Millipore Corporation, a leading provider of technologies, tools and
services for the global life science industry, today announced that it
will exercise its right under the corresponding indenture (the
"Indenture") to redeem all of its 3.75% Convertible Senior Notes Due
2026 (the "Notes") on December 1, 2011, at one hundred per cent (100%)
of the outstanding principle amount of the Notes. As a result of the
call for redemption, the Notes may also be surrendered by their holders
for conversion.
Independent of such redemption and related conversion right, holders of
the Notes will also have the right, at their option, to require
Millipore to purchase their Notes on December 1, 2011, at a purchase
price, payable in cash, equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the
principal amount of the Notes ("Purchase at Holder's Option"), or to
surrender their Notes for conversion at any time between November 1,
2011, and December 1, 2011.
Most of the Notes were already converted by its holders between June and
August 2010 in connection with certain conversion rights resulting from
the acquisition of Millipore Corporation by Merck KGaA, and only a
principal amount of US$ 27.2 million of the originally issued notes in
the principal amount of US$ 550 million remained outstanding upon the
call for redemption as of December 1, 2011. All remaining outstanding
Notes have now been redeemed.
In accordance with the terms of the Notes' Indenture, Millipore is
delivering two notices to holders of these Notes, one relating to the
call for redemption, the related conversion right as well as the
Purchase at Holder's Option and the other notice relating to the
conversion at any time between November 1, 2011, and December 1, 2011.
The mailing of two separate notices is solely a result of different
dates prescribed by the Indenture for the different events.
As described in more detail in the notices to noteholders, which are
mailed in accordance with Section 3.04, 3.09, 10.01(A)(iii) and
10.01A(vi) of the Indenture,
(i) all outstanding Notes will be redeemed on December 1, 2011, at one
hundred per cent (100%) of the outstanding principle amount of the Notes
payable in cash, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding
December 1, 2011, if any;
(ii) as a result of such redemption, the Notes may also be surrendered
by their holders for conversion; provided, however, that the Notes or
portion thereof may be surrendered for conversion based on the
redemption only until 5:00 PM, Eastern Standard Time, on November 28,
2011 ("Conversion Based on Redemption");
(iii) holders of Notes, at their option, may also require the Company to
purchase their Notes on December 1, 2011, at a purchase price, payable
in cash, equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the principal amount of
the Notes to be so purchased, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any,
to, but excluding, December 1, 2011; and
(iv) Notes may also be surrendered for conversion at any time from, and
including, November 1, 2011 to, and including, December 1, 2011.
The Indenture provides that holders that surrender their Notes for
conversion will receive, in exchange for their Notes, cash and, if
applicable, shares of common stock in accordance with the Indenture.
However, on February 28, 2010, Millipore entered into an Agreement and
Plan of Share Exchange with Merck KGaA and EMD Holding Corp., pursuant
to which EMD Holding (formally known as Concord Investments Corp.)
acquired each issued and outstanding share of common stock, par value
$1.00 per share, of the Company in exchange for the right to receive
$107.00 in cash per share without interest. As a result of the
consummation of the share exchange on July 14, 2010, all shares of
common stock of the Company were exchanged for the right to receive the
share exchange consideration and the Company became a wholly owned
subsidiary of EMD Holding, and in accordance with Section 10.11 of the
Indenture, the Notes will now be convertible solely into cash and will
no longer be potentially convertible in part into shares of common stock.
The conversion rate is 11.0485 shares of common stock per $1,000
principal amount of Notes and, based on the share exchange
consideration, the conversion price is $1,182.19 per $1,000 principal
amount of Notes.
Holders of Notes should read the notices they will receive carefully and
consult with such holders' own financial and tax advisors in
determining, and make such Holders own decision as to, whether or not,
and to which extent such holder will exercise any rights under the
Indenture or to have its Notes redeemed on December 1, 2011. The notices
will contain further details regarding the Redemption, the Purchase at
Holder's Option, the convertibility of the Notes in connection as a
result of the Redemption, and the convertibility at any time between
November 1, 2011, and December 1, 2011. It also contains important
information as to the procedures and timing for the exercise of the
rights of holders and the redemption of the Notes.
Holders should note that in case a holder does not exercise the
Conversion Based on Redemption, the conversion at any time between
November 1, 2011, and December 1, 2011, or the Purchase at Holder's
Option, their Notes will be automatically subject to redemption on
December 1, 2011.
Additional Information
This announcement is neither an offer to purchase nor a solicitation of
an offer to sell shares of Millipore Corporation.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes forward-looking statements, within the
meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, that
are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, including the
risks to both companies that the acquisition of Millipore will not be
consummated as the transaction is subject to certain closing conditions.
In addition, if and when the transaction is consummated, there will be
risk and uncertainties related to Merck’s ability to successfully
integrate the products and employees of Merck and Millipore. These
risks, uncertainties and other factors, and the general risks associated
with the respective businesses of Merck and Millipore as described in
the reports and other documents filed by each of them with the SEC,
could cause actual results to differ materially from those referred to
in the forward-looking statements. The reader is cautioned not to rely
on these forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are
based on information currently available to Merck and Millipore, and
neither Merck nor Millipore assumes any obligation to update any such
forward-looking statements included in this press release.
* * *
About Millipore
Millipore Corporation is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Merck KGaA of
Germany and part of the EMD Millipore division of Merck KGaA. It offers
a broad range of innovative, performance products, services and business
relationships that enable its customers' success in research,
development and production of biotech and pharmaceutical drug therapies.
Through dedicated collaboration on new scientific and engineering
insights, and as one of the top three R&D investors in the Life Science
Tools industry, EMD Millipore serves as a strategic partner to customers
and helps advance the promise of life science.
Headquartered in Billerica, Massachusetts, the EMD Millipore division
has around 10,000 employees, operations in 67 countries and 2010
revenues of USD 2.5 billion. EMD Millipore operates as Merck Millipore
outside the U.S. and Canada.
