Item 1.01. Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.
As previously reported on a Form 8-K, filed December 5, 2016 (the “December 5 Form
8-K”), Consolidated Communications Holdings, Inc. (the “Company”), Falcon Merger Sub, Inc., a newly formed Delaware
corporation and wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company (“Merger Sub”), and FairPoint Communications, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (“FairPoint”), entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”), dated
as of December 3, 2016, that provides for, among other things, a business combination whereby Merger Sub will merge with and into
FairPoint, with FairPoint as the surviving entity.
As also previously reported on the December 5 Form 8-K, in connection with the execution
of the Merger Agreement, Consolidated Communications, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company (“CCI”), entered
into a Commitment Letter, dated December 3, 2016 (the “Commitment Letter”), from (i) Morgan Stanley Senior Funding,
Inc., (ii) The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd., MUFG Union Bank, N.A., MUFG Securities Americas Inc. (collectively, “MUFG”)
and/or any other affiliates or subsidiaries as MUFG collectively deems appropriate to provide the services referred to therein,
(iii) TD Securities (USA) LLC, (iv) The Toronto-Dominion Bank, New York Branch, and (v) Mizuho Bank, Ltd. (collectively, the “Lead
Arrangers”).
The Commitment Letter provides for a senior secured incremental term loan facility in
an aggregate principal amount that will yield up to $865,000,000 in gross proceeds to CCI (the “Incremental Term Loan Facility”)
and a senior unsecured term loan facility in an aggregate principal amount that will yield up to $70,000,000 in gross proceeds
to CCI (the “Unsecured Term Loan Facility”), provided that the commitments under the Unsecured Term Loan Facility shall
be automatically and permanently reduced to zero and cancelled if, within 90 days following the date of the Commitment Letter,
CCI obtains an amendment, reasonably satisfactory to the Lead Arrangers, to the terms of the Third Amended and Restated Credit
Agreement, dated as of October 5, 2016, among the Company, CCI, the lenders party thereto, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association,
as Administrative Agent and other agents party thereto (the “Credit Agreement”) (and such amendment goes effective
within such period) (the “Amendment”) allowing for an additional aggregate amount of at least $70,000,000 to be incurred
as a senior secured incremental term loan credit facility pursuant to Section 2.21 of the Credit Agreement and the commitments
to provide the Incremental Term Loan Facility shall be automatically and permanently increased, on a pro rata basis, by an amount
equal to $70,000,000 upon effectiveness of the Amendment.
On December 14, 2016, the Company, CCI, the lenders party thereto, Wells Fargo Bank,
National Association, as Administrative Agent and other agents party thereto entered into an Amendment No. 1 to the Credit Agreement
(“Amendment No. 1 to the Credit Agreement”) reflecting the foregoing terms, and as a result thereof, the Incremental
Term Loan Facility has been increased to an aggregate amount of $935,000,000.
A copy of Amendment No. 1 to the Credit Agreement is attached hereto as Exhibit 10.1
and is incorporated herein by reference. The description of Amendment No. 1 to the Credit Agreement contained herein is qualified
in its entirety by reference to the full text of Amendment No. 1 to the Credit Agreement.
