Urges All Shareholders to Vote "FOR"
All Proposals Listed on the WHITE Proxy Card
VANCOUVER, BC, March 3,
2023 /CNW/ - Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers
Incorporated (NYSE: RBA) (TSX: RBA) ("Ritchie Bros.") today issued
the following letter reinforcing the outstanding value creation
opportunity presented by the acquisition of IAA, Inc. (NYSE: IAA)
("IAA") and highlighting support the Company is receiving from many
shareholders and independent third-party industry analysts.
The Company's Special Meeting of Shareholders to vote on
proposals necessary to complete the IAA acquisition is scheduled
for March 14, 2023. The letter, which
is also being mailed to shareholders, and additional materials
related to the Special Meeting can be found at
www.RBASpecialMeeting.com.
March 3, 2023
Dear Ritchie Bros. Shareholders,
We are writing to reinforce the outstanding
value creation opportunity presented by the acquisition of IAA.
Despite this significant upside opportunity, Luxor Capital Group
continues to repeat distorting assertions in their attempt to
derail the Ritchie Bros. + IAA combination. We note that while
Luxor owns shares today, Luxor sold out of all of its Ritchie Bros.
shares in the first quarter of 2022i. We do not believe
Luxor's interests are aligned with the interests of Ritchie Bros.'
long-term shareholders.
We have received strong support for the IAA
acquisition from many of our shareholders, both privately and
publicly – including Independent Franchise Partners, Eagle Asset
Management and Vontobel Asset Management, who are among our largest
shareholders – as well as from independent third-party industry
analysts and other stakeholders. Stakeholders recognize the
outstanding strategic and financial benefits and substantial,
sustainable shareholder returns the transaction is expected to
generate.
The numbers do indeed tell a compelling
story, including:
-
-
- $350 million to $900 million total estimated potential EBITDA
opportunity comprisingii:
-
- $100 million to $120 million in expected cost savings
- $250 million to $780 million in potential incremental EBITDA
growth from revenue opportunities
- Taken together, this EBITDA opportunity represents up to an
additional $76 per
shareiii in potential value comprising:
-
- Up to $61 per share of potential
value from cost savings and incremental revenue opportunities at
the pre-transaction blended multiple
- Up to $15 per share of potential
value from multiple expansion to the average IAA - Ritchie Bros.
blended multiple since IAA spin
- $14.3 billion in gross
transaction value (GTV)iv, more than doubling Ritchie
Bros.' GTV as of year-end 2022
- $2.5 billion of estimated
cumulative free cash flow from 2023 to 2026v
Ritchie Bros.' leadership team is proven and
has the right experience to successfully execute on this
transactionvi.
-
-
- "We've got a lot of confidence in Ann. We think based on her
success and her strategic initiatives that she put in place
already, that she deserves the opportunity to execute on this."
– Eric Mintz, managing director of
small cap growth and mid cap growth portfolios at Eagle Asset
Management, Reuters, January 30,
2023
- "Both Ritchie CEO Ann
Fandozzi and COO Jim Kessler
know the automotive business very well, having served at ABRA Auto
Body and Glass, as CEO and COO, respectively… IAA gets a top
management team with experience in the industry who would be an
excellent team to oversee the turnaround and integration of
IAA." – Kenneth Squire, 13D
Monitor, January 26, 2023
- "We believe the merger will lead to significant upside in
the share price in the next couple of years." – Scotiabank,
February 9, 2023
- "We see a path to $100 [share
price for RBA] over the next several years if management executes
well. We like what RBA brings to IAA… and what IAA brings to
RBA." – Northcoast Research, January 27,
2023
Luxor's flawed and self-serving comments
maligning Ritchie Bros.' management team are unjustified, misplaced
and detract from value creation.
The Ritchie Bros. management team, under the
oversight of the Ritchie Bros. Board of Directors, has transformed
the Company's business and delivered exceptional, superior returns
for shareholders – in particular, a 48% shareholder return,
outperforming all relevant indicesvii.
