SILVER SPRING, Md.,
March 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/
-- Discovery Communications, Inc. ("Discovery" or the
"Company") (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) announced today that
Discovery Communications, LLC ("DCL") commenced, subject to the
terms and conditions set forth in the confidential Offering
Memorandum and Consent Solicitation Statement dated March 5, 2018 (the "Offering Memorandum"), offers
to exchange (the "Exchange Offers"):
- newly issued 2.75% Senior Notes due 2019 of DCL (the "New 2019
Notes") for any and all of Scripps Networks Interactive, Inc.
("Scripps") outstanding 2.75% Senior Notes due 2019 (the "2019
Notes");
- newly issued 2.80% Senior Notes due 2020 of DCL (the "New 2020
Notes") for any and all of Scripps' outstanding 2.80% Senior Notes
due 2020 (the "2020 Notes");
- newly issued 3.50% Senior Notes due 2022 of DCL (the "New 2022
Notes") for any and all of Scripps' outstanding 3.50% Senior Notes
due 2022 (the "2022 Notes");
- newly issued 3.90% Senior Notes due 2024 of DCL (the "New 2024
Notes") for any and all of Scripps' outstanding 3.90% Senior Notes
due 2024 (the "2024 Notes"); and
- newly issued 3.95% Senior Notes due 2025 of DCL (the "New 2025
Notes" and, together with the New 2019 Notes, the New 2020 Notes,
the New 2022 Notes and the New 2024 Notes, the "New Notes") for any
and all of Scripps' outstanding 3.95% Senior Notes due 2025 (the
"2025 Notes" and, together with the 2019 Notes, the 2020 Notes, the
2022 Notes and the 2024 Notes, the "Old Notes"), as described in,
and for the consideration summarized in, the table below.
|
|
|
|
Exchange
Consideration(1)(2)
|
Early
Participation
Premium(1)(2)
|
Total
Consideration(1)(2)(3)
|
Aggregate
Principal Amount Outstanding
|
Series of
Old
Scripps
Notes to
be
Exchanged
|
CUSIP
No.
|
Series
of
New
Discovery
Notes to
be
Issued
|
New
Notes
(Principal
amount)
|
Cash
|
New Notes
(principal amount)
|
New Notes
(principal
amount)
|
Cash
|
$500,000,000
|
2.750%
Senior
Notes
due
November
15,
2019
|
811065AB7
|
2.750%
Senior
Notes
due November
15,
2019
|
$950
|
$1.00
|
$50
|
$1,000
|
$1.00
|
$600,000,000
|
2.800% Senior Notes
due June 15, 2020
|
811065AE1
|
2.800%
Senior
Notes
due June
15,
2020
|
$950
|
$1.00
|
$50
|
$1,000
|
$1.00
|
$400,000,000
|
3.500% Senior Notes
due June 15, 2022
|
811065AF8
|
3.500%
Senior
Notes
due June
15,
2022
|
$950
|
$1.00
|
$50
|
$1,000
|
$1.00
|
$500,000,000
|
3.900% Senior Notes
due November 15, 2024
|
811065AC5
|
3.900%
Senior Notes
due
November
15,
2024
|
$950
|
$1.00
|
$50
|
$1,000
|
$1.00
|
$500,000,000
|
3.950% Senior Notes
due June 15, 2025
|
811065AG6
|
3.950%
Senior
Notes
due June 15,
2025
|
$950
|
$1.00
|
$50
|
$1,000
|
$1.00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) Consideration per $1,000 principal amount of a series of Old Notes
validly tendered and accepted, subject to any rounding as described
herein.
(2) The term "New Notes" in this column refers,
in each case, to the series of New Notes corresponding to the
series of Old Notes of like tenor and coupon.
(3) Includes the Early Participation Premium for
Old Notes validly tendered prior to the Early Participation Date
described below and not validly withdrawn.
The New Notes will be fully and unconditionally guaranteed on an
unsecured and unsubordinated basis by the Company. The guarantee
will rank equally with all other unsecured senior indebtedness of
the Company.
