Quisitive Technology Solutions Inc. (“Quisitive” or the
“Company”) (TSXV: QUIS; OTCQX: QUISF), a premier Microsoft
Cloud and AI solutions provider, today announced that on December
31, 2024 it entered into an arrangement agreement (the
“
Arrangement Agreement”) pursuant to which an
affiliate (the “
Purchaser”) of H.I.G. Capital
(“
H.I.G.”) will acquire all of the issued and
outstanding common shares (the “
Shares”) of the
Company (the “
Transaction”). Under the terms of
the Arrangement Agreement, shareholders will receive C$0.57 per
Share in cash, other than Shares held by certain employees who
enter into equity rollover agreements (the “
Rollover
Shareholders”). The purchase price of the Transaction
represents a total equity value of approximately C$169.1 million.
The purchase price per Share further represents a 57.1% premium to
the 20-day volume-weighted average price per share for the period
ending on December 31, 2024, and a 52.0% premium to the closing
price on the TSX Venture Exchange on December 31, 2024.
Mike Reinhart, the Founder and Chief Executive
Officer of Quisitive, said, “We are incredibly grateful for the
public markets’ support over the past six years, which helped
establish a solid foundation for Quisitive’s growth. Looking ahead,
we are pleased to partner with H.I.G., leveraging this strong
platform to drive accelerated organic expansion and strategic
investments in the business that ultimately benefit our
customers.”
Nick Lim, Chair of the special committee of
independent directors of Quisitive (the “Special
Committee”), said, “Following a comprehensive strategic
review, the Special Committee of the Board of Directors unanimously
concluded that this transaction offers the most compelling
opportunity to maximize value for Quisitive’s shareholders. We are
confident that the transaction delivers a favorable and certain
return, reflecting both the current strength of the Company and the
potential it has built over time.”
The Transaction is the result of a review of
strategic alternatives for the Company, considering the interests
of all stakeholders, including shareholders, clients, partners and
employees, undertaken by the Special Committee. The review resulted
in a comprehensive process focused on maximizing value for
Quisitive’s shareholders and involved discussions with a broad
range of potential strategic buyers and financial sponsors. The
Transaction is the outcome of that process and is unanimously
supported by the Board of Directors (the “Board”)
of Quisitive (with an interested director abstaining). Each of
William Blair & Company, L.L.C. and Canaccord Genuity Corp. has
provided the Board and the Special Committee, respectively, with an
opinion to the effect that, as of December 29, 2024, the
consideration to be received by the holders of Shares (other than
the Rollover Shareholders) in the Transaction is fair, from a
financial point of view, to such holders, in each case subject to
the respective limitations, qualifications, assumptions, and other
matters set forth in such opinions.
Transaction and Shareholder Meeting Details
The Transaction will be implemented by way of a
plan of arrangement under the Business Corporations Act (British
Columbia). The completion of the Transaction will be subject to
shareholder approval at a special meeting of the Company’s
shareholders (the “Special Meeting”). Directors
and officers, as well as certain shareholders of the Company,
holding an aggregate of 84,226,447 Shares and representing
approximately 30.4% of the voting rights attached to the Shares,
have entered into customary agreements to vote their Shares in
favour of the Transaction, subject to the terms thereof.
The Rollover Shareholders will roll certain of
their Shares in the Company for equity interests in an affiliated
entity of H.I.G and the Purchaser. All rollovers will occur at a
value per Share equal to the cash purchase price. Further details
will be provided in the Circular (as defined below).
Required shareholder approval for the
Transaction will consist of a majority of the votes cast at the
Special Meeting excluding those Shares held by the Rollover
Shareholders and any other required to be excluded pursuant to
Multilateral Instrument 61-101 – Protection of Minority Security
holders in Special Transactions, in addition to approval by 66 2/3%
of all votes cast at the Special Meeting. The Transaction is also
subject to the approval of the Supreme Court of British Columbia,
in addition to certain regulatory approvals and closing conditions
customary to a transaction of this nature. The Transaction is
expected to close in the first quarter of 2025.
The Company expects to hold the Special Meeting
of shareholders to consider the Transaction in March 2025 and to
mail the management information circular for the Special Meeting
(the “Circular”) in February 2025. Further details
regarding the terms of the Transaction are set out in the
Arrangement Agreement, which will be publicly filed by the Company
under its SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca. Additional
information regarding the terms of the Arrangement Agreement, the
background to the Transaction, the rationale for the
recommendations made by the Special Committee and the Board and how
shareholders can participate in and vote at the Special Meeting
will be provided in the Circular which will also be filed by the
Company under its SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca. Shareholders
are urged to read these and other relevant materials when they
become available.
