Predictive Oncology Reports Year End 2020 Financial Results, Provides Business Update

MINNEAPOLIS, March 15, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Predictive Oncology (NASDAQ: POAI) – Predictive Oncology (Nasdaq: POAI), a knowledge-driven company focused on applying artificial intelligence (“AI”) to personalized medicine and drug discovery, today reported financial results for the year ended December 31, 2020 and provided an update on business activities.


2020 Highlights:

  • Reinforced balance sheet with net debt and equity offerings for estimated net proceeds of $12,952,689.
  • Completed an asset purchase agreement to acquire Soluble Therapeutics and its HSC™ Technology along with BioDtech Inc; Soluble Biotech moves into new office/lab space tripling capacity.
  • Completed the asset purchase of Quantitative Medicine (“QM”), a biomedical analytics and computational biology company, including an AI Engine™ (CoRE™) that facilitates accelerated drug discovery and development.
  • Signed first contract with a pharmaceutical company for protein expression and solubility studies.
  • Exchanged $2.1M of debt for equity, streamlining capital structure and simplifying balance sheet. Sold 25 STREAMWAY® systems, including eight to a large university hospital organization in Virginia; Predictive’s legacy company Skyline Medical became self-supporting from a cash standpoint.
  • Secured first commercial sale of novel ovarian cancer cell media for cancer cells collected from patient derived samples through TumorGenesis division.
  • Strengthened Board of Directors with appointment of four new independent directors.

“We are pleased that this past year has resulted in so many significant milestones,” said Dr. Carl Schwartz, Chief Financial Officer of Predictive Oncology. “This includes reinforcing our balance sheet through strategic equity offerings and various cost-saving measures, significant corporate acquisitions allowing the Company to augment its revenue-producing business segments and bringing even more experience to our Board of Directors in the form of 4 key industry experts.

“In M&A activity, the Company acquired the assets of Soluble Therapeutics and BioDtech in May of 2020. Specifically, Soluble provides optimized FDA-approved formulations for vaccines, antibodies, and other protein therapeutics in a faster and lower cost basis to its customers and enables protein degradation studies which is a new and substantial line of business for the Company. As the newest business segment, Soluble signed its first contract during the third quarter of 2020, and additional contracts during the first quarter of 2021. Several of our clients have seen ten-fold and hundred-fold increases in their protein’s solubility while maintaining physical stability. For biopharmaceutical clients this means faster development times and quicker progression of molecules into the clinic.

“Our legacy company, Skyline Medical, our second business segment, operated with reduced personal and associated operating costs in 2020, in part aided by the Company lowering the number of full-time employees, thus becoming self-sustaining from an operation cash perspective. By streamlining our production, the Company maximized efficiency attaining similar revenue to 2019. Throughout the year we continued to receive indications of interest from several parties for the possible acquisition of the Skyline division, as well as other partnership initiatives,” continued Dr. Schwartz.

“Finally, our Helomics division’s mission is to improve clinical outcomes for patients by partnering with pharmaceutical, diagnostic, and academic organizations to bring innovative clinical products and technologies to the marketplace. This also includes applying our unique technology applications in our Contract Research Organization (“CRO”) business and other new business areas, to which we have already committed significant capital and management resources and intend to continue to do so. Going forward, we have determined that we will focus our resources on the Helomics segment and our primary mission of applying Artificial Intelligence and machine learning to precision medicine and drug discovery.

Dr. Schwartz concluded “We welcomed new Board Members Dr. Daniel Handley, Dr. Nancy Chung-Welch, Mr. Chuck Nuzum, and Mr. Gregory S. St. Clair to the Predictive Oncology family this year. Management remains committed to lowering costs and maintaining an efficient operation, as we continue to make strategic measures to become a profitable leader in the personalized medicine and drug discovery industry.”


Fiscal Year 2020 Financial results

The Company recorded revenue of $1,252,272 in 2020, compared to $1,411,565 in 2019. Skyline division was responsible for the majority of the revenue, with Helomics generating $64,188 and $48,447 in revenue in the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. We sold 25 STREAMWAY System units in 2020 and 41 STREAMWAY System units in 2019.

The gross profit margin was 64% in 2020, a 2% increase over 2019. Our margins increased in 2020 primarily due to increased cost of sales related to sales in the Skyline Medical business in 2020 as a result of lower number of units, average cost increased slightly. Operations expense decreased by $608,422 to $2,351,709 in 2020 compared to $2,960,131 in 2019. The decrease in operations expense in 2020 was primarily due to lower payroll costs and employee stock option vesting expenses, offset by increased costs associated with cloud computing.

Sales and marketing expenses decreased as well, dropping $1,327,962 to $584,937 in 2020 compared to $1,912,899 in 2019. Such expenses related almost exclusively to the Skyline Medical business. The decrease in 2020 was a direct result of the strategic decision focus on the precision medicine business and reduce the emphasis on expenditures in the Skyline Medical business.

