Risks Relating to the Note Transaction
There is no assurance that the Company will complete the Note Transaction. The completion of the Note Transaction is subject to the satisfaction of a number of conditions which include, among others, obtaining necessary approvals, including approval by the TSX and by the Company’s shareholders, and the performance by Tilray, HTI and HEXO of their respective obligations and covenants in the Note Transaction Agreement.
The Note Transaction may not be completed, or may not be completed on the terms currently anticipated, as a result of a number of factors, including the failure of the parties to obtain necessary approvals or satisfy one or more of the conditions to closing. There is no assurance the approvals will be obtained or the conditions to closing will be satisfied or waived, or that other events will not intervene to delay or result in the failure to close the Note Transaction. Delays in closing the Note Transaction or the failure to close the Note Transaction may result in the Company incurring additional costs in connection with such delay, termination of the Arrangement Agreement and/or the failure to achieve the anticipated benefits of the Note Transaction. If the Note Transaction is not completed: (a) the market price of the Common Shares may be impacted to the extent that the market price reflects a market assumption that the Note Transaction will be completed; (b) the Company will be required to pay certain costs related to the Note Transaction, such as legal, accounting and financial advisory fees, even if the Note Transaction is not completed; (c) in certain instances, if the Note Transaction is not completed, the Company will be required to pay a termination fee to Tilray; (d) the Company may not be successful in finding another business opportunity that is of equal or greater benefit to the Company; and (e) the time and attention of the Company’s management will have been diverted away from the conduct of the Company’s business. Any delay in closing or a failure to close the Note Transaction could also have a negative impact on the Company’s business and the trading price of the Common Shares.
The Company is undertaking the Note Transaction in order to better position its balance sheet, to provide the Company with enhanced financial flexibility and to extend its working capital, liquidity and overall financial position, while preserving the possibility of future increases in the value of the Common Shares. While the Note Transaction will extend the maturity date of the Note until May 1, 2026, there can be no assurances that the Company will be able to meet its obligations under the Amended Note or that the Common Shares will retain or increase in value following the completion of the Note Transaction.
Management believes that the Note Transaction will enhance the Company’s liquidity and provide it with continued operating flexibility. However, such belief is based on certain assumptions, including, without limitation, that the Company’s consolidated sales and relationships with suppliers, minority partners, customers and competitors will not be materially adversely affected and that they will be stable or will improve following the completion of the Note Transaction, that general economic conditions and the markets for the products and services of the Company’s subsidiaries will remain stable or improve, as well as the Company’s continued ability to manage costs. Should any of those assumptions prove false, the financial position of the Company may be materially adversely affected.
If the Note Transaction is completed, Tilray will benefit from certain pre-emptive and top-up rights. In addition, if Tilray converts the Amended Note, it is expected to control a significant portion of the Common Shares. As a result, Tilray’s resulting significant voting interest in the Company may discourage transactions involving a change of control of the Company, including transactions in which an investor, as a shareholder, might otherwise receive a premium for its Common Shares over the then-current market price.
The proposed Note Transaction could cause the attention of the Company’s management to be diverted from the day-to-day operations of the business and customers or suppliers may seek to modify or terminate their business relationships with the Company. These disruptions could be exacerbated by a delay in the completion of the Note Transaction and could have an adverse effect on the business, operating results or prospects of the Company.
The proposed commercial agreements with Tilray are subject to normal commercial risks that such agreements may not be completed on the terms negotiated or at all. Furthermore, the Company is proposing to complete the commercial agreements to work together with Tilray in order to create the opportunity to realize certain benefits including, among other things, potential cost savings and operational synergies. As a result, the implementation of the commercial agreements will present challenges to management, including the integration of operations, various forms of technology, information technology and accounting systems, and special risks, including possible unanticipated liabilities, unanticipated costs, diversion of management’s attention and the loss of key employees or customers.
If the Company is unable to successfully build its partnership with Tilray in an efficient and effective manner, the anticipated benefits and cost savings of the commercial agreements may not be realized fully, or at all, or it may take longer to realize them and at a significantly greater cost than expected. An inability to realize the full extent of the anticipated benefits and cost savings of the commercial agreements, as well as any delays encountered in the integration process, could have a material adverse effect on the revenues, level of expenses and operating results of the Company.
Until closing of the Note Transaction, HTI may continue to redeem the Note pursuant to its existing terms, provided that the principal of the Amended Note cannot be less than US$160 million prior to the closing of the Note Transaction, and HTI has agreed not to call for a redemption of the Note such that the principal balance thereon would be less than US$160 million. As of the date of this Prospectus Supplement, the outstanding principal amount of the Note is US$193,515,185.45 and US$75,779,204.00 in optional redemption payments which HTI has opted to be paid to date remain outstanding. Accordingly, HTI can elect to redeem another US$33,515,185.45 in principal amount of the Note. Subject to the satisfaction by the Company of certain equity conditions as more particularly provided under the Note, the Company is able to pay optional redemption payments in Common Shares. The Company is not currently in compliance with some of these equity conditions, however, and would require a waiver from HTI in order to satisfy any such redemptions in Common Shares. HTI has waived non-compliance with the equity conditions in the past to enable the Company to pay optional redemption payments in Common Shares but there can be no assurance that HTI will provide such waivers if required in the future. The satisfaction of such optional redemptions in Common Shares would dilute the ownership interests of existing shareholders. The Company does not have sufficient non-restricted cash to fund any optional redemptions where HTI requires them to be satisfied in cash. If the Company fails to make payments required under the Note or becomes insolvent, it would default under the Note and its assets may be marshaled for the benefit of its creditors before any payments to equity holders, who may lose their entire investment.
Risks Related to the Note if the Note Transaction is Not Completed
If the Note Transaction is not completed, the Note will not be amended and will continue to be outstanding under its existing terms. The existing terms of the Note carry certain risks for the Company, which are described below assuming the Note Transaction is not completed.
Debt Service Risks
If the principal amount of the Note is not converted into Common Shares or the Company does not pay or is unable to pay for any optional redemption payments under the Note in Common Shares, servicing the debt under the Note requires a significant amount of cash, and the Company may not have sufficient cash flow from its business to pay its obligations under the Note.
The Company’s ability to make scheduled payments of principal or to pay optional redemption payments or other amounts payable under the Note or to refinance the Note depends on our future performance, which is subject to economic, financial, competitive and other factors, some of which are beyond our control. The terms of the Note require us to pay a remaining amount of approximately US$193 million to repay or redeem the full principal amount of the Note at maturity, and HTI has the right to require the Company to pay optional redemption payments and certain other amounts under the Note. The Company’s business may not generate cash flow from operations in the future sufficient to satisfy our obligations under the Note. If we are unable to generate such cash flow, we may be required to adopt one or more alternatives, such as reducing or delaying investments or capital expenditures, selling assets, refinancing or obtaining additional equity capital on terms that may be onerous or highly dilutive.
In the event of redemptions of the Note, the Company may need to use some or all the net proceeds from the Offering to satisfy the redemptions. Moreover, in situations where the Company is able to satisfy redemptions in Common Shares, it may choose to use some or all the net proceeds from the Offering to satisfy the redemptions in cash in order to minimize dilution which results when the Company satisfies any redemptions in Common Shares given the pricing formula under the Note. The Company’s ability to finance any additional amounts required for the Note will depend on the capital markets and our financial condition at such time. We may not be able to engage in any of these activities or engage in these activities on desirable terms, which could result in a default under the Note.
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