UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 14D-9F
Solicitation/Recommendation Statement Under
Section 14(d)(4) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and
Rules 14d-1(b) and 14e-2(c) thereunder
INTERNATIONAL ROYALTY CORPORATION
(Name of Subject Company)
INTERNATIONAL ROYALTY CORPORATION
(Name of Person(s) Filing Statement)
Canada
(Jurisdiction of Subject Companys Incorporation or Organization)
Common Shares
(Title of Class of Securities)
460277106
(CUSIP Number of Class of Securities)
Douglas B. Silver
Chief Executive Officer
International Royalty Corporation
10 Inverness Drive East, Suite 104
Englewood, CO 80112
(303) 799-9020
(Name, address and telephone number of person
authorized to receive notice and communications
on behalf of the person(s) filing statement)
With copies to
:
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Sonny Allison
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Michael J. Bourassa
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Perkins Coie LLP
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Richard J. Steinberg
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1899 Wynkoop Street, Suite 700
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Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP
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Denver, CO 80202
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66 Wellington Street West
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(303) 291-2300
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Suite 4200, Toronto Dominion Bank Tower
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Box 20, Toronto-Dominion Centre
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Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5K 1N6
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(416) 366-8381
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PART I INFORMATION REQUIRED TO BE SENT TO SHAREHOLDERS
ITEM 1. Home Jurisdiction Documents
Directors Circular, December 28, 2009, of International Royalty Corporation (the
Directors
Circular
)
ITEM 2. Informational Legends
See
Notice to United States Holders
on the outside front cover of Directors Circular.
This document is important and
requires your immediate attention. If you are in doubt as to how
to respond to the Franco-Nevada Offer, you should consult with
your investment dealer, stockbroker, lawyer or other
professional advisor. Inquiries concerning the information in
this document should be directed to Georgeson, the information
agent retained by International Royalty Corporation
(
IRC
), North American toll free at
1-866-725-6575 or collect at 1-212-806-6859.
DIRECTORS
CIRCULAR
RECOMMENDING
REJECTION
OF THE OFFER BY
FRANCO-NEVADA
CORPORATION
TO PURCHASE ANY AND ALL OF THE
COMMON SHARES OF
INTERNATIONAL ROYALTY
CORPORATION
FOR C$6.75 CASH FOR EACH COMMON
SHARE
The IRC Board of Directors
unanimously recommends that
IRC Shareholders
REJECT
the Franco-Nevada Offer and
NOT TENDER
their IRC Common Shares
THE IRC BOARD BELIEVES THAT
THE
ROYAL GOLD TRANSACTION IS
SUPERIOR TO THE
FRANCO-NEVADA OFFER AND MORE
ATTRACTIVE
TO IRC SHAREHOLDERS
As announced on December 18,
2009, IRC and Royal Gold, Inc. have entered into an arrangement
agreement under which IRC Shareholders will receive, for each
IRC Common Share, C$7.45 in cash or 0.1385 Royal Gold Shares (or
Exchangeable Shares) or a combination thereof, subject to
certain restrictions on maximum cash and shares.
December 28,
2009
NOTICE TO
UNITED STATES HOLDERS
The tender offer referred to herein is made for securities of a
Canadian issuer and while IRC and Franco-Nevada are subject to
Canadian disclosure requirements, securityholders should be
aware that these requirements are different from those of the
United States. The enforcement by United States securityholders
of civil liabilities under United States federal securities laws
may be affected adversely by the fact that IRC is established
under the laws of a foreign country and that some of its
directors and officers are residents of a foreign country.
10 Inverness
Drive East
Suite 104
Englewood, Colorado 80112
December 28,
2009
Dear
International Royalty Securityholder:
On December 14, 2009, Franco-Nevada Corporation formally
commenced an unsolicited offer (the
Franco-Nevada
Offer
), through its wholly-owned subsidiary, 7293275
Canada Inc., to purchase any and all of the outstanding common
shares (
IRC Common Shares
) of International
Royalty Corporation (
IRC
) and by now, you
have likely received materials from Franco-Nevada asking you to
tender your IRC Common Shares to the Franco-Nevada Offer.
As announced by IRC on December 18, 2009, IRC and Royal
Gold, Inc. (
Royal Gold
) have entered into an
arrangement agreement pursuant to which Royal Gold would
acquire, directly or indirectly, all of the issued and
outstanding IRC Common Shares in exchange for, at the election
of each shareholder of IRC (an
IRC
Shareholder
), C$7.45 in cash or 0.1385 common shares
of Royal Gold (
Royal Gold Shares
), or shares
of a Canadian subsidiary of Royal Gold that are exchangeable for
Royal Gold Shares (
Exchangeable Shares
), or a
combination thereof, for each IRC Common Share, subject to a
maximum of US$350 million in cash and a maximum of
7.75 million Royal Gold Shares and Exchangeable Shares in
the aggregate and subject to pro-ration of the number of Royal
Gold Shares and Exchangeable Shares, if IRC Shareholders elect
to receive more than approximately US$314 million in cash,
all as described in greater detail in the material change report
of IRC dated December 24, 2009 and filed on the System for
Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval at www.sedar.com
under IRCs profile (the
Royal Gold
Transaction
). A special meeting of securityholders of
IRC is scheduled to be held on Tuesday, February 16, 2010
at which IRC Shareholders and IRC optionholders (together with
the IRC Shareholders,
IRC Securityholders
)
will be asked to approve the Royal Gold Transaction.
The board of directors IRC (the IRC Board)
believes that the Royal Gold Transaction is superior to the
Franco-Nevada Offer and more attractive to IRC Shareholders.
The IRC Board unanimously recommends that IRC
Shareholders
REJECT
the Franco-Nevada Offer. We
urge that you
NOT TENDER
your IRC Common Shares to
the Franco-Nevada Offer.
In addition, IRC has been advised by the directors and
officers of IRC that they, together with their respective
associates, intend to
REJECT
the Franco-Nevada Offer and
NOT TENDER
their respective IRC Common Shares.
The enclosed Directors Circular explains in detail why the
IRC Board has reached this conclusion, and we strongly encourage
you to read the Directors Circular in its entirety. As you
will see, the IRC Board considered many factors, including the
recommendation of a special committee of directors and a written
opinion from IRCs financial advisor, Scotia Capital Inc.
(
Scotia Capital
), which states that, as of
the date of this Directors Circular and subject to the
assumptions, limitations and qualifications set forth therein,
the consideration offered by Franco-Nevada under the
Franco-Nevada Offer is inadequate, from a financial point of
view, to IRC Shareholders other than Franco-Nevada and its
affiliates.
Reasons
for the IRC Boards Unanimous Recommendation
As described in more detail in the enclosed Directors
Circular, the IRC Board cites numerous reasons for its rejection
of the Franco-Nevada Offer, including that:
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The IRC Board believes that the Royal Gold Transaction is
superior to the Franco-Nevada Offer and more attractive to IRC
Shareholders.
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The opportunity to receive Royal Gold Shares under the Royal
Gold Transaction provides IRC Shareholders with potential
benefits not available under the Franco-Nevada Offer.
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IRC Shareholders holding an aggregate of approximately 34% of
the IRC Common Shares on a fully-diluted basis, including the
three largest IRC Shareholders and each director and officer of
IRC, have agreed with Royal Gold to vote their IRC Common Shares
and IRC Options in favour of the Royal Gold Transaction.
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IRCs financial advisor, Scotia Capital, has provided a
written opinion that the consideration offered under the
Franco-Nevada Offer is inadequate, from a financial point of
view, to IRC Shareholders.
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The Franco-Nevada Offer is structured as an any and
all offer and is coercive.
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The Franco-Nevada Offer is highly conditional and is not a firm
offer.
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The conditions of the Franco-Nevada Offer cannot be satisfied.
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The Franco-Nevada Offer is not a Permitted Bid under the IRC
Rights Plan.
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For the above reasons, we urge you to
REJECT
the Franco-Nevada Offer and
NOT TENDER
your IRC
Common Shares. If you have tendered your IRC Common Shares, you
can withdraw them. For assistance with withdrawing your IRC
Common Shares, contact your broker or our information agent,
Georgeson, at one of the numbers below. In addition, Georgeson
is available to answer any questions you might have in respect
of the information contained in the enclosed Directors
Circular.
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North American Toll-Free Number:
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1-866-725-6575
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Banks, Brokers and Collect Calls:
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1-212-806-6859
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On behalf of the IRC Board, I would like to thank you for your
continued support.
Sincerely,
Douglas B. Silver
Chairman of the Board of Directors
International Royalty Corporation
- ii -
QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS
ABOUT THE FRANCO-NEVADA OFFER
AND THE ROYAL GOLD TRANSACTION
The Questions and Answers set out below are intended to be a
summary only of certain information contained in this
Directors Circular and are qualified in their entirety by
the more detailed information appearing elsewhere in this
Directors Circular. All capitalized terms in the Questions
and Answers set out below have the meanings ascribed to such
terms elsewhere in this Directors Circular, including in
Schedule A to this Directors Circular.
Should I
accept or reject the Franco-Nevada Offer?
The IRC Board believes that the Royal Gold Transaction is
superior to the Franco-Nevada Offer and more attractive to IRC
Shareholders. Accordingly, the IRC Board unanimously recommends
that you
REJECT
the Franco-Nevada Offer and
NOT TENDER
your IRC Common Shares. In addition,
IRC has been advised by the directors and officers of IRC that
they, together with their respective associates, intend to
REJECT
the Franco-Nevada Offer and
NOT
TENDER
their respective IRC Common Shares.
What will
I receive under the Royal Gold Transaction?
As announced by IRC on December 18, 2009, IRC and Royal
Gold have entered into the Arrangement Agreement pursuant to
which Royal Gold would acquire, directly or indirectly, all of
the issued and outstanding IRC Common Shares in exchange for, at
the election of each IRC Shareholder, C$7.45 in cash or 0.1385
Royal Gold Shares (or Exchangeable Shares) or a combination
thereof, for each IRC Common Share, subject to a maximum of
$350 million in cash and a maximum of 7.75 million
Royal Gold Shares and Exchangeable Shares in the aggregate and
subject to pro-ration of the number of Royal Gold Shares and
Exchangeable Shares, if IRC Shareholders elect to receive more
than approximately $314 million in cash.
Certain IRC Shareholders who are residents of Canada for
purposes of the
Income Tax Act
(Canada), hold their IRC
Common Shares as capital property and file a joint election with
Royal Gold will generally be able to exchange their IRC Common
Shares for Exchangeable Shares under the Royal Gold Transaction
on a fully or partially tax-deferred basis under the
Income
Tax Act
(Canada). Further information will be included in
the Management Proxy Circular to be mailed in connection with
the IRC Special Meeting.
When will
I receive more information about the Royal Gold
Transaction?
IRC will send a detailed Management Proxy Circular to IRC
Securityholders in mid-January 2010 in connection with the IRC
Special Meeting scheduled to be held on February 16, 2010.
The Management Proxy Circular which will contain further details
concerning the Royal Gold Transaction, the recommendation of the
IRC Board that IRC Shareholders vote in favour of the Royal Gold
Transaction and a copy of the Royal Gold Transaction Fairness
Opinion.
Why does
the IRC Board believe that the Franco-Nevada Offer should be
rejected?
The IRC Board believes that IRC Shareholders should
REJECT
the Franco-Nevada Offer and
NOT
TENDER
their IRC Common Shares. The IRC Boards
reasons include:
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The IRC Board believes that the Royal Gold Transaction is
superior to the Franco-Nevada Offer and more attractive to IRC
Shareholders.
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The opportunity to receive Royal Gold Shares under the Royal
Gold Transaction provides IRC Shareholders with potential
benefits not available under the Franco-Nevada Offer.
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IRC Shareholders holding an aggregate of approximately 34% of
the IRC Common Shares on a fully-diluted basis, including the
three largest IRC Shareholders and each director and officer of
IRC, have agreed with Royal Gold to vote their IRC Common Shares
and IRC Options in favour of the Royal Gold Transaction.
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IRCs financial advisor, Scotia Capital, has provided a
written opinion that the consideration offered under the
Franco-Nevada Offer is inadequate, from a financial point of
view, to IRC Shareholders.
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The Franco-Nevada Offer is structured as an any and
all offer and is coercive.
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- iii -
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The Franco-Nevada Offer is highly conditional and is not a firm
offer.
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The conditions of the Franco-Nevada Offer cannot be satisfied.
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The Franco-Nevada Offer is not a Permitted Bid under the IRC
Rights Plan.
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A more detailed discussion of the reasons for the unanimous
recommendation of the IRC Board is included under the heading
Reasons for the IRC Boards Unanimous Recommendation
Regarding the Franco-Nevada Offer in this Directors
Circular.
How do I
reject the Franco-Nevada Offer?
You do not need to do anything.
DO NOT
tender your
IRC Common Shares to the Franco-Nevada Offer.
Can I
withdraw my IRC Common Shares if I have already tendered them to
the Franco-Nevada Offer?
YES. Under the terms of the Franco-Nevada Offer,
Franco-Nevada cannot take up any IRC Common Shares before
8:00 p.m. (Toronto time) on January 19, 2010, being
the current expiry time of the Franco-Nevada Offer.
According to the Franco-Nevada Circular, you can withdraw your
IRC Common Shares:
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at any time before the IRC Common Shares have been taken up by
Franco-Nevada;
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at any time before the expiration of ten days from the date upon
which:
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a notice of change relating to a change which has occurred in
the information contained in the Franco-Nevada Circular, as may
be varied or amended from time to time, which change would
reasonably be expected to affect the decision of an IRC
Shareholder to accept or reject the Franco-Nevada Offer (other
than a change that is not within the control of Franco-Nevada or
of an affiliate of Franco-Nevada) in the event that such change
occurs prior to the expiry time of the Franco-Nevada Offer or
after the expiry time of the Franco-Nevada Offer but before the
expiry of all rights to withdraw the IRC Common Shares deposited
under the Franco-Nevada Offer; or
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a notice of variation concerning a variation in the terms of the
Franco-Nevada Offer (other than a variation consisting solely of
an increase in the consideration offered for the IRC Common
Shares and an extension of the time for deposit to not later
than ten days after the date of notice of variation and/or a
variation in the terms of the Franco-Nevada Offer consisting
solely of a waiver of one or more of the conditions of the
Franco-Nevada Offer);
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is mailed, delivered or otherwise properly communicated, but
only if such deposited IRC Common Shares have not been taken up
by Franco-Nevada before the date of the notice of change or
notice of variation, as the case may be, and subject to
abridgement of that period pursuant to such order or orders as
may be granted by the courts or applicable securities regulatory
authorities; or
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if the IRC Common Shares have not been paid for by Franco-Nevada
within three business days after having been taken up.
