Replies to post #69 on Fire & Flower Holdings Corp (FAF)

[FUNMAN]

Good to see you opening the door to FFLWF.

Let me suggest you read through most of my posts. They're mostly all news and they're aren't that many.

[FUNMAN]

I doubt it ... Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. Prices Private Offering of Senior Unsecured Notes

NEWS PROVIDED BY
Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc.
Jan 22, 2020, 17:51 ET

... But do you suppose some of this money might be designated for a bigger investment in Fire & Flower?

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/alimentation-couche-tard-inc-prices-private-offering-of-senior-unsecured-notes-300991743.html


LAVAL, QC, Jan. 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. ("Couche-Tard") (TSX: ATD.A) (TSX: ATD.B) announced today that it has priced U.S.$750M principal amount of 2.950% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2030 and U.S.$750M principal amount of 3.800% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2050 (collectively, the "Notes") in a private offering that is exempt from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"). The Notes offering is expected to close on or about January 27, 2020, subject to customary closing conditions.

The Notes will be direct unsecured obligations of Couche-Tard and will rank pari passu with all other outstanding unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness of Couche-Tard and will be guaranteed on a senior unsecured basis by certain of Couche-Tard's wholly-owned subsidiaries who are guarantors under Couche-Tard's senior credit facilities.

Couche-Tard expects to use the net proceeds from the sale of the Notes to repay certain amounts outstanding under its senior credit facilities and for general corporate purposes.

The Notes will be offered in the United States only to qualified institutional buyers in reliance on the exemption from registration set forth in Rule 144A under the Securities Act, and outside the United States to non-U.S. persons in reliance on the exemption from registration set forth in Regulation S under the Securities Act. The Notes have not been registered under the Securities Act, or the securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction, and may not be offered or sold in the United States without registration or an applicable exemption from the Securities Act and applicable state securities or blue sky laws and foreign securities laws.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities, nor shall there be any sales of the Notes in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

About Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc.

Couche-Tard is the leader in the Canadian convenience store industry. In the United States, it is the largest independent convenience store operator in terms of the number of company-operated stores. In Europe, Couche-Tard is a leader in convenience store and road transportation fuel retail in the Scandinavian countries (Norway, Sweden and Denmark), in the Baltic countries (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania), as well as in Ireland, and has an important presence in Poland.

In addition, under licensing agreements, approximately 2,280 stores are operated under the Circle K banner in 16 other countries and territories (Cambodia, China, Costa Rica, Egypt, Guam, Honduras, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Jamaica, Macau, Mexico, Mongolia, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Vietnam), which brings the worldwide total network to more than 14,800.

Forward-Looking Statements

The statements set forth in this press release, which describe Couche-Tard's objectives, projections, estimates, expectations or forecasts, may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of securities legislation. Positive or negative verbs such as "believe", "can", "shall", "intend", "expect", "estimate", "assume" and other related expressions are used to identify such statements. Couche-Tard would like to point out that, by their very nature, forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties such that its results, or the measures it adopts, could differ materially from those indicated in or underlying these statements, or could have an impact on the degree of realization of a particular projection. Major factors that may lead to a material difference between Couche-Tard's actual results and the projections or expectations set forth in the forward-looking statements include the effects of the integration of acquired businesses and the ability to achieve projected synergies, fluctuations in margins on motor fuel sales, competition in the convenience store and retail motor fuel industries, exchange rate variations, our ability to consummate the offering of the notes on the expected terms, the intended use of the proceeds thereof and potential changes in market conditions and such other risks as described in detail from time to time in the reports filed by Couche-Tard with securities regulatory authorities in Canada and the United States. Unless otherwise required by applicable securities laws, Couche-Tard disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The forward-looking information in this release is based on information available as of the date of the release.

SOURCE Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc.


Related Links
http://corpo.couche-tard.com

[FUNMAN]

3 Warning Signs for Cannabis Investors

Chris MacDonald
January 25, 2020

Fire & Flower should be a shining star.

https://www.fool.ca/2020/01/25/3-warning-signs-for-cannabis-investors/

Boy, what a year 2019 was for investors in Canada’s new cannabis industry. The mood among many has certainly shifted, and the euphoria with which companies were gobbling each other up has abated. Horizons Marijuana Life Sciences Index ETF is now down 65% from its 52-week high in early 2019 (not its overall peak).

Questions about where the bottom is remain, and with cannabis stocks continuing to slide with seemingly no end in sight, investors remain cautious with respect to these names, and deservedly so.

Here are three of the biggest question marks, or warning signs, if you will, that investors need to keep an eye on in 2019 when considering if/when to jump back into the fray.

