Exhibit 99.1
For Immediate Release
SIRIUS AND XM TO COMBINE IN $13 BILLION MERGER OF EQUALS
Provides Consumers With Enhanced Content, Greater Choices and
Accelerated Technological Innovation
Enables Satellite Radio to Better Compete In Rapidly Evolving Audio Entertainment Industry
Extraordinary Value Creation for Shareholders
Mel Karmazin to Serve as Chief Executive Officer and
Gary Parsons to Serve as Chairman of Combined Company
WASHINGTON, DC and NEW YORK, NY February 19, 2007 XM Satellite Radio (Nasdaq: XMSR) and
SIRIUS Satellite Radio (Nasdaq: SIRI) today announced that they have entered into a definitive
agreement, under which the companies will be combined in a tax-free, all-stock merger of equals
with a combined enterprise value of approximately $13 billion, which includes net debt of
approximately $1.6 billion.
Under the terms of the agreement, XM shareholders will receive a fixed exchange ratio of
4.6 shares of SIRIUS common stock for each share of XM they own. XM and SIRIUS shareholders
will each own approximately 50 percent of the combined company.
Mel Karmazin, currently Chief Executive Officer of SIRIUS, will become Chief Executive Officer of
the combined company and Gary Parsons, currently Chairman of XM, will become Chairman of the
combined company. The new companys board of directors will consist of 12 directors, including
Messrs. Karmazin and Parsons, four independent members designated by each company, as well as one
representative from each of General Motors and American Honda. Hugh Panero, the Chief Executive
Officer of XM, will continue in his current role until the anticipated close of the merger.
The combined company will benefit from a highly experienced management team from both companies
with extensive industry knowledge in radio, media, consumer electronics, OEM engineering and
technology. Further management appointments will be announced prior to closing. The companies
will continue to operate independently until the transaction is completed and will work together to
determine the combined companys corporate name and headquarters location prior to closing.
The combination creates a nationwide audio entertainment provider with combined 2006 revenues of
approximately $1.5 billion based on analysts consensus estimates. Today the companies have
approximately 14 million combined subscribers. Together, SIRIUS and XM will create a stronger
platform for future innovation within the audio entertainment industry and will provide significant
benefits to all constituencies, including:
|
|
Greater Programming and Content Choices The combined company is committed to consumer
choice, including offering consumers the ability to pick and choose the channels and content
they want on a more a la carte basis. The combined company will also provide consumers with a
broader selection of content, including a wide range of commercial-free music channels,
exclusive and non-exclusive sports coverage, news, talk, and entertainment programming.
Together, XM and SIRIUS |
|
|
will be able to improve on products such as real-time traffic and rear-seat video and introduce
new ones such as advanced data services including enhanced traffic, weather and infotainment
offerings. |
|
|
|
Accelerated Technological Innovation The merger will enable the
combined company to develop and introduce a wider range of lower cost,
easy-to-use, and multi-functional devices through efficiencies in chip
set and radio design and procurement. Such innovation is essential to
remaining competitive in the consumer electronics-driven world of
audio entertainment. |
|
|
|
Benefits to OEM and Retail Partners The combined company will offer
automakers and retailers the opportunity to provide a broader content
offering to their customers. Consumer electronics retailers,
including Best Buy, Circuit City, RadioShack, Wal-Mart and others,
will benefit from enhanced product offerings that should allow
satellite radio to compete more effectively. |
|
|
|
Enhanced Financial Performance This transaction will enhance the
long-term financial success of satellite radio by allowing the
combined company to better manage its costs through sales and
marketing and subscriber acquisition efficiencies, satellite fleet
synergies, combined R&D and other benefits from economies of scale.
Wall Street equity analysts have published estimates of the present
value of cost synergies ranging from $3 billion to $7 billion. |
|
|
|
More Competitive Audio Entertainment Provider The combination of an
enhanced programming lineup with improved technology, distribution and
financials will better position satellite radio to compete for
consumers attention and entertainment dollars against a host of
products and services in the highly competitive and rapidly evolving
audio entertainment marketplace. In addition to existing competition
from free over-the-air AM and FM radio as well as iPods and mobile
phone streaming, satellite radio will face new challenges from the
rapid growth of HD Radio, Internet radio and next generation wireless
technologies. |
We are excited for the many opportunities that an XM and SIRIUS combination will provide
consumers, said Gary Parsons, Chairman of XM Satellite Radio and Hugh Panero, CEO of XM Satellite
Radio, in a joint statement. The combined company will be better positioned to compete
effectively with the continually expanding array of entertainment alternatives that consumers have
embraced since the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) first granted our satellite radio
licenses a decade ago.
