Payment of Dividend Contingent upon Closing of
IAA Transaction
VANCOUVER, BC, March 7,
2023 /PRNewswire/ - Ritchie
Bros. Auctioneers Incorporated (NYSE: RBA) (TSX: RBA)
("Ritchie Bros.") today announced
that its Board of Directors declared a special cash dividend (the
"special dividend") on Ritchie
Bros.' outstanding common shares of US$1.08 per share, payable to shareholders of
record at the close of business on March 17,
2023. Payment of the special dividend is contingent upon the
closing of Ritchie Bros.' previously
announced merger transaction with IAA, Inc. (the "Merger") which is
expected to be consummated on or about March
20, 2023, subject to receipt of required shareholder
approvals of the Merger and satisfaction of other customary closing
conditions. Ritchie Bros. will not
pay the special dividend if the Merger is not completed for any
reason. Assuming the Merger is consummated on March 20, 2023, payment of the dividend will be
made to eligible Ritchie Bros.
shareholders on March 28, 2023. IAA
stockholders will not be entitled to receive the special dividend
with respect to any Ritchie Bros.
common shares received as consideration in the Merger. The special
dividend, if paid, will be considered an eligible dividend for
Canadian income tax purposes.
Important Information About the
Special Dividend
Due to the contingent nature of the special dividend, as
required by the rules of the New York Stock Exchange and the
Toronto Stock Exchange, Ritchie
Bros. common shares will trade with "due bills",
representing an assignment of the right to receive the special
dividend, beginning March 16, 2023,
one business day prior to the special dividend record date, through
the closing date of the Merger (such period of time the "Due-bill
Period"). AS A RESULT, HOLDERS OF RITCHIE BROS. COMMON SHARES ON
THE SPECIAL DIVIDEND RECORD DATE MUST HOLD RITCHIE BROS. COMMON
SHARES THROUGH THE CLOSING DATE OF THE MERGER IN ORDER TO BE
ENTITLED TO RECEIVE THE SPECIAL DIVIDEND. RITCHIE BROS. COMMON SHAREHOLDERS WHO SELL THEIR
SHARES ON OR BEFORE THE CLOSING DATE OF THE MERGER WILL NOT BE
ENTITLED TO RECEIVE THE SPECIAL DIVIDEND. PURCHASERS OF RITCHIE
BROS. COMMON SHARES DURING THE DUE-BILL PERIOD (EVEN IF THE TRADE
WILL SETTLE AFTER THE DUE-BILL PERIOD) WHO HOLD SUCH SHARES ON THE
CLOSING DATE OF THE MERGER WILL BE ENTITLED TO RECEIVE THE SPECIAL
DIVIDEND. SHAREHOLDERS THAT SELL RITCHIE BROS. COMMON SHARES DURING
THE DUE-BILL PERIOD (EVEN IF THE TRADE WILL SETTLE AFTER THE
DUE-BILL PERIOD) WILL NOT BE ENTITLED TO RECEIVE THE SPECIAL
DIVIDEND.
Due bills obligate a seller of shares to deliver the dividend to
the buyer. The due-bill obligations are settled customarily between
the brokers representing buyers and sellers of the shares.
Ritchie Bros. has no obligation for
either the amount of the due bill or the processing of the due
bill. Buyers and sellers of Ritchie
Bros. common shares during the Due-bill Period should
consult with their broker before trading in Ritchie Bros. common shares to be sure they
understand the effect of the due-bill procedures.
About Ritchie Bros.
Established in 1958, Ritchie
Bros. is a global asset management and disposition company,
offering customers end-to-end solutions for buying and selling used
heavy equipment, trucks and other assets. Operating in a number of
sectors, including construction, transportation, agriculture,
energy, mining, and forestry, the company's selling channels
include: Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers,
the world's largest industrial auctioneer offering live auction
events with online bidding; IronPlanet, an online marketplace with
weekly featured auctions and providing the exclusive IronClad
Assurance® equipment condition certification; Marketplace-E, a
controlled marketplace offering multiple price and timing options;
Ritchie List, a self-serve listing
service for North America; Mascus,
a leading European online equipment listing service; Ritchie Bros. Private Treaty, offering privately
negotiated sales; and sector-specific solutions GovPlanet,
TruckPlanet, and Ritchie Bros.
Energy. The Company's suite of solutions also includes Ritchie Bros. Asset Solutions and Rouse Services
LLC, which together provides a complete end-to-end asset
management, data-driven intelligence and performance benchmarking
system; SmartEquip, an innovative technology platform that supports
customers' management of the equipment lifecycle and integrates
parts procurement with both OEMs and dealers; plus equipment
financing and leasing through Ritchie
Bros. Financial Services. For more information about
Ritchie Bros., visit
RitchieBros.com.
