VLNS The Valens Company Inc

KELOWNA, BC, Dec. 13, 2022 /CNW/ - The Valens Company Inc. (TSX: VLNS) (Nasdaq: VLNS) (the "Company", "The Valens Company" or "Valens"), a leading manufacturer of cannabis products, announced today it received an extension of 180 calendar days from the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC ("Nasdaq") to regain compliance with the Nasdaq's minimum $1.00 bid price requirement set forth in Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(a)(2) for continued listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market (the "Bid Price Requirement"), following the expiration of the initial 180 calendar days period to regain compliance on December 12, 2022. The Nasdaq determination is based on the Company meeting the continued listing requirement for market value of publicly held shares and all other applicable requirements for initial listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market with the exception of the Bid Price Requirement, and the Company's written notice of its intention to cure the deficiency during the second compliance period by effecting a share consolidation, if necessary.

As a result of the extension, the Company now has until June 12, 2023, to regain compliance with the Bid Price Requirement. If at any time before June 12, 2023, the bid price of the Company's common shares closes at or above US$1.00 per share for a minimum of 10 consecutive business days, Nasdaq will provide written notification to the Company that it has achieved compliance with the Bid Price Requirement. If the Company chooses to implement a share consolidation to regain compliance, it must complete the consolidation no later than ten business days prior to the expiration of the additional 180 calendar day period in order to timely regain compliance.

If the Company does not regain compliance with the Bid Price Requirement by June 12, 2023, Nasdaq will provide written notification to the Company that its shares will be subject to delisting. At such time, the Company may appeal the delisting determination to a Nasdaq Hearings Panel. The Company would remain listed pending the Panel's decision. There can be no assurance that, if the Company does appeal a subsequent delisting determination, such appeal would be successful.

This current notification from Nasdaq has no immediate effect on the listing or trading of the Company's shares, which will continue to trade on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol VLNS. The Company is also listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange and the notification letter does not affect the Company's compliance status with such listing.

As a reminder, the Company continues to expect to close the plan of arrangement with SNDL Inc. in January 2023, well in advance of the June 12, 2023 deadline to regain compliance with the Bid Price Requirement. Pursuant to the plan of arrangement SNDL Inc. will acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Valens on the basis of 0.3334 of a SNDL common share for each outstanding Valens common share, on and subject to the terms of the arrangement agreement dated August 22, 2022.

The Valens Company is a leading cannabis consumer products company, with significant expertise in manufacturing cannabinoid-based products and a mission to bring the benefits of cannabis to the world. Valens provides proprietary cannabis processing services and best-in-class product development, manufacturing, and commercialization of cannabis consumer packaged goods. Valens' high-quality products are formulated for the recreational, health and wellness, and medical consumer segments and are offered across all cannabis product categories, with a focus on quality and product innovation. Valens also manufactures, distributes, and sells a wide range of CBD products in the United States through its subsidiary Green Roads, and distributes medicinal cannabis products to international markets through its subsidiary Valens Australia. In partnership with brand houses, consumer packaged goods companies and licensed cannabis producers around the globe, Valens continues to grow its diverse product portfolio in alignment with evolving cannabis consumer preferences. Through Valens Labs, Valens is setting the standard in cannabis testing and research and development with Canada's only ISO17025 accredited analytical services lab, named The Centre of Excellence in Plant-Based Science by partner and scientific world leader Thermo Fisher Scientific. Discover more on The Valens Company at http://www.thevalenscompany.com.

All information included in this press release, including any information as to the future financial or operating performance and other statements of The Valens Company that express management's expectations or estimates of future performance, other than statements of historical fact, constitute forward-looking information or forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as of the date hereof. Forward-looking statements are included for the purpose of providing information about management's current expectations and plans relating to the future. Wherever possible, words such as "plans", "expects", "scheduled", "trends", "forecasts", "future", "indications", "potential", "estimates", "predicts", "anticipate", "to establish", "believe", "intend", "ability to", or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "should", "could", "would", "might", "will", or are "likely" to be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative of these words or other variations thereof, have been used to identify such forward-looking information. Specific forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding the ability to regain compliance with the Nasdaq Listing Rules and anticipated courses of action as well as the anticipated closing of the Company's pending acquisition by SNDL Inc.

The risks and uncertainties that may affect forward-looking statements include, among others, if and when the proposed plan of arrangement agreement transaction involving The Valens Company and SNDL Inc. will be completed, the inability to meet the Minimum Bid Requirement or comply with Nasdaq's other listing standards within the prescribed time period, which could result in the delisting of the common shares from Nasdaq, Canadian regulatory risk, Australian regulatory risk, U.S. regulatory risk, U.S. border crossing and travel bans, the uncertainties, effects of and responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, reliance on licenses, expansion of facilities, competition, dependence on supply of cannabis and reliance on other key inputs, dependence on senior management and key personnel, general business risk and liability, regulation of the cannabis industry, change in laws, regulations and guidelines, compliance with laws, limited operating history, vulnerability to rising energy costs, unfavourable publicity or consumer perception, product liability, risks related to intellectual property, product recalls, difficulties with forecasts, management of growth and litigation, many of which are beyond the control of The Valens Company. For a more comprehensive discussion of the risks faced by The Valens Company, and which may cause the actual financial results, performance or achievements of The Valens Company to be materially different from estimated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by forward-looking information or forward-looking statements, please refer to The Valens Company's latest Annual Information Form filed with Canadian securities regulatory authorities at www.sedar.com or on The Valens Company's website at www.thevalenscompany.com. The risks described in such Annual Information Form are hereby incorporated by reference herein. Although the forward-looking statements contained herein reflect management's current beliefs and reasonable assumptions based upon information available to management as of the date hereof, The Valens Company cannot be certain that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking information. The Valens Company cautions you not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements. The Valens Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. Nothing herein should be construed as either an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy or sell securities of The Valens Company.

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SOURCE The Valens Company Inc.