The product disclosure statement (PDS) for the Green Bonds, which contains full details of the offer, is

available at www.mercury.co.nz/green-bonds or can be obtained from the Joint Lead Managers or your

usual financial adviser. Investors must obtain a copy of the PDS before they apply for Green Bonds.

PurposeThe proceeds of this offer are intended to be earmarked to finance or refinance new or existing projects
and expenditures relating to Eligible Projects in accordance with Mercury’s Green Financing Framework.

In particular, as at the date of this Terms Sheet Mercury expects to apply the net proceeds of the offer to

refinance existing debt, and to track an amount equal to the net proceeds within its systems, earmarked to

Eligible Projects, primarily the construction of the Turitea wind farm.

Issue Price$1.00 per Green Bond, being the Principal Amount of each Green Bond.

Interest Rate1.56% per annum, being the sum of the Swap Rate on the Rate Set Date and the Issue Margin.

Issue Margin1.25% per annum

Swap RateThe mid-market rate for an interest rate swap of a term matching the period from the Issue Date to the

Maturity Date as calculated by the Arranger in conjunction with Mercury, according to market convention,

with reference to Bloomberg page ICNZ4 (or any successor page) on the Rate Set Date (rounded to 2

decimal places, if necessary, with 0.005 rounded up).

Interest PaymentsSemi-annual in arrear in equal amounts on 14 March and 14 September in each year (or if that day is not a

Business Day, the next Business Day) until and including the Maturity Date, with the First Interest Payment

Date being 14 March 2021. As the First Interest Payment Date is a Sunday, interest is payable on Monday 15

March 2021 instead.

Record Date5.00pm on the date that is 10 calendar days before the relevant scheduled Interest Payment Date (prior to

any adjustment to the Interest Payment Date to fall on a Business Day). If the record date falls on a day which

is not a Business Day, the record date will be the immediately preceding Business Day.

Financial CovenantMercury agrees to ensure that Net Worth (being total assets less total liabilities of Mercury and its

subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis, calculated in accordance with the Master Trust Deed) at any time will

not be less than $500 million.

GuaranteeMercury is the issuer and the sole obligor in respect of the Green Bonds. None of the Crown, any subsidiary

of Mercury or any other person guarantees the Green Bonds.

RankingOn a liquidation of Mercury, the Green Bonds will rank as unsecured and unsubordinated obligations of
Mercury and will rank:

• below any secured liabilities and liabilities which are preferred by law;

• equally with liabilities owed to Mercury’s USPP noteholders, banks and certain financial institutions that

have lent money to Mercury, however (unlike Bondholders) those creditors have the benefit of guarantees

from certain subsidiaries of Mercury so may also claim directly against those subsidiaries;

• equally with (and will be repaid at the same time and pro rata with) all other unsecured and

unsubordinated liabilities of Mercury, such as those owing to other Bondholders; and

• ahead of Mercury’s subordinated liabilities (including capital bonds) and shareholders.

SecurityThe Green Bonds are not secured.

No Public PoolThere is no public pool for the Green Bonds. All Green Bonds (including any oversubscriptions) will be

reserved for subscription by clients of the Joint Lead Managers, NZX Firms and other approved financial

intermediaries invited to participate in the bookbuild.

ISINNZMCYDG003C8

QuotationApplication has been made to NZX for permission to quote the Green Bonds on the NZX Debt Market and

all the requirements of NZX relating to that quotation that can be complied with on or before the date of

distribution of the PDS have been duly complied with. However, the Green Bonds have not yet been approved

for trading and NZX accepts no responsibility for any statement in the PDS. NZX is a licensed market

operator, and the NZX Debt Market is a licensed market under the FMCA.

NZX ticker code MCY030 has been reserved for the Green Bonds.

Minimum application

amount

$5,000 and multiples of $1,000 thereafter.

Arranger & Green Bond

Co-ordinator

ANZ Bank New Zealand Limited (ANZ)

Joint Lead ManagersANZ, Bank of New Zealand, Craigs Investment Partners Limited and Forsyth Barr Limited

Bond SupervisorThe New Zealand Guardian Trust Company Limited

Securities RegistrarComputershare Investor Services Limited

Governing LawNew Zealand

Further payments, fees or

charges

Taxes may be deducted from interest payments on the Green Bonds.

