Postmedia Network Canada Corp. (“Postmedia” or the “Company”) announced
today that it has filed a final prospectus in respect of its previously
announced rights offering (the “Rights Offering”).
The Company intends to raise a total of $173.5 million by way of the
Rights Offering. As described in the final prospectus, shareholders of
record resident in Canada and the United States as of the close of
business (Toronto time) on February 17, 2015 (the “Record Date”) will
receive one right (“Right”) for each share held. Each Right will entitle
the holder thereof to acquire 5.9929 subscription receipts
(“Subscription Receipts”) at a subscription price of $0.72 per
Subscription Receipt. The Rights are expected to be listed for trading
on the TSX on the second trading day preceding the Record Date. At the
same time, the shares of Postmedia will commence trading on an ex-rights
basis, which means that purchasers of the shares at that time are not
entitled to receive the Rights. Rights not exercised on or before 5:00
p.m. (Toronto time) on March 17, 2015 will be void and have no value.
A shareholder’s equity percentage interest in the Company will be
diluted by approximately 85.7% upon the exchange of Subscription
Receipts into variable voting shares unless such shareholder exercises
its Rights. Shareholders not resident in Canada or the United States
should refer to the final prospectus in respect of the Rights Offering
and consult with their securities broker, dealer or other intermediary
through which they hold their shares for further details on if and how
such holders can participate in the Rights Offering.
The Subscription Receipts will be automatically exchanged for variable
voting shares of the Company upon the satisfaction of certain
conditions, including, among others, the satisfaction of all conditions
of the Company’s previously announced acquisition of Sun Media
Corporation’s English language newspapers and specialty publications as
well as digital properties (the “Sun Media Acquisition”) and the
issuance of $140 million principal amount of 8.25% Senior Secured Notes
due 2017 of Postmedia Network Inc. (the “Note Issuance”) pursuant to a
subscription receipt indenture dated as of October 6, 2014
(collectively, the “Release Conditions”). The proceeds of the Note
Issuance, together with the net proceeds of the Rights Offering, the net
proceeds related to the sale of the Montreal Gazette production facility
and corporate cash, will be used by the Company to finance the Sun Media
Acquisition. If the Release Conditions are not satisfied or waived, as
applicable, on or before June 26, 2015 (as such date may be extended
pursuant to the agreement governing the Subscription Receipts), and in
certain other limited circumstances as described in the final
prospectus, the subscription funds will be returned to investors and the
Subscription Receipts will be cancelled.
As previously announced, Postmedia has entered into a standby purchase
agreement (the “Standby Purchase Agreement”) with GoldenTree Asset
Management LP (“GoldenTree”) on behalf of certain funds and accounts for
which it serves as investment manager (the “GoldenTree Funds”), pursuant
to which the GoldenTree Funds have agreed to take up any Subscription
Receipts not otherwise subscribed for under the Rights Offering (the
“Standby Subscription Receipts”). In connection with its backstop of the
Rights Offering, in the event the GoldenTree Funds own shares carrying
33 1/3% or more of the outstanding voting rights in respect of all of
the issued and outstanding Postmedia shares, GoldenTree will enter into
a voting restriction agreement with Postmedia that will limit the number
of votes that the GoldenTree Funds will be entitled to cast at any
meeting of Postmedia’s shareholders to 33 1/3%, less one share, of the
total number of outstanding voting rights in respect of all of the
issued and outstanding shares at such time, regardless of how many
shares the GoldenTree Funds own at such time. A copy of the Standby
Purchase Agreement has been filed on SEDAR and is available for review
at www.sedar.com.
Further details concerning the Rights Offering and the Standby Purchase
Agreement are contained in the final prospectus, which has been filed on
SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
This press release is not an offer to sell or the solicitation of an
offer to buy Rights, Subscription Receipts or variable voting shares.
Such securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent
registration under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements.
Note: All dollar amounts are expressed in Canadian dollars.
About Postmedia Network Canada Corp.
Postmedia Network
Canada Corp. (TSX:PNC.A, PNC.B) is the holding company that owns
Postmedia Network Inc., the largest publisher by circulation of paid
English-language daily newspapers in Canada, representing some of the
country’s oldest and best known media brands. Reaching millions of
Canadians every week, Postmedia engages readers and offers advertisers
and marketers integrated solutions to effectively reach target audiences
through a variety of print, online, digital, and mobile platforms.
Forward-Looking Information
This news release may include
information that is “forward-looking information” under applicable
Canadian securities laws and “forward-looking statements” within the
meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
The Company has tried, where possible, to identify such information and
statements by using words such as “believe,” “expect,” “intend,”
“estimate,” “anticipate,” “may,” “will,” “could,” “would,” “should” and
similar expressions and derivations thereof in connection with any
discussion of future events, trends or prospects or future operating or
financial performance. Forward-looking statements in this news release
include statements with respect to the acquisition of certain Sun Media
publications, the proposed Rights Offering and the Note Issuance. By
their nature, forward-looking information and statements involve risks
and uncertainties because they relate to events and depend on
circumstances that may or may not occur in the future. These risks and
uncertainties include, among others, the possibility that the Rights
Offering, the Note Issuance and/or the Sun Media Acquisition will not
close (including, without limitation, as a result of the failure to gain
regulatory approvals). For a complete list of our risk factors please
refer to the section entitled “Risk Factors” contained in our annual
management’s discussion and analysis for the years ended August 31,
2014, 2013 and 2012. Although the Company bases such information and
statements on assumptions believed to be reasonable when made, they are
not guarantees of future performance and actual results of operations,
financial condition and liquidity, and developments in the industry in
which the Company operates, may differ materially from any such
information and statements in this press release. Given these risks and
uncertainties, undue reliance should not be placed on any forward-
looking information or forward-looking statements, which speak only as
of the date of such information or statements. Other than as required by
law, the Company does not undertake, and specifically declines, any
obligation to update such information or statements or to publicly
announce the results of any revisions to any such information or
statements.
Copyright Business Wire 2015