Amarillo Gold Corporation
(“
Amarillo” or the
“
Company”) (TSXV: AGC, OTCQB:
AGCBF) has mailed and filed a management information circular (the
“Circular”) and related materials (the “
Meeting
Materials”) for its special meeting (the
“
Meeting”) of shareholders
(collectively, “
Shareholders”) to
be held at 11:00 a.m. (Eastern time) on March 1, 2022, in
connection with the proposed acquisition (the
“
Transaction”) of Amarillo by
Hochschild Mining PLC
(“
Hochschild”).
About the Meeting
Due to the ongoing public health concerns related to the
COVID-19 pandemic, and to ensure the health and well-being of our
Shareholders, employees, communities, and other stakeholders, the
Meeting will be conducted virtually via live webcast online at
https://meetnow.global/MJ6JNWH.
Registered Shareholders and duly appointed proxyholders will be
able to vote in real time and ask questions at the Meeting by
following the instructions set out in the Circular.
Beneficial Shareholders who have not duly appointed themselves
as proxyholders may attend the Meeting as guests. Guests may listen
but cannot vote at the Meeting or ask questions.
Shareholders should closely review the Meeting Materials to
ensure that they are able to cast their vote at and participate in
the Meeting.
The Meeting Materials contain important information regarding
the Transaction, how Shareholders can participate and vote at the
Meeting, the background that led to the Transaction and the reasons
for the unanimous determinations of the special committee of
independent directors of the Company (the “Special
Committee”) as well as the board of directors of
the Company (the “Board”) that
the Transaction is in the best interests of the Company and is fair
to Shareholders.
Shareholders should carefully review all the Meeting Materials
as they contain important information concerning the Transaction
and the rights and entitlements of Shareholders thereunder. The
Meeting Materials have been filed by the Company on SEDAR and are
available under the Company’s profile at www.sedar.com.
Receipt of Interim Court Order
On January 27, 2022, Amarillo obtained an interim order (the
“Interim Order”) from the Supreme
Court of British Columbia (the
“Court”) authorizing the holding
of the Meeting and matters relating to the conduct of the Meeting.
At the Meeting, Shareholders will be asked to consider and, if
deemed advisable, pass a special resolution (the
“Arrangement Resolution”) to
approve an arrangement (the
“Arrangement”), in accordance
with the terms of an arrangement agreement (the
“Arrangement Agreement”) entered
into by the Company and Hochschild on November 29, 2021, pursuant
to which Hochschild, through its subsidiary 1334940 B.C. Ltd. (the
“Purchaser”), agreed to acquire
all of the issued and outstanding Amarillo common shares
(“Amarillo Shares”) that it does
not already own by way of a statutory plan of arrangement (the
“Plan of Arrangement”) under
section 288 of the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia).
Shareholders will also be asked to approve an omnibus equity
incentive plan (the “Omnibus
Plan”) for Lavras SpinCo (defined below).
Transaction details
Under the terms of the Transaction, each share of Amarillo will
be exchanged for cash consideration of C$0.40 and one share of a
new Brazil-focused exploration company, Lavras Gold Corp.
(“Lavras SpinCo”), based in
Toronto, Ontario. Lavras SpinCo will be capitalized with C$10
million cash and will hold all assets and rights with respect the
Lavras do Sul gold project (the “Lavras
Project”) located in southern Brazil in the state
of Rio Grande do Sul, and a 2.0% net smelter revenue royalty on
certain exploration properties outside the current Posse resource
at the Mara Rosa Project (the “SpinCo
Royalty”).
The Arrangement Agreement contemplates a reciprocal expense
reimbursement/non-completion fee of C$2.5 million payable if the
required shareholder approval is not obtained or on the occurrence
of certain other circumstances. In addition, the Arrangement
Agreement provides for a termination fee of C$5 million payable by
Amarillo to Hochschild if the Arrangement is not completed or is
terminated by Amarillo or Hochschild in certain circumstances,
including if Amarillo enters into an agreement with respect to a
superior proposal or if the Board, in certain circumstances,
withdraws or modifies its recommendation with respect to the
Arrangement. The Arrangement Agreement also provides for customary
non-solicitation covenants, subject to customary “fiduciary out”
provisions entitling Amarillo to consider and accept a superior
proposal and a right in favor of Hochschild to match any superior
proposal.
A copy of the Arrangement Agreement has been filed by Amarillo
on SEDAR and is reviewable under Amarillo’s profile at
www.sedar.com.
