Cannabis Weekly Round-Up: TerrAscend Closer to TSX Listing

TerrAscend ready to upgrade to the TSX

TerrAscend's (CSE:TER,OTCQX:TRSSF) very big week started when the firm received approval for its planned acquisition of Peninsula Alternative Health, a medical dispensary based in Maryland, US. Jason Wild, executive chairman of TerrAscend, celebrated the timing of the approval as the state's adult-use market is set to open on July 1.

"We expect Peninsula to quickly become one of our highest performing dispensaries nationwide," he said.

The firm then let investors know about its intention to raise US$15 million through two separate private placements. TerrAscend said it plans to use these funds to further its exposure to Maryland, as well as for general working capital and for its plan to list on the TSX — arguably the company's biggest announcement of the week.

The cannabis operator received "conditional approval" to move its shares from the CSE to the TSX.

“We have an exciting future ahead of us and we can’t wait to share the TerrAscend story with the larger audience of participants that this listing brings,” Wild said. TerrAscend will get full approval to uplist to the TSX once it meets "certain customary conditions required by the exchange," according to a press release.

Shares of the firm have enjoyed a good week thanks to the news, as TerrAscend is the first openly US-based cannabis operator with a plant-touching business to pursue a listing on the biggest exchange in Canada.

The company closed Thursday's (June 22) trading session with a share value increase of 5.61 percent. TerrAscend opened Friday's trading session at a price of C$2.26.

Canopy's BioSteel mishandling leads to SEC investigation

On Thursday, Canopy released the financial results for its fourth fiscal quarter of 2023, as well as the full year.

The company confirmed that a formal investigation is underway regarding errors related to recent results from its BioSteel Sports Nutrition division. The investigation comes after the company completed an internal review.

"This review identified material misstatements in certain of our prior financial statements related to certain sales in the BioSteel business unit," the company said in a statement.

Overall, the correction has resulted in a US$10 million decrease in Canopy's net revenue for the 2022 fiscal year.

"As a result of the review, we are continuing to implement several remedial actions, including management changes and appropriate personnel actions," Canopy explained to investors in a press release. "The Company is also considering all legal options that may be available in connection with the associated overpayment made in FY2023 to the minority shareholders of BioSteel as a result of the overstatement of revenues."

Canopy has listed this issue as a risk factor for investors to note. "As a result of self-reporting the BioSteel Review, the Company is the subject of an investigation by the (US Securities and Exchange Commission) and an ongoing informal inquiry by regulatory authorities in Canada, and it cannot predict the timing of developments, and any adverse outcome of these continuing matters could have a material adverse effect on the Company," the company states in its Form 10-K.

Cannabis company news

• Tilray Brands (NASDAQ:TLRY,TSX:TLRY) finalized the acquisition of HEXO. “Acquiring HEXO boosts Tilray’s competitive positioning in the largest, federally legalized cannabis market in the world and, we believe, marks the next evolution of Canadian cannabis," Irwin Simon, CEO of Tilray, said.

• Fire & Flower Holdings (TSX:FAF,OTCQX:FFLWF) received approval from the Ontario Superior Court of Justice for the sale and investment solicitation process for its assets.

• Humble & Fume (CSE:HMBL,OTCQX:HUMBF) announced a new investment worth US$1.99 million by Green Acre Capital Distribution into HC Solutions Holdings, a jointly owned operation. Thanks to this investment, Green Acre now holds a 50.2 percent ownership stake in HC, while Humble retains 49.8 percent ownership.

• Trulieve Cannabis (CSE:TRUL,OTCQX:TCNNF) appointed Tim Mullany as its new CFO, starting on July 10. "We are pleased to welcome Tim to our executive leadership team ahead of numerous growth catalysts," Trulieve CEO Kim Rivers, said.