StoneMor Partners L.P. Announces Commencement of Rights Offering

TREVOSE, PA., Sept. 25, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- StoneMor Partners L.P. (NYSE: STON) (“StoneMor” or the “Partnership”), a leading owner and operator of cemeteries and funeral homes, is distributing to its holders of common units as of 5:00 p.m. New York City time on September 26, 2019 (the “Record Date”), one non-transferable subscription right for each common unit held by qualified unitholders of record on the Record Date. Each right will entitle the holder to purchase 1.24 common units for each common unit held by the unitholder as of the Record Date. The subscription price will equal the $1.20 per common unit. The Registration Statement on Form S-1 respecting the Rights Offering was declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission on Wednesday, September 25, 2019. The subscription rights will expire if they are not exercised by 5:00 p.m. New York City time on October 25, 2019. The Partnership may, at its sole discretion, extend the rights offering for a period not to exceed 30 days. All exercises of subscription rights are irrevocable.

About StoneMor Partners L.P.

StoneMor Partners L.P., headquartered in Trevose, Pennsylvania, is an owner and operator of cemeteries and funeral homes in the United States, with 321 cemeteries and 90 funeral homes in 27 states and Puerto Rico.

StoneMor is the only publicly traded death care company structured as a partnership. StoneMor’s cemetery products and services, which are sold on both a pre-need (before death) and at-need (at death) basis, include: burial lots, lawn and mausoleum crypts, burial vaults, caskets, memorials, and all services which provide for the installation of this merchandise. For additional information about StoneMor Partners L.P., please visit StoneMor’s website, and the investors section, at http://www.stonemor.com. 

Important Information for Investors and Unitholders

This communication does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities or a solicitation of any vote or approval.

In connection with the proposed rights offering, StoneMor Partners, L.P. (“StoneMor” or the “Partnership”) has filed a registration statement and prospectus with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).  Any offer of common units pursuant to such rights offering will be made solely pursuant to the prospectus for the rights offering and following the effectiveness of such registration statement.

In connection with the previously announced proposed reorganization, StoneMor GP LLC (to be converted into a corporation named StoneMor Inc. (“StoneMor GP”)) and the Partnership have jointly filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-4, which includes a prospectus of StoneMor GP and a proxy statement of the Partnership.  StoneMor GP and the Partnership also plan to file other documents with the SEC regarding the proposed transaction. After the registration statement has been declared effective by the SEC, a definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus will be mailed to the unitholders of the Partnership. INVESTORS AND UNITHOLDERS OF THE PARTNERSHIP ARE URGED TO READ THE JOINT PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS (INCLUDING ALL AMENDMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTS THERETO) AND OTHER DOCUMENTS RELATING TO THE PROPOSED REORGANIZATION THAT WILL BE FILED WITH THE SEC CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED REORGANIZATION. Investors and unitholders will be able to obtain free copies of the joint proxy statement/prospectus and other documents containing important information about StoneMor GP and the Partnership once such documents are filed with the SEC, through the website maintained by the SEC at http://www.sec.gov. Copies of the documents filed with the SEC by the Partnership will be available free of charge on their internet website at www.stonemor.com or by contacting their Investor Relations Department at (215) 826-2945.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this press release, including, but not limited to, information regarding the Partnership’s contemplated rights offering and transition to a corporate structure, as well as continued performance and cost structure improvement efforts undertaken by the Partnership, are forward-looking statements. Generally, the words “believe,” “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “project,” “expect,” “predict” and similar expressions identify these forward-looking statements. These statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

Forward-looking statements are based on management’s current expectations and estimates. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees and are made subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results stated or implied in this press release. StoneMor’s major risks are related to uncertainties associated with the cash flow from pre-need and at-need sales, trusts and financings, which may impact StoneMor’s ability to meet its financial projections, service its debt and resume paying distributions, with the proposed merger and whether and when the transactions contemplated by the merger and reorganization agreement will be consummated, as well as with StoneMor’s ability to maintain an effective system of internal control over financial reporting and disclosure controls and procedures.

StoneMor’s additional risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: uncertainties associated with future revenue and revenue growth; uncertainties associated with the integration or anticipated benefits of recent acquisitions or any future acquisitions; StoneMor’s ability to successfully implement its strategic plan relating to achieving operating improvements, including improving sales productivity and reducing operating expenses; the effect of economic downturns; the impact of StoneMor’s significant leverage on its operating plans; the decline in the fair value of certain equity and debt securities held in StoneMor’s trusts; StoneMor’s ability to attract, train and retain an adequate number of sales people; uncertainties associated with the volume and timing of pre-need sales of cemetery services and products; increased use of cremation; changes in the death rate; changes in the political or regulatory environments, including potential changes in tax accounting and trusting policies; StoneMor’s ability to successfully compete in the cemetery and funeral home industry; litigation or legal proceedings that could expose StoneMor to significant liabilities and damage StoneMor’s reputation, including but not limited to litigation and governmental investigations or proceedings arising out of or related to accounting and financial reporting matters; the effects of cyber security attacks due to StoneMor’s significant reliance on information technology; uncertainties relating to the financial condition of third-party insurance companies that fund StoneMor’s pre-need funeral contracts; and various other uncertainties associated with the death care industry and StoneMor’s operations in particular.

When considering forward-looking statements, you should keep in mind the risk factors and other cautionary statements set forth in StoneMor’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and the other reports that StoneMor files with the Securities and Exchange Commission, from time to time. Except as required under applicable law, StoneMor assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements made herein or any other forward-looking statements made by it, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.