LONDON, UK: Voyager Plc has signed heads of terms with Northern Leaf plc for a merger of the two companies. The merger would value the enlarged group at in excess of £5 million, based on Voyager’s current share price of 11 pence and assuming that the deferred consideration is settled in full.
The deferred consideration is described in more detail below and, at its upper end, is based on potential revenues by Northern Leaf of over £5 million by no later than 31 March 2025.
Based in Jersey, Channel Islands, Northern Leaf is a cultivator and processor of pharmaceutical-grade medical cannabis flower. The Merger will be effected through the acquisition of the entire issued capital of Northern Leaf in consideration by the issue of new Voyager ordinary shares.
The transaction will create the first vertically integrated cannabis company in the British Isles with both pharmaceutical and health & wellness operations. From its two bases in Scotland and Jersey, the enlarged group will have multiple revenue streams.
The Merger agreement involves a total potential issuance of up to 33,900,000 New Voyager Shares, segmented into three main components. Initially, 10,000,000 shares will be distributed on a pro rata basis to Northern Leaf’s shareholders. Additionally, a loyalty incentive offers up to 2,000,000 shares to those who retain their holdings for six months post-merger.
The deferred segment ties up to 21,900,000 shares to Northern Leaf’s revenue performance, with 10,950,000 shares allocated for achieving a minimum of £2.0 million and an additional 10,950,000 for surpassing £5.0 million by March 31, 2025. Shares will vest progressively for revenues between these two benchmarks.
Frank Walker, chairman of Northern Leaf, Geoff Eyre, CEO of Northern Leaf, are expected to join the Voyager board on completion of the Merger, subject to completion of regulatory due diligence. Eric Boyle, Nick Tulloch and Jill Overland will remain on the board.
Nick Tulloch, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Voyager, said: “We are delighted to be announcing this very significant expansion of the Voyager group through our planned combination with Northern Leaf. The enlarged group will set a new standard in the British Isles’ cannabis industry through its vertically integrated cultivation, manufacturing and sales divisions. Furthermore, it provides shareholders of both companies with exposure to both the medical and over-the-counter markets.
“With the complementary operating structures of Voyager and Northern Leaf, the enlarged group expects to be able to derive immediate revenue and cost synergies following completion of the Merger. The Merger is structured to reward and incentivise Northern Leaf shareholders who remain as long term holders of the group whilst matching the valuation against the future expected performance of the business.
“Northern Leaf has a fully constructed state of the art 100,000 square foot indoor growing facility and a tax-efficient location in Jersey. It has already commenced sales of medical cannabis and, as cultivation is expanded and new strains are developed, it is well positioned to develop new customer channels in the next 12 months.”
Geoff Eyre, Chief Executive Officer of Northern Leaf, said: “This merger with Voyager delivers on our long standing commitment to bring Northern leaf onto the listed markets and provide liquidity for our shareholders. We have been impressed with the breadth of Voyager’s operations and the integration of the two businesses provides numerous opportunities for each of us to accelerate our development. Frank and I are looking forward to joining the Voyager board and taking the enlarged group to a position of market leadership of the cannabis industry within the British Isles.
“The enlarged group will benefit from a number of meaningful operational synergies and efficiency savings as we move towards profitable, self-sustaining cash flow generation during H2 2024.”
The Merger will be subject, inter alia, to completed transaction documentation and approval of the issue of new shares by Voyager shareholders. A circular will be dispatched shortly and further announcements will be made in due course.
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