Software Industry Leaders Symantec and VERITAS Software To Merge
Announcement posted by Symantec (Consumer) 18 Dec 2004
Combination Reduces Complexity of Securing and Managing Information
Symantec Corp. (Nasdaq: SYMC) and VERITAS Software Corp. (Nasdaq: VRTS) today announced that the companies have entered into a definitive agreement to merge in an all-stock transaction. Based on Symantecs stock price ofUS$27.38 at market close on December 15, 2004, the transaction is valued at approximatelyUS$13.5 billion.
The leader in storage software and the leader in security software will provide enterprise customers with a more effective way to secure and manage their most valuable asset, their information. The combined company will be uniquely positioned to deliver information security and availability solutions across all platforms, from the desktop to the data centre, from consumers and small businesses to large organisations and service providers.
Under the agreement, which has been unanimously approved by both boards of directors, VERITAS stock will be converted into Symantec stock at a fixed exchange ratio of 1.1242 shares of Symantec common stock for each outstanding share of VERITAS common stock. Upon closing, Symantec shareholders will own approximately 60 per cent and VERITAS shareholders approximately 40 per cent of the combined company. The transaction is expected to be tax-free to shareholders of both companies for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
The combined company will operate under the Symantec name. John W. Thompson, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Symantec, will continue as Chairman and CEO of the combined company. Gary L. Bloom, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of VERITAS, will be Vice-Chairman and President of the combined company. The board directors of the combined company will includesix members of Symantecs current board andfour from VERITAS current board for a total of 10 members.
Customers are looking to reduce the complexity and cost of managing their IT infrastructure and drive efficiency with fewer suppliers, said John W. Thompson, Chairman and CEO, Symantec. The new Symantec will help customers balance the need to both secure their information and make it available, thus ensuring its integrity. We believe that information integrity provides the most cost-effective, responsive way to keep businesses up, running and growing in the face of system failures, Internet threats or natural disasters.
Our customers have told us that one of their most critical needs is to enable 24x7 access to information. At the same time, they must maintain tight security, comply with all regulatory requirements and operate within their existing budget constraints, said Gary L. Bloom, Chairman, President and CEO of VERITAS Software. Through our unique portfolio of solutions, Symantec and VERITAS are best positioned to address the ever-growing needs of our customers. Based on IDC data, the total market opportunity for the combined company today is approximatelyUS$35 billion and is expected to grow toUS$56 billion by 2007.
By merging with VERITAS, Symantec will expand its combined revenue base and create an entity with significantly greater financial scale and resources. The aggregate revenue of the combined company is expected to be approximatelyUS$5 billion for fiscal year 2006, which begins in April 2005 and ends in March 2006. Approximately 75 per cent of the revenue of the combined company is expected to come from the enterprise business and 25 per cent from the consumer business. In addition, the combined company will have approximatelyUS$5 billion in cash.
The combination will create significant benefits for the customers and partners of both companies, including:
- Breadth A broad range of leading security and storage solutions at every tier of the enterprise end point, gateway, and application across all platforms from a single vendor;
- Depth Leading-edge technology combined with expertise to architect, design, and manage security, storage, and IT infrastructures; and
- Global Reach Worldwide sales, service, and channel partner organisations supporting millions of consumers, and small, medium, and large enterprise customers.
The transaction is expected to close in the second calendar quarter of 2005 and is subject to customary closing conditions, including approval by the shareholders of both companies and regulatory approvals. Non-GAAP earnings per share for this transaction, which exclude the amortisation of deal-related intangibles, the write-down of VERITAS deferred revenue, restructuring charges, amortisation of deferred compensation, and any one-time costs associated with the merger, will be accretive in the first combined year of operations as compared to the Thomson Financial First Call mean estimate ofUS$0.98 for Symantec in fiscal year 2006.
Lehman Brothers acted as exclusive financial advisor to Symantec. Fenwick & West LLP served as legal counsel to Symantec. Goldman Sachs acted as exclusive financial advisor to VERITAS. Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP acted as legal counsel to VERITAS.
About Symantec
Symantec is the global leader in information security providing a broad range of software, appliances and services designed to help individuals, small and mid-sized businesses, and large enterprises secure and manage their IT infrastructure. Symantecs Norton brand of products is the worldwide leader in consumer security and problem-solving solutions. Headquartered in Cupertino, Calif., Symantec has operations in more than 35 countries. More information is available at www.Symantec.com.
About VERITAS Software
VERITAS Software, one of the 10 largest software companies in the world, is a leading provider of software to enable utility computing. In a utility computing model, IT resources are aligned with business needs and business applications are delivered with optimal performance and availability on top of shared computing infrastructure, minimising hardware and labor costs. With 2003 revenues ofUS$1.75 billion, VERITAS delivers products and services for data protection, storage and server management, high availability and application performance management that are used by 99 per cent of the Fortune 500. More information about VERITAS Software can be found at www.VERITAS.com.
NOTE TO EDITORS: If you would like additional information on Symantec Corporation and its products, please view the Symantec Press Centre at www.symantec.com/PressCenter/index.html on Symantecs Web site.Additional information on VERITAS Software Corporation and its products is available at the VERITAS Software Press Centre at www.VERITAS.com.