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How do I
withdraw my IRC Common Shares from the Franco-Nevada
Offer?
We recommend you contact your broker or our information agent,
Georgeson, at one of the numbers listed at the end of this
Q&A for information on how to withdraw your IRC Common
Shares.
Given
that the Franco-Nevada Offer is conditional upon IRC not
entering into a transaction such as the Royal Gold Transaction,
has the Franco-Nevada Offer been withdrawn?
As of the date hereof, Franco-Nevada has not waived this
condition. If Franco-Nevada does not waive this condition prior
to the expiry of the Franco-Nevada Offer, Franco-Nevada will not
be able to take up any IRC Common Shares tendered to the
Franco-Nevada Offer.
- iv -
My broker
advised me to tender my IRC Common Shares to the Franco-Nevada
Offer. Should I?
NO.
The IRC Board has unanimously recommended that
IRC Shareholders
REJECT
the Franco-Nevada Offer
and
NOT TENDER
their IRC Common Shares.
Do I have
to make a decision now regarding the Franco-Nevada
Offer?
NO.
You do not have to take any action at this time.
The Franco-Nevada Offer is scheduled to expire at 8:00 p.m.
(Toronto time) on January 19, 2010. The IRC Board
unanimously recommends that you
REJECT
the
Franco-Nevada Offer and
NOT TENDER
your IRC Common
Shares. The IRC Special Meeting at which IRC Securityholders
will be asked to approve the special resolution in respect of
the Royal Gold Transaction is scheduled to be held on
February 16, 2009.
However, if you have already tendered IRC Common Shares to the
Franco-Nevada Offer and you decide to withdraw these IRC Common
Shares from the Franco-Nevada Offer, you must allow sufficient
time to complete the withdrawal process prior to the expiry of
the Franco-Nevada Offer. Contact your broker or Georgeson at one
of the numbers listed below.
Who do I
ask if I have more questions?
The IRC Board recommends that you read the information contained
in this Directors Circular. You should contact Georgeson,
the information agent retained by IRC, at one of the numbers
listed below, with any questions or requests for assistance you
might have.
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North American Toll-Free Number:
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1-866-725-6575
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Banks, Brokers and Collect Calls:
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1-212-806-6859
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- v -
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
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A-1
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B-1
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1
CAUTION
REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This Directors Circular contains, among other things, the
unanimous recommendation of the IRC Board that IRC Shareholders
reject the Franco-Nevada Offer and not tender their IRC Common
Shares. This Directors Circular, including the discussion
of the reasons for the IRC Boards unanimous
recommendation, contains forward-looking statements that were
based on expectations, estimates and projections as of the date
of this Directors Circular. Such forward-looking
statements can be found in, among other sections,
Unanimous Recommendation of the IRC Board and
Reasons for the IRC Boards Unanimous Recommendation
Regarding the Franco-Nevada Offer. Generally these
forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of
forward-looking terminology such as believe,
potential, expect, forecast,
estimate, would, could,
if and may. Any forward-looking
statement is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties
and other factors which may cause actual results and
developments to materially differ from those expressed by, or
implied by the forward-looking statements in this
Directors Circular.
Since forward-looking statements are not statements of
historical fact and address future events, conditions and
expectations, forward-looking statements inherently involve
unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors well
beyond IRCs ability to control or predict, including,
without limitation, the risk that the Royal Gold Transaction may
not be completed or, if the Royal Gold Transaction is completed,
uncertainties regarding the combination of IRC and Royal Gold
and the ability to realize growth opportunities. Actual results
and developments may differ materially from those contemplated
by such forward-looking statements depending on certain factors,
including, but not limited to: the conditions to the Royal Gold
Transaction not being satisfied; fluctuations in the price of
nickel, gold, silver, copper and other minerals; changes to
estimated production levels; the ability to obtain adequate
financing in the future on favourable terms; changes in expected
production costs; interpretation of royalty contracts and
calculations; and the validity of statements made by the project
operators in the public domain, and their ability to finance,
construct and successfully operate these projects. IRCs
forward-looking statements in this Directors Circular are
based on certain assumptions, including, but not limited to,
those set out elsewhere in this Directors Circular. Any
forward-looking statements included in this Directors
Circular represent IRCs views and those of the IRC Board
as of the date of this Directors Circular. While IRC
anticipates that subsequent events and developments may cause
IRCs views and those of the IRC Board to change, IRC
specifically disclaims any obligation to update these
forward-looking statements unless required by law. These
forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as
representing IRCs views or those of the IRC Board as of
any date subsequent to the date of this Directors
Circular. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance
on any forward-looking statements.
CURRENCY
All dollar references in this Directors Circular are in
U.S. dollars unless otherwise indicated. All references in this
Directors Circular to C$ refer to Canadian
dollars.
CURRENCY
EXCHANGE RATE INFORMATION
The following table sets out the high and low exchange rates for
one Canadian dollar expressed in U.S. dollars, for the period
indicated and the average of such exchange rates, and the
exchange rate at the end of such period, in each case, based
upon the noon buying rates as quoted by the Bank of Canada:
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Nine Months Ended
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Year Ended December 31,
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September 30, 2009
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2008
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2007
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2006
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High
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0.9422
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1.0289
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1.0925
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0.9099
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Low
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0.7692
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0.7711
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0.8437
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0.8528
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Rate at end of period
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0.9327
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0.8166
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1.012
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0.8581
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Average rate per period
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0.8546
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0.9381
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0.9304
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0.8817
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On December 24, 2009, the exchange rate for one Canadian
dollar expressed in U.S. dollars based upon the noon buying rate
of the Bank of Canada was $0.9535.
NOTICE
REGARDING INFORMATION
All information in this Directors Circular is given as of
December 28, 2009 unless otherwise indicated.
All references in this Directors Circular to Franco-Nevada
include references to its wholly-owned subsidiary, 7293275
Canada Inc., unless the context otherwise requires.
2
SUMMARY
The information set out below is intended to be a summary
only and is qualified in its entirety by the more detailed
information appearing elsewhere in this Directors
Circular. All capitalized terms in the summary have the meanings
ascribed to such terms elsewhere in this Directors
Circular, including in Schedule A to this Directors
Circular.
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The Franco-Nevada Offer:
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Franco-Nevada has offered to purchase, through its wholly-owned
subsidiary, 7293275 Canada Inc., any and all of the outstanding
IRC Common Shares for consideration of C$6.75 in cash for each
IRC Common Share.
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The Royal Gold Transaction:
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As announced by IRC on December 18, 2009, IRC and Royal
Gold have entered into the Arrangement Agreement pursuant to
which Royal Gold would acquire, directly or indirectly, all of
the issued and outstanding IRC Common Shares in exchange for, at
the election of each IRC Shareholder, C$7.45 in cash or 0.1385
Royal Gold Shares (or Exchangeable Shares) or a combination
thereof, for each IRC Common Share, subject to a maximum of
$350 million in cash and a maximum of 7.75 million
Royal Gold Shares and Exchangeable Shares in the aggregate and
subject to pro-ration of the number of Royal Gold Shares and
Exchangeable Shares, if IRC Shareholders elect to receive more
than approximately $314 million in cash.
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Recommendation of the IRC Board:
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The IRC Board unanimously recommends that IRC
Shareholders
REJECT
the Franco-Nevada Offer and
NOT TENDER
their IRC Common Shares.
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The IRC Board believes that the Royal Gold Transaction is
superior to the Franco-Nevada Offer and more attractive to IRC
Shareholders.
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Reasons for Rejection:
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The IRC Board has carefully reviewed and considered the
Franco-Nevada Offer, with the benefit of advice from its
financial advisor and its legal advisors. The IRC Boards
reasons for its recommendation include:
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The IRC Board believes that
the Royal Gold Transaction is superior to the Franco-Nevada
Offer and more attractive to IRC Shareholders.
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The opportunity to receive
Royal Gold Shares under the Royal Gold Transaction provides IRC
Shareholders with potential benefits not available under the
Franco-Nevada Offer.
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IRC Shareholders holding an
aggregate of approximately 34% of the IRC Common Shares on a
fully-diluted basis, including the three largest IRC
Shareholders and each director and officer of IRC, have agreed
with Royal Gold to vote their IRC Common Shares and IRC Options
in favour of the Royal Gold Transaction.
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IRCs financial
advisor, Scotia Capital, has provided a written opinion that the
consideration offered under the Franco-Nevada Offer is
inadequate, from a financial point of view, to IRC Shareholders.
|
|
|
|
The Franco-Nevada Offer is
structured as an any and all offer and is coercive.
|
|
|
|
The Franco-Nevada Offer is
highly conditional and is not a firm offer.
|
|
|
|
The conditions of the
Franco-Nevada Offer cannot be satisfied.
|
|
|
|
The Franco-Nevada Offer is
not a Permitted Bid under the IRC Rights Plan.
|
|
Rejection of the Franco-Nevada Offer by Directors and
Officers:
|
|
IRC has been advised by the directors and officers of IRC that
they, together with their respective associates, intend to
REJECT
the Franco-Nevada Offer and
NOT
TENDER
their respective IRC Common Shares.
|
3
DIRECTORS
CIRCULAR
This Directors Circular is issued by the board of
directors (the
IRC Board
) of International
Royalty Corporation (
IRC
) in connection with
the offer (the
Franco-Nevada Offer
) dated
December 14, 2009, by Franco-Nevada Corporation
(
Franco-Nevada
) to purchase any and all of
the outstanding common shares (the
IRC Common
Shares
) of IRC for consideration of C$6.75 for each
IRC Common Share, upon the terms and conditions set forth in the
Franco-Nevada Offer and the accompanying take-over bid circular
(collectively, the
Franco-Nevada Circular
).
The Franco-Nevada Offer is currently scheduled to expire at
8:00 p.m. (Toronto time) on January 19, 2010, unless
extended or withdrawn.
Information herein relating to Franco-Nevada and the
Franco-Nevada Offer has been derived from the Franco-Nevada
Circular. While the IRC Board has no reason to believe that such
information is inaccurate or incomplete, the IRC Board does not
assume any responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of
such information.
UNANIMOUS
RECOMMENDATION OF THE IRC BOARD
FRANCO-NEVADA
OFFER
The IRC Board believes that the Royal Gold Transaction is
superior to the Franco-Nevada Offer and more attractive to IRC
Shareholders. The IRC Board unanimously recommends that IRC
Shareholders
REJECT
the Franco-Nevada Offer and
NOT
TENDER
their IRC Common Shares.
IRC has been advised by the directors and officers of IRC
that they, together with their respective associates, intend
to
REJECT
the Franco-Nevada Offer and
NOT TENDER
their respective IRC Common Shares.
ROYAL
GOLD TRANSACTION
The IRC Board believes that the Royal Gold Transaction is
superior to the Franco-Nevada Offer and more attractive to IRC
Shareholders.
As announced on December 18, 2009, IRC and Royal Gold
have entered into the Arrangement Agreement under which IRC
Shareholders will receive, for each IRC Common Share, C$7.45 in
cash or 0.1385 Royal Gold Shares (or Exchangeable Shares) or a
combination thereof, subject to a maximum of $350 million
in cash and a maximum of 7.75 million Royal Gold Shares and
Exchangeable Shares in the aggregate and subject to pro-ration
of the number of Royal Gold Shares and Exchangeable Shares, if
IRC Shareholders elect to receive more than approximately
$314 million in cash.
4
REASONS
FOR THE IRC BOARDS UNANIMOUS RECOMMENDATION REGARDING
THE FRANCO-NEVADA OFFER
The IRC Board has carefully reviewed and considered the
Franco-Nevada Offer, with the benefit of advice from its
financial advisor and its legal advisors. The following is a
summary of the principal reasons for the unanimous
recommendation of the IRC Board to IRC Shareholders that they
REJECT
the Franco-Nevada Offer and
NOT TENDER
their IRC Common Shares.
|
|
1.
|
The IRC Board believes that the Royal Gold Transaction is
superior to the Franco-Nevada Offer and more attractive to IRC
Shareholders.
|
|
|
|
|
|
As announced by IRC on December 18, 2009, IRC and Royal
Gold have entered into the Arrangement Agreement pursuant to
which Royal Gold would acquire, directly or indirectly, all of
the issued and outstanding IRC Common Shares in exchange for, at
the election of each IRC Shareholder, C$7.45 in cash or 0.1385
Royal Gold Shares (or Exchangeable Shares) or a combination
thereof, for each IRC Common Share, subject to a maximum of
$350 million in cash and a maximum of 7.75 million
Royal Gold Shares and Exchangeable Shares in the aggregate and
subject to pro-ration of the number of Royal Gold Shares and
Exchangeable Shares, if IRC Shareholders elect to receive
more than approximately $314 million in cash.
|
|
|
|
Each of Franco-Nevada and Royal Gold participated in a
competitive auction process conducted by IRC in which each was
asked to provide written proposals for the acquisition of all of
the IRC Common Shares and given multiple opportunities to
enhance its proposals. When assessed against each of
Franco-Nevadas proposals submitted during that process and
the Franco-Nevada Offer, the Royal Gold Transaction is the most
attractive proposal to arise out of the auction process
conducted by IRC.
|
|
|
|
The Royal Gold Transaction values IRC at approximately
C$749 million (based on the closing price of Royal Gold
Shares on NASDAQ of $50.79 and the currency exchange rate on
December 14, 2009). This represents a premium of
approximately 70% over IRCs
20-day
volume-weighted average trading price on the TSX through
December 4, 2009, the last trading day prior to the public
announcement by Franco-Nevada of its intention to make the
Franco-Nevada Offer. In contrast, the Franco-Nevada Offer values
IRC at approximately C$679 million.
|
|
|
|
IRC has received a written opinion from its financial advisor,
Scotia Capital, that subject to certain assumptions, limitations
and qualifications, Scotia Capital was of the opinion that, as
of December 17, 2009, the consideration under the Royal
Gold Transaction was fair, from a financial point of view, to
IRC Shareholders other than Royal Gold and its affiliates (the
Royal Gold Transaction Fairness Opinion
).
