Information Services Corporation (TSX: ISC) (“ISC” or the
“Company”) today cautioned shareholders
NOT to
tender their shares in response to a coercive mini-tender offer
(the “Mini-tender”) from Plantro Ltd. (“Plantro”), an offshore
entity reportedly controlled by Matthew Proud, the former CEO of
Dye & Durham Limited (“Dye & Durham”).
ISC’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) formed a Special
Committee of directors (the “Special Committee”) to review the
Mini-tender. The Special Committee has concluded, with benefits of
advice from its advisors, that the Mini-tender is an opportunistic
and highly aggressive attempt to acquire up to 15% of ISC’s Class A
Limited Voting Shares while securing proxy control over the
majority of the Company without paying shareholders a control
premium or being subject to the regulatory safeguards of a formal
takeover bid.
OPPORTUNISTIC OFFER DURING A PERIOD OF ELEVATED MARKET
VOLATILITY
While Plantro claims to offer a premium at $27.25 per share, the
real motive appears to be an opportunistic backdoor attempt to take
effective control of the Board during a time of heightened market
volatility. The Mini-tender documents provide that Plantro will
gain proxy control of all shares tendered, even if Plantro only
pays for and acquires far fewer shares. This allows Plantro to
secure your voting rights for free.
This coercive tactic has drawn scrutiny from regulators in past
cases and regulators have ruled in favour of the target of such
tactics.
Worse, Plantro is also seeking proxy authority over other shares
held in the same account or connected to the tendered shares, such
as loaned shares. This goes beyond past precedents and allows
Plantro to secure your voting rights without paying for them.
In the opinion of the Company, this is not in the best interests
of shareholders and ISC will explore all options to protect
shareholder rights and interests.
UNDERVALUES ISC’S BUSINESS
The Mini-tender offer of $27.25 per share undervalues ISC’s
business plan and upside potential. The Company is focused on
executing on its plan to double its 2023 revenue and adjusted
EBITDA basis by 2028 and believes this plan will deliver meaningful
value to its shareholders. The Mini-tender offer of $27.25 per
share is also well below the target share price of independent
equity research analysts.
NOT A FORMAL BID
The Mini-tender structure intentionally circumvents Canada’s
takeover bid laws. It denies ISC shareholders critical rights and
protections that would otherwise be mandatory under provincial
securities laws. Here are some highlights of the Mini-tender’s
sidestepping of the takeover bid laws:
- Avoids full and plain disclosure by Plantro
- No liability for misrepresentation in the Mini-tender
materials
- No minimum tender conditions
- No mandatory 10-day extension following take-up of shares
- No mandatory 10-day extension should Plantro amend or vary the
Mini-tender
Plantro can extend the Mini-tender without taking up any shares,
does not require majority support from disinterested shareholders,
and is not subject to a transparent take-up and payment timeline.
This regulatory arbitrage leaves ISC shareholders without the
protections they would expect in a formal bid.
LACK OF TRANSPARENCY & TROUBLING CONNECTIONS TO
MATTHEW PROUD
The Mini-tender materials omit and misrepresent key facts and
have not disclosed that Plantro is reportedly controlled by Matthew
Proud, the former CEO of Dye & Durham. Dye & Durham, under
Matthew Proud’s leadership, (i) significantly underperformed its
peers, ISC and the TSX index, and (ii) entered into a number of
value-destructive acquisitions which elevated the company’s
financial leverage and resulted in the company requiring a public
strategic review. Dye & Durham was recently subject to an
activist approach from Engine Capital, which resulted in the full
replacement of its board of directors and the departure of Matthew
Proud as CEO. Plantro and/or Matthew Proud are not the right
parties to lead or govern ISC.
Plantro also falsely asserts that it attempted to engage
constructively with ISC’s Board. Plantro’s outreach occurred on
March 31, 2025 via legal counsel. ISC responded the next day.
However, Plantro launched its unsolicited and coercive Mini-tender
the following day without further engaging with ISC, effectively
undermining its own narrative of failed engagement.