Advisors
William Blair & Company, L.L.C. is acting as
exclusive financial advisor to the Company and its Board of
Directors. Canaccord Genuity Corp. was engaged as an independent
financial advisor and provided a fairness opinion to the Special
Committee. Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP and Bass, Berry &
Sims PLC are acting as legal counsel to the Company.
Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP and Stikeman
Elliott LLP are acting as legal advisors to H.I.G. Capital and the
Purchaser.
About Quisitive
Quisitive is a premier, global Microsoft partner
leveraging the power of the Microsoft cloud platform and artificial
intelligence, alongside custom and proprietary technologies, to
drive transformative outcomes for its customers. The Company
focuses on helping enterprises across industries leverage the
Microsoft platform to adopt, innovate, and thrive in the era of AI.
For more information, visit www.Quisitive.com and follow
@BeQuisitive.
Forward-Looking Information
Certain statements included in this press
release may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the
meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. More
particularly and without limitation, this press release contains
forward-looking statements and information regarding the
anticipated benefits of the proposed Transaction for the Company,
its employees, business partners, shareholders and other
stakeholders, including, plans, objectives, expectations and
intentions of H.I.G., the Purchaser or the Company, and the
anticipated timing of the Special Meeting, including the date of,
and mailing of the Circular in connection with the Special Meeting,
and of the completion of the Transaction. Except as may be required
by Canadian securities laws, the Company does not undertake any
obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements,
whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Forward-looking statements, by their very nature, are subject to
numerous risks and uncertainties and are based on several
assumptions which give rise to the possibility that actual results
could differ materially from the Company’s expectations expressed
in or implied by such forward-looking statements and that the
objectives, plans, strategic priorities and business outlook may
not be achieved. As a result, the Company cannot guarantee that any
forward-looking statements will materialize, or if any of them do,
what benefits the Company will derive from them.
In respect of forward-looking statements and
information concerning the anticipated benefits and timing of the
completion of the proposed Transaction, the Company has provided
such statements and information in reliance on certain assumptions
that it believes are reasonable at this time, including assumptions
as to the ability of the parties to receive, in a timely manner and
on satisfactory terms, the necessary regulatory, court and
shareholder approvals; the ability of the parties to satisfy, in a
timely manner, the other conditions for the completion of the
Transaction, and other expectations and assumptions concerning the
proposed Transaction. The anticipated dates indicated may change
for a number of reasons, including the necessary regulatory, court
and shareholder approvals, the necessity to extend the time limits
for satisfying the other conditions for the completion of the
proposed Transaction or the ability of the Board to consider and
approve, subject to compliance by the Company of its obligations
under the Arrangement Agreement, a superior proposal for the
Company. Although the Company believes that the expectations
reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it
can give no assurance that these expectations will prove to have
been correct, that the proposed Transaction will be completed or
that it will be completed on the terms and conditions contemplated
in this press release. Accordingly, investors and others are
cautioned that undue reliance should not be placed on any
forward-looking statements.
Risks and uncertainties inherent in the nature
of the proposed Transaction include, without limitation, the
failure of the parties to obtain the necessary shareholder,
regulatory and court approvals or to otherwise satisfy the
conditions for the completion of the Transaction; failure of the
parties to obtain such approvals or satisfy such conditions in a
timely manner; the Purchaser’s ability to complete the anticipated
debt and equity financing as contemplated by applicable commitment
letters or to otherwise secure favourable terms for alternative
financing; significant transaction costs or unknown liabilities;
the ability of the Board to consider and approve, subject to
compliance by the Company with its obligations under the
Arrangement Agreement, a superior proposal for the Company; the
failure to realize the expected benefits of the Transaction; and
general economic conditions. Failure to obtain the necessary
shareholder, regulatory and court approvals, or the failure of the
parties to otherwise satisfy the conditions for the completion of
the Transaction or to complete the Transaction, may result in the
Transaction not being completed on the proposed terms or at all. In
addition, if the Transaction is not completed, and the Company
continues as an independent entity, there are risks that the
announcement of the Transaction and the dedication of substantial
resources by the Company to the completion of the Transaction could
have an impact on its business and strategic relationships,
including with future and prospective employees, customers,
suppliers and partners, operating results and activities in
general, and could have a material adverse effect on its current
and future operations, financial condition and prospects. The
Company does not intend, and disclaims any obligation, except as
required by law, to update or revise any forward-looking statements
whether as a result of new information, future events or
otherwise.
Quisitive Contacts:
Matt Glover and John YiGateway GroupQUIS@gateway-grp.com
949-574-3860
Tami AndersChief of Stafftami.anders@quisitive.com
972.573.0995
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 press release.
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