|
|
|
|
The IRC Special Meeting at which IRC Securityholders will be
asked to approve the Royal Gold Transaction is scheduled to be
held on February 16, 2010. IRC will send a detailed
Management Proxy Circular to IRC Securityholders in
connection with the IRC Special Meeting which will contain
further details concerning the Royal Gold Transaction, the
recommendation of the IRC Board that IRC Shareholders vote in
favour of the special resolution to approve the Royal Gold
Transaction and a copy of the Royal Gold Transaction Fairness
Opinion.
|
|
|
2.
|
The opportunity to receive Royal Gold Shares under the Royal
Gold Transaction provides IRC Shareholders with potential
benefits not available under the Franco-Nevada Offer.
|
|
|
|
|
|
IRC Shareholders who receive Royal Gold Shares or Exchangeable
Shares under the Royal Gold Transaction will benefit from the
enhanced trading liquidity of Royal Gold Shares. In that regard,
the average daily trading value of the Royal Gold Shares on the
NASDAQ and the TSX over the twelve-month period ended
December 4, 2009 (the last trading day prior to the public
announcement by Franco-Nevada of its intention to make the
Franco-Nevada Offer) was approximately $35 million,
compared to the average daily trading value of the
IRC Common Shares on the TSX and AMEX of approximately
$1 million during the same twelve-month period.
|
|
|
|
Royal Gold Shares or Exchangeable Shares received by IRC
Shareholders under the Royal Gold Transaction will provide those
IRC Shareholders with increased exposure to revenues and cash
flows from gold royalties and the opportunity to participate in
the future performance of Royal Gold Shares.
|
5
|
|
|
|
|
Certain IRC Shareholders who are residents of Canada for
purposes of the
Income Tax Act
(Canada), hold their IRC
Common Shares as capital property and file a joint election with
Royal Gold will generally be able to exchange their IRC Common
Shares for Exchangeable Shares under the Royal Gold Transaction
on a fully or partially tax-deferred basis under the
Income
Tax Act
(Canada). Further information will be included in
the Management Proxy Circular to be mailed in connection with
the IRC Special Meeting.
|
|
|
3.
|
IRC Shareholders holding an aggregate of approximately 34% of
the IRC Common Shares on a fully-diluted basis, including the
three largest IRC Shareholders and each director and officer of
IRC, have agreed with Royal Gold to vote their IRC Common Shares
and IRC Options in favour of the Royal Gold Transaction.
|
|
|
|
|
|
IRC Shareholders holding an aggregate of approximately 34% of
the IRC Common Shares on a fully-diluted basis, including the
three largest IRC Shareholders and each director and officer of
IRC, have signed Voting Agreements pursuant to which, and
subject to the terms thereof, they have agreed to vote their IRC
Common Shares and IRC Options in favour of the Royal Gold
Transaction.
|
|
|
4.
|
IRCs financial advisor, Scotia Capital, has provided a
written opinion that the consideration offered under the
Franco-Nevada Offer is inadequate, from a financial point of
view, to IRC Shareholders.
|
|
|
|
|
|
The IRC Board and the Special Committee have received a written
opinion, dated December 28, 2009, from Scotia Capital to
the effect that, as of such date and based upon and subject to
the assumptions, limitations and qualifications stated in its
opinion, the consideration offered by Franco-Nevada under the
Franco-Nevada Offer is inadequate, from a financial point of
view, to IRC Shareholders other than Franco-Nevada and its
affiliates (the
Franco-Nevada Inadequacy
Opinion
). A copy of the Franco-Nevada Inadequacy
Opinion is attached to this Directors Circular as
Schedule B. The IRC Board recommends that you read the
Franco-Nevada Inadequacy Opinion carefully and in its entirety
for a description of the procedures followed, matters considered
and limitations on the review undertaken.
|
|
|
5.
|
The Franco-Nevada Offer is structured as an any and
all offer and is coercive.
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Franco-Nevada Offer contains no minimum tender condition and
Franco-Nevada is not obligated to take IRC private following the
Franco-Nevada Offer. Accordingly, there can be no certainty as
to the number of IRC Common Shares that Franco-Nevada will
acquire under the Franco-Nevada Offer, if any, and whether
Franco-Nevada will ever undertake a transaction to acquire all
of the IRC Common Shares.
|
|
|
|
The fact that the Franco-Nevada Offer is not subject to any
minimum tender condition may pressure IRC Shareholders to
tender, even if they are not satisfied with the price offered
under the Franco-Nevada Offer. The any and all
structure would allow Franco-Nevada to sweep any
tendered IRC Common Shares at a low price and strengthen its
influence over IRC without properly compensating all IRC
Shareholders. If the Franco-Nevada Offer is completed, the value
of the IRC Common Shares that are not tendered may be reduced
due to the possibility that any future alternative change of
control transaction may be blocked or the liquidity of the
remaining IRC Common Shares may be reduced. This potential
creeping take-over offers no protection to those IRC
Shareholders who do not tender but are left with less liquid
ownership positions.
|
|
|
|
Given that Franco-Nevada and IRC compete with each other in
acquiring mineral royalties, potential conflicts of interest
could arise between Franco-Nevada and IRC if Franco-Nevada
acquires a significant number of IRC Common Shares under the
Franco-Nevada Offer but has not taken IRC private. These
conflicts of interest may adversely impact on IRC and the market
price of the IRC Common Shares.
|
|
|
6.
|
The Franco-Nevada Offer is highly conditional and is not a
firm offer.
|
|
|
|
|
|
The IRC Board has reviewed, with the assistance of its financial
and legal advisors, the conditions that Franco-Nevada has placed
in the Franco-Nevada Offer. The IRC Board is concerned about the
fact that the Franco-Nevada Offer is highly conditional for the
benefit of Franco-Nevada.
|
|
|
|
There are several conditions which are not subject to
materiality thresholds or other objective criteria but rather
provide Franco-Nevada with a broad range of grounds upon which
it may, in its sole discretion, decline to proceed with the
Franco-Nevada Offer, with the result that the tendering of IRC
Common Shares to the Franco-
|
6
|
|
|
|
|
Nevada Offer would, under certain circumstances, constitute
little more than the grant of an option to Franco-Nevada to
acquire IRC Common Shares.
|
|
|
7.
|
The conditions of the Franco-Nevada Offer cannot be
satisfied.
|
|
|
|
|
|
One of the conditions of the Franco-Nevada Offer is that none of
IRC or any of its subsidiaries shall, following December 6,
2009, have entered into, or have announced any intention to
enter into, any agreement, arrangement or understanding in
respect of any take-over bid (other than the Franco-Nevada
Offer), merger, amalgamation, statutory arrangement, share
exchange, capital reorganization (including, without limitation,
any division, combination, reclassification, consolidation,
conversion or other change in respect of any of the IRC Common
Shares or its capitalization), business combination, joint
venture or other similar transaction. Accordingly, as IRC has
entered into the Arrangement Agreement with Royal Gold in
respect of the Royal Gold Transaction, this condition in the
Franco-Nevada Offer cannot be satisfied.
|
|
|
8.
|
The Franco-Nevada Offer is not a Permitted Bid under the IRC
Rights Plan.
|
|
|
|
|
|
The purpose of the IRC Rights Plan is to provide the IRC Board
and IRC Shareholders with sufficient time to properly consider
any take-over bid made for IRC and to allow sufficient time for
competing bids and alternative proposals to emerge. The IRC
Rights Plan also seeks to ensure that all IRC Shareholders are
treated fairly in any transaction involving a change in control
of IRC and have an equal opportunity to participate in the
benefits of a take-over bid. The IRC Rights Plan encourages
potential acquirors to make a Permitted Bid, without the
approval of the IRC Board, having terms and conditions designed
to meet the objectives of the IRC Rights Plan, or to negotiate
the terms of the offer with the IRC Board. Failure to do so
creates the potential for substantial dilution of the potential
acquirors shareholdings in IRC. See IRC Rights
Plan.
|
|
|
|
To be a Permitted Bid, a take-over bid must, among other things,
be open for at least 60 days and be accepted by the holders
of more than 50% of the IRC Common Shares (other than those IRC
Common Shares held by any IRC Shareholder or group of IRC
Shareholders making a take-over bid). A Permitted Bid would,
among other things, provide additional time for the exploration,
development and pursuit of alternatives that could enhance IRC
Shareholder value. A Permitted Bid would also ensure that
holders of IRC Common Shares have sufficient time to consider
all appropriate alternatives and not feel compelled to accept a
bid for fear that other IRC Shareholders would tender and they
would remain as minority shareholders in a corporation with a
new controlling shareholder, and with significantly less
liquidity and the absence of any takeover premium. The
Franco-Nevada Offer is open for acceptance for only 36 days.
|
|
|
|
Franco-Nevada could have made a Permitted Bid as the IRC Rights
Plan received IRC Shareholder approval in May 2009, well in
advance of the Franco-Nevada Offer. Franco-Nevada chose not to
make a Permitted Bid.
|
Unanimous
Recommendation of the IRC Board
For the principal reasons outlined above, the IRC Board:
|
|
|
|
|
has concluded that the Franco-Nevada Offer is not in the best
interests of IRC Shareholders; and
|
|
|
|
unanimously recommends to IRC Shareholders that they
REJECT
the Franco-Nevada Offer and
NOT
TENDER
their IRC Common Shares.
|
The foregoing summary of the information and factors considered
by the IRC Board is not intended to be exhaustive of the factors
considered by the IRC Board in reaching its conclusion and
making its recommendation, but includes the material
information, factors and analysis considered by the IRC Board in
reaching its conclusion and recommendation. The members of the
IRC Board evaluated the various factors summarized above in
light of their own knowledge of the business, financial
condition and prospects of IRC, and based upon the advice of the
IRC Boards financial and legal advisors and the
recommendation of the Special Committee. In view of the numerous
factors considered in connection with their evaluation of the
Franco-Nevada Offer, the IRC Board did not find it practicable
to, and did not, quantify or otherwise attempt to assign
relative weight to specific factors in reaching its conclusion
and recommendation. In addition, individual members of the IRC
Board may have given different weight to different factors.
7
BACKGROUND
TO THE FRANCO-NEVADA OFFER AND RESPONSE OF IRC
From time to time over the past few years, IRC has been
approached by other industry participants to explore the
possibility of undertaking a transaction involving the
acquisition of IRC. Prior to October 2009, none of these
approaches resulted in any extensive negotiations or discussions.
In October 2009, IRC was independently approached by Royal Gold
and Franco-Nevada, each of which privately requested the
opportunity to review a limited number of documents of IRC in
anticipation of making an acquisition proposal for IRC.
On October 28, 2009, Mr. David Harquail, Chief
Executive Officer of Franco-Nevada, and Mr. Douglas Silver,
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of IRC, attended a meeting
in Toronto at which Mr. Harquail suggested the possibility
of a business combination involving Franco-Nevada and IRC.
Mr. Silver indicated that he would consider the suggestion.
On November 4, 2009, Mr. Silver contacted
Mr. Harquail and indicated that IRC was agreeable to
permitting Franco-Nevada to conduct limited due diligence on
certain matters related to IRCs business so that
Franco-Nevada could evaluate the terms on which it might propose
a transaction for IRC to consider.
Also on November 4, 2009, Mr. Silver contacted
Mr. Tony Jensen, President and Chief Executive Officer of
Royal Gold, and indicated that IRC was agreeable to permitting
Royal Gold to conduct limited due diligence on certain matters
related to IRCs business so that Royal Gold could evaluate
the terms on which it might propose a transaction for IRC to
consider.
On November 13, 2009, Royal Gold signed a confidentiality
agreement with IRC and was given access to limited due diligence
information.
On November 18, 2009, Franco-Nevada signed a similar form
of confidentiality agreement with IRC and was given access to
limited due diligence information.
On November 22, 2009, Mr. Jensen contacted
Mr. Silver to advise him that he had learned that a large
IRC Shareholder was offering its IRC Common Shares for sale.
Mr. Jensen and Mr. Silver also agreed to meet again on
November 24, 2009.
On November 23, 2009, following receipt of the information
by Mr. Silver from Mr. Jensen, Mr. Silver had a
discussion with Mr. Harquail in which Mr. Harquail
confirmed to Mr. Silver that one or more large
blocks of IRC Common Shares may be available. On this
basis, Mr. Silver suggested that Mr. Harquail
accelerate his due diligence and decision-making process in
order to make an acquisition proposal.
Also on November 23, 2009, IRCs Chief Financial
Officer, Mr. Ray Jenner, met with senior financial officers
of Franco-Nevada to discuss the IRC information to which they
had been given access. On November 24, 2009,
Mr. Jenner held a similar meeting with senior financial
officers of Royal Gold.
Also on November 24, 2009, IRCs Executive Committee,
consisting of Mr. Silver, Mr. Paul Zink, President of
IRC, and Mr. Jenner, met with Royal Gold. At the meeting,
Royal Gold orally presented a non-binding proposal to acquire
all of the outstanding IRC Common Shares for a combination of
cash and Royal Gold Shares.
On November 25, 2009, after IRCs Executive Committee
had provided feedback to Royal Gold on the terms of Royal
Golds initial proposal, Royal Gold orally communicated to
the Executive Committee a non-binding proposal reflecting
increased consideration compared to its initial non-binding
proposal. Following this meeting, IRCs Executive Committee
called an IRC Board meeting to be held on November 27, 2009
to consider Royal Golds improved proposal.
On November 26, 2009, Royal Gold provided a written
non-binding proposal to Mr. Silver in which Royal Gold
confirmed the terms of its non-binding proposal that had been
communicated orally on November 25, 2009.
Also on November 26, 2009, Franco-Nevada called
Mr. Silver and requested a meeting on November 30,
2009 for the purpose of presenting IRC with a non-binding
proposal to acquire all of the outstanding IRC Common Shares in
consideration for a combination of cash and Franco-Nevada shares.
On November 27, 2009, the IRC Board met with IRCs
legal counsel, Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, to discuss Royal
Golds proposal and to discuss a strategy for managing the
process going forward. At this meeting, the IRC Board
8
formed a special committee (the
Special
Committee
) consisting of four independent directors
(Mr. Gordon Bogden, Mr. Gord Fretwell, Mr. Rene
Carrier and Mr. Doug Hurst) and Mr. Silver.
