Great-West Lifeco Announces Debenture Offering

/NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES./

TSX:GWO

WINNIPEG, Feb. 26, 2018 /CNW/ - Great-West Lifeco Inc. (Lifeco) announced today that it has entered into an agreement with a syndicate of agents co-led by BMO Capital Markets and RBC Capital Markets for the sale on an agency basis of $500 million aggregate principal amount of debentures maturing February 28, 2028 (the "Debentures").

The Debentures will be dated February 28, 2018, will be issued at par and will mature on February 28, 2028. Interest on the Debentures at the rate of 3.337% per annum will be payable semi-annually in arrears on February 28 and August 28 in each year, commencing August 28, 2018, until the date on which the Debentures are repaid. The Debentures are redeemable at any time prior to November 28, 2027 in whole or in part at the greater of the Canada Yield Price and par, and on or after November 28, 2027 in whole or in part at par, together in each case with accrued and unpaid interest. The Debenture offering is expected to close on or about February 28, 2018. The net proceeds will be used by the Company to repay upcoming long-term debt maturities and for general corporate purposes.

The Debentures have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the Debentures in any State in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

About Great-West Lifeco
Great-West Lifeco Inc. is an international financial services holding company with interests in life insurance, health insurance, retirement and investment services, asset management and reinsurance businesses. Great-West Lifeco has operations in Canada, the United States and Europe through Great-West Life, London Life, Canada Life, Irish Life, Great-West Financial and Putnam Investments. Great-West Lifeco and its companies have over $1.3 trillion in consolidated assets under administration as of December 31, 2017 and are members of the Power Financial Corporation group of companies. Great-West Lifeco trades on the Toronto (TSX) Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol GWO. To learn more, visit www.greatwestlifeco.com.

Cautionary note regarding Forward-Looking Information
This release may contain forward-looking statements.  Forward-looking statements include statements that are predictive in nature, depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, or include words such as "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "plans", "believes", "estimates" and other similar expressions or negative versions thereof.  These statements may include, without limitation, statements about Lifeco's operations, business, financial condition, expected financial performance (including revenues, earnings or growth rates), ongoing business strategies or prospects, and possible future actions by Lifeco, including statements made with respect to benefits of acquisitions and divestitures, the expected closing of the offering, the issuance of the Debentures, and the intended use of proceeds. Forward-looking statements are based on expectations, forecasts, predictions, projections and conclusions about future events that were current at the time of the statements and are inherently subject to, among other things, risks, uncertainties and assumptions about Lifeco, economic factors and the financial services industry generally, including the insurance and mutual fund industries.  They are not guarantees of future performance, and the reader is cautioned that actual events and results could differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements.  Material factors and assumptions that were applied in formulating the forward-looking information contained herein include the assumption that the business and economic conditions affecting Lifeco's operations will continue substantially in their current state, including, without limitation, with respect to customer behaviour, Lifeco's reputation, market prices for products provided, sales levels, premium income, fee income, expense levels, mortality experience, morbidity experience, policy lapse rates, reinsurance arrangements, liquidity requirements, capital requirements, credit ratings, taxes, inflation, interest and foreign exchange rates, investment values, hedging activities, global equity and capital markets, business competition and other general economic, political and market factors in North America and internationally. Many of these assumptions are based on factors and events that are not within the control of Lifeco and there is no assurance that they will prove to be correct.  Other important factors and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements include customer responses to new products, impairment of goodwill and other intangible assets, Lifeco's ability to execute strategic plans and changes to strategic plans, technological changes, breaches or failure of information systems and security (including cyber attacks), payments required under investment products, changes in local and international laws and regulations, changes in accounting policies and the effect of applying future accounting policy changes, unexpected judicial or regulatory proceedings, catastrophic events, continuity and availability of personnel and third party service providers, Lifeco's ability to complete transactions and integrate acquisitions and unplanned material changes to Lifeco's facilities, customer and employee relations or credit arrangements.  The reader is cautioned that the foregoing list of assumptions and factors is not exhaustive, and there may be other factors listed in other filings with securities regulators, including factors set out in Lifeco's 2017 Annual MD&A under "Risk Management and Control Practices" and "Summary of Critical Accounting Estimates", which, along with other filings, is available for review at www.sedar.com. The reader is also cautioned to consider these and other factors, uncertainties and potential events carefully and not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.  Other than as specifically required by applicable law, Lifeco has no intention of updating any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

SOURCE Great-West Lifeco Inc.

Media Relations: Tim Oracheski, 204-946-8961; Investor Relations: Deirdre Neary, 416-552-3208