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Press: Jack Horner 212-852-7952
Investor Relations: Reed Nolte 212-852-7092
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News Corporation and Permira Announce Proposed Acquisition of Publicly Held NDS Group plc Series A Ordinary Shares
News Corporation to also sell approximately 68% of its Series
B Ordinary Shares
Transaction will result in News Corporation owning 49% of NDS
New York, NY/London, England, June 27, 2008 — News
Corporation and two newly incorporated companies formed by funds
advised by Permira Advisers LLP (the “Permira Newcos”)
today announced that they have proposed a transaction to an independent
committee of the board of directors of News Corporation’s
majority-owned public subsidiary, NDS Group plc, which would
result in NDS ceasing to be a public company, and Permira Newcos
and News Corporation owning 51% and 49% of vote and value in
NDS, respectively.
The proposed transaction components would include:
- All issued NDS Series A ordinary shares, including shares
represented by American Depositary Shares ("ADSs")
traded on NASDAQ, would be cancelled for per share consideration
of $60 in cash;
- Approximately 68% of the Series B ordinary shares held by
News Corporation would be cancelled in exchange for $60 per
share in a mix of cash of approximately $1.5 billion and a
$200 million vendor note. News Corporation currently owns approximately
72% of the equity and 96% of the voting power of NDS through
its ownership of 100% of the outstanding Series B shares. News
Corporation will retain ownership of the remaining 32% of the
Series B ordinary shares it currently holds, resulting in it
owning 49% of NDS pro forma for this transaction;
- NDS would issue new Series B ordinary shares to the Permira
Newcos representing 51% of its equity pro forma for this transaction;
- The equity financing for the transaction will be provided
by funds advised by Permira and the debt financing will be
provided by JP Morgan and Morgan Stanley.
The proposed consideration of $60 per share to be paid to all
holders of NDS Series A shares, and to News Corporation for the
sale of its NDS Series B shares, represents a premium of 20.7%
over the ADS closing price of $49.70 per share on June 27, 2008. However,
given that a significant portion of NDS’s equity value
is currently due to its cash balance of $696 million, or approximately
$11.62 per share, the premium in the proposed transaction is
computed after backing out the cash value per share from both
the offer price and the trading price. On this basis, the
cash-adjusted premium represented by the proposed transaction
is:
- 27.1% over the prior-day closing price for NDS ADSs of $49.70
per share on June 27, 2008;
- 23.5% over the average closing price for NDS ADSs of $50.80
per share for the three-months ending on June 27, 2008; and
- 21.8% over the average closing price for NDS ADSs of $51.16
per share for the six-months ending on June 27, 2008.
The transaction has been fully negotiated between News Corporation,
Permira and NDS management. Permira has completed its due
diligence, and all of the third party financing is in place.
The proposed transaction represents an attractive alternative
for shareholders: it provides an excellent opportunity
for public shareholders to exit an illiquid investment at an
attractive price in a very challenged financing and economic
market environment; it offers Series A shareholders the same
price per share as News Corporation is receiving for its high
vote Series B shares, representing a material premium for shares
that do not confer control; and, it has a high level of certainty
if recommended by the independent directors.
About The Proposed Transaction
If the proposed transaction proceeds, News Corporation and Permira
intend to implement the transaction by way of a scheme of arrangement
("Scheme") under Part 26 of the Companies Act 2006
(U.K.). Consummation of the Scheme will be subject to court
approval, the approval of Series A shareholders representing
a majority in number and 75% in value, the availability of financing
and other customary conditions, including the receipt of required
antitrust approvals. The transaction as proposed would
be funded by a mix of newly incurred NDS senior and mezzanine
indebtedness, an investment provided by the Permira Newcos and
cash on hand at the NDS group. In the event that the proposed
transaction proceeds, News Corporation and Permira anticipate
that the Scheme would become effective in the fourth quarter
of 2008.
As a result of NDS’s listing on NASDAQ, the transaction
would be subject to review by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
The UK Panel on Takeovers and Mergers has confirmed that the
City Code on Takeovers and Mergers (the "City Code")
will not apply to any transaction involving NDS, as a result
of the place of central management and control of NDS for the
purposes of the City Code. If the proposed transaction
is consummated, NDS would cease to have a listing on NASDAQ or
have publicly traded equity securities.
The independent committee, which includes neither directors
nor executive officers of News Corporation nor executive directors
of NDS, will consider the proposed transaction and make recommendations
as to whether NDS should enter into the proposed transaction
and whether shareholders should vote to approve the proposed
transaction. News Corporation executives who sit on the
NDS board support the authority of the independent committee
and understand it has retained its own independent legal and
financial advisors to assist in its consideration of the proposed
transaction.
