Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - June 11, 2019) - First Global Data Ltd. (TSXV: FGD) (OTC Pink: FGBDF) (FSE: 1G5) ("First Global" or the "Company") is pleased to provide additional details and clarity as they relate to the events outlined in the Company's press release of May 17, 2019.
The Company has been under a Cease Trader Order ("CTO") since May 2018 and, as a result, the Company has been unable to raise additional equity during such time. The Company continued to lose money in 2018 and, with its inability to finance operations, was forced to cease processing transactions in its USA Operations in October 2018. Without additional float capital, US transactions ground to a halt. The Company had also been unable, for some time before that, to sell any additional international special purpose software licenses (ISPLs) due to accounting and revenue recognition issues that have been previously disclosed.
The Company, under the direction of its new Board of Directors and with assistance from its senior lender, began to review various options more aligned with the Company's new vision. Such options included, among other things, canvassing the market for a sale of certain of its assets.
With regards to the binding Letter of Intent to sell First Global Money Inc. (FGMI), the Company's wholly-owned US licensed entity, no less than 6 agents were approached to find potential buyers/investors and market the deal. As a result, the Company undertook a fairly extensive process of pursuing various leads, entertaining multiple due diligence requests and expressions of interest from interested purchasers. In total, the company and its agents entered into discussions with no less than 10 potential parties.
Unfortunately, given the Company's publicly-disclosed stressors, there was considerable downward pressure on the market value of its assets. This, coupled with an urgency to move forward with a transaction at the earliest possible opportunity given the severe strain being placed on it to maintain money transmittor licenses and capitalization, the Company ultimately settled on the deal that had the potential to provide the greatest return to the Company once purchase price, debt assumption by the buyer, and royalty streams are collected. During the course of making this decision, the Company did consider the ramifications of selling such assets to a Company whose principal is a former director and officer of the Company but who, since his resignation on January 17, 2019, is no longer involved whatsoever in the decision-making or operations of the Company. Having considered same, the Company remains confident that it has secured the best possible deal for the Company given the circumstances free of conflict or any related-party concerns.
At this stage, the Company has one additional asset to market, which is its significant tax losses in certain of its technology assets, for which the company hopes to obtain some value.
Failing a major debt-for-equity transaction, which would require Ontario Securities Commission approval, and some minimum financing, the Company will likely need to seek creditor protection in the short term. The company's debt was already in excess of $16.0M USD in addition to AP of $3.0M USD at September 31, 2018.
Background
First Global is an international financial services technology ("FINTECH") company based in Ontario.