América Móvil and Liberty Latin America to Combine Their Chilean Operations
29 September 2021 - 3:15PM
Business Wire
Liberty Latin America Ltd. (“Liberty Latin America” or “LLA”) (NASDAQ: LILA and LILAK, OTC Link:
LILAB) and América Móvil S.A.B. de C.V. (“América Móvil” or “AMX”) (BMV: AMX, NYSE: AMX and AMOV)
announced an agreement to combine their respective Chilean
operations, VTR and Claro Chile, to form a 50:50 joint venture (the
“JV”).
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the full release here:
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210929005566/en/
Strategic Rationale & Value Creation
The proposed transaction combines the complementary operations
of VTR, a leading provider of high-speed consumer fixed products,
such as broadband and Pay TV services, where it connects close to 3
million subscribers nationwide, and Claro Chile, one of Chile’s
leading telecommunications service providers with over 6.5 million
mobile customers, to create a business with greater scale, product
diversification, and a capital structure that will enable
significant investment for fixed fiber footprint expansion and to
be at the forefront of 5G mobile delivery. By 2025, the JV
anticipates passing 6 million homes through its fixed network and
the majority will have access to FTTH infrastructure.
The parties expect the JV will generate significant operating
benefits and associated value creation, with estimated run-rate
synergies of over $180 million, 80% of which are expected to be
achieved within three years post completion. Most of these benefits
relate to cost savings, driven by network and operating
efficiencies resulting from the combination. In addition, parties
expect the JV to develop additional revenue streams through
cross-selling opportunities and scale.
LLA and AMX bring significant experience in the integration and
execution of identified synergies in the context of in-country
consolidations and convergence transactions in the region.
Transaction Structure & Governance
Each of LLA and AMX made a commitment to contribute businesses
with net debt of CLP 1,095 billion ($1.5 billion) and CLP 259
billion ($0.4 billion), respectively. In addition, LLA will make a
balancing payment to AMX of CLP 73 billion ($0.1 billion).
Neither LLA nor AMX will consolidate the JV after the closing.
The formation of the JV will not result in a change of control
event for existing debtholders of VTR. The JV, as a whole, through
organic growth and synergy realization will target a long-term net
leverage ratio of 2.8x to 3.5x EBITDA.
Executive leadership of the JV will be agreed prior to the
closing. The board will consist of eight persons, with four
representatives from each of LLA and AMX. The role of Chairperson
will rotate between the shareholders. Certain actions of the JV
will be subject to the consent of both parties.
The transaction excludes all telecommunication towers owned
indirectly by AMX in Chile.
Conditions to Completion and Indicative Timetable
Completion of the transaction is subject to certain customary
closing conditions, including regulatory approvals, and is expected
to close in the second half of 2022. The transaction is not subject
to LLA or AMX shareholder approvals.
Claro Chile owns a DTH business which VTR would be unable to
operate according to restrictions imposed by the Chilean Antitrust
Courts, following its acquisition of Metrópolis in 2005. If these
restrictions remain in place at the time of completion, both
parties have agreed to take every necessary step to comply with
such restrictions.
About Liberty Latin America Visit: www.lla.com
About América Móvil Visit: www.americamovil.com
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within
the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995, including, but not limited to, statements regarding the
timing and benefits of the transaction, including synergy benefits;
the expected impact of the transaction and expansion targets, and
other information and statements that are not historical fact.
These forward-looking statements involve certain risks and
uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially
from those expressed or implied by these statements. These risks
and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, events that are
outside of the control of the parties, such as natural disasters
and pandemics (including COVID-19), their ability to obtain
regulatory consents for the transaction as well as other conditions
to closing; the parties’ ability to continue financial and
operational performance at historic levels, continued use by
subscribers of their services, their ability to achieve expected
operational efficiencies, synergies and economies of scale, as well
as other factors detailed from time to time in their respective
filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These
forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press
release. Both parties expressly disclaim any obligation or
undertaking to disseminate any updates or revisions to any
forward-looking statement contained herein to reflect any change in
their expectations with regard thereto or any change in events,
conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is
based.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210929005566/en/
For more information contact:
Liberty Latin America Investor Relations Kunal Patel
ir@lla.com Liberty Latin America Media Relations Claudia
Restrepo llacommunications@lla.com
América Móvil Investor Relations Daniela Lecuona
daniela.lecuona@americamovil.com América Móvil Media
Relations Paula García paula.garcia@americamovil.com
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