Dominion Lending Centres Inc. (TSXV:DLCG) (“DLC” or the
“Corporation”) today announced its intention to commence a
substantial issuer bid (the "Offer") pursuant to which the
Corporation will offer to purchase for cancellation up to 3,000,000
of its outstanding common shares (the "Shares") at a purchase price
of $3.75 per Share in cash (the "Purchase Price"). See “Source of
Funds and New Credit Facilities” below for details on how the
Corporation will fund the Offer.
The closing price of the Shares on the TSX
Venture Exchange (the "TSXV") on November 26, 2021, the last full
trading day prior to the Corporation's announcement of its
intention to make the Offer, was $3.35.
The board of directors of the Corporation (the
"Board") believes that the recent trading price of the Shares is
not fully reflective of their intrinsic value based on the value of
DLC's assets and its business and future prospects. Accordingly,
the Board believes that the Offer is a prudent use of the
Corporation's financial resources given the Corporation's business
profile and assets, current market price of the Shares, capital
availability and cash requirements. The Offer provides DLC with the
opportunity to return up to $11.25 million of capital to
Shareholders who elect to tender while at the same time increasing
the proportionate Share ownership of Shareholders who elect not to
tender.
The Purchase Price represents a 14.7% premium
over the 30-day volume weighted average closing price of the Shares
on the TSX for the period ending on November 26, 2021, and a 11.9%
premium over the closing price of the Shares on the TSX on November
26, 2021, the last full trading day prior to the Corporation's
announcement of its intention to make this Offer. The number of
Shares subject to the Offer represents approximately 6.5% of the
total number of Shares outstanding.
Details of the Offer, including instructions for
tendering Shares to the Offer and the factors considered by the
Board making its decision to approve the Offer, will be included in
the formal offer to purchase and issuer bid circular and other
related documents (the "Offer Documents"), which are expected to be
mailed to shareholders and filed with applicable Canadian
Securities Administrators on or about December 1, 2021 on SEDAR at
www.sedar.com and on the Corporation's website at www.dlcg.ca.
Shareholders should carefully read the Offer Documents prior to
making a decision with respect to the Offer. The Offer will not be
conditional on any minimum number of Shares being tendered but will
be subject to various other conditions that are typical for a
transaction of this nature.
The Offer will expire at 5 p.m. Eastern time on
January 11, 2022, unless terminated or extended by the Corporation.
If more than 3,000,000 Shares are properly tendered to the Offer,
the Corporation will take-up and pay for the tendered Shares on a
pro-rata basis according to the number of Shares tendered, except
that "odd lot" tenders (of holders beneficially owning fewer than
100 Shares) will not be subject to pro-ration. Assuming that
3,000,000 Shares are purchased pursuant to the Offer, the aggregate
purchase price pursuant to the Offer will be $11,250,000.
The Board has authorized the making of the
Offer. However, the Board is not making any recommendation to any
Shareholders as to whether to tender or refrain from tendering
their Shares under the Offer. Shareholders are strongly urged to
consult their own financial, tax and legal advisors and to make
their own decisions whether to tender or to refrain from tendering
their Shares to the Offer and, if so, how many Shares to tender.
The Corporation was authorized by the TSXV to purchase up to
2,332,697 Shares pursuant to a normal course issuer bid (the
"NCIB") that commenced on January 18, 2021 and expires on January
17, 2022. Since January 18, 2021, the Corporation has purchased
296,100 Shares through the NCIB. There will be no further purchases
of Shares under the NCIB until after the expiry of the Offer or
date of termination of the Offer.
Any questions or requests for information may be
directed to Olympia Trust Company, as the depositary for the Offer,
as follows: Telephone: Toll Free 1-833-684-1546; Facsimile
1-403-668-8307; or Email cssinquiries@olympiatrust.com.
Source of Funds and New Credit
Facilities
DLC has adequate cash on hand or, alternatively,
expected available under the credit facilities of the Corporation,
to fund the purchase of the maximum number of Shares that could be
purchased under the Offer including the related fees and expenses.
Accordingly, the completion of the Offer is not conditional on
obtaining financing.
The Corporation has received a term sheet from
Toronto-Dominion Bank (the “TD Term Sheet”), the lender to the Core
Business Operations, providing for a $5 million working capital
credit line; a $10 million acquisition credit line; and a $20
million credit line to fund the Offer and a pro rata (40%) dividend
to Preferred Shareholders (collectively, referred to as the “New TD
Senior Credit Facility”). Further, the TD Term Sheet also provides
the Corporation with a $32 million term loan to facilitate the
repayment of all indebtedness of the Corporation under the current
Sagard credit facility and to terminate all existing foreign
currency forward contracts (referred to as the “New TD Junior
Credit Facility”).
Closing of the new credit facilities are subject
to customary closing conditions. As such, the Corporation believes
that the possibility to be remote that, if the conditions of the
bid are satisfied or waived, that the Corporation will be unable to
pay for the Shares deposited under the Offer due to a financing
condition not being satisfied.
The New TD Senior Credit Facility is for a three
(3) year term and will be secured by a first charge over all of the
Corporation’s “core business assets”. The proceeds from the New TD
Senior Credit Facility will be used to: (i) replace the current
credit facilities for the Core Business Operations; (ii) provide
the Corporation with $12 million to fund the Offer; and (iii)
provide the Preferred Shareholders with dividend in an amount equal
to their pro rata share of the borrowings used to fund the Offer.