The Exchange Offers are being made solely to holders of the Old
Notes on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the
Offering Memorandum.
None of the New Notes have been registered under the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") or any state or
foreign securities laws. The New Notes are being offered for
exchange only (i) to qualified institutional buyers as defined in
Rule 144A under the Securities Act ("QIBs") in reliance on the
exemption provided by Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act and
(ii) outside the United States to
persons other than "U.S. persons" in reliance upon Regulation S
under the Securities Act. Only holders of Old Notes who have
properly completed and returned an eligibility certification
certifying that, among other things, they are (i) QIBs within the
meaning of Rule 144A under the Securities Act, or (ii) not "U.S.
persons" and are outside of the United
States within the meaning of Regulation S under the
Securities Act, are authorized to participate in the Exchange
Offers and Consent Solicitations (as defined below). The
holders of Old Notes who have certified that they are eligible to
participate in the Exchange Offer pursuant to at least one of the
foregoing conditions are referred to herein as "Eligible
Holders."
Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Exchange
Offers, in exchange for each $1,000
principal amount of Old Notes of a series that is validly tendered
prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on March 16, 2018 (such date and time, as they may
be extended with respect to any exchange offer, the "Early
Participation Date") and not validly withdrawn, holders will be
eligible to receive the total exchange consideration set out in the
table above (the "Total Consideration"), which consists of
$1,000 principal amount of the
applicable series of New Notes and a cash amount of $1.00. The Total Consideration includes the
early participation premium set out in the table above (the "Early
Participation Premium"), which consists of $50.00 principal amount of the applicable series
of New Notes. In exchange for each $1,000 principal amount of Old Notes of a series
that is validly tendered after the Early Participation Date but
prior to the Expiration Date (as defined below), holders will be
eligible to receive only the exchange consideration set out in the
table above (the "Exchange Consideration"), which is equal to the
Total Consideration less the Early Participation Premium and so
consists of $950.00 principal amount
of the applicable series of New Notes and a cash amount of
$1.00. The Exchange Offers will
expire immediately following 11:59
p.m., New York City time,
on March 30, 2018, unless extended
(such date and time, as they may be extended with respect to either
exchange offer, the "Expiration Date").
Each New Note issued in exchange for an Old Note will have an
interest rate and maturity that is identical to the interest rate
and maturity of the tendered Old Note, as well as identical
interest payment dates and redemption provisions and will accrue
interest from and including the most recent interest payment date
of the tendered Old Note. Consequently, accrued interest will
not be paid in addition to the consideration described above.
Holders may withdraw their tender of Old Notes at any time prior to
the delivery of a certificate to the Scripps Trustee (as defined
below) evidencing receipt of the consents of the holders of at
least a majority of the then outstanding aggregate principal amount
of Old Notes related to the corresponding series of Old Notes (the
"Requisite Consents") with respect to each series of Old Notes,
which we expect to occur promptly after receipt of the Requisite
Consents (such date and time, as may be extended with respect to
any exchange offer, the "Withdrawal Deadline"), but thereafter
such tenders will be irrevocable, except in certain limited
circumstances where additional withdrawal rights may be required by
law or if such Withdrawal Deadline is otherwise extended by
Discovery in its sole discretion.
Concurrently with the Exchange Offers being made by DCL, Scripps
is soliciting consents (the "Consent Solicitations") from each
Eligible Holder, upon the terms and conditions set forth in the
Offering Memorandum (the "proposed amendments") to each series of
Old Notes governed by, as applicable, the Indenture, dated as of
December 1, 2011, between Scripps and
U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee (the "Scripps Trustee"),
as amended by the Second Supplemental Indenture, dated as of
November 24, 2014 with respect to the
2019 Old Notes and the 2024 Old Notes and as amended by the Third
Supplemental Indenture, dated as of June 2,
2015 with respect to the 2020 Old Notes, the 2022 Old Notes
and the 2025 Old Notes. The Indentures governing the Old Notes are
referred to collectively as the "Scripps Indentures".
