- The spin-off aims to maximize shareholder value by unlocking
the fully distributed value of Sunrise over time, supported by
Sunrise’s fully integrated FMC challenger position, attractive
growth outlook, excellent expected cash generation and experienced
management team
- Liberty Global will invest up to CHF1.5B ($1.7B1) for debt
reduction, underpinning a strong initial leverage range of
3.5-4.5x. This will be funded through Sunrise FCF generation and
Liberty Global corporate liquidity, including non-core asset
disposal proceeds
- Sunrise’s strong cash generation profile expected to support
attractive shareholder returns including dividends, deleveraging
and continued investment to support future growth
- Sunrise will be listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange with two
classes of shares
- Liberty Global has appointed J.P. Morgan and UBS as financial
advisors
- The proposed spin-off is expected to be tax free for US
shareholders of Liberty Global with evaluation of tax treatment in
other jurisdictions ongoing and is subject to market conditions,
board approval of the final terms of the transaction, shareholder
approval and other customary closing conditions
- Sunrise will host a Capital Markets Day in due course to
provide more information on Sunrise and the proposed
transaction
Liberty Global Ltd. (Liberty Global) (NASDAQ: LBTYA, LBTYB and
LBTYK) today announces its intention to spin-off 100% of Sunrise to
Liberty Global shareholders. The transaction aims to maximize
shareholder value by crystallizing the value of Sunrise, allowing
shareholders to fully participate in the future growth and upside
of both Sunrise and Liberty Global. The spin-off will also provide
scope to broaden and deepen the investor base given the distinct
and compelling investment profiles of both Sunrise and Liberty
Global.
The spin-off will leverage the full potential of Sunrise as a
locally listed FMC challenger, building on the successful
integration of Sunrise and UPC since their combination in 2020. The
operational business will not be affected by the spin-off.
Customers, employees, suppliers, or other stakeholders can rely on
continuity.
Liberty Global CEO Mike Fries commented: ‘The proposed
spin-off of Sunrise to Liberty Global shareholders is aligned with
our strategy of unlocking value by allowing our shareholders to
directly participate in the future performance of Sunrise. Liberty
is fully committed to listing Sunrise with a strong capital
structure which, alongside its future cash generation potential,
will underpin Sunrise’s attractive equity story and scope for
dividends.’
Sunrise CEO André Krause said: ‘We are excited at the
prospect of being listed in Switzerland once again and providing
local and international investors with access to our scaled FMC
challenger position in the market. Following the successful
integration and synergy delivery of the UPC combination, Sunrise
has a very strong FCF profile and plans to offer an attractive
shareholder remuneration framework. We will present more detail at
a Capital Markets Day later this year.’
Key Sunrise investment highlights include:
- Attractive macro and telecom market: 100% exposure to
the attractive Swiss telecom market, characterized by favorable
macro fundamentals including low inflation, appealing tax
environment and low cost of capital, a stable three-player
structure and supportive regulatory framework
- Strong fully-converged national challenger: Clear number
two operator with scaled positions across all fixed, mobile and
converged products in the market
- Best 5G coverage and next-generation fixed network:
Delivering nationwide 5G and 1 GIG coverage to support a
multi-brand strategy and converged offerings
- Multiple growth levers: Strategy focused on growing
share in B2B and B2C segments, combined with further cost
efficiencies and low capital intensity, benefiting from high
quality, well-invested infrastructure and attractive wholesale
economics
- High cash generating asset: Sunrise benefits from strong
cash generation and expects to have a more de-levered balance sheet
with a long-term fixed rate debt profile (with 5 years average
maturity, ~3% average cost of debt) enabling an attractive dividend
distribution policy going forward
- Experienced management team: Sunrise leadership have
strong telecoms track record and experience in managing a listed
company with CEO André Krause and CFO Jany Fruytier
The listing of Sunrise on the SIX Swiss Exchange is planned for
2H24. Sunrise will be listed with a long dated, low-cost capital
structure supported by up to CHF1.5B ($1.7B2) of debt reduction.
The debt reduction is expected to be accomplished through Sunrise’s
expected FCF generation, debt optimization and Liberty Global
corporate liquidity including non-core asset disposals at Liberty
Global.
