NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--American Farmland Company (NYSE MKT:AFCO) (the “Company”), a specialized real estate investment trust focused on the ownership, acquisition, development and management of a portfolio of diversified, high-quality U.S. farmland, today announced that its Board of Directors has authorized the Company to commence a review of strategic alternatives to enhance shareholder value.
Since the Company’s October 19, 2015 initial public offering, its shares have consistently traded at a substantial discount to net asset value which, as of December 31, 2015, was estimated to be $10.05 per share. The Company’s net asset value is based upon independent third-party appraisals of its farms which were performed as of December 31, 2015. The Company has retained Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and Raymond James & Associates, Inc. as its financial advisors and Goodwin Procter LLP as legal counsel to assist in a comprehensive analysis of all potential strategic alternatives. Alternatives to be explored may include, among others, joint venture arrangements, a merger of the Company, or a sale of all or part of the Company and/or its assets. The Company noted that there can be no assurances that the strategic alternatives review process will result in the Company pursuing a particular transaction or the consummation of any transaction. The Company has not set a definitive timetable for completion of the process and does not intend to disclose further developments until its Board of Directors approves a specific action or otherwise concludes the review of strategic alternatives.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
For additional information about the Company, please see the “Investor Relations” section of American Farmland Company’s website at www.americanfarmlandcompany.com.
ABOUT AMERICAN FARMLAND COMPANY
American Farmland Company is an internally managed real estate investment trust and a Maryland corporation focused on owning and acquiring a diversified portfolio of high-quality farmland, consisting of mature permanent, specialty/vegetable row and commodity row crop farms, as well as farmland development, located in select major agricultural regions throughout the United States. As of the date of this release, the Company’s portfolio consists of 22 farms located on both coasts as well as in the Corn Belt and the Delta regions and consists of approximately 18,322 gross acres of farmland, with more than 21 major crop types (approximately 40 when including crop varieties).
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Certain matters discussed in this press release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements concerning projections, predictions, expectations, estimates, or forecasts as to the Company’s business, financial or operational results, and future economic performance, as well as statements of management’s goals and objectives and other similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. The words “may,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “predict,” “project,” “forecast,” “potential,” “will,” “would,” “could,” “should,” “continue,” and similar expressions or their negatives, as well as statements in future tense, are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. The Company may not actually identify any viable strategic alternatives, execute any strategic alternative, or achieve the plans, intentions or expectations (including enhancing shareholder value) disclosed in these forward-looking statements, and you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on management’s beliefs, assumptions and expectations of future performance, taking into account all information available at the time those statements are made or management’s good faith belief as of that time with respect to future events and, accordingly, actual results or events could differ materially from the plans, intentions and expectations disclosed in the forward-looking statements. Estimates of the Company’s value, such as net asset value (NAV), are based on a variety of assumptions and there can be no assurances that such estimates will prove accurate. Furthermore, these forward-looking statements should be considered as subject to the many risks and uncertainties that exist in the Company’s operations and business environment. Such risks and uncertainties could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. These uncertainties include, but are not limited to, economic, business and financial conditions, the Company’s business strategy and leverage, the Company’s ability to identify and implement any viable strategic alternatives, generate sufficient cash flow to service outstanding indebtedness, the Company’s ability to obtain outside financing, availability, terms and deployment of capital, general volatility of the capital markets and the market price of the Company’s common stock, industry, interest rates or the general economy, degree and nature of competition, risks generally associated with real estate acquisitions, dispositions and development, the Company’s ability to identify farms to acquire and to complete acquisitions, the Company’s ability to effectively manage growth, the ability of the Company’s tenants to successfully manage their business and pay contractual rents when due, the variability in revenues relating to participating rent from crop yields, crop prices, the timing of payments or other factors, regulatory and tax law changes and other risk factors, including those detailed in the sections of the Company’s most recent 10-K and other filings with the SEC titled “Risk Factors”. Except as required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements for any reason after this date to conform these statements to actual results or changes in the Company’s expectations.