State Street Corporation Declared a Substantial Holder in Viva Energy Group with 5.03% Stake

State Street Achieves 5.03% Voting Power in Viva Energy as of 29 June 2026

The initial substantial holding notice confirms that State Street Corporation and its named subsidiaries crossed the 5% ownership threshold in Viva Energy Group Limited on 29 June 2026. The group’s relevant interest totals 82,700,347 ordinary shares, representing 5.03% of the company’s total voting power. This marks the first formal crossing of this threshold by State Street in Viva Energy, making the filing a notice of initial substantial holding rather than an update to an existing position.

Australian law requires any entity or associated group acquiring a relevant interest of 5% or more in a listed company’s voting shares to notify both the company and the market within two business days. The filing date of 1 July 2026 complies with this requirement given the threshold was crossed on 29 June 2026. This regulatory filing is routine and does not imply any intention by State Street to increase its stake, seek board representation, or pursue other corporate actions related to Viva Energy.

Distribution of the 82.7 Million Shares Among State Street’s Global Subsidiaries

The relevant interest is spread across multiple State Street Corporation subsidiaries and affiliated entities rather than held by a single entity. The filing identifies State Street Bank and Trust Company, State Street Global Advisors Europe Limited, State Street Global Advisors Trust Company, SSGA Funds Management Inc., State Street Global Advisors Limited, State Street Global Advisors Ltd., and State Street Global Advisors Australia Limited as holders of portions of the 82,700,347 shares. The nature of each entity’s interest varies according to its role.

Additionally, several third-party registered holders are listed, including Citibank NA, Bank of New York Mellon, Northern Trust Company, BNP Paribas, JPMorgan AG, and UBS Securities Australia Ltd. These custodian and prime brokerage relationships are typical in institutional asset management, where beneficial ownership and registered holdings are often separated. Individual share parcels disclosed range from as few as 4 ordinary shares to as many as 51,654,709 shares under a single registered line.

Securities Lending Included in State Street Bank and Trust Company’s Relevant Interest

The filing notably includes securities lending arrangements as part of State Street Bank and Trust Company’s relevant interest. It distinguishes among three categories: collateral securities, where the bank holds relevant interest under section 608(8A) as lender with disposal rights over collateral shares; lent securities, where the bank retains relevant interest in shares lent under securities lending agreements; and memo pledge securities, where relevant interest is held under section 608(8) as lender with disposal rights over pledged shares.

These distinctions highlight that not all 82,700,347 shares counted toward the 5.03% threshold are held in a traditional long equity sense. Some represent securities lent to third parties or pledged as collateral, with State Street retaining legal relevant interest under the Corporations Act 2001 despite shares being held by borrowers. This reporting approach aligns with established Australian disclosure rules for large custodian banks.

Role of State Street Global Advisors Australia as Investment Manager in Viva Energy Stake

State Street Global Advisors Australia Limited, based at Level 15, 420 George Street, Sydney NSW 2000, is among the entities holding relevant interest in Viva Energy’s ordinary shares. Its interest arises from its power to control voting rights and dispose of securities as investment manager or trustee. This is a standard relevant interest basis for institutional fund managers operating within Australia’s superannuation and investment management sectors.

As the asset management division of State Street Corporation, State Street Global Advisors is one of the world’s largest index fund managers, operating both passive and active strategies globally. Its substantial holding in Viva Energy aligns with VEA’s inclusion in major Australian equity indices, which attracts passive index fund ownership through benchmark replication. The filing does not specify particular fund mandates or strategies underlying the Viva Energy shareholdings.

AQR Flex 1 Series LLC Entities Identified Among Registered Holders

The disclosure references AQR Flex 1 Series LLC Series A9, AQR Flex 1 Series LLC Series A10, and AQR Flex 1 Series LLC Series A16 as registered holders of some Viva Energy shares within State Street’s aggregate relevant interest. State Street Bank and Trust Company is identified as holding the relevant interest associated with these registered positions.

The presence of AQR-branded fund vehicles in the substantial holding notice reflects custodial and securities lending arrangements where State Street acts as custodian or lender for external fund managers. The filing does not detail the exact number of shares registered under each AQR series. Investors seeking precise allocation information should consult the annexures referenced in the filing.

