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Disney
to Acquire Marvel Entertainment
Press
Release
31st
August 2009
Worldwide leader in family entertainment
agrees to acquire Marvel and its portfolio of
over 5,000 characters
Acquisition
highlights Disney`s strategic focus on quality
branded content, technological innovation and
international expansion to build long-term
shareholder value
An
investor conference call will take place at approximately
10:15 a.m. EDT /
7:15 a.m. PDT August 31, 2009. Details for the
call are listed in the release.
BURBANK,
Calif. & NEW YORK
Building
on its strategy of delivering quality branded
content to people around
the world, The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS)
has agreed to acquire Marvel
Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE:MVL) in a stock and
cash transaction, the companies
announced today.
Under
the terms of the agreement and based on the closing
price of Disney on
August 28, 2009, Marvel shareholders would receive
a total of $30 per share in
cash plus approximately 0.745 Disney shares for
each Marvel share they own. At
closing, the amount of cash and stock will be
adjusted if necessary so that the
total value of the Disney stock issued as merger
consideration based on its
trading value at that time is not less than 40%
of the total merger consideration.
Based
on the closing price of Disney stock on Friday,
August 28, the transaction
value is $50 per Marvel share or approximately
$4 billion.
"This
transaction combines Marvel`s strong global brand
and world-renowned
library of characters including Iron Man, Spider-Man,
X-Men, Captain America,
Fantastic Four and Thor with Disney`s creative
skills, unparalleled global
portfolio of entertainment properties, and a business
structure that maximizes
the value of creative properties across multiple
platforms and territories,"
said Robert A. Iger, President and Chief Executive
Officer of The Walt Disney
Company. "Ike Perlmutter and his team have
done an impressive job of nurturing
these properties and have created significant
value. We are pleased to bring
this talent and these great assets to Disney."
"We
believe that adding Marvel to Disney`s unique
portfolio of brands provides
significant opportunities for long-term growth
and value creation," Iger said.
"Disney
is the perfect home for Marvel`s fantastic library
of characters given
its proven ability to expand content creation
and licensing businesses," said
Ike Perlmutter, Marvel`s Chief Executive Officer.
"This is an unparalleled
opportunity for Marvel to build upon its vibrant
brand and character properties
by accessing Disney`s tremendous global organization
and infrastructure around
the world."
Under
the deal, Disney will acquire ownership of Marvel
including its more than
5,000 Marvel characters. Mr. Perlmutter will oversee
the Marvel properties, and
will work directly with Disney`s global lines
of business to build and further
integrate Marvel`s properties.
The
Boards of Directors of Disney and Marvel have
each approved the transaction, which is subject
to clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust
Improvements Act, certain non-United States merger
control regulations, effectiveness of a registration
statement with respect to Disney shares issued
in the transaction and other customary closing
conditions. The agreement will require the approval
of Marvel shareholders. Marvel was advised on
the transaction by BofA Merrill Lynch.
Investor
Conference Call:
An
investor conference call will take place at approximately
10:15 a.m. EDT /
7:15 a.m. PDT today, August 31, 2009. To listen
to the Webcast, turn your browser to http://corporate.disney.go.com/investors/presentations.html
or dial in domestically at 800-260-8140 or internationally
at 617-614-3672. For both dial-in numbers, the
participant pass code is 51214527.
The
discussion will be available via replay on the
Disney investors website
through September 14, 2009 at 7:00 PM EDT/4:00
PM PDT.
About
The Walt Disney Company
The
Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries
and affiliates, is a leading diversified international
family entertainment and media enterprise with
five business segments: media networks, parks
and resorts, studio entertainment,
interactive media and consumer products. Disney
is a Dow 30 company with
revenues of nearly $38 billion in its most recent
fiscal year.
About
Marvel Entertainment, Inc.
Marvel
Entertainment, Inc. is one of the world`s most
prominent character-based
entertainment companies, built on a library of
over 5,000 characters featured in
a variety of media over seventy years. Marvel
utilizes its character franchises in licensing,
entertainment (via Marvel Studios and Marvel Animation)
and publishing (via Marvel Comics).