MISLEADING RUSH
The timing of the Mini-tender is telling. With a short expiry of
April 11, 2025, shareholders are being given less than 10 days to
evaluate a complex and highly consequential transaction. ISC
believes this timeline was selected specifically to precede the
Company’s April 14, 2025 deadline for submitting director
nominations under its advance notice policy.
Given Plantro’s stated desire to “refresh” the Board,
shareholders should expect an attempt to replace ISC directors
using proxies gathered through the Mini-tender, even though Plantro
has not disclosed this intention in its Mini-tender materials.
This sequence of events suggests a premeditated effort to
destabilize ISC’s governance by acquiring voting power without
paying for control. To allow such an outcome would undermine market
fairness, corporate accountability and investor protection.
SPECIAL COMMITTEE’S UNANIMOUS POSITION: DO NOT
TENDER
ISC’s Special Committee recommends that shareholders DO
NOT TENDER their shares to Plantro’s coercive Mini-Tender
offer.
According to Plantro’s Offer, shareholders who have already
tendered their shares can withdraw those shares at any time prior
to being paid for them by providing a written notice and following
the procedure described in section 5 under the heading “Withdrawal
Rights” of Plantro’s Offer to Purchase document filed on
www.sedarplus.ca.
Shareholders looking for information are encouraged to contact
ISC’s strategic shareholder advisor Kingsdale Advisors, using one
of the following channels:
QUESTIONS?
- Toll-Free (North America): 1-800-485-6763
- Text/Call: 437-561-4995
- Email: contactus@kingsdaleadvisors.com
ADVISORS
ISC has engaged Kingsdale Advisors as its strategic shareholder
and communications advisor, Stikeman Elliott LLP as its legal
advisor and RBC Capital Markets as its financial advisor.
About ISC®
Headquartered in Canada, ISC is a leading provider of registry
and information management services for public data and records.
Throughout our history, we have delivered value to our clients by
providing solutions to manage, secure and administer information
through our Registry Operations, Services and Technology Solutions
segments. ISC is focused on sustaining its core business while
pursuing new growth opportunities. The Class A Shares of ISC trade
on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol ISC.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking
Information
This news release contains forward-looking information within
the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws including,
without limitation, statements related to our future results,
including revenue and adjusted EBITDA, and our future financial
position and results of operations. Forward-looking information
involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors
that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from
those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information.
Important factors that could cause actual results to differ
materially from the Company's plans or expectations include risks
relating to changes in economic, market and business conditions,
changes in technology and customers’ demands and expectations,
reliance on key customers and licences, dependence on key projects
and clients, securing new business and fixed-price contracts,
identification of viable growth opportunities, implementation of
our growth strategy, competition, termination risks and other risks
detailed from time to time in the filings made by the Company
including those detailed in ISC’s Annual Information Form for the
year ended December 31, 2024 and ISC’s Consolidated Financial
Statements and Notes and Management’s Discussion and Analysis for
the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2024, copies of
which are filed on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.
The forward-looking information in this release is made as of
the date hereof and, except as required under applicable securities
laws, ISC assumes no obligation to update or revise such
information to reflect new events or circumstances.
For more information:
Investor ContactJonathan HackshawSenior
Director, Investor Relations & Capital MarketsToll Free:
1-855-341-8363 in North America or
1-306-798-1137investor.relations@isc.ca
Media ContactAquin GeorgeKingsdale
Advisors1-416-644-4031ageorge@kingsdaleadvisors.com
Shareholder ContactKingsdale AdvisorsToll Free:
1-800-485-6763 in North America or
1-437-561-4995contactus@kingsdaleadvisors.com
Information Services (TSX:ISC)
과거 데이터 주식 차트
부터 3월(3) 2025 으로 4월(4) 2025
Information Services (TSX:ISC)
과거 데이터 주식 차트
부터 4월(4) 2024 으로 4월(4) 2025