Net cash used in operating activities was $12,257,732 in 2020, compared with net cash used of $8,732,451 in 2019. Cash used in operating activities increased in 2020 primarily because of the increased outflows related to payments on accounts payables and payments for accrued expenses, inventories, and prepaid expenses. Cash flows used in investing activities were $167,456 in 2020 and $599,087 in 2019. Cash flows used in investing activities in 2020 were primarily purchases of fixed assets, offset by disposals of fixed assets.

We incurred a loss on impairment of goodwill of $12,876,498 during 2020. We incurred impairments charges of $8,100,000 and $770,250 on goodwill and intangibles, respectively, during 2019.

COVID-19 has impacted the Company’s capital and financial resources, including our overall liquidity position and outlook. For instance, our accounts receivable has slowed while our suppliers continue to ask for pre-delivery deposits. We incurred net losses of $25,884,397 and $19,390,766 for the years ended December 31, 2020, and December 31, 2019, respectively. As of December 31, 2020, and December 31, 2019, we had an accumulated deficit of $108,383,108 and $82,498,711, respectively. The Company experienced negative operating cash flows of $12,257,732 and $8,732,451 in 2020 and 2019, respectively. Our cash balance was $678,332 as of December 31, 2020, and our accounts payable and accrued expenses were an aggregate $3,960,117. Additionally, all amounts payable related to outstanding debt agreements have been subsequently repaid.

Net cash provided by financing activities was $12,952,689 in 2020 compared to net cash provided of $9,320,217 in 2019. Cash flows provided by financing activities in 2020 were primarily due to proceeds from proceeds of common stock issuances of $4,891,348, proceeds from the issuance of common stock, prefunded warrants, warrants and the exchange of warrants of $5,057,919 and the exercise of warrants of $1,935,855. Already during the first quarter of 2021, we have received $31,077,232 in net proceeds from investors.

About Predictive Oncology Inc.

Predictive Oncology (NASDAQ: POAI) operates through three segments (Skyline, Helomics and Soluble Biotech), which contain four subsidiaries: Helomics, TumorGenesis, Skyline Medical and Soluble Biotech.

Helomics applies artificial intelligence to its rich data gathered from patient tumors to both personalize cancer therapies for patients and drive the development of new targeted therapies in collaborations with pharmaceutical companies. TumorGenesis Inc. specializes in media that help cancer cells grow and retain their DNA/RNA and proteomic signatures, providing researchers with a tool to expand and study cancer cell types found in tumors of the blood and organ systems of all mammals, including humans. Skyline Medical markets its patented and FDA cleared STREAMWAY System, which automates the collection, measurement, and disposal of waste fluid, including blood, irrigation fluid and others, within a medical facility, through both domestic and international divisions. Soluble Biotech is a provider of soluble and stable formulations for proteins including vaccines, antibodies, large and small proteins, and protein complexes.

Forward-Looking Statements:

Certain matters discussed in this release contain forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements reflect our current expectations and projections about future events and are subject to substantial risks, uncertainties and assumptions about our operations and the investments we make. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this press release regarding our strategy, future operations, future financial position, future revenue and financial performance, projected costs, prospects, plans and objectives of management are forward-looking statements. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “would,” “target” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Our actual future performance may materially differ from that contemplated by the forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors including, among other things, factors discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” in our filings with the SEC. Except as expressly required by law, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

PREDICTIVE ONCOLOGY INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(Unaudited)

    December 31,

2020
  December 31,

2019
ASSETS                
Current Assets:                
Cash   $ 678,332     $ 150,831  
Accounts Receivable     256,878       297,055  
Inventories     289,535       190,156  
Prepaid Expense and Other Assets     289,490       160,222  
Total Current Assets     1,514,235       798,264  
                 
Fixed Assets, net     3,822,700       1,507,799  
Intangibles, net     3,398,101       3,649,412  
Lease Right-of-Use Assets     1,395,351       729,745  
Other Long-Term Assets     116,257        
Goodwill     2,813,792       15,690,290  
Total Assets   $ 13,060,436     $ 22,375,510  
                 
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY                
Current Liabilities:                
Accounts Payable   $ 1,372,070     $ 3,155,641  
Notes Payable – Net of Discounts of $244,830 and $350,426     4,431,925       4,795,800  
Accrued Expenses and other liabilities     2,588,047       2,371,633  
Derivative Liability     294,382       50,989  
Deferred Revenue     53,028       40,384  
Lease Liability – Net of Long-Term Portion     597,469       459,481  
Total Current Liabilities     9,336,921       10,873,928  
                 
Other Long-Term Liabilities     235,705        
Lease Liability, long-term portion     845,129       270,264  
Total Liabilities     10,417,755       11,144,192  
Stockholders’ Equity:                
Preferred Stock, 20,000,000 authorized inclusive of designated below            
Series B Convertible Preferred Stock, $.01 par value, 2,300,000 authorized, 79,246 and 79,246 shares outstanding     792       792  
Series D Convertible Preferred Stock, $.01 par value, 3,500,000 authorized, 0 and 3,500,000 shares outstanding           35,000  
Series E Convertible Preferred Stock, $.01 par value, 350 authorized, 0 and 258 shares outstanding           3  
Common Stock, $.01 par value, 100,000,000 authorized, 19,804,787 and 4,056,652 outstanding     198,048       40,567  
Additional Paid-in Capital     110,826,949       93,653,667  
Accumulated Deficit     (108,383,108 )     (82,498,711 )
Total Stockholders’ Equity     2,642,681       11,231,318  
                 
