FRNT Financial's (FRNT.V) board of directors has initiated a formal review of strategic alternatives "intended to maximize shareholder value", the company said on Wednesday, adding it has been approached on "multiple occasions" regarding potential transactions over the past nine months.
"Though none were ultimately consummated, the frequency, nature, and progression of these approaches have led the board to conclude that there is meaningful realizable value in the Company that may not fully reflect its inherent or strategic value, and that a structured process is the appropriate means to evaluate and capture that value on behalf of all shareholders," it said.
The company will consider a broad range of alternatives, as part of the strategic review, including, but not limited to, an uplisting to a senior exchange, strategic investments, mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, a going-private transaction, a business combination, and the continued execution of the company's existing standalone business plan, the company added.
In connection with the strategic review, the company has engaged Joseph Gunnar & Co., LLC to act as financial advisor to the company. "FRNT cautions that such engagement should not be viewed as an indication that any specific process or transaction will be pursued," it said. "There can be no assurance that the Strategic Review will result in any transaction or any particular outcome, and the Company does not intend to comment further on the process unless and until the Board has approved a specific transaction or otherwise determines that further disclosure is appropriate or required."
The strategic review is ongoing, and the company has not set a definitive timetable for its completion, it added. "After a difficult period for the crypto-industry, our informal and formal conversations over the last months have shown an investor readiness to scale FRNT, rerate the business, and capture new emerging opportunities," said CEO Stephane Ouellette. "With institutional tokenization finally emerging as a monetizable opportunity, the proliferation of institutional blockchain-based payments, and regulatory commitments giving investors more confidence, we believe this is the perfect time to investigate partners for the next chapter of FRNT's story and growth."
Shares in FRNT fell 12% in Canada yesterday.