The Hawthorne Collective to Invest $150 million in Canadian-based RIV Capital
MARYSVILLE, Ohio, August 10, 2021 – The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (NYSE: SMG) announced today the creation of a newly formed subsidiary, The Hawthorne Collective, which will focus on strategic minority investments in areas of the cannabis industry not currently pursued by The Hawthorne Gardening Company. To that end, The Hawthorne Collective will provide a $150 million convertible loan to Toronto-based RIV Capital (TSX: RIV) (OTC: CNPOF), a cannabis investment and acquisition firm currently listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange.
The strategic investment in RIV Capital is in the form of a six-year convertible note. The note accrues interest at 2.03% percent annually for the first two years and includes additional follow-on investment rights. Upon conversion, The Collective, and thus ScottsMiracle-Gro, would own approximately 42 percent of RIV Capital.etter together. Hawthorne is continuously forming elite partnerships to bring the best fans and filters to the North American market, and Ruck is no exception. We’re ready to push the limits of innovation,” said John Feather, Manager, Max-Fan and Can-Filters at The Hawthorne Gardening Company.
The Collective will also have the right to nominate up to three members to RIV Capital’s Board of Directors, which will be increased to seven. Neither The Collective nor ScottsMiracle-Gro will have an active day-to-day role in RIV Capital nor the companies in which it invests.
In filings with Canadian regulators and the Toronto Stock Exchange, RIV Capital indicated it would use the funds provided by The Collective for general corporate and other lawful purposes, which could include additional investments and acquisitions. Upon close, RIV Capital will become The Collective’s preferred vehicle for future investments that are not currently in the purview of The Hawthorne Gardening Company. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2021.
“By making a minority, non-equity investment in RIV Capital, this initial transaction will have little near-term impact on our financial performance,” Hagedorn said. “While this approach means we will employ capital that won’t be available for near-term investments with a more immediate return, we are confident our partners at RIV Capital and our long-term approach ultimately will drive meaningful value for our shareholders.”
“Indeed, the growth of The Hawthorne Gardening Company over the past six years has generated significant shareholder value. It also has allowed us to develop a rare level of expertise and insight regarding the cannabis space without being involved in the plant-touching aspects of the industry. That is why we are beginning to invest in other areas of the industry through The Collective while continuing to pursue near-in strategic acquisitions to fold into the existing Hawthorne Gardening business.”
About ScottsMiracle-Gro
With approximately $4.1 billion in sales, the Company is one of the world’s largest marketers of branded consumer products for lawn and garden care. The Company’s brands are among the most recognized in the industry. The Company’s Scotts®, Miracle-Gro® and Ortho® brands are market-leading in their categories. The Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, The Hawthorne Gardening Company, is a leading provider of nutrients, lighting and other materials used in the indoor and hydroponic growing segment. Another wholly-owned subsidiary, The Hawthorne Collective, has been established to invest in emerging areas of the cannabis industry. For additional information, visit us at www.scottsmiraclegro.com.
About RIV Capital
RIV Capital is an investment and acquisition company specializing in cannabis with a portfolio of 13 companies across various segments of the cannabis value chain. We believe that bringing together people, capital, and ideas raises the potential of the entire cannabis industry. By leveraging our industry insights, in-house expertise, and thesis-driven approach to investing, we aim to provide shareholders with exposure to specialized and disruptive cannabis companies.
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- Damage to the Company’s reputation or the reputation of its products or products it markets on behalf of third parties could have an adverse effect on its business;
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- If the Company is unable to effectively execute its e-commerce business, its reputation and operating results may be harmed;
- Because of the concentration of the Company’s sales to a small number of retail customers, the loss of one or more of, or significant reduction in orders from, its top customers could adversely affect the Company’s financial results;
- Climate change and unfavorable weather conditions could adversely impact financial results;
- Certain of the Company’s products may be purchased for use in new or emerging industries or segments and/or be subject to varying, inconsistent, and rapidly changing laws, regulations, administrative practices, enforcement approaches, judicial interpretations and consumer perceptions;
- The Company’s operations may be impaired if its information technology systems fail to perform adequately or if it is the subject of a data breach or cyber-attack;
- The Company may not be able to adequately protect its intellectual property and other proprietary rights that are material to the Company’s business;
- In the event the Third Restated Marketing Agreement for consumer Roundup products terminates, or Monsanto’s consumer Roundup business materially declines the Company would lose a substantial source of future earnings and overhead expense absorption;
- Hagedorn Partnership, L.P. beneficially owns approximately 25% of the Company’s common shares and can significantly influence decisions that require the approval of shareholders;
- Acquisitions, other strategic alliances and investments could result in operating difficulties, dilution and other harmful consequences that may adversely impact the Company’s business and results of operations.
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