Forward-Looking
Statements:
Certain
statements in this communication may constitute
"forward-looking statements" within
the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act
of 1995. Such statements relate to a variety of
matters, including but not limited to: the operations
of the businesses of Disney and Marvel separately
and as a combined entity; the timing and consummation
of the proposed merger transaction; the expected
benefits of the integration of the two companies;
the
combined company`s plans, objectives, expectations
and intentions and other
statements that are not historical fact. These
statements are made on the basis
of the current beliefs, expectations and assumptions
of the management of Disney
and Marvel regarding future events and are subject
to significant risks and uncertainty. Investors
are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any
such
forward-looking statements, which speak only as
of the date they are made.
Neither Disney nor Marvel undertakes any obligation
to update or revise these
statements, whether as a result of new information,
future events or otherwise.
Actual
results may differ materially from those expressed
or implied. Such
differences may result from a variety of factors,
including but not limited to:
* legal
or regulatory proceedings or other matters that
affect the timing or
ability to complete the transactions as contemplated;
* the possibility that the expected synergies
from the proposed merger will not
be realized, or will not be realized within the
anticipated time period; the
risk that the businesses will not be integrated
successfully;
* the possibility of disruption from the merger
making it more difficult to
maintain business and operational relationships;
* the possibility that the merger does not close,
including but not limited to,
due to the failure to satisfy the closing conditions;
* any actions taken by either of the companies,
including but not limited to,
restructuring or strategic initiatives (including
capital investments or asset
acquisitions or dispositions);
* developments beyond the companies' control,
including but not limited to:
changes in domestic or global economic conditions,
competitive conditions and
consumer preferences; adverse weather conditions
or natural disasters; health
concerns; international, political or military
developments; and technological
developments.
Additional
factors that may cause results to differ materially
from those described in the forward-looking statements
are set forth in the Annual Report on Form 10-K
of Disney for the year ended September 27, 2008,
which was filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission ("SEC") on November 20, 2008,
under the heading "Item 1A-Risk Factors"
and in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Marvel
for the year ended December 31, 2008, which was
filed with the SEC on February 27, 2009, under
the heading "Item 1A-Risk Factors,"
and in subsequent reports on Forms 10-Q and 8-K
and other filings made with the SEC by each of
Marvel and Disney.
Important
Merger Information and Additional Information:
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, Disney
and Marvel will file relevant materials with the
SEC. Disney will file a Registration Statement
on Form S-4 that includes a proxy statement of
Marvel and which also constitutes a prospectus
of Disney. Marvel will mail the proxy statement/prospectus
to its stockholders. Investors are urged to read
the proxy statement/prospectus regarding the proposed
transaction when it becomes available, because
it will contain important information. The proxy
statement/prospectus and other documents that
will be filed by Disney and Marvel with the SEC
will be available free of charge at the SEC's
website, www.sec.gov, or by directing a request
when such a filing is made to The Walt Disney
Company, 500 South Buena Vista Street, Burbank,
CA 91521-9722, Attention: Shareholder Services
or by directing a request when such a filing is
made to Marvel Entertainment, Inc., 417 Fifth
Avenue New York, NY 10016, Attention: Corporate
Secretary.
Disney,
Marvel, their respective directors and certain
of their executive officers may be considered
participants in the solicitation of proxies in
connection with the proposed transaction.Information
about the directors and executive officers of
Marvel is set forth in its definitive proxy statement,
which was filed with the SEC on March 24, 2009.
Information about the directors and executive
officers of Disney is set forth in its definitive
proxy statement, which was filed with the SEC
on January 16, 2009. Investors may obtain additional
information regarding the interests of such participants
by reading the proxy statement/prospectus Disney
and Marvel will file with the SEC when it becomes
available.
The
Walt Disney Company
Zenia Mucha
Corporate Communications
818-560-5300
or
Jonathan
Friedland
Corporate Communications
818-560-8306
or
Lowell
Singer
Investor Relations
818-560-6601
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