Sentry Select Capital Corp. is proposing a merger of Sentry Select FIDAC U.S. Mortgage Trust with Sentry Select MBS Adjustable Rate Income Fund II.
If approved, FIDAC U.S. Mortgage Trust will transfer all of its assets to ARIF II in exchange for units of ARIF II and the assumption by ARIF II of all the liabilities of FIDAC U.S. Mortgage Trust.
Each unitholder of the FIDAC U.S. Mortgage Trust will receive units of ARIF II having the same aggregate net asset value as their units of the FIDAC U.S. Mortgage Trust as of the close of business on the effective date of the merger, expected to be March 7.
Sentry Select believes that the merger will result in significant benefits to unitholders.
Unitholders of the FIDAC U.S. Mortgage Trust will see a reduction in their management fee reflecting the lower ARIF II management fee.
The larger, combined ARIF II will have the advantage of increased economies of scale and lower proportionate fund operating expenses.
As well, the merger will eliminate the administrative and regulatory costs of operating separate investment funds, and will provide greater liquidity on the Toronto Stock Exchange resulting from a greater market capitalization;
Unitholders of the FIDAC U.S. Mortgage Trust will receive distributions more frequently since ARIF II pays distributions monthly while the FIDAC U.S. Mortgage Trust pays distributions quarterly.
Sentry Select says the merger will provide greater stability and predictability of distributions for the FIDAC U.S. Mortgage Trust unitholders, since ARIF II distributions are targeted to approximate the average 10-Year U.S. Treasury Note yield plus 3%, whereas the FIDAC U.S. Mortgage Trust has no targeted yield.
All costs and expenses associated with the merger will be borne by Sentry Select.
The merger will require approval of two-thirds of the votes cast by unitholders of a FIDAC U.S. Mortgage Trust at a special meeting of the unitholders to be held on February 27.
The proposed merger is subject to the acceptance and approval by the TSX.
Sentry Select Capital Corp. manages approximately $8 billion in gross assets as of Dec. 31, 2007.
Sentry Select proposes merger of two funds
FIDAC U.S. Mortgage Trust; MBS Adjustable Rate Income Fund II
- By: IE Staff
- January 28, 2008 January 28, 2008
- 15:50