Symantec and the Symantec logo are trademarks or registered trademarks, in the United States and certain other countries, of Symantec Corporation. Additional company and product names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of the individual companies and are respectfully acknowledged.
VERITAS Software and the VERITAS Software logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of VERITAS Software Corporation or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.
The leader in storage software and the leader in security software will provide enterprise customers with a more effective way to secure and manage their most valuable asset, their information. The combined company will be uniquely positioned to deliver information security and availability solutions across all platforms, from the desktop to the data centre, from consumers and small businesses to large organisations and service providers.
Under the agreement, which has been unanimously approved by both boards of directors, VERITAS stock will be converted into Symantec stock at a fixed exchange ratio of 1.1242 shares of Symantec common stock for each outstanding share of VERITAS common stock. Upon closing, Symantec shareholders will own approximately 60 per cent and VERITAS shareholders approximately 40 per cent of the combined company. The transaction is expected to be tax-free to shareholders of both companies for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
The combined company will operate under the Symantec name. John W. Thompson, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Symantec, will continue as Chairman and CEO of the combined company. Gary L. Bloom, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of VERITAS, will be Vice-Chairman and President of the combined company. The board directors of the combined company will includesix members of Symantecs current board andfour from VERITAS current board for a total of 10 members.
Customers are looking to reduce the complexity and cost of managing their IT infrastructure and drive efficiency with fewer suppliers, said John W. Thompson, Chairman and CEO, Symantec. The new Symantec will help customers balance the need to both secure their information and make it available, thus ensuring its integrity. We believe that information integrity provides the most cost-effective, responsive way to keep businesses up, running and growing in the face of system failures, Internet threats or natural disasters.
Our customers have told us that one of their most critical needs is to enable 24x7 access to information. At the same time, they must maintain tight security, comply with all regulatory requirements and operate within their existing budget constraints, said Gary L. Bloom, Chairman, President and CEO of VERITAS Software. Through our unique portfolio of solutions, Symantec and VERITAS are best positioned to address the ever-growing needs of our customers. Based on IDC data, the total market opportunity for the combined company today is approximatelyUS$35 billion and is expected to grow toUS$56 billion by 2007.
By merging with VERITAS, Symantec will expand its combined revenue base and create an entity with significantly greater financial scale and resources. The aggregate revenue of the combined company is expected to be approximatelyUS$5 billion for fiscal year 2006, which begins in April 2005 and ends in March 2006. Approximately 75 per cent of the revenue of the combined company is expected to come from the enterprise business and 25 per cent from the consumer business. In addition, the combined company will have approximatelyUS$5 billion in cash.
The combination will create significant benefits for the customers and partners of both companies, including:
- Breadth A broad range of leading security and storage solutions at every tier of the enterprise end point, gateway, and application across all platforms from a single vendor;
- Depth Leading-edge technology combined with expertise to architect, design, and manage security, storage, and IT infrastructures; and
- Global Reach Worldwide sales, service, and channel partner organisations supporting millions of consumers, and small, medium, and large enterprise customers.
The transaction is expected to close in the second calendar quarter of 2005 and is subject to customary closing conditions, including approval by the shareholders of both companies and regulatory approvals. Non-GAAP earnings per share for this transaction, which exclude the amortisation of deal-related intangibles, the write-down of VERITAS deferred revenue, restructuring charges, amortisation of deferred compensation, and any one-time costs associated with the merger, will be accretive in the first combined year of operations as compared to the Thomson Financial First Call mean estimate ofUS$0.98 for Symantec in fiscal year 2006.
Lehman Brothers acted as exclusive financial advisor to Symantec. Fenwick & West LLP served as legal counsel to Symantec. Goldman Sachs acted as exclusive financial advisor to VERITAS. Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP acted as legal counsel to VERITAS.
About Symantec
Symantec is the global leader in information security providing a broad range of software, appliances and services designed to help individuals, small and mid-sized businesses, and large enterprises secure and manage their IT infrastructure. Symantecs Norton brand of products is the worldwide leader in consumer security and problem-solving solutions. Headquartered in Cupertino, Calif., Symantec has operations in more than 35 countries. More information is available at www.Symantec.com.
About VERITAS Software
VERITAS Software, one of the 10 largest software companies in the world, is a leading provider of software to enable utility computing. In a utility computing model, IT resources are aligned with business needs and business applications are delivered with optimal performance and availability on top of shared computing infrastructure, minimising hardware and labor costs. With 2003 revenues ofUS$1.75 billion, VERITAS delivers products and services for data protection, storage and server management, high availability and application performance management that are used by 99 per cent of the Fortune 500. More information about VERITAS Software can be found at www.VERITAS.com.
NOTE TO EDITORS: If you would like additional information on Symantec Corporation and its products, please view the Symantec Press Centre at www.symantec.com/PressCenter/index.html on Symantecs Web site.Additional information on VERITAS Software Corporation and its products is available at the VERITAS Software Press Centre at www.VERITAS.com.
Symantec and the Symantec logo are trademarks or registered trademarks, in the United States and certain other countries, of Symantec Corporation. Additional company and product names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of the individual companies and are respectfully acknowledged.
VERITAS Software and the VERITAS Software logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of VERITAS Software Corporation or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.