Clearwire Corporation (NASDAQ:CLWR) ("Clearwire" or the "Company")
today announced that Institutional Shareholder Services ("ISS"), a
leading independent proxy voting and corporate governance advisory
firm, in light of Sprint's revised offer to acquire the
approximately 50 percent stake in Clearwire it does not currently
own for $5.00 per share, has recommended that Clearwire
stockholders vote FOR the proposed merger with Sprint.
In its updated report issued on June 21, 2013, ISS stated:
"Given the cash consideration being offered by Sprint is higher
than the tender offer from DISH, and therefore the best alternative
currently available to maximize value, shareholders should vote FOR
the proposed merger with Sprint."[1]
"We are pleased that ISS agrees that Sprint's increased offer to
acquire all of the outstanding shares of Clearwire represents the
best value to our stockholders," said Erik Prusch, President and
CEO of Clearwire. "This offer has been unanimously
recommended by the Special Committee of Clearwire's Board of
Directors, which consists of independent, non-Sprint-affiliated
directors, and the Board urges Clearwire stockholders to vote 'FOR'
the transaction."
As previously disclosed, Sprint has received commitments from a
group of significant Clearwire stockholders, including Mount
Kellett Capital Management LP, Glenview Capital Management LLC,
Chesapeake Partners Management Co., Inc. and Highside Capital
Management LP, which collectively own approximately 9 percent of
Clearwire's voting shares, to vote their shares in support of the
transaction. These stockholders have also agreed to sell
their shares to Sprint in the event the transaction does not
close.
Together with the voting commitments previously received from
Comcast Corp., Intel Corp and Bright House Networks LLC, who
collectively own approximately 13 percent of Clearwire's voting
shares, and Clearwire's directors and officers, stockholders owning
approximately 45 percent of the Clearwire voting shares not
affiliated with Sprint have now agreed to vote their shares in
support of the transaction.
The Company will reconvene its Special Meeting of Stockholders
on Monday, July 8, 2013, at 10:30 AM Pacific at the Highland
Community Center, 14224 Bel-Red Road, Bellevue, Wash., 98007. The
record date for stockholders entitled to vote at the Special
Meeting remains April 2, 2013.
Evercore Partners is acting as financial advisor and Kirkland
& Ellis LLP is acting as counsel to Clearwire. Centerview
Partners is acting as financial advisor and Simpson Thacher &
Bartlett LLP and Richards, Layton & Finger, P.A. are acting as
counsel to Clearwire's Special Committee. Blackstone Advisory
Partners L.P. has advised the company on restructuring matters.
About Clearwire
Clearwire Corporation (NASDAQ:CLWR), through its operating
subsidiaries, is a leading provider of 4G wireless broadband
services offering services in areas of the U.S. where more than 130
million people live. The company holds the deepest portfolio of
wireless spectrum available for data services in the U.S.
Clearwire serves retail customers through its own CLEAR® brand
as well as through wholesale relationships with some of the leading
companies in the retail, technology and telecommunications
industries, including Sprint and NetZero. The company is
constructing a next-generation 4G LTE Advanced-ready network to
address the capacity needs of the market, and is also working
closely with the Global TDD-LTE Initiative to further the TDD-LTE
ecosystem. Clearwire is headquartered in Bellevue, Wash.
Additional information is available at
http://www.clearwire.com.
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking
Statements
This document includes "forward-looking statements" within the
meaning of the securities laws. The words "may," "could," "should,"
"estimate," "project," "forecast," intend," "expect," "anticipate,"
"believe," "target," "plan," "providing guidance" and similar
expressions are intended to identify information that is not
historical in nature. This document contains forward-looking
statements relating to the proposed Merger between Sprint and
Clearwire pursuant to the Merger Agreement and the related
transactions (collectively, the "transaction"). All statements,
other than historical facts, including statements regarding the
expected timing of the closing of the transaction; the ability of
the parties to complete the transaction considering the various
closing conditions; the expected benefits and synergies of the
transaction; the competitive ability and position of Sprint and
Clearwire; and any assumptions underlying any of the foregoing, are
forward-looking statements. Such statements are based upon current
plans, estimates and expectations that are subject to risks,
uncertainties and assumptions. The inclusion of such statements
should not be regarded as a representation that such plans,
estimates or expectations will be achieved.
You should not place undue reliance on such statements.
Important factors that could cause actual results to differ
materially from such plans, estimates or expectations include,
among others, (i) any conditions imposed in connection with the
transaction, (ii) approval of the transaction by Clearwire
stockholders, (iii) the satisfaction of various other conditions to
the closing of the transaction contemplated by the Merger
Agreement, (iv) legal proceedings that may be initiated related to
the transaction, and (v) other factors discussed in Clearwire's and
Sprint's Annual Reports on Form 10-K for their respective fiscal
years ended December 31, 2012, their other respective filings with
the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") and the
proxy statement and other materials that have been or will be filed
with the SEC by Clearwire in connection with the transaction. There
can be no assurance that the transaction will be completed, or if
it is completed, that it will close within the anticipated time
period or that the expected benefits of the transaction will be
realized. None of Sprint, Clearwire or Collie Acquisition Corp.
undertakes any obligation to update any forward-looking statement
to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which the
statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated
events. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any of
these forward-looking statements.
Additional Information and Where to Find It
In connection with the transaction, Sprint and Clearwire have
filed a Rule 13e-3 Transaction Statement and Clearwire has filed a
definitive proxy statement with the SEC. The definitive proxy
statement has been mailed to the Clearwire's stockholders.
INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS ARE ADVISED TO READ THE DEFINITIVE
PROXY STATEMENT AND OTHER RELEVANT MATERIALS BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT CLEARWIRE AND THE TRANSACTION.
Investors and security holders may obtain free copies of these
documents and other documents filed with the SEC at the SEC's web
site at www.sec.gov. In addition, the documents filed by Clearwire
with the SEC may be obtained free of charge by contacting Clearwire
at Clearwire, Attn: Investor Relations,
(425) 505-6494. Clearwire's filings with the SEC are also
available on its website at www.clearwire.com.
Participants in the Solicitation
Clearwire and its officers and directors and Sprint and its
officers and directors may be deemed to be participants in the
solicitation of proxies from Clearwire stockholders with respect to
the transaction. Information about Clearwire officers and directors
and their ownership of Clearwire common shares is set forth in the
definitive proxy statement for Clearwire's Special Meeting of
Stockholders, which was filed with the SEC on April 23, 2013.
Information about Sprint's officers and directors is set forth
in Sprint's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December
31, 2012, which was filed with the SEC on February 28, 2013.
Investors and security holders may obtain more detailed information
regarding the direct and indirect interests of the participants in
the solicitation of proxies in connection with the transaction by
reading the definitive proxy statements regarding the transaction,
which was filed by Clearwire with the SEC.
[1]Permission to use quotation was neither sought nor
obtained.
CONTACT: Media Contacts:
Susan Johnston, (425) 505-6178
susan.johnston@clearwire.com
JLM Partners for Clearwire
Mike DiGioia or Jeremy Pemble, (206) 381-3600
mike@jlmpartners.com or jeremy@jlmpartners.com
Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher for Clearwire
Joele Frank or Andy Brimmer, (212) 355-4449
Investor Contacts:
Alice Ryder, (425) 505-6494
alice.ryder@clearwire.com
MacKenzie Partners for Clearwire
Dan Burch or Laurie Connell, (212) 929-5500
dburch@mackenziepartners.com or lconnell@mackenziepartners.com
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