Total Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity   $ 13,060,436     $ 22,375,510  



PREDICTIVE ONCOLOGY INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF NET LOSS

(Unaudited) 

    Year Ended December 31,
    2020   2019
Revenue   $ 1,252,272     $ 1,411,565  
Cost of goods sold     447,192       531,810  
Gross profit     805,080       879,755  
General and administrative expense     10,351,973       9,781,218  
Operations expense     2,351,709       2,960,131  
Sales and marketing expense     584,937       1,912,899  
Loss on goodwill impairment     12,876,498       8,100,000  
Loss on intangible impairment           770,250  
Total operating loss     (25,360,037 )     (22,644,743 )
Gain on revaluation of cash advances to Helomics           1,222,244  
Other income     843,440       65,300  
Other expense     (2,427,026 )     (3,466,696 )
Loss on early extinguishment of debt     (1,996,681 )     (513,250 )
Gain on derivative instruments     1,765,907       221,756  
Gain on notes receivables associated with asset purchase     1,290,000        
Loss on equity method investment           (439,637 )
Gain on revaluation of equity method investment           6,164,260  
Net loss   $ (25,884,397 )   $ (19,390,766 )
Deemed dividend on Series E Convertible Preferred Stock     554,287       289,935  
Net loss attributable to common shareholders   $ (26,438,684 )   $ (19,680,701 )
             
Loss per common share – basic and diluted   $ (2.21 )   $ (6.86 )
             
Weighted average shares used in computation – basic and diluted     11,950,154       2,870,132  



Home Bancshares, Inc. Announces First Quarter Earnings Release Date and Conference Call

CONWAY, Ark., March 15, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Home BancShares, Inc. (NASDAQ-GS: HOMB), parent company of Centennial Bank, today announced it expects to release First Quarter 2021 earnings before the market opens on April 15, 2021. Following this release, management will conduct a conference call to review these earnings at 1:00 p.m. CT (2:00 p.m. ET) on Thursday, April 15, 2021.

We encourage all participants to pre-register for the conference call using the following link: https://dpregister.com/sreg/10153260/e502592c38. Callers who pre-register will be given dial-in instructions and a unique PIN to gain immediate access to the live call. Participants may pre-register now, or at any time prior to the call, and will immediately receive simple instructions via email. The Home BancShares conference call will also be automatically scheduled as an event in your Outlook calendar.

Those without internet access or unable to pre-register may dial in and listen to the live call by calling 1-877-508-9586 and asking for the Home BancShares conference call. A replay of the call will be available by calling 1-877-344-7529, Passcode: 10153260, which will be available until April 22, 2021 at 10:59 p.m. CT (11:59 p.m. ET). Internet access to the call will be available live or in recorded version on the Company’s website at www.homebancshares.com.  

Home BancShares, Inc. is a bank holding company, headquartered in Conway, Arkansas. Its wholly-owned subsidiary, Centennial Bank, provides a broad range of commercial and retail banking plus related financial services to businesses, real estate developers, investors, individuals and municipalities. Centennial Bank has branch locations in Arkansas, Florida, South Alabama and New York City. The Company’s common stock is traded through the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “HOMB.”

This release may contain forward-looking statements regarding the Company’s plans, expectations, goals and outlook for the future. Statements in this press release that are not historical facts should be considered forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements of this type speak only as of the date of this news release. By nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risk and uncertainties. Various factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, the following:  economic conditions, credit quality, interest rates, loan demand, real estate values and unemployment; disruptions, uncertainties and related effects on our business and operations as a result of the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and measures that have been or may be implemented or imposed in response to the pandemic, including the impact on, among other things, credit quality and liquidity; the ability to identify, complete and successfully integrate new acquisitions; legislative and regulatory changes and risks and expenses associated with current and future legislation and regulations, including those in response to the COVID-19 pandemic; technological changes and cybersecurity risks; the effects of changes in accounting policies and practices, including from the adoption of the current expected credit loss (CECL) model on January 1, 2020; changes in governmental monetary and fiscal policies; political instability; competition from other financial institutions; potential claims, expenses and other adverse effects related to current or future litigation, regulatory examinations or other government actions; changes in the assumptions used in making the forward-looking statements; and other factors described in reports we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including those factors set forth in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, filed with the SEC on February 26, 2021.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:


Home BancShares, Inc.
                                        
Donna Townsell                                                
Senior Executive Vice President & Director of Investor Relations                                                
(501) 328-4625                                                
Ticker symbol: HOMB



