TORONTO, Feb.  25, 2021  (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Harvest Portfolios Group Inc. (“Harvest”) is pleased to announce that Big Pharma Split Corp. (the “Company”) has completed the overnight marketing of 385,200 Preferred Shares and 385,200 Class A Shares of the Company for gross proceeds of $9,341,100. The offering is being led by BMO Capital Markets, CIBC World Markets Inc. and Scotia Capital Inc. The sales period of the overnight offering has now ended. The offering is expected to close on or about March 4, 2021 and is subject to certain closing conditions including approval by the Toronto Stock Exchange.

The Preferred Shares were offered at a price of $10.50 per Preferred Share to yield 4.8% and the Class A Shares were offered at a price of $13.75 per Class A Share to yield 9.0%.

The closing price on the TSX of each of the Preferred Shares and the Class A Shares on February 24, 2021 was $10.52 and $13.99, respectively.

The net proceeds of the offering will be used to invest in an equally-weighted portfolio of ten issuers comprised of equity securities selected by Harvest from a universe of pharmaceutical issuers which includes:

Eli Lilly and Company | Johnson & Johnson | Amgen Inc. | Novartis AG | Pfizer Inc.

AstraZeneca PLC | Sanofi SA | Merck & Co Inc. | Bristol-Myers Squibb Company | AbbVie Inc.

In order to seek to generate additional returns, Harvest may write call options each month in respect of some or all of the equity securities in the portfolio.

The investment objectives for the Preferred Shares are to provide their holders with fixed cumulative preferential quarterly cash distributions in the amount of $0.125 per Preferred Share ($0.50 per annum) until December 31, 2022 (the “Maturity Date”) and to return of the original issue price to holders on the Maturity Date.

The investment objectives for the Class A Shares are to provide their holders with regular monthly cash distributions targeted to be $0.1031 per Class A Share ($1.2372 per annum) and with the opportunity for growth in net asset value per Class A Share.

Harvest is the manager, portfolio manager and promoter of the Company.

For additional information: Please visit www.harvestportfolios.com, e-mail [email protected] or call toll free 1-866-998-8298.

About Harvest Portfolios Group Inc. 
Founded in 2009, Harvest is a Canadian Investment Fund Manager managing over $1.2 billion in assets for Canadian Investors. Harvest offers an innovative suite of exchange traded funds, mutual funds and publicly-listed structured fund products designed to satisfy the long-term growth and income needs of investors. We pride ourselves in creating trusted investment solutions that meet the expectations of our investors.

A prospectus supplement to the Company’s short form base shelf prospectus dated November 4, 2020 containing important detailed information about the Preferred Shares and the Class A Shares being offered will be filed with the securities commissions or similar authorities in each of the provinces and territories of Canada. Copies of the prospectus supplement and the short form base shelf prospectus may be obtained from your registered financial advisor using the contact information for such advisor, or from representatives of the agents listed above. There will not be any sale or any acceptance of an offer to buy the securities being offered until the prospectus supplement has been filed with the Securities Commissions or similar authorities in each of the provinces and territories of Canada.