Mountain Province Diamonds Inc. Announces Voluntary Delisting from Nasdaq Stock Exchange
TORONTO and NEW YORK, Jan. 30, 2020 - Mountain Province Diamonds Inc. ("Mountain Province", the "Company") (TSX and NASDAQ: MPVD) today announces that pursuant to its press release of August 13th, 2019, the Company has notified Nasdaq Stock Market LLC ("Nasdaq") of its intention to voluntarily delist its common shares from Nasdaq Stock Exchange ("NASDAQ").The Company is currently out of compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5450(a)(1) which requires listed securities to maintain a minimum bid price of US$1.00 per share, and Listing Rule 5810(c)(3)(A) provides that a failure to meet the minimum bid price requirement exists if the deficiency continues for a period of 30 consecutive business days. The Company has the option to apply for an additional 6 months extension from NASDAQ for continued listing subject to conditions, in order to regain minimum bid price of US$1.00 per share. However, given that trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange ("TSX") accounts for a vast majority of the Company's current daily trading volume, the costs associated with maintaining this listing are no longer justified.
The Company also expects to file a Form 25 with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on February 10th, 2020, and the delisting of the Company's shares is expected to be effective ten days thereafter. Accordingly, the Company anticipates that the last day of trading for the Company's shares on the NASDAQ will be on or about February 10th, 2020 and that the shares will be suspended from trading prior to market open on February 11th, 2020. The delisting will not affect the Company's continuing obligation to file required reports with the SEC. However, the Company also announced that it currently intends at a future date, when permitted under SEC rules, to terminate the registration of the Company's shares with the SEC.
The Company's shares will continue to trade on the TSX after the NASDAQ delisting becomes effective. The Company will comply with, and continue to be subject to, the laws of the Province of Ontario, Canada, the jurisdiction in which the Company is incorporated, as well as Canadian securities laws and corporate governance rules applicable to Canadian publicly listed companies, including the rules of the TSX.
The Company is currently evaluating alternative platforms for future listings in order to increase liquidity and will be updating the market accordingly.
Mountain Province Diamonds Mountain Province Diamonds is a 49% participant with De Beers Group in the Gahcho Kué diamond mine located in Canada's Northwest Territories. The Gahcho Kué Joint Venture property consists of several kimberlites that are actively being mined, developed, and explored for future development. The Company also controls 67,164 hectares of highly prospective mineral claims and leases immediately adjacent to the Gahcho Kué Joint Venture property that include an indicated mineral resource at the Kelvin kimberlite and inferred mineral resources for the Faraday kimberlites.
Caution Regarding Forward Looking Information: This news release contains certain "forward-looking statements" and "forward-looking information" under applicable Canadian and United States securities laws concerning the business, operations and financial performance and condition of Mountain Province Diamonds Inc. Forward-looking statements and forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to estimated production and mine life of the project of Mountain Province; the realization of mineral reserve estimates; the timing and amount of estimated future production; costs of production; the future price of diamonds; the estimation of mineral reserves and resources; the ability to manage debt; capital expenditures; the ability to obtain permits for operations; liquidity; tax rates; and currency exchange rate fluctuations. Except for statements of historical fact relating to Mountain Province, certain information contained herein constitutes forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "anticipates," "may," "can," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "expects," "projects," "targets," "intends," "likely," "will," "should," "to be", "potential" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may", "should" or "will" occur. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made, and are based on a number of assumptions and subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Many of these assumptions are based on factors and events that are not within the control of Mountain Province and there is no assurance they will prove to be correct.
Factors that could cause actual results to vary materially from results anticipated by such forward-looking statements include variations in ore grade or recovery rates, changes in market conditions, changes in project parameters, mine sequencing; production rates; cash flow; risks relating to the availability and timeliness of permitting and governmental approvals; supply of, and demand for, diamonds; fluctuating commodity prices and currency exchange rates, the possibility of project cost overruns or unanticipated costs and expenses, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry, failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated.
These factors are discussed in greater detail in Mountain Province's most recent Annual Information Form and in the most recent MD&A filed on SEDAR, which also provide additional general assumptions in connection with these statements. Mountain Province cautions that the foregoing list of important factors is not exhaustive. Investors and others who base themselves on forward-looking statements should carefully consider the above factors as well as the uncertainties they represent and the risk they entail. Mountain Province believes that the expectations reflected in those forward-looking statements are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking statements included in this news release should not be unduly relied upon. These statements speak only as of the date of this news release.
Although Mountain Province has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Mountain Province undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by applicable securities laws. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Statements concerning mineral reserve and resource estimates may also be deemed to constitute forward-looking statements to the extent they involve estimates of the mineralization that will be encountered as the property is developed.
Further, Mountain Province may make changes to its business plans that could affect its results. The principal assets of Mountain Province are administered pursuant to a joint venture under which Mountain Province is not the operator. Mountain Province is exposed to actions taken or omissions made by the operator within its prerogative and/or determinations made by the joint venture under its terms. Such actions or omissions may impact the future performance of Mountain Province. Under its current note and revolving credit facilities Mountain Province is subject to certain limitations on its ability to pay dividends on common stock. The declaration of dividends is at the discretion of Mountain Province's Board of Directors, subject to the limitations under the Company's debt facilities, and will depend on Mountain Province's financial results, cash requirements, future prospects, and other factors deemed relevant by the Board.
SOURCE Mountain Province Diamonds Inc.
Contact
Stuart Brown, President and CEO, 161 Bay Street, Suite 1410, Toronto, Ontario M5J 2S1, Phone: (416) 361-3562, E-mail: info@mountainprovince.com
Keyvan Salehi, VP Corp Dev & Tech Services, 161 Bay Street, Suite 1410, Toronto, Ontario M5J 2S1, Phone: (416) 361-3562, E-mail: info@mountainprovince.com