This combination is the next logical step in the evolution of audio entertainment, said Mel
Karmazin, CEO of SIRIUS Satellite Radio. Together, our best-in-class management team and
programming content will create unprecedented choice for consumers, while creating long-term value
for shareholders of both companies. The combined company will be positioned to capitalize on
SIRIUS and XMs complementary distribution and licensing agreements to enhance availability of
satellite radios, offer expanded content to subscribers, drive increased advertising revenue and
reduce expenses. Each of our companies has a strong commitment to providing listeners the broadest
range of music, news, sports and entertainment and the best customer service possible. We look
forward to sharing the benefits of the exciting new growth opportunities this combination will
provide with all of our stakeholders.
The transaction is subject to approval by both companies shareholders, the satisfaction of
customary closing conditions and regulatory review and approvals, including antitrust agencies and
the FCC. Pending regulatory approval, the companies expect the transaction to be completed by the
end of 2007.
SIRIUSs financial advisor on the transaction is Morgan Stanley and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
and Wiley Rein LLP are acting as legal counsel. XMs financial advisor on the transaction is J.P.
Morgan Securities Inc. and Skadden Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP; Jones Day; and Latham & Watkins
LLP are acting as legal counsel.
Conference Call and Webcast Information
The companies will hold a joint conference call and webcast on Tuesday, February 20, 2007 at 8:30
AM ET to discuss this announcement. The conference call can be monitored by dialing 800-573-4840
within the U.S. and 617-224-4326 for all other locations, passcode 29490052. The webcast can be
accessed at http://www.sirius.com and http://www.xmradio.com as well as on their satellite radio
services by tuning to SIRIUS channel 122 and XM channel 200. The webcast will be archived at
http://www.sirius.com and http://www.xmradio.com.
About SIRIUS
SIRIUS, The Best Radio on Radio, delivers more than 130 channels of the best programming in all
of radio. SIRIUS is the original and only home of 100% commercial free music channels in satellite
radio, offering 69 music channels. SIRIUS also delivers 65 channels of sports, news, talk,
entertainment, traffic, weather and data. SIRIUS is the Official Satellite Radio Partner of the
NFL, NASCAR, NBA and NHL, and broadcasts live play-by-play games of the NFL, NBA and NHL, as well
as live NASCAR races. All SIRIUS programming is available for a monthly subscription fee of only
$12.95.
SIRIUS Internet Radio (SIR) is a CD-quality, Internet-only version of the SIRIUS radio service,
without the use of a radio, for the monthly subscription fee of $12.95. SIR delivers more than 75
channels of talk, entertainment, sports, and 100% commercial free music.
SIRIUS products for the car, truck, home, RV and boat are available in more than 25,000 retail
locations, including Best Buy, Circuit City, Crutchfield, Costco, Target, Wal-Mart, Sams Club,
RadioShack and at shop.sirius.com.
SIRIUS radios are offered in vehicles from Audi, Bentley, BMW, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, Infiniti,
Jaguar, Jeep®, Land Rover, Lexus, Lincoln, Mercury, Maybach, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, MINI,
Mitsubishi, Nissan, Rolls Royce, Scion, Toyota, Volkswagen, and Volvo. Hertz also offers SIRIUS in
its rental cars at major locations around the country.
Click on http://www.sirius.com to listen to SIRIUS live, or to purchase a SIRIUS radio and
subscription.
About XM
XM (Nasdaq: XMSR News) is Americas number one satellite radio company with more than 7.6 million
subscribers. Broadcasting live daily from studios in Washington, DC, New York City, Chicago, the
Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, Toronto and Montreal, XMs 2007 lineup includes more than
170 digital channels of choice from coast to coast: commercial-free music, premier sports, news,
talk radio, comedy, childrens and entertainment programming; and the most advanced traffic and
weather information.
