Filed by Vector Group Ltd.
Pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act of 1933
and deemed filed pursuant to Rule 14a-6(j)
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Subject Company: New Valley Corporation
Commission File No. 1-2493
November 16, 2005
Contact: Paul Caminiti/Brandy Bergman/Carrie Bloom
Citigate Sard Verbinnen
212/687 8080
VECTOR GROUP INCREASES EXCHANGE OFFER TO ACQUIRE
OUTSTANDING SHARES OF NEW VALLEY CORPORATION
TO 0.54 VECTOR SHARES FOR EACH NEW VALLEY SHARE
Vector Enters into Agreements to Tender with Several Large New Valley Stockholders;
At Least 84.6% of Outstanding New Valley Shares Committed to Transaction
MIAMI, FL, November 16, 2005 Vector Group Ltd. (NYSE: VGR) today announced that it is
increasing its offer to the stockholders of New Valley Corporation (NASDAQ: NVAL) to acquire all of
the outstanding common shares of New Valley that Vector Group does not already own. Under the
increased offer, New Valley stockholders are being offered 0.54 shares of Vector Group common
stock, in an exchange designed to be tax-free, for each outstanding common share of New Valley they
own. Vector Group would issue approximately 5.2 million shares to complete the transaction.
Based
on the $20.03 closing price of Vector Groups shares on
November 16, 2005, the increased
offer of 0.54 shares of Vector Group for each New Valley common share represents a value of
approximately $10.82 per common share of New Valley and a 45% percent premium to the closing price
of New Valleys common shares on September 26, 2005, the last trading day prior to the initial
announcement of the exchange offer.
Vector Group also announced today that several large New Valley stockholders have endorsed the
terms of the increased exchange offer by entering into agreements with Vector Group. Under these
agreements, each holder has agreed to tender all of its common shares of New Valley into Vector
Groups increased offer. The New Valley common shares subject to these agreements represent
approximately 27 percent of New Valleys outstanding common
shares. These shares, when aggregated with the
approximately 57.7 percent of New Valleys common stock
currently owned by Vector Group, account for 84.6 percent of New Valleys outstanding common stock that is committed to
the transaction.
Vector Group will file amended offering documents with the Securities and Exchange Commission
shortly. As previously disclosed, completion of the exchange offer is subject to the satisfaction
of conditions, including that Vector Group holds at least 90 percent of the outstanding common
shares of New Valley at the completion of the exchange offer, and other customary conditions.
As previously announced, the exchange offer will expire at 5:00 p.m., New York City time on
Friday, December 9, 2005, unless Vector Group further extends the exchange offer. Also as
previously announced, a special meeting of Vector Group stockholders to approve the issuance of
shares of Vector Groups common stock pursuant to Vector Groups exchange offer for all of the
outstanding common shares of New Valley not currently owned by Vector Group will be held on
Thursday, December 8, 2005, at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time at the Bank of America Tower, 100 S.E.
Second Street, 19th Floor Auditorium, Miami, Florida.
About Vector Group Ltd.
Vector Group is a holding company that indirectly owns Liggett Group Inc., Vector Tobacco Inc. and
a controlling interest in New Valley Corporation. Additional information concerning the company is
available on the companys website, www.VectorGroupLtd.com.
Additional Information and Where to Find It
A prospectus, which is part of the Vector Registration Statement on Form S-4, and related exchange
offer materials, including a letter of transmittal, has been mailed to stockholders of New Valley.
In addition, Vector has filed such prospectus and related materials and a proxy statement on
Schedule 14A and related materials with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Investors
and security holders are advised to carefully read these documents and the amended Registration
Statement and Schedule TO when they become available. These materials contain important
information about the transaction and should be read in connection with making a decision with
respect to the exchange offer.
Investors and security holders may obtain a free copy of the prospectus, proxy statement and other
documents filed by Vector with the SEC at the SECs web site, www.sec.gov. Copies of such
prospectus, proxy statement and Vectors related filings made with the SEC may also be obtained
from Vectors Investor Relations Department at 305-579-8000 or from Georgeson Shareholder
Communications Inc., Vectors information agent, at (877) 388-2794 (toll free).
* * *
This news release contains certain forward-looking statements about future business transactions
involving Vector and New Valley. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and
involve certain risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. The statements are based
upon Vectors current expectations and beliefs and are subject to a number of known and unknown
risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described
in the forward
looking statements. Actual results could differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in
this news release. Those risk factors are discussed in the Vector and New Valley Annual Reports on
Form 10-K and subsequent reports that have been filed by the companies with the SEC.
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