Exhibit 99.1
Cerence Inc. Announces Proposed Offering of $190 Million Convertible Senior Notes due 2028
BURLINGTON, Mass., June 21, 2023—Cerence Inc. (NASDAQ: CRNC), AI for a world in motion, announced today that it intends to offer, subject to market conditions and other factors, $190.0 million aggregate principal amount of convertible senior notes due 2028 (the “notes”) in a private offering (the “offering”) only to persons reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). In connection with the offering, Cerence expects to grant the initial purchasers an option to purchase up to an additional $20.0 million aggregate principal amount of notes.
The final terms of the notes, including the initial conversion rate, interest rate and certain other terms, will be determined at the time of pricing. The notes will bear interest semi-annually in arrears and will mature on July 1, 2028, unless earlier converted, redeemed or repurchased. Prior to April 3, 2028, the notes will be convertible only upon satisfaction of certain conditions and during certain periods. On or after April 3, 2028, the notes will be convertible at any time until the close of business on the second scheduled trading day immediately preceding the maturity date.
Cerence may not redeem the notes prior to July 6, 2026. On or after July 6, 2026 and on or before the 31st scheduled trading day immediately before the maturity date, Cerence may redeem for cash all or any portion of the notes (subject to certain limitations) if the last reported sale price of Cerence’s common stock has been at least 130% of the conversion price then in effect for at least 20 trading days (whether or not consecutive), including the trading day immediately preceding the date on which Cerence provides notice of redemption, during any 30 consecutive trading day period ending on, and including, the trading day immediately preceding the date on which Cerence provides notice of redemption. The redemption price will equal 100% of the principal amount of the notes being redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the redemption date. No sinking fund is provided for the notes.
The notes will be convertible at the option of holders, subject to certain conditions and during certain periods, into cash, shares of Cerence’s common stock or a combination of cash and shares of Cerence’s common stock, with the form of consideration determined at Cerence’s election. Holders of the notes will have the right to require Cerence to repurchase all or a portion of their notes at 100% of their principal amount, plus any accrued and unpaid interest, upon the occurrence of certain events.
When issued, the notes will be Cerence’s senior unsecured obligations and will rank senior in right of payment to any of Cerence’s indebtedness that is expressly subordinated in right of payment to the notes; equal in right of payment to any of Cerence’s liabilities that are not so subordinated; effectively junior in right of payment to any of Cerence’s secured indebtedness to the extent of the value of the assets securing such indebtedness; and structurally junior to all indebtedness and other liabilities (including trade payables) of Cerence’s subsidiaries.
Cerence intends to use a portion of the net proceeds from the offering to finance the concurrent repurchase of a portion of its 3.00% convertible senior notes due 2025 (the “2025 notes”) as described below. Cerence intends to use the remaining net proceeds from the offering, together with borrowings under its revolving credit facility to the extent the initial purchasers do not exercise their option to purchase additional notes in full, to repay approximately $106.8 million under its term loan facility, which amount constitutes all of the borrowings and accrued and unpaid interest thereunder. Cerence intends to use the additional remaining net proceeds from the offering, if any, for general corporate purposes.
Contemporaneously with the pricing of the notes in the offering, Cerence expects to enter into individual privately negotiated transactions with certain holders of the 2025 notes, which will be effected through one of the initial purchasers or its affiliate acting as Cerence’s agent, to repurchase a portion of the 2025 notes on terms to be negotiated with each of such holders (each a “note repurchase” and collectively the “2025 notes repurchases”). The terms of each note repurchase will depend on several factors, including the market price of Cerence’s common stock and the trading price of the 2025 notes at the time of each such note repurchase. No assurance can be given as to how much, if any, of the 2025 notes will be repurchased or the terms on which they will be repurchased.
Cerence expects that holders of 2025 notes who participate in the 2025 notes repurchases and who have hedged their equity price risk with respect to the 2025 notes may enter into or unwind various derivatives with respect to Cerence’s common stock and/or purchase shares of its common stock concurrently with or shortly after the pricing