The Board and management team have always
prioritized shareholders' best interests. We view the IAA
acquisition as the next logical step in a transformative strategy
that has created substantial shareholder value.
Personal attacks on Ritchie Bros.' proven team
who have a record of execution are unwarranted. Luxor's attempt to
derail the Company's current strategy – which even Luxor concedes
is working – is based on flawed analysis and ongoing misleading
statements. If the IAA transaction is not approved as Luxor is
seeking, we believe there is a significant risk of value
destruction, and the Company's future growth could be
compromised.
Detailed information correcting Luxor's
distortions and flawed analysis is available in the Company's
February 22, 2023 presentation, which
is available at www.RBASpecialMeeting.com.
Time Is Short. Vote Electronically by
Internet or Telephone Prior to March 10,
2023 to Be Sure Your Vote Is Received in Time to Be
Counted
Please Vote Now on the WHITE Proxy
Card!
As we continue to progress towards completing
the transaction with IAA, we want to remind shareholders what's at
stake: a unique opportunity to accelerate our strategy and create a
long runway for significant, sustainable value creation. With
integration planning well underway, we are ready to hit the ground
running upon the transaction's close to begin realizing the
substantial upside potential generated by the Ritchie Bros. + IAA
combination.
We urge you to support your management team and
Board as we embark on this important next step by voting
"FOR" on the WHITE proxy card for all proposals being
considered at the Special Meeting. Any green proxy card should be
discarded. If you have voted your shares on the green proxy card,
you can simply change your vote by voting on the WHITE proxy
card.
Sincerely,
/s/ Ann
Fandozzi
Ann Fandozzi
CEO
|
Any shareholder with
questions about the Special Meeting or in
need of assistance in voting their shares should
contact:
|
|
Laurel Hill
MacKenzie Partners,
Inc.
|
North American
Toll Free: 1-877-452-7184
North American Toll Free: 1-800-322-2885
Outside North America: 416-304-0211
Email: proxy@mackenziepartners.com
Email: assistance@laurelhill.com
|
|
Information about the
meeting is also available at www.RBASpecialMeeting.com
|
|
About Ritchie Bros.
Established in 1958, Ritchie Bros. (NYSE and TSX: RBA) is a
global asset management and disposition company, offering customers
end-to-end solutions for buying and selling used heavy equipment,
trucks and other assets. Operating in a number of sectors,
including construction, transportation, agriculture, energy,
mining, and forestry, the company's selling channels include:
Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers, the world's largest industrial
auctioneer offering live auction events with online bidding;
IronPlanet, an online marketplace with weekly featured auctions and
providing the exclusive IronClad Assurance(R) equipment condition
certification; Marketplace-E, a controlled marketplace offering
multiple price and timing options; Ritchie
List, a self-serve listing service for North America; Mascus, a leading European
online equipment listing service; Ritchie Bros. Private Treaty,
offering privately negotiated sales; and sector-specific solutions
GovPlanet, TruckPlanet, and Ritchie Bros. Energy. The company's
suite of solutions also includes Ritchie Bros. Asset Solutions and
Rouse Services LLC, which together provides a complete end-to-end
asset management, data-driven intelligence and performance
benchmarking system; SmartEquip, an innovative technology platform
that supports customers' management of the equipment lifecycle and
integrates parts procurement with both OEMs and dealers; plus
equipment financing and leasing through Ritchie Bros. Financial
Services. For more information about Ritchie Bros., visit
RitchieBros.com.
Photos and video for embedding in media stories are available at
rbauction.com/media.
