Liberty Mutual Group to Acquire Ohio Casualty Corporation
07 Mai 2007 - 2:31PM
Business Wire
Liberty Mutual Group (�Liberty Mutual�) and Ohio Casualty
Corporation (�Ohio Casualty�) (NASD: OCAS) today announced that
they have entered into a definitive agreement pursuant to which
Liberty Mutual will acquire all outstanding shares of common stock
of Ohio Casualty for $44.00 per share in cash. Ohio Casualty
Corporation is the holding company of The Ohio Casualty Insurance
Company and five other property and casualty insurance companies,
which are referred to under the marketing brand Ohio Casualty
Group. Ohio Casualty Group ranks 50th among property and casualty
insurers based upon net premiums written (Best�s Review, July
2006), and sells personal, commercial and bond insurance products
through independent agents and brokers. The transaction is valued
at approximately $2.7 billion. Liberty Mutual intends to fund the
purchase with cash on hand and short-term debt; the transaction is
not subject to any financing contingencies. The proposed
transaction, which has been approved by the Boards of Directors of
both companies, is subject to approval by Ohio Casualty
shareholders and customary regulatory approvals and conditions, and
is expected to close in the third quarter of 2007. Following the
acquisition, Ohio Casualty will be part of Liberty Mutual Group�s
Agency Markets business unit. The 11 companies in Liberty Mutual
Agency Markets have more than 6,800 employees and approximately
6,500 appointed agencies. In 2006, Liberty Mutual Agency Markets�
net written premium was $5.9 billion. Ohio Casualty, which has
approximately 2,100 employees and operations in 48 states, has
approximately 3,400 appointed agencies. In 2006, Ohio Casualty�s
net written premium was $1.4 billion. �Under Dan Carmichael�s
leadership, Ohio Casualty has been transformed into a premier
regional property and casualty company and is a great fit with our
Agency Markets business,� said Edmund F. Kelly, Liberty Mutual
Group chairman, president and chief executive officer. �Through the
addition of Ohio Casualty, our regional-company independent agency
business is significantly stronger and our agency relationships are
strengthened. With combined net written premium exceeding $7.3
billion following this transaction, we will become the largest
regional provider of property and casualty products distributed
through independent agents in the United States.� Dan Carmichael,
president and chief executive of Ohio Casualty, said, �I am very
proud of the accomplishments of our employees, agents and
management at Ohio Casualty in creating a leading super-regional
property and casualty insurance company. We look forward to being
an important component of Liberty Mutual Agency Markets� continuing
success. We believe this transaction will benefit our key
constituents and enable our shareholders to realize significant
value for their investment in Ohio Casualty.� Gary Gregg, president
of Liberty Mutual Agency Markets, said, �I look forward to working
with Dan and the leadership of Ohio Casualty, who will play a key
role in the joint integration team tasked with combining the best
of both organizations to create a stronger Liberty Mutual Agency
Markets. We share Ohio Casualty�s commitment to employees,
customers and agents. The combined organization intends to maintain
a significant presence in the Cincinnati area and will continue to
support local charities in the communities in which we do
business.� About Liberty Mutual Group Boston-based Liberty Mutual
Group is a diversified global insurer and sixth largest property
and casualty insurer in the United States based on 2005 direct
written premium. The Company also ranks 95th on the Fortune 500
list of largest corporations in the United States based on 2006
revenue of $23.5 billion. As of December 31, 2006, Liberty Mutual
Group had $85.5 billion in consolidated assets. Liberty Mutual
Group offers a wide range of insurance products and services,
including personal automobile, homeowners, commercial multiple
peril, commercial automobile, general liability, workers
compensation, global specialty, group disability, assumed
reinsurance, fire and surety. Liberty Mutual Group
(www.libertymutual.com) employs over 39,000 people in more than 900
offices throughout the world. About Ohio Casualty Corporation Ohio
Casualty Corporation is the holding company of The Ohio Casualty
Insurance Company and five other subsidiary insurance companies.
