IRVINE, Calif. and TORONTO, Nov. 05, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PRESS RELEASE -- Terra Tech Corp., a vertically integrated cannabis-focused agriculture company, announced that on Nov. 2, 2018 it signed a non-binding letter of intent to merge with Golden Leaf Holdings Ltd., a cannabis company with cultivation, production and retail operations built around recognized brands. Under the terms of the letter of intent, a wholly owned subsidiary of Terra Tech will amalgamate with Golden Leaf, with the resulting amalgamated corporation being a wholly owned subsidiary of Terra Tech. Consummation of the transaction is subject to a number of conditions, including entering into a mutually agreed definitive arrangement agreement, completion of due diligence, the waiting period for the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act, state and local regulatory approvals, approval by the Ontario courts, Terra Tech board approval, Golden Leaf receiving a positive fairness opinion, Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) approval and Golden Leaf shareholder and board approval.
The LOI provides that Golden Leaf shareholders will be entitled to receive 0.1203 common shares of Terra Tech for each common share of Golden Leaf held. Terra Tech currently has 79.2 million shares outstanding. As a condition of closing, Terra Tech will be required to list its shares on the CSE. Listing will be subject to satisfying all of the CSE's requirements. Upon closing, Derek Peterson will remain in his position as CEO, with William Simpson to become president of the combined company. All references to currency are in U.S. dollars, unless otherwise indicated. There is no assurance that the transaction will be consummated on the terms outlined above or at all.
Peterson, CEO of Terra Tech, commented, “As new participants enter the cannabis industry the market is undergoing rapid consolidation. The companies that are vertically integrated with strong brands and multi-jurisdictional operations are best situated to achieve scale and retain market-leading positions. We are planning to merge with Golden Leaf’s operations because its seed-to-sale business model is complementary to ours, encompassing both the Oregon and Canadian market which represent new markets for us, and touching Nevada where we are focused on gaining market share. Its ‘Chalice Farms’ retail dispensaries are well known and have an excellent reputation in Oregon, and the wholesale side of the business offers diverse, high quality cannabis products for all demographics, which are complementary to our existing wholesale product lines. This transaction, if completed, will create a combined company that will control 41 permits across cultivation, manufacturing, distribution and retail spanning Oregon, California and Nevada, in addition to 21 pending permit applications in multiple jurisdictions throughout the U.S.”
Simpson, CEO of Golden Leaf, commented, “Golden Leaf is dedicated to building shareholder value and we are pleased to have this opportunity to combine forces with Terra Tech, an established, vertically-integrated cannabis operator with a presence in multiple states and, most importantly, a proven reputation and loyal customer base. We are excited at the prospect of significantly expanding our size and reach through this merger and believe that the combined company will improve our growth trajectory and enable us to benefit from several operational synergies that will improve the running of our business.”