Forward-Looking
Statements
This communication contains information relating to a proposed
business combination transaction between Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers
Incorporated ("RBA") and IAA, Inc. ("IAA"). This communication
includes forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian
securities legislation and 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
(collectively, "forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking
statements may include statements relating to future events and
anticipated results of operations, business strategies, the
anticipated benefits of the proposed IAA transaction, the
anticipated impact of the proposed IAA transaction on the combined
company's business and future financial and operating results, the
expected or estimated amount, achievability, sources, impact and
timing of cost synergies and revenue, EBITDA, growth, operational
enhancement, expansion and other value creation opportunities from
the proposed IAA transaction, the expected debt, de-leveraging,
cash flow generation and capital allocation of the combined
company, the anticipated closing date for the proposed IAA
transaction, other aspects of RBA's or IAA's respective businesses,
operations, financial condition or operating results and other
statements that are not historical facts. There can be no assurance
that the proposed IAA transaction will in fact be consummated.
These forward-looking statements generally can be identified by
phrases such as "will," "should," "expects," "plans,"
"anticipates," "could," "can," "intends," "target," "goal,"
"projects," "contemplates," "believes," "predicts," "potential,"
"continue," "foresees," "forecasts," "estimates," "opportunity" or
other words or phrases of similar import.
It is uncertain whether any of the events anticipated by the
forward-looking statements will transpire or occur, or if any of
them do, what impact they will have on the results of operations
and financial condition of the combined companies or the price of
RBA's common shares or IAA's common stock. Therefore, you should
not place undue reliance on any such statements and caution must be
exercised in relying on forward-looking statements. While RBA's
management believes the assumptions underlying the forward-looking
statements are reasonable, these forward-looking statements involve
certain risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the
parties' control, that could cause actual results to differ
materially from those indicated in such forward-looking statements,
including but not limited to: the possibility that shareholders of
RBA may not approve the issuance of new common shares of RBA in the
transaction or that stockholders of IAA may not approve the
adoption of the merger agreement; the risk that a condition to
closing of the proposed IAA transaction may not be satisfied (or
waived), that either party may terminate the merger agreement or
that the closing of the proposed IAA transaction might be delayed
or not occur at all; the anticipated tax treatment of the proposed
IAA transaction; potential adverse reactions or changes to business
or employee relationships, including those resulting from the
announcement or completion of the proposed IAA transaction; the
diversion of management time on transaction-related issues; the
response of competitors to the proposed IAA transaction; the
ultimate difficulty, timing, cost and results of integrating the
operations of RBA and IAA; the effects of the business combination
of RBA and IAA, including the combined company's future financial
condition, results of operations, strategy and plans; the failure
(or delay) to receive the required regulatory approval of the
transaction; the fact that operating costs and business disruption
may be greater than expected following the public announcement or
consummation of the proposed IAA transaction; the effect of the
announcement, pendency or consummation of the proposed IAA
transaction on the trading price of RBA's common shares or IAA's
common stock; the ability of RBA and/or IAA to retain and hire key
personnel and employees; the significant costs associated with the
proposed IAA transaction; the outcome of any legal proceedings that
could be instituted against RBA, IAA and/or others relating to the
proposed IAA transaction; restrictions during the pendency of the
proposed IAA transaction that may impact the ability of RBA and/or
IAA to pursue non-ordinary course transactions, including certain
business opportunities or strategic transactions; the ability of
the combined company to realize anticipated synergies in the
amount, manner or timeframe expected or at all; the failure of the
combined company to realize potential revenue, EBITDA, growth,
operational enhancement, expansion or other value creation
opportunities from the sources or in the amount, manner or
timeframe expected or at all; the failure of the trading multiple
of the combined company to normalize or re-rate and other
fluctuations in such trading multiple; changes in capital markets
and the ability of the combined company to generate cash flow
and/or finance operations in the manner expected or to de-lever in
the timeframe expected; the failure of RBA or the combined company
to meet financial forecasts and/or KPI targets; any legal
impediment to the payment of the special dividend by RBA, including
TSX consent to the dividend record date; legislative, regulatory
and economic developments affecting the business of RBA and IAA;
general economic and market developments and conditions; the
evolving legal, regulatory and tax regimes under which RBA and IAA
operates; unpredictability and severity of catastrophic events,
including, but not limited to, pandemics, acts of terrorism or
outbreak of war or hostilities, as well as RBA's or IAA's response
to any of the aforementioned factors. These risks, as well as other
risks related to the proposed IAA transaction, are included in the
Registration Statement (as defined below) and joint proxy
statement/prospectus filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "SEC") and applicable Canadian securities
regulatory authorities in connection with the proposed IAA
transaction. While the list of factors presented here is, and the
list of factors presented in the Registration Statement are,
considered representative, no such list should be considered to be
a complete statement of all potential risks and uncertainties.
