Simply Group Acquisition Corp. Commences Friendly All-Cash Offer to Acquire Dealnet
09 September 2020 - 1:05PM
Dealnet Capital Corp. (“
Dealnet” or the
“
Company”) (TSX VENTURE: DLS) and Simply Group
Acquisition Corp. (the “
Offeror”), part of the
Simply Group of Companies, announce that the Offeror has commenced
its offer to acquire all of Dealnet’s outstanding common shares
(the “
Common Shares”) for $0.16 in cash per Common
Share, pursuant to a board-supported take-over bid (the
“
Offer”) by mailing the Offer and take-over bid
circular to Dealnet shareholders (the
“
Shareholders”). Dealnet’s directors’ circular was
mailed to Shareholders concurrently with the take-over bid
circular.The board of directors of Dealnet (the
“
Board”) unanimously recommends that Shareholders
deposit their Common Shares under the Offer. All of Dealnet’s
directors and executive officers have entered into lock-up
agreements with the Offeror, pursuant to which they have agreed to,
among other things, tender all of their Common Shares to the
Offer.
Reasons to Accept the Offer
In making its recommendation, the Board reviewed
and considered the Offer with the benefit of advice from its legal
and financial advisors, including an opinion (the “Fairness
Opinion”) from its financial advisor, Origin Merchant
Partners (“Origin”), which is described in more
detail below. As a result of the foregoing, the Board has
determined that the Offer is fair, from a financial point of view,
to Shareholders and in the best interests of Dealnet and the
Shareholders. As described in more detail in Dealnet’s directors’
circular, the reasons for the unanimous recommendation of the Board
include:
- Significant Premium for
Shareholders. The Offer Price represents a premium of 33%
to the closing price of the Common Shares on the TSX Venture
Exchange (the “TSX-V”) on August 21, 2020 (the
last trading day prior to the announcement of the Offer), a premium
of 52% to the 30-day volume weighted average price
(“VWAP”) on the TSX-V for the period ending August
21, 2020, and a premium of 93% to the 90-day VWAP on the TSX-V for
the period ending August 21, 2020.
- Cash Provides Certainty of
Value and Liquidity. The consideration under the Offer is
all cash, which allows Shareholders to immediately realize value
for all of their investment and provides certainty of value and
immediate liquidity.
- No Financing
Condition. The Offer is not subject to any financing
condition. The Offeror intends to fund the cash consideration for
the Common Shares through available cash resources and has secured,
on a firm, committed basis, all of the financing required to fund
the cash consideration payable for the Common Shares. Shareholders
benefit from removal of financing, market, regulatory, and
execution risks.
- Result of Extensive
Strategic Review. The unanimous Board recommendation for
the Offer is the result of a strategic review process carried out
by Origin on behalf of the Company. The strategic review process
was conducted from May 2020 to August 2020. Origin contacted 53
parties in connection with a potential acquisition transaction. Of
the 53 parties contacted, 14 parties executed non-disclosure
agreements and four bids were received in total. Of the four bids,
three were en bloc bids and one was limited to the purchase of One
Contact. The consideration under the Offer represents the highest
offer price attained as a result of this extensive strategic review
process.
- Fairness Opinion.
The Board has received an opinion from its financial advisor,
Origin, to the effect that, as of the date of such opinion and
based upon and subject to the assumptions, explanations and
limitations and other matters described therein, the consideration
payable under the Offer to Shareholders is fair, from a financial
point of view, to Shareholders. The full text of the Fairness
Opinion is attached as Appendix “B” to Dealnet’s directors’
circular. The Board recommends that Shareholders read the Fairness
Opinion in its entirety.
- Compelling Value Relative
to Alternatives. The Board believes, after a thorough
review and after receiving legal and financial advice, that the
immediate cash value offered to Shareholders under the Offer is
more favourable to Shareholders than the potential value that might
have resulted from other alternatives reasonably available to the
Company, including remaining as a stand-alone entity and pursuing
the Company’s existing strategy, in each case taking into
consideration the potential rewards, risks, timelines and
uncertainties associated with those other alternatives. The Board
assessed each reasonably available alternative (including
maintaining the status quo) throughout the strategic review process
and ultimately concluded that the Offer was the most favourable
alternative to unlock value today for Shareholders.
- Ability to Respond to
Superior Proposals. The Board has reserved the ability to
respond to unsolicited proposals that may deliver greater value to
Shareholders than the Offer. The terms and conditions of the
support agreement dated August 22, 2020, entered into between
Dealnet and Simply Green Home Services Inc., and subsequently
assigned to the Offeror (the “Support Agreement”)
do not prevent an unsolicited third party from proposing or making
a Superior Proposal (as such term is defined in the Support
Agreement) or, provided Dealnet complies with the terms of the
Support Agreement, preclude the Board from responding to,
considering and acting on, a Superior Proposal. The Company is
permitted to terminate the Support Agreement to accept, approve or
recommend a Superior Proposal that is made and not matched by the
Offeror provided that Dealnet pays the Offeror a termination amount
of $2,250,000.