Inventory levels

I’ve pointed to this in the past — there’s a glut of inventory out there, and it’s killing margins. Companies are being forced to destroy product; cannabis is a natural product, and has a shelf life. It’s also a commodity, and supply and demand is a real thing that drives prices.

With provincial distributors the main customers of most cannabis producers, the “price taker” reality for producers is starting to kick in (and it appears investors are starting to notice this issue).

As of mid-2019, the glut was approximated at 150,000 kg of the green stuff — a truly staggering sum.

Black market is alive and strong

The black market is unregulated.

This fact alone is enough to make anyone understand the disadvantage any large-scale licensed cannabis producer has when competing against some guys growing plants in their basement. I’ve gone into detail about a few of the key hurdles producers face and given readers a taste of some of the red tape cannabis producers have to fight through to get their product to market.

You can bet the Canadian government will want to take bigger and bigger tax bites out of the profit pie that producers are able to consume most of right now. As margins shrink and taxes rise, expect to see profit expectations continue to drop, hurting share prices further. I still do not believe the true impact of future taxation and over-regulation are built into these producers’ share prices.

Cannabis retail is failing consumers

Having cannabis packaged in a similar fashion to cigarettes is killing the retail experience. Having product at government stores locked behind an opaque cabinet, with consumers having to guess what they are going to get, is mind boggling.

The retail experience at most government stores across the country is lacking. The guy on the street corner has the advantage at this stage in the game, and while the government talks a big talk about getting rid of the black market across the country, the abysmal way in which cannabis is retailed at this point in time is likely to lead to continued problems with black market penetration in 2020 and beyond.

Ontario has realized this issue, and there are seemingly plans to privatize retail in that province; questions remain, however, as to what regulations will be put in place for these retailers (if they’re held to the same standards as government stores, it won’t help). The one hope for cannabis investors is that private stores will roll out quicker, as this has been another major pain point for the industry — the true lack of physical retail locations, again, due mostly to government regulation.

[FUNMAN]

Why Second-Mover Advantage is Key to Cannabis 3.0 -- CFN Media

Very interesting points made. Nice 11:28 min interview too.

Just so you know, the CEO General Cannabis Corp OTCQX US: CANN is interviewed. He tells a nice story. The PPS is 61¢. They have little sales volume and cash on hand. There is plenty of time to buy them later; I am not buying them now.
- FUNMAN

By: Newsfile
January 27, 2020

Seattle, Washington--(Newsfile Corp. - January 27, 2020) - CFN Media (OTCQB: CNFN), the leading agency and financial media network dedicated to the North American cannabis industry announces publication of an article covering General Cannabis Corp. and an exclusive interview with its CEO Steve Gutterman and Chris Colón of Hälsa Holdings.

Legal cannabis has become one of the fastest growing industries in history. In less than a decade, it has grown from zero to upwards of $15 billion in global sales, driven by the liberalization of laws around the world. These growth rates are expected to accelerate as more states and countries legalize medical and adult-use cannabis, while researchers continue to explore the therapeutic potential of cannabinoid-based medicines.

CFN Media recently caught up with General Cannabis Corp. (OTCQX: CANN) CEO Steve Gutterman and Hälsa Holdings CEO Chris Colón to discuss the industry's evolution over the past five years and how they are positioning themselves for Cannabis 3.0 and beyond.


Cannot view this video? Visit:

The Evolution from 1.0 to 3.0

The legal cannabis industry began in 2015 when Canada legalized medical marijuana. Canadian operators began raising capital on the Cannabis 1.0 thesis that Canada would become a global distribution hub and Canadian operators could quickly expand south of the border into the United States. Of course, many licensed producers have failed to meet these lofty expectations and export growth has been very slow to materialize.

In 2018, California and many other states began legalizing recreational marijuana following voter ballot initiatives. Cannabis 2.0 companies began raising capital on the thesis that they could aggregate and aggressively deploy capital into these limited license states to create near-monopolies that could become tremendously valuable. Of course, the uncertainty around timing, patient counts, and regulations reined in these hopes.



Potential Sales from States without Full Legalization - Source: Statista, New Frontier Data

To view an enhanced version of this graph, please visit:
https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/6612/51834_b450bd3bf4816af7_002full.jpg

The industry's next phase - Cannabis 3.0 - will be about maturity and profitability. Public companies that are transparent with access to capital will be able to move into mature markets and aggregate proven assets at a good value, apply conventional retail strategies to manage them well, and ultimately grow significant shareholder value. These companies could become the future industry bellwethers that withstand the test of time.