You are not required to pay brokerage or any other fees or charges to Mercury to purchase the Green Bonds.

However, you may have to pay brokerage to the firm from whom you receive an allocation of Green Bonds.

Please contact your financial adviser for further information on any brokerage fees.

Opening DateMonday 31 August 2020
Closing DateFriday 4 September 2020 at 12.00pm

Rate Set DateFriday 4 September 2020

Issue Date and allotment

date

Monday 14 September 2020

Expected quotation on NZX

Debt Market

Tuesday 15 September 2020

Selling RestrictionsThe Green Bonds may only be offered or sold in conformity with all applicable laws and regulations in New

Zealand and in any other jurisdiction in which the Green Bonds are offered, sold or delivered. Specific selling

restrictions as of the date of the PDS are set out in Schedule 2 to this Terms Sheet for the United States,

Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland.

No action has been or will be taken by Mercury which would permit an offer of Green Bonds, or possession

or distribution of any offering material, in any country or jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required

(other than New Zealand).

No person may purchase, offer, sell, distribute or deliver Green Bonds, or have in their possession, publish,

deliver or distribute to any person, any offering material or any documents in connection with the Green

Bonds, in any jurisdiction other than in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations and the specific

selling restrictions set out in Schedule 2 to this Terms Sheet.

By subscribing for Green Bonds, you indemnify Mercury, the Arranger, the Joint Lead Managers, the

Registrar and the Bond Supervisor in respect of any loss incurred as a result of you breaching these selling

restrictions.

Important Dates

The timetable is indicative only and subject to change. Mercury may, in its absolute discretion and without notice, vary the timetable

(including by opening or closing the offer early, accepting late applications and extending the Closing Date).

If the Closing Date is extended, the Rate Set Date, the Issue Date, the expected date of initial quotation and trading of the Green Bonds

on the NZX Debt Market, the Interest Payment Dates and the Maturity Date may also be extended. Any such changes will not affect the

validity of any applications received.

Mercury reserves the right to cancel the offer and the issue of the Green Bonds, in which case any application monies received will be

refunded (without interest) as soon as practicable and in any event within 5 Business Days of the cancellation.

Capitalised terms used but not defined in this Terms Sheet have the meanings given to them in the PDS.

The certification of the Green Bonds as
Climate Bonds by the Climate Bonds Initiative

is based solely on the Climate Bond Standard

and does not, and is not intended to, make any

representation or give any assurance with

respect to any other matter relating to the

Green Bonds or any Eligible Project, including

but not limited to the Terms Sheet, the

transaction documents, Mercury or the

management of Mercury.

The certification of the Green Bonds as

Climate Bonds by the Climate Bonds Initiative

was addressed solely to the board of directors

of Mercury and is not a recommendation to

any person to purchase, hold or sell the Green

Bonds and such certification does not address

the market price or suitability of the Green

Bonds for a particular investor. The

certification also does not address the merits

of the decision by Mercury or any third party to

participate in any Eligible Project and does not

express and should not be deemed to be an

expression of an opinion as to Mercury or any

aspect of any Eligible Project (including but

not limited to the financial viability of any

Eligible Project) other than with respect to

conformance with the Climate Bond Standard.

In issuing or monitoring, as applicable, the

certification, the Climate Bonds Initiative has

assumed and relied upon and will assume and

rely upon the accuracy and completeness in

all material respects of the information

supplied or otherwise made available to the

Climate Bonds Initiative. The Climate Bonds

Initiative does not assume or accept any

responsibility to any person for independently

verifying (and it has not verified) such

information or to undertake (and it has not

undertaken) any independent evaluation of

any Eligible Project or Mercury. In addition, the

Climate Bonds Initiative does not assume any

obligation to conduct (and it has not

conducted) any physical inspection of any

Eligible Project. The certification may only be

used with the Green Bonds and may not be

used for any other purpose without the

Climate Bonds Initiative’s prior written consent.

