Acquisition
Expected to Add $0.10 to $0.14 Cents to Cendants 2002 Earnings Per
Share
Combination Extends Cendants Global Platform To Include Full Range of
Services in Travel Sector
Cendant Corporation (NYSE: CD) and Galileo International, Inc. (NYSE:
GLC) today announced that they have signed a definitive agreement for
Cendant to acquire all of the outstanding common stock of Galileo at an
expected value of $33 per share, or approximately $2.9 billion. Cendant
will also assume approximately $600 million of Galileo net debt. For the
year ended December 2000, Galileo reported revenues of $1.64 billion and
EBITDA of approximately $570 million. The transaction will combine
Galileo, one of the leading providers of electronic global distribution
services (GDS) for the travel industry, with Cendant, a diversified
global provider of business and consumer services, with a significant
presence in the travel sector. The transaction, which is expected to
close in the fall of 2001, is subject to customary regulatory approvals
and the approval of Galileos stockholders.
United Air Lines, Inc. (UAL), the largest stockholder of Galileo with
approximately 18% of the outstanding shares, has entered into an
agreement with Cendant to support the transaction and has provided
Cendant with a proxy to vote the Galileo shares owned by UAL in favor of
the transaction.
Under the terms of the agreement, Galileo stockholders will receive a
combination of Cendant common stock and cash with an expected value of
$33 per Galileo share. Galileo stockholders will receive 80.5 percent or
more of the purchase price through a tax-free exchange of Cendant common
stock with a market value of $26.565 per Galileo share, subject to a
collar. The number of shares will fluctuate within a collar of $17 to
$20 per Cendant share from 1.563 Cendant shares per Galileo share if the
average price of Cendant shares is $17 per share during the measurement
period to 1.328 Cendant shares per Galileo share if the average price
per Cendant share is $20 during the measurement period. Therefore, the
total number of Cendant shares to be issued will be between 116 million
and 137 million shares. If the average price per share of Cendant stock
during the measurement period is below or above the collar, the value of
the transaction will be greater or less than $33 per Galileo share since
the exchange ratios, as noted above, are fixed for stock consideration
outside the collar. For purposes of determining the exchange ratio, the
exchange ratio will be based on the average Cendant stock price for the
period of 20 trading days preceding the third trading day prior to the
Galileo stockholder meeting to approve this transaction (measurement
period). Under certain circumstances, if the closing of the transaction
has not been consummated within 30 days of the Galileo stockholders
meeting, a 20-day measurement period closer to the actual closing will
be used.
The remainder of the purchase price, up to $6.435 per Galileo share or
approximately $562 million in the aggregate, will be paid in cash. The
cash portion of the consideration is limited to 19.5 percent of the
value of the total consideration on the closing date to be paid to
Galileo stockholders. The effect of the 19.5 percent limitation is that
the cash portion of the consideration will be reduced if it ever exceeds
19.5 percent of the value of the total consideration on the closing date
to be paid to Galileo stockholders. This limitation is intended to
preserve the tax-free nature of the stock portion of the consideration
being paid to Galileo stockholders.
If the average Cendant stock price per share is at or below $14 over a
20-day trading period preceding the third trading day prior to the
Galileo stockholder meeting to approve this transaction, Galileo will
have a right to terminate the transaction. Under certain circumstances,
if the closing of the transaction has not been consummated within 30
days of the Galileo stockholders meeting, a 20-day measurement period
closer to the actual closing will be used.
Cendant expects that the acquisition of Galileo will be immediately
accretive to Cendants earnings and cash flow. The Company expects
Galileo to add between $0.10 and $0.14 cents to Cendants 2002 earnings
per share, depending upon the number of shares issued, the closing date
of the acquisition and the timing of achieving certain synergies.
Included in the projected accretion is about $70 million to $80 million
of merger synergies in 2002, primarily from the utilization of Galileos
GDS by Cendants travel agency and its travel portal affiliate, the
reduction of certain information technology spending, and the reduction
of general and administrative expenses. The synergies are anticipated to
grow to over $100 million in 2003. The transaction is expected to
increase Cendants free cash flow by about $350 million to $400 million
in 2002.