Reasons for the Arrangement
In evaluating and unanimously approving the Arrangement, the
Board consulted its legal and financial advisors and the Special
Committee. The Special Committee and the Board carefully considered
a number of factors and reasons, including, among others, the
following:
- Significant Premium to
Unaffected Market Price. The consideration
offered to Shareholders under the Arrangement represents a premium
of approximately 74% to the closing price of the Amarillo Shares of
$0.23 on the TSXV on November 29, 2021, the last trading day prior
to the announcement of the Arrangement, and a premium of
approximately 66% to the volume weighted average price of the
Amarillo Shares on the TSXV over the 20-trading day period ended
November 29, 2021, of $0.24. The Special Committee
was of the view that the opportunity for Shareholders to realize
this premium outweighed Amarillo maintaining the status
quo.
- Continued Exposure to
Other Amarillo Assets. Shareholders, through
their ownership of Lavras SpinCo shares, will have continued
exposure to the other Amarillo assets being transferred to Lavras
SpinCo, including the Butiá Prospect, which forms part of the
Lavras do Sul Project, and the SpinCo Royalty.
- Significant Shareholder
Support. All the directors and senior officers of
Amarillo and the two largest shareholders of Amarillo, Baccarat
Trade Investments Limited and 2176423 Ontario Ltd., have entered
into support agreements with Hochschild, in each case, pursuant to
which they have, subject to the terms and conditions of such
agreements, agreed, among other things, to vote all their Amarillo
Shares in favour of the Arrangement Resolution. In the aggregate,
the parties to these agreements collectively own or control
approximately 44% of the issued and outstanding Amarillo Shares, on
a non-diluted basis, as of the record date for the Meeting.
- Fairness
Opinion. Research Capital Corporation was engaged
by Amarillo as financial advisor to Amarillo and the Special
Committee and provided its opinion to the Board and the Special
Committee to the effect that, as of November 29, 2021, and subject
to the assumptions, limitations and qualifications set out in the
fairness opinion, the consideration to be received by Shareholders
under the Arrangement is fair, from a financial point of view, to
Shareholders other than Hochschild.
- No Financing or Due Diligence
Condition. The consideration to be paid pursuant to the
Arrangement will be in cash and shares of Lavras SpinCo and is not
subject to financing or due diligence conditions.
- Credibility of
Hochschild. Hochschild’s commitment,
creditworthiness, and anticipated ability to complete the
Arrangement.
- Guarantee by
Hochschild. The Purchaser’s obligations under the
Arrangement Agreement are unconditionally guaranteed by
Hochschild.
- Alternatives to the
Arrangement. The Board assessed the current and
anticipated future opportunities and risks associated with the
business, operations, assets, financial performance, and condition
of Amarillo should it continue as a standalone entity, including
the challenges faced by Amarillo in sourcing the capital required
for its business and development objectives on reasonable
commercial terms, the lack of potential sources of such capital,
and the costs and expected significant dilution to Shareholders
that would likely result from obtaining such capital. The Board and
the Special Committee assessed the alternatives reasonably
available to Amarillo and determined that the Arrangement
represents the best current prospect for maximizing value for
Shareholders.
Board recommendation
The Board unanimously recommends that the
Shareholders vote FOR the Arrangement Resolution and FOR the
approval of the Omnibus Plan.
Pursuant to the Interim Order, the record date for the Meeting
is January 19, 2022, for determining Shareholders who are entitled
to receive notice of and to vote at the Meeting. Only registered
Shareholders as of January 19, 2022, are entitled to receive the
notice of the Meeting and to attend and vote at the Meeting. In
order to become effective, the Arrangement must be approved by at
least 66⅔% of the votes cast by Shareholders present or represented
by proxy at the Meeting.
Subject to obtaining approval of the Transaction at the Meeting,
and the satisfaction of the other customary conditions to
completion of the Transaction contained in the Arrangement
Agreement, including final approval of the Court and certain
regulatory approvals, all as more particular described in the
Meeting Materials, the Transaction is expected to close around the
end of March 2022.
The TSX Venture Exchange has confirmed acceptance of the notice
of the Transaction by Amarillo.
Advisors and counselResearch Capital Corporation acted as
advisor to the Special Committee and Amarillo engaged Osler, Hoskin
& Harcourt LLP and Irwin Lowy LLP as its legal counsel in
connection with the Transaction.
Hochschild has engaged RBC Capital Markets as its financial
advisor, sole sponsor and corporate broker, Stikeman Elliott LLP as
its Canadian legal counsel, Pinheiro Neto Advogados as its
Brazilian legal counsel, and Linklaters LLP as its UK legal counsel
in connection with the Transaction.