The certification does not and is not in any way

intended to address the likelihood of timely

payment of interest when due on the Green

Bonds and/or the payment of principal at

maturity or any other date.

The certification may be withdrawn at any

time in the Climate Bonds Initiative’s sole and

absolute discretion and there can be no

assurance that such certification will not be

withdrawn.


GENERAL

The Green Bonds may only be offered or sold

in conformity with all applicable laws and

regulations in New Zealand and in any other

jurisdiction in which the Green Bonds are

offered, sold or delivered. Specific selling

restrictions as of the date of this Terms Sheet

are set out below for the United States,

Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, the

United Kingdom and Switzerland.

No action has been or will be taken by Mercury

which would permit an offer of Green Bonds,

or possession or distribution of any offering

material, in any country or jurisdiction where

action for that purpose is required (other than

New Zealand).

No person may purchase, offer, sell, distribute

or deliver Green Bonds, or have in their

possession, publish, deliver or distribute to any

person, any offering material or any

documents in connection with the Green

Bonds, in any jurisdiction other than in

compliance with all applicable laws and

regulations and the specific selling restrictions

set out below. Only the Joint Lead Managers

may distribute the PDS and this Terms Sheet

outside New Zealand and only in compliance

with the specific selling restrictions set out

below. In particular, the PDS and this Terms

Sheet may not be distributed to any person in

the United States and the Green Bonds may

not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, to

any person in the United States.

By subscribing for Green Bonds, you indemnify

Mercury, the Arranger, the Joint Lead

Managers, the Securities Registrar and the

Bond Supervisor in respect of any loss incurred

as a result of you breaching these selling

restrictions.

UNITED S TATES

The Green Bonds have not been, and will not

be, registered under the Securities Act of 1933,

as amended (Securities Act) and may not be

offered or sold within the United States or to,

or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons

(as defined in Regulation S under the

Securities Act (Regulation S)) except in

accordance with Regulation S or pursuant to

an exemption from, or in a transaction not

subject to, the registration requirements of the

Securities Act.

The Green Bonds will not be offered or sold

within the United States or to, or for the

account or benefit of, U.S. persons (i) as part

of their distribution at any time, or (ii)

otherwise until 40 days after the completion of

the distribution of all Green Bonds, as

determined and certified by the Joint Lead

Managers except in accordance with Rule 903

of Regulation S. Any Green Bonds sold to any

distributor, dealer or person receiving a selling

concession, fee or other remuneration during

the distribution compliance period require a

confirmation or notice to the purchaser at or

prior to the confirmation of the sale to

substantially the following effect:

“The Green Bonds covered hereby have not

been registered under the United States

Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the

Securities Act) or with any securities regulatory

authority of any state or other jurisdiction of

the United States and may not be offered or

sold within the United States, or to or for the

account or benefit of, U.S. persons (i) as part

of their distribution at any time or (ii) otherwise

until 40 days after the later of the

commencement of the offering of the Green

Bonds and the closing date except in either

case pursuant to a valid exemption from

registration in accordance with Regulation S

under the Securities Act. Terms used above

have the meaning given to them by

Regulation S.”

Until 40 days after the completion of the

distribution of all Green Bonds, an offer or sale

of the Green Bonds within the United States by

any Joint Lead Manager or any dealer or other

distributor (whether or not participating in the

offering) may violate the registration

requirements of the Securities Act if such offer

or sale is made otherwise than in accordance

with Regulation S.

AUSTRALIA

The PDS, this Terms Sheet and the offer of

Green Bonds are only made available in

Australia to persons to whom an offer of

securities can be made without disclosure in

accordance with applicable exemptions in

sections 708(8) (sophisticated investors) or

708(11) (professional investors) of the

Australian Corporations Act 2001 (the

Corporations Act). The PDS and this Terms

Sheet are not a prospectus, product disclosure

statement or any other formal “disclosure

document” for the purposes of Australian law

and is not required to, and does not, contain all

the information which would be required in a

"disclosure document" under Australian law.

The PDS and this Terms Sheet have not been

and will not be lodged or registered with the

Australian Securities & Investments

Commission or the Australian Securities

Exchange and the issuer is not subject to the

continuous disclosure requirements that apply

in Australia.

