UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 14A
PROXY STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 14(a) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Filed by the Registrant ☒ Filed by a Party other than the Registrant ☐
Check the appropriate box:
☐ | Preliminary Proxy Statement | |
☐ | Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2)) | |
☐ | Definitive Proxy Statement | |
☐ | Definitive Additional Materials | |
☒ | Soliciting Material Pursuant to § 240.14a-12 |
Tilray, Inc.
(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)
(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement if other than the Registrant)
Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box)
☒ | No fee required. | |||
☐ | Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11. | |||
1. | Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies:
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2. | Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:
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3. | Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (set forth the amount on which the filing fee is calculated and state how it was determined):
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4. | Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:
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5. | Total fee paid:
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☐ | Fee paid previously with preliminary materials. | |||
☐ | Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing. | |||
1. | Amount Previously Paid:
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2. | Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.:
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3. | Filing Party:
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4. | Date Filed:
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This Schedule 14A filing consists of the following email communication (the Communication) from Tilray, Inc., a Delaware corporation (Tilray), to certain shareholders of Tilray, relating to the proposed business combination of Tilray and Aphria Inc., a corporation existing under the laws of the Province of Ontario (Aphria), pursuant to the terms of an Arrangement Agreement, dated December 15, 2020, as amended, by and among the Tilray and Aphria:
The Communication was first used or made available on April 6, 2021.
Subject: Voting Information - Tilray / Aphria Transaction Approval
Dear Tilray (former Privateer) Shareholders,
The special meeting to approve our proposed business combination with Aphria Inc. is scheduled for Friday, April 16, 2021. I am reaching out today to thank all who have already voted and to ask the remaining shareholders to please vote in support of this transaction.
This transaction marks the best path forward for our Company, providing certain and substantial value for our shareholders with the optionality to benefit further from the long-term growth potential of the new, combined Tilray. The findings from the two leading independent proxy advisory firms echo this message.
By combining our Company with Aphria, we will create the worlds largest global cannabis company by revenue and also immediately:
| substantially increase our market leadership in Canada with the best brands and distribution in the industry, |
| create an end-to-end GMP supply chain to take full advantage of the vast opportunity in international medical cannabis, |
| position ourselves to quickly capitalize on the US CPG opportunity when regulations allow, |
| benefit from meaningful cost synergies with additional upside, and |
| benefit from a strong financial position, with substantial cash on our balance sheet. |
The record date for determining who is eligible to vote was fixed on March 12, 2021. Since you held shares as of this record date, you are allowed to vote the number of shares that you held on March 12, 2021, regardless of the number of shares held on the day your vote is cast.
To simplify the voting process, you can email any or all of our proxy solicitors (copied here, Bob Marese (bmarese@mackenziepartners.com), Kevin White (kwhite@mackenziepartners.com) or John Bryan (jbryan@mackenziepartners.com)) to vote your shares per your request, or follow the instructions on the proxy card you should have previously received. Please indicate how you wish to vote on the four proposals in your email. If you email MacKenzie Partners, they will acknowledge receipt of your request to vote your record date shares. Should you have questions or need further assistance, MacKenzie Partners can be reached toll-free at 800-322-2885.
As a founder and a major Tilray shareholder myself, I thank you for your continued support.
Brendan
Brendan Kennedy | Chief Executive Officer |
brendan.kennedy@tilray.com |
2701 EASTLAKE AVE EAST, FLOOR THREE, SEATTLE, WA 98102 |
CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Certain information in this communication constitutes forward-looking information or forward-looking statements (together, forward-looking statements) under Canadian securities laws and 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, which are intended to be covered by the safe harbor created by such sections and other applicable laws. The forward-looking statements are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purpose of presenting information about managements current expectations and plans relating to the future, and readers are cautioned that such statements may not be appropriate for other purposes. Any information or statements that are contained in this communication that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, statements in this communication with regards to: (i) statements relating to the strategic business combination of Aphria and Tilray and the expected timing and closing of the proposed business combination (the Transaction); Transaction including, receipt of required shareholder approvals, court approvals and satisfaction of other closing customary conditions; (ii) estimates of pro-forma financial information of the Combined Company, including in respect of expected revenues and production of cannabis; (iii) the expected strategic and financial benefits of the business combination, including estimates of future cost reductions, synergies, including expected pre-tax synergies, savings and efficiencies; (iv) statements that the Combined Company anticipates having scalable medical and adult-use cannabis platforms expected to strengthen the leadership position in Canada, internationally and, eventually in the United States; (v) statements that the Combined Company is expected to offer a diversified and branded product offering and distribution footprint, state-of-the-art cultivation, processing and manufacturing facilities; (vi) statements in respect of operational efficiencies expected to be generated as a result of the Transaction in the amount of approximately C$100 million of pre-tax annual cost synergies; (vii) statements regarding the value and returns to shareholders expected to be generated by the business combination; (viii) expectations of future balance sheet strength and future equity; (ix) expectations regarding the Combined Companys future M&A strategy; and (x) the expectation that the Combined Companys shares will be listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange concurrently with, or as soon as possible after, the closing of the Transaction. Aphria and Tilray use words such as forecast, future, should, could, enable, potential, contemplate, believe, anticipate, estimate, plan, expect, intend, may, project, will, would and the negative of these terms or similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Certain