In the event that 3,000,000 Shares are tendered under the Offer
(for cash proceeds of $11.25 million), it is anticipated that the
Corporation would pay a dividend to Preferred Shareholders of $7.5
million. Interest on the New TD Senior Credit Facility is based on
the prime borrowing rate plus an additional amount determined based
on the Corporation’s total leverage. On closing of the New TD
Senior Credit Facility, the interest rate is anticipated to be
equal to the prime borrowing rate. Upon completion of the Offer,
any amounts undrawn on the $20 million credit line will be
cancelled.
The New TD Junior Credit Facility is for a three
(3) year term and will be secured by a first charge over all of the
Corporation’s “non-core business assets” and a junior security
interest over the Corporation’s “core business assets” (subject to
certain security-sharing rights of the Preferred Shareholders). The
proceeds from the New TD Junior Credit Facility will be used to
repay the existing Sagard credit facility and to terminate all
existing foreign currency forward contracts. Interest on the New TD
Junior Credit Facility is based on the prime borrowing rate plus an
additional amount determined based on the Corporation’s total
leverage. On closing of the New TD Junior Credit Facility, the
interest rate is anticipated to be prime plus 75 bps and any
undrawn amount under the facility will be cancelled.
The Corporation expects to close the New TD
Senior Credit Facility and the New TD Junior Credit Facility prior
to the end of 2021.
About Dominion Lending Centres
Inc.
The DLC Group is Canada’s leading network of
mortgage professionals. The DLC Group operates through Dominion
Lending Centres and its three main subsidiaries, MCC Mortgage
Centre Canada Inc., MA Mortgage Architects Inc. and Newton
Connectivity Systems Inc., and has operations across Canada. The
DLC Group’s extensive network includes ~7,500 agents and 515
locations. Headquartered in British Columbia, the DLC Group was
founded in 2006 by Gary Mauris and Chris Kayat.
Contact information for the Corporation is as
follows:
James BellCo-President403-560-0821jbell@dlcg.ca |
Robin BurpeeCo-Chief Financial
Officer403-455-9670rburpee@dlcg.ca |
Amar LeekhaSr. Vice-President, Capital
Markets403-455-6671aleekha@dlcg.ca |
NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS
REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE
POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR
THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.
Forward-Looking Information
This document contains “forward-looking
information” within the meaning of Canadian securities laws.
Specific forward-looking information includes, without limitation:
statements regarding the Offer and the terms thereof, including the
maximum number of Shares we may purchase under the Offer; the
timing for completion of the Offer; the sources and availability of
funding for the Offer; our belief that the Offer is a prudent use
of the Corporation's financial resources; the expected entry into
by the Corporation of a new credit facility with a Canadian
chartered bank and the use of the proceeds of such facility to
repay in full amounts owing under the Sagard credit facility. The
forward- looking information in this Offer to Purchase and Circular
is presented for the purpose of providing disclosure of the current
expectations of our future events or results, having regard to
current plans, objectives and proposals, and such information may
not be appropriate for other purposes. Such forward-looking
information may, without limitation, be preceded by, followed by,
or include words such as “expects”, “anticipates”, “targets”,
“goals”, “projects”, “intends”, “plans”, “believes”, “seeks”,
“estimates”, “continues”, “endeavors”, “strives”, “may”, or
variations of such words, and similar expressions, that are
intended to identify such forward-looking information.
Forward-looking information is provided for the
purpose of assisting readers in understanding management’s current
expectations and plans relating to the future. Readers are
cautioned that such information may not be appropriate for other
purposes. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future
performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions
that are difficult to predict, including risks related to changes
in taxes; changes in foreign currency rates; increased operating,
general and administrative, and other costs; changes in interest
rates; general business, economic and market conditions; the extent
and duration of the COVID-19 pandemic or any similar public health
issues that could have an impact on economic or market conditions;
our ability to obtain services and personnel in a timely manner and
at an acceptable cost to carry out our activities; DLC’s ability to
maintain its existing number of franchisees and add additional
franchisees; Newton’s ability to grow its submission volumes and
number of third-party users is subject to broker and industry
adoption of Newton as a connectivity platform; changes in Canadian
mortgage lending and mortgage brokerage laws; material decreases in
the aggregate Canadian mortgage lending business; changes in the
fees paid for mortgage brokerage services in Canada; changes in the
regulatory framework for the Canadian housing sector; demand for
the Corporation’s products remaining consistent with historical
demand; our ability to realize the expected benefits of our
Non-Core Assets; the uncertainty of estimates and projections
relating to future revenue, taxes, costs, and expenses; changes in,
or in the interpretation of, laws, regulations or policies; the
outcome of existing and potential lawsuits, regulatory actions,
audits, and assessments. Therefore, actual results may differ
materially and adversely from those expressed in any
forward-looking information. Other than with respect to the Offer,
the foregoing and other material risks and uncertainties are
discussed in our public filings at www.sedar.com, including in the
2020 Annual Information Form, which is available under the
Corporation’s profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
All forward-looking statements attributable to
us are expressly qualified by these cautionary statements. Except
as required by applicable law, we are under no obligation to update
any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise.
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