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Filed by MetroPCS Communications, Inc. |
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Pursuant to Rule 425 under the |
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Securities Act of 1933 |
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Subject Company: Leap Wireless International, Inc. |
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Commission File No.: 000-29752 |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
METROPCS RESPONDS TO LEAP WIRELESS
REITERATES COMPELLING VALUE OF PROPOSED MERGER
TO LEAP SHAREHOLDERS
INTENDS TO PROCEED AS A DISCIPLINED BUYER
AND WILL REVIEW ITS OPTIONS
Dallas, TX September 16, 2007 MetroPCS Communications, Inc. (NYSE: PCS), the nations leading
provider of unlimited wireless communications service for a flat rate with no signed contract,
today responded to the announcement by Leap Wireless International, Inc. (NASDAQ: LEAP) that Leaps
Board of Directors has rejected as inadequate MetroPCS merger proposal to create a new national
wireless carrier.
We are disappointed that Leap has chosen to reject our strategic stock-for-stock tax-free merger
proposal to create a new national wireless carrier, said Roger D. Linquist, MetroPCS Chairman of
the Board and Chief Executive Officer. The contacts we have had with a number of Leaps
shareholders indicate that they want to see a combination of our two companies happen without
unnecessary delay. It appears that Leaps Board is ignoring the will of its shareholder base.
Leaps response does not change our firm belief in the strategic and financial merits of our
proposal. We continue to believe strongly in our prospects as a stand-alone company and that our
proposal of 2.7500 shares of MetroPCS common stock for each share of Leap is full and fair.
Consequently, we intend to proceed as a disciplined buyer to review all of our options at this time
and will not take any action that we believe would disadvantage our shareholders.
MetroPCS has significant near term growth opportunities, which it believes are not fully reflected
in the Companys current stock price, and which, based on the proposed exchange ratio, offer Leap
shareholders substantial additional value. Over the next six to eight quarters, MetroPCS expects
to enhance value through new market launches as well as ongoing increased penetration in existing
markets.
MetroPCS specific stand-alone opportunities are described in greater detail below.
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Los Angeles Launch
MetroPCS will launch its service in Los Angeles on Wednesday, September 19, 2007. Los
Angeles is a unique and significant opportunity for MetroPCS. In addition to being the
second largest market in the United States, Los Angeles has extremely high population
density in target coverage areas and has perfect demographics for MetroPCS service
offerings. As previously indicated, MetroPCS expects to cover approximately 11 million POPs
initially at launch with over 400 authorized dealer locations. It should be noted that the
incremental economic opportunity MetroPCS will enjoy in Los Angeles is roughly equivalent to
all of Leaps top five existing markets in operation combined, which based on licensed
population includes Houston, Phoenix, San Diego, Denver and Pittsburgh. In addition,
MetroPCS experience in its other major markets, suggests that Los Angeles could be
MetroPCS most successful launch ever. |
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New York, Philadelphia and Boston Launches
MetroPCS reiterates that it is on track to launch service in New York, Philadelphia and
Boston in late 2008 or early 2009. New York is the largest market in the United States and
has the highest population density in the nation. Philadelphia and Boston, the sixth and
eleventh largest markets in the United States, respectively, are complementary to the New
York metro market and will round out the northeast corridor for MetroPCS. MetroPCS
continues to believe that the largest and most densely populated markets in the United
States present the greatest opportunities for its unique business model. With these markets
and Los Angeles, MetroPCS is positioned to offer services in 9 of the top 12 markets in the
United States by 2009. |
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Penetration Opportunities
Since launching service in its first market five years ago, MetroPCS has achieved an
aggregate core market penetration of 11.2% with incremental penetration of 1.6% in the 12
months ended June 30, 2007, demonstrating that MetroPCS strong momentum continues.