Headquartered in Fairfield, OH, Ohio Casualty Corporation trades on
the NASDAQ Stock Market under the symbol OCAS. With approximately
2,100 employees in five major locations countrywide, Ohio Casualty
Group is ranked among the top 50 U.S. property/casualty insurance
groups based on net premiums written (Best�s Review, July 2006).
Ohio Casualty Group is the marketing brand for our six
property/casualty insurance companies, which are licensed to write
auto, home and business insurance. Policies are written through the
independent agency system. The oldest company, The Ohio Casualty
Insurance Company, was founded in 1919. Rated A (Excellent) for
financial strength by the A.M. Best Company, Inc., the Group has
written premiums of approximately $1.42 billion as of Dec. 31,
2006. OCG products are marketed through approximately 3,400
independent agencies. Policies may be underwritten by The Ohio
Casualty Insurance Company, West American Insurance Company,
American Fire and Casualty Company, Ohio Security Insurance
Company, Avomark Insurance Company or Ohio Casualty of New Jersey,
Inc. Cautionary Notice Regarding Forward Looking Statements Certain
statements in this press release contain forward-looking
statements, including statements relating to results of operations.
These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations,
estimates, forecasts and projections of future company or industry
performance based on management's judgment, beliefs, current trends
and market conditions. Actual outcomes and results may differ
materially from what is expressed, forecasted or implied in any
forward-looking statement. Forward-looking statements made by Ohio
Casualty or Liberty Mutual may be identified by the use of words
such as "will," "expects," "intends," "plans," �anticipates,"
"believes," "seeks," "estimates," and similar expressions. There
are a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual
results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements
included in this document. For example, (1) Ohio Casualty may be
unable to obtain shareholder approval required for the transaction;
(2) regulatory approvals required for the transaction may not be
obtained, or required regulatory approvals may delay the
transaction or result in the imposition of conditions that could
have a material adverse effect on Ohio Casualty or Liberty Mutual
or cause the parties to abandon the transaction; (3) conditions to
the closing of the transaction may not be satisfied; (4) the
business of Ohio Casualty or Liberty Mutual may suffer as a result
of uncertainty surrounding the transaction; and (5) Ohio Casualty
or Liberty Mutual may be adversely affected by other economic,
business, and/or competitive factors. These and other factors that
could cause Ohio Casualty�s actual results to differ materially
from those expressed or implied are discussed under "Risk Factors"
in Ohio Casualty�s most recent annual report on Form 10-K and other
filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. For a further
discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties affecting
Liberty Mutual, see Liberty Mutual�s website at
www.libertymutual.com/investors. Ohio Casualty and Liberty Mutual
undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements,
whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these
forward-looking statements. Additional Information and Where to
Find It This communication may be deemed to be solicitation
material in respect of the proposed transaction. In connection with
the proposed transaction, a proxy statement of Ohio Casualty and
other materials will be filed with the SEC. WE URGE INVESTORS TO
READ THE PROXY STATEMENT AND THESE OTHER MATERIALS CAREFULLY WHEN
THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT
INFORMATION ABOUT OHIO CASUALTY CORPORATION AND THE PROPOSED
TRANSACTION. Investors will be able to obtain free copies of the
proxy statement (when available) as well as other filed documents
containing information about Ohio Casualty on the SEC�s website at
http://www.sec.gov. Free copies of Ohio Casualty�s SEC filings are
also available from Ohio Casualty Corporation, 9450 Seward Road,
Fairfield, Ohio 45014, Attention: Investor Relations. Participants
in the Solicitation Ohio Casualty and its executive officers,
directors, other members of management, employees and Liberty
Mutual may be deemed, under SEC rules, to be participants in the
solicitation of proxies from Ohio Casualty�s shareholders with
respect to the proposed transaction. Information regarding the
executive officers and directors of Ohio Casualty is set forth in
its definitive proxy statement for its 2007 annual meeting filed
with the SEC on April 4, 2007. More detailed information regarding
the identity of potential participants, and their direct or
indirect interests, by securities holdings or otherwise, will be
set forth in the proxy statement and other materials to be filed
with the SEC in connection with the proposed transaction.
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