Following a strong Q423 performance at Sunrise with a return to
both revenue and adjusted EBITDA growth, we are communicating the
following Sunrise financial guidance for 20243: stable revenue,
stable to low-single digit adjusted EBITDA growth on a rebased
basis4, P&E additions as a percentage of sales of 16-18%
including costs to capture, and adjusted FCF5 range of CHF360-400m,
prior to any de-leveraging benefit.
The proposed spin-off is expected to be tax-free for Liberty
Global US shareholders with evaluation of tax treatment in other
jurisdictions ongoing and is subject to market conditions, board
approval of the final terms of the spin-off, Liberty Global
shareholder approval and other customary conditions.
Following the Sunrise spin-off, Liberty Global will retain its
consolidated interests in Telenet, Virgin Media Ireland, and its
joint venture stakes in Virgin Media-O2 and VodafoneZiggo in
addition to its Ventures portfolio and significant remaining cash
balance.
Liberty Global believes the spin-off will deliver significant
benefits for both Liberty Global and Sunrise shareholders,
including through:
- Optimized capital structures to pursue their distinct strategic
agendas for long-term value creation
- Distinct and compelling investment profiles appealing to
broader, deeper investor bases including local Swiss/European
investors as well as index/passive demand for Sunrise
ABOUT LIBERTY GLOBAL
Liberty Global (NASDAQ: LBTYA, LBTYB and LBTYK) is a world
leader in converged broadband, video and mobile communications
services. We deliver next-generation products through advanced
fiber and 5G networks, and currently provide over 85 million*
connections across Europe. Our businesses operate under some of the
best-known consumer brands, including Sunrise in Switzerland,
Telenet in Belgium, Virgin Media in Ireland, UPC in Slovakia,
Virgin Media-O2 in the U.K. and VodafoneZiggo in The Netherlands.
Through our substantial scale and commitment to innovation, we are
building Tomorrow’s Connections Today, investing in the
infrastructure and platforms that empower our customers to make the
most of the digital revolution, while deploying the advanced
technologies that nations and economies need to thrive.
Liberty Global's consolidated businesses generate annual revenue
of more than $7 billion, while the VMO2 JV and the VodafoneZiggo JV
generate combined annual revenue of more than $18 billion.**
Liberty Global Ventures, our global investment arm, has a
portfolio of more than 75 companies and funds across the content,
technology and infrastructure industries, including stakes in
companies like ITV, Televisa Univision, Plume, AtlasEdge and the
Formula E racing series.
* Represents aggregate consolidated and 50% owned
non-consolidated fixed and mobile subscribers. Includes wholesale
mobile connections of the VMO2 JV and B2B fixed subscribers of the
VodafoneZiggo JV.
** Revenue figures above are provided based on full year 2023
Liberty Global consolidated results and the combined as reported
full year 2023 results for the VodafoneZiggo JV and full year 2023
U.S. GAAP results for the VMO2 JV.
Sunrise, Telenet, the VMO2 JV and the VodafoneZiggo JV deliver
mobile services as mobile network operators. Virgin Media Ireland
delivers mobile services as a mobile virtual network operator
through third-party networks. UPC Slovakia delivers mobile services
as a reseller of SIM cards.
Liberty Global Ltd. is listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market
under the symbols "LBTYA", "LBTYB" and "LBTYK".
For more information, please visit www.libertyglobal.com.
No offer to sell or solicit
This communication is not an offer to sell or a solicitation of
offers to purchase or subscribe for shares or a solicitation of any
vote or approval. This document is not a prospectus within the
meaning of the Swiss Financial Services Act and not a prospectus
under any other applicable laws. Copies of this document may not be
sent to, distributed in or sent from jurisdictions in which this is
barred or prohibited by law. The information contained herein shall
not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to
buy, in any jurisdiction in which such offer or solicitation would
be unlawful prior to registration, exemption from registration or
qualification under the securities laws of any jurisdiction and
there shall be no sale of securities in any such jurisdiction.
