Reaffirm Commitment to Superior $12.50 Per Share Cash Offer for
Territorial
Correct the Record on Board's Misleading
Claims About the Hope Merger and Investor Proposal
Call on Shareholders to Remain Opposed to
Merger with Hope as Board Refuses to Engage Toward Better
Offer
Provide Updated Shareholder
Presentation
HONOLULU, Oct. 9, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- Blue Hill Advisors and former Hawaii banking executive Allan Landon
today reiterated their previously announced superior $12.50 per share cash offer for Territorial
Bancorp Inc. ("Territorial" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: TBNK) and
corrected the record on Territorial's numerous assertions regarding
the proposed merger with Hope Bancorp, Inc. ("Hope") (NASDAQ:
HOPE) and the investor proposal. They also provided an updated
presentation urging Territorial shareholders to remain unreservedly
opposed to the "merger" between Territorial and Hope, a transaction
which carries the second lowest valuation of an announced bank
merger since 1983 and came after Territorial shareholders bore a
nearly 70% decrease in value over five years.
"Shareholders should reject the fire-sale price that Hope is
paying for Territorial," said Jason
Blumberg, Managing Member of Blue Hill Advisors. "It is
unfortunate that Territorial's Board has resorted to delays and
misinformation instead of engaging with a better offer. The Board
is giving shareholders little choice but to emphatically oppose the
merger with Hope."
"We remain committed to our superior offer and are ready to move
quickly through due diligence and closing if the Board changes
their position," said Mr. Landon.
The updated presentation, which can be found at
www.NewTerritorial.com, makes the case for opposing the Hope
"merger" on the grounds that it was struck at the worst possible
time for shareholders, dramatically undervalues Territorial and
deprives shareholders of any recovery in the value of their shares
due to the massive dilution they would suffer. In stark contrast,
the investor proposal provides a substantial 26% premium or the
opportunity to participate in the Territorial's recovery.
In addition, the presentation lays bare and corrects the record
on Territorial's numerous false and misleading claims
including:
Misleading Claims
About Hope Merger
|
Fact
Check
|
Fact
|
Shareholders will
receive a 25% premium
|
FALSE
|
Shareholders would
receive $9.95 if the Hope merger closed on 10/7, a 7% discount to
Territorial's share price of $10.67
|
The Hope merger is
good for employees
|
FALSE
|
Hope plans to cut
>25% of Territorial's operating expenses ($10.5
million)
|
Territorial
shareholders should be happy about getting an 11 cent
dividend
|
FALSE
|
Territorial has
slashed its dividend from 23 cents to 1 cent over the last
year
|
Territorial
shareholders will benefit longer term from a combination with
Hope
|
FALSE
|
Hope shareholders
will reap the rewards while Territorial shareholders will own a
paltry 5.6% of the combined company
|
The Hope merger is
close to receiving the required regulatory approvals
|
FALSE
|
The Hope merger
requires regulatory approvals from four different federal and state
banking agencies, the status of which is unknown
|
Hope is a safe and
attractive investment
|
FALSE
|
Hope's balance sheet
is saddled with risky commercial real estate loans at a time when
those assets are under intense regulatory pressure and
scrutiny
|
Territorial will
remain a local bank
|
FALSE
|
Hope is
headquartered in Los Angeles
|
Misleading Claims
About Investor Proposal
|
Fact
Check
|
Fact
|
The proposal is from
Blue Hill Advisors
|
FALSE
|
The proposal is from
six discrete experienced bank investors and former Hawaii banking
executive Allan Landon
|
The investors are
seeking to acquire or otherwise take control of
Territorial
|
FALSE
|
The six discrete
investors will each make a non-controlling investment in
Territorial
|
The investors don't
have the financing to complete the proposed
investment
|
FALSE
|
The investors
possess over $3 billion AUM in the aggregate and have more than
enough liquidity to complete the investment on the proposed
terms
|
The investors would
have a tough time securing regulatory approval
|
FALSE
|
The investors'
non-control regulatory approval process is straightforward and has
been completed by numerous investors
|
The tender offer is
unlikely to be successful
|
FALSE
|
A leading proxy
solicitation firm has indicated that our 70% minimum tender
threshold is readily achievable. However, the investors are willing
to consider a lower threshold to complete our
transaction
|
In addition to the updated presentation, investors can find more
information on the superior proposal at
www.NewTerritorial.com.