Forward-Looking
Statements
This communication contains information relating to a proposed
business combination transaction between Ritchie Bros. ("RBA") and IAA, Inc. ("IAA").
This communication includes forward-looking information within the
meaning of Canadian securities legislation and forward-looking
statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act
of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934, as amended (collectively, "forward-looking statements").
Forward-looking statements may include statements relating to
future events and anticipated results of operations, business
strategies, the anticipated benefits of the proposed Merger, the
anticipated impact of the proposed Merger on the combined company's
business and future financial and operating results, the expected
or estimated amount, achievability, sources, impact and timing of
cost synergies and revenue, EBITDA, growth, operational
enhancement, expansion and other value creation opportunities from
the proposed Merger, the expected debt, de-leveraging, cash flow
generation and capital allocation of the combined company, the
anticipated closing date for the proposed Merger, other aspects of
RBA's or IAA's respective businesses, operations, financial
condition or operating results and other statements that are not
historical facts. There can be no assurance that the proposed
Merger will in fact be consummated. These forward-looking
statements generally can be identified by phrases such as "will,"
"should," "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "could," "can,"
"intends," "target," "goal," "projects," "contemplates,"
"believes," "predicts," "potential," "continue," "foresees,"
"forecasts," "estimates," "opportunity" or other words or phrases
of similar import.
It is uncertain whether any of the events anticipated by the
forward-looking statements will transpire or occur, or if any of
them do, what impact they will have on the results of operations
and financial condition of the combined companies or the price of
RBA's common shares or IAA's common stock. Therefore, you should
not place undue reliance on any such statements and caution must be
exercised in relying on forward-looking statements. While
RBA's and IAA's management believe the assumptions underlying the
forward-looking statements are reasonable, these forward-looking
statements involve certain risks and uncertainties, many of which
are beyond the parties' control, that could cause actual results to
differ materially from those indicated in such forward-looking
statements, including but not limited to: the possibility that
shareholders of RBA may not approve the issuance of new common
shares of RBA in the Merger or that stockholders of IAA may not
approve the adoption of the merger agreement; the risk that a
condition to closing of the proposed Merger may not be satisfied
(or waived), that either party may terminate the merger agreement
or that the closing of the proposed Merger might be delayed or not
occur at all; the anticipated tax treatment of the proposed Merger;
potential adverse reactions or changes to business or employee
relationships, including those resulting from the announcement or
completion of the proposed Merger; the diversion of management time
on transaction-related issues; the response of competitors to the
proposed Merger; the ultimate difficulty, timing, cost and results
of integrating the operations of RBA and IAA; the effects of the
business combination of RBA and IAA, including the combined
company's future financial condition, results of operations,
strategy and plans; the failure (or delay) to receive the required
regulatory approval of the transaction; the fact that operating
costs and business disruption may be greater than expected
following the public announcement or consummation of the proposed
Merger; the effect of the announcement, pendency or
consummation of the proposed Merger on the trading price of RBA's
common shares or IAA's common stock; the ability of RBA and/or IAA
to retain and hire key personnel and employees; the significant
costs associated with the proposed Merger; the outcome of any legal
proceedings that could be instituted against RBA, IAA and/or others
relating to the proposed Merger; restrictions during the pendency
of the proposed Merger that may impact the ability of RBA and/or
IAA to pursue non-ordinary course transactions, including certain
business opportunities or strategic transactions; the ability of
the combined company to realize anticipated synergies in the
amount, manner or timeframe expected or at all; the failure of the
combined company to realize potential revenue, EBITDA, growth,
operational enhancement, expansion or other value creation
opportunities from the sources or in the amount, manner or
timeframe expected or at all; the failure of the trading multiple
of the combined company to normalize or re-rate and other
fluctuations in such trading multiple; changes in capital markets
and the ability of the combined company to generate cash flow
and/or finance operations in the manner expected or to de-lever in
the timeframe expected; the failure of RBA or the combined company
to meet financial forecasts and/or KPI targets; any legal
impediment to the payment of the special dividend by RBA;
legislative, regulatory and economic developments affecting the
business of RBA and IAA; general economic and market developments
and conditions; the evolving legal, regulatory and tax regimes
under which RBA and IAA operates; unpredictability and severity of
catastrophic events, including, but not limited to, pandemics, acts
of terrorism or outbreak of war or hostilities, as well as RBA's or
IAA's response to any of the aforementioned factors. These risks,
as well as other risks related to the proposed Merger, are included
in the Registration Statement (as defined below) and joint proxy
statement/prospectus filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "SEC") and applicable Canadian securities
regulatory authorities in connection with the proposed Merger.
While the list of factors presented here is, and the list of
factors presented in the Registration Statement are, considered
representative, no such list should be considered to be a complete
statement of all potential risks and uncertainties.
