Stockholders to Receive Increased Merger Consideration of $50.00
per Share in Cash
NORWALK, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 19, 2007--Vertrue
Incorporated (NASDAQ: VTRU) today announced that it had entered into
an amendment to its previously announced merger agreement with Velo
Holdings Inc. and Velo Acquisition Inc. The terms of the amendment
increase the merger consideration payable to Vertrue's stockholders to
$50.00 per share in cash, without interest, from $48.50 per share in
cash, without interest. The increased merger consideration represents
a 24.6% premium over the undisturbed stock price of $40.12 per share
on January 23, 2007 (the day prior to media reports speculating about
a potential sale of Vertrue).
A special committee of independent directors and the full board of
directors of Vertrue have approved the amendment, and the full board
of directors of Vertrue has recommended that Vertrue's stockholders
adopt the merger agreement, as amended by the amendment, at the
reconvened special meeting of stockholders on July 31, 2007, which was
originally scheduled for July 12, 2007.
FTN Midwest Securities Corp., financial advisor to the special
committee, provided a fairness opinion to the special committee
regarding the increased merger consideration. Jefferies Broadview, a
division of Jefferies & Co., financial advisor to the board of
directors of Vertrue, provided a fairness opinion to the board of
directors of Vertrue regarding the increased merger consideration.
In addition, Velo Holdings has entered into an agreement with
Brencourt Advisors, LLC, a beneficial owner of approximately 28.1% of
Vertrue's common stock, pursuant to which Brencourt has agreed to vote
all of its shares of Vertrue's common stock in favor of the adoption
of the amended merger agreement and Velo Holdings has granted to
Brencourt the right to acquire up to an amount of $25 million in
equity securities of Velo Holdings.
Oak Investment Partners, which was originally part of the investor
group formed to acquire Vertrue, has determined not to participate in
the merger transaction at the increased $50.00 per share merger
consideration. The equity for replacing the entire amount of Oak's
equity commitment and the aggregate amount of the increased merger
consideration will be provided by One Equity Partners, Rho Ventures
and, if Brencourt exercises its right to invest, Brencourt.
Vertrue has also entered into an amendment to its previously
announced Stockholder Protection Rights Agreement to exempt the
transactions contemplated by the agreement between Velo Holdings and
Brencourt.
Stockholders who have questions about the merger, need assistance
in submitting their proxies or voting their shares should contact
Vertrue's proxy solicitor, Georgeson Inc., in writing at Georgeson
Inc., 17 State Street, 10th Floor, New York, NY 10004, or by telephone
at (212) 440-9800 (for banks and brokers) and (866) 577-4994 (for all
others).
ABOUT VERTRUE
Vertrue is a publicly held company whose shares are listed on the
NASDAQ under the ticker symbol VTRU. Vertrue is a premier Internet
direct marketing services company. Vertrue operates a diverse group of
marketing businesses that share a unified mission: to provide every
consumer with access to direct-to-consumer savings across its five
vertical markets of healthcare, personal property, security/insurance,
discounts and personals, which are all offered online through a set of
diverse Internet marketing channels. Our principal executive offices
are located at 20 Glover Avenue, Norwalk, Connecticut 06850, and our
telephone number is (203) 324-7635.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Certain statements contained herein may constitute
"forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking
statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other
factors which may cause the actual results, performance or
achievements of Vertrue to be materially different from any future
results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such
forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, risks
associated with the timing of and costs of financing commitments,
general competitive factors and regulatory developments. More detailed
information about these risks, uncertainties and other factors is set
forth in Vertrue's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year
ended June 30, 2006 of Vertrue and in its Quarterly Report on Form
10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2007. Risks and
uncertainties relating to the proposed merger include the ability of
the parties to the merger agreement to satisfy the conditions to
closing specified in the merger agreement. Vertrue is under no
obligation to, and expressly disclaims any obligation to, update or
alter its forward-looking statements.
IMPORTANT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING THE MERGER
In connection with the proposed merger of Velo Acquisition Inc.
with and into Vertrue pursuant to the merger agreement, Vertrue has
filed a definitive proxy statement and other materials with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") and expects to file
supplementary proxy materials with the SEC. BEFORE MAKING ANY VOTING
DECISION, VERTRUE'S STOCKHOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE DEFINITIVE
PROXY STATEMENT, THOSE OTHER MATERIALS AND THE SUPPLEMENTARY PROXY
MATERIALS CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY BECAUSE THEY CONTAINS
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED MERGER AND THE PARTIES
THERETO. Copies of the definitive proxy statement have been mailed to
record holders of the shares of Vertrue's common stock. Vertrue's
stockholders may obtain, without charge, a copy of the definitive
proxy statement and other materials filed by Vertrue with the SEC from
the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov. The supplementary proxy
materials will also be available from the SEC's website free of charge
when filed by Vertrue. Vertrue's stockholders may also obtain, without
charge, a copy of the definitive proxy statement and other materials
and the supplementary proxy materials (when available) by directing a
request by mail or telephone to Vertrue Incorporated, Attn. Legal
Department, 20 Glover Avenue, Norwalk, CT 06850, telephone: (203)
324-7635, or from Vertrue's website, http://www.vertrue.com.
Vertrue and its directors, officers and other members of its
management and employees may be deemed to be participants in the
solicitation of proxies from Vertrue's stockholders with respect to
the proposed Merger. Information concerning the interests of Vertrue's
directors and executive officers and their ownership of shares of
Vertrue's common stock is set forth in the definitive proxy statement
and other materials for the special meeting of Vertrue's stockholders,
which were filed with the SEC, and will be contained the supplementary
proxy materials. Stockholders may obtain additional information
regarding the interests of Vertrue and its directors and executive
officers in the Merger, which may be different than those of Vertrue's
stockholders generally, by reading the definitive proxy statement and
other materials regarding the merger, previously filed with the SEC,
and the supplementary proxy materials (when available).
CONTACT: Vertrue Incorporated
Gary A. Johnson, 203-324-7635
SOURCE: Vertrue Incorporated