Kansas City Southern Confirms Receipt of Unsolicited Proposal From Canadian Pacific Railway

Rhea-AI Summary

Kansas City Southern (KSU) announced an unsolicited acquisition proposal from Canadian Pacific Railway (CP), reiterating terms similar to a previous proposal made on August 10, 2021. The offer includes 2.884 shares of CP and $90 in cash for each KCS common share, with preferred stockholders receiving $37.50 in cash. The KCS Board will evaluate this proposal in light of its existing agreement with CN, which offers $325 per share of KCS stock. Financial advisors involved are BofA Securities and Morgan Stanley, with multiple legal counsels aiding KCS.

Positive

• Unsolicited acquisition proposal from CP could reflect strong market interest in KSU.
• Terms offered by CP are identical to the previous proposal, indicating sustained interest.

Negative

• KCS is currently bound by a merger agreement with CN, which offers a higher value of $325 per share.
• Potential regulatory hurdles and shareholder approvals required for any new acquisition proposal.

KANSAS CITY, Mo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Kansas City Southern (NYSE: KSU) (“KCS”) today announced that it has received an unsolicited proposal from Canadian Pacific Railway Limited (TSX: CP) (NYSE: CP) ("CP") reaffirming its interest in acquiring KCS.

In its proposal, CP reiterated identical terms to the proposal made on August 10, 2021, whereby holders of KCS common stock would receive 2.884 CP common shares and $90 in cash for each share of KCS common stock held. In addition, CP reiterated that holders of KCS preferred stock would receive $37.50 in cash for each share of KCS preferred stock held.

On May 21, 2021, KCS announced that it had entered into a definitive agreement with CN (TSX: CNR, NYSE: CNI), pursuant to which CN agreed to acquire KCS in a stock and cash transaction valued at $325 per KCS share based on the CN and KCS closing prices on May 12, 2021. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions including receipt of regulatory approvals and the approval of KCS stockholders.

The KCS Board of Directors will evaluate CP’s proposal in accordance with the terms of KCS’ merger agreement with CN and respond in due course.

‎BofA Securities and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC are serving as financial advisors to Kansas City Southern. Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, Baker & Miller PLLC, Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP, WilmerHale, and White & Case, S.C. are serving as legal counsel to Kansas City Southern.

About Kansas City Southern

Headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., Kansas City Southern (KCS) (NYSE: KSU) is a transportation holding company that has railroad investments in the U.S., Mexico and Panama. Its primary U.S. holding is The Kansas City Southern Railway Company, serving the central and south central U.S. Its international holdings include Kansas City Southern de Mexico, S.A. de C.V., serving northeastern and central Mexico and the port cities of Lázaro Cárdenas, Tampico and Veracruz, and a 50 percent interest in Panama Canal Railway Company, providing ocean-to-ocean freight and passenger service along the Panama Canal. KCS' North American rail holdings and strategic alliances with other North American rail partners are primary components of a unique railway system, linking the commercial and industrial centers of the U.S., Mexico and Canada. More information about KCS can be found at www.kcsouthern.com

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements included in this news release constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and under Canadian securities laws, including statements based on management’s assessment and assumptions and publicly available information with respect to KCS, regarding the proposed transaction between CN and KCS, the expected benefits of the proposed transaction and future opportunities for the combined company. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. CN and KCS caution that their assumptions may not materialize and that current economic conditions render such assumptions, although reasonable at the time they were made, subject to greater uncertainty. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of terminology such as “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “assumes,” “outlook,” “plans,” “targets,” or other similar words.

Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results, performance or achievements of CN, or the combined company, to be materially different from the outlook or any future results, performance or achievements implied by such statements. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Important risk factors that could affect the forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to: the outcome of the proposed transaction between CN and KCS; the parties’ ability to consummate the proposed transaction; the conditions to the completion of the proposed transaction; that the regulatory approvals required for the proposed transaction may not be obtained on the terms expected or on the anticipated schedule or at all; CN’s indebtedness, including the substantial indebtedness CN expects to incur and assume in connection with the proposed transaction and the need to generate sufficient cash flows to service and repay such debt; CN’s ability to meet expectations regarding the timing, completion and accounting and tax treatments of the proposed transaction; the possibility that CN may be unable to achieve expected synergies and operating efficiencies within the expected time-frames or at all and to successfully integrate KCS’ operations with those of CN; that such integration may be more difficult, time-consuming or costly than expected; that operating costs, customer loss and business disruption (including, without limitation, difficulties in maintaining relationships with employees, customers or suppliers) may be greater than expected following the proposed transaction or the public announcement of the proposed transaction; the retention of certain key employees of KCS may be difficult; the duration and effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, general economic and business conditions, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic; industry competition; inflation, currency and interest rate fluctuations; changes in fuel prices; legislative and/or regulatory developments; compliance with environmental laws and regulations; actions by regulators; the adverse impact of any termination or revocation by the Mexican government of KCS de México, S.A. de C.V.’s Concession; increases in maintenance and operating costs; security threats; reliance on technology and related cybersecurity risk; trade restrictions or other changes to international trade arrangements; transportation of hazardous materials; various events which could disrupt operations, including illegal blockades of rail networks, and natural events such as severe weather, droughts, fires, floods and earthquakes; climate change; labor negotiations and disruptions; environmental claims; uncertainties of investigations, proceedings or other types of claims and litigation; risks and liabilities arising from derailments; timing and completion of capital programs; and other risks detailed from time to time in reports filed by CN with securities regulators in Canada and the United States. Reference should also be made to Management’s Discussion and Analysis in CN’s annual and interim reports, Annual Information Form and Form 40-F, filed with Canadian and U.S. securities regulators and available on CN’s website, for a description of major risk factors relating to CN. Additional risks that may affect KCS’ results of operations appear in Part I, Item 1A “Risks Related to KCS’ Operations and Business” of KCS’ Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, and in KCS’ other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).

