NYSE Euronext (NYX) announced today it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire, through NYSE Technologies, Inc., its indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary, NYFIX, Inc. (Nasdaq: NYFX), a leading provider of innovative solutions that optimize trading efficiency, in an all-cash deal for $1.675 per share of common stock. The total value of the deal is approximately $144 million, including preferred stock consideration. The NYSE Euronext, NYSE Technologies and NYFIX Boards of Directors have approved the acquisition, which is subject to approval by NYFIX shareholders and customary regulatory approvals. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2009 and to be accretive to NYSE Euronext 2010 earnings, excluding one-time deal and restructuring costs.
Upon closing, the NYFIX FIX business, incorporating the company’s industry-leading FIX Software business and the NYFIX Marketplace, will become part of the offerings provided by NYSE Technologies, the commercial technology division of NYSE Euronext. The NYFIX Marketplace is one of the industry’s broadest and deepest FIX-based communities where more than 1,000 global trading counterparties connect to one another via more than 9,000 fully managed FIX-based messaging channels. The integration of both the FIX Software business and the NYFIX Marketplace complements NYSE Technologies’ comprehensive suite of commercial technology products. NYSE Euronext will explore various alternatives for the NYFIX Transactions Services business, including its Millennium® dark pool.
NYFIX CEO Howard Edelstein stated: “The agreement we have reached with NYSE Euronext represents substantial value for NYFIX shareholders. This is an all cash deal at a premium to the current market for NYFIX shares. NYFIX customers will also benefit greatly through the combination of two of the industry’s leading trading communities, creating a global transaction marketplace connecting buy-side and sell-side, as well as from the strength of the NYSE Euronext platform and global brand.”
“The NYFIX FIX Division complements our strategic corporate goals and technology business, and expands our points of connectivity with customer trading communities,” said Michael Geltzeiler, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, NYSE Euronext. “There are natural synergies and efficiencies that will be realized both in terms of costs and tax benefits and we believe this transaction will benefit our customers and shareholders.”
Stanley Young, Chief Executive Officer of NYSE Technologies and co-CIO, NYSE Euronext, added: “NYFIX is a natural extension of our connectivity business and fits nicely into our SFTI Integrated Partner Solutions, which currently enables hundreds of technology providers to offer value added products and services to participating firms. The synergies will be particularly apparent to the pre-trade buy- and sell-side communities, which will benefit from a broad combination of technology assets and connections for efficient end-to-end transaction processing. We look forward to welcoming the NYFIX community to NYSE Euronext.”
Once the acquisition is complete, the NYFIX business will report to Mr. Young. Bob Moitoso will continue to lead the NYFIX FIX business. Mr. Edelstein will stay on through the close of the transaction.
"I'd like to thank the members of our Board and the Special Committee that oversaw the process that culminated with this transaction for their hard work over many months, which ultimately produced a strong premium for NYFIX shareholders," said NYFIX Chairman Lon Gorman. "I'd also like to thank Howard Edelstein, who led a complete overhaul of the Company over the past three years that made this transaction possible.”
Citigroup is acting as financial advisor and Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz as legal advisor to NYSE Euronext on this transaction. NYFIX is represented by Evercore Partners as financial advisor and Wilmer Hale as legal advisor. The Special Committee was advised by Greenhill & Co., LLC as financial advisor and Covington & Burling LLP as legal counsel. Evercore Partners provided a fairness opinion to NYFIX's Board of Directors and Greenhill & Co. provided a fairness opinion to the Special Committee and to the Board.
CONFERENCE CALL FOR NYFIX SHAREHOLDERS
The management team of NYFIX will be holding a conference call and simultaneous Webcast to discuss the transaction today, August 27, 2009 at 4:15pm ET. The conference call can be accessed live by phone by dialing (877) 941-7133, or for international callers (480) 629-9031. To access the Webcast please go to NYFIX's website at www.nyfix.com, a link will be provided in the Investor Relations section. A replay will be available two hours after the call, and can be accessed by dialing (800) 406-7325 in the United States or (303) 590-3030 internationally. The replay will be available until September 3, 2009. The passcode for all calls is 4150656.
IMPORTANT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WILL BE FILED WITH THE SEC
NYFIX plans to file with the SEC and mail to its stockholders a Proxy Statement in connection with the transaction. The Proxy Statement will contain important information about NYSE Euronext, NYFIX, the transaction and related matters. Investors and security holders are urged to read the Proxy Statement carefully when it is available.
Investors and security holders will be able to obtain free copies of the Proxy Statement and other documents filed with the SEC by NYFIX through the web site maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov.
In addition, investors and security holders will be able to obtain free copies of the Proxy Statement from NYFIX by contacting the proxy solicitor that will be named in the Proxy Statement.
NYFIX and NYSE Euronext, and their respective directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies in respect of the transactions contemplated by the merger agreement. Information regarding NYFIX’s directors and executive officers is contained in NYFIX’s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008 and its proxy statement dated April 28, 2009, which are filed with the SEC. As of August 26, 2009, NYFIX’s directors and executive officers beneficially directly owned approximately 3,209,364 shares, or 7.62% of NYFIX’s common stock. Information regarding NYSE Euronext’s directors and officers and a more complete description of the interests of NYFIX’s directors and officers will be available in the Proxy Statement.