UPDATE: Aurora Cannabis to buy Whistler Medical Marijuana in a $132 million stock deal
Shares of Aurora Cannabis Inc. gained 0.8% in premarket trade Monday, after the Canada-based company announced a deal to buy Whistler Medical Marijuana Corp. in a stock deal valued at up to C$175 million ($131.8 million). Whistler, which sells medical cannabis derivatives internationally to Australia and the Cayman Islands, and plans to pursue additional international opportunities, is one of Canada's original 10 licensed producers, and was the first producer to obtain organic certification, Aurora said. Once Whister's second facility is fully operational, expected in Summer 2019, it will have production capacity of over 5,000 kilograms a year. "This transaction adds an iconic, organic certified BC-based brand with exceptional traction and a significant price premium in both the medical and retail markets," said Aurora Chief Executive Terry Booth. Aurora's stock has tumbled 39.4% over the past three months through Friday, while the ETFMG Alternative Harvest ETF (MJ) has dropped 21.5% and the S&P 500 has lost 6.2%.
-Tomi Kilgore; 415-439-6400; AskNewswires@dowjones.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
January 14, 2019 16:45 ET (21:45 GMT)
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