By Debra BorchardtFeb 16, 2021, 7:00 am31 pts
Verano Holdings Corp. (CSE: VRNO) is set to begin trading on February 17 after closing the reverse takeover of Majesta Minerals Inc. and the merger with Alternative Medical Enterprises LLC, Plants of Ruskin GPS, LLC, RVC 360, LLC, and affiliated companies better known as AltMed and sometimes…
NewsBudz is a marijuana and medical cannabis news app. The site delivers a daily feed of the latest cannabis news. We aggregate over 30 of the web's best sources for news about marijuana, hemp and legalization to keep you informed. Stay on top of the latest news headlines, trends and developments worldwide around recreational and medical marijuana. Sit back and relax, while you read learn and share. On the web or your mobile device, NewsBudz is your cannabis news stream.

Verano Quickly Jumps To The Top As Stock Begins Trading

Verano Holdings Corp. (CSE: VRNO) is set to begin trading on February 17 after closing the reverse takeover of Majesta Minerals Inc. and the merger with Alternative Medical Enterprises LLC, Plants of Ruskin GPS, LLC, RVC 360, LLC, and affiliated companies better known as AltMed and sometimes referred to as AME. The company noted that the Subordinate Voting Shares would begin trading on the CSE, but that the Proportionate Voting Shares will not be listed for trading. “Our public listing will provide us access to capital to execute our long-term strategy of expanding into limited-license, high-growth markets and scaling our wholesale and retail operations into new and existing markets,” said CEO George Archos. Archos holds 19.62% of the issued and outstanding SV Shares of Verano. While the subscription price is $10, it is expected that the stock will trade above that level. Verano is in 12 U.S. States, with active operations in nine, which includes 23 active retail locations and approximately 440,000 square feet across its six cultivation facilities. Verano produces a full suite of premium, artisanal cannabis products sold under its trusted portfolio of consumer brands: Encore, Avexia, and Verano. Verano designs, builds, and operates inimitable Zen Leaf branded dispensary environments that deliver a superior cannabis shopping experience in both medical and adult-use markets. The merger with Alt-Med brings the company the MÜV brand of medical cannabis-infused products which were launched in Arizona in 2016. Alt Med has  29 active retail locations, the AME Parties have 220,000 square feet of cultivation facilities in Florida, and 33,542 square feet in Arizona, which is expected to increase by an additional 110,000 square feet to meet increased demand. “The combination with AltMed joins two complementary companies focused on providing superior customer experiences. We have both been disciplined operators since inception, and together we anticipate continuing to generate strong profitability and an EBITDA margin that would rank us near the top of our peer group,” said Mr. Archos. “Our public listing will provide us with access to capital to execute our growth plan, including the organic growth of our retail presence and product portfolio in addition to the pursuit of strategic acquisitions, with the goal of being a top three operator in the states in which we operate.”
Earnings
For the nine months ending in September 2020, Verano reported revenue of $154 million and AME reported $87 million. The net income for the same period was $118 million for Verano and $88 million for AME. On a pro forma consolidated basis, the nine months of revenue would be $241 million and the net income would be $172 million. Winners & Losers
In 2019, Harvest Health & Recreation (OTC: HRVSF) intended to acquire Verano for roughly $850 million. The two companies agreed to terminate the deal without incurring any breakup fees. Part of the problem with the all-stock deal was that Harvest Health’s stock plunged from C$8.79 at the time of the announcement to roughly C$1.62. The stock was lately selling at C$4.61. “This decision was not taken lightly,” said George Archos, Verano Holdings CEO. “While both organizations worked very hard to consummate this transaction, significant delays in closing started with the Hart-Scott-Rodino antitrust review process. Those were followed by state and local regulatory complexities in multiple states.” Harvest has a current market cap of $1.8 billion while Verano’s market cap is expected to be $2.8 billion. SOL Global Investments Corp.  (OTCPK: SOLCF) stands to benefit greatly from its investment in Verano. Once the stock begins trading, SOL Global expects to hold 25.2 million subordinate voting shares and was pleased to note that Verano has “effectively scaled up its operations in several key cannabis markets in the U.S., including Illinois, New Jersey and Nevada (either directly or via affiliates/subsidiaries), and is well positioned to continue to generate impressive quarter over quarter growth.”