For additional information about other factors that could cause
actual results to differ materially from those described in the
forward-looking statements, please refer to RBA's and IAA's
respective periodic reports and other filings with the SEC and/or
applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities, including
the risk factors identified in RBA's most recent Quarterly Reports
on Form 10-Q and Annual Report on Form 10-K and IAA's most recent
Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Annual Report on Form 10-K. The
forward-looking statements included in this communication are made
only as of the date hereof. Neither RBA nor IAA undertakes any
obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect
actual results, new information, future events, changes in its
expectations or other circumstances that exist after the date as of
which the forward-looking statements were made, except as required
by law.
No Offer or Solicitation
This communication is not intended to and shall not constitute
an offer to buy or sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy or
sell any securities, or a solicitation of any vote or approval, nor
shall there be any offer, solicitation or sale of securities in any
jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be
unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the
securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offer of securities
shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the
requirements of Section 10 of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, or pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not
subject to, such registration requirements.
Important Additional Information
and Where to Find It
In connection with the proposed IAA transaction, RBA filed with
the SEC and applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities a
registration statement on Form S-4 to register the common shares of
RBA to be issued in connection with the proposed IAA transaction on
December 14, 2022 (the "Initial
Registration Statement"), as amended by Amendment No. 1 and
Amendment No. 2 to the Initial Registration Statement filed with
the SEC and applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities
on February 1, 2023 and February 9, 2023, respectively (together with the
Initial Registration Statement, the "Registration Statement"). The
Registration Statement was declared effective by the SEC on
February 10, 2023. The Registration
Statement includes a joint proxy statement/prospectus which will be
sent to the shareholders of RBA and stockholders of IAA seeking
their approval of their respective transaction-related proposals.
Each of RBA and IAA may also file other relevant documents with the
SEC and/or applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities
regarding the proposed IAA transaction. This document is not a
substitute for the proxy statement/prospectus or Registration
Statement or any other document that RBA or IAA may file with the
SEC and/or applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities.
INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE REGISTRATION
STATEMENT ON FORM S-4 AND THE RELATED JOINT PROXY
STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS, AS WELL AS ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS TO
THOSE DOCUMENTS AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED OR TO BE
FILED WITH THE SEC AND APPLICABLE CANADIAN SECURITIES REGULATORY
AUTHORITIES IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROPOSED IAA TRANSACTION OR
INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE IN THE PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS,
CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY IF AND WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE,
BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN OR WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT
RBA, IAA AND THE PROPOSED IAA TRANSACTION.
Investors and security holders may obtain copies of these
documents (when they are available) free of charge through the
website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov, SEDAR at
www.sedar.com or from RBA at its website, investor.ritchiebros.com,
or from IAA at its website, investors.iaai.com. Documents filed
with the SEC and applicable Canadian securities regulatory
authorities by RBA (when they are available) will be available free
of charge by accessing RBA's website at investor.ritchiebros.com
under the heading Financials/SEC Filings, or, alternatively, by
directing a request by telephone or mail to RBA at 9500 Glenlyon
Parkway, Burnaby, BC, V5J 0C6,
Canada, and documents filed with
the SEC by IAA (when they are available) will be available free of
charge by accessing IAA's website at investors.iaai.com or by
contacting IAA's Investor Relations at investors@iaai.com.