- Likelihood of
Completion. The Offer has a high likelihood of completion
given the limited number of conditions necessary to take up and pay
for Common Shares and the limited range of termination rights under
the Support Agreement. In particular, the Offer is not subject to a
financing condition. In light of the foregoing, the Board believes
that the Offer is likely to be completed in accordance with its
terms and within a reasonable time.
- Arm’s Length
Negotiations. Active, arm’s length negotiations between
the Board and the Offeror resulted in the price of the Offer being
increased multiple times during its negotiations with the Offeror
and finally agreed upon at an amount considered to be fair, from a
financial point of view, to Shareholders, based on the legal and
financial advice received by the Board as confirmed in the Fairness
Opinion, subject to the scope of review, assumptions and
limitations and other matters described therein.
- Lock-Up
Agreements. Based on the reasons underpinning the Board’s
recommendation, each of Dealnet’s directors and executive officers
has entered into lock-up agreements with the Offeror pursuant to
which they have agreed to, inter alia, support the Offer and to
deposit all of their Common Shares under the Offer.
The Offer will be open for acceptance until 5:00
p.m. (Toronto time) on October 14, 2020 (the “Expiry
Time”), unless the Offer is withdrawn, varied or extended
in accordance with the terms of the Support Agreement. Shareholders
wishing to accept the Offer must take action to deposit their
Common Shares prior to the Expiry Time. The Offer will be open for
acceptance for a period of not less than 35 days.Successful
completion of the Offer is conditional upon, amongst other things,
more than 66⅔% of the Shares outstanding being validly deposited
under the Offer prior to the Expiry Time (the “Minimum
Tender Condition”). The full details of the Offer are
contained in the Offeror’s take-over bid circular and related Offer
materials. Copies of the take-over bid circular and related Offer
materials, as well as Dealnet’s directors’ circular, are available
on Dealnet’s SEDAR profile at
www.sedar.com.Advisors
Dealnet has engaged Goodmans LLP as its legal
advisor, Origin Merchant Partners as its financial advisor and
Longview Communications & Public Affairs as its strategic
communications advisor in connection with the Offer.The Offeror has
engaged Stikeman Elliott LLP as its legal advisor and Raymond James
Ltd. as its financial advisor in connection with the Offer.
Kingsdale Advisors is acting as information agent and
depository.Information on Depositing Your Common
SharesThe Offeror has retained Kingsdale Advisors to act
as depositary and information agent (the “Depositary and
Information Agent”) for the Offer. Shareholders can obtain
copies of the take-over bid circular and related Offer materials at
no charge from the Depositary and Information Agent. For additional
information, Shareholders can contact the Depositary and
Information Agent toll free in North America at 1-866-851-3214 or
call collect outside North America at 416-867-2272 or by email at
contactus@kingsdaleadvisors.com.About Dealnet Capital
Corp.
Dealnet is the parent company of subsidiaries
operating in two market segments, consumer finance and call
centre. The Company operates in the consumer finance segment
in Canada through EcoHome Financial Inc. (“EcoHome”) and its call
centre segment under the One Contact banner (“One Contact”).EcoHome
is a specialty finance company serving the $20 billion Canadian
home improvement finance market. EcoHome develops and supports
consumer sales financing programs for approved dealers and
distributors under agreements with original equipment manufacturers
that supply a wide range of home improvement products to the retail
market. Through a dealer network, EcoHome underwrites, originates,
funds and services the prime quality loans and leases that
homeowners need to finance the acquisition and installation of
capital assets that improve the quality, comfort and safety of
their homes.One Contact offers customer support services to both
EcoHome and third-party institutions across Canada and the U.S.For
additional information please
visit www.sedar.com.About Simply Group
With more than $750 million in assets acquired,
Simply Group is providing consumers and businesses with financing
solutions that afford them greater flexibility to improve their
energy-efficiency and invest in the modernization of their
residential, commercial and industrial properties and projects.
Simply Group believes that its people are its greatest asset and is
proud to be Great Place to Work-Certified since 2016. In 2020,
Simply Group was named Best Business of the Year by the CanadianSME
National Business Awards.Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its
Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies
of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the
adequacy or accuracy of this release.Forward-looking
Statements
This news release contains certain
“forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable
securities law. Forward looking information is frequently
characterized by words such as “plan”, “expect”, “project”,
“intend”, “believe”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “may”, “will”,
“would”, “potential”, “proposed” and other similar words, or
statements that certain events or conditions “may” or “will” occur.
These statements are only predictions. Forward-looking information
is based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date
the information is provided, and is subject to a variety of risks,
including the effects of Covid-19, and uncertainties and other
factors that could cause actual events or results to differ
materially from those projected in the forward-looking information.
For a description of the risks and uncertainties facing the Company
and its business and affairs, readers should refer to the Company’s
most recent management’s discussion and analysis. The Company
undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if
circumstances or management’s estimates or opinions should change,
unless required by law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue
reliance on forward-looking information.Contact
Information
Dealnet Capital Corp. |
|
Brent Houlden |
Chief Executive Officer |
(905) 695-8557 ext.1145 |
bhoulden@dealnetcapital.com |
|
Simply Group Acquisition Corp. |
|
Kingsdale Advisors |
Toll free: 1-866-851-3214 |
Local: 416-867-2272 |
contactus@kingsdaleadvisors.com. |
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