material factors or assumptions were used in drawing the conclusions contained in the forward-looking statements throughout this communication, including the ability of the parties to receive, in a timely manner and on satisfactory terms, the necessary shareholder and court approvals for the Transaction, the ability of the parties to satisfy, in a timely manner, the conditions to closing of the Transaction and other expectations and assumptions concerning the Transaction. Forward-looking statements reflect current beliefs of management of Aphria and Tilray with respect to future events and are based on information currently available to each respective management team including the reasonable assumptions, estimates, analysis and opinions of management of Aphria and Tilray considering their experience, perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments as well as other factors that each respective management believes to be relevant as at the date such statements are made. Forward-looking statements involve significant known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause actual results, performance or achievement to be materially different from any future forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause such differences include, but are not limited to, risks assumptions and expectations described in Aphrias and Tilrays critical accounting policies and estimates; the adoption and impact of certain accounting pronouncements; Aphrias and Tilrays future financial and operating performance; the competitive and business strategies of Aphria and Tilray; the intention to grow the business, operations and potential activities of Aphria and Tilray; the ability of Aphria and Tilray to complete the Transaction; Aphrias and Tilrays ability to provide a return on investment; Aphrias and Tilrays ability to maintain a strong financial position and manage costs, the ability of Aphria and Tilray to maximize the utilization of their existing assets and investments and that the completion of the Transaction is subject to the satisfaction or waiver of a number of conditions as set forth in the Arrangement Agreement. There can be no assurance as to when these conditions will be satisfied or waived, if at all, or that other events will not intervene to delay or result in the failure to complete the Transaction. There is a risk that some or all the expected benefits of the Transaction may fail to materialize or may not occur within the time periods anticipated by Aphria and Tilray. The challenge of coordinating previously independent businesses makes evaluating the business and future financial prospects of the Combined Company following the Transaction difficult. Material risks that could cause actual results to differ from forward-looking statements also include the inherent uncertainty associated with the financial and other projections a well as market changes arising from governmental actions or market conditions in response to the COVID-19 public health crisis; the prompt and effective integration of the Combined Company; the ability to achieve the anticipated synergies and value-creation contemplated by the Transaction; the risk associated with Aphrias and Tilrays ability to obtain the approval of the proposed transaction by their shareholders required to consummate the Transaction and the timing of the closing of the Transaction, including the risk that the conditions to the Transaction are not satisfied on a timely basis or at all; the risk that a consent or authorization that may be required for the Transaction is not obtained or is obtained subject to conditions that are not anticipated; the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against the parties and others related to the Arrangement Agreement; unanticipated difficulties or expenditures relating to the Transaction, the response of business partners and retention as a result of the announcement and pendency of the Transaction; risks relating to the value of Tilrays common stock to be issued in connection with the transaction; the impact of competitive responses to the announcement of the Transaction; and the diversion of management time on transaction-related issues. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. Other risks and uncertainties not presently known to Aphria and Tilray or that Aphria and Tilray presently believe are not material could also cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements contained herein. For a more detailed discussion of risks and other factors, see the most recently filed annual information form of Aphria and the annual report filed on form 10-K of Tilray made with applicable securities regulatory authorities and available on SEDAR and EDGAR. The forward-looking statements included in this communication are made as of the date of this communication and neither Aphria nor Tilray undertake any obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect new information, subsequent events or otherwise unless required by applicable securities laws.
Additional Information About the Transaction and Where to Find It
This communication is not intended to and does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to subscribe for or buy or an invitation to purchase or subscribe for any securities or the solicitation of any vote or approval in any jurisdiction, nor shall there be any sale, issuance or transfer of securities in any jurisdiction in contravention of applicable law. This communication is being made in respect of the proposed transaction involving Aphria and Tilray pursuant to the terms of an arrangement agreement by and among Aphria and Tilray and may be deemed to be soliciting material relating to the proposed transaction.
In connection with the Transaction, Tilray has filed a joint proxy statement/management information circular (the Circular) containing important information about the Transaction and related matters. The Circular has also been made available by Aphria and Tilray on their respective SEDAR profiles. Additionally, Aphria and Tilray will file other relevant materials in connection with the Transaction with the applicable securities regulatory authorities. Investors and security holders of Aphria and Tilray are urged to carefully read the entire Circular (including any amendments or supplements to such documents), respectively, before making any voting decision with respect to the Transaction because they contain important information about the Transaction and the parties to the Transaction. The Circular will be mailed to the Aphria Shareholders and Tilray Stockholders and is accessible on the SEDAR and EDGAR profiles of the respective companies.
Investors and security holders of Tilray can obtain a free copy of the Circular, as well as other relevant filings containing information about Tilray and the Transaction, including materials incorporated by reference into the Circular, without charge, at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commissions website (www.sec.gov) or from Tilray by contacting Tilrays Investor Relations at (203) 682-8253, by email at Raphael.Gross@icrinc.com, or by going to Tilrays Investor Relations page on its website at https://ir.tilray.com/investor-relations and clicking on the link titled Financials.
Investors and security holders of Aphria are able to obtain a free copy of the Circular, as well as other relevant filings containing information about Aphria and the Transaction, including materials incorporated by reference into the Circular, without charge, under Aphrias profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com or from Aphria by contacting Aphrias investor relations at investors@aphria.com