PyroGenesis Announces Acceleration of Warrant Expiry Date; Representing $5.2 million in Total Potential Cash Proceeds

MONTREAL, March 15, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — PyroGenesis Canada Inc. (http://pyrogenesis.com) (TSX: PYR) (NASDAQ: PYR) (FRA: 8PY), (the “Company” or “PyroGenesis”), a Company that designs, develops, manufactures and commercializes plasma atomized metal powder, environmentally friendly plasma waste-to-energy systems and clean plasma torch products, today announced that it has elected to exercise its right under the common share purchase warrant indenture (the “Warrant Indenture”) dated November 10, 2020, between the Company and AST Trust Company (Canada) (the “Warrant Agent”), to accelerate the expiry date of the common share purchase warrants of the Company (the “Warrants”) issued under the Warrant Indenture. The Warrants were issued on November 10, 2020, in connection with the bought-deal short form prospectus offering of units of the Company, of which each unit was comprised of one common share of the Company and one-half of one Warrant.

Under the Warrant Indenture, the Company has the right to accelerate the expiry date of the Warrants to the date that is 30 days after delivery of a notice (the “Acceleration Notice”) to the holders of Warrants and the Warrant Agent confirming that the volume weighted average trading price of the Company’s common shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange is greater than $6.75 for 20 consecutive trading days (the “VWAP Requirement”). The VWAP Requirement was met as of close of business March 10, 2021. The Warrants will now expire at 5:00 p.m. (Toronto time) on April 14, 2021 (the “New Expiry Date”). Warrants that have not been exercised prior to the New Expiry Date will expire unexercised and will automatically be void and of no effect whatsoever. The Company has delivered the Acceleration Notice as required by the Warrant Indenture.

Each Warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one additional common share of the Company at an exercise price of $4.50 prior to the New Expiry Date. If all the Warrants were exercised as of the date hereof, the gross proceeds to the Company would be approximately $5.2 million. As of the date hereof, assuming all the Warrants were exercised, the Company’s cash on hand would be approximately $33.5 million.

For further clarification, 1,677,275 Warrants were issued on December 10, 2020. Since that time, 520,472 Warrants were exercised, leaving a balance of 1,156,803 Warrants outstanding as of today.

Questions concerning acceleration of the Warrant expiry date and the exercise of the Warrants can be directed to AST Trust Company (Canada), 1 Toronto Street, Suite 1200, Toronto, Ontario, M5C 2V6, Canada.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any PyroGenesis securities and shall not constitute an offer, solicitation, or sale in any jurisdiction in which such offering, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

About PyroGenesis Canada Inc.

PyroGenesis Canada Inc., a high-tech company, is a leader in the design, development, manufacture and commercialization of advanced plasma processes and products. The Company provides its engineering and manufacturing expertise and its turnkey process equipment packages to customers in the defense, metallurgical, mining, advanced materials (including 3D printing), and environmental industries. With a team of experienced engineers, scientists and technicians working out of its Montreal office and its 3,800 m2 manufacturing facility, PyroGenesis maintains its competitive advantage by remaining at the forefront of technology development and commercialization. The Company’s core competencies allow PyroGenesis to provide innovative plasma torches, plasma waste processes, high-temperature metallurgical processes, and engineering services to the global marketplace. PyroGenesis’ operations are ISO 9001:2015 and AS9100D certified. For more information, please visit www.pyrogenesis.com.

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements containing the words “may”, “plan”, “will”, “estimate”, “continue”, “anticipate”, “intend”, “expect”, “in the process” and other similar expressions which constitute “forward- looking information” within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements reflect the Corporation’s current expectation and assumptions and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, our expectations regarding the acceptance of our products by the market, our strategy to develop new products and enhance the capabilities of existing products, our strategy with respect to research and development, the impact of competitive products and pricing, new product development, and uncertainties related to the regulatory approval process. Such statements reflect the current views of the Corporation with respect to future events and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties and other risks detailed from time-to-time in the Corporation’s ongoing filings with the securities regulatory authorities, which filings can be found at www.sedar.com, or at

www.sec.gov.

Actual results, events, and performance may differ materially. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The Corporation undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward- looking statements either as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required
by applicable securities laws. Neither the Toronto Stock Exchange, its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Toronto Stock Exchange) nor the NASDAQ Stock Market, LLC accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

SOURCE PyroGenesis Canada Inc.

For further information please contact:
Rodayna Kafal, Vice President, IR/Comms. and Strategic BD
Phone: (514) 937-0002, E-mail: [email protected] 

RELATED LINK: http://www.pyrogenesis.com/



Natural Resource Partners L.P. 2020 Form 10-K Now Available

Natural Resource Partners L.P. 2020 Form 10-K Now Available

HOUSTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Natural Resource Partners L.P. (NYSE: NRP) announced today that it has filed the partnership’s Annual Report Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 2020 with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The report is available on NRP’s website at www.nrplp.com, and hard copies of the report may be requested free of charge, at [email protected] or by contacting the partnership at 1201 Louisiana, Suite 3400, Houston, TX 77002.

