VANCOUVER, BC, Sept. 22,
2023 /CNW/ - NexGen Energy Ltd. ("NexGen" or the
"Company") (TSX: NXE) (NYSE: NXE) (ASX: NXG) is pleased to
announce that it has closed its previously announced non-brokered
private placement (the "Offering") of US$110 million aggregate principal amount of
unsecured convertible debentures (the "Debentures") with
Queen's Road Capital Investment Ltd. ("QRC") and Washington
H Soul Pattinson and Company Limited ("WHSP").
NexGen currently has cash reserves of C$330 million.
Terms of the Debentures
The Debentures carry a 9.0% coupon (the "Interest"), have
a maturity date of September 22,
2028, and are convertible at the holder's option into common
shares of NexGen (the "Common Shares") at a conversion price
(the "Conversion Price") of US$6.76 per Common Share, representing a 30%
premium to the volume-weighted average trading price of the Common
Shares (the "VWAP") on the Toronto Stock Exchange for the
five trading days prior to the entering into of the previously
announced binding term sheets with respect to the Debentures.
The Interest is payable semi-annually in arrears beginning on
December 10, 2023. Two-thirds of the
Interest (equal to 6% per annum) is payable in cash. One-third of
the Interest (equal to 3% per annum) is payable in common shares
issuable at a price equal to the 20-day VWAP on the New York Stock
Exchange (the "NYSE") ending on the third trading day prior
to the date such Interest is due.
The Company is entitled, on or after the third anniversary of
the issuance of the Debentures, at any time that the 20-day VWAP on
the NYSE exceeds 130% of the Conversion Price, to redeem the
Debentures at par plus accrued and unpaid Interest.
The Company issued an aggregate of 634,615 Common Shares to QRC
and WHSP as an establishment fee in connection with the Offering,
representing 3% of the aggregate principal amount of the
Debentures.
Strategic Alignment
Provisions
In connection with the Offering, the Company entered into an
amended and restated investor rights agreement with QRC, and an
investor rights agreement with WHSP, each containing voting
alignment, standstill, and transfer restriction covenants that will
apply (subject to certain exceptions) unless and until there is a
change of control of the Company.
The Company has been advised by QRC and WHSP that, following
completion of the Offering, and the conversion of the 2020
debentures and strategic share purchase noted below, they will hold
approximately 2.3% and 1.7%, respectively, of the approximately 518
million outstanding Common Shares (on a non-diluted basis).
Use of Proceeds
Including the proceeds from the Offering and sales made under
the Company's previously announced at-the-market equity program,
NexGen's cash reserves are approximately C$330 million available to fund the continuing
development and further exploration of the Company's mineral
properties, and for general corporate purposes.
Conversion of US$15 Million Convertible Debentures and
Strategic Share Purchase
QRC has agreed to provide notice to the indenture trustee,
within the next 5 business days, of its election to convert the
entire principal amount of its outstanding US$15 million convertible debentures into Common
Shares. Such debentures were issued by the Company in 2020 with a
maturity date of May 27, 2025. The
conversion will occur in accordance with the terms of the existing
trust indenture governing such debentures, resulting in the
issuance of approximately 8.6 million Common Shares to QRC
(including a portion of the accrued and unpaid interest on such
debentures and at current exchange rates, with the actual number of
Common Shares to be issued dependent on the exchange rate at the
time of conversion).
In connection with the Offering, NexGen has been advised that
WHSP purchased 8.7 million outstanding Common Shares from QRC from
the equity portion of their 2020 investment into the Company.
Advisors and Legal
Counsel
Aitken Mount Capital Partners acted as financial advisors.
Farris LLP acted as legal counsel.
About NexGen
NexGen Energy is a Canadian company focused on delivering clean
energy fuel for the future. The Company's flagship Rook I Project
is being optimally developed into the largest low cost producing
uranium mine globally, incorporating the most elite standards in
environmental and social governance. The Rook I Project is
supported by a National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101") compliant
Feasibility Study which outlines the elite environmental
performance and industry leading economics. NexGen is led by a
team of experienced uranium and mining industry professionals with
expertise across the entire mining life cycle, including
exploration, financing, project engineering and construction,
operations and closure. NexGen is leveraging its proven
experience to deliver a Project that leads the entire mining
industry socially, technically and environmentally. The Project and
prospective portfolio in northern Saskatchewan will provide generational
long-term economic, environmental, and social benefits for
Saskatchewan, Canada, and the
world.
NexGen is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange and the New York
Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "NXE" and on the Australian
Securities Exchange under the ticker symbol "NXG", providing access
to global investors to participate in NexGen's mission of solving
three major global challenges in decarbonization, energy security
and access to power. The Company is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, with its primary
operations office in Saskatoon,
Saskatchewan.
Technical Disclosure
All technical information in this news release has been
reviewed and approved by Kevin Small, NexGen's Senior Vice
President, Engineering and Operations, a qualified person under
National Instrument 43-101.