The Second-Mover Advantage

General Cannabis CEO Steve Gutterman believes that 'second-mover advantage' will be key to succeeding in Cannabis 3.0. After acquiring mature operators in mature markets, the company plans to apply proven retail approaches to the cannabis industry by looking at traffic counts, traffic generators, populations and other factors. These are the same strategies that have helped fast food chains and other businesses predictably grow.

The company's acquisition of Hälsa Holdings represents a step in the right direction. After a painstakingly picking three marquee assets in California, Hälsa Holdings established purchase agreements or letters of intent signed with retail dispensaries in California that are generating a combined ~$12 million in revenue. The company plans to refurbish and expand operations at all three locations to boost revenue over the long-term.

In addition to acquiring these agreements, Hälsa Holdings CEO Chris Colón will become President of General Cannabis and bring tremendous value to the management team. Prior to joining Hälsa, Mr. Colón was President of Nectar Cannabis, the largest vertically integrated cannabis company in the state of Oregon with seventeen retail locations and over four hundred employees. He was also an executive at Consumer Capital Partners.

Click here to receive an investor deck and corporate updates

Looking Ahead

General Cannabis Corp. (OTCQX: CANN) is using its second-mover advantage to position itself for Cannabis 3.0. By acquiring high-quality assets in mature markets, the company aims to build long-term value for shareholders. The acquisition of Hälsa Holdings represents a great first step in the right direction by potentially bringing three retail locations into the fold that could generate upwards of $12 million in revenue.

For more information, visit the company's website or sign-up to download their investor presentation and receive updates.

Click Here to Receive CFN Media's Newsletter Every Week in Your Inbox

Click here to read the full article: https://www.cannabisfn.com/why-second-mover-advantage-is-key-to-cannabis-3-0/

About CFN Media

CFN Enterprises Inc. (OTCQB: CNFN) is the owner and operator of CFN Media, the leading agency and digital financial media network dedicated to the legal cannabis industry.

For Visitors and Viewers

CFN Media's Cannabis Financial Network (CannabisFN.com) is the destination for savvy investors and business people profiting from the worldwide cannabis industry. Viewers will see breaking news, exclusive content and original programming involving the people, companies and investments shaping the industry.

For Cannabis Businesses & Companies

CFN Media is a leading agency and financial media network dedicated to the cannabis industry. We help private, pre-public and public cannabis companies in the US and Canada attract capital, investors and media attention.

Our powerful digital media and distribution platform conveys a company's message and value proposition directly to accredited and retail investors and national media active in the North American cannabis markets.

Since 2013, CFN Media has enabled the world's preeminent cannabis companies to thrive in the capital and public markets.

Learn how to become a CFN Media client company, brand or entrepreneur: https://www.cannabisfn.com/become-featured-company/

Disclaimer

The above article is sponsored content. CannabisFN.com and CFN Media, have been hired to create awareness. Please follow the link below to view our full disclosure outlining our compensation: http://www.cannabisfn.com/legal-disclaimer/

Company Contact:
General Cannabis
Steve Gutterman
CEO
[e-mail]

[FUNMAN]

Fire & Flower Announces Significant Ontario Expansion Strategy Including Acquisition of Ottawa and Kingston Stores

March 02 2020

Although the stores were bought with shares that are dilutive, the deal isn't outrageous in terms of dollars, and the revenues are hugely accretive on top of last Q's revenues of $13.7M. - FUNMAN

Edmonton, Alberta (March 2, 2020) – Fire & Flower Holdings Corp. (“FFHC”) (TSX: FAF OTCQX: FFLWF) and its wholly-owned subsidiary Fire & Flower Inc. ( “Fire & Flower” or the “Company”), today announced the Company’s Ontario expansion plans including the completion of acquisitions of the Ottawa and Kingston, Ontario stores (the “Acquisitions”).

Ontario Expansion Plans

Fire & Flower has received its Retail Operator Licence (“ROL”) from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (the “AGCO”). Additionally, Fire & Flower has submitted applications to the AGCO for Retail Store Authorizations (“RSAs”) for an additional eight store locations in Ontario.

“Ontario is a key strategic priority for Fire & Flower and our receipt of a Retail Operator Licence and submission of Retail Store Authorizations for eight locations is a clear demonstration of our focus on this market,” shared Trevor Fencott, Chief Executive Officer of Fire & Flower. “By completing the acquisition of both the Ottawa and Kingston locations, Fire & Flower anticipates strengthening its financial position and operating income from these high performing stores.”

Design of these eight additional stores has been completed, and construction will commence shortly to allow Fire & Flower to complete the required regulatory inspections and approvals. Store locations, opening dates and times of these eight stores will be announced on Fire & Flower’s website at http://www.fireandflower.comat the Company’s earliest opportunity.