Mr. Bogden was selected as the Special Committees
Chair. Following this meeting, Mr. Silver, at the request
of the Special Committee, contacted a third company
(
Company C
) to determine if it would be
interested in submitting an indicative proposal to acquire IRC.
At the request of the Special Committee, Mr. Silver also
contacted Scotia Capital later that day and requested that it
serve as IRCs financial advisor in respect of the process.
On November 28, 2009, Mr. Silver received a call from
Company C in which Company C expressed an interest in submitting
a proposal for the acquisition of IRC. A confidentiality
agreement was forwarded to Company C for execution.
Also on November 28, 2009, Mr. Silver contacted
Mr. Harquail and informed him, without referring to Royal
Gold by name, that IRC had received a very attractive proposal
from another interested party and that IRC had established a
Special Committee.
On November 29, 2009, Company C returned an executed copy
of the confidentiality agreement to IRC.
On November 30, 2009, representatives of IRC and
Franco-Nevada met, and Franco-Nevada presented a non-binding
proposal to acquire all of the issued and outstanding IRC Common
Shares for consideration consisting of a combination of cash and
Franco-Nevada shares. At that meeting, Mr. Silver advised
Mr. Harquail that the other proposal that IRC had received
had a substantially higher value than Franco-Nevadas
proposal and indicated that IRC would provide Franco-Nevada and
the other party with an opportunity to conduct certain
additional due diligence and to submit revised final non-binding
proposals by December 2, 2009. In that context,
Franco-Nevada and IRC exchanged further due diligence
information.
On December 1, 2009, IRC formally retained Scotia Capital
as its financial advisor. IRC also participated in a conference
call later that day with Royal Gold to discuss certain issues
that had been raised by the IRC Board and its advisors. Later
that day, the Special Committee met with IRCs Executive
Committee and its financial and legal advisors to discuss the
ongoing auction process.
Also on December 1, 2009, IRC sent to each of the three
interested parties a bidding protocol letter that requested
final non-binding proposals to be provided by 5:00 p.m.
(Denver time) on December 2, 2009. In addition, on
December 1, 2009, IRC entered into amended confidentiality
agreements with each of Royal Gold, Franco-Nevada and Company C
so that each could conduct more extensive due diligence on IRC.
On December 2, 2009, both Royal Gold and Franco-Nevada
submitted revised non-binding proposals as requested in the
bidding protocol letter. Royal Golds proposal contemplated
consideration consisting of a combination of cash and Royal Gold
Shares. Franco-Nevadas proposal contemplated consideration
consisting of a combination of cash, Franco-Nevada shares, and
listed Franco-Nevada warrants expiring in 2017. Company C
advised that it would not be submitting a proposal.
On December 3, 2009, the Special Committee met with
IRCs Executive Committee and its financial and legal
advisors to discuss the proposals that had been received the
previous day from Royal Gold and Franco-Nevada. Based on the
discussions at the meeting, the Special Committee instructed
Scotia Capital to contact each party to see if it would consider
any further improvements to its proposal. Each party was also
informed that the Special Committee would reconvene later that
evening to review any subsequent proposals that might be
received.
Later on December 3, 2009, IRC received revised proposals
from both Royal Gold and Franco-Nevada. Each of the revised
proposals included a combination of cash and shares of the
interested party. Each proposal also required IRC to enter into
an exclusivity agreement with the interested party in order to
negotiate a definitive acquisition agreement with the interested
party.
Following receipt of the revised proposals on December 3,
2009, the Special Committee reconvened with IRCs Executive
Committee and its financial and legal advisors to discuss the
revised proposals received from Royal Gold and Franco-Nevada.
The Special Committee, after consulting with its financial and
legal advisors and the IRC Executive Committee, concluded that
Royal Golds was the more attractive of the two proposals.
In addition, the Special Committee determined to recommend to
the IRC Board that IRC pursue negotiations with Royal Gold with
respect to its proposal.
On December 4, 2009, the IRC Board met to discuss the
proposals received from Royal Gold and Franco-Nevada and to
receive the recommendation of the Special Committee. After
presentations by management and Scotia Capital and a
9
discussion about the merits of each proposal, Mr. Bogden,
as the Chair of the Special Committee, delivered the Special
Committees recommendation that, as Royal Golds
proposal was the more attractive of the two proposals, IRC enter
into the requested exclusivity agreement with Royal Gold for
purposes of negotiating an acquisition agreement. Following
receipt of the Special Committees recommendation and after
consulting with its legal and financial advisors, the IRC Board
authorized the entering into of the exclusivity agreement with
Royal Gold in order to pursue negotiations with Royal Gold
concerning its proposal. Late that evening, IRC entered into an
exclusivity agreement with Royal Gold which provided for a
10-day
exclusivity period expiring at 5:00 p.m. (Toronto time) on
December 14, 2009.
Early on December 5, 2009, Scotia Capital advised
Franco-Nevadas financial advisor that IRC had elected to
proceed with a different party.
Between December 4 and December 8, 2009, IRC and Royal Gold
conducted detailed due diligence on each others assets.
During this same period, legal counsel to the parties began
drafting and negotiating a draft Arrangement Agreement.
On December 6, 2009, Franco-Nevada publicly announced its
intention to make the Franco-Nevada Offer.
On December 7, 2009, IRC issued a press release responding
to Franco-Nevadas announcement of its intention to make
the Franco-Nevada Offer. IRC announced that the IRC Board would
be meeting with its legal and financial advisors to consider an
appropriate response to Franco-Nevadas announced intention
and advised that the IRC Board would communicate further with
IRC Securityholders in due course.
Between December 7 and December 9, 2009, IRC, Royal Gold
and their respective legal and financial advisors continued to
negotiate a draft Arrangement Agreement and a draft form of
Voting Agreement.
On December 10, 2009, Royal Gold asked IRC to extend the
exclusivity period on the basis that Royal Gold would provide an
improved proposal to IRC during the extended exclusivity period.
On December 11, 2009, IRC and Royal Gold formally extended
the exclusivity period to 5:00 p.m. (Denver time) on
December 16, 2009. Between December 10 and
December 16, 2009, IRC, Royal Gold and their respective
legal and financial advisors continued to negotiate the terms of
draft Arrangement Agreement and the terms of the Voting
Agreements.
On December 14, 2009, Franco-Nevada formally commenced the
Franco-Nevada Offer by advertisement and delivered a copy of the
Franco-Nevada Circular to IRC at its office in Denver, Colorado.
In addition, in accordance with the procedures under the CBCA,
Franco-Nevada requested that IRC provide Franco-Nevada with a
list of registered IRC Shareholders and IRC Optionholders, which
IRC subsequently provided.
Later on December 14, 2009, Mr. Jensen met with
Mr. Silver and provided an improved non-binding proposal
which contemplated the acquisition of all of the issued and
outstanding IRC Common Shares for the consideration contemplated
by the Arrangement Agreement consisting of a combination of
cash, Royal Gold Shares and exchangeable shares, subject to the
restrictions contained in the Arrangement Agreement.
On December 15, 2009, IRC issued a press release advising
IRC Shareholders that the IRC Board, together with its financial
and legal advisors, would review the full terms of the
Franco-Nevada Offer and urged IRC Shareholders to take no action
relating to the Franco-Nevada Offer until the IRC Board had the
opportunity to review and consider the Franco-Nevada Offer and
had made its recommendation to IRC Shareholders.
On December 16, 2009, the IRC Board and Special Committee
held a meeting with its legal and financial advisors to discuss
the terms of the draft Arrangement Agreement. At this meeting,
the Special Committee received the Royal Gold Transaction
Fairness Opinion orally from its financial advisor, Scotia
Capital, that the consideration offered under the proposed Royal
Gold Transaction with Royal Gold was fair, from a financial
point of view, to IRC Shareholders other than Royal Gold and its
affiliates. Following the receipt of such opinion, the Special
Committee determined that the proposed Royal Gold Transaction
with Royal Gold was fair to IRC Shareholders, in the best
interests of IRC and superior to the consideration being offered
under the Franco-Nevada Offer. The Special Committee then
recommended that the IRC Board approve the proposed Arrangement
Agreement, subject to satisfaction of certain conditions,
including the satisfactory settlement of certain outstanding
issues under the draft Arrangement Agreement and the draft
Voting Agreements. The IRC Board, after receiving the
recommendation of the Special Committee and in consultation with
its financial and legal advisors, then determined that
(i) the proposed Royal Gold Transaction with Royal Gold was
fair to IRC Shareholders and in the best interests of IRC,
(ii) IRC should enter into the Arrangement Agreement with
Royal Gold in the form previously provided to the IRC Board,
subject to satisfaction of certain conditions, including the
satisfactory
10
settlement of certain outstanding issues under the draft
Arrangement Agreement and the execution and delivery of the
Voting Agreements, and (iii) to recommend to IRC
Shareholders that they vote their IRC Common Shares in favour of
the special resolution to approve the Royal Gold Transaction at
the IRC Special Meeting.
Also on December 16, 2009, IRC announced that the IRC Board
had elected to defer the Separation Time under the
IRC Rights Plan that would otherwise have occurred by reason of
the Franco-Nevada Offer until the earlier of (i) such date
as may be determined in good faith by the IRC Board prior to the
time any person becomes an Acquiring Person under
the IRC Rights Plan, or (ii) unless otherwise determined by
the IRC Board, the day immediately prior to the date on which an
Acquiring Person becomes such.
Following the meetings of the IRC Special Committee and IRC
Board, IRC extended the period of exclusivity with Royal Gold to
5:00 p.m. (Denver Time) on December 17, 2009. IRC and
Royal Gold and their respective advisors thereafter continued to
negotiate the final issues on the Arrangement Agreement and the
Voting Agreements and, once finalized, proceeded to obtain
executed Voting Agreements from each director and officer of IRC.
After the close of trading on North American markets on
December 17, 2009, IRC and Royal Gold executed the
definitive Arrangement Agreement and Royal Gold and the
directors and officers of IRC party to the Voting Agreements
executed the Voting Agreements. The parties then publicly
announced the Royal Gold Transaction prior to the opening of
trading on North American markets on December 18, 2009.
On December 23, 2009, Royal Gold issued a press release
announcing that it had entered into Voting Agreements with
additional IRC Shareholders.
On December 28, 2009, the IRC Board met to consider further
the terms of the Franco-Nevada Offer. Following receipt of the
Franco-Nevada Inadequacy Opinion and consideration of the
factors described above under the heading Reasons for the
IRC Boards Unanimous Recommendation Regarding the
Franco-Nevada Offer, the IRC Board formally resolved to
unanimously recommend to IRC Shareholders that they reject the
Franco-Nevada Offer and not tender their IRC Common Shares.
INADEQUACY
OPINION OF SCOTIA CAPITAL
Scotia Capital was retained to provide advice to the IRC Board
and the Special Committee in connection with IRCs
initiation of a process to consider strategic alternatives. As
part of this mandate, Scotia Capital assessed the Franco-Nevada
Offer. Scotia Capital has delivered the Franco-Nevada Inadequacy
Opinion addressed to the IRC Board and the Special Committee
concluding that, on the basis of the assumptions, limitations
and qualifications set forth in its opinion, as of the date of
this Directors Circular, the consideration under the
Franco-Nevada Offer is inadequate, from a financial point of
view, to the IRC Shareholders other than Franco-Nevada and its
affiliates.
The full text of the Franco-Nevada Inadequacy Opinion is
attached as Schedule B to this Directors Circular.
You are urged to read the Franco-Nevada Inadequacy Opinion
carefully and in its entirety for a description of the
procedures followed, matters considered and limitations on the
review undertaken. The opinion addresses only the adequacy of
the consideration offered under the Franco-Nevada Offer from a
financial point of view.
IRC will pay Scotia Capital reasonable and customary
compensation for its services and will reimburse it for its
reasonable
out-of-pocket
expenses. IRC has agreed to indemnify Scotia Capital against
certain liabilities arising out of or in connection with its
engagement.
ROYAL
GOLD TRANSACTION
As announced by IRC on December 18, 2009, IRC and Royal
Gold have entered into the Arrangement Agreement pursuant to
which Royal Gold would acquire, directly or indirectly, all of
the issued and outstanding IRC Common Shares in exchange for, at
the election of each IRC Shareholder, C$7.45 in cash or 0.1385
Royal Gold Shares (or Exchangeable Shares) or a combination
thereof, for each IRC Common Share, subject to a maximum of
$350 million in cash and a maximum of 7.75 million
Royal Gold Shares and Exchangeable Shares in the aggregate and
subject to pro-ration of the number of Royal Gold Shares and
Exchangeable Shares, if IRC Shareholders elect to receive more
than approximately $314 million in cash.
11
The
Arrangement Agreement
The following is a summary of certain terms of the Arrangement
Agreement. The following summary does not purport to be, and is
not, complete and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety
by, reference to the Arrangement Agreement, a copy of which is
available on the System for Electronic Document Analysis and
Retrieval at www.sedar.com under IRCs profile.
Representations
and Warranties
The Arrangement Agreement contains customary representations and
warranties, given by each of IRC, on the one hand, and Royal
Gold and Canco, on the other hand, in respect of matters
pertaining to, among other things, organization, standing and
corporate power, due authorization of the transaction,
subsidiaries, capitalization, publicly filed documents,
disclosure and other matters relating to the business and
operations of IRC and Royal Gold, which representations and
warranties will not survive the completion of the Arrangement.
Conditions
Precedent
Mutual
Conditions Precedent
The Arrangement Agreement provides that completion of the
Arrangement is subject to the satisfaction or waiver of a number
of conditions precedent, which may only be waived by mutual
consent of the parties, including:
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approval of the Arrangement by IRC Securityholders, with or
without amendment, at the IRC Special Meeting;
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approval of the Arrangement by the Court;
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approval for listing of the Royal Gold Shares issuable to the
IRC Shareholders pursuant to the Arrangement on the NASDAQ,
subject to official notice of issuance, and conditional approval
for listing of the Royal Gold Shares and Exchangeable Shares
issuable to the IRC Shareholders pursuant to the Arrangement on
the TSX;
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no law having been enacted that makes consummation of the
Arrangement illegal or otherwise prohibited or enjoins IRC or
Royal Gold from consummating the Arrangement;
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the Arrangement Agreement not having been terminated in
accordance with its terms; and
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the availability of exemptions from the prospectus and
registration requirements of applicable law in connection with
the distribution and first trade of the Royal Gold Shares and
the Exchangeable Shares pursuant to the Arrangement.
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Conditions
Precedent in Favour of IRC
The Arrangement Agreement provides that IRCs obligation to
complete the Arrangement is also subject to the satisfaction or
waiver of a number of additional conditions, each of which may
only be waived by IRC, including:
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performance by each of Royal Gold and Canco of all of the
obligations to be performed by it under the Arrangement
Agreement on or prior to the effective time of the Arrangement,
except where failure to perform is not Materially Adverse to
Royal Gold and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole;
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receipt of all waivers, consents, permits, orders and approvals
of any governmental agency, and the expiry of any waiting
periods (whether regulatory or contractual), the failure of
which to obtain or receive, or the non-expiry of which, would or
would reasonably be expected to be Materially Adverse to IRC or
Royal Gold and their respective subsidiaries, in each case taken
as a whole;
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the truth and correctness of all representations and warranties
of Royal Gold and Canco contained in the Arrangement Agreement,
except where the failure of such representations and warranties
to be true and correct would not reasonably be expected to be
Materially Adverse to Royal Gold and its subsidiaries, taken as
a whole (provided that the representations and warranties of
Royal Gold and Canco in relation to their financing commitments
and the availability to Royal Gold of sufficient financing to
complete the Arrangement must in any event be true and correct
in all respects);
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12
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there not having occurred, since the date of the Arrangement
Agreement, any event, change, effect or development that
individually or in the aggregate, has had a Materially Adverse
effect on Royal Gold and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole; and
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Canco being a taxable Canadian corporation and not a
mutual fund corporation, each within the meaning of
the
Income Tax Act
(Canada), at the effective time of the
Arrangement.
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Conditions
Precedent in Favour of Royal Gold and Canco
The Arrangement Agreement provides that the obligations of Royal
Gold and Canco to complete the Arrangement are also subject to
the satisfaction or waiver of a number of additional conditions,
each of which may only be waived by Royal Gold (for itself and
on behalf of Canco), including:
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performance by IRC of all of the obligations to be performed by
it under the Arrangement Agreement on or prior to the effective
date of the Arrangement, except where failure to perform is not
Materially Adverse to IRC and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole;
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the truth and correctness of all representations and warranties
of IRC under this Arrangement Agreement, except where the
failure of such representations and warranties to be true and
correct would not reasonably be expected to be Materially
Adverse to IRC and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole;
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there not having been delivered and not withdrawn notices of
dissent with respect to the Arrangement in respect of more than
15% of the IRC Common Shares;
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there not having occurred, since the date of the Arrangement
Agreement, any event, change, effect or development that
individually or in the aggregate, has had a Materially Adverse
effect on IRC and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole;
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receipt of all waivers, consents, permits, orders and approvals
of any governmental agency, and the expiry of any waiting
periods (whether regulatory or contractual), the failure of
which to obtain or receive, or the non-expiry of which, would or
would reasonably be expected to be Materially Adverse to IRC or
Royal Gold and their respective subsidiaries, in each case taken
as a whole; and
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approval of the Arrangement by holders of debentures issued
under the trust indenture dated February 22, 2005 among
IRC, Archean Resources Ltd. and CIBC Mellon Trust Company
(as amended, the
IRC Trust Indenture
)
and there not having occurred under the IRC Trust Indenture
prior to, or be occurring as of, the effective time of the
Arrangement any event of default.
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Covenants
Each of IRC and Royal Gold has agreed to certain covenants under
the Arrangement Agreement, including customary negative and
affirmative covenants relating to the operation of their
respective businesses, and using commercially reasonable efforts
to satisfy the conditions precedent to their respective
obligations under the Arrangement Agreement.
Non-Solicitation,
Acquisition Proposals and Right to Match
IRC has agreed under the Arrangement Agreement to terminate
existing discussions and negotiations with any person with
respect to any alternative transaction that would reasonably be
expected to reduce the likelihood of the successful completion
of the Arrangement and the other transactions contemplated by
the Arrangement Agreement (an
Alternative
Transaction
). IRC has further agreed under the
Arrangement Agreement to not, directly or indirectly:
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solicit, initiate, knowingly encourage or facilitate any
inquiries or the making by any third party of any proposals
regarding an Alternative Transaction;
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participate in any discussions or negotiations regarding an
Alternative Transaction;
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approve or recommend any Alternative Transaction; or
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accept or enter into any agreement, arrangement or understanding
related to any Alternative Transaction.
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13
However, provided that IRC complies with certain terms and
restrictions set forth in the Arrangement Agreement, IRC may
consider, and participate in discussions or negotiations in
respect of, a
bona fide
written Acquisition Proposal
(as defined in the Arrangement Agreement) that (i) did
not result from a breach of the Arrangement Agreement, and
(ii) the IRC Board has determined by formal resolution, in
good faith and after consultation with its financial advisors
and outside legal counsel, is or is reasonably likely to result
in a Superior Proposal (as defined in the Arrangement
Agreement), but only to the extent that the IRC Board also has
determined by formal resolution, in good faith after
consultation with its outside counsel, that the failure to take
such action would be inconsistent with its fiduciary duties.
If IRC receives a request for information from a person that has
made a
bona fide
written Acquisition Proposal that
complies with the preceding paragraph, the IRC Board may also
provide such person with access to information regarding IRC and
its subsidiaries, provided that IRC:
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requires any such person, if such person is not already a party
to a confidentiality agreement with IRC, to execute a
confidentiality agreement containing a commercially reasonable
standstill provision, terms at least as favourable to IRC as
those contained in the confidentiality agreement between IRC and
Royal Gold, and a prohibition on such persons use of any
information regarding IRC or its subsidiaries for any reason
other than for purposes of evaluating and consummating the
transaction that is the subject of the Acquisition Proposal; and
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sends a copy of any such confidentiality agreement to Royal Gold
promptly upon its execution, provides Royal Gold (to the extent
it has not already done so) with copies of the information
(other than any proprietary information) provided to such person
and promptly provides Royal Gold with access to all information
to which such person is provided access (other than any
proprietary information).
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Subject to the payment, in certain circumstances, of a fee to
Royal Gold in the amount of $32 million
(the
Termination Fee
), as described
below under the heading Termination Fee and Expense
Reimbursement, IRC may accept, approve or recommend (and
thereby change its recommendation regarding the Arrangement) or
enter into a definitive agreement, undertaking or arrangement in
respect of a Superior Proposal in respect of which there has
been no breach of the Arrangement Agreement if:
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IRC has complied with its obligations under the Arrangement
Agreement with respect to the Superior Proposal, including by
providing Royal Gold with all documentation required to be
delivered to it and a copy of the Superior Proposal (including
any draft agreement to be entered into by IRC which governs the
Superior Proposal);
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a period expiring at 5:00 p.m. (Toronto time) on the fifth
business day (the
Response Period
) after the
later of (i) the date on which Royal Gold received written
notice from the IRC Board that it has resolved to accept, or
enter into a definitive agreement, undertaking or arrangement in
respect of, a Superior Proposal, and (ii) the
date Royal Gold received a copy of the Superior Proposal,
has elapsed; and
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the IRC Board has considered any amendment to the terms of the
Arrangement Agreement proposed in writing by Royal Gold (or on
its behalf) before the end of the Response Period and determined
in good faith, after consultation with its financial advisors
and outside legal counsel, that the Superior Proposal remains a
Superior Proposal (as assessed against the Arrangement
Agreement, together with the written amendments, if any,
proposed by Royal Gold before the end of the Response Period)
and that it would be inconsistent with its fiduciary duties not
to enter into a binding agreement in respect of such Superior
Proposal.
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Termination
The Arrangement Agreement may be terminated:
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by mutual agreement in writing executed by IRC and Royal Gold
(for itself and on behalf of Canco);
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by IRC:
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after April 16, 2010, or such later date to which IRC and
Royal Gold may agree in writing (the
Outside
Date
), subject to compliance with certain notice and
cure provisions set forth in the Arrangement Agreement, if the
mutual conditions precedent or the conditions precedent in
favour of IRC have not been satisfied or waived by IRC on or
before the Outside Date, provided that IRCs failure to
fulfill any of its obligations under the Arrangement Agreement
or its breach of any of its representations and warranties under
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14
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the Arrangement Agreement has not been the cause of, or resulted
in, the failure of the Arrangement to be completed by such
Outside Date;
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if any applicable law is enacted that makes consummation of the
Arrangement illegal or otherwise prohibited or enjoins IRC,
Canco or Royal Gold from consummating the Arrangement and such
applicable law or enjoinment shall have become final and
non-appealable;
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if the IRC Board authorizes IRC to enter into a definitive
agreement, undertaking or arrangement in respect of a Superior
Proposal in compliance with the Arrangement Agreement;
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following the IRC Special Meeting, if IRC Securityholders do not
cast (or do not cause to be cast) sufficient votes at the IRC
Special Meeting to permit completion of the Arrangement; or
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at any time, subject to compliance with certain notice and cure
provisions set forth in the Arrangement Agreement, if Royal Gold
or Canco has breached or failed to perform any of its
representations, warranties, covenants or agreements set forth
in the Arrangement Agreement, which breach or failure is, or
would reasonably be expected to be, Materially Adverse to Royal
Gold and its subsidiaries as a whole; and
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after the Outside Date, subject to compliance with certain
notice and cure provisions set forth in the Arrangement
Agreement, if the mutual conditions precedent or the conditions
precedent in favour of Royal Gold and Canco have not been
satisfied or waived by Royal Gold on or before the Outside Date,
provided that a failure by either Royal Gold or Canco to fulfill
any of its obligations under the Arrangement Agreement or a
breach by either of any of its representations and warranties
under the Arrangement Agreement has not been the cause of, or
resulted in, the failure of the Arrangement to be completed by
such Outside Date;
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if any applicable law is enacted that makes consummation of the
Arrangement illegal or otherwise prohibited or enjoins IRC,
Canco or Royal Gold from consummating the Arrangement and such
applicable law or enjoinment shall have become final and
non-appealable;
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if the IRC Board, or IRC, as applicable:
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(a) does not recommend in the circular mailed to IRC
Securityholders in connection with the IRC Special Meeting that
IRC Shareholders vote in favour of the Arrangement, or
(b) withdraws or modifies in a manner adverse to Royal Gold
such recommendation, or (c) refuses to affirm such
recommendation within certain specified periods following the
public announcement of a
bona fide
Acquisition Proposal;
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does not recommend against IRC Shareholders voting in favour of
an Alternative Transaction within certain specified periods
following the public announcement of a
bona fide
Acquisition Proposal;
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approves, recommends, accepts or enters into any agreement,
undertaking or arrangement in respect of an Alternative
Transaction (other than a confidentiality agreement permitted by
the terms of the Arrangement Agreement); or
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breaches or fails to perform (or, in certain cases, materially
breaches or fails to perform in all material respects) certain
covenants and agreements set forth in the Arrangement Agreement
in respect of non-solicitation, Acquisition Proposals and
Superior Proposals;
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if the IRC Special Meeting is cancelled, adjourned or delayed by
IRC except as expressly permitted or contemplated by the
Arrangement Agreement or agreed to by Royal Gold in writing or
requested by Royal Gold;
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following the IRC Special Meeting, if IRC Securityholders do not
cast (or do not cause to be cast) sufficient votes at the IRC
Special Meeting to permit completion of the Arrangement; and
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at any time, subject to compliance with certain notice and cure
provisions set forth in the Arrangement Agreement, if IRC has
breached or failed to perform any of its representations,
warranties, covenants or agreements set forth in the Arrangement
Agreement, which breach or failure is, or would reasonably be
expected to be, Materially Adverse to IRC and its subsidiaries
as a whole.
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15
Termination
Fee and Expense Reimbursement
Provided that neither Royal Gold nor Canco is in breach of or
has failed to perform any of its representations, warranties
covenants or agreements set forth in the Arrangement Agreement,
where such breach or failure would render Royal Gold and Canco
incapable of consummating the transactions contemplated by the
Arrangement Agreement, IRC must pay the Termination Fee to Royal
Gold if:
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IRC enters into a definitive agreement, undertaking or
arrangement in respect of, a Superior Proposal; or
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Royal Gold terminates the Arrangement Agreement as a result of:
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the IRC Board (a) not recommending in the circular mailed
to IRC Securityholders in connection with the IRC Special
Meeting that IRC Shareholders vote in favour of the Arrangement,
or (b) withdrawing or modifying in a manner adverse to
Royal Gold such recommendation, or (c) refusing to affirm
such recommendation within certain specified periods following
the public announcement of a
bona fide
Acquisition
Proposal;
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the IRC Board not recommending against IRC Shareholders voting
in favour of an Alternative Transaction within certain specified
periods following the public announcement of a
bona fide
Acquisition Proposal;
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the IRC Board approving, recommending, accepting or entering
into any agreement, undertaking or arrangement in respect of an
Alternative Transaction (other than a confidentiality agreement
permitted by the terms of the Arrangement Agreement); or
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the IRC Special Meeting being cancelled, adjourned or delayed by
IRC except as expressly permitted or contemplated by the
Arrangement Agreement or agreed to by Royal Gold in writing or
requested by Royal Gold.
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In addition, provided that neither Royal Gold nor Canco is in
breach of or has failed to perform any of its representations,
warranties covenants or agreements set forth in the Arrangement
Agreement, where such breach or failure would render Royal Gold
and Canco incapable of consummating the transactions
contemplated by the Arrangement Agreement, if either IRC or
Royal Gold terminates the Arrangement Agreement as a result of
IRC Securityholders not casting (or not causing to be cast)
sufficient votes at the IRC Special Meeting to permit completion
of the Arrangement, IRC must pay Royal Golds reasonable
and documented
out-of-pocket
expenses incurred in connection with the Arrangement Agreement
(excluding any fees of financial advisors) to a maximum of
$5 million (the
Expenses
).
If the Expenses become payable as a result of the foregoing and:
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prior to the time of the IRC Special Meeting, a
bona fide
written Acquisition Proposal involving the acquisition of a
majority of shares or assets of IRC was publicly announced and
was not withdrawn; and
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at any time within the six months after the date of termination
of the Arrangement Agreement by either IRC or Royal Gold for the
reasons described in the preceding paragraph, IRC approves,
recommends, accepts, enters into any agreement, undertaking or
arrangement in respect of, or consummates such an Acquisition
Proposal;
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then IRC must pay (or cause to be paid) to Royal Gold an
additional cash amount equal to the difference between the
Termination Fee and the Expenses.
INTENTIONS
OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
The IRC Board has made reasonable enquiries of each director and
officer of IRC and their respective associates. The directors
and officers of IRC, together with their respective associates,
have indicated their intention to reject the Franco-Nevada Offer
and not tender their respective IRC Common Shares.
16
OWNERSHIP
OF SECURITIES OF IRC
As at December 28, 2009, the issued and outstanding capital
of IRC consisted of 94,702,022 IRC Common Shares. IRC also had
5,863,834 IRC Options convertible into 5,863,834 IRC Common
Shares.
The names of the directors and officers of IRC, the positions
held by them with IRC and the designation, percentage of class
and number of outstanding securities of IRC beneficially owned,
directly or indirectly, or over which control or direction is
exercised by each of them and, where known after reasonable
enquiry, by their respective associates, are as follows:
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Securities of IRC Beneficially Owned, Directly or
Indirectly
(1)
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% IRC Common
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IRC
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Shares
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% IRC Options
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Name
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Position with IRC
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Common Shares
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Outstanding
(2)
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IRC Options
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Outstanding
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Douglas B. Silver
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Chairman and Chief Executive
Officer and Director
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824,500
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*
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1,478,600
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25.22
|
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Ray W. Jenner
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Chief Financial Officer
and Secretary
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396,200
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6.76
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Paul H. Zink
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President and Director
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43,000
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*
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171,200
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2.92
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James A. Lydic
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Vice President,
Business Development
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3,500
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*
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160,000
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2.73
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David R. Hammond
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Vice President,
Strategic Planning
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103,000
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*
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278,000
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4.74
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Douglas J. Hurst
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Director
|
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397,101
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*
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828,000
|
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14.12
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Robert W. Schafer
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Director
|
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149,316
|
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*
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250,000
|
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4.26
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Gordon J. Fretwell
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Director
|
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380,000
|
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*
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250,000
|
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4.26
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Rene G. Carrier
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Director
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200,000
|
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*
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250,000
|
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4.26
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Christopher Daly
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Director
|
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8,000
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*
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360,000
|
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6.14
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Gordon J. Bogden
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Director
|
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15,000
|
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*
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|
|
|
Christopher L.
Verbiski
(3)
|
|
Director
|
|
|
11,436,549
|
(4)
|
|
|
12.08
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Notes:
|
|
(1)
|
The information as to securities of IRC beneficially owned or
over which control or direction is exercised, not being within
the knowledge of IRC, has been furnished by the respective
directors and officers.
|
|
(2)
|
* indicates that the number of IRC Common Shares
indicated in the column represents less than 1% of the issued
and outstanding IRC Common Shares.
|
|
(3)
|
Mr. Verbiskis spouse beneficially owns 4,651 IRC
Common Shares, representing less than 1% of the issued and
outstanding IRC Common Shares.
|
|
(4)
|
Includes 3,111,200 IRC Common Shares beneficially owned by
Coordinates Capital Corporation, a corporation controlled by
Mr. Verbiski.
|
To the knowledge of the directors and officers of IRC, after
reasonable enquiry, no associate or affiliate of IRC, nor any
insider of IRC (other than a director or officer of IRC as
disclosed above), nor any associate or affiliate of an insider
of IRC (other than an associate or affiliate of a director or
officer of IRC as disclosed above), nor any person or company
acting jointly or in concert with IRC beneficially owns or
exercises control or direction over any IRC Common Shares as of
the date of this Directors Circular.
17
ARRANGEMENTS
BETWEEN IRC AND ITS DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
Except as described herein or under the headings
Part II Statement of Executive
Compensation in IRCs Management Information Circular
dated March 31, 2009 (the
2009 Circular
)
which was sent to IRC Shareholders in connection with IRCs
2009 Annual and Special Meeting of IRC Shareholders, which
sections are incorporated herein by reference, there are no
agreements, commitments or understandings made or proposed to be
made between IRC and any of the directors, officers of IRC,
including any agreements, commitments or understandings pursuant
to which a payment or other benefit is to be made or given by
way of compensation for loss of office or as to IRCs
directors or officers remaining in or retiring from office if
the Franco-Nevada Offer is successful.
Employment
Agreements
As set out in the 2009 Circular, IRC has written employment
agreements with the following officers of IRC: (i) Douglas
B. Silver, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, (ii) Paul
H. Zink, President, (iii) Ray W. Jenner, Chief Financial
Officer, (iv) James A. Lydic, Vice President, Business
Development, and (v) David R. Hammond, Vice President,
Strategic Planning. The agreements for Messrs. Silver,
Jenner, Lydic and Hammond are for a five year term of service
with annual renewals thereafter, and for minimum salary
increments of not less than inflation. Mr. Silvers
five year term expired on December 31, 2008 and was renewed
on an annual basis. Mr. Zinks agreement calls for a
three year term of service with annual renewals thereafter and
for minimum salary increments of not less than inflation. Each
agreement also provides that in the event of the termination of
the executives employment by IRC (except for cause or
voluntary resignation or retirement) or, if the executive
resigns anytime within 30 days of a change in control of
IRC, such executive is entitled to receive an amount equal to
three times his current annual salary plus the maximum possible
bonus. Based upon their current salaries, these arrangements
would result in payments to Messrs. Silver, Zink, Jenner,
Lydic and Hammond of $2,760,780; $1,929,262; $1,932,546;
$1,375,889 and $1,380,390, respectively. These amounts include a
gross-up
amount to account for applicable excise taxes exigible on the
applicable severance payments.
IRC
Options
Pursuant to the Arrangement Agreement, the IRC Board is required
to accelerate the vesting of otherwise unvested IRC Options and
provide for the exercise of IRC Options conditional on all
conditions precedent to the Royal Gold Transaction being
satisfied or waived such that, immediately prior to the
effective time of the Royal Gold Transaction, all IRC Options
that have been conditionally exercised will be deemed to have
been exercised and the IRC Common Shares issuable on exercise of
the IRC Options will be deemed to be issued and outstanding. For
information as to the number of IRC Options held by each of the
directors and officers of IRC, see Ownership of Securities
of IRC IRC Options.
ARRANGEMENTS
BETWEEN FRANCO-NEVADA AND THE
DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS OF IRC
To the knowledge of IRC, no agreements, commitments or
understandings have been made or are proposed to be made between
Franco-Nevada and IRC and any of its directors or officers,
including any arrangements, commitments or understandings
pursuant to which a payment or other benefit is to be made or
given by way of compensation for loss of office or as to
IRCs directors or officers remaining in or retiring from
office if the Franco-Nevada Offer is successful. No directors or
officers of IRC are also directors or officers of Franco-Nevada
or any of its subsidiaries.
TRADING
IN SECURITIES OF IRC
Neither IRC nor any of the directors, officers or other insiders
or IRC and, to the knowledge of the directors and officers of
IRC, after reasonable enquiry, no associate or affiliate of an
insider of IRC, any affiliate or associate of IRC or any person
acting jointly or in concert with IRC has engaged in any
transaction in IRC Common Shares during the six-
18
month period preceding the date of this Directors Circular
except as set out in the following table and except as set out
under Issuances of Securities of IRC to the Directors and
Officers of IRC.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Number of
|
|
Price per
|
Name
|
|
Nature of Trade
|
|
Date of Trade
|
|
Common Shares
|
|
Common Share
|
|
Douglas J. Hurst
|
|
Disposition in the Public Market
|
|
August 27, 2009
|
|
|
7,000
|
|
|
|
C$4.00
|
|
|
|
Disposition in the Public Market
|
|
September 2, 2009
|
|
|
34,000
|
|
|
|
C$4.10
|
|
|
|
Disposition in the Public Market
|
|
September 22, 2009
|
|
|
5,000
|
|
|
|
C$4.40
|
|
|
|
Disposition in the Public Market
|
|
September 22, 2009
|
|
|
5,000
|
|
|
|
$4.12
|
|
|
|
Disposition in the Public Market
|
|
September 23, 2009
|
|
|
30,000
|
|
|
|
C$4.33
|
|
Gordon J. Fretwell
|
|
Disposition in the Public Market
|
|
September 30, 2009
|
|
|
10,000
|
|
|
|
C$4.30
|
|
|
|
Disposition in the Public Market
|
|
October 23, 2009
|
|
|
1,100
|
|
|
|
C$4.36
|
|
|
|
Disposition in the Public Market
|
|
October 23, 2009
|
|
|
1,700
|
|
|
|
C$4.26
|
|
|
|
Disposition in the Public Market
|
|
October 23, 2009
|
|
|
5,400
|
|
|
|
C$4.23
|
|
|
|
Disposition in the Public Market
|
|
October 23, 2009
|
|
|
1,800
|
|
|
|
C$4.21
|
|
Robert W. Schafer
|
|
Disposition in the Public Market
|
|
August 18, 2009
|
|
|
41,400
|
|
|
|
C$3.95
|
|
|
|
Disposition in the Public Market
|
|
August 19, 2009
|
|
|
8,600
|
|
|
|
C$3.95
|
|
|
|
Disposition in the Public Market
|
|
August 21, 2009
|
|
|
50,000
|
|
|
|
C$4.08
|
|
ISSUANCES
OF SECURITIES OF IRC TO THE DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS OF
IRC
No IRC Common Shares or IRC Options (or any other securities
convertible into IRC Common Shares) have been issued to the
directors, officers or other insiders of IRC during the two-year
period preceding the date of this Directors Circular
except as set out in the following tables:
IRC
Options
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Number of IRC Common
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Name
|
|
Shares subject to IRC Options
|
|
Date of Grant
|
|
Exercise Price
|
|
Expiry Date
|
|
Paul H. Zink
|
|
|
100,000
|
|
|
|
Mar 31, 2008
|
|
|
C$
|
5.24
|
|
|
|
Mar 30, 2013
|
|
Douglas B. Silver
|
|
|
107,600
|
|
|
|
Nov 13, 2008
|
|
|
C$
|
1.50
|
|
|
|
Nov 12, 2013
|
|
Ray W. Jenner
|
|
|
71,200
|
|
|
|
Nov 13, 2008
|
|
|
C$
|
1.50
|
|
|
|
Nov 12, 2013
|
|
Paul H. Zink
|
|
|
71,200
|
|
|
|
Nov 13, 2008
|
|
|
C$
|
1.50
|
|
|
|
Nov 12, 2013
|
|
James A. Lydic
|
|
|
60,000
|
|
|
|
Nov 13, 2008
|
|
|
C$
|
1.50
|
|
|
|
Nov 12, 2013
|
|
David R. Hammond
|
|
|
40,000
|
|
|
|
Nov 13, 2008
|
|
|
C$
|
1.50
|
|
|
|
Nov 12, 2013
|
|
IRC
RIGHTS PLAN
On November 21, 2008, the IRC Board adopted the IRC Rights
Plan. A motion to confirm the adoption by the IRC Board of the
IRC Rights Plan was approved by IRC Shareholders at the Annual
and Special Meeting of IRC Shareholders held on May 13,
2009 by a vote of 22,768,000 IRC Common Shares (60.5%) for and
14,854,859 IRC Common Shares (39.5%) against.
The IRC Rights Plan was not proposed or implemented in response
to, or in anticipation of, any pending, threatened or proposed
acquisition or take-over. The IRC Rights Plan was implemented by
the IRC Board in order to ensure, to the extent possible, that
IRC Shareholders are treated fairly in connection with any
take-over bid and, due to the uniqueness of IRCs business,
to ensure that the IRC Board is provided with sufficient time to
evaluate unsolicited take-over bids and to explore and develop
alternatives to maximize shareholder value. The IRC Rights Plan
will continue in effect until the earlier of Termination Time,
as defined in the IRC Rights Plan, and the date upon which the
annual meeting of the holders of IRC Common Shares terminates in
2012.
19
The Franco-Nevada Offer does not constitute a Permitted Bid
under the IRC Rights Plan. A copy of the IRC Rights Plan is
publicly available on the System for Electronic Document
Analysis and Retrieval at www.sedar.com under IRCs profile.
Franco-Nevada has chosen to leave the Franco-Nevada Offer open
for acceptance until 8:00 p.m. (Toronto time) on
January 19, 2010 and has chosen not to make a
Permitted Bid (as defined in the IRC Rights Plan).
In fact, Franco-Nevada has made the Franco-Nevada Offer
conditional on the IRC Rights Plan or its effects being
terminated through, for example, a waiver by the IRC Board of
the application of the IRC Rights Plan to the purchase of the
IRC Common Shares by Franco-Nevada. The IRC Board believes that
the IRC Rights Plan is an important instrument to allow it
sufficient time to pursue value enhancing alternatives for IRC
Shareholders, such as the Royal Gold Transaction. The IRC Board
intends to use the IRC Rights Plan only to advance IRC
Shareholder interests and is working to complete the Royal Gold
Transaction. Under the Arrangement Agreement and consistent with
IRCs decision to consummate the Royal Gold Transaction,
IRC has agreed not to waive any provision of, or exempt any
person from, the IRC Rights Plan other than in connection with
the completion of the Royal Gold Transaction.
On December 16, 2009, the IRC Board resolved to defer the
Separation Time (as defined in the IRC Rights Plan)
under the IRC Rights Plan in respect of the Franco-Nevada Offer.
In accordance with the terms of the IRC Rights Plan, the rights
were scheduled to separate and trade separately on the tenth
trading day following the first public announcement of the
current intention of any person to commence a takeover bid for
IRC that is not a Permitted Bid under the IRC Rights Plan, or
such later time as may be determined by the IRC Board in good
faith. The IRC Board therefore elected, in accordance with the
IRC Rights Plan, to defer the Separation Time until the earlier
of (i) such date as may be determined in good faith by the
IRC Board prior to the time any person becomes an
Acquiring Person under the IRC Rights Plan or
(ii) unless otherwise determined by the IRC Board, the day
immediately prior to the date on which an Acquiring
Person becomes such.