MetroPCS has achieved rapid acceptance of its services as evidenced by the penetration in
its expansion markets progressing faster than penetration in its core markets for the same
period of time after launch. |
MetroPCS believes that its proposal provides full and fair value to Leap shareholders and is
compelling for many reasons, including:
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Substantial Synergies. As 34.6% owners of a new national wireless carrier, Leap
shareholders would benefit proportionately from the significant upside resulting from the
enhanced operating and financial performance of the combined company. MetroPCS and Leaps
existing market operations are complementary and MetroPCS believes that the combined
company, as a result of the expanded service area, would likely benefit from incremental
improvements in customer penetration and retention. In addition, MetroPCS believes that
the combined company would achieve meaningful operating cost savings through a combination
of market-level operating efficiencies and corporate overhead reductions. Based on
preliminary analysis, MetroPCS believes that the net present value of these opportunities
could be approximately $2.5 billion, or approximately $12.34 for each share of Leap common
stock based on the proposed exchange ratio. |
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Compelling Upside of Combination. By virtue of MetroPCS stock-for-stock merger
proposal, Leap shareholders would have the opportunity to participate proportionately in
the significant potential upside of the combined company. MetroPCS and Leap have highly
complementary footprints with existing or planned operations in the top 25 markets in the
United States. The combined company would create a new national wireless carrier with
licenses covering nearly all of the top 200 markets in the United States. In addition,
MetroPCS sees significant value in combining certain of the two companies respective
markets to create substantially larger regional super clusters, which would expand customer
penetration and increase retention. Together, MetroPCS and Leap would be uniquely
positioned in the unlimited, no signed contract market segment, which continues to be the
fastest growing and least penetrated segment of the wireless market. |
On September 4, 2007, MetroPCS announced its proposal to merge with Leap in a strategic
stock-for-stock tax-free transaction that would create a new national wireless carrier. Under the
terms of the proposal, each outstanding share of Leap common stock would be exchanged for 2.7500
shares of MetroPCS common stock.
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The proposed exchange ratio represents implied premiums of approximately 23% based on
the trailing 20-day volume-weighted average stock prices for both companies for the period
ending August 31, 2007 (which was the last day of trading prior to MetroPCS proposal to
Leap) as well as based on MetroPCS and Leaps closing stock prices on August 28, 2007
(which was three trading days prior to MetroPCS announcement of its merger proposal). |
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In addition, MetroPCS proposed exchange ratio of 2.7500 shares of MetroPCS for each
share of Leap common stock represents a premium valuation to Leap shareholders based on the
closing stock prices for both companies on every trading day since the week following
MetroPCS initial public offering (IPO) in April 2007 through August 31, 2007. |
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Most importantly, the total value implied by MetroPCS proposed exchange ratio and
Leaps shareholders proportionate share of the approximately $2.5 billion estimated
transaction synergies, which MetroPCS believes could be achieved, represents implied
premiums of approximately 35% and 30% based on the trailing 20-day and the trailing 60-day
volume-weighted average stock prices, respectively, for both companies for the period
ending August 31, 2007. |
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However, MetroPCS believes that since its IPO, Leaps stock price has traded in part in
anticipation of a merger between the two companies. Accordingly, MetroPCS believes that
any calculation of the premiums represented by its proposal over Leaps spot or trailing
volume-weighted average trading prices on selected days or for selected periods necessarily
understates the value to Leaps shareholders of this proposal in terms of
premium-to-unaffected market stock price. |
MetroPCS notes that within the past two months, representatives of MetroPCS held discussions,
including an in-person meeting, with representatives of Leap, including Leaps Chairman of the
Board, to discuss merger prospects. Those talks did not lead to further substantive discussions
given Leaps highly unrealistic valuation expectations.
Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc. is acting as financial advisor to MetroPCS, and Baker Botts LLP, Skadden,
Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker LLP are acting as legal
counsel.
About MetroPCS Communications, Inc.
Dallas-based MetroPCS Communications, Inc. (NYSE: PCS) is a provider of unlimited wireless
communications service for a flat rate with no signed contract. MetroPCS owns or has access to
licenses covering a population of approximately 140 million people in 14 of the top 25 largest
metropolitan areas in the United States, including New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Miami, Orlando,
Sarasota, Tampa, Atlanta, Dallas, Detroit, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Sacramento.
Currently, MetroPCS has over 3.5 million subscribers and offers service in the Miami, Orlando,
Sarasota, Tampa, Atlanta, Dallas, Detroit, San Francisco, and Sacramento metropolitan areas.