A technical report in respect of the Feasibility Study is
filed on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) and EDGAR
(www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml) and is available for review on NexGen's
website (www.nexgenenergy.ca).
Cautionary Note to U.S.
Investors
This news release includes Mineral Reserves and Mineral
Resources classification terms that comply with reporting standards
in Canada and the Mineral Reserves
and the Mineral Resources estimates are made in accordance with NI
43-101. NI 43-101 is a rule developed by the Canadian Securities
Administrators that establishes standards for all public disclosure
an issuer makes of scientific and technical information concerning
mineral projects. These standards differ from the requirements of
the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") set by the SEC's
rules that are applicable to domestic United States reporting companies.
Consequently, Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources information
included in this news release is not comparable to similar
information that would generally be disclosed by domestic U.S.
reporting companies subject to the reporting and disclosure
requirements of the SEC Accordingly, information concerning mineral
deposits set forth herein may not be comparable with information
made public by companies that report in accordance with U.S.
standards.
Forward-Looking
Information
The information contained herein contains "forward-looking
statements" within the meaning of applicable United
States securities laws and regulations and "forward-looking
information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities
legislation. "Forward-looking information" includes, but is not
limited to, statements with respect to mineral reserve and mineral
resource estimates, the 2021 Arrow Deposit, Rook I Project and
estimates of uranium production, grade and long-term average
uranium prices, anticipated effects of completed drill results on
the Rook I Project, planned work programs, completion of further
site investigations and engineering work to support basic
engineering of the project and expected outcomes. Generally, but
not always, forward-looking information and statements can be
identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is
expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts",
"intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or the negative connotation
thereof or variations of such words and phrases or state that
certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might"
or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" or the negative
connotation thereof. Statements relating to "mineral
resources" are deemed to be forward-looking information, as they
involve the implied assessment that, based on certain estimates and
assumptions, the mineral resources described can be profitably
produced in the future.
Forward-looking information and statements are based on the
then current expectations, beliefs, assumptions, estimates and
forecasts about NexGen's business and the industry and markets in
which it operates. Forward-looking information and statements are
made based upon numerous assumptions, including among others, that
the mineral reserve and resources estimates and the key assumptions
and parameters on which such estimates are based are as set out in
this news release and the technical report for the property, the
results of planned exploration activities are as anticipated, the
price and market supply of uranium, the cost of planned exploration
activities, that financing will be available if and when needed and
on reasonable terms, that third party contractors, equipment,
supplies and governmental and other approvals required to conduct
NexGen's planned exploration activities will be available on
reasonable terms and in a timely manner and that general business
and economic conditions will not change in a materially adverse
manner. Although the assumptions made by the Company in providing
forward-looking information or making forward-looking statements
are considered reasonable by management at the time, there can be
no assurance that such assumptions will prove to be accurate in the
future.
Forward-looking information and statements also involve known
and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors, which may
cause actual results, performances and achievements of NexGen to
differ materially from any projections of results, performances and
achievements of NexGen expressed or implied by such forward-looking
information or statements, including, among others, the existence
of negative operating cash flow and dependence on third party
financing, uncertainty of the availability of additional financing,
the risk that pending assay results will not confirm previously
announced preliminary results, conclusions of economic valuations,
the risk that actual results of exploration activities will be
different than anticipated, the cost of labour, equipment or
materials will increase more than expected, that the future price
of uranium will decline or otherwise not rise to an economic level,
the appeal of alternate sources of energy to uranium-produced
energy, that the Canadian dollar will strengthen against the U.S.
dollar, that mineral resources and reserves are not as estimated,
that actual costs or actual results of reclamation activities are
greater than expected, that changes in project parameters and plans
continue to be refined and may result in increased costs, of
unexpected variations in mineral resources and reserves, grade or
recovery rates or other risks generally associated with mining,
unanticipated delays in obtaining governmental, regulatory or First
Nations approvals, risks related to First Nations title and
consultation, reliance upon key management and other personnel,
deficiencies in the Company's title to its properties, uninsurable
risks, failure to manage conflicts of interest, failure to obtain
or maintain required permits and licences, risks related to changes
in laws, regulations, policy and public perception, as well as
those factors or other risks as more fully described in NexGen's
Annual Information Form dated February 24,
2023 filed with the securities commissions of all of the
provinces of Canada except
Quebec and in NexGen's 40-F filed
with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, which
are available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and Edgar
at www.sec.gov.
Although the Company has attempted to identify important
factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from
those contained in the forward-looking information or statements or
implied by forward-looking information or statements, there may be
other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated,
estimated or intended. Readers are cautioned not to place undue
reliance on forward-looking information or statements due to the
inherent uncertainty thereof.
There can be no assurance that forward-looking information
and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and
future events could differ materially from those anticipated,
estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue
reliance on forward-looking statements or information. The Company
undertakes no obligation to update or reissue forward-looking
information as a result of new information or events except as
required by applicable securities laws.
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SOURCE NexGen Energy Ltd.