ABOUT
AMARILLO
Amarillo is advancing two gold projects located near excellent
infrastructure in mining-friendly states in Brazil. The development
stage Posse Gold Project is on the Company’s Mara Rosa Property in
Goiás State. It has a positive definitive feasibility study that
shows it can be built into a profitable operation with low costs
and a strong financial return. Mara Rosa also shows the potential
for discovering additional near-surface deposits that will extend
Posse’s mine life beyond its initial 10 years. The exploration
stage Lavras do Sul Project in Rio Grande do Sul State has more
than 23 prospects centered on historic gold workings.
Amarillo trades on the TSXV under the symbol AGC and the OTCQB
under the symbol AGCBF. Visit www.amarillogold.com to learn more
about the Company’s focus on becoming a mid-tier Brazilian gold
producer.
Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube.
CONTACT
INFORMATION
Mike MutchlerPresident &
CEO416-294-0736mike.mutchler@amarillogold.com
Annemarie BrissendenInvestor
Relations416-844-6284annemarie.brissenden@amarillogold.com
DISCLAIMER
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services
Provider (as defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange)
accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content
of this news release.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS AND CAUTIONARY LANGUAGE
Certain information provided in this news release constitutes
forward‐ looking statements. Specifically, this news release
contains forward‐looking statements relating to: (i) the
anticipated timing of the Amarillo shareholder meeting to approve
the Arrangement, (ii) the anticipated timing of the closing of the
Arrangement, the exploration and development prospects of Lavras
SpinCo, and (iv) planned exploration and development activities of
Lavras SpinCo.
The forward‐looking statements are based on certain key
expectations and assumptions. With respect to the anticipated
timing of the Amarillo shareholder meeting, these include
expectations and assumptions concerning the time required to
convene the meeting and complete and mail the related information
circular. With respect to the anticipated timing of the closing of
the Arrangement, these include expectations and assumptions with
respect to the timely receipt of all required court, shareholder
and regulatory approvals and the satisfaction of all other
conditions to the closing of the Arrangement. With respect to the
remaining forward-looking statements, these include expectations
and assumptions concerning the availability of capital, the success
of future drilling and development activities, Lavras SpinCo’s
contractual rights, prevailing commodity prices and economic
conditions, the availability of labour and services, the ability to
transport and market production, timing of completion of
infrastructure and transportation projects, weather and access to
drilling locations.
Although Amarillo believes that the expectations and assumptions
on which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable at
the time of preparation, undue reliance should not be placed on the
forward-looking statements as Amarillo can give no assurance that
they will prove to be correct. Since forward-looking statements
address future events and conditions, by their very nature they
involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results could
differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number
of factors and risks. With respect to the timing of the completion
of the Arrangement, these include risks that the required court,
shareholder and regulatory approvals are not obtained on a timely
basis, on terms acceptable to the parties or at all and risks that
other conditions to the completion of the Arrangement are not
satisfied. There is no guarantee that the Arrangement will close at
the anticipated time or at all. With respect to the exploration and
development prospects of Lavras SpinCo, the planned exploration and
development activities of Lavras SpinCo and such factors and risks
include, but are not limited to: general economic, market and
business conditions; fluctuations in commodity prices; the test
results and performance of exploration and development drilling,
fluctuation in foreign currency exchange rates; the uncertainty of
historic resource estimates and estimates of the value of
undeveloped land; changes in environmental and other regulations;
risks associated with mineral operations; and other factors, many
of which are beyond the control of Amarillo. These and other risks
are described further in Amarillo’s most recently filed management
discussion and analysis and its annual information form for the
year ended December 31, 2019, which have been filed on SEDAR and
may be reviewed under Amarillo’s profile at www.sedar.com.
The forward-looking statements contained in this news release
are made as of the date hereof. Except as may be required by
applicable securities laws, Amarillo assumes no obligation to
publicly update or revise any forward‐looking statements made
herein or otherwise, whether as a result of new information, future
events, or otherwise.
This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a
solicitation of an offer to buy any securities and shall not
constitute an offer, solicitation or sale in any state or
jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be
unlawful. The securities to be distributed pursuant to the
Arrangement have not been and will not be registered under the
United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
“U.S. Securities Act”), or any
state securities laws and may not be offered or sold in the United
States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the
registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable
state securities laws. The securities to be distributed pursuant to
the Arrangement will be offered and sold in the United States
pursuant to the exemption from registration set forth in Section
3(a)(10) of the U.S. Securities Act and similar exemptions under
applicable state securities laws.
PDF
available: http://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/c1208aca-b72b-45a4-923c-69fc77d30198
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