Guardian Capital Group Limited Announces Expected Closing Date For Take-Private Transaction With Desjardins

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TORONTO, March 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Guardian Capital Group Limited (Guardian) (TSX: GCG) (TSX: GCG.A) is pleased to announce that it has obtained all regulatory approvals required to close the previously-announced statutory plan of arrangement under the Business Corporations Act (Ontario) (the Arrangement), pursuant to which Desjardins Global Asset Management Inc., an affiliate of Desjardins Group, will acquire all of the issued and outstanding Common shares and Class A shares of Guardian (together, the Guardian Shares), other than certain Guardian Shares owned by specified shareholders who entered into equity rollover agreements, for C$68.00 per Guardian Share in cash.

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Guardian expects the Arrangement to close on or about March 23, 2026, subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the remaining customary conditions to closing. For additional information about the Arrangement, see Guardian’s management information circular dated September 19, 2025 and news release dated August 28, 2025, each of which are available under Guardian’s SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca. 

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About Guardian Capital Group Limited

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Guardian Capital Group Limited (Guardian) is a global investment management company servicing institutional, retail and private clients through its subsidiaries. Founded in 1962, Guardian’s reputation for steady growth, long-term relationships and its core values of authenticity, integrity, stability and trustworthiness have been key to its success over six decades. Its Common and Class A shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange as GCG and GCG.A, respectively. To learn more about Guardian, visit www.guardiancapital.com. 

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Forward-Looking Information

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This press release contains “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking information may relate to our future outlook and anticipated events or results and may include information regarding our financial position, business strategy, growth strategy, budgets, operations, financial results, taxes, dividend policy, plans and objectives. Particularly, information regarding our expectations of future results, performance, achievements, prospects or opportunities is forward-looking information. In some cases, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “plans”, “targets”, “expects” or “does not expect”, “is expected”, “an opportunity exists”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “estimates”, “outlook”, “forecasts”, “projection”, “prospects”, “strategy”, “intends”, “anticipates”, “does not anticipate”, “believes”, or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might”, “will”, “will be taken”, “occur” or “be achieved”. In addition, any statements that refer to expectations, intentions, projections or other characterizations of future events or circumstances contain forward-looking information. Statements containing forward-looking information are not historical facts but instead represent management’s expectations, estimates and projections regarding future events or circumstances. These statements include, without limitation, statements regarding the expected closing date for the Arrangement.

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Undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking information. The forward-looking information in this press release is based on our opinions, estimates and assumptions in light of our experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that we currently believe are appropriate and reasonable in the circumstances. Despite a careful process to prepare and review the forward-looking information, there can be no assurance that the underlying opinions, estimates and assumptions will prove to be correct. Further, forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to, those described in this press release. In addition, factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations include, among other things, the possibility that the Arrangement will not be completed on the terms and conditions, or on the timing, currently contemplated, and that it may not be completed at all, due to a failure to satisfy, in a timely manner or otherwise, the remaining conditions to the closing of the Arrangement or for other reasons, the negative impact that the failure to complete the Arrangement for any reason could have on the price of the Guardian Shares or on the business of Guardian, general economic and market conditions, including interest and foreign exchange rates, global financial markets, the impact of pandemics or epidemics, changes in government regulations or in tax laws, industry competition, technological developments and other factors described or discussed in Guardian’s disclosure materials filed with applicable securities regulatory authorities from time to time. Additional information about the risks and uncertainties of Guardian’s business and material risk factors or assumptions on which information contained in forward‐looking information is based is provided in Guardian’s disclosure materials, including Guardian’s most recently filed annual information form and any subsequently-filed interim management’s discussion and analysis, which are available under Guardian’s profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.