Safe Harbor
The Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) encourages companies to disclose
forward-looking information so that investors can better understand a company’s future prospects and make informed investment
decisions. Certain statements in this communication are forward-looking statements and are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions
of the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements reflect, among other things, current expectations,
plans, strategies, and anticipated financial results of Consolidated Communications Holdings, Inc. (the “Company”)
and FairPoint Communications, Inc. (“FairPoint”), both separately and as a combined entity. There are a number of risks,
uncertainties, and conditions that may cause the actual results of the Company and FairPoint, both separately and as a combined
entity, to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties
include the timing and ability to complete the proposed acquisition of FairPoint by the Company, the expected benefits of the integration
of the two companies and successful integration of FairPoint’s operations with those of the Company and realization of the
synergies from the integration, as well as a number of factors related to the respective businesses of the Company and FairPoint,
including economic and financial market conditions generally and economic conditions in the Company’s and FairPoint’s
service areas; various risks to stockholders of not receiving dividends and risks to the Company’s ability to pursue growth
opportunities if the Company continues to pay dividends according to the current dividend policy; various risks to the price and
volatility of the Company’s common stock; changes in the valuation of pension plan assets; the substantial amount of debt
and the Company’s ability to repay or refinance it or incur additional debt in the future; the Company’s need for a
significant amount of cash to service and repay the debt and to pay dividends on its common stock; restrictions contained in the
Company’s debt agreements that limit the discretion of management in operating the business; legal or regulatory proceedings
or other matters that impact the timing or ability to complete the acquisition as contemplated, regulatory changes, including changes
to subsidies, rapid development and introduction of new technologies and intense competition in the telecommunications industry;
risks associated with the Company’s possible pursuit of acquisitions; system failures; losses of large customers or government
contracts; risks associated with the rights-of-way for the network; disruptions in the relationship with third party vendors; losses
of key management personnel and the inability to attract and retain highly qualified management and personnel in the future; changes
in the extensive governmental legislation and regulations governing telecommunications providers and the provision of telecommunications
services; telecommunications carriers disputing and/or avoiding their obligations to pay network access charges for use of the
Company’s and FairPoint’s network; high costs of regulatory compliance; the competitive impact of legislation and regulatory
changes in the telecommunications industry; liability and compliance costs regarding environmental regulations; the possibility
of disruption from the integration of the two companies making it more difficult to maintain business and operational relationships;
the possibility that the acquisition is not consummated, including, but not limited to, due to the failure to satisfy the closing
conditions; the possibility that the merger or the acquisition may be more expensive to complete than anticipated, including as
a result of unexpected factors or events; and diversion of management’s attention from ongoing business operations and opportunities.
A detailed discussion of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and events to differ materially from such forward-looking
statements are discussed in more detail in the Company’s and FairPoint’s respective filings with the SEC, including
the Annual Report on Form 10-K of the Company for the year ended December 31, 2015, which was filed with the SEC on February 29,
2016, under the heading “Item 1A—Risk Factors,” and the Annual Report on Form 10-K of FairPoint for the year
ended December 31, 2015, which was filed with the SEC on March 2, 2016, under the heading “Item 1A—Risk Factors,”
and in subsequent reports on Forms 10-Q and 8-K and other filings made with the SEC by each of the Company and FairPoint. Many
of these circumstances are beyond the ability of the Company and FairPoint to control or predict. Moreover, forward-looking statements
necessarily involve assumptions on the part of the Company and FairPoint. These forward-looking statements generally are identified
by the words “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “project,”
“intend,” “plan,” “should,” “may,” “will,” “would,” “will
be,” “will continue” or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks,
uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements of the Company and FairPoint, and their
respective subsidiaries, both separately and as a combined entity to be different from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking
statements. All forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on the respective behalf of the Company or FairPoint
are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements that appear throughout this communication. Furthermore,
forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Except as required under the federal securities laws or the
rules and regulations of the SEC, each of the Company and FairPoint disclaim any intention or obligation to update or revise publicly
any forward-looking statements. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.
Important Merger Information and Additional Information
This communication does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer
to buy any securities or a solicitation of any vote or approval. In connection with the proposed transaction, the Company and FairPoint
will file relevant materials with the SEC. The Company will file a Registration Statement on Form S-4 that includes a joint proxy
statement of the Company and FairPoint and which also constitutes a prospectus of the Company. The Company and FairPoint will mail
the final joint proxy statement/prospectus to their respective stockholders.
Investors are urged to read the joint proxy statement/prospectus
regarding the proposed transaction when it becomes available, because it will contain important information.
The joint proxy
statement/prospectus and other relevant documents that have been or will be filed by the Company and FairPoint with the SEC are
or will be available free of charge at the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov, or by directing a request when such a filing is made
to Consolidated Communications Holdings, Inc., 121 South 17th Street, Mattoon, IL 61938, Attention: Investor Relations or to FairPoint
Communications, Inc., 521 East Morehead Street, Suite 500, Charlotte, North Carolina 28202, Attention: Secretary.
The Company, FairPoint and certain of their respective directors, executive officers
and other members of management and employees may be considered participants in the solicitation of proxies in connection with
the proposed transaction.
Information about the directors and executive officers of the Company is set forth in its definitive
proxy statement, which was filed with the SEC on March 28, 2016. Information about the directors and executive officers of FairPoint
is set forth in its definitive proxy statement, which was filed with the SEC on March 25, 2016.
These documents can be obtained
free of charge from the sources listed above. Investors may obtain additional information regarding the interests of such participants
by reading the joint proxy statement/prospectus the Company and FairPoint will file with the SEC when it becomes available.