Although we believe the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, there is a risk that these expectations will not be attained and that any deviations will be material. The forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. |
On October 19, 2005, the special committee announced that it engaged The Blackstone Group L.P., or Blackstone, as financial advisors, and Kirkland & Ellis LLP, or Kirkland & Ellis, as legal advisor to assist in its evaluation of our offer. One day prior, on October 18, 2005, representatives of Blackstone and Kirkland & Ellis sent to Vectors advisors their information and interview request lists related to the due diligence review that they intended to undertake on behalf of the special committee. | |
On October 20, 2005, we commenced the offer. | |
Also on October 20, 2005, representatives of Blackstone and Kirkland & Ellis scheduled a series of meetings with Vector and New Valley in response to their due diligence requests. | |
On October 24, 2005, representatives of New Valley, Blackstone and Kirkland & Ellis held the first of their informational meetings at New Valleys and Vectors offices in New York City. At this meeting, representatives of New Valley gave a presentation on its real estate and real estate-related holdings. | |
On October 25, 2005, representatives of Vector, Blackstone and Kirkland & Ellis held the second of their informational meetings at New Valleys and Vectors offices in New York City. At this meeting, representatives of Vector gave a presentation on its tobacco businesses. In addition, on October 25, 2005, Vector representatives and its outside counsel gave a presentation by teleconference to representatives of Kirkland & Ellis and Blackstone regarding Vectors litigation related to tobacco products. | |
On October 27, 2005, on two separate calls, representatives of Vector and New Valley and its outside counsel gave presentations by teleconference to representatives of Blackstone and Kirkland & Ellis regarding tax matters affecting Vector and New Valley and other litigation affecting New Valley, respectively. | |
On November 2, 2005, the special committee filed a Solicitation/ Recommendation Statement on Schedule 14D-9 in which the special committee stated that it had determined on behalf of the New Valley board of directors that our offer was inadequate and not in the best interests of the holders of common shares of New Valley, other than Vector and its affiliates. Accordingly, the special committee recommended that holders of common shares of New Valley reject our offer and not tender their common shares pursuant to our offer. | |
On November 3, 2005, Vector issued the following statement in response to the recommendation by the special committee of the New Valley board of directors that New Valley stockholders not tender into our offer: | |
We are disappointed by the special committees decision recommending against our premium offer of $9 per share in Vector Group stock, which we believe represents compelling value for all New Valley shareholders. We are eager for New Valley shareholders once they have had the opportunity to review our exchange offer materials to make their own determination on the merits of our offer. |
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Due to the 90% tender requirement, it is highly unlikely that Vector will be able to close this transaction unless all significant New Valley shareholders tender into the offer. If the 90% tender requirement is not satisfied, there can be no second-step short form merger and, consequently, no appraisal rights. | |
On November 4, 2005, representatives of Blackstone spoke with representatives of Jefferies to exchange perspectives regarding the offer and subsequent merger. | |
On November 7, we announced that we extended the offer until 5:00 p.m. on December 9, 2005. |
During the past two years, Vector has paid to Jefferies fees in the amount of approximately $3.9 million. In addition, pursuant to an engagement letter between Vector and Jefferies dated as of September 27, 2005, Vector has agreed to pay Jefferies $325,000 upon delivery of its opinion for its services in connection with the offer. Jefferies will also be reimbursed for reasonable expenses incurred, including the fees and disbursements of Jefferies counsel. Vector has agreed to indemnify Jefferies against liabilities arising out of or in connection with the services rendered or to be rendered by it under its engagement. |
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We have extended the offer until 5:00 p.m. on December 9, 2005. All references to the expiration of the offer shall mean such time and date as extended. |
