TSX:GWO
WINNIPEG, MB, June 5, 2024
/CNW/ - Great-West Lifeco Inc. ("Lifeco") has been notified of
an unsolicited mini-tender offer by New York Stock and Bond LLC,
made to residents of the United
States, to purchase up to 50,000 common shares of Lifeco.
The unsolicited offer represents a discount of approximately 34.42%
to the closing price of the common shares on the TSX on
May 17, 2024, the last trading day
before the offer was commenced. The common shares do not trade on a
recognized stock exchange in the United
States.
Lifeco does not endorse New York Stock and Bond's unsolicited
offer, has no association with New York Stock and Bond or its
offer, and does not recommend acceptance of the offer. New York
Stock and Bond's offer has been made at a price below the current
market price for the shares.
Mini-tender offers such as New York Stock and Bond's seek less
than 5% of a class of outstanding shares and so avoid many of the
investor protections like disclosure and procedural protections
applicable to most bids under Canadian law. Securities regulators
have expressed serious concerns about mini-tender offers, including
the possibility that investors might tender to such offers without
understanding the offer price relative to the actual market price
of their securities. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
has noted that some bidders make these offers at below-market
prices "hoping that they will catch investors off guard if the
investors do not compare the offer price to the current market
price".
Lifeco urges shareholders to obtain current market quotes
for their shares and to consult with their broker or financial
advisor in considering New York Stock and Bond's offer. According
to New York Stock and Bond's offer documents, Lifeco shareholders
who have already tendered their shares can withdraw their shares no
more than 30 days after the date of delivery of their tender form
to the depositary by following the procedure described in the offer
documents. New York Stock and Bond has reserved the right to
purchase an additional amount of shares over and above 50,000
common shares, such additional amount not to exceed 2% of the
outstanding common shares.
To read more about the risks of mini-tender offers, please
review the Canadian Securities Administrators' comments
at https://docs.mbsecurities.ca/msc/notices/en/item/103061/index.do.
Lifeco requests that a copy of this news release be included in
any distribution of materials relating to New York Stock and Bond's
mini-tender offer for Lifeco common shares.
About Great-West Lifeco
Inc.
Great-West Lifeco is a Canadian headquartered, international
financial services holding company with interests in life
insurance, health insurance, retirement and investment services,
asset management and reinsurance businesses. We operate in
Canada, the United States and Europe under the brands Canada Life, Empower,
and Irish Life. At the start of
2024, our companies had over 32,250 employees, 106,000 advisor
relationships, and thousands of distribution partners – serving
approximately 40 million customer relationships. Great-West Lifeco
trades on the Toronto (TSX) Stock
Exchange under the ticker symbol GWO and is a member of the Power
Corporation group of companies. To learn more, visit
greatwestlifeco.com.
SOURCE Great-West Lifeco Inc.