XM, the leader in satellite-delivered entertainment and data services for the automobile market
through partnerships with General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Nissan, Porsche, Subaru, Suzuki and
Toyota is available in 140 different vehicle models for 2007. XMs industry-leading products are
available at consumer electronics retailers nationwide. For more information about XM hardware,
programming and partnerships, please visit http://www.xmradio.com.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements include, but are not limited to,
statements about the benefits of the business combination transaction involving Sirius Satellite
Radio Inc. and XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc., including potential synergies and cost savings and
the timing thereof, future financial and operating results, the combined companys plans,
objectives, expectations and intentions with respect to future operations, products and services;
and other statements identified by words such as anticipate, believe, plan, estimate,
expect, intend, will, should, may, or words of similar meaning. Such forward-looking
statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of SIRIUS and XMs management and
are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and
contingencies, many of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond the control of SIRIUS
and XM. Actual results may differ materially from the results anticipated in these forward-looking
statements.
The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from the
anticipated results or other expectations expressed in the forward-looking statement: general
business and economic conditions; the performance of financial markets and interest rates; the
ability to obtain governmental approvals of the transaction on a timely basis; the failure of
SIRIUS and XM shareholders to approve the transaction; the failure to realize synergies and
cost-savings from the transaction or delay in realization thereof; the businesses of SIRIUS and XM
may not be combined successfully, or such combination may take longer, be more difficult,
time-consuming or costly to accomplish than expected; and operating costs and business disruption
following the merger, including adverse effects on employee retention and on our business
relationships with third parties, including manufacturers of radios, retailers, automakers and
programming providers. Additional factors that could cause SIRIUS and XMs results to differ
materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in SIRIUS and XMs
Annual Reports on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005, and Quarterly Reports on Form
10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2006, June 30, 2006 and September 30, 2006 which are filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) and available at the SECs Internet site
(http://www.sec.gov). The information set forth herein speaks only as of the date hereof, and
Sirius and XM disclaim any intention or obligation to update any forward looking statements as a
result of developments occurring after the date of this press release.
Important Additional Information Will be Filed with the SEC
This communication is being made in respect of the proposed business combination involving SIRIUS
and XM. In connection with the proposed transaction, SIRIUS plans to file with the SEC a
Registration Statement on Form S-4 containing a Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus and each of SIRIUS
and XM plan to file with the SEC other documents regarding the proposed transaction. The
definitive Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus will be mailed to stockholders of SIRIUS and XM.
INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS OF SIRIUS AND XM ARE URGED TO READ THE JOINT PROXY
STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS AND OTHER DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC CAREFULLY IN THEIR ENTIRETY WHEN THEY
BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION.
Investors and security holders will be able to obtain free copies of the Registration Statement and
the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus (when available) and other documents filed with the SEC by
SIRIUS and XM through the web site maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov. Free copies of the
Registration Statement and the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus (when available) and other
documents filed with the SEC can also be obtained by directing a request to Sirius Satellite Radio
Inc., 1221 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020, Attention: Investor Relations or by
directing a request to XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc., 1500 Eckington Place, NE Washington, DC
20002, Attention: Investor Relations.
SIRIUS, XM and their respective directors and executive officers and other persons may be deemed to
be participants in the solicitation of proxies in respect of the proposed transaction. Information
regarding SIRIUS directors and executive officers is available in its Annual Report on Form 10-K
for the year ended December 31, 2005, which was filed with the SEC on March 13, 2006, and its proxy
statement for its 2006 annual meeting of stockholders, which was filed with the SEC on April 21,
2006, and information regarding XMs directors and executive officers is available in XMs Annual
Report on Form 10-K, for the year ended December 31, 2005, which was filed with the SEC on March 3,
2006 and its proxy statement for its 2006 annual meeting of shareholders, which was filed with the
SEC on April 25, 2006. Other information regarding the participants in the proxy solicitation and
a description of their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be
contained in the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus and other relevant materials to be filed with the
SEC when they become available.
# # #
Contacts
SIRIUS
Media Relations
Patrick Reilly
212-901-6646
PReilly@siriusradio.com
Investor Relations
Paul Blalock
212-584-5174
PBlalock@siriusradio.com
Hooper Stevens
212-901-6718
HStevens@siriusradio.com
XM
Media Relations
Nathaniel Brown
212-708-6170
Nathaniel.Brown@xmradio.com
Chance Patterson
202-380-4318
Chance.Patterson@xmradio.com
Investor Relations
Joseph Wilkinson
202-380-4008
Joe.Wilkinson@xmradio.com
Richard Sloane
202-380-1439
Richard.Sloane@xmradio.com