Participants in the
Solicitation
RBA and IAA, certain of their respective directors and executive
officers and other members of management and employees, and
Jeffrey C. Smith and potentially
other Starboard employees, may be deemed to be participants in the
solicitation of proxies from the stockholders of RBA and IAA in
respect of the proposed IAA transaction under the rules of the SEC.
Information about RBA's directors and executive officers is
available in RBA's definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A for
its 2022 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, which was filed with the
SEC and applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities on
March 15, 2022, and certain of its
Current Reports on Form 8-K. Information about IAA's directors and
executive officers is available in IAA's definitive proxy statement
on Schedule 14A for its 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, which
was filed with the SEC on May 2,
2022, and certain of its Current Reports on Form 8-K. Other
information regarding persons who may be deemed participants in the
proxy solicitation and a description of their direct and indirect
interests, by security holdings or otherwise, including information
with respect to Mr. Smith, are contained or will be contained in
the joint proxy statement/prospectus and other relevant materials
filed or to be filed with the SEC and applicable Canadian
securities regulatory authorities regarding the proposed IAA
transaction when they become available. Investors should read the
joint proxy statement/prospectus carefully before making any voting
or investment decisions. You may obtain free copies of these
documents from RBA or IAA free of charge using the sources
indicated above.
Non-GAAP Financial
Measures
This communication contains certain non-GAAP financial measures,
including EBITDA and free cash flow. These non-GAAP financial
measures are not calculated in accordance with GAAP and may exclude
items that are significant in understanding and assessing a
company's financial condition or operating results. Therefore,
these measures should not be considered in isolation or as
alternatives to financial measures under GAAP. In addition, these
measures may not be comparable to similarly-titled measures used by
other companies. Further information regarding non-GAAP financial
measures is included in the SEC filings of RBA.
Ritchie Bros.
Contacts
Investors
Sameer
Rathod Vice President, Investor Relations & Market
Intelligence
(510) 381-7584
srathod@ritchiebros.com
Media
Barrett Golden /
Lucas Pers / Haley Salas
Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer
Katcher
(212) 355-4449
__________________________________
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i
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Source: 13F
filings
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ii
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Potential opportunities
and related information included for illustrative purposes only and
do not imply future targets, expectations or guidance. Estimates do
not incorporate potential costs to achieve or specific timeframes.
Figures are illustrative and un-discounted
|
iii
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Potential opportunities
and related information included in this communication are for
illustrative purposes only and do not imply future targets,
expectations or guidance. Estimates do not incorporate potential
costs to achieve or specific timeframes. Value per share upside
reflects illustrative EV / NTM EBITDA range of 13 – 16x, based on
pre-transaction blend at the low end and illustrative ~3.0x
re-rating at the high end, informed by both (i) observed historical
average blended multiple since IAA spin and (ii) blend of top
decile observed EV / NTM EBITDA multiples for Ritchie Bros. and IAA
over last twelve-month period ending November 4, 2022. Figures are
illustrative and un-discounted
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iv
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Represents sum of
Ritchie Bros. and IAA FY22 annual GTV. GTV represents gross
transaction value, which is the total proceeds from all items sold
at the company's auctions and online marketplaces. GTV is not a
measure of financial performance, liquidity, or revenue, and is not
presented in the company's consolidated financial
statements
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v
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Represents estimated
cumulative unlevered free cash flow generated from '23E –'26E.
Unlevered free cash flow defined as adj. EBITDA including net
realizable synergies less cash taxes, less capital expenditures and
less changes in net working capital inclusive of estimated
integration costs
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vi
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Permission to use
quotes neither sought nor obtained
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vii
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The period from January
3, 2020, the last trading day prior to Ann Fandozzi's appointment
as CEO, through January 31, 2023
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SOURCE Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers