POET Technologies Reports on Financing Activities Ahead of Friday’s Special Meeting

Clarifies Position on Implementation of Potential Share Consolidation

TORONTO, Feb. 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- POET Technologies Inc. ("POET" or the "Company") (TSX Venture: PTK; OTCQX: POETF), the designer and developer of the POET Optical Interposer and Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs) for the data center and tele-communication markets, has added approximately C$24 million (US$18.8 million) to the Company’s cash balance as a result of the successful closing of a brokered private placement, warrants and stock options exercised since October 1, 2020.

Exercise of Options and Warrants
The Company revealed that it had received approximately C$10 million from the exercise of options and warrants since October 1, 2020. Approximately C$2.7 million (US$2.1 million) came from the exercise of approximately 7 million options by former employees and directors at prices ranging from C$0.28 to $0.52. Approximately C$7.3 million (US$5.7 million) in proceeds came from the exercise of warrants from its public offering in November 2016 in which 34.8 million units, consisting of one common share and one common share purchase warrant with an exercise price of C$0.52 per share were placed. The majority of those warrants remained unexercised until recently. From November 2, 2016 through September 30, 2020 only 2.8 million had been exercised. Since the beginning of Q4 2020, warrant holders have exercised approximately 14 million of the 32 million warrants outstanding, with approximately 18 million still unexercised. The Company believes that the outstanding warrants are held mainly by Canadian investors. If fully exercised, the remaining warrants would result in proceeds of approximately C$9.4 million (US$7.3 million) being realized by the Company. If unexercised, the warrants will expire on November 2, 2021.

Warrants Associated with Convertible Debentures
The Company also issued warrants in connection with its private placement of 2-year Convertible Debentures (the “Debentures”) in the period April through September 2019. Holders of the Debentures have the option of redeeming for cash or converting into units consisting of one common share and one common share purchase warrant. The common share purchase warrant forming a part of such unit has an exercise price of C$0.50 per share. Approximately C$5 million (US$3.75 million) worth of the Debentures were issued representing approximately 12.5 million warrants that would be issuable upon conversion into units. Since being issued, the Company’s debt has been reduced by C$750,000 resulting in the issuance of 1.875 million shares and an equal number of warrants. Assuming all of the remaining Debentures are converted and the associated warrants exercised, the remainder of the Company’s debt would be extinguished, and it would issue an additional 10.6 million units. Upon exercise of the associated warrants, the Company would receive an additional C$5.3 million (US$4.1 million).   Depending on the purchase date, holders of the Debentures have between approximately 2 and 7 months remaining from the date of this press release to convert or redeem the Convertible Debentures.