Strategic Party Withdraws $11.50 Non-Binding Proposal to Acquire RRD

Rhea-AI Summary

RRD has reaffirmed its merger agreement with Chatham Asset Management following the withdrawal of a competing acquisition proposal at $11.50 per share. The current agreement offers $10.85 per share and has been approved by RRD's Board of Directors. A special meeting for stockholders to vote on the merger is scheduled for February 23, 2022, with expectations for closure in Q1 2022, pending stockholder approval. RRD urges shareholders to vote in favor of the merger to enable completion of the transaction.

Positive

• Chatham's agreement to acquire RRD at $10.85 per share indicates a stable value for shareholders.
• The Board of Directors unanimously supports the merger, signaling strong internal confidence.
• The merger is positioned to close in the first quarter of 2022, which may provide timely benefits and strategic alignment.

Negative

• The competing acquisition proposal offered a higher price of $11.50 per share, which may indicate potential undervaluation of RRD.
• Withdrawal of the competing proposal could lead to uncertainty regarding the perceived value of RRD.

RRD Again Reaffirms Merger Agreement with Chatham Asset Management and Urges Stockholders to Vote for the Chatham Transaction

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company (NYSE: RRD) (“RRD” or the “Company”) today announced that the unsolicited non-binding and conditional “Alternative Acquisition Proposal” (as defined in the Company’s previously announced definitive merger agreement with affiliates of Chatham Asset Management, LLC (“Chatham”), dated as of December 14, 2021 (the “Chatham Merger Agreement”)) from a strategic party (the “Strategic Party”) to acquire all of the outstanding shares of RRD’s common stock for $11.50 per share in cash has been withdrawn. The Strategic Party did not provide specific reasons for its withdrawal.

The Company remains subject to the Chatham Merger Agreement, pursuant to which Chatham will acquire all of the RRD common stock not already owned by affiliates of Chatham for $10.85 per share in cash.

As previously announced, the Company has scheduled the special meeting of stockholders for purposes of voting on the Chatham Merger Agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby for February 23, 2022. The Chatham Merger Agreement has been unanimously approved by the RRD Board of Directors and the Board again reaffirms its recommendation that stockholders vote for the Chatham Merger Agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby. The Company urges stockholders to vote their shares today to approve the Chatham Merger Agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby at the Company’s upcoming special meeting.

The Chatham transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2022, subject to customary closing conditions, including the approval of RRD stockholders.

The foregoing description of the Chatham Merger Agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby is subject to, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to, the full terms of the Chatham Merger Agreement, which RRD has filed on Form 8-K.

Centerview Partners LLC is serving as financial advisor and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP is serving as legal advisor to RRD.

About RRD

RRD is a leading global provider of multichannel business communications services and marketing solutions. With 30,000 clients and 33,000 employees across 28 countries, RRD offers the industry’s most comprehensive offering of solutions designed to help companies—from Main Street to Wall Street—optimize customer engagement and streamline business operations across the complete customer journey. RRD offers a comprehensive portfolio of capabilities, experience and scale that enables organizations around the world to create, manage, deliver, and optimize their marketing and business communications strategies.