Consideration Paid and Four-Month Acquisition Period Details

The filing includes a section on consideration paid for relevant interests acquired during the four months preceding State Street’s substantial holder status. It references Annexures A, B, and C for detailed consideration information, but the main filing does not disclose specific cash amounts, acquisition dates, or per-share prices in a readily accessible format. Therefore, exact transaction prices and dates are not fully detailed in the primary document.

This method complies with Form 603 disclosure rules, which allow annexures to contain detailed transaction data to keep the main form concise. Investors and analysts aiming to reconstruct the timing and average cost of State Street’s Viva Energy share accumulation should refer to these annexures. The immediate impact on share price is not evident from publicly available information.

Viva Energy’s Status as a Leading Downstream Energy Operator Draws Institutional Interest

Viva Energy Group Limited is a major integrated energy company in Australia, operating the Geelong Refinery and a nationwide network of retail fuel and convenience outlets under the Shell brand licence. The company plays a significant role in Australia’s liquid fuels supply chain and is pursuing an energy transition strategy that includes expanding convenience retail and developing low-carbon fuel initiatives. Its inclusion in major Australian equity indices naturally attracts large-scale passive institutional ownership.

State Street Corporation’s crossing of the 5% threshold underscores substantial institutional investor interest in large-cap Australian energy infrastructure businesses. For existing Viva Energy shareholders, having a globally significant passive and active fund manager as a substantial holder may influence voting outcomes at general meetings, as such investors typically engage proxy advisers and apply environmental, social, and governance voting frameworks. Viva Energy did not comment on the State Street filing.

Implications of the State Street Substantial Holder Filing for Future Disclosures

Having crossed the 5% threshold and lodged an initial substantial holding notice, State Street Corporation and its subsidiaries must comply with ongoing disclosure obligations under the Corporations Act 2001. Any subsequent change of 1% or more in their combined relevant interest—whether an increase or decrease—will require lodging a Form 604 notice of change. If their stake falls below 5%, a final notice of ceasing to be a substantial holder must be filed.

These requirements ensure the market receives timely updates on material movements in State Street’s Viva Energy holdings. Investors monitoring the Viva Energy register should track future substantial holder notices to evaluate whether State Street is increasing, maintaining, or reducing its position. The next significant disclosure event will be any Form 604 filing reflecting changes to the 82,700,347 share position reported as of 29 June 2026.

State Street Corporation’s Global Presence and Its Relevance to the Viva Energy Disclosure

State Street Corporation is a US-headquartered financial services conglomerate located at One Congress Street, Suite 1, Boston MA 02114, United States. It ranks among the world’s largest custodian banks and investment managers, overseeing trillions of dollars in assets under custody and management globally. The entities listed in the Viva Energy filing operate across multiple jurisdictions, including the United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, and Australia, reflecting State Street’s expansive asset management and custody network.

All entities named in the filing are subsidiaries of State Street Corporation, which is the ultimate parent and designated substantial holder under Australian disclosure rules. The filing was signed by Alok Maheshwary of State Street Global Advisors Australia Limited as authorised signatory on 1 July 2026, confirming that the Australian investment management arm is responsible for compliance with local substantial holding disclosure requirements on behalf of the global group.

Tracking Viva Energy’s Share Register Following State Street’s Threshold Crossing

This substantial holder notice adds State Street Corporation to the list of entities holding 5% or more of Viva Energy’s ordinary shares required to publicly disclose their positions. Investors and analysts tracking institutional ownership will gain visibility into State Street’s aggregate holdings as further notices are filed. The 5.03% stake represents a significant institutional anchor on Viva Energy’s share register.

For both retail and institutional investors, key factors to monitor include whether State Street’s combined stake grows beyond 5.03%, whether underlying fund vehicles adjust their mandates regarding Australian energy sector exposure, and whether the securities lending portion of the position changes materially. Viva Energy did not issue a separate statement in response to the filing, consistent with standard practice for substantial holder notices unrelated to takeover bids or other corporate transactions.