North American Palladium Exercises Right to Sell US$13.5 Million Convertible Notes and Common Share Purchase Warrants
14 6월 2006 - 9:57AM
PR Newswire (US)
Trading Symbols TSX - PDL AMEX - PAL TORONTO, June 13
/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- North American Palladium Ltd. announced
today that the Corporation has exercised its right to require
Kaiser- Francis Oil Company ("KFOC") to purchase US$13.5 million
convertible notes (the "Series II Notes") and related common share
purchase warrants (the "Series II Warrants"). The offering is
governed by the previously announced Securities Purchase Agreement
(the "Agreement") dated March 24, 2006 among the Corporation, KFOC
and IP Synergy Finance Inc. ("IPSF"), the "Purchasers". IPSF has an
option to acquire up to 50% of the Series II Notes and Series II
Warrants. The transaction is scheduled to close on June 23, 2006.
Proceeds from the offering will be used to repay the standby loan
facility with KFOC which matures on June 30, 2006. Pursuant to the
Agreement, on March 29, 2006, the Corporation issued US$35 million
principal amount of Series I Notes and related Series I Warrants.
The Series I Notes are convertible into 2,873,563 common shares of
the Corporation at a conversion price of US$12.18 per share, while
the Series I Warrants are exercisable to purchase 1,436,782 common
shares at an exercise price of US$13.48 per common share. The
Series II Notes will bear interest at a rate of 6.5% per annum,
payable bi-monthly, commencing on August 1, 2006 and repayable in
nine equal installments commencing on the first interest payment
date that is at least twelve months after the date of issuance of
the Series II Notes. The interest payments and/or repayment amounts
may be paid to each Purchaser, at such Purchaser's option, in any
combination of cash and/or common shares. Common shares issued for
interest payments or in repayment of the Series II Notes will be
issued at a 10% discount from the volume weighted average trading
price (the "VWAP") of the common shares for the five consecutive
trading days on the American Stock Exchange immediately prior to
applicable payment date. The Series II Notes will be convertible
into common shares at a price equal to the greater of US$12.18 per
common share and the maximum applicable discount, pursuant to the
rules of the Toronto Stock Exchange, from the VWAP of the common
shares for the five consecutive trading days on the TSX immediately
prior to date of issuance (converted into US dollars). The Series
II Warrants will entitle the holder to purchase up to 50% of the
number of common shares underlying the Series II Notes, for four
years from date of issuance, at a price equal to the greater of
US$13.48 per common share and the VWAP of the common shares for the
five consecutive trading days on the TSX immediately prior to the
date of issuance of the Warrants (converted into US dollars). For
additional information on the terms of each series of Notes and
Warrants, please see the Corporation's news release dated March 28,
2006 and Management Proxy Circular dated May 10, 2006 available on
SEDAR at http://www.sedar.com/ and on Edgar at http://www.sec.gov/.
North American Palladium's Lac des Iles Mine is Canada's only
primary producer of platinum group metals and is one of the largest
open pit, bulk mineable palladium reserves in the world.
Palladium's catalytic qualities are expected to play an increasing
role in the automotive and purification industries in response to
global environmental solutions, in fuel cell technology for
alternative energy sources while continuing to have widespread
application in the dental, electronics, chemical and jewellery
sectors. The Corporation also generates substantial revenue from
by-product platinum, nickel, gold and copper and is actively
exploring projects in Canada and Finland. Forward-Looking
Statements - Certain statements included in this news release are
forward-looking statements which are made pursuant to the "safe
harbor" provisions of the United States Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used herein, words such as
"expect", "plans", "will" and other similar expressions are
intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such
forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties
and are subject to factors, many of which are beyond our control
that may cause actual results or performance to differ materially
from those currently anticipated in such statements. See the
Corporation's most recent Annual Information Form and Annual Report
on Form 40-F on file with securities regulators for a comprehensive
review of risk factors. The Corporation disclaims any obligation to
update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result
of new information, events or otherwise. Readers are cautioned not
to put undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.
DATASOURCE: North American Palladium Ltd. CONTACT: James D. Excell
- President & CEO, Tel: (416) 360-2656, email: ; Ian MacNeily -
Vice President Finance & CFO, Tel: (416) 360-2650, email:
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