Forward-Looking Statements
Any statements made in this release that are not statements of historical fact, including
statements about our beliefs and expectations, including the proposed business combination of
MetroPCS and Leap, the potential synergies, the potential costs and benefits of any such
transaction, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995 and should be evaluated as such. Forward-looking statements include information
concerning any potential synergies
arising from a business combination, including reductions in costs, the realization of operating
efficiencies, improvements in penetration, and improvements in churn, as well as statements that
may relate to our plans, objectives, strategies, goals, future events, future revenues or
performance, future penetration rates, planned market launches, capital expenditures, financing
needs and other information that is not historical information. These forward-looking statements
may be identified by words such as anticipate, expect, suggests, plan, believe, intend,
estimates, targets, projects, could, should, may, will, would, continue,
forecast, and other similar expressions. We base these forward-looking statements or
projections on our current expectations, plans and assumptions that we have made in light of our
experience in the industry, as well as our perceptions of historical trends, current conditions,
expected future developments and other factors we believe are appropriate under the circumstances.
Although we believe that these forward-looking statements and projections are based on reasonable
assumptions at the time they are made, you should be aware that many factors could affect our
actual financial results, performance or results of operations and could cause actual results to
differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements and projections. Factors
that may materially affect such forward-looking statements and projections include: our ability to
integrate the businesses of the companies; a failure to fully realize the expected benefits from
the transaction, or a failure to realize such benefits within the expected time frame, including a
failure to reduce costs and churn and the ability to realize operating efficiencies; even if
achieved, the synergies may not result in a higher stock price for the combined company; greater
than expected operating costs, customer loss and business disruption, including, without
limitation, difficulties in maintaining relationships with employees, customers, clients or
suppliers following the transaction; delays in obtaining the regulatory or shareholder approvals
required for the transaction, or an inability to obtain them on the terms proposed or on the
anticipated schedule; the highly competitive nature of our industry; our ability to clear the
Auction 66 Market spectrum of incumbent licensees; the rapid technological changes in our industry;
our ability to sustain the growth rates we have experienced to date; each companys ability to
construct and launch future markets within projected time frames; our ability to manage our rapid
growth, train additional personnel and improve our financial and disclosure controls and
procedures; our ability to secure the necessary spectrum and network infrastructure equipment; the
indebtedness amounts of the combined company; changes in consumer preferences or demand for our
products; our inability to attract and retain key members of management; and other factors
described in MetroPCS and Leaps respective periodic reports filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the Commission). We do not intend to, and do not undertake a duty to,
update any forward-looking statement or projection in the future to reflect the occurrence of
events or circumstances, except as required by law.
Additional Information
Any information concerning Leap contained in this release has been taken from, or is based upon,
publicly available information. Although MetroPCS does not have any information that would indicate
that any information contained in this release that has been taken from such publicly available
information is inaccurate or incomplete, MetroPCS does not take any responsibility for the accuracy
or completeness of such information.
This announcement is neither an offer to purchase or exchange nor a solicitation of an offer to
sell securities of MetroPCS or Leap. Subject to future developments, additional documents
regarding the transaction may be filed with the Commission. Investors and security holders are
urged to read such disclosure documents regarding the proposed transaction, if and when they become
available, because they will contain important information. Investors and security holders may
obtain a free copy of the disclosure documents (when they are available) and other documents filed
by MetroPCS with the Commission at the Commissions website at www.sec.gov. The disclosure
documents and these other documents may also be obtained for free from MetroPCS by directing a
request to MetroPCS Communications, Inc., 8144 Walnut Hill Lane, Suite 800, Dallas, TX 75231,
Attention: General Counsel.
MetroPCS is not currently engaged in a solicitation of proxies or consents from its shareholders or
from the shareholders of Leap. However, in connection with its proposal to merge with Leap, certain
directors and officers of MetroPCS may participate in meetings or discussions with Leap
shareholders, some of whom may also be MetroPCS shareholders or other persons who may also be
MetroPCS shareholders. MetroPCS does not believe that any of these persons is a participant as
defined in Schedule 14A promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, in the
solicitation of proxies or consents, or that Schedule 14A requires the disclosure of certain
information concerning any of them. Information about MetroPCS executive officers and directors
is available in MetroPCS Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006, filed with the Commission
on March 30, 2007. If in the future MetroPCS does engage in a solicitation of proxies or consents
from its shareholders or the shareholders of Leap in connection with its proposal to merge with
Leap, it will amend the information provided above to disclose the information concerning
participants in that solicitation required by Rule 14a-12 under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934.
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Contacts:
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Joele Frank / Dan Katcher / Jamie Moser |
Keith Terreri
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Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher |
Vice President Finance & Treasurer
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212-355-4449 |
214-571-4641 |
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investor_relations@metropcs.com |
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