Reuters — Ontario’s Canopy Growth Corp. is buying Toyko Smoke cannabis owner Hiku Brands Co. Ltd. for $269.2 million, the latest deal in a fast-consolidating sector ahead of legal recreational marijuana sales.
Smiths Falls-based Canopy Growth on Tuesday offered 0.046 of its shares, or $1.91 per share, for each Hiku share held, a premium of 30 per cent to Hiku’s Monday close.
Hiku said on Tuesday it had terminated its deal with WeedMD Inc., citing Canopy Growth’s “superior proposal.”
Canadian marijuana companies have been on a buying spree to beef up their portfolio with marijuana sales set to become legal in the country from Oct. 17.
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Canopy Growth bought Mettrum Health in 2016 and BC Tweed in May this year.
Formed in January in a merger of B.C. firms Tokyo Smoke and DOJA Cannabis, Hiku owns cannabis brands such as Tokyo Smoke, DOJA and Van der Pop.
The equity value of the deal is based on 140.95 million outstanding Hiku shares, according to Thomson Reuters.
Hiku’s Tokyo Smoke has been conditionally awarded one of four master licenses for retail cannabis sales in Manitoba.
— Reporting for Reuters by Nivedita Balu in Bangalore.