Company Profile

Natural Resource Partners L.P., a master limited partnership headquartered in Houston, TX, is a natural resource company that owns, manages and leases a diversified portfolio of mineral properties in the United States, including interests in coal, industrial minerals and other natural resources, and owns an equity investment in Ciner Wyoming, a trona/soda ash operation.

For additional information please contact Tiffany Sammis at 713-751-7515 or [email protected]. Further information about NRP is available on the partnership’s website at http://www.nrplp.com.

Tiffany Sammis

713-751-7515

[email protected]

KEYWORDS: United States North America Texas

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Coal Energy Natural Resources Mining/Minerals

MEDIA:

SHAREHOLDER ALERT: Lowey Dannenberg is Investigating American Express Company for Potential Breaches of Fiduciary Duty by Its Board of Directors

NEW YORK, March 15, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Lowey Dannenberg P.C., a preeminent law firm in obtaining redress for consumers and investors, is investigating a potential breach of fiduciary duty claim involving the board of directors of American Express Company (“American Express” or the “Company”) (NYSE: AXP).

Recently, the Company disclosed that a number of federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Justice, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency are examining its sales practices for its consumer and small business credit cards.

If you are a long-term shareholder of American Express and wish to participate, learn more, or discuss the issues surrounding the investigation, please contact us at (914) 733-7256 or via email at [email protected].

About Lowey Dannenberg

Lowey Dannenberg is a national firm representing institutional and individual investors, who suffered financial losses resulting from corporate fraud and malfeasance in violation of federal securities and antitrust laws. The firm has significant experience in prosecuting multi-million-dollar lawsuits and has previously recovered billions of dollars on behalf of investors.

Contact

Lowey Dannenberg P.C.
44 South Broadway, Suite 1100
White Plains, NY 10601
Tel: (914) 733-7256
Email: [email protected]



IIROC Trading Resumption – WLF

Canada NewsWire

VANCOUVER, BC, March 15, 2021 /CNW/ – Trading resumes in:

Company: Wolfden Resources Corporation

TSX-Venture Symbol: WLF

All Issues: Yes

Resumption (ET): 8:00 AM3/16/2021

IIROC can make a decision to impose a temporary suspension (halt) of trading in a security of a publicly-listed company. Trading halts are implemented to ensure a fair and orderly market. IIROC is the national self-regulatory organization which oversees all investment dealers and trading activity on debt and equity marketplaces in Canada.

SOURCE Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC) – Halts/Resumptions

Westport Fuel Systems Announces Inclusion in the S&P/TSX Composite Index

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 15, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Westport Fuel Systems Inc. (TSX | Nasdaq: WPRT) a global leader in alternative fuel, low-emissions transportation technologies is pleased to announce that its commons shares will be added by Dow Jones to the S&P/TSX Composite Index effective Monday, March 22, 2022, prior to the open of trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange (“TSX”).

“We are honored to be added to the S&P/TSX composite index,” said David M. Johnson, CEO of Westport Fuel Systems. “This milestone is a recognition of our achievements over the past few years, and I would like to thank our employees and board of directors for their contributions to our success. The need for gaseous fuel systems and components that decarbonize transportation continues to grow, and Westport Fuel Systems is well positioned to deliver outstanding value to our customers and our shareholders.”

About S&P Dow Jones Indices

S&P Dow Jones Indices is the largest global resource for essential index-based concepts, data and research, and home to iconic financial market indicators, such as the S&P 500® and the Dow Jones Industrial Average®.

S&P Dow Jones Indices is a division of S&P Global (NYSE: SPGI), which provides essential intelligence for individuals, companies, and governments to make decisions with confidence.

About Westport Fuel Systems

Westport Fuel Systems is driving innovation to power a cleaner tomorrow. The company is a leading supplier of advanced fuel delivery components and systems for clean, low-carbon fuels such as natural gas, renewable natural gas, propane, and hydrogen to the global automotive industry. Westport’s technology delivers the performance and fuel efficiency required by transportation applications and the environmental benefits that address climate change and urban air quality challenges. Headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, with operations in Europe, Asia, North America and South America, the company serves customers in more than 70 countries with leading global transportation brands. For more information, visit www.wfsinc.com.

Investor Inquiries:

Christine Marks
Investor Relations
T: +1 604-718-2046
E:[email protected]



Trulieve Expands C-Suite, Legal and Government Affairs Teams to Support Explosive Growth

PR Newswire

Trulieve Promotes Eric Powers to Chief Legal Officer and Appoints

Ronda Sheffield to Chief Human Resources Officer,


Zachary Kobrin to General Counsel, Aaron Lopez to Director Government Affairs

TALLAHASSEE, Fla., March 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ – Trulieve Cannabis Corp (CSE: TRUL) (OTC: TCNNF) (“Trulieve” or the “Company”), a leading and top-performing cannabis company in the United States, today announced the promotion of Eric Powers to Chief Legal Officer, and the appointments of Ronda Sheffield to Chief Human Resources Officer, Zachary Kobrin to General Counsel, and Aaron Lopez to Director Government Affairs effective March 15, 2021. Building out Trulieve’s legal and human resources infrastructure and government affairs practice empowers the Company to meet growth more effectively.