For additional information about other factors that could cause
actual results to differ materially from those described in the
forward-looking statements, please refer to RBA's and IAA's
respective periodic reports and other filings with the SEC and/or
applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities, including
the risk factors identified in RBA's most recent Quarterly Reports
on Form 10-Q and Annual Report on Form 10-K and IAA's most recent
Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Annual Report on Form 10-K. The
forward-looking statements included in this communication are made
only as of the date hereof. Neither RBA nor IAA undertakes any
obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect
actual results, new information, future events, changes in its
expectations or other circumstances that exist after the date as of
which the forward-looking statements were made, except as required
by law.
No Offer or Solicitation
This communication is not intended to and shall not constitute
an offer to buy or sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy or
sell any securities, or a solicitation of any vote or approval, nor
shall there be any offer, solicitation or sale of securities in any
jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be
unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the
securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offer of securities
shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the
requirements of Section 10 of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, or pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not
subject to, such registration requirements.
Important Additional Information
and Where to Find It
In connection with the proposed Merger, RBA filed with the SEC
and applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities a
registration statement on Form S-4 to register the common shares of
RBA to be issued in connection with the proposed Merger on
December 14, 2022 (the "Initial
Registration Statement"), as amended by Amendment No. 1 and
Amendment No. 2 to the Initial Registration Statement filed with
the SEC and applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities
on February 1, 2023 and February 9, 2023, respectively (together with the
Initial Registration Statement, the "Registration Statement"). The
Registration Statement was declared effective by the SEC on
February 10, 2023. The Registration
Statement includes a joint proxy statement/prospectus which will be
sent to the shareholders of RBA and stockholders of IAA seeking
their approval of their respective transaction-related proposals.
Each of RBA and IAA may also file other relevant documents with the
SEC and/or applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities
regarding the proposed Merger. This document is not a substitute
for the proxy statement/prospectus or Registration Statement or any
other document that RBA or IAA may file with the SEC and/or
applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities. INVESTORS
AND SECURITY HOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
ON FORM S-4 AND THE RELATED JOINT PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS,
AS WELL AS ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS TO THOSE DOCUMENTS AND ANY
OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED OR TO BE FILED WITH THE SEC and
applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities IN CONNECTION
WITH THE MERGER OR INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE IN THE PROXY
STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS, CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY IF AND WHEN
THEY BECOME AVAILABLE, BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN OR WILL CONTAIN
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT RBA, IAA AND THE MERGER.
Investors and security holders may obtain copies of these
documents (when they are available) free of charge through the
website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov, SEDAR at
www.sedar.com or from RBA at its website, investor.ritchiebros.com,
or from IAA at its website, investors.iaai.com. Documents filed
with the SEC and applicable Canadian securities regulatory
authorities by RBA (when they are available) will be available free
of charge by accessing RBA's website at investor.ritchiebros.com
under the heading Financials/SEC Filings, or, alternatively, by
directing a request by telephone or mail to RBA at 9500 Glenlyon
Parkway, Burnaby, BC, V5J 0C6,
Canada, and documents filed with
the SEC by IAA (when they are available) will be available free of
charge by accessing IAA's website at investors.iaai.com or by
contacting IAA's Investor Relations at investors@iaai.com.
Participants in the
Solicitation
RBA and IAA, certain of their respective directors and executive
officers and other members of management and employees, and
Jeffrey C. Smith and potentially
other employees of Starboard Value LP and certain of its
affiliates, may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of
proxies from the stockholders of RBA and IAA in respect of the
proposed Merger under the rules of the SEC. Information about RBA's
directors and executive officers is available in RBA's definitive
proxy statement on Schedule 14A for its 2022 Annual Meeting of
Shareholders, which was filed with the SEC and applicable Canadian
securities regulatory authorities on March
15, 2022, and certain of its Current Reports on Form 8-K.
Information about IAA's directors and executive officers is
available in IAA's definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A for
its 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, which was filed with the
SEC on May 2, 2022, and certain of
its Current Reports on Form 8-K. Other information regarding
persons who may be deemed participants in the proxy solicitation
and a description of their direct and indirect interests, by
security holdings or otherwise, including information with respect
to Mr. Smith, are contained or will be contained in the joint proxy
statement/prospectus and other relevant materials filed or to be
filed with the SEC and applicable Canadian securities regulatory
authorities regarding the proposed Merger when they become
available. Investors should read the joint proxy
statement/prospectus carefully before making any voting or
investment decisions. You may obtain free copies of these documents
from RBA or IAA free of charge using the sources indicated
above.
Contacts
Investors
Sameer Rathod
Vice President, Investor Relations & Market Intelligence
(510) 381-7584
srathod@ritchiebros.com
Media
Barrett Golden /
Lucas Pers / Haley Salas
Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer
Katcher
(212) 355-4449
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SOURCE Ritchie Bros.
Auctioneers