These eight additional stores combined with the existing Ottawa and Kingston locations represent the maximum number of RSA applications permitted by the AGCO at this time.

“We see Fire & Flower as our vector of growth in the cannabis sector and since our investment in the company more than six months ago, we have continued to support their ongoing expansion and operational focus,” shared Jeremy Bergeron, Vice President, Alternative Channels of Alimentation Couche-Tard. “We are very excited with the acquisition of the Ottawa and Kingston location and look forward to Fire & Flower’s expansion in Ontario and solidifying their position as the leader in cannabis retailing.”

Fire & Flower intends to rapidly expand across the province of Ontario as the AGCO accepts additional RSA applications.

Ottawa and Kingston Store Acquisitions

Fire & Flower has completed the Acquisitions of both the Ottawa and Kingston branded stores, operated under licence to two Ontario cannabis retail store licence holders.

Pursuant to the agreements with the two initial licence holders announced by FFHC on February 19, 2019, Fire & Flower has exercised its options to purchase these two retail locations. The Ottawa and Kingston stores were initially operated by licence holders selected by the AGCO to apply for ROLs in its January 2019 lottery process.

The Ottawa and Kingston stores have established trusted relationships with their customers and have generated in excess of $16,532,000 in sales to date. As wholly-owned locations, Fire & Flower will begin to report on its financial statements all sales from these stores as revenue.

“The successful launch of the Kingston store would not have been possible without the expertise of the Fire & Flower team and they have been tremendous partners to work alongside in the successful operation of this store for nearly a year,” shared Brandon Long, initial licence holder and operator of Fire & Flower – Kingston Brock Street Cannabis. “Fire & Flower is a leader in the cannabis retail industry, and I wish them the very best as they expand their brand across Ontario.”

As consideration for the Acquisitions, FFHC has issued 800,000 common shares and has reserved for issuance up to an additional 933,333 for common shares upon completion of customary post-closing adjustments.

Throughout the transition, Fire & Flower has maintained continuous operation of the two stores and continues to welcome its loyal customers to these Ontario locations. The Company continues to pursue retail store opportunities in key markets across Canada, including the Ontario market.

Strengthening Operations Through Management Focus

Today, the Company further announced changes to its management structure. Nadia Vattovaz has been appointed as Executive Vice President, Operations in addition to continuing in her role as Chief Financial Officer and Mike Vioncek, formerly the Chief Operating Officer, has been appointed SVP Real Estate, Construction & Compliance. These changes have been made to better focus the organization on its key strategic goals and retail growth plan throughout 2020.

Both Ms. Vattovaz and Mr. Vioncek have deep retail operations and real estate experience. Ms. Vattovaz previously held senior management roles with Holt Renfrew, Canadian Tire and Bento Sushi. Mr. Vioncek has previously held senior management roles with Planet Fitness, Liquor Stores North America (now Alcanna), Rexall Canada and Hudson’s Bay.

About Fire & Flower

Fire & Flower is a leading purpose-built, independentadult-usecannabis retailer poised to capture significant Canadian market share. The Company guides consumers through the complex world of cannabis through education-focused, best-in-class retailing while the Hifyre digital platform connects consumers with cannabis products. The Company’s leadership team combines extensive experience in the cannabis industry with strong capabilities in retail operations.

Fire & Flower Holdings Corp. owns all issued and outstanding shares in Fire & Flower Inc., a licensed cannabis retailer that owns or has interest in cannabis retail store licences in the provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario and the Yukon territory.

Through its strategic investment with Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. (ATD.A, ATD.B), the Company has set its sights on the global expansion as new cannabis markets emerge.

For More Information Contact:

Investor Relations
[e-mail]
1-833-680-4948

Media Relations
[e-mail]
780-784-8859

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION
This news release contains certain forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws (“forward-looking statements”). All statements other than statements of present or historical fact are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as “anticipate”, “achieve”, “could”, “believe”, “plan”, “intend”, “objective”, “continuous”, “ongoing”, “estimate”, “outlook”, “expect”, “project” and similar words, including negatives thereof, suggesting future outcomes or that certain events or conditions “may” or “will” occur. These statements are only predictions.

Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management of FFHC at the date the statements are made based on information then available to FFHC. Various factors and assumptions are applied in drawing conclusions or making the forecasts or projections set out in forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to and involve a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of FFHC, which may cause FFHC’s actual performance and results to differ materially from any projections of future performance or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. No assurance can be given that the expectations reflected in forward-looking statements will prove to be correct.

FFHC assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable law.

SOURCE Fire & Flower Holdings Corp.