OWNERSHIP
OF SECURITIES OF FRANCO-NEVADA
None of IRC, the directors and officers of IRC or, to the
knowledge of the directors and officers of IRC after reasonable
enquiry, no associate or affiliate of IRC, nor any insider of
IRC (other than a director or officer of IRC as disclosed
above), nor any associate or affiliate of an insider of IRC, nor
any person or company acting jointly or in concert with IRC,
beneficially owns or exercises control or direction over any
securities of Franco-Nevada.
INTERESTS
OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS IN
MATERIAL TRANSACTIONS WITH FRANCO-NEVADA
None of IRC or the directors or officers of IRC and their
respective associates or, to the knowledge of the directors and
officers of IRC after reasonable enquiry, any person or company
who owns more than 10% of the IRC Common Shares has any interest
in any material transaction to which Franco-Nevada is a party.
OTHER
INFORMATION
Except as disclosed in this Directors Circular, no
information is known to the directors of IRC that would
reasonably be expected to affect the decision of the holders of
IRC Common Shares to accept or reject the Franco-Nevada Offer.
MATERIAL
CHANGES
Except as disclosed in this Directors Circular, the
directors and officers of IRC are not aware of any other
information that indicates any material change in the affairs of
IRC since September 30, 2009, the date of the last
published unaudited interim financial statements of IRC.
OTHER
MATTERS
The principal office of IRC is located at 10 Inverness Drive
East, Suite 104, Englewood, Colorado, USA 80112 and the
telephone number at such office is
(303) 799-9020.
The principal office of Franco-Nevada is located at the Exchange
Tower, 130 King Street West, Suite 740, Toronto, Ontario,
Canada M5X 1E4.
20
INFORMATION
AGENT
IRC has retained Georgeson to assist it in connection with
IRCs communications with IRC Shareholders with respect to
the Franco-Nevada Offer. Georgeson will receive reasonable and
customary compensation for its services and reimbursement for
its reasonable
out-of-pocket
expenses. IRC has agreed to indemnify Georgeson against certain
liabilities arising out of or in connection with the engagement.
STATEMENT
OF RIGHTS
Securities legislation in the provinces and territories of
Canada provides security holders of IRC with, in addition to any
other rights they may have at law, one or more rights of
rescission, price revision or to damages, if there is a
misrepresentation in a circular or notice that is required to be
delivered to those security holders. However, such rights must
be exercised within prescribed time limits. Security holders
should refer to the applicable provisions of the securities
legislation of their province or territory for particulars of
those rights or consult with a lawyer.
DIRECTORS
APPROVAL
The contents of this Directors Circular have been approved
and the delivery thereof has been authorized by the IRC Board.
CONSENT
OF SCOTIA CAPITAL
We hereby consent to the reference to our opinion, dated
December 28, 2009 in the Chairmans letter enclosed
with the Directors Circular dated December 28, 2009
(the Circular), and under the captions
Questions and Answers about the Franco-Nevada Offer and
the Royal Gold Transaction, Summary,
Reasons for the IRC Boards Unanimous Recommendation
Regarding the Franco-Nevada Offer, Background to the
Franco-Nevada Offer and Response of IRC and
Inadequacy Opinion of Scotia Capital and to the
inclusion of the foregoing opinion in the Circular.
|
|
Toronto,
Ontario
|
(signed)
SCOTIA CAPITAL INC.
|
December 28, 2009
21
CERTIFICATE
DATED: December 28,
2009
The foregoing contains no untrue statement of a material fact
and does not omit to state a material fact that is required to
be stated or that is necessary to make a statement not
misleading in the light of the circumstances in which it was
made.
On behalf of the Board of Directors
|
|
|
(Signed) Douglas B. Silver
|
|
(Signed) Douglas J. Hurst
|
Director
|
|
Director
|
22
SCHEDULE A
GLOSSARY
Unless the context otherwise requires or where otherwise
provided, the following words and terms shall have the meanings
set forth below when used in this Directors Circular:
2009 Circular
means IRCs Management
Information Circular dated March 31, 2009 which was sent to
IRC Shareholders in connection with IRCs 2009 Annual and
Special Meeting of IRC Shareholders;
Agency
means any domestic or foreign court,
tribunal, federal, state, provincial or local government or
governmental agency, department or authority or other regulatory
authority (including the TSX, AMEX and NASDAQ) or administrative
agency or commission (including the securities regulatory
authorities in each of the provinces of Canada and the United
States Securities and Exchange Commission) or any elected or
appointed public official;
Alternative Transaction
has the meaning set
forth under the heading Royal Gold
Transaction The Arrangement Agreement
Non-Solicitation, Acquisition Proposals and Right to Match;
AMEX
means NYSE Amex LLC;
Arrangement
means an arrangement under
Section 192 of the CBCA on the terms and subject to the
conditions set out in the Plan of Arrangement, subject to any
amendments or variations thereto made in accordance with the
Arrangement Agreement (including the Plan of Arrangement) or
made at the direction of the Court;
Arrangement Agreement
means the arrangement
agreement dated December 17, 2009 between IRC, Royal Gold
and Canco;
Canco
means 7296355 Canada Ltd., a
corporation incorporated under the CBCA and a wholly-owned
subsidiary of Royal Gold, which will issue the Exchangeable
Shares pursuant to the Arrangement;
CBCA
means the
Canada Business
Corporations Act,
as amended;
Company C
has the meaning set forth under
Background to the Franco-Nevada Offer and Response of
IRC;
Court
means Ontario Superior Court of Justice
(Commercial List);
Exchangeable Shares
means the exchangeable
shares of Canco as more particularly described in
Appendix I to the Plan of Arrangement;
Expenses
has the meaning set forth under the
heading Royal Gold Transaction The Arrangement
Agreement Termination Fee and Expense
Reimbursement;
Franco-Nevada
means Franco-Nevada
Corporation, a corporation incorporated under the CBCA;
Franco-Nevada Circular
means the offer to
purchase and take-over bid circular in respect of the
Franco-Nevada Offer;
Franco-Nevada Inadequacy Opinion
means the
written opinion, dated December 28, 2009, from Scotia
Capital to the effect that, as of such date and based upon and
subject to the assumptions, limitations and qualifications
stated in its opinion, the consideration offered by
Franco-Nevada under the Franco-Nevada Offer is inadequate, from
a financial point of view, to IRC Shareholders other than
Franco-Nevada and its affiliates;
Franco-Nevada Offer
means the offer made by
Franco-Nevada, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, 7293275
Canada Inc., dated December 14, 2009 to purchase any and
all of the outstanding IRC Common Shares;
Georgeson
means Georgeson Shareholder
Communications Canada Inc., as information agent to IRC;
IRC
means International Royalty Corporation,
a corporation continued under the CBCA;
IRC Board
means the board of directors of IRC;
IRC Common Shares
means the common shares of
IRC;
IRC Option Plan
means the amended and
restated stock option plan of IRC effective June 8, 2004,
as may be amended in accordance with the Arrangement Agreement;
IRC Optionholders
means the holders at the
relevant time of IRC Options;
A-1
IRC Options
means all options to purchase IRC
Common Shares issued pursuant to the IRC Option Plan;
IRC Rights Plan
means the Shareholder Rights
Plan Agreement dated as of November 21, 2008 between IRC
and CIBC Mellon Trust Company;
IRC Securityholders
means, collectively, the
IRC Shareholders and the IRC Optionholders;
IRC Shareholders
means the holders of IRC
Common Shares;
IRC Special Meeting
means the special meeting
of IRC Securityholders scheduled to be held on February 16,
2010 to consider a special resolution to approve the Royal Gold
Transaction;
IRC Trust Indenture
has the meaning set
forth under the heading Royal Gold Transaction
The Arrangement Agreement Conditions Precedent in
Favour of Royal Gold and Canco;
Law
means all laws, statutes, by-laws, rules,
regulations, orders, decrees, ordinances, protocols, codes,
guidelines, policies, notices, directions and judgements or
other requirements of any Agency;
Materially Adverse
means, with respect to a
person, a fact, circumstance, change, effect, occurrence, event
or state of facts that, individually or in the aggregate, is or
would reasonably be expected to (A) materially and
adversely affect the financial condition, operations, results of
operations, business, assets or capital of that person, or
(B) prevent such person from performing its obligations
under the Arrangement Agreement, the Arrangement and the other
transactions related to the acquisition of IRC by Royal Gold
contemplated by the Arrangement Agreement and the other
agreements contemplated by the Arrangement Agreement or any
other agreement contemplated thereby; provided that, except as
hereinafter set forth, no fact, circumstance, change, effect,
occurrence, event or state of facts relating to any of the
following, individually or in the aggregate, is to be considered
Materially Adverse, solely as contemplated in (A) above,
(or be taken into account in determining whether a fact,
circumstance, change, effect, occurrence, event or state of
facts is Materially Adverse, solely as contemplated in
(A) above): (i) general political, economic or
financial conditions in North America or elsewhere;
(ii) the state of (including any changes in) credit,
banking, currency or capital markets generally in Canada, the
United States, Europe or elsewhere (including the failure of any
financial institution, whether or not IRC or Royal Gold, as the
case may be, has credit arrangements or other business dealings
with such financial institution, or the imposition of any
limitation (whether or not mandatory) by any Agency on the
extension of credit generally by financial institutions);
(iii) any changes in currency exchange rates, interest
rates, monetary policy or inflation; (iv) any change in the
trading price or trading volume of IRC Shares or Royal Gold
Shares, as the case may be; (v) conditions generally
affecting the mining industry as a whole; (vi) any change
in the market price for gold, silver, platinum, nickel, copper,
lead, molybdenum, tungsten, zinc, uranium, oil and gas, sand,
germanium, gallium or coal; (vii) any change in Law or in
the interpretation, application or non-application of Law by any
Agency; (viii) any national or international, political or
social conditions (including, the engagement by any country in
hostilities, whether commenced before or after the date hereof,
and whether or not pursuant to the declaration of a national
emergency or war), or the occurrence of any military, militant
or terrorist attack (or any escalation or worsening thereof);
(ix) any failure by IRC or Royal Gold, as the case may be,
to meet any public estimates or expectations regarding its
revenues, earnings or other financial performance or results of
operations; (x) any matters disclosed in the Arrangement
Agreement in the IRC disclosure statement provided by IRC to
Royal Gold concurrent with the execution and delivery of the
Arrangement Agreement or in the Royal Gold disclosure statement
provided by Royal Gold to IRC concurrent with the execution and
delivery of the Arrangement Agreement; or (xi) any action
or inaction taken by IRC or any of its subsidiaries or Royal
Gold or any of its subsidiaries, as the case may be, to which
the other party has expressly consented in writing or as
expressly permitted by the Arrangement Agreement; provided that
any cause of any change referred to in clause (iv) above
may be taken into consideration when determining whether a fact,
circumstance, change, effect, occurrence, event or state of
facts is Materially Adverse, but excluding any underlying cause
referred to in clauses (i) to (xi) above (other than
clause (iv) above); provided further that any fact,
circumstance, change, effect, occurrence, event or state of
facts referred to in clauses (i), (ii), (iii), (v), (vi),
(vii) and (viii) may nevertheless be taken into
consideration when determining whether a fact, circumstance,
change, effect, occurrence, event or state of facts is
Materially Adverse to the extent that any such circumstance,
change, effect, occurrence, event or state of facts
disproportionately impacts the financial condition, operations,
results of operations, business, assets or capital of that
person relative to other participants in such persons
industry;
NASDAQ
means the NASDAQ Global Select Market;
Outside Date
means April 16, 2010, or
such later date to which IRC and Royal Gold may agree in writing;
A-2
Plan of Arrangement
means the plan of
arrangement in the form and content of Schedule B annexed
to the Arrangement Agreement, and any amendments or variations
thereto made in accordance with the terms of the Arrangement
Agreement or the Plan of Arrangement or made at the direction of
the Court;
Response Period
has the meaning set forth
under the heading Royal Gold Transaction The
Arrangement Agreement Non-Solicitation, Acquisition
Proposals and Right to Match;
Royal Gold
means Royal Gold, Inc., a
corporation incorporated under the laws of Delaware;
Royal Gold Shares
means common shares of
Royal Gold;
Royal Gold Transaction
means the transactions
contemplated by the terms of the Arrangement Agreement pursuant
to which Royal Gold would acquire, directly or indirectly, all
of the issued and outstanding IRC Common Shares in exchange for,
at the election of each IRC Shareholder, C$7.45 in cash or
0.1385 Royal Gold Shares (or Exchangeable Shares) or a
combination thereof, for each IRC Common Share, subject to a
maximum of $350 million in cash and a maximum of
7.75 million Royal Gold Shares and Exchangeable Shares in
the aggregate and subject to pro-ration of the number of Royal
Gold Shares and Exchangeable Shares, if IRC Shareholders elect
to receive more than approximately $314 million in cash,
all as described in greater detail in the material change report
of IRC dated December 24, 2009 and filed on the System for
Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval at www.sedar.com
under IRCs profile;
Royal Gold Transaction Fairness Opinion
means
the written opinion of Scotia Capital that, subject to certain
assumptions, limitations and qualifications, as of
December 17, 2009, the consideration under the Royal Gold
Transaction was fair, from a financial point of view, to IRC
Shareholders other than Royal Gold and its affiliates;
Scotia Capital
means Scotia Capital Inc.,
financial advisor to IRC;
Special Committee
has the meaning set forth
under Background to the Franco-Nevada Offer and Response
of IRC;
TSX
means the Toronto Stock Exchange; and
Voting Agreements
means the voting agreements
entered into between Royal Gold and IRC Shareholders holding an
aggregate of approximately 34% of the IRC Common Shares on a
fully-diluted basis pursuant to which, and subject to the terms
thereof, the IRC Shareholders party thereto have agreed to vote
their IRC Common Shares and IRC Options in favour of the special
resolution to approve the Royal Gold Transaction.
A-3
SCHEDULE B
INADEQUACY
OPINION OF SCOTIA CAPITAL
Scotia
Capital Inc.