“Eric’s leadership of our legal team has been instrumental in Trulieve’s continued success. With the addition of Ronda, Zack and Aaron, we are ideally positioned to drive and support Trulieve’s growth initiatives and execute on our national expansion strategy as one of the largest and most trusted cannabis brands,” said Kim Rivers, CEO of Trulieve. “I look forward to working with our experienced and proven leadership team as we continue to deliver the quality cannabis products and exceptional customer service that Trulieve is renowned for.”

For the last two years, Eric Powers has served as Trulieve’s General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, leading the legal team and supporting Trulieve’s national expansion. As CLO, Powers will focus strategically on Trulieve’s shift to national expansion. He has more than 25 years of broad legal experience through his work in corporate and tax law, both in-house and private practice. Prior to joining Trulieve, Powers served as Vice President and Corporate Secretary for a >$1 billion revenue publicly-traded insurance company.

As a human resources executive for more than 20 years, Ronda Sheffield brings extensive experience leading organizational transformations. Most recently the Chief Human Resources Officer for ModWash, Sheffield has held HR leadership positions for top corporations including Lowe’s Home Improvement, Sprint Wireless, Starbucks Coffee Company, and Walmart Stores—where she led the HR functions for both the corporate and retail divisions. She is particularly skilled and experienced in organizational development, diversity and inclusion, leadership coaching and development, staffing, employment law, talent management, succession planning, and employee relations. Sheffield is a member of the USA CHRO Executive Committee and SHRM Atlanta.

Zack Kobrin was a partner with Akerman LLP, where he was a leader in the firm’s nationally recognized cannabis practice group. Prior to Akerman, Zack was the General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer for a multi-state cannabis company and is considered an expert in cannabis and hemp law matters. In his prior capacity, Kobrin advised a number of entities on corporate, business development and formation, as well as, legal, regulatory, and compliance matters in the cannabis and hemp industry throughout the United States and emerging international markets. Additionally, he advised clients on developing federal and state public policy matters, as well as banking and insurance issues impacting the cannabis and hemp industry. Amongst his many honors and distinctions, Kobrin was appointed to the Florida Medical Cannabis Advisory Committee by the Florida Commissioner of Agriculture & Consumer Services, where he serves as its co-chair.

Aaron Lopez joins as Trulieve’s first Director of Government Affairs. Prior to joining Trulieve, Lopez was the founder of Political Capital LLC, which has worked with leading clients in multiple industries to provide insight and a voice in the legislative and political processes at international, federal, and state levels. He has served as head of government affairs across various industries including pharmaceutical, hospitality, oil and gas, and financial services. For the past five years, Lopez has worked with state agencies and legislators in Virginia and West Virginia on the creation of medical cannabis laws.

About Trulieve

Trulieve is primarily a vertically integrated “seed-to-sale” company in the U.S. and is the first and largest fully licensed medical cannabis company in the State of Florida. Trulieve cultivates and produces all of its products in-house and distributes those products to Trulieve-branded stores (dispensaries) throughout the State of Florida, as well as directly to patients via home delivery. Trulieve is also licensed operator in California, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Trulieve is listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the symbol TRUL and trades on the OTCQX Best Market under the symbol TCNNF.

To learn more about Trulieve, visit www.Trulieve.com.

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SOURCE Trulieve Cannabis Corp.

Centennial Resource Development, Inc. Announces Proposed Exchangeable Senior Notes Offering

DENVER, March 15, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Centennial Resource Development, Inc. (NASDAQ: CDEV) (the “Company” or “Centennial”) today announced its intention to offer, subject to market and other conditions, $150,000,000 aggregate principal amount of exchangeable senior notes due 2028 (the “notes”) of its wholly owned operating subsidiary, Centennial Resource Production, LLC (“CRP”), in a public offering registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The notes will be fully and unconditionally guaranteed, on a senior, unsecured basis, by Centennial and CRP’s subsidiaries that currently guarantee CRP’s outstanding senior notes. CRP expects to grant the underwriters of the notes a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional $22,500,000 principal amount of notes, solely to cover over-allotments.

The notes will be senior, unsecured obligations of CRP, will accrue interest payable semi-annually in arrears and will mature on April 1, 2028, unless earlier repurchased, redeemed or exchanged. Noteholders will have the right to exchange their notes in certain circumstances and during specified periods. CRP will settle exchanges by paying or delivering, as applicable, cash, shares of Centennial’s Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “common stock”), or a combination of cash and shares of Centennial’s common stock, at CRP’s election. The notes will be redeemable, in whole or in part (subject to certain limitations), for cash at CRP’s option at any time, and from time to time, on or after April 7, 2025 and on or before the 40th scheduled trading day immediately before the maturity date, but only if the last reported sale price per share of Centennial’s common stock exceeds 130% of the exchange price for a specified period of time. The redemption price will be equal to the principal amount of the notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the redemption date. The interest rate, initial exchange rate and other terms of the notes will be determined at the pricing of the offering.

