DALLAS,
Nov. 25,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Highland Opportunities and
Income Fund (NYSE:HFRO) ("HFRO" or the "Fund") today announced its
plan to conduct an issuer tender offer pursuant to Rule 13e-4 under
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 for its common shares
("Shares") with a maximum aggregate purchase price of $100
million, in exchange for Series B Preferred Shares (the "Tender
Offer"). The expected exchange price for the Tender Offer is
$10.00 per Share, which represents a
significant premium to the current Share price.
The Fund's Board of Trustees (the "Board")
authorized the Tender Offer on November 22,
2024. The Tender Offer is expected to commence in
January 2025.
It is anticipated that the Series B Preferred
Shares to be issued will be structured similarly to the existing
5.375% Series A Cumulative Preferred Shares (NYSE:HFRO.PR.A) and be
rated by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization
and listed on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE"). The Fund will
not issue fractional Series B Preferred Shares.
The Tender Offer is part of the ongoing, targeted
strategy from the Fund's adviser, NexPoint Asset Management, L.P.
(the "Adviser"), and the Board to address the Share price's
discount to net asset value ("NAV"). This strategy has to date
comprised several initiatives, including a share buyback program
and a significant commitment to providing enhanced disclosures
through shareholder materials, quarterly calls, and other
communications from the Adviser that offer insights and timely
updates on the Fund and portfolio, as well as in-depth information
on top holdings.
Taking into account the impact of these efforts
and feedback received from HFRO shareholders, the Tender Offer
expands on current initiatives while providing an additional
solution that aims to narrow the discount to NAV and provide other
benefits to shareholders.
Tender Offer's Potential Benefits to
Shareholders
Both the Adviser and the Board believe the Tender
Offer is in the best interest of all shareholders for several
reasons, including the following:
- It has the potential to narrow the discount to NAV.
The Tender Offer has the potential to narrow the discount
to NAV as it is expected to increase the NAV per Share of the Fund
for Shares that remain outstanding after the completion of the
Tender Offer.
- It provides an opportunity to exchange common shares at a
premium to the current market price.
The Tender Offer allows a significant number of
shareholders to exchange their Shares at a premium to the current
market price. With an anticipated Exchange Price per Common Share
of $10.00, this represents a premium
to the latest closing price of $5.21
per Share (as of November 22, 2024).
While the exchange price is subject to change between now and the
formal commencement of the Tender Offer, such price will be
reflected in the Tender Offer documents, will reflect a premium to
current trading price, and will not alter the maximum aggregate
purchase price of $100 million in
Series B Preferred Shares for the exchange.
- It allows shareholders to receive a fixed dividend.
Preferred shareholders will receive a fixed dividend based
on the coupon of 5.375%.
Terms of the Proposed Tender Offer
The complete details of the offering will be
provided in the final offering documents once they are filed;
however, based on current conditions, the Fund anticipates the
Tender Offer will have the following terms:
Exchange Price per
Common Share
|
$10.00
|
Maximum Aggregate
Purchase Price
|
$100 million
|
Coupon of Series B
Preferred Shares
|
5.375 %
|
Liquidation Preference
of Series B Preferred Shares
|
$25.00 per
share
|
The final terms are subject to change. The offering documents
are expected to be filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "SEC") in January
2025. Once filed, details of the offering and additional
information will be distributed to shareholders. Offering documents
and other materials will also be available at sec.gov and on
the Fund's website at
nexpointassetmgmt.com/opportunities-income-fund.
Upcoming Quarterly Investor Call
The Fund issued a press release announcing its
next quarterly investor call will be held on December 11, 2024, at 3:00
p.m. CST / 4:00 p.m. EST. The
call will include discussion on the Tender Offer as well as the
regular review of the portfolio and Fund performance from the past
quarter and an overview of top holdings.
Register to attend the call - here.
Registration is also available through the HFRO
website. Follow the link to register for the Q3 2024 Investor
Call.
Attendees may submit questions ahead of the call.
Questions can be submitted through the registration link. A replay
will be available on HFRO's website after the call.
About the Highland Opportunities and Income
Fund
The Highland Opportunities and Income Fund
(NYSE: HFRO) is a closed-end fund managed by NexPoint Asset
Management, L.P. For more information visit
nexpointassetmgmt.com/opportunities-income-fund.
About NexPoint Asset Management, L.P.
NexPoint Asset
Management, L.P. is an SEC-registered investment adviser. It is the
adviser to a suite of registered funds, including open-end mutual
funds and closed-end funds. For more information
nexpointassetmgmt.com,
Risks and
Disclosures
Additional terms and conditions of the
Tender Offer will be set forth in the Fund's offering materials,
which will be filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "SEC") and distributed to the Fund's common
shareholders. If the number of common shares tendered for the Fund
exceeds the maximum amount of the Tender Offer, the Fund will
purchase shares from tendering shareholders on a pro-rata basis
(disregarding fractional common shares and fractional Series B
Preferred Shares). Accordingly, there is no assurance that the Fund
will purchase all of a shareholder's common shares tendered in the
Tender Offer. The Fund may determine not to accept shares tendered
in the Tender Offer under various circumstances, as will be set
forth in the offering materials. Further information about the
Tender Offer will be announced in future press releases and the
Fund's offering materials.
The Fund has not commenced the tender offer
described in this press release. This press release is not a
recommendation, an offer to purchase or a solicitation of an offer
to sell any securities of HFRO and the above statements are not
intended to constitute an offer to participate in any tender offer.
The solicitation and the offer to exchange common shares of HFRO
will be made pursuant to an offer to exchange and related materials
that HFRO intends to file with the SEC. At the time the Tender
Offer is commenced, HFRO intends to file a Tender Offer Statement
on Schedule TO containing an offer to exchange, forms of letters of
transmittal and other documents relating to the Tender Offer. HFRO
intends to distribute these documents to the shareholders of the
Fund. These documents will contain important information about the
Tender Offer and shareholders of HFRO are urged to read them
carefully when they become available. Investors may obtain free
copies of the Tender Offer Statement and other documents (when they
become available) filed with the SEC at the SEC's web site
at sec.gov or on the Fund's website at
nexpointassetmgmt.com/opportunities-income-fund.
The Fund is relying on Section 3(a)(9) of the
Securities Act of 1933 (the "Securities Act") to exempt the Tender
Offer from the registration requirements of the Securities Act.
Section 3(a)(9) provides that the registration requirements of the
Securities Act will not apply to "any security exchanged by the
issuer with its existing security holders exclusively where no
commission or other remuneration is paid or given directly or
indirectly for soliciting such exchange." The Fund has no contract,
arrangement or understanding relating to, and will not, directly or
indirectly, pay any commission or other remuneration to any broker,
dealer, salesperson, agent or any other person for soliciting
tenders in the Tender Offer.
Investors should consider the investment
objectives, risks, charges, and expenses of the Highland
Opportunities and Income Fund carefully before investing. This and
other information can be found in the Fund's annual report, which
may be obtained by calling (800) 357-9167 or on the website at
nexpointassetmgmt.com. Please read the annual report carefully
before you invest. Any distribution paid by the Fund may include a
return of capital. Please refer to the 19(a)-1 Source of
Distribution Notice on the NexPoint Asset Management
website for Section 19 notices that provide estimated amounts
and sources of the Fund's distributions, which should not be relied
upon for tax reporting purposes.
CONTACTS
Investor Relations
Kristen Griffith
IR@nexpoint.com
Media Relations
Prosek Partners for
NexPoint
Pro-nexpoint@prosek.com
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SOURCE Highland Opportunities and Income Fund