Eligible Holders are prohibited from consenting to the proposed
amendments to the relevant Scripps Indenture without tendering
their Old Notes in the appropriate Exchange Offer and are
prohibited from tendering their Old Notes for exchange without
consenting to the applicable proposed amendments. The consent
may be revoked at any time prior to the Withdrawal Deadline by
withdrawing the Old Notes that were tendered.
DCL's obligation to accept for purchase Old Notes tendered in
any of the Exchange Offers is subject to, and conditional upon, the
satisfaction or waiver of certain conditions discussed in the
Offering Memorandum including, among other things, the consummation
of the proposed merger transaction between Discovery and Scripps
(the "Merger") pursuant to the merger agreement and plan of merger,
dated as of July 30, 2017 among the
Company, Scripps and Skylight Merger Sub, Inc., an Ohio corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary
of Discovery, and the receipt of valid consents to the proposed
amendments from the holders of at least a majority of the
outstanding aggregate principal amount of each series of Old
Notes. DCL may, at its option and in its sole discretion,
waive any such conditions.
The Exchange Offers are only made, and copies of the Offering
Memorandum will only be made available, to a holder of Old Notes
who has certified in an eligibility letter certain matters to the
Company, including its status as a "qualified institutional buyer"
or that it is a person other than a "U.S. person" as such terms are
defined under the Securities Act. Note holders who desire a copy of
the eligibility letter confirming that they are eligible holders
should complete and return the letter of eligibility at the website
www.dfking.com/sni or contact D. F. King & Co., Inc., the
information agent for the Exchange Offers, at (866) 530-8636 (toll
free) or (212) 269-5550 (for banks and brokers only) or by email at
sni@dfking.com.
This press release is for informational purposes only and is
neither an offer to purchase nor a solicitation of an offer to sell
any securities. The Exchange Offer is being made and the New
Notes are being offered only to "qualified institutional buyers"
and holders outside the United
States that are not "U.S. persons" as such terms are defined
under the Securities Act. The New Notes have not been
registered under the Securities Act or under any state securities
laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an
applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the
Securities Act, and, accordingly, are subject to significant
restrictions on transfer and resale as more fully described in the
Offering Memorandum. The Exchange Offer is subject to the
terms and conditions set forth in the Offering Memorandum.
About Discovery Communications:
Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) satisfies
curiosity and captivates superfans around the globe with a
portfolio of premium nonfiction, lifestyle, sports and kids content
brands including Discovery Channel, TLC, Investigation Discovery,
Animal Planet, Science and Turbo/Velocity, as well as OWN: Oprah
Winfrey Network in the U.S., Discovery Kids in Latin America, and Eurosport, the leading
provider of locally relevant, premium sports and Home of the
Olympic Games across Europe.
Available in more than 220 countries and territories, Discovery's
programming reaches 3 billion cumulative viewers, who together
consume 54 billion hours of Discovery content each year.
Discovery's offering extends beyond traditional TV to all screens,
including TV Everywhere products such as the GO portfolio and
Discovery Kids Play; over-the-top streaming services such as
Eurosport Player; digital-first and social video from Group Nine
Media; and virtual reality storytelling through Discovery VR.
Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-looking
Statements
This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements"
within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act
of 1995 that are based on current expectations, forecasts and
assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking
statements include statements regarding the Company's expectations,
beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future, and can be
identified by forward-looking words such as "anticipate,"
"believe," "could," "continue," "estimate," "expect," "intend,"
"may," "should," "will" and "would" or similar words.
Forward-looking statements in this press release include, without
limitation, statements regarding the completion of, and use of
proceeds from, the Offering. These statements are based on
information available to the Company as of the date hereof, and
actual results could differ materially from those stated or
implied, due to market conditions, as well as risks and
uncertainties associated with the Company's business, which include
the risk factors disclosed in the Company's Annual Report on Form
10-K filed with the SEC on February 28, 2018. The Company
expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update or
revise any forward-looking statement contained herein to reflect
any change in the Company's expectations with regard thereto or any
change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such
statement is based.
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SOURCE Discovery Communications, Inc.