About News Corporation
News Corporation (NYSE: NWS, NWS.A; ASX: NWS, NWSLV) had total
assets as of March 31, 2008 of approximately US$62 billion and
total annual revenues of approximately US$32 billion. News Corporation
is a diversified entertainment company with operations in eight
industry segments: filmed entertainment; television; cable network
programming; direct broadcast satellite television; magazines
and inserts; newspapers and information services; book publishing;
and other. The activities of News Corporation are conducted principally
in the United States, Continental Europe, the United Kingdom,
Australia, Asia and the Pacific Basin.
About NDS
NDS Group plc (NASDAQ: NNDS), a majority owned subsidiary of
News Corporation supplies open end-to-end digital technology
and services to pay-television platform operators and content
providers. See www.NDS.com for more information about NDS.
About Permira
Permira is an international private equity firm. The Permira
funds, raised from pension funds and other institutions, make
long-term investments in companies with the ambition of transforming
their performance and driving sustainable growth.
The firm's teams are based in Frankfurt, Guernsey, Hong Kong,
London, Luxembourg, Madrid, Milan, New York, Paris, Stockholm
and Tokyo, advising funds with a total committed capital of approximately
EUR22 billion (US$30 billion).
For more information visit: www.Permira.com
Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking
Statements
This document contains certain forward-looking statements
within the meaning of the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are
based on News Corporation management's views and assumptions
regarding future events and business performance as of the time
the statements are made. Actual results may differ materially
from these expectations due to changes in global economic, business,
competitive market and regulatory factors. More detailed information
about these and other factors that could affect future results
is contained in News Corporation’s filings with the Securities
and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements included
in this document are made only as of the date of this document
and we do not have any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking
statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances except
as required by law.
This announcement does not constitute an offer or invitation
to purchase any securities or a firm intention to make an
offer to acquire any securities. News Corporation and
Permira may, in their sole discretion, proceed or not proceed
with the proposed transaction. In particular, News Corporation
and Permira may, in their sole discretion, determine not
to proceed with the proposed transaction if the independent
committee of the board of NDS does not unanimously recommend
that holders of NDS Series A shares vote in favor of the
Scheme. News Corporation and Permira reserve the right
to propose a transaction in which holders of NDS Series A
shares would receive less than a per share consideration
of $60 in the event that the independent committee of the
board of NDS recommends such a transaction at a lower price
or an adverse change or deterioration in the business, assets,
financial or trading position or profits of NDS or any member
of its group occurs. The announcement, if any, by News
Corporation and Permira of a firm intention to implement
the transaction is subject to NDS entering into an agreement
on terms acceptable to News Corporation and Permira providing
for, among other things, the implementation of the Scheme.
Additional Information and Where To Find It
This document is for informational purposes only and is not
an offer or solicitation of a proxy relating to any proposed
transaction or Scheme of Arrangement. In connection with
any proposed transaction, NDS, the Permira Newcos and News Corporation
will be required to file relevant materials with the SEC, including
a transaction statement on Schedule 13E-3, and in the case of
NDS, a proxy statement on Schedule 14A. INVESTORS AND SECURITY
HOLDERS OF NDS ARE URGED TO READ THESE MATERIALS IF AND WHEN
THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION
ABOUT NDS, PERMIRA NEWCOS AND NEWS CORPORATION AND THE TRANSACTION. The
proxy statement on Schedule 14A, the transaction statement on
Schedule 13E-3 and other relevant materials (if and when they
become available), and any other documents filed by NDS, the
Permira Newcos and/or News Corporation with the SEC, may be obtained
free of charge at the SEC's web site at www.sec.gov. In
addition, investors and security holders may obtain free copies
of the documents filed with the SEC by directing a written request
to: NDS, One Heathrow Blvd, 286 Bath Road, West Drayton,
Middlesex , UB7 0DQ, Attention: Investor Relations.
Participants in the Solicitation
NDS and its executive officers and directors may be deemed
to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the
shareholders of NDS in connection with any proposed transaction
and Scheme of Arrangement. Information about the executive
officers and directors of NDS and their ownership of NDS
ordinary shares is set forth in the proxy statement for NDS's
2007 annual general meeting of shareholders, which was filed
with the SEC on September 7, 2007. Investors and security
holders may obtain additional information regarding the direct
and indirect interests of NDS and its executive officers
and directors in the proposed transaction and Scheme of Arrangement
by reading the proxy statement regarding the proposed transaction
and Scheme of Arrangement if and when it becomes available.