Prospective investors should not construe

anything in the PDS or this Terms Sheet as

legal, business or tax advice nor as financial

product advice for the purposes of Chapter 7

of the Corporations Act. Investors in Australia

should be aware that the offer of Green Bonds

for resale in Australia within 12 months of their

issue may, under section 707(3) of the

Corporations Act, require disclosure to investors

under Part 6D.2 if none of the exemptions in

section 708 of the Corporations Act apply to

the re-sale.

SCHEDULE 1

CBI DISCLAIMER

SCHEDULE 2

SELLING RESTRICTIONS

HONG KONG
WARNING: The PDS and this Terms Sheet

have not been, and will not be, registered as a

prospectus under the Companies (Winding Up

and Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance (Cap.

32) of Hong Kong, nor has it been authorised

by the Securities and Futures Commission in

Hong Kong pursuant to the Securities and

Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571) of the Laws of

Hong Kong (the SFO). No action has been

taken in Hong Kong to authorise or register the

PDS or this Terms Sheet or to permit the

distribution of the PDS or this Terms Sheet or

any documents issued in connection with

them. Accordingly, the Green Bonds have not

been and will not be offered or sold in Hong

Kong other than to "professional investors" (as

defined in the SFO and any rules made under

that ordinance).

No advertisement, invitation or document

relating to the Green Bonds has been or will be

issued, or has been or will be in the possession

of any person for the purpose of issue, in Hong

Kong or elsewhere that is directed at, or the

contents of which are likely to be accessed or

read by, the public of Hong Kong (except if

permitted to do so under the securities laws of

Hong Kong) other than with respect to Green

Bonds that are or are intended to be disposed

of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only

to professional investors. No person allotted

Green Bonds may sell, or offer to sell, such

securities in circumstances that amount to an

offer to the public in Hong Kong within six

months following the date of issue of such

securities.

The contents of the PDS and this Terms Sheet

have not been reviewed by any Hong Kong

regulatory authority. You are advised to exercise

caution in relation to the Offer. If you are in

doubt about any contents of the PDS or this

Terms Sheet, you should obtain independent

professional advice.

JAPAN

The Green Bonds have not been and will not

be registered under Article 4, paragraph 1 of

the Financial Instruments and Exchange Law

of Japan (Law No. 25 of 1948), as amended

(the FIEL) pursuant to an exemption from the

registration requirements applicable to a

private placement of securities to Qualified

Institutional Investors (as defined in and in

accordance with Article 2, paragraph 3 of the

FIEL and the regulations promulgated

thereunder). Accordingly, the Green Bonds

may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly,

in Japan or to, or for the benefit of, any

resident of Japan other than Qualified

Institutional Investors. Any Qualified

Institutional Investor who acquires Green

Bonds may not resell them to any person in

Japan that is not a Qualified Institutional

Investor, and acquisition by any such person of

Green Bonds is conditional upon the execution

of an agreement to that effect.

SINGAPORE

SINGAPORE SECURITIES AND FUTURES

ACT PRODUCT CLASSIFICATION: Solely for

the purposes of sections 309B(1)(a) and

309B(1)(c) of the Securities and Futures Act

(Chapter 289 of Singapore) (the S FA), Mercury

has determined, and hereby notifies all

relevant persons (as defined in Section 309A

of the SFA) that the Green Bonds are

“prescribed capital markets products” (as

defined in the Securities and Futures (Capital

Markets Products) Regulations 2018).

The PDS, this Terms Sheet and any other

materials relating to the Green Bonds have not

been, and will not be, lodged or registered as a

prospectus in Singapore with the Monetary

Authority of Singapore. Accordingly, the PDS,

this Terms Sheet and any other document or

materials in connection with the offer or sale,

or invitation for subscription or purchase, of

Green Bonds, may not be issued, circulated or

distributed, nor may the Green Bonds be

offered or sold, or be made the subject of an

invitation for subscription or purchase, whether

directly or indirectly, to persons in Singapore

except pursuant to and in accordance with

exemptions in Subdivision (4) Division 1, Part

XIII of the SFA, or as otherwise pursuant to,

and in accordance with the conditions of any

other applicable provisions of the SFA.

