Conifex Announces Secured Term Loan
13 June 2024 - 6:10AM
Conifex Timber Inc. ("Conifex") (TSX: CFF) announced today that it
has completed a $25 million secured term loan (the "Term Loan")
with PenderFund Capital Management Ltd. ("Pender"), an independent
investment firm located in Vancouver, British Columbia. A portion
of the Term Loan was utilized to repay and retire Conifex's
existing lumber segment credit facility with Wells Fargo Capital
Finance Corporation Canada in the amount of approximately $11
million. The balance of the Term Loan will be available for working
capital and general corporate purposes.
“On behalf of the entire Conifex team, we are
delighted with the show of support PenderFund provided. They
studied our business structure and objectives and provided us a
tailored financing solution that provides our management team
significant flexibility to strengthen our operations in Mackenzie
and paves the way for improved operating results,” commented Ken
Shields, Conifex CEO and Chairman.
“We understand that British Columbia’s forestry
sector is currently facing challenges on several fronts, however we
are optimistic about the long-term value of Conifex’s business.
Amongst other strengths, Conifex enjoys excellent access to timber
supply and possesses an important diversifying income stream from
its power generation assets,” said Geoff Castle, Lead Portfolio
Manager, Fixed Income at PenderFund.
The Term Loan has a term of 5 years, bears
interest of 14% per annum and is substantially secured by Conifex's
lumber segment assets. Conifex has also agreed to issue 3.6 million
common share purchase warrants to Pender having a 5 year term. Each
warrant is exercisable into one common share for $0.75. Pursuant to
applicable securities laws, the warrants are subject to a hold
period of four months and one day from issuance.
Having completed the Term Loan, Conifex is now
evaluating opportunities to secure a working capital facility to
further help ensure sufficient liquidity to sustain operations
through a period of below normal lumber prices. Across its lumber
and power operations, Conifex's total long-term debt, including the
PenderFund Term Loan is approximately $75.3 million having a
weighted average interest rate of 9.29%.
Conifex also announced today that it expects to
hold its annual shareholders' meeting in or around the third
quarter of 2024. While Conifex typically holds its annual
shareholder meeting in summer, Conifex considered a later meeting
was necessary while it focused on completing the Term Loan and
continues to focus on evaluating a working capital facility and
other business opportunities.
Conifex was advised by Raymond James Ltd.
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, the expected date of the AGM, and the ability of Conifex to
enter into a working capital facility. 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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