Court Ruling Rejects BullRun Capital’s Claims and Finds GrowMax’s Management and Board Acted Appropriately
26 Février 2019 - 10:19PM
GrowMax Resources Corp. (the “Company” or “GrowMax”) (TSX-V: GRO),
in response to shareholder inquiries, is pleased to provide details
about the wasteful and costly legal action initiated at the Court
of Queen’s Bench of Alberta (the “Court”) by activist investor
BullRun Capital (“BullRun”) and its principal Kulwant Malhi.
The Court’s decision is summarized below:
- The Court agreed that BullRun and Malhi misled
shareholders in its September 18 press release regarding its
dividend scheme. In her ruling, the Honourable Madam
Justice L. Bernette Ho notes BullRun’s press release “contained
misstatements, omissions, and misleading statements of material
facts…I conclude that the Board acted appropriately in postponing
the September 25 Meeting in order to ensure that shareholders had
accurate and fulsome disclosure.” These misstatements were
corrected by BullRun and Malhi after the meeting was
postponed.
- The Court dismissed BullRun’s request that the
Company’s Advance Notice Bylaw be declared
invalid. In its ruling, the Court noted that
“[advance] notice policies may be beneficial because they provide
disclosure to shareholders in advance of annual general meetings
and prevent ambush by other shareholders, thereby facilitating
shareholder democracy.”
- The Court dismissed BullRun’s claim that GrowMax and
its board of directors acted oppressively, unfairly, prejudicial,
or unfairly disregarded the interests of the activists.
The Court disagreed that there was any evidence of conduct that is
“oppressive, unfairly prejudicial or unfairly disregards the
interests of [BullRun] or other shareholders.”
- The Court ordered BullRun and Malhi to pay GrowMax’s
directors’ court costs. BullRun’s application against the
individual directors in their personal capacities was dismissed and
consequently the Court ruled that “the Individual Directors shall
receive costs of their application.”
- The Court dismissed BullRun’s claim that GrowMax
President and CEO Stephen Keith failed to act in compliance with
his obligations “in relation to the scheduling and
postponement of the September 25 AGM, or in relation to the
development of the PrimaSea Transaction.”
- The Court agreed with GrowMax’s position that the
cut-off date should be a customary number of days before the
meeting, “to be held at a time when GrowMax shareholders
are in a position to consider…additional public disclosure.” In
contrast, BullRun wanted to fix the cut-off date to September 21,
2018 which would deprive shareholders of their rights to make an
informed voting decision.
In addition, during the Court proceedings, it
was learned that BullRun and its director nominees intentionally
withheld from GrowMax’s shareholders particulars of their plans for
the Company’s money—plans that may or may not require shareholder
approvals.
“On the heels of the Court ruling last week, we’re seeing
growing support for the PrimaSea acquisition and for management’s
director nominees from shareholders who will finally get to vote on
the future direction of their Company. The decision by the Court
confirms our view that BullRun’s legal action was wasteful, costly,
and did nothing but delay, for months, shareholders’ democratic
right to vote their shares,” said Mr. Keith.
“Since the beginning of the proxy contest last year, Malhi and
BullRun have been tight-lipped about their agenda for GrowMax
including a barebones “business plan” in their dissident circular.
In addition, the Court found that they misled shareholders in a
September 18 press release about the proposed dividend, which was
belatedly corrected. Shareholders should be asking Malhi what he
intends to do with your money and what undisclosed deals have
already been made. Shareholders deserve better.”
VOTE YOUR BLUE PROXY FOR A BOARD YOU CAN TRUST; TO KEEP
GROWMAX ON THE RIGHT TRACK
Shareholders are encouraged to vote only
their BLUE Proxy “FOR”
the PrimaSea acquisition and “FOR” all of
management’s qualified and experienced director nominees.
Over the past two years, GrowMax’s board of directors has worked
diligently to get GrowMax back on track. The Company has:
- A refreshed Board
- A new management team
- A stronger balance sheet
- Reduced spending and executive compensation
- A new growth strategy of actively seeking out value-enhancing
opportunities including the PrimaSea acquisition.
The PrimaSea acquisition gives shareholders a multi-generational
asset that enjoys revenue streams in two growing premium market
segments: plant nutrients and animal feed.
With our investment in PrimaSea, our future is bright with
increased cash flow, a stronger balance sheet, an enhanced Board
and the flexibility to look at more opportunities, even in other
sectors, if it makes financial sense.
If you have already voted and do not want to change your vote,
no action is needed. If you have already voted using another proxy,
we encourage you to vote again on management’s BLUE
Proxy. The later dated BLUE Proxy will count as it
supersedes any previously given proxy.
Shareholders are encouraged to vote online
at www.proxyvote.com to ensure votes are
received in a timely manner as the deadline to vote is on March 6,
2019 at 10:00 a.m. (Calgary time), being 12:00 p.m. (Toronto
time).
Vote BLUE today
at www.proxyvote.com or by
contacting Kingsdale Advisors toll free at
1-866-581-1479 or by email
at contactus@kingsdaleadvisors.com. There is
a team standing by to help.
For more information, please contact:
Stephen Keith, P. Eng. President and CEO Tel.: +1 (647)
299 0046 Email: info@growmaxcorp.com
www.growmaxcorp.com
Media Contact: Ian Robertson Executive Vice President,
Communication Strategy Kingsdale Advisors Direct: +1 (416) 867-2333
Cell: +1 (647) 621-2646 Email:
irobertson@kingsdaleadvisors.com
Forward Looking Information
Certain statements contained in this news
release may constitute “forward-looking information” as such term
is used in applicable Canadian and US securities laws. Any
information or statements contained herein that express or involve
discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, plans,
projections, objectives, assumptions or future events should be
viewed as forward-looking information. Such information relate to
analyses and other information that are based upon forecasts of
future results, estimates of amounts not yet determinable and
assumptions of management. Such forward-looking information involve
known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may
cause the actual results, performance or achievements of GrowMax to
be materially different than those results, performance or
achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking
information.
Forward‐looking information is based on
management’s beliefs, expectations, estimates and opinions on the
date statements are made and GrowMax undertakes no obligation to
update forward-looking information and whether the beliefs,
expectations, estimates and opinions upon which such
forward-looking information is based has changed, except as
required by applicable law.
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REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE
POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR
THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THE RELEASE.
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