ERES Shareholders Approved the Business Combination on June 29, 2023
Abacus Life to begin trading on Nasdaq on July 5, 2023 under ticker symbol âABLâ
East Resources Acquisition Company (NASDAQ: ERES) (âERESâ), a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company, today announced the completion of its business combination with Abacus Life, a leading buyer of life insurance policies and a vertically integrated alternative asset manager specializing in specialty insurance products. ERES shareholders voted to approve the business combination at a meeting held on June 29, 2023.
In connection with the completion of the business combination, ERES has been renamed âAbacus Life, Inc.â (âAbacusâ or the âCompanyâ), and its common stock and warrants are expected to commence trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market on July 5, 2023, under the ticker symbols âABLâ and âABLLWâ, respectively. The Companyâs common stock and warrants will continue to trade under the ticker symbols âERESâ and âERESW,â respectively, on Monday, July 3, 2023.
âWe believe we are well-positioned to accelerate and execute on our growth strategy as a result of this business combination,â said Jay Jackson, Chief Executive Officer of Abacus. âThe capital raised in connection with this transaction, along with our new access to the public markets, will allow us to continue to scale and expand our market leading portfolio of life settlement services and specialty insurance products.â
âWe are pleased to complete our business combination with Abacus, a leader in the life settlements space and a company that we expect to remain at the forefront of the expansion and adoption of this alternative asset class,â said Terrence M. Pegula, Chairman, CEO and President of ERES. âThe highly experienced management team at Abacus has positioned the Company to not only be a market leader, but to be highly scalable with the potential for consistent financial performance, giving us confidence that they will deliver long-term value to stockholders. We look forward to continuing to support them moving forward.â
Advisors
Aviditi Advisors served as exclusive strategic and financial advisor to ERES, and Latham & Watkins LLP served as legal counsel to ERES. Locke Lord LLP served as Abacusâs legal counsel.
About Abacus
Abacus is a leading vertically integrated alternative asset manager specializing in life insurance products. Since 2004, the Company has purchased life insurance policies from consumers seeking liquidity and has actively managed those policies over time (via trading, holding, and/or servicing). With over $2.9 billion in face value of policies purchased, Abacus has helped thousands of clients maximize the value of their life insurance.
Over the past 18 years, the Company has built an institutionalized origination and portfolio management process that is supported by an 83-person team, long-term relationships with 78 institutional partners and 30,000 financial advisors, and the ability to operate in 49 states. The Company has serviced approximately $950 million in policies and has managed assets for large asset managers and third-party investment funds.
Abacusâ leadership team averages 20+ years of experience and consists of innovators since the life settlements industryâs inception in the mid-90s.
The Company is a proud member of the Life Insurance Settlements Association (LISA) and complies with HIPAA and privacy laws to maintain and protect confidentiality of financial, health, and medical information. Abacus is also proud to be a BBB Accredited Business with an A+ rating.
Forward-Looking Statements
This communication contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the âfederal securities laws with respect to the transaction, including statements regarding the âanticipated benefits of the transaction, the future financial condition and performance of âAbacus and expected financial impacts of the transaction (including future revenue and pro âforma enterprise value) and the platform and markets and expected future growth and market âopportunities of Abacus. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the âwords âbelieve,â âpredict,â âproject,â âexpect,â âanticipate,â âestimate,â âintend,â âstrategy,â âââfuture,â âscales,â ârepresentative of,â âvaluation,â âpotential,â âopportunity,â âplan,â âmay,â âââshould,â âwill,â âwould,â âwill be,â âwill continue,â âwill likely result,â and similar expressions âor the negatives of these terms or variations of them. Forward-looking statements are âpredictions, projections and other statements about future events that are based on current âexpectations and assumptions and, as a result, are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties. âThese forwardâlooking statements are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not âintended to serve as, and must not be relied on by any investor as, a guarantee, an assurance, a âprediction or a definitive statement of fact or probability. Actual events and circumstances are âbeyond ERESâs or Abacusâs control, are difficult or impossible to predict and may differ from âassumptions. Many factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from the âforward-looking statements in this communication, including but not limited to: (i) the risk that âthe transaction disrupts current plans and operations of Abacus, (ii) the risk of difficulties in âretaining employees of Abacus as a result of the transaction, (ix) the outcome of any legal âproceedings that may be instituted against Abacus or against ERES related to the merger âagreement or the transaction, (iii) changes in the competitive industries in which Abacus âoperate, variations in operating performance across competitors, changes in laws and âregulations affecting Abacusâs business and changes in the combined capital structure, (iv) the âability to implement business plans, forecasts, and other expectations after the completion of âthe transaction, and the ability to identify and realize additional opportunities, (v) risks related âto the uncertainty of Abacusâs projected financial information, (vi) current and future âconditions in the global economy, including as a result of the impact of the COVID-19 âpandemic, (vi) the risk that demand for Abacusâs life settlement and related offerings does not âgrow as expected, (vii) the ability of Abacus to retain existing customers and attract new âcustomers, (viii) the potential inability of Abacus to manage growth effectively, (ix) the âpotential inability of Abacus to grow its market share of the life settlement industry or to âachieve efficiencies regarding its operating model or other costs, (x) negative trends in the life âsettlement industry impacting the value of life settlements, including increases to the premium âcosts of life insurance policies, increased longevity of insureds, and errors in the methodology âand assumptions of life expectancy reports, (xi) legal challenges by insurers relating to the âvalidity of the origination or assignment of certain life settlements, (xii) the enforceability of âAbacusâs intellectual property rights, including its trademarks and trade secrets, and the âpotential infringement on the intellectual property rights of others, (xiii) Abacusâs dependence âon senior management and other key employees, (xiv) the risk of downturns and a changing âregulatory landscape in the industry in which Abacus operates, and (xv) costs related to the âtransaction and the failure to realize anticipated benefits of the transaction or to realize âestimated pro forma results and underlying assumptions, including with respect to estimated âstockholder redemptions. The foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. â
Nothing in this communication should be regarded as a representation by any person that the âforward-looking statements set forth herein will be achieved or that any of the contemplated âresults of such forward-looking statements will be achieved. You should carefully consider the âforegoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties which will be more fully described in the âdocuments filed by ERES and Abacus from time to time with the SEC. These filings identify and âaddress other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to âdiffer materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking âstatements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers of this communication are âcautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and Abacus and ERES âassume no obligation and do not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements, âwhether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Neither Abacus nor ERES âgives any assurance that any of Abacus or ERES, or the combined company, will achieve âexpectations.â
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Contacts
Abacus Life Investor Relations
investors@abacuslife.com
Abacus Life Public Relations
press@abacuslife.com