The acquisition is also expected to significantly enhance Cendants
growth prospects in the rapidly expanding global market for travel
services, for several reasons:
Cendant, a leader in road-based travel, will now be able to generate
transaction fees from air travel, the largest component of travel
spending;
Galileo will diversify Cendants travel revenue base geographically
with no foreign currency risk, as over 60% of Galileos revenues come
from faster-growing international markets but are paid in U.S. dollars;
Cendants worldwide customer base will expand significantly, giving
Cendant greater opportunity to market its Preferred Alliance services to
Galileo-connected travel agencies in 43,000 locations around the world.
Cendants Preferred Alliance business has built relationships with more
than 100 world-class companies that provide its customers with
exceptional prices on high quality products and services such as long
distance phone service, insurance, computers, furniture and other office
products;
Cendants existing membership travel businesses will utilize Galileos
GDS service and Cendants extensive network of travel Web sites will
also use Galileos GDS service to book non Cendant-branded services such
as airline tickets;
Galileos TRIP.com with its technological capabilities will enhance
the capabilities of Cendants comprehensive travel portal affiliate,
reducing its cost of operation and allowing it to capitalize on the
growth in online travel bookings.
Henry R. Silverman, Cendants Chairman, President and Chief Executive
Officer, said, "This combination will create attractive new growth
opportunities for stockholders of both companies because it
substantially broadens the range of our service offerings and our
geographic reach. The global travel industry is benefiting from
favorable demographic trends in the U.S. and strong international
growth. Galileos fee-for-services business model, customer
relationships and customer base are highly complementary to Cendants.
Galileos major presence in air travel bookings and substantial
international reach are an excellent strategic fit with Cendant and will
facilitate our ability to capitalize on future growth opportunities
within the travel industry."
Galileos Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, James E.
Barlett, said, "Galileos experience in managing a vast global network
and providing innovative technology solutions is an ideal strategic fit
with Cendants core competencies of providing business and consumer
services. The two companies together will be able to provide large
corporations, small businesses, travel agencies and individual consumers
around the world with the broadest possible range of travel services.
Galileos extensive international infrastructure will also enable
Cendant to more easily take advantage of attractive diversification
opportunities in global travel markets.
Cendants Chief Strategic Officer, Samuel L. Katz, said, Galileos
technology expertise and Internet capabilities will accelerate Cendants
ability to take advantage of the growth in online travel bookings.
Cendants initiative to develop a comprehensive travel portal will now
be combined with Galileos TRIP.com, providing us with superior
technology, a world-class URL and lower cost of operations.
Substantially enhanced distribution of Cendants travel brands in the
online space is an example of the virtuous circle this transaction
creates for our travel businesses. Within this virtuous circle, we
expect to build on Cendants core competencies to strengthen the
businesses of our distribution customers while creating additional value
for our supplier partners.
To maintain the highest service levels to Galileos customers and
suppliers, the Companies have agreed to work together during the period
prior to closing to assure a seamless integration of Galileo into
Cendant after closing. Therefore, Cendant does not anticipate changes in
Galileos operational management or a reduction in the employee base
that would impact service to customers.
Following the closing of the transaction, Galileos CEO, James E.
Barlett, has decided to pursue other opportunities outside of Cendant.
Mr. Silverman said, We are going to bring in a new CEO, similar to when
we brought Bob Pittman into Century 21 to change the paradigm of that
company, who together with a number of current Cendant managers will
augment Galileos operational management team. We have a long history of
revitalizing companies, and were confident we can do it again.
The merger agreement requires, among other things, that Galileo suspend
payment of its regular quarterly cash dividend and terminate its $250
million stock repurchase program. Galileo declared and paid a dividend
of $0.09 per share to its stockholders during each of the first and
second quarters of 2001. As of May 31, 2001, Galileo had repurchased
approximately $71 million in shares of its common stock under the stock
repurchase program, which was authorized by the Board of Directors in
April 2000.
JPMorgan acted as the exclusive financial advisor to the Board of
Directors of Galileo. Salomon Smith Barney acted as a financial advisor
to Cendant. |