Sol Global said in a statement that the transaction will have a significant positive impact on its net asset value and the company will update the market in a timely manner as information is available. Sol Global also had to set the record straight with one of its lenders regarding the Verano stake. On February 7, 2021, the company initiated litigation in the State of New York against its lender, 1235 Fund LP, an affiliate of MMCAP who wants Verano stock instead of being paid in cash. Back in 2019, the company announced that it had completed a $50,000,000 private placement financing by way of the issue and sale of a senior secured non-convertible debenture. If the deal between Verano and Harvest Health had occurred, the lender would have been repaid in shares of either Verano or Harvest, which would have enabled the lender to cover its short position in Harvest and provided the lender with a reasonable premium of return beyond the stipulated 6%. “The Harvest Transaction did not close and thus the Debenture is repayable only in cash. Nevertheless, on February 5, 2021, the lender has wrongfully sent a formal notice purportedly electing to receive, instead of cash, Verano shares currently owned by the Company whose value is more than 200% of the principal value of the Debenture. The Company advised the lender that it will repay the Debenture in cash pursuant to its terms. To address any uncertainty resulting from the lender’s positions, the Company commenced litigation against the lender and another seeking declaratory relief that, among other things, the lender has no right to be repaid in Verano shares. As a result of the lender’s positions, SOL Global has decided that it will no longer do business with it nor participate in any transaction in which the lender is involved.”
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Verano Holdings, LLC is buying and merging with Alternative Medical Enterprises , LLC, Plants of Ruskin, LLC,  called AltMed to create the largest privately-owned cannabis company. The value of the transaction was not disclosed. Earlier this year Harvest health killed its plan to buy Verano in a deal valued at $850 million. It was a huge week for earnings with numbers coming from some of the biggest players. We’ll break it down into a winners, losers amd meh category. The winners are 
Green Thumb Industries or GTI had another tremendous quarter with revenue increasing 131% to $157.1 million. Revenue growth was driven primarily by the increased scale in the company’s Consumer Packaged Goods and Retail businesses. Canopy Growth Corporation (NYSE: CGC) reported net revenue of $135.3 million for the second fiscal 2021 quarter causing the stock to jump. This was a 77% increase over last year’s fiscal second-quarter revenue of $76.6 million. Still, Canopy delivered a net loss of $96.6 million versus last year’s net income of $242 million for the same time period. Grow Generation is a specialty garden center with 31 locations across 11 US states. The company recently released their third quarter earnings, and reports that, “Revenues rose 153% to $55.0 million, for third-quarter 2020, versus $21.8 million for the same period last year.” 
Harvest Health & Recreation Inc. (OTCQX: HRVSF) reported revenue rising 86% in the third quarter to $61.6 million. This was a sequential increase of 11% 
Acreage Holdings, (OTC: ACRHF, ACRDF) reported their third-quarter revenue of $31.7 million, a 42% increase compared to the same period in 2019. It also was a 17% increase compared to the second quarter. In the so so category:
Aurora reported a slight increase in total and net revenue in Q1, with numbers reaching $67.8 million, but then the company announced a $125 million offering and that was not well-received by shareholders because of the company’s elevated cash burn
Tilray, Inc. (Nasdaq: TLRY) reported that its total revenue for the third quarter was flat at $51.4 million and up 2.0% sequentially. Net losses fell to  $(2.3) million 
Charlotte’s Web Holdings, Inc. (TSX: CWEB) (OTCQX: CWBHF) reported  that its revenue  was rising to $25.2 million only a tiny bit better than the $25.1 million in 2019. The net loss was $6.6 million which was higher than last year’s net loss of $1.3 million. Not so great earnings included
Canopy Rivers Inc. (OTC: CNPOF) which acknowledged taking a $112 million hit for its PharmHouse investment. The total comprehensive loss for the quarter was $87.0 million. Organigram Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: OGI) (TSX: OGI),shares plunged this week on an  underwritten public offering of units for C$60 million. In psychedelic news, Cybin began trading this week and Compass reported that it has enough cash to last it through 2023.