This announcement is only addressed to and directed at specific
addresses who: (A) if in member states of the European Economic
Area (the EEA) are people who are “qualified investors” within the
meaning of Article 2(e) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 (as amended)
(the Prospectus Regulation) (Qualified Investors); and (B) if in
the U.K., are “qualified investors” within the meaning of Article
2(e) of the UK version of the Prospectus Regulation as it forms
part of domestic law in the U.K. by virtue of the European Union
(Withdrawal) Act 2018 (the UK Prospectus Regulation) who
are: (i) persons having professional experience in matters relating
to investments who fall within the definition of “investment
professionals” in Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and
Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended (the
Order); or (ii) high net worth entities falling within
Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order; or (C) are other persons to
whom an invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity
(within the meaning of section 21 of the Financial Services and
Markets Act 2000 (as amended)) in connection with the sale of any
securities of the Company or any member of its group may otherwise
lawfully be communicated or caused to be communicated (all such
persons referred to in (B) and (C) being Relevant Persons).
This announcement must not be acted on or relied on (i) in the
U.K., by persons who are not Relevant Persons and (ii) in any
member state of the EEA by persons who are not Qualified Investors.
Any investment activity to which this announcement relates (i) in
the U.K. is available only to, any may be engaged in only with,
Relevant Persons; and (ii) in any member state of the EEA is
available only to, and may be engaged only with, Qualified
Investors.
This communication is an advertisement for the purposes of the
Prospectus Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 as it forms part of domestic
law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (as
amended) and underlying legislation. It is not a prospectus. A copy
of any prospectus published by the Company will, if approved and
published, be made available for inspection on the issuer’s website
at www.libertyglobal.com subject to certain access
restrictions.
Additional Information and Where to Find It
In connection with the spin-off of Liberty Global’s businesses
attributed to Sunrise into a separate publicly traded company (the
“Transaction”), a registration statement on Form F-4 that will
include a preliminary proxy statement (the “Proxy
Statement/Prospectus”) will be filed and mailed to the Liberty
Global shareholders. LIBERTY GLOBAL SHAREHOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ
THE DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS AS WELL AS ANY AMENDMENTS
OR SUPPLEMENTS THERETO AND ANY DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
THEREIN AND OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH THE
PROPOSED TRANSACTION THAT LIBERTY GLOBAL AND SUNRISE WILL FILE WITH
THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE
BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE
TRANSACTION. Liberty Global shareholders and investors may obtain
free copies of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus and other relevant
materials (when they become available) and other documents filed by
Liberty Global and Sunrise at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
Copies of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus (and other relevant
materials when they become available) and the filings that will be
incorporated by reference therein may also be obtained, without
charge, by contacting Liberty Global’s Investor Relations at
ir@libertyglobal.com or +1 (303) 220-6600.
Participants in the Solicitation
Liberty Global and its directors, executive officers and certain
employees, may be deemed, under rules of the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), to be participants in the
solicitation of proxies in respect of the proposed Transaction.
Information regarding Liberty Global’s directors and executive
officers is set forth in Liberty Global’s filings with the SEC.
Other information regarding the participants in the proxy
solicitation and a description of their direct and indirect
interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be contained in
the Proxy Statement/Prospectus and other relevant materials to be
filed with the SEC (when they become available). These documents
can be obtained free of charge from the sources indicated
above.
__________________________ 1 FX rate as of Feb 15 2024 2 FX rate
as of Feb 15 2024 3 Based on current reporting under US GAAP 4
Rebased growth percentages, which are non-GAAP measures, are
presented as a basis for assessing growth rates on a comparable
basis. We calculate Sunrise rebased growth percentages consistent
with the way we calculate Liberty Global rebased growth percentages
in our earnings releases 5 We define Adjusted FCF as net cash
provided by the operating activities of our continuing operations,
plus operating-related vendor financed expenses (which represents
an increase in the period to our actual cash available as a result
of extending vendor payment terms beyond normal payment terms,
which are typically 90 days or less, through non-cash financing
activities), less (i) cash payments in the period for capital
expenditures, (ii) principal payments on operating- and
capital-related amounts financed by vendors and intermediaries
(which represents a decrease in the period to our actual cash
available as a result of paying amounts to vendors and
intermediaries where we previously had extended vendor payments
beyond the normal payment terms), and (iii) principal payments on
finance leases (which represents a decrease in the period to our
actual cash available)
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240215867829/en/
Investor Relations Michael Bishop +44 20 8483 6246
Corporate Communications Bill Myers +1 303 220 6686 Matt
Beake +44 20 8483 6428
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