Conifex Provides Corporate and Operations Update
January 02 2025 - 5:05PM
Conifex Timber Inc. ("Conifex") (TSX: CFF) announced today that it
has amended and restated its existing credit agreement with
PenderFund Capital Management Ltd. ("Pender").
The restated agreement increases the aggregate
principal amount of the secured term loan provided thereunder to up
to $41 million, of which $5 million is available immediately, and
the remaining $11 million is subject to completion of financial
diligence. The loan continues to have a term of 5 years from
original issuance and is substantially on the same terms, including
the same annual interest rate. The loan was advanced in lieu of
Conifex’s consideration of a working capital facility to fund
ongoing working capital requirements.
“The additional borrowings will be used to fund
a build-up in sawlog inventories to support our transition to a
two-shift operation at our sawmill complex, effective January 6,
2025,” commented Conifex's Chairman and CEO, Ken Shields. The
decision to move to a two-shift operation was based on a steadily
improving backdrop for lumber prices, as evidenced by the 18%
improvement in cash prices for Spruce Pine Fir benchmark lumber
prices in the fourth quarter of 2024 relative to those in the third
quarter of 2024. Mr. Shields continued: “The benefits of spreading
our fixed costs over a larger base coupled with additional product
sales are expected to lower our cash costs and boost the operating
cash flow we expect to achieve in the first quarter of 2025 from
what we presently achieve on a one-shift basis.”
As partial consideration, subject to stock
exchange approval, Pender will receive up to 5,904,000 warrants,
with each warrant being exercisable into one common share for a
period of five years on payment of $0.50 per warrant. Pursuant to
applicable securities laws, the warrants will be subject to a hold
period of four months and one day from issuance. Concurrently,
Pender has agreed to cancel all of its existing 3,600,000
warrants.
Pender shall have the right to appoint one
director to the board of directors of Conifex on customary terms
while the loan remains outstanding. The restated agreement includes
mandatory prepayment obligations in favour of Pender, including in
the event of a major disposition by Conifex of certain of its
assets.
For further information, please contact:
Trevor PrudenChief Financial Officer(604)
216-2949
About Conifex Timber Inc.
Conifex and its subsidiaries' primary business
currently includes timber harvesting, reforestation, forest
management, sawmilling logs into lumber and wood chips, and value
added lumber finishing and distribution. Conifex's lumber products
are sold in the United States, Canadian and Japanese markets.
Conifex also produces bioenergy at its power generation facility at
Mackenzie, BC.
Forward-Looking
StatementsCertain statements in this news release may
constitute “forward-looking statements”. Forward-looking statements
are statements that address or discuss activities, events or
developments that Conifex expects or anticipates may occur in the
future. When used in this news release, words such as “estimates”,
“expects”, “plans”, “anticipates”, “projects”, “will”, “believes”,
“intends” “should”, “could”, “may” and other similar terminology
are intended to identify such forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements reflect the current expectations and
beliefs of Conifex’s management. Because forward-looking statements
involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors,
actual results, performance or achievements of Conifex or the
industry may be materially different from those implied by such
forward-looking statements. Examples of such forward-looking
information that may be contained in this news release include
statements regarding the purposes for which the Term Loan may be
used, expectations regarding Conifex's operating results in the
first quarter of 2025, and the Toronto Stock Exchange granting its
approval of the issuance of the Amendment Warrants. Assumptions
underlying Conifex's expectations regarding forward-looking
information contained in this news release include, among others,
that Conifex will successfully negotiate and execute definitive
documentation and complete a working capital facility.
Forward-looking statements involve significant uncertainties,
should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results,
and will not necessarily be an accurate indication of whether or
not such results will be achieved. A number of factors could cause
actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in
the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, that
Conifex will obtain all expected benefits from the Term Loan; and
other risk factors detailed in our filings with the Canadian
Securities Regulatory Authorities available on SEDAR+ at
www.sedarplus.ca. These risks, as well as others, could cause
actual results and events to vary significantly. Accordingly,
readers should exercise caution in relying upon forward-looking
statements and Conifex undertakes no obligation to publicly revise
them to reflect subsequent events or circumstances, except as
required by law.
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