GENEVA, SWITZERLAND--(Marketwired - Jan. 20, 2014) - Etrion Corporation ("Etrion" or the "Company") (TSX:ETX)(OMX:ETX), a solar independent power producer, announces closing of books for its previously announced private placement.
Etrion announced on January 17, 2014, at 17:31 CET the intention to offer common shares in a private placement to raise gross proceeds of approximately USD 60,000,000 (the "Private Placement"). The Private Placement generated strong interest from both Swedish and international investors, and the Company has therefore decided to increase the size of the Private Placement to approximately USD 80,000,000.
The price of the shares in the Private Placement was determined in a book-building process to be SEK 4.15 (approximately C$0.70) per share (the "Subscription Price"), representing a nine percent discount to the Company's 30-day volume weighted average share price on NASDAQ OMX Stockholm. This would result in the issuance of 124,633,571 new shares. Entities associated with the Lundin family, the Company's largest shareholder, have subscribed for 28,201,571 shares or approximately 23 percent of the Private Placement. As a result, the Lundin family would continue to be Etrion's largest shareholder and would own approximately 24 percent of the Company's shares after closing.
Marco A. Northland, Etrion's CEO, commented: "We are very pleased with the significant interest shown by Swedish and international investors. We thank the Lundin family for their continued support, and we welcome the new shareholders of Etrion. This financing allows us to repay the bridge loan for our 70 MW Project Salvador under construction in Chile and to advance our project pipeline in Chile and Japan. In addition, the new equity puts us in a better position to refinance our corporate bond later this year."
Closing of the Private Placement is subject to, among other things, TSX approval and is expected to occur on or about January 31, 2014, or such other date(s) as the Company and the joint lead managers may agree.
Pareto Securities AB is sole bookrunner and, together with ABG Sundal Collier AB, joint lead manager in connection with the Private Placement. Gernandt & Danielsson Advokatbyrå is legal advisor to the joint lead managers, and Norton Rose Fulbright Canada and Ashurst are Etrion's legal advisors in connection with the Private Placement.
About Etrion
Etrion Corporation is an independent power producer ("IPP") that builds, owns and operates utility-scale solar power generation plants. Etrion owns 17 solar power plants in Italy with approximately 60 MW of installed capacity. The Italian operations generate more than USD 40 million of annual earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization ("EBITDA"). Etrion is also developing greenfield solar power projects in Chile and Japan. The Company is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange in Canada and the NASDAQ OMX Stockholm exchange in Sweden under ticker symbol "ETX".
Etrion discloses the information provided herein pursuant to the Swedish Securities Market Act. The information was submitted for publication at 8:45am CET on January 20, 2014.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
The information above is not intended for, and may not be distributed to or be published in, directly or indirectly, Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa, the United States, or any other jurisdiction where this would require registrations measures or would constitute a breach of law.
The information above does not contain or constitute an invitation or an offer to acquire, subscribe for, sell or otherwise trade in shares or other securities in the Company ("the securities"). Nor does it constitute a prospectus under the terms in Directive 2003/71/EC.
No securities are or will be registered in accordance with the U.S. Securities Act of 1933 ("Securities Act") or any provincial act in Canada or any legislation in Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zeeland or South Africa. The securities may therefore not, directly or indirectly, be sold, resold, offered for sale, delivered or spread within or to any of these jurisdictions, or to any person located there at that point of time or resident there, or on account of such person, and further not to or within any other jurisdiction where such measure would violate the laws of the jurisdiction or require registrations measures, other than in accordance with an applicable exemption. A failure to comply with this instruction may result in a violation of the Securities Act or laws applicable in other jurisdictions.
Pareto Securities AB and ABG Sundal Collier AB are acting for the Company and no one else in connection with the Private Placement and will not be responsible to anyone other than the Company for providing the protections afforded to its clients or for providing advice in relation to the Private Placement and/or any other matter referred to in this announcement. Pareto Securities AB and ABG Sundal Collier AB accept no responsibility whatsoever and make no representation or warranty, express or implied, for the contents of this announcement, including its accuracy, completeness or verification or for any other statement made or purported to be made by it, or on its behalf, in connection with the Private Placement and nothing in this announcement is, or shall be relied upon as, a promise or representation in this respect, whether as to the past or future.
FORWARD LOOKING INFORMATION
This press release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, that address activities, events or developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future (including, without limitation, statements relating to the anticipated completion of the Private Placement and the refinancing of the Company's outstanding bonds) constitute forward-looking information. This forward-looking information reflects the current expectations or beliefs of the Company based on information currently available to the Company as well as certain assumptions including, without limitation, the ability of the Company to obtain the approvals necessary to complete the Private Placement. Reliance should not be placed on forward-looking information. Forward-looking information is subject to a number of significant risks and uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking information, and even if such actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on the Company. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to, the failure to obtain the required approvals necessary to complete the Private Placement, unforeseen delays in completing the transaction in a timely manner, the occurrence of any material adverse change in the Company that could prevent the transaction from being completed in a timely manner, or at all and the risk that the Company may not be able to refinance its outstanding bonds on favourable terms.
Any forward-looking information speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. Although the Company believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking information are reasonable, forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such information due to the inherent uncertainty therein.
Contact Information:
+41 (22) 715 20 90
www.etrion.com