DENVER, Aug. 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- First Data Corp. (NYSE: FDC)
today announced that it has established a record date for a special
shareholder meeting to consider and vote upon the proposed merger between
Concord EFS (NYSE: CE) and First Data.
First Data shareholders of record at the close of business on September 8,
2003 will be eligible to vote on the proposal and to attend the special
meetings of shareholders.
First Data will send a definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus to
shareholders of record. The proxy will contain important information about
the proposed merger. Shareholders are urged to read the joint proxy
statement/prospectus when it becomes available. The joint proxy
statement/prospectus also will include the date, time and location of the
special meeting.
First Data remains committed to working cooperatively with the antitrust
division of the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) to provide materials
following the DoJ's request for additional information.
First Data currently expects to certify as to substantial compliance with
the DoJ's request for additional information no later than early September.
The company expects the transaction to close in the second half of 2003.
About First Data
First Data Corp. (NYSE: FDC), with global headquarters in Denver, helps
power the global economy. As a leader in electronic commerce and payment
services, First Data serves approximately 3 million merchant locations, 1,400
card issuers and millions of consumers, making it easy, fast and secure for
people and businesses to buy goods and services using virtually any form of
payment. With 29,000 employees worldwide, the company provides credit, debit,
smart card and stored-value card issuing and merchant transaction processing
services; Internet commerce solutions; money transfer services; money orders;
and check processing and verification services throughout the United States.
First Data also offers a variety of payment services in the United Kingdom,
Australia, Canada, Japan, Mexico, Spain, the Netherlands, the Middle East and
Germany. Its Western Union and Orlandi Valuta money transfer networks include
a total of approximately 165,000 Agent locations in more than 195 countries
and territories.
This communication is not a solicitation of a proxy from any security
holder of First Data Corporation or Concord EFS, Inc. First Data has filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) a preliminary joint proxy
statement/prospectus concerning the planned merger of Concord with a
subsidiary of First Data. This document is not yet final and will be amended.
WE URGE INVESTORS TO READ THE DEFINITIVE VERSION OF THE JOINT PROXY
STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS TO BE FILED WITH THE
SEC, BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Investors will be able
to obtain the documents free of charge at the SEC's website, http://www.sec.gov . In
addition, documents filed with the SEC by First Data will be available free of
charge from First Data Investor Relations, 6200 S. Quebec St., Suite 340,
Greenwood Village, CO 80111. Documents filed with the SEC by Concord will be
available free of charge from Concord Investor Relations, 2525 Horizon Lake
Drive, Suite 120, Memphis, TN 38133.
First Data and its directors and executive officers and other members of
its management and employees, may be deemed to be participants in the
solicitation of proxies from the stockholders of First Data in connection with
the planned merger. Information about the directors and executive officers of
First Data and their ownership of First Data stock is set forth in the proxy
statement for First Data's 2003 annual meeting of stockholders. Investors may
obtain additional information regarding the interests of the participants by
reading the preliminary joint proxy statement/prospectus and by reading the
definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus when it becomes available.
Notice to Investors, Prospective Investors and the Investment Community
Cautionary Information Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Statements in this communication regarding the proposed merger of First
Data Corporation and Concord EFS, Inc., which are not historical facts,
including expectations of when the transaction may close, are "forward-looking
statements." All forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain as they
are based on various expectations and assumptions concerning future events and
they are subject to numerous known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which
could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those
projected. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these
forward-looking statements and any such forward-looking statements are
qualified in their entirety by reference to the following cautionary
statements.
Important factors upon which the forward-looking statements presented in
this communication are premised include: (a) receipt of regulatory and
shareholder approvals without unexpected delays or conditions; (b) no
unanticipated developments relating to previously disclosed lawsuits or
similar matters; and (c) no catastrophic events that materially impact First
Data's or Concord's operating facilities, communication systems and
technology. First Data does not undertake any obligation to publicly update
or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect changed assumptions, the
occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events, or changes to future
results over time.
FDC-1
SOURCE First Data Corp.
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Related links:
http://www.firstdata.com
CONTACT:
Investor Relations, David Banks,
+1-303-967-8057, or Media Relations, Staci Busby,
+1-303-967-7188, both of First Data
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