QUEBEC CITY, Canada, Aug. 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- LeddarTech® Holdings Inc. ("LeddarTech" or the "Company") (NASDAQ:LDTC), an automotive software company that provides patented disruptive AI-based low-level sensor fusion and perception software technology, LeddarVision™, for ADAS, AD and parking applications, announced today that the Company entered into definitive agreements with certain of its principal shareholders, FS Investors ("FS") and Investissement Québec ("IQ"), and its senior lender, Fédération des caisses Desjardins du Québec ("Desjardins" and, collectively with FS and IQ, the "Bridge Lenders"), pursuant to which the Bridge Lenders make available to the Company bridge loans (the "Bridge Loans") in an aggregate amount of up to US$9.0 million (the "Bridge Financing"). Under the Bridge Financing, FS and IQ have the right, but not the obligation, to convert their respective Bridge Loan into common shares in the capital of the Company ("Common Shares") at an initial conversion price of US$5.00 per Common Share, subject to adjustment, representing a premium of 852% above the closing price of the Common Shares on August 16, 2024.

In connection with the Bridge Financing, FS has agreed to convert US$1.5 million of its existing convertible notes into Common Shares at an above-market conversion price of US$2.00 per share, reducing the convertible note balance by US$1.5 million.

The Bridge Financing is comprised of two tranches, with the first tranche of US$6.0 million funding immediately and the second tranche of US$3.0 million to be funded on or about October 15, 2024. The second tranche of the Bridge Financing is conditioned on the absence of a default under the Bridge Loans and the receipt by the Company of a commitment from a strategic investor to invest a minimum amount of US$5.0 million in a subsequent equity capital raise. The Bridge Loans from FS and IQ will be issued at a 25% original issue discount (meaning that US$8.0 million of such Bridge Loans will be issued by the Company in exchange for gross proceeds of US$6.0 million). Amounts outstanding under the Bridge Loans bear interest at the US base rate (currently 9.0%), plus 4.00%. Interest under the Bridge Loans is to be capitalized monthly (instead of being payable in cash) and added to the outstanding principal amount of the Bridge Loans. The Bridge Loans have a maturity date of November 15, 2024 and will be due and payable earlier upon the occurrence of certain other events, such as a change in control.

In connection with the Bridge Financing, the Company and Desjardins have also entered into a Thirteenth Amending Agreement to the Amended and Restated Financing Offer dated as of April 5, 2023 (the "Desjardins Credit Facility") to harmonize the Desjardins Credit Facility with the terms and conditions set forth in the Bridge Loans, and to include an amendment fee in consideration of Desjardins' agreement to authorize the indebtedness under the Bridge Financing and that the security under the Bridge Financing will ...