This Terms Sheet has been given to you on the

basis that you are (i) an "institutional investor"

(as defined in the SFA) or (ii) an "accredited

investor" (as defined in the SFA). In the event

that you are not an investor falling within any

of the categories set out above, please return

this Terms Sheet immediately. You may not

forward or circulate this Terms Sheet to any

other person in Singapore.

Any offer is not made to you with a view to the

Green Bonds being subsequently offered for

sale to any other party. There are on-sale

restrictions in Singapore that may be

applicable to investors who acquire Green

Bonds. As such, investors are advised to

acquaint themselves with the SFA provisions

relating to resale restrictions in Singapore and

comply accordingly.

UNITED KINGDOM

None of the PDS, this Terms Sheet or any other

document relating to the Offer has been

delivered for approval to the Financial Conduct

Authority in the United Kingdom and no

prospectus (within the meaning of section 85

of the Financial Services and Markets Act

2000, as amended (FSMA)) has been

published or is intended to be published in

respect of the Green Bonds.

The Green Bonds may not be offered or sold

in the United Kingdom by means of the PDS,

this Terms Sheet or any other document,

except in circumstances that do not require

the publication of a prospectus under section

86(1) of the FSMA. This Terms Sheet is issued

on a confidential basis in the United Kingdom

to "qualified investors" (within the meaning of

Article 2(e) of the Prospectus Regulation

(2017/1129/EU), replacing section 86(7) of the

FSMA). This Terms Sheet may not be

distributed or reproduced, in whole or in part,

nor may its contents be disclosed by recipients

to any other person in the United Kingdom.

Any invitation or inducement to engage in

investment activity (within the meaning of

section 21 of the FSMA) received in connection

with the issue or sale of the Green Bonds has

only been communicated or caused to be

communicated and will only be

communicated or caused to be

communicated in the United Kingdom in

circumstances in which section 21(1) of the

FSMA does not apply to Mercury.

In the United Kingdom, this Terms Sheet is

being distributed only to, and is directed at,

persons (i) who have professional experience

in matters relating to investments falling within

Article 19(5) (investment professionals) of the

Financial Services and Markets Act 2000

(Financial Promotions) Order 2005 (FPO), (ii)

who fall within the categories of persons

referred to in Article 49(2)(a) to (d) (high net

worth companies, unincorporated associations,

etc.) of the FPO or (iii) to whom it may

otherwise be lawfully communicated (together

relevant persons). The investment to which

this Terms Sheet relates is available only to

relevant persons. Any person who is not a

relevant person should not act or rely on the

PDS or this Terms Sheet.

SWITZERLAND

The Green Bonds may not be publicly offered

in Switzerland and will not be listed on the SIX

Swiss Exchange or on any other stock

exchange or regulated trading facility in

Switzerland. None of the PDS, this Terms

Sheet or any other offering or marketing

material relating to the Green Bonds

constitutes a prospectus or a similar notice, as

such terms are understood under art. 35 of

the Swiss Financial Services Act (FinSA) or the

listing rules of any stock exchange or regulated

trading facility in Switzerland.

No offering or marketing material relating to

the Green Bonds has been, nor will be, filed

with or approved by any Swiss regulatory

authority or authorised review body. In

particular, the PDS and this Terms Sheet will

not be filed with, and the offer of Green Bonds

will not be supervised by, the Swiss Financial

Market Supervisory Authority.

None of the PDS, this Terms Sheet or any other

offering or marketing material relating to the

Green Bonds may be publicly distributed or

otherwise made publicly available in

Switzerland. The Green Bonds will only be

offered to investors who qualify as

"professional clients" (as defined in the FinSA).

This Terms Sheet is personal to the recipient

and not for general circulation in Switzerland.

Data sourced from publicly available filings. Our datasets may not be complete. Automated analysis can produce errors. If you believe any data on this page is incorrect, please contact us at hello@nzxplorer.co.nz. For informational purposes only. Not investment advice.