Mr. Steve King reports

ALARIS ANNOUNCES A $115.5 MILLION INVESTMENT INTO A NEW PARTNER

Alaris Equity Partners Income Trust has completed a $115.5-million investment into Optimus SBR Inc. and Optimus SBR Limited Partnership.

Founded in 2010 and headquartered in Toronto, Optimus SBR is Canada's largest independent management consulting firm. The company partners with organizations to tackle complex operational, strategic and technological challenges, combining insight with execution to deliver tangible, measurable results. Working across financial services, government, health care and a broad range of industries across North America, Optimus SBR brings deep expertise and an unrelenting commitment to execution. The company's key practice areas include strategy, process management, program and project management, artificial intelligence, digital transformation, data and analytics, technology consulting, and experience management. Distinguished by its execution-focused approach and a people-first culture, Optimus SBR helps clients move beyond strategy to achieve meaningful outcomes, empowering organizations to navigate change, enhance performance and drive sustainable growth.

"We're delighted to welcome Alaris to the broader Optimus SBR team," commented Kevin Gauci, chief executive officer and co-founder of Optimus SBR. "Alaris's commitment to empowering founders to continue their growth journey aligns perfectly with our own vision and values. This investment provides us with the flexibility to unlock our full potential and accelerate our growth as we help clients navigate the complex challenges of AI, digital transformation and evolving regulatory environments. As a proud Canadian firm, finding a partner who shares our national pride, strong culture, bold attitude and entrepreneurial spirit was essential. Steve King, president and CEO of Alaris, along with his team, embody these values, and my leadership team and I are excited to collaborate with Alaris as we continue helping organizations get done what isn't," concluded Mr. Gauci.

Alaris's investment consists of $85.0-million of preferred equity and $30.5-million of common equity. The preferred equity investment provides Alaris with an initial annualized distribution of $11.1-million, translating into a pretax annualized yield of 13 per cent. The distribution will adjust annually based on the percentage change in Optimus SBR's annual revenue, subject to a collar of plus or minus 8 per cent. Optimus SBR has an earnings coverage ratio between 1.2 times and 1.5 times based on Optimus SBR's trailing 12-month financial results and giving effect to certain other changes to the company's capital structure. The Optimus SBR investment will be used for partial liquidity to equity holders.

"We are very excited to partner with Kevin and the Optimus team, our first new Canadian partner in more than six years," commented Steve King, president and chief executive officer of Alaris. "As the largest independent management consulting company in Canada, this asset was highly sought-after by private equity firms across North America. Since its founding, Optimus has become an essential and sought-after adviser to the Canadian banking industry, one of Canada's most stable industries. Similar to Alaris, Optimus's growth and success is the result of the strong culture that it has created over the last 15 years, and we look forward to supporting the company's growth in the years to come," concluded Mr. King.

With the closing of the Optimus investment, Alaris has now deployed approximately $343.5-million in capital year to date. The current market environment for the trust's unique investment solution has never been better, and the outlook for new deployment remains strong. Alaris remains focused on deploying capital into high-quality partners, providing the trust with strong and predictable cash flows, while further enhancing long-term value for unitholders.

About Alaris Equity Partners Income Trust

The trust, through its subsidiaries, invests in a growing and diversified group of private businesses (partners) primarily through structured equity. Its strategy is designed to deliver stable and predictable returns to unitholders while driving long-term value creation. In addition to generating steady cash distributions, it aims to capture capital appreciation as its partners expand. This growth-focused approach is further enhanced by common equity positions, which align its interests with those of the founders and allow it to participate in the upside of their continued success.

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