Forward-looking statements reflect information as of the date on which they are made. CN and KCS assume no obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect future events, changes in circumstances, or changes in beliefs, unless required by applicable securities laws. In the event CN or KCS does update any forward-looking statement, no inference should be made that CN or KCS will make additional updates with respect to that statement, related matters, or any other forward-looking statement.

No Offer or Solicitation

This news release 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, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offer of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Additional Information and Where to Find It

In connection with the proposed transaction, CN has filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form F-4 to register the shares to be issued in connection with the proposed transaction, and the registration statement has been declared effective. CN has filed with the SEC its prospectus and KCS has filed with the SEC its definitive proxy statement in connection with the proposed transaction, and the KCS proxy statement is being sent to the stockholders of KCS seeking their approval of the merger-related proposals. This news release is not a substitute for the registration statement, the prospectus, the proxy statement or other documents CN and/or KCS may file with the SEC or applicable securities regulators in Canada in connection with the proposed transaction.

INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT, THE PROSPECTUS, THE PROXY STATEMENT AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC OR APPLICABLE SECURITIES REGULATORS IN CANADA CAREFULLY IN THEIR ENTIRETY IF AND WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE (INCLUDING ALL AMENDMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTS THERETO) BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN AND WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT CN, KCS AND THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION. Investors and security holders may obtain copies of these documents (if and when available) and other documents filed with the SEC and applicable securities regulators in Canada by CN free of charge through at www.sec.gov and www.sedar.com. Copies of the documents filed by CN (if and when available) will also be made available free of charge by accessing CN’s website at www.CN.ca. Copies of the documents filed by KCS (if and when available) will also be made available free of charge at www.investors.kcsouthern.com, upon written request delivered to KCS at 427 West 12th Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64105, Attention: Corporate Secretary, or by calling KCS’ Corporate Secretary’s Office by telephone at 1-888-800-3690 or by email at corpsec@kcsouthern.com.

Participants

This news release is neither a solicitation of a proxy nor a substitute for the registration statement, the prospectus, the proxy statement or other filings that may be made with the SEC and applicable securities regulators in Canada. Nonetheless, CN, KCS, and certain of their directors and executive officers and other members of management and employees may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies in respect of the proposed transaction. Information about CN’s executive officers and directors is available in its 2021 Management Information Circular, dated March 9, 2021, as well as its 2020 Annual Report on Form 40-F filed with the SEC on February 1, 2021, in each case available on its website at www.CN.ca/investors/ and at www.sec.gov and www.sedar.com. Information about KCS’ directors and executive officers may be found on its website at www.kcsouthern.com and in its 2020 Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on January 29, 2021, available at www.investors.kcsouthern.com and www.sec.gov. Additional information regarding the interests of such potential participants is or may be included in the registration statement, the prospectus, the proxy statement or other documents filed with the SEC and applicable securities regulators in Canada if and when they become available. These documents (if and when available) may be obtained free of charge from the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov and from www.sedar.com, as applicable.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005349/en/

Media

C. Doniele Carlson

KCS Corporate Communications & Community Affairs

(816) 983-1372

dcarlson@kcsouthern.com

Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher

Tim Lynch / Ed Trissel

(212) 355-4449

Investment Community

Ashley Thorne

Vice President

Investor Relations

(816) 983-1530

athorne@kcsouthern.com

MacKenzie Partners, Inc.

Dan Burch / Laurie Connell

(212) 929-5748 / (212) 378-7071

dburch@mackenziepartners.com

lconnell@mackenziepartners.com

Source: Kansas City Southern

FAQ

What is the recent acquisition proposal for Kansas City Southern (KSU)?

KSU received an unsolicited acquisition proposal from Canadian Pacific Railway (CP), offering 2.884 CP shares and $90 in cash for each KSU common share.

How does the Canadian Pacific proposal compare to the CN acquisition deal?

The CP proposal offers lower value compared to the existing CN agreement which values KSU at $325 per share.

What will be the next steps for KSU regarding the CP proposal?

The KSU Board will evaluate the CP proposal while adhering to the terms of its merger agreement with CN.

When was the previous proposal from Canadian Pacific made to KSU?

The earlier proposal from CP was made on August 10, 2021, with identical terms to the current one.

What is the stock symbol of Canadian Pacific Railway?

The stock symbol for Canadian Pacific Railway is CP.