CRP intends to use a portion of the net proceeds from the offering to fund the cost of entering into the capped call transactions described below. CRP intends to use the remainder of the net proceeds from the offering to redeem, at par, all of its outstanding 8.00% second lien senior secured notes due 2025 and to repay outstanding borrowings under its revolving credit facility. If the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional notes, then CRP intends to use a portion of the additional net proceeds to fund the cost of entering into additional capped call transactions as described below, as well as to repay additional outstanding borrowings under its revolving credit facility.

In connection with the pricing of the notes, CRP and Centennial expect to enter into privately negotiated capped call transactions with one or more of the underwriters and/or their respective affiliates and/or other financial institutions (the “option counterparties”). The capped call transactions will cover, subject to customary adjustments, the number of shares of Centennial’s common stock initially underlying the notes. The capped call transactions are expected generally to reduce potential dilution to Centennial’s common stock upon exchange of the notes and/or at CRP’s election (subject to certain conditions) offset any cash payments CRP is required to make in excess of the aggregate principal amount of exchanged notes, as the case may be, with such reduction or offset subject to a cap. If the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional notes, CRP and Centennial expect to enter into additional capped call transactions with the option counterparties.

In connection with establishing their initial hedges of the capped call transactions, the option counterparties or their respective affiliates expect to enter into various derivative transactions with respect to Centennial’s common stock concurrently with or shortly after the pricing of the notes. This activity could increase (or reduce the size of any decrease in) the market price of Centennial’s common stock or the notes at that time. In addition, the option counterparties or their respective affiliates may modify their hedge positions by entering into or unwinding various derivatives with respect to Centennial’s common stock and/or purchasing or selling Centennial’s common stock or other securities issued by the Company in secondary market transactions following the pricing of the notes and prior to the maturity of the notes (and are likely to do so on each exercise date of the capped call transactions or following any repurchase, redemption or early exchange of the notes, in each case if we exercise our option to terminate the relevant portion of the capped call transactions). This activity could also cause or avoid an increase or a decrease in the market price of Centennial’s common stock or the notes, which could affect a noteholder’s ability to exchange the notes and, to the extent the activity occurs during any observation period related to an exchange of the notes, it could affect the number of shares, if any, and value of the consideration that a noteholder will receive upon exchange of the notes.

In addition, if any such capped call transaction fails to become effective, whether or not the offering of the notes is completed, the option counterparty party thereto may unwind its hedge positions with respect to Centennial’s common stock, which could adversely affect the value of Centennial’s common stock and, if the notes have been issued, the value of the notes.

Citigroup Global Markets Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Jefferies LLC are acting as book-running managers for the offering.

The offering is being made pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). The offering will be made only by means of a prospectus supplement and an accompanying prospectus. Once available, an electronic copy of the preliminary prospectus supplement, together with the accompanying prospectus, can be found on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, copies of the preliminary prospectus supplement, together with the accompanying prospectus, can be obtained by contacting: Citigroup Global Markets Inc., c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, New York 11717, or by telephone: (800) 831-9146; J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, NY 11717, or by telephone at (866) 803-9204; or Jefferies LLC at 520 Madison Avenue, 12th Floor, New York, NY 10022, Attention: Prospectus Department, or by telephone at (877) 547-6340 or by email to [email protected].

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities referred to in this press release, nor will there be any sale of any such securities, in any state or other jurisdiction in which such offer, sale or solicitation would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such state or jurisdiction.

About Centennial Resource Development, Inc.

Centennial is an independent oil and natural gas company focused on the development of unconventional oil and associated liquids-rich natural gas reserves in the Permian Basin. The Company’s assets and operations, which are held and conducted through CRP, are concentrated in the Delaware Basin, a sub-basin of the Permian Basin.

Forward-Looking Statements

The information in this press release includes “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. All statements, other than statements of historical fact included in this press release are forward-looking statements. When used in this press release, the words “could,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “estimate,” “expect,” “project,” “goal,” “plan,” “target” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain such identifying words. These forward-looking statements are based on management’s current expectations and assumptions about future events and are based on currently available information as to the outcome and timing of future events.

The Company cautions you that these forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, most of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond the Company’s control. Important information about issues that could cause actual results and plans to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements can be found in the Company’s public periodic filings with the SEC, including in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K. All forward-looking statements, expressed or implied, included in this press release are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. This cautionary statement should also be considered in connection with any subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements that the Company or persons acting on its behalf may issue.

Except as otherwise required by applicable law, the Company disclaims any duty to update any forward-looking statements, all of which are expressly qualified by the statements in this section, to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release.

