Just Energy Group Inc. (“
Just Energy” or the
“
Company”) (NEX:JE.H; OTC:JENGQ), a retail
provider specializing in electricity and natural gas commodities
and bringing energy efficient solutions and renewable energy
options to customers, today announced that the Ontario Superior
Court of Justice (Commercial List) (the “
Court”)
has granted an order (the “
Reverse Vesting Order”)
that, among other things, (i) approves the transactions (the
“
Transaction”) provided for under the previously
announced transaction agreement entered into on August 4, 2022 (as
amended from time to time, the “
Transaction
Agreement”) among Just Energy and the lenders under the
Company’s debtor-in-possession financing facility, one of their
affiliates and the holder of certain assigned secured claims
(collectively, the “
Purchaser”); and (ii) extends
the stay period under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (the
“
CCAA”) to January 31, 2023 (the “
Stay
Extension”).
The closing of the Transaction is currently
expected to occur in December 2022, subject to the recognition of
the Reverse Vesting Order in the Company’s Chapter 15 case in the
Bankruptcy Court of the Southern District of Texas, Houston
Division (the “U.S. Court”), which will be sought
on December 1, 2022, and the satisfaction or waiver of the other
conditions to closing, including receipt of certain regulatory
approvals. On the closing of the Transaction, the Purchaser will
own all of the outstanding equity of Just Energy (U.S.) Corp.,
which will be the new parent company of all of the Just Energy
Entities (as defined in the Transaction Agreement, other than those
entities excluded pursuant to the terms of the Transaction
Agreement), including the Company, and the Just Energy Entities
will continue their normal business and operations in the ordinary
course. All currently outstanding shares, options and other equity
of Just Energy will be cancelled or redeemed for no consideration
and without any vote of the existing shareholders. Under the
Transaction, there will be no recovery for the Just Energy
Entities’ general unsecured creditors, including the holders of
Just Energy’s USD $205.9 million term loan (the “Term
Loan”) and the holders of Just Energy’s 7.0% subordinated
notes due September 15, 2026 (the “Notes”), unless
expressly classified as “Assumed Liabilities” pursuant to the
Transaction Agreement. Liabilities that will not be retained,
including the Term Loan and the Notes, will be transferred to newly
formed corporations (the “ResidualCos”), along
with excluded assets, under the Transaction Agreement. The Company
expects that there will not be any recoveries available from the
ResidualCos.
Implementation of the Transaction is subject to
the condition that Just Energy, and the other Just Energy Entities,
will have ceased to be a reporting issuer under any Canadian or
U.S. securities laws, and that no Just Energy Entity will become a
reporting issuer under any Canadian or U.S. securities laws as a
result of completion of the Transaction. In connection with the
completion of the Transaction, the Company intends to: (i) apply
for an order from Canadian securities administrators that it will
cease to be a reporting issuer under Canadian securities laws
immediately prior to the effective date of the Transaction; and
(ii) file to suspend its reporting obligations under U.S.
securities laws. Additionally, the Company intends to submit an
application to de-list its common shares from trading on the NEX on
or before the closing of the Transaction. The Company’s common
shares are also quoted on the OTC Pink Sheets. Concurrent with the
delisting from the NEX, the Company expects that the common shares
will cease trading on the OTC Pink Sheets.
The Stay Extension allows the Company to
continue to operate in the ordinary course of business prior to
closing the Transaction.
FURTHER INFORMATION
The above descriptions are summaries only and
are subject to the terms of the Transaction Agreement, a copy of
which is available on the Monitor’s website and on the SEDAR
website at www.sedar.com, on the U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission’s website at www.sec.gov and on Just Energy’s website at
https://investors.justenergy.com/.
Just Energy’s legal advisors in connection with
the ongoing CCAA and Chapter 15 proceedings are Osler, Hoskin &
Harcourt LLP and Kirkland & Ellis LLP. The Company’s financial
advisor is BMO Capital Markets.
Further information regarding Just Energy’s CCAA
proceedings is available at the Monitor’s website at
http://cfcanada.fticonsulting.com/justenergy/ and at the Omni Agent
Solutions case website at
https://cases.omniagentsolutions.com/?clientId=3600. Information
about Just Energy’s CCAA proceedings generally can also be obtained
by contacting the Monitor by phone at 416-649-8127 or
1-844-669-6340, or by email at justenergy@fticonsulting.com.
About Just Energy Group
Inc.
Just Energy is a retail energy provider
specializing in electricity and natural gas commodities and
bringing energy efficient solutions, carbon offsets and renewable
energy options to customers. Currently operating in the United
States and Canada, Just Energy serves residential and commercial
customers. Just Energy is the parent company of Amigo Energy,
Filter Group, Hudson Energy, Interactive Energy Group, Tara Energy,
and Terrapass. Visit https://investors.justenergy.com/ to learn
more.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This press release contains forward-looking
statements, including statements with respect to: anticipated
timing of required court approvals and regulatory approvals, the
Company ceasing to be a reporting issuer, delisting of the common
shares of the Company from the NEX and OTC Pink Sheets, and
expectations with respect to completion of the Transaction and the
anticipated timing to close the Transaction. These statements are
based on current expectations that involve several risks and
uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ from those
anticipated. These risks include, but are not limited to, risks
with respect to: satisfaction of the conditions precedent to
consummation of the Transaction, including approval thereof by the
U.S. Court and receipt of all required regulatory approvals; the
ability of the Just Energy Entities to continue as a going concern
following consummation of the Transaction; the anticipated benefits
of the Transaction; the outcome of any potential litigation with
respect to the February 2021 extreme weather event in Texas; the
outcome of proceedings under the CCAA and similar legislation in
the United States; the outcome of any invoice dispute with the
Electric Reliability Council of Texas, Inc.; the impact of the
COVID-19 pandemic on the Company’s business, operations and sales;
the Company’s ability to access sufficient capital to provide
liquidity to manage its cash flow requirements; general economic,
business and market conditions; the ability of management to
execute its business plan; levels of customer natural gas and
electricity consumption; extreme weather conditions; rates of
customer additions and renewals; customer credit risk; rates of
customer attrition; fluctuations in natural gas and electricity
prices; interest and exchange rates; actions taken by governmental
authorities including energy marketing regulation; increases in
taxes and changes in government regulations and incentive programs;
changes in regulatory regimes; results of litigation and decisions
by regulatory authorities; competition; and dependence on certain
suppliers. Additional information on these and other factors that
could affect Just Energy’s operations or financial results are
included in Just Energy’s Form 10-K and other reports on file with
the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission which can be accessed
at www.sec.gov and with the Canadian securities regulatory
authorities which can be accessed through the SEDAR website at
www.sedar.com or through Just Energy’s website at
investors.justenergy.com.
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation
Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX
Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or
accuracy of this release.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE
CONTACT:
InvestorsMichael CummingsAlpha
IRPhone: (617) 982-0475JE@alpha-ir.com
Michael CarterJust Energy, Chief Financial
OfficerPhone: 905-670-4440pr@justenergy.com
Court-appointed MonitorFTI
Consulting Canada Inc.Phone: 416-649-8127 or
1-844-669-6340justenergy@fticonsulting.com
MediaHolly WinterLongview
CommunicationsPhone: 416-454-7595hwinter@longviewcomms.ca
Source: Just Energy Group Inc.
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