The following description constitutes the opinion of Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP, our counsel, as to the material United States federal income tax consequences for New Valley stockholders of the offer and the subsequent merger. It is based upon the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (which we refer to as the Code), regulations under the Code, and court and administrative rulings and decisions in effect on the date of this Prospectus, all of which are subject to change, possibly retroactively. Any change could affect the continuing validity of the tax consequences described in this Prospectus. We have not requested and will not request an advance ruling from the Internal Revenue Service as to the tax consequences of the offer and the subsequent merger. This description is not binding on the Internal Revenue Service, and there can be no assurance that the Internal Revenue Service will not disagree with or challenge any of the conclusions described below. |
| there shall be threatened, instituted or pending any action, proceeding or application by or before any court, government or governmental authority or other regulatory or administrative agency or commission, domestic or foreign (other than the New Valley stockholder litigations described under Certain Legal Matters and Regulatory Approvals Stockholder Litigation beginning on page 63), |
| which challenges the acquisition by us of the common shares of New Valley, seeks to restrain, delay or prohibit the consummation of the offer or the transactions contemplated by the offer or any subsequent merger or seeks to obtain any material damages or otherwise directly or indirectly relates to the transactions contemplated by the offer or subsequent merger, | |
| which seeks to prohibit or impose material limitations on our acquisition, ownership or operation of all or any portion of our or New Valleys business or assets (including the business or assets of their respective affiliates and subsidiaries) or of the common shares of New Valley (including, without limitation, the right to vote the shares purchased by us, on an equal basis with all other shares, on all matters presented to the stockholders of New Valley), or seeks to compel us to dispose of or hold separate all or any portion of our or New Valleys business or assets (including the business or assets of their respective affiliates and subsidiaries) as a result of the transactions contemplated by the offer or any subsequent merger, | |
| which may reasonably be expected to adversely affect New Valley or us, or any of our respective affiliates or subsidiaries (which we refer to as an Adverse Effect), or result in a diminution in the value of the common shares of New Valley or common stock of Vector or the benefits expected to be derived by us, as described under Background and Reasons for the Offer and Subsequent Merger Key Factors Motivating the Offer Vector Boards Decision to Commence the Offer beginning on page 26, as a result of the transactions contemplated by the offer or any subsequent merger (which we refer to as a Diminution in Value), or | |
| which seeks to impose any condition to the offer unacceptable to us; or |
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| there shall have occurred any development in the New Valley stockholder litigations, described under Certain Legal Matters and Regulatory Approvals Stockholder Litigation beginning on page 63, that is adverse to the defendants in those litigations; or |
| New Valley or any subsidiary of New Valley shall have: |
| issued, distributed, pledged, sold or authorized, or proposed the issuance of or sale, distribution or pledge to any person of (1) any shares of its capital stock (other than sales or issuances pursuant to employee stock options outstanding on October 20, 2005 and disclosed in New Valleys filings with the SEC prior to that date, in accordance with the then-existing terms thereof) of any class (including, without limitation, the common shares of New Valley) or securities convertible into or exchangeable for any such shares of capital stock, or any rights, warrants or options to acquire any such shares or convertible securities or any other securities of New Valley, (2) any other securities in respect of, instead of or in substitution for shares outstanding on October 20, 2005, or (3) any debt securities or any securities convertible into or exchangeable for debt securities or any rights, warrants or options entitling the holder thereof to purchase or otherwise acquire any debt securities, | |
| purchased or otherwise acquired, or proposed or offered to purchase or otherwise acquire any outstanding shares of its capital stock or other securities, except in accordance with the terms of contractual arrangements in effect on October 20, 2005 and disclosed in New Valleys filings with the SEC prior to that date, | |
| proposed, recommended, authorized, declared, issued or paid any dividend or distribution on any shares of its capital stock or any other security, whether payable in cash, securities or other property, | |
| altered or proposed to alter any material term of any outstanding security, | |
| incurred, agreed to incur or announced its intention to incur any additional debt, except any borrowings under existing credit agreements, as in effect on October 20, 2005 and disclosed in New Valleys filings with the SEC prior to that date, in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, | |