Green Market Report’s Marijuana Money November 12, 2020

By Video StaffNov 13, 2020, 7:00 am3 pts
Verano Holdings, LLC is buying and merging with Alternative Medical Enterprises, LLC, Plants of Ruskin, LLC,  called AltMed to create the largest privately-owned cannabis company. The value of the transaction was not disclosed. Earlier this year Harvest health killed its plan to buy Verano in a…
NewsBudz is a marijuana and medical cannabis news app. The site delivers a daily feed of the latest cannabis news. We aggregate over 30 of the web's best sources for news about marijuana, hemp and legalization to keep you informed. Stay on top of the latest news headlines, trends and developments worldwide around recreational and medical marijuana. Sit back and relax, while you read learn and share. On the web or your mobile device, NewsBudz is your cannabis news stream.

Green Market Report's Marijuana Money November 12, 2020

Verano Holdings, LLC is buying and merging with Alternative Medical Enterprises , LLC, Plants of Ruskin, LLC,  called AltMed to create the largest privately-owned cannabis company. The value of the transaction was not disclosed. Verano is a multi-state operator located in 12 states, with 17 active retail locations and approximately 440,000 square feet across its cultivation facilities, The company is known for its portfolio of consumer brands: Encore, Avexia, and Verano. Verano designs, builds and operates inimitable Zen Leaf branded dispensaries. AltMed is known for its MÜV brand of medical cannabis-infused products launched in Arizona in 2016. MÜV Dispensaries by AltMed Florida was formed a year later through the partnership of AltMed Enterprises and Plants of Ruskin, a multi-generational Florida agricultural leader. The company has 27 locations (one in Arizona muv-az.com , 26 in Florida  muvfl.com , and more added each month). “The combination of Verano and AltMed is a game-changer in the U.S. cannabis industry. It is expected to create one of the largest private cannabis companies with truly no redundancies in geography or operations. AltMed is an ideal partner to accelerate our shared vision to be one of the most innovative and profitable cannabis operators in the country. Our cultures are seamlessly aligned and we have a strong commitment to providing a superior, customer-focused cannabis experience across our existing markets. AltMed not only has a substantial market presence in Florida and Arizona, a state which recently approved recreational use, but also delivers a portfolio of high-quality, pharmaceutical-grade medical cannabis products,” said George Archos, Founder and CEO of Verano Holdings. “Together, we believe we have a very strong management team whose experience spans cannabis, pharma, real estate and hospitality, and we are very excited to welcome and work collectively with AltMed’s Michael Smullen, Bill Petron and John Tipton.”
The combined company will be led by the founder and CEO of Verano, George Archos, a veteran in the logistics and operations spaces who entered the cannabis industry in 2014. AltMed’s key personnel will maintain a strong presence on the management team and Board of Directors, including Michael Smullen, Alternative Medical Enterprises, LLC’s Chairman, CEO & Co-Founder, and John Tipton, a registered CPA with more than 30 years of leadership experience in both the agricultural and land development industries. In addition, Bill Petron of AltMed Arizona will bring his vast experience to the newly formed company. Mr. Archos continued, “This combination will create significant opportunity to expand our business into limited-license markets and scale both our wholesale and retail operations. We have created a thoughtful model for long-term success and a solid platform to deliver what we expect to be industry-leading EBITDA margin on a pro forma basis. In addition, our combined strong balance sheet should provide us with financial flexibility to expand operations and go deeper in states in which we operate.”
Harvest Went Bust
Earlier this year Verano looked like it was going to be acquired by Harvest Health (OTC:HRVSF) in an all-stock deal valued at approximately $850 million based on a share price of C$8.79 ($6.70). The companies stated at the time of termination that prolonged obstacles in meeting requirements for state and local regulatory authorities needed to transfer ownership and operational licenses, adverse capital market conditions, a challenging environment for asset sales, all contributed significantly to the decision not to move forward with the pending acquisition. Harvest Health shares are now trading at C$2.41 ($1.84). Profitable and Formidable
Verano says it has been profitable since it was founded. AltMed was founded in 2014 and said it has been profitable in recent years. AltMed has 220,000 square feet of cultivation facilities in Florida, and 30,000 square feet in Arizona, which is rapidly expanding by an additional 50,000 square feet to meet increased demand. The combination will accelerate Verano’s expansion into Florida and Arizona, currently among the largest and fastest-growing cannabis markets in the United States. Following the consummation of the transaction, the combined group of companies will operate under the Verano name and will have the ability to operate in 14 states, with eight cultivation facilities and 44 active retail locations. Approximately 32 additional retail locations are planned. “We share Verano’s enthusiasm for this transformative business combination. We have a mutual commitment to delivering a high-quality product through a superior customer experience to distinguish us in the marketplace,” said Michael Smullen, Chairman, CEO and Co-founder of AltMed’s Alternative Medical Enterprises, LLC. “We are both disciplined stewards of capital, run our businesses efficiently and are focused on delivering profitable growth. It was important for us to find the right strategic partner and Verano was the ideal choice.”
“Through our combination with Verano, we will have economies of scale to further expand our operations, bring adult-use programs online and scale cultivation and manufacturing capacity to meet market demand,” said John Tipton, CEO of AltMed Florida. “Both Verano and AltMed are uncompromisingly dedicated to superb cultivation and manufacturing processes, new product development and retail design and engagement. In combining with a multi-state operator, we have a larger platform to meet the growing needs of our customers and deliver long-term profitable growth for our stakeholders.”
Synergies
The company said in a statement that the combination was expected to result in substantial benefits to AltMed and Verano, including the following reasons for the transaction. Establishes Verano as one of the three largest MSOs in the United States based on 2021 internal projections compared to current FactSet 2021 consensus estimates for revenue and EBITDA. Creates a scale market leader well-positioned for growth and accelerates expansion in the limited license, high-growth markets – specifically Florida and Arizona. Increases Verano’s reputation as a manufacturer of high-quality products on a large scale by adding similar capabilities in new states. Increases the combined company’s financial profile with industry-leading margins and profitability. Post Views:

Verano Buys AltMed To Create Largest Private Cannabis Company

These companies participate in - or service businesses that participate in - the legal cannabis industry. Our definition of cannabis includes both marijuana and hemp (and all derivatives). The collection includes both "plant-touching" and "non-plant-touching" businesses.

Cannabis

Acq - Fin

Plants of Ruskin is a multi-generational Florida cultivator dedicated to plant improvement. The company was selected to be one of Florida's first legal pot growers to help get Florida's medical marijuana industry started. On November 12th, 2020, Plants of Ruskin was acquired by Verano Holdings. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

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