NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--IntercontinentalExchange (NYSE: ICE), a leading operator of global markets and clearing houses, and NYSE Euronext (NYSE: NYX), today announced the preliminary results of the elections made by shareholders of NYX regarding their preference as to the form of merger consideration they will receive in connection with ICE’s pending acquisition of NYX, which is currently expected to be effective within two business days after receipt of the final regulatory approvals, which ICE and NYX expect to receive in the coming days.
As previously announced, under the terms of the Amended and Restated Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of March 19, 2013 (the “Merger Agreement”), by and among NYX, ICE, IntercontinentalExchange Group, Inc. (“ICE Group”), Braves Merger Sub, Inc., and NYSE Euronext Holdings LLC (f/k/a Baseball Merger Sub, LLC), subject to proration, allocation and certain limitations set forth in the Merger Agreement, shareholders of NYX had the option to elect to receive for each share of NYX common stock (except for excluded shares and dissenting shares as more particularly set forth in the Merger Agreement):
- a number of validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable shares of common stock of ICE Group, par value $0.01 per share (each, an “ICE Group Share”) equal to 0.1703 and an amount of cash equal to $11.27, without interest (together, the “Standard Consideration”);
- an amount in cash equal to $33.12, without interest (the “Cash Consideration”); or
- a number of ICE Group Shares equal to 0.2581 (the “Stock Consideration”).
Based on available information as of 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on October 31, 2013 (the “Election Deadline”), the preliminary merger consideration election results were as follows:
- Holders of approximately 2.78% of the outstanding shares of NYX common stock, or 6,763,293 shares of common stock, elected the Standard Consideration.
- Holders of approximately 0.43% of the outstanding shares of NYX common stock, or 1,051,893 shares of common stock, elected the Cash Consideration.
- Holders of approximately 81.74% of the outstanding shares of NYX common stock, or 198,874,449 shares of common stock, elected the Stock Consideration.
Holders of approximately 15.04% of the outstanding shares of NYX common stock, or 36,602,258 shares of common stock, failed to make a valid election prior to the Election Deadline, and therefore are deemed to have elected the Standard Consideration.
Because the Stock Consideration option was substantially oversubscribed, the consideration to be received by the holders who elected the Stock Consideration will be prorated pursuant to the terms set forth in the Merger Agreement. After the final results of the merger consideration election process are determined, the final allocation of merger consideration will be calculated in accordance with the terms of the Merger Agreement.
About IntercontinentalExchange
IntercontinentalExchange (NYSE: ICE) is a leading operator of regulated exchanges and clearing houses serving the risk management needs of global markets for agricultural, credit, currency, emissions, energy and equity index products. www.theice.com.
Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 - Statements in this press release regarding IntercontinentalExchange's business that are not historical facts are “forward-looking statements” that involve risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of additional risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see ICE’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings, including, but not limited to, the risk factors in ICE’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012, as filed with the SEC on February 6, 2013.
About NYSE Euronext
NYSE Euronext (NYX) is a leading global operator of financial markets and provider of innovative trading technologies. The company's exchanges in Europe and the United States trade equities, futures, options, fixed-income and exchange-traded products. With approximately 8,000 listed issues (excluding European Structured Products), NYSE Euronext's equities markets - the New York Stock Exchange, NYSE Euronext, NYSE MKT, NYSE Alternext and NYSE Arca - represent one-third of the world’s equities trading, the most liquidity of any global exchange group. NYSE Euronext also operates NYSE Liffe, one of the leading European derivatives businesses and the world's second-largest derivatives business by value of trading. The company offers comprehensive commercial technology, connectivity and market data products and services through NYSE Technologies. For more information, please visit: http://www.nyx.com.
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
This written communication contains “forward-looking statements” made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by words such as “may,” “hope,” “will,” “should,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential,” “continue,” “could,” “future” or the negative of those terms or other words of similar meaning. You should carefully read forward-looking statements, including statements that contain these words, because they discuss our future expectations or state other “forward-looking” information. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties which change over time. ICE Group, ICE and NYSE Euronext caution readers that any forward-looking statement is not a guarantee of future performance and that actual results could differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statement.
Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about the benefits of the proposed merger involving ICE Group, ICE and NYSE Euronext, including future financial results, ICE’s and NYSE Euronext’s plans, objectives, expectations and intentions, the expected timing of completion of the transaction and other statements that are not historical facts. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements are set forth in ICE’s and NYSE Euronext’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, the following: the inability to close the merger in a timely manner; the failure to satisfy other conditions to completion of the merger, including receipt of required regulatory and other approvals; the failure of the proposed transaction to close for any other reason; the possibility that any of the anticipated benefits of the proposed transaction will not be realized; the risk that integration of NYSE Euronext’s operations with those of ICE will be materially delayed or will be more costly or difficult than expected; the challenges of integrating and retaining key employees; the effect of the announcement of the transaction on ICE’s, NYSE Euronext’s or the combined company’s respective business relationships, operating results and business generally; the possibility that the anticipated synergies and cost savings of the merger will not be realized, or will not be realized within the expected time period; the possibility that the merger may be more expensive to complete than anticipated, including as a result of unexpected factors or events; diversion of management’s attention from ongoing business operations and opportunities; general competitive, economic, political and market conditions and fluctuations; actions taken or conditions imposed by the United States and foreign governments or regulatory authorities; and adverse outcomes of pending or threatened litigation or government investigations. In addition, you should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties and other factors that may affect future results of the combined company, as are described in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in the joint proxy statement/prospectus filed by ICE Group with the SEC, and as described in ICE’s and NYSE Euronext’s respective filings with the SEC that are available on the SEC’s web site located at www.sec.gov, including the sections entitled “Risk Factors” in ICE’s Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2012, as filed with the SEC on February 6, 2013, and “Risk Factors” in NYSE Euronext’s Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2012, as filed with the SEC on February 26, 2013. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this written communication. Except for any obligations to disclose material information under the Federal securities laws, ICE Group, ICE and NYSE Euronext undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this written communication.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION AND WHERE TO FIND IT
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 transaction, ICE Group has filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S−4, which the SEC has declared effective and which contains a joint proxy statement/prospectus with respect to the proposed acquisition of NYSE Euronext by ICE Group. The final joint proxy statement/prospectus has been delivered to the stockholders of ICE and NYSE Euronext. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS OF BOTH ICE AND NYSE EURONEXT ARE URGED TO READ THE JOINT PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS REGARDING THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION CAREFULLY AND IN ITS ENTIRETY, INCLUDING ANY DOCUMENTS PREVIOUSLY FILED WITH THE SEC AND INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE INTO THE JOINT PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS, AS WELL AS ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS TO THOSE DOCUMENTS, BECAUSE IT CONTAINS IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING ICE, NYSE EURONEXT AND THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION. Investors and security holders may obtain a free copy of the joint proxy statement/prospectus, as well as other filings containing information about ICE and NYSE Euronext, without charge, at the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. Investors may also obtain these documents, without charge, from ICE’s website at http://www.theice.com and from NYSE Euronext’s website at http://www.nyx.com.