Scotia Plaza
40 King Street West
Box 4085, Station A
Toronto. Ontario
Canada M5W 2X6
December 28,
2009
Special Committee of the Board of Directors
The Board of Directors
International Royalty Corporation
10 Inverness Drive East, Suite 104
Englewood, Colorado
80112
To the
Members of the Special Committee of the Board and Members of the
Board:
We understand that Franco-Nevada Corporation
(Franco-Nevada or the Offeror) has
commenced an offer to purchase any and all of the issued and
outstanding common shares (the Company Shares) of
International Royalty Corporation (the Company or
IRC), on the basis of C$6.75 in cash per Company
Share (the Consideration), upon the terms and
subject to the conditions set forth in the Offer to Purchase
(the Offer to Purchase) contained in the
take-over
bid circular (the Circular) of the Offeror dated
December 14, 2009, and the related Letter of Transmittal
and Notice of Guaranteed Delivery (together with the Offer to
Purchase and the Circular, the Offer Documents). The
terms and conditions of the Offers are more fully set forth in
the Offer Documents.
Background
and Engagement of Scotia Capital Inc. (Scotia
Capital)
Scotia Capital was retained by the Special Committee of the
Board of Directors (the Special Committee) and the
Board of Directors of the Company on December 1, 2009
pursuant to an engagement letter (the Engagement
Agreement) to perform such financial advisory and
investment banking services for the Company as are customary in
transactions of this type including assisting the Company in
analyzing strategic alternatives and, if requested, structuring,
negotiating and effecting a transaction. The Special Committee
and the Board of Directors has requested that Scotia Capital
provide its opinion (the Opinion) as to whether the
Consideration offered pursuant to the Offer is adequate, from a
financial point of view, to the holders of the Company Shares
(other than the Offeror and its affiliates) (the Company
Shareholders). The terms of the Engagement Agreement
provide that Scotia Capital is to be paid a fee for its services
as financial advisor, including fees that are contingent on the
completion of such transaction(s) and fees payable upon delivery
of an Opinion. In addition, Scotia Capital is to be reimbursed
for its reasonable
out-of-pocket
expenses and to be indemnified in certain circumstances.
The Special Committee and the Board of Directors has not
instructed Scotia Capital to prepare, and Scotia Capital has not
prepared, a formal valuation of the Company or any of its
securities or assets, and the Opinion should not be construed as
such. Scotia Capital has, however, conducted such analyses as it
considered necessary in the circumstances to prepare and deliver
the Opinion.
Subject to the terms of the Engagement Agreement, Scotia Capital
consents to the inclusion of the Opinion in its entirety and a
summary thereof in the Directors Circular of the Company
responding to the Offer and to the filing of the Opinion, as
necessary, with the securities commissions, stock exchanges and
other similar regulatory authorities in Canada and in the United
States.
B-1
Overview
of International Royalty Corporation
International Royalty Corporation is a global mineral-royalty
company. IRC holds 84 royalties including an effective 2.7% NSR
on the Voiseys Bay mine, a sliding-scale NSR on the Pascua
gold project in Chile, a 1.5% NSR on the Las Cruces copper
project in Spain and a 1.5% NSR on approximately
3.0 million acres of gold lands in Western Australia. IRC
is senior listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX:IRC) as well
as the NYSE Amex (NYSE-A:ROY).
Credentials
of Scotia Capital
Scotia Capital represents the global corporate and investment
banking and capital markets business of Scotiabank Group
(Scotiabank), one of North Americas premier
financial institutions. In Canada, Scotia Capital is one of the
countrys largest investment banking firms with operations
in all facets of corporate and government finance, mergers and
acquisitions, equity and fixed income sales and trading and
investment research. Scotia Capital has participated in a
significant number of transactions involving private and public
companies and has extensive experience in preparing fairness
opinions.
The Opinion expressed herein represents the opinion of Scotia
Capital as a firm. The form and content of the Opinion have been
approved for release by a committee of directors and other
professionals of Scotia Capital, all of whom are experienced in
merger, acquisition, divestiture, fairness opinion and valuation
matters.
Relationships
of Scotia Capital
Neither Scotia Capital nor any of its affiliates, is an
insider, associate or
affiliate (as those terms are defined in the
Securities Act
(Ontario)) of the Company, the Offeror or
any of their respective associates or affiliates. Subject to the
following, there are no understandings, agreements or
commitments between Scotia Capital and the Company, the Offeror
or any of their respective associates or affiliates with respect
to any future business dealings. Scotia Capital is currently the
sole lender to the Company and has in the past provided and may
in the future provide traditional banking, financial advisory or
investment banking services to the Company or any of its
affiliates. Scotia Capital is also currently a lender to the
Offeror and has in the past provided and may in the future
provide traditional banking, financial advisory or investment
banking services to the Offeror or its affiliates.
Scotia Capital acts as a trader and dealer, both as principal
and agent, in the financial markets in Canada, the
United States and elsewhere. As such, Scotia Capital and
Scotiabank may have had and may have positions in the securities
of the Company, the Offeror or any of their respective
affiliates from time to time, and may have executed or may
execute transactions on behalf of such companies or clients for
which it receives compensation. As an investment dealer,
Scotia Capital conducts research on securities and may, in
the ordinary course of business, provide research reports and
investment advice to its clients on investment matters,
including with respect to the Company, the Offeror or any of
their respective affiliates, or with respect to the Offer.
Scope of
Review
In arriving at the Opinion, Scotia Capital has reviewed,
considered and relied upon (without attempting to verify
independently the completeness or accuracy thereof) among other
things, the following:
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(a)
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the Offer Documents;
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(b)
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the latest draft of the Directors Circular of the Company,
dated December 28, 2009, relating to the Offer;
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(c)
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the recently conducted process by the Company whereby several
parties, including the Offeror, had expressed an interest in
exploring potential transactions;
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(d)
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the Arrangement Agreement entered into between the Company and
Royal Gold, Inc. (Royal Gold) on December 17,
2009 pursuant to which Royal Gold would acquire, directly or
indirectly, all of the issued and outstanding Company shares in
exchange for, at the election of the Company Shareholders,
C$7.45 in cash or 0.1385 common shares of Royal Gold (or
exchangeable shares) or a combination thereof per Company Share,
subject to a maximum of US$350 million in cash and a
maximum of 7.75 million Royal Gold common shares and
exchangeable shares in the aggregate and subject to pro-ration
of the number of Royal Gold common shares and exchangeable
shares if the Company Shareholders elect to receive more than
approximately US$314 million in cash;
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B-2
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(e)
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annual reports of the Company for the fiscal years ended
December 31, 2006, December 31, 2007 and
December 31, 2008;
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(f)
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the Notice of Annual Meeting of Shareholders and the Management
Information Circular of the Company for the fiscal years ended
December 31, 2006, December 31, 2007 and
December 31, 2008;
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(g)
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audited financial statements of the Company for the fiscal years
ended December 31, 2006, December 31, 2007 and
December 31, 2008;
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(h)
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annual information forms of the Company for the fiscal years
ended December 31, 2006, December 31, 2007 and
December 31, 2008;
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(i)
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unaudited quarterly reports of the Company for the three-month
periods ended March 31, 2009, June 30, 2009 and
September 30, 2009;
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(j)
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various internal Company management reports;
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(k)
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discussions with senior management of the Company;
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(l)
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discussions with the Companys legal counsel;
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(m)
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discussions with other potentially interested parties;
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(n)
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public information relating to the business, operations,
financial performance and stock trading history of the Company
and other selected public companies considered by us to be
relevant;
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(o)
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public information with respect to other transactions of a
comparable nature considered by us to be relevant;
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(p)
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representations contained in separate certificates addressed to
Scotia Capital, as of the date hereof, from senior officers of
the Company as to the completeness, accuracy and fair
presentation of the information upon which the Opinion is based;
and
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(q)
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such other corporate, industry and financial market information,
investigations and analyses as Scotia Capital considered
necessary or appropriate in the circumstances.
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Scotia Capital has not, to the best of its knowledge, been
denied access by the Company to any information requested by
Scotia Capital.
Prior
Valuations
The Company has represented to Scotia Capital that, to the best
of its knowledge, there have been no prior valuations (as
defined for the purposes of Multilateral Instrument
61-101
-
Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special
Transactions
of the Ontario Securities Commission and the
Autorité des marchés financiers of Quebec) of the
Company or any of its material assets or subsidiaries prepared
within the past twenty-four (24) months.
Assumptions
and Limitations
The Opinion is subject to the assumptions, explanations and
limitations set forth below.
Scotia Capital has, subject to the exercise of its professional
judgment, relied, without independent verification, upon the
completeness, accuracy and fair presentation of all of the
financial and other information, data, advice, opinions and
representations obtained by it from public sources, or that was
provided to us, by the Company, and of its associates and
affiliates and advisors (collectively, the
Information), and we have assumed that this
Information did not omit to state any material fact or any fact
necessary to be stated to make that information not misleading.
The Opinion is conditional upon the completeness, accuracy and
fair presentation of such Information. With respect to the
Companys financial projections provided to Scotia Capital
by management of the Company and used in the analysis supporting
the Opinion, we have assumed that they have been reasonably
prepared on bases reflecting the best currently available
estimates and judgments of management of the Company as to the
matters covered thereby.
B-3
Senior management of the Company has represented to Scotia
Capital in certificates delivered as at the date hereof, among
other things, that to the best of their knowledge (a) the
Company has no information or knowledge of any facts public or
otherwise not specifically provided to Scotia Capital relating
to the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates which
would reasonably be expected to affect materially the Opinion;
(b) with the exception of forecasts, projections or
estimates referred to in (d), below, the written Information
provided to Scotia Capital by or on behalf of the Company in
respect of the Company and its subsidiaries or affiliates, in
connection with the Offer is or, in the case of historical
information or data, was, at the date of preparation, true and
accurate in all material respects, and no additional material,
data or information would be required to make the data provided
to Scotia Capital by the Company not misleading in light of
circumstances in which it was prepared; (c) to the extent
that any of the Information identified in (b), above, is
historical, there have been no changes in material facts or new
material facts since the respective dates thereof which have not
been disclosed to Scotia Capital or updated by more current
Information that has been disclosed; and (d) any portions
of the Information provided to Scotia Capital which constitute
forecasts, projections or estimates were prepared using the
assumptions identified therein, which, in the reasonable opinion
of the Company, are (or were at the time of preparation)
reasonable in the circumstances.
The Opinion is rendered on the basis of the securities markets,
economic, financial and general business conditions prevailing
as at the date hereof and the conditions and prospects,
financial and otherwise, of the Company and its subsidiaries and
affiliates, as they were reflected in the Information. In its
analyses and in preparing the Opinion, Scotia Capital made
numerous assumptions with respect to industry performance,
general business and economic conditions and other matters,
which Scotia Capital believes to be reasonable and appropriate
in the exercise of its professional judgment, many of which are
beyond the control of Scotia Capital or any party involved in
the Offer.
The Opinion has been provided for the sole use and benefit of
the Special Committee and the Board of Directors of the Company
in connection with, and for the purpose of, its consideration of
the Offer and may not be relied upon by any other person. Our
opinion does not constitute a recommendation as to whether or
not any holder of the Company Shares should tender such Company
Shares in connection with the Offer. The Opinion is given as of
the date hereof, and Scotia Capital disclaims any
undertaking or obligation to advise any person of any change in
any fact or matter affecting the Opinion which may come or be
brought to the attention of Scotia Capital after the date
hereof. Without limiting the foregoing, in the event that there
is any material change in any fact or matter affecting the
Opinion after the date hereof, Scotia Capital reserves the right
to change, modify or withdraw the Opinion.
Conclusion
Based upon and subject to the foregoing, Scotia Capital is of
the opinion that, as of the date hereof, the Consideration to be
received by the Company Shareholders pursuant to the Offer is
inadequate, from a financial point of view, to such Company
Shareholders.
Yours very truly,
SCOTIA CAPITAL INC.
B-4
ANY QUESTIONS OR REQUESTS FOR ASSISTANCE MAY BE DIRECTED TO
THE INFORMATION AGENT:
100
University Avenue
11th Floor, South Tower
Toronto, Ontario
M5J 2Y1
North American Toll Free Number:
1-866-725-6575
Banks, Brokers and Collect Calls
Number: 1-212-806-6859
PART II INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED TO BE SENT TO SHAREHOLDERS
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Exhibits:
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1.1
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Royal Gold Inc. Arrangement Agreement dated December 17, 2009 *
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1.2
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Material Change Report of International Royalty Corporation dated December 24, 2009
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1.3
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Press Release Dated December 29, 2009
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*
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Incorporated by reference to International Royalty Corporations Form 6-K furnished to the
Securities and Exchange Commission, dated December 28, 2009.
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PART III UNDERTAKING AND CONSENT TO SERVICE OF PROCESS
1.
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Undertaking
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The person filing this Schedule undertakes to make available, in
person or by telephone, representatives to respond to inquiries made
by the Commission staff, and to furnish promptly, when requested to
do so by the Commission staff, information relating to this Schedule
or to transactions in said securities.
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2.
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Consent to Service of Process
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(a)
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At the time of filing this Schedule, the person
so filing has filed with the Commission a
written irrevocable consent and power of
attorney on Form F-X.
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(b)
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Any change to the name or address of the
registrants agent for service shall be
communicated promptly to the Commission by
amendment to Form F-X referencing the file
number of the registrant.
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PART IV SIGNATURES
By signing this Schedule, the persons signing consent without power of revocation that any
administrative subpoena may be served, or any administrative proceeding, civil suit or civil action
where the cause of action arises out of or relates to or concerns any offering made or purported to
be made in connection with filing on this Schedule 14D-9F or any purchases or sales of any security
in connection therewith, may be commenced against them in any administrative tribunal or in any
appropriate court in any place subject to the jurisdiction of any state or of the United States by
service of said subpoena or process upon the registrants designated agent.
After due inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that the information set
forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.
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INTERNATIONAL ROYALTY CORPORATION
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Dated: December 31, 2009
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By:
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/s/ Douglas B. Silver
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Douglas B. Silver
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Chief Executive Officer
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EXHIBIT INDEX
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Exhibits:
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1.1
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Royal Gold Inc. Arrangement Agreement dated December 17, 2009 *
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1.2
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Material Change Report of International Royalty Corporation dated December 24, 2009
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1.3
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Press Release Dated December 29, 2009
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*
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Incorporated by reference to International Royalty Corporations Form 6-K furnished to the
Securities and Exchange Commission, dated December 28, 2009.
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