| authorized, recommended, proposed or publicly announced its intent to enter into any merger, consolidation, liquidation, dissolution, business combination, recapitalization, acquisition or disposition of securities, any acquisition or sale, conveyance, transfer or other disposition of assets (other than in the ordinary course of business), any material change in its capitalization or business operations, any release or relinquishment of any material contractual or other rights or any comparable event, or taken any action to implement any such transaction previously authorized, recommended, proposed or publicly announced, or | |
| entered into any other agreement or otherwise effected any other arrangement with any other party or with its officers or other employees of New Valley that might, individually or in the aggregate, have an Adverse Effect or result in a Diminution in Value; or |
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On or about September 29, 2005, an individual stockholder of New Valley filed a complaint in the Delaware Court of Chancery purporting to commence a class action lawsuit against Vector, New Valley and each of the individual directors of New Valley. The complaint was styled as Pill v. New Valley Corporation, et al., (C.A. No. 1678-N). On or about September 29, 2005, a separate action was filed in the Circuit Court of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit in and for Miami-Dade County, Florida styled as Tombs v. New Valley Corporation, et al. (Case No. 05-19623 CA 22). On or about October 28, 2005, a separate action was filed in the Delaware Court of Chancery purporting to commence a class action lawsuit against Vector, New Valley and each of the individual directors of New Valley. The complaint was styled as Lindstrom v. LeBow, et al. (Civil Action No. 1745-N). In general, these complaints allege, among other things: (1) breaches of fiduciary duty by Vector, New Valley and the members of New Valleys board in connection with the offer and the subsequent merger; (2) that the consideration Vector is offering is inadequate; and (3) that Vector is acting to further its own interests at the expense of the holders of New Valleys common shares. Among other remedies, these complaints seek to enjoin the offer and subsequent merger or, alternatively, damages in an unspecified amount and rescission in the event the subsequent merger occurs. |
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The following table sets forth for each executive officer and director of Vector and each executive officer and director of VGR Holding, his or her name, business or residence address, principal occupation or employment at the present time and during the last five years, and the name of any corporation or other organization in which such employment is conducted or was conducted. All of the persons listed below are citizens of the United States of America. During the past five years, none of the executive officers or directors of Vector nor any of the executive officers or directors of VGR Holding have been convicted in a criminal proceeding (excluding traffic violations or similar misdemeanors) or was a party to a civil proceeding of a judicial or administrative body of competent jurisdiction as a result of which the person was or is subject to a judgment, decree or final order enjoining future violations of, or prohibiting activities subject to, federal or state securities laws or finding any violation of these laws. Unless otherwise indicated, the principal business address of each director and executive officer is 100 S.E. Second Street, Miami, Florida 33131. |
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Percentage of | ||||||||
Number of | Outstanding | |||||||
Common Shares | Common | |||||||
Name | Beneficially Owned | Shares | ||||||
Bennett S. LeBow
|
12,849,118 | (1) | 57.7 | % | ||||
Vector Group Ltd.
|
||||||||
VGR Holding Inc.
|
||||||||
Howard M. Lorber
|
963,941 | (2) | 4.3 | % | ||||
Henry C. Beinstein
|
41,499 | (3) | * | |||||
Robert J. Eide
|
5 | * |
* | Less than 1%. |
(1) | VGR Holding exercises sole voting power and sole dispositive power over 12,849,118 common shares of New Valley. Each of Vector and Mr. LeBow disclaims beneficial ownership of these shares under Rule 13d-3, or for any other purpose. |
(2) | Includes 778,608 common shares of New Valley held directly by Mr. Lorber, 120,000 common shares of New Valley held by Lorber Alpha II Partnership, a Nevada limited partnership, and 65,333 common shares of New Valley subject to currently exercisable employee stock options. Lorber Alpha II, Inc., a Nevada corporation, is the general partner of Lorber Alpha II Partnership. Mr. Lorber is the director, officer and principal stockholder of Lorber Alpha II, Inc. |
(3) | Includes 833 common shares of New Valley beneficially owned by his spouse, as to which shares Mr. Beinstein disclaims beneficial ownership, and 30,000 common shares of New Valley issuable upon exercise of options exercisable within 60 days of October 19, 2005. |
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