Use of Forward-Looking Statements

This communication includes certain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of, and subject to the safe harbor created by, the federal securities laws, including statements related to the proposed acquisition of RRD by affiliates of Chatham (the “Transaction”). These forward-looking statements are based on RRD’s current expectations, estimates and projections regarding, among other things, the expected date of closing of the Transaction and the potential benefits thereof, its business and industry, management’s beliefs and certain assumptions made by RRD, all of which are subject to change. Forward-looking statements often contain words such as “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “aims,” “plan,” “believe,” “could,” “seek,” “see,” “will,” “may,” “would,” “might,” “considered,” “potential,” “estimate,” “continue,” “likely,” “target” or similar expressions or the negatives of these words or other comparable terminology that convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes. By their nature, forward-looking statements address matters that involve risks and uncertainties because they relate to events and depend upon future circumstances that may or may not occur, such as the consummation of the Transaction and the anticipated benefits thereof. These and other forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements. Important risk factors that may cause such a difference include (i) impediments to the completion of the Transaction on anticipated terms and timing, including obtaining required stockholder and regulatory approvals and the satisfaction of other conditions to the completion of the Transaction; (ii) significant transaction costs associated with the Transaction; (iii) potential litigation relating to the Transaction, including the effects of any outcomes related thereto; (iv) the risk that disruptions from the Transaction will harm RRD’s business, including current plans and operations; (v) the ability of RRD to retain and hire key personnel; (vi) potential adverse reactions or changes to business relationships resulting from the announcement or completion of the Transaction; (vii) legislative, regulatory and economic developments affecting RRD’s business; (viii) general economic and market developments and conditions; (ix) the evolving legal, regulatory and tax regimes under which RRD operates; (x) potential business uncertainty, including changes to existing business relationships, during the pendency of the Transaction that could affect RRD’s financial performance; (xi) certain restrictions during the pendency of the Transaction that may impact RRD’s ability to pursue certain business opportunities or strategic transactions; (xii) continued availability of capital and financing and rating agency actions; (xiii) the ability of affiliates of Chatham to obtain the necessary financing arrangements set forth in the commitment letters received in connection with the Transaction; (xiv) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstance that could give rise to the termination of the Transaction, including in circumstances requiring RRD to pay expense reimbursements to affiliates of Chatham under the Chatham Merger Agreement; (xv) unpredictability and severity of catastrophic events, including acts of terrorism, outbreak of war or hostilities, civil unrest, adverse climate or weather events or the COVID-19 pandemic or other public health emergencies, as well as RRD’s response to any of the aforementioned factors; (xvi) competitive responses to the Transaction; (xvii) the risks and uncertainties pertaining to RRD’s business, including those detailed under the heading “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in RRD’s public filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”); and (xviii) the risks and uncertainties described in the proxy statement filed in connection with the Transaction and available from the sources indicated below (the “Proxy Statement”). These risks, as well as other risks associated with the Transaction, are more fully discussed in the Proxy Statement. While the list of factors presented here is, and the list of factors presented in the Proxy Statement are, considered representative, no such list should be considered to be a complete statement of all risks and uncertainties. Unlisted factors may present significant additional obstacles to the realization of forward-looking statements. Consequences of material differences in results as compared with those anticipated in the forward-looking statements could include, among other things, business disruption, operational problems, financial loss, legal liability to third parties and similar risks, any of which could have a material impact on RRD’s financial condition, results of operations, credit rating or liquidity or ability to consummate the Transaction. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and RRD does not undertake to and disclaims any obligation to publicly release the results of any updates or revisions to these forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect future events or circumstances after the date of such statements or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events.

Important Additional Information and Where to Find It

In connection with the Transaction, RRD has filed with the SEC and mailed to its stockholders the definitive Proxy Statement and may file certain other documents regarding the Transaction with the SEC. INVESTORS AND STOCKHOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT (INCLUDING ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS THERETO) AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS THAT ARE FILED OR WILL BE FILED WITH THE SEC CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN OR WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE TRANSACTION AND RELATED MATTERS. Investors and stockholders may obtain, free of charge, copies of the Proxy Statement and other relevant documents filed with the SEC by RRD, once such documents have been filed with the SEC, through the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov, through RRD’s investor relations website at investor.rrd.com or by contacting the RRD investor relations department at the following:

Telephone: 630-322-7111
E-mail: investor.info@rrd.com
Attn.: Johan Nystedt

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220202005407/en/

Investor Contact

Johan Nystedt, Senior Vice President, Finance

Telephone: 630-322-7111

E-mail: investor.info@rrd.com

Source: R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company

FAQ

What is the current merger agreement price for RRD with Chatham?

The current merger agreement price for RRD with Chatham Asset Management is $10.85 per share in cash.

When is the special meeting for RRD stockholders to vote on the merger?

The special meeting for RRD stockholders to vote on the merger agreement is scheduled for February 23, 2022.

What happened to the competing acquisition proposal for RRD?

The competing acquisition proposal for RRD at $11.50 per share has been withdrawn.

When is the expected closing date for the merger between RRD and Chatham?

The merger between RRD and Chatham is expected to close in the first quarter of 2022, subject to stockholder approval.