Territorial shareholders are encouraged to contact Blue Hill
Advisors for more information or to contact Territorial's Board to
express their support for this proposal. Shareholders who have
already voted FOR the Hope merger but who wish to change their vote
can still do so before the November 6
special meeting of Territorial stockholders by following the
instructions for changing votes as described in the prospectus that
Hope filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"SEC") on August 22, 2024.
Contacts
For Media:
Breitenbush Partners
Andrew Wilson, 773-425-4991
awilson@breitenbushpartners.com
For Investors:
Blue Hill Advisors
Jason Blumberg, 917-733-0381
jason@bluehilladv.com
About Blue Hill Advisors
Blue Hill Advisors is an advisor to and investor in regional and
community banks. The firm looks for opportunities that it believes
have been substantially mispriced by the market and seeks to build
long-term value through active management.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Certain statements and information contained in this
communication may be forward looking in nature and may constitute
forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include all
statements that are not historical facts and can typically be
identified by words such as "may", "will ", "expect", "could",
"should", "intend", "commit", "estimate", "anticipate", "believe",
"remain", "on track", "design", "target", "objective", "goal",
"forecast", "projection", "outlook", "prospects", "plan", "intend",
or similar terminology, including by way of example and without
limitation plans, intentions and expectations regarding the
proposal to acquire Territorial and the anticipated results,
benefits, synergies, costs, timing and other expectations of the
benefits of a potential transaction.
Forward-looking statements are related to future, not past,
events and are not guarantees of future performance. These
statements are based on current expectations and projections about
future events and, by their nature, address matters that are, to
different degrees, uncertain and are subject to inherent risks and
uncertainties. They relate to events and depend on circumstances
that may or may not occur or exist in the future, and, as such,
undue reliance should not be placed on them. Actual results may
differ materially from those expressed in such statements as a
result of a variety of factors, including, among other things, the
ability of Territorial, on the one hand, and Blue Hill Advisors and
certain other investors (collectively, the "Investors"), on the
other hand, to agree on terms for the proposed transaction and, in
the event a definitive transaction agreement is executed, the
ability of the parties to obtain any necessary shareholder and
regulatory approvals and financing, to satisfy any other conditions
to the closing of the transaction and to consummate the proposed
transaction on a timely basis, as well as changes in general
economic, financial and market conditions and other changes in
business conditions, changes in regulations, and many other
factors, most of which are outside of the control of the Investors.
The Investors expressly disclaim and do not assume any liability in
connection with any inaccuracies in any of these forward-looking
statements or in connection with any use by any party of such
forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statements
contained in this communication speaks only as of the date of this
communication.
The Investors undertake no obligation to update or revise its
outlook or forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new
developments or otherwise. Names, organizations and company names
referred to may be the trademarks of their respective owners. This
communication does not represent investment advice, a solicitation,
a recommendation, an invitation, an offer for the purchase or sale
of financial products and/or of any kind of financial services as
contemplated by the laws in any country or state.
NO OFFER OR SOLICITATION
This document shall not constitute an offer to sell or the
solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be
any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which the offer,
solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or
qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.
No offering 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.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND WHERE TO FIND IT
This communication does not constitute an offer to buy or
solicitation of an offer to sell any securities. This communication
relates to a proposal that Investors have made for a transaction
with Territorial. In furtherance of this proposal and subject to
future developments, Investors or certain affiliated entities (and,
if a negotiated transaction is agreed to, Territorial) may file one
or more registration statements, proxy statements, tender offer
statements or other documents with the SEC. This communication is
not a substitute for any proxy statement, registration statement,
tender offer statement, prospectus or other document Investors or
any of their affiliates and/or Territorial may file with the SEC in
connection with the proposed transaction. INVESTORS AND SECURITY
HOLDERS OF TERRITORIAL ARE URGED TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT(S),
REGISTRATION STATEMENT, TENDER OFFER STATEMENT, PROSPECTUS AND/OR
OTHER DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC CAREFULLY IN THEIR ENTIRETY IF
AND WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE AS THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT
INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION. Any definitive proxy
statement(s) or prospectus(es) (if and when available) will be
mailed to stockholders of Territorial, as applicable. Investors and
security holders of Territorial will be able to obtain free copies
of these documents (if and when available) and other documents
filed with the SEC through the web site maintained by the SEC at
www.sec.gov.
PARTICIPANTS IN THE SOLICITATION
This communication is neither a solicitation of a proxy nor a
substitute for any proxy statement or other filings that may be
made with the SEC.
View original
content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/blue-hill-advisors-and-investors-reiterate-superior-proposal-for-territorial-bancorp-and-refute-territorials-assertions-302271675.html
SOURCE Blue Hill Advisors