Contact:

Hays Mabry
Director, Investor Relations
(832) 240-3265
[email protected]



Tim Hortons Announces C$80 Million Investment to Support its Back to Basics Plan that is Delivering Results in Product Quality and Digital Experience

PR Newswire

TORONTO, March 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ – Tim Hortons® today announced an C$80M corporate investment in Canada for 2021 to supercharge advertising expenses, highlight menu improvements in product quality and support continued enhancements in the digital  guest experience, including the Tims Rewards program.     

Tim Hortons recently launched three new quality upgrades to its menu as part of its Back to Basics plan, including a new dark roast coffee, Craveables lunch sandwiches and freshly cracked Canadian eggs in breakfast sandwiches. Part of the corporate investment will support awareness of these launches and additional menu quality initiatives planned for 2021.

Guests at Tim Hortons are increasingly interacting with the brand through its digital channels. The Tim Hortons mobile app in Canada has seen monthly active users grow approximately five-fold since 2018 and about one-third of all Canadian adults have used the Tims Rewards loyalty program in the last 18 months. The investment will support the Tims Rewards loyalty program and other strategic digital initiatives to continue building a best-in-class digital experience for guests.  

This investment in 2021 will also provide a substantial increase in overall advertising throughout the balance of the year – all intended to highlight taste and quality, great value for money and continuing to strengthen the love that Canadians have for the Tim Hortons brand.

In addition to the C$80M corporate investment, advertising contributions from restaurant owners in Canada will be increasing by 0.5% of sales to historical levels permitted under the current contracts, leading to a sustained, increased level of investment in advertising, community and digital initiatives in 2022 and beyond.

Jose Cil, Chief Executive Officer of Restaurant Brands International commented on the announcement:

“The efforts behind our Back to Basics plan are starting to deliver results. The plan focuses on building an experienced, talented and stable leadership team, investing in product quality, becoming an industry leader in the digital guest experience, delivering great value for money, and continuing to build our strong, iconic brand in communities across Canada.

With an exceptional leadership team now at the helm, early successes in our digital journey and encouraging results from our investments in product quality, we are confident the business is heading in the right direction. Our investment today reflects that confidence and our optimism in the plan.”

Axel Schwan, President of Tim Hortons added:

“Despite the disruptions from COVID, our team maintained focus throughout 2020 and has delivered three consecutive product launches with encouraging early results, contributing positively to our sales. Our new dark roast coffee has received a higher guest rating than any of our previous recipes; our affordable, Craveables lunch platform – with the roast beef and crispy chicken sandwich is receiving great feedback; and we are seeing meaningful sales contributions from our nationwide launch of freshly cracked, Canadian eggs in our breakfast sandwiches.

We are also seeing strong progress in digital with the adoption, usage and increasing level of guest engagement on our Tim’s Rewards program and app.  In addition, we are continuing to work hard on improving personalized offers on the app and are rolling out predictive selling on our drive-thru menu boards across the country this year.  This is all part of our goal to provide Canada’s best in class digital guest experience.

And when it comes to our brand perception overall, we continue to see improvements – guest satisfaction has grown significantly driven by simplifying and improving the quality of our menu items plus guests are experiencing faster speeds of service. Community contributions by so many of our restaurant owners, bolstered by our branded coffee trucks travelling Canada and supporting front line workers with free coffee and baked goods also had a key role in driving continued improvements in overall brand perception,” concluded Schwan.

About TIM HORTONS®
Tim Hortons® is one of North America’s largest restaurant chains operating in the quick service segment. Founded as a single location in Canada in 1964, Tim Hortons appeals to a broad range of guest tastes, with a menu that includes premium coffee, hot and cold specialty drinks (including lattes, cappuccinos and espresso shots), specialty teas and fruit smoothies, fresh baked goods, grilled Panini and classic sandwiches, wraps, soups, prepared foods and other food products. Tim Hortons has more than 3,900 system-wide restaurants located in Canada and over 4,900 including the United States and internationally. More information about the company is available at www.timhortons.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes forward-looking statements, which are often identified by the words “may,” “might,” “believes,” “thinks,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “expects,” “intends” or similar expressions and reflect management’s expectations regarding future events and operating performance and speak only as of the date hereof. These forward-looking statements include statements about Restaurant Brands International Inc.’s (“RBI”) expectations and beliefs regarding the amount and timing of the investments, the use of these funds, the success of the back to basics plan, the timing and acceptance of product launches, and the ability to successfully implement and maintain digital guest experience and effective marketing offers  . The factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from RBI’s expectations are detailed in filings of RBI with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and with the securities regulatory authorities in each province and territory of Canada, such as its annual and quarterly reports and current reports on Form 8-K and include the following: risks related to RBI’s ability to successfully implement its advertising, marketing and growth strategies; risks related to RBI’s ability to compete in an intensely competitive industry; risks related to unforeseen events including the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, risks related to technology, risks related to the franchised business model and risks related to RBI’s vertically integrated supply chain operations. Other than as required under U.S. federal securities laws or Canadian securities laws, we do not assume a duty to update these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, subsequent events or circumstances, change in expectations or otherwise.

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SOURCE Restaurant Brands International Inc.