Liberty Media to Acquire Celebrate Express
June 26 2008 - 6:00PM
PR Newswire (US)
Leading Provider of Party Supplies and Costumes Enhances Web
Strategy ENGLEWOOD, Colo. and KIRKLAND, Wash., June 26
/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Liberty Media Corporation
(NASDAQ:LINTANASDAQ:LMDIANASDAQ:LCAPA) ("Liberty") and Celebrate
Express (NASDAQ:BDAY) ("Celebrate") today announced they have
entered into a definitive agreement for Liberty to acquire
Celebrate, a leading online and catalog retailer of party supplies
and costumes marketed under the brands Birthday Express, 1st Wishes
and Costume Express. Under the terms of the agreement approved by
both boards of directors, Liberty will pay $31 million in cash, or
$3.90 per Celebrate share. Celebrate will be attributed to the
Liberty Interactive Group. "We look forward to Celebrate Express
joining the Liberty Media family and combining it with BUYSEASONS,
Inc. the Internet costume and party retailer acquired by Liberty
Media in 2006. This will make BUYSEASONS the stand out leader in
the online party, costume and Halloween industry," said Michael
Zeisser, Senior Vice President of Liberty Media. "The Celebrate
Express acquisition represents another step in our stated strategy
to acquire niche e-Commerce businesses whose value we can enhance".
"We are excited that Liberty Media will continue Celebrates'
mission of creating category specific brands which are designed to
help busy moms celebrate the special moments in the lives of their
family," said Celebrate Express CEO Kevin Green. "Celebrate Express
launched its first catalog, Birthday Express in 1994 to provide a
one-stop shop to help busy parents celebrate their children's
birthdays. Since then we have grown our offerings to focus on
milestone birthdays and year-round costume parties, and we are
gratified that the Liberty Media acquisition recognizes the growth
of our business and offerings." "We're impressed with Celebrate's
expertise in the party category and we look forward to working with
them to leverage the strengths of each of our brands," said Jalem
Getz, President and CEO of BUYSEASONS. The proposed transaction is
expected to close in the third calendar quarter of 2008. Completion
of the transaction is subject to Celebrate stockholder approval and
other customary closing conditions. Cowen and Company, LLC is
serving as financial advisor to Celebrate. In connection with the
proposed transaction each of Arch Ventures, Thesis Capital and
Spencer Management has agreed to vote the shares it owns or
controls in favor of the proposed transaction and against any
alternative proposal, in addition to other customary agreements.
Combined these shareholders own or control approximately 40% of the
outstanding common stock of Celebrate. About Liberty Media
Corporation Liberty Media Corporation owns interests in a broad
range of electronic retailing, media, communications and
entertainment businesses. Those interests are attributed to three
tracking stock groups: (1) the Liberty Interactive Group
(NASDAQ:LINTA), which includes Liberty's interests in QVC.com,
Provide Commerce, Backcountry.com, BUYSEASONS, Bodybuilding.com,
IAC/InterActiveCorp, and Expedia, (2) the Liberty Entertainment
Group (NASDAQ:LMDIA), which includes Liberty's interests in the
DIRECTV Group, Inc., Starz Entertainment, FUN Technologies, Inc.,
GSN, LLC, WildBlue Communications, Inc., and Liberty Sports
Holdings LLC, and (3) the Liberty Capital Group (NASDAQ:LCAPA),
which includes all businesses, assets and liabilities not
attributed to the Interactive Group or the Entertainment Group
including its subsidiaries Starz Media, LLC, Atlanta National
League Baseball Club, Inc., and TruePosition, Inc., and minority
equity investments in Time Warner Inc. and Sprint Nextel
Corporation. About BUYSEASONS, Inc. Founded in 1999 as an Internet
specialty retailer, BUYSEASONS' flagship brand, BuyCostumes.com, is
the leading online-only retailer of costumes and accessories.
BUYSEASONS offers one of the largest assortments of costumes and
party supplies for adults and children at any single location --
online or offline. In addition, BUYSEASONS operates a private-label
drop ship program for other Internet retailers looking to cash in
on the fast growing costume and party supplies markets. BUYSEASONS,
Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation
attributed to the Liberty Interactive Group (NASDAQ:LINTA). About
Celebrate Express, Inc. Celebrate Express is a leading online and
catalog retailer of celebration products for families. The Company
currently operates two brands: Birthday Express markets children's
party products, and Costume Express markets costumes and
accessories. The Company utilizes its branded website
Celebrateexpress.com, complemented by its branded catalogs, to
offer products as complete coordinated solutions. The Company's
goal is to help families celebrate the special moments in their
lives. Additional Information This press release may constitute
soliciting material under SEC Rule 14a-12. Participants in this
solicitation would include Celebrate Express, Inc. and its Board of
Directors, including Keith Crandell, Kevin Green, Jean Reynolds,
Kenneth Shubin Stein, MD, Estelle DeMuesy, Don Hughes and Stephen
Roseman. You may obtain information regarding the identity of each
participant and a description of each participant's direct or
indirect interest in the solicitation from the definitive proxy
statement of Celebrate Express, Inc. that will be mailed to you
prior to the special meeting of shareholders. Celebrate Express
stockholders will be receiving a proxy statement with respect to
the approval of the merger transaction that will contain important
information about the terms of the merger. Stockholders are
encouraged to read the entire proxy statement carefully when it
becomes available. Stockholders may also obtain additional
information from documents filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (http://www.sec.gov/) and on the Celebrate Express Web
site (http://www.celebrateexpress.com/) DATASOURCE: Liberty Media
Corporation CONTACT: Courtnee Ulrich of Liberty Media LLC,
+1-720-875-5420; or Evelyn Mackey, Investor Relations, Celebrate
Express, Inc., +1-425-250-1064, ext. 186, Web site:
http://www.libertymedia.com/ http://www.celebrateexpress.com/
Copyright
Celebrate Express (MM) (NASDAQ:BDAY)
Historical Stock Chart
From Oct 2024 to Nov 2024
Celebrate Express (MM) (NASDAQ:BDAY)
Historical Stock Chart
From Nov 2023 to Nov 2024