Exhibit 99.1
Edgio, Inc. Adopts Tax Benefits Preservation Plan
Designed to Protect the Availability of Its Tax Benefits
Move preserves long-term stockholder value by adopting a rights plan intended to protect tax assets
To be submitted for stockholder ratification at 2024 annual meeting of shareholders
PHOENIX June 7, 2024 Edgio, Inc. (Nasdaq: EGIO) (the Company), today announced that its Board of
Directors (the Board) has adopted a Tax Benefits Preservation Plan (the Tax Plan).
The Company has
significant cumulative U.S. net operating loss carryforwards (NOLs). As of December 31, 2023 the Company has U.S. federal NOLs of approximately $300 million that can be used to offset taxable income.
The Tax Plan is designed to protect the availability of the Companys cumulative U.S. NOLs and other tax attributes (collectively, the
Tax Benefits), which can potentially be utilized in certain circumstances to reduce the Companys future income tax obligations. Utilization of the Tax Benefits depends on many factors, including
the Companys future taxable income. The Tax Plan reduces the likelihood that any changes in the Companys investor base would limit the Companys future use of its Tax Benefits, which would significantly impair the value of such Tax
Benefits.
The Companys ability to use its Tax Benefits would be substantially limited if it were to experience an ownership change, as
defined under Section 382 of the Tax Code (Section 382). In general, a corporation would experience an ownership change if the percentage of the corporations stock owned by one or
more 5% shareholders, as defined under Section 382, were to increase by more than 50 percentage points over their lowest ownership percentage within a rolling three-year period (or, if a shorter period, since the Companys last
ownership change). The Company believes that, as a result of prior acquisitions of the Companys common stock, the Company is at a significant risk of experiencing an ownership change for Section 382 purposes.
The Company may experience ownership changes under Section 382 in the future as a result of subsequent shifts in the Companys stock ownership that
cannot be predicted or controlled that could result in limitations being placed on the Companys ability to utilize its Tax Benefits. If the Company is limited in its ability to use its Tax Benefits in future years in which the Company has
taxable income, the Company will pay more taxes than if it were able to utilize the Tax Benefits fully, which could have a negative impact on the Companys financial position, results of operations and cash flows. The Tax Plan is designed to
reduce the likelihood that the Company will experience an ownership change under Section 382.
The Tax Plan is similar to plans adopted by other
publicly held companies with significant NOLs or other substantial Tax Benefits and has a limited duration. The Tax Plan is not designed to prevent any action that the Board determines to be in the best interest of the Company and its shareholders.
To implement the Tax Plan, the Board declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a Right) for each outstanding
share of the Companys common stock. The Rights will be issued to the Companys common stock shareholders of record at the close of business on June 17, 2024 pursuant to the Tax Plan. The Rights will be exercisable if a person or
group of persons acquires (i) 4.95% or more of the Companys common stock then-outstanding or (ii) in the Boards determination, 4.95% or more (by value) of the shares of Company Stock (as defined in the Tax Plan, which defined term
includes the Companys common stock) then-outstanding. The Rights will also be exercisable if a person or group of persons that already owns shares equal to, or exceeding, either such threshold acquires one or more additional shares of Company
Stock other than as a result of a dividend or a stock split or for acquisitions pursuant to certain existing securities of the Company described in the Tax Plan. Existing shareholders that already beneficially own shares equal to, or exceeding,
either such threshold will be grandfathered in at their current ownership level. If the Rights become exercisable, all holders of Rights, other than the person or group of persons triggering the Rights, will be entitled to purchase
shares of the Companys common stock at a 50% discount, if the Rights are not earlier redeemed or exchanged. Rights held by the person or group of persons triggering the Rights will become void and will not be exercisable.
The Tax Plan also includes an exchange option. At any time after any person or group of persons acquires (i) 4.95% or more of the Companys common stock
then-outstanding or (ii) in the Boards determination, 4.95% or more (by value) of the Company Stock then-outstanding, but in each case, less than 50% or more of the outstanding shares of the Company Stock, the Board, at its option, may
exchange all or part of the Rights (other than Rights owned by such person or group of persons which will have become void) at an exchange ratio of one share of the Companys common stock per outstanding Right (subject to adjustment).
The Rights will expire at the close of business on June 30, 2025. The Rights will expire under other circumstances as described in the Tax Plan,
including (i) if the stockholders of the Company do not approve the Tax Plan at the 2024 annual meeting of stockholders of the Company or (ii) on the date set by the Board following a determination that the Tax Plan is no longer necessary
or desirable for the preservation of the Tax Benefits or no Tax Benefits are available to be carried forward or are otherwise available. The Board may terminate the Tax Plan prior to the time the Rights are triggered or may redeem the Rights prior
to the Distribution Date, as defined in the Tax Plan.
Additional information with respect to the Tax Plan and the related Rights will be contained in a
Current Report on Form 8-K that the Company will file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC). The Rights issued in the Tax Plan are issued pursuant to an agreement
between the Company and Equiniti Trust Company, LLC, as the rights agent, a copy of which agreement will be filed as an exhibit to the Form 8-K. For more information regarding the Companys Tax Benefits,
please refer to the Companys most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K.