ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Sept. 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Catalina
Marketing Corporation (NYSE: POS) and Valassis (NYSE: VCI) today jointly
announced the sale of Catalina Marketing's direct mail division, Catalina
Marketing Direct Marketing Services, to Valassis out of cash for an
undisclosed amount. As part of the agreement, Valassis is pleased to assume
and honor all existing Catalina Marketing Direct Marketing Services customer
contracts and employees.
This transaction supports Catalina Marketing's previously announced
strategy to focus on proprietary applications delivered at the point-of-sale
and enhances Valassis' existing 1 to 1 direct mail business. Both Catalina
Marketing Direct Marketing Services and Valassis' 1 to 1 direct mail business
specialize in direct mail that is targeted based on the actual consumer
purchase behavior and lifestyle changes of consumers.
"With the sale of our Direct Marketing Services division to Valassis,
Catalina Marketing continues our focus on core business applications and
positioning the company for long-term profitable growth," said Dick Buell,
chief executive officer of Catalina Marketing. "We are pleased to have found a
partner in this transaction that values the good work and talent of our Direct
Marketing Services employees and will invest in their further success."
"Combining our expertise provides exceptional solutions and service
capabilities for our customers, and an opportunity for accelerated growth in
the area of targeted direct mail," said Alan F. Schultz, chairman, president
and chief executive officer of Valassis. "We will work with our customers and
explore opportunities to create greater value for them while maintaining the
integrity and confidentiality of their frequent shopper data. Incorporating
the best practices of each organization, including continued relationships
with high-quality vendors, will create 'best in class' direct marketing
solutions for our customers."
Gridley & Company LLC participated as Catalina Marketing's financial
advisor throughout the execution of this deal.
About Catalina Marketing Corporation
Based in St. Petersburg, Fla., Catalina Marketing Corporation
(http://www.catalinamarketing.com ) was founded 20 years ago based on the
premise that targeting communications based on actual purchase behavior would
generate more effective consumer response. Today, Catalina Marketing combines
unparalleled insight into consumer behavior with dynamic consumer access. This
combination of insight and access provides marketers with the ability to
execute behavior-based marketing programs, ensuring that the right consumer
receives the right message at exactly the right time. Catalina Marketing
offers an array of behavior-based promotional messaging, loyalty programs and
direct to patient information. Personally identifiable data that may be
collected from the company's targeted marketing programs, as well as its
research programs, are never sold or given to any outside party without the
express permission of the consumer.
Certain statements in the preceding paragraphs are forward-looking, and
actual results may differ materially. Statements not based on historic facts
involve risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, the changing
market for promotional activities, especially as it relates to policies and
programs of packaged goods and pharmaceutical manufacturers for the issuance
of certain product coupons and other promotions, the effect of economic and
competitive conditions and seasonal variations, actual promotional activities
and programs with the company's customers, the pace of installation of the
company's store network, the policies and programs of the company's retail
partners, the success of new services and businesses and the pace of their
implementation, and the company's ability to maintain favorable client
relationships.
About Valassis
Valassis offers a wide range of marketing services to consumer packaged
goods manufacturers, retailers, technology companies and other customers and
has operations in the United States, Europe, Mexico and Canada. Valassis'
Connective Media(TM) portfolio includes: newspaper advertising & inserts,
preprints, sampling, direct mail, 1 to 1 marketing programs, coupon clearing
and consulting and analytic services. Valassis has been listed as one of
Fortune magazine's "Best Companies to Work For" for seven consecutive years.
Valassis subsidiaries and investments include Valassis Canada, PreVision
Marketing(R), LLC, Coupons, Inc., Promotion Watch, Valassis Relationship
Marketing Systems, LLC and NCH Marketing Services, Inc. For additional
information, visit the company Web site at http://www.valassis.com .
Certain statements found in this document constitute "forward-looking
statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act
of 1995. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and
uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results,
performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any
future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such
forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, the following:
price competition from the Company's existing competitors; new competitors in
any of the Company's businesses; a shift in customer preference for different
promotional materials, strategies or coupon delivery methods; an unforeseen
increase in the Company's paper costs; economic disruptions caused by
terrorist activity, armed conflict or changes in general economic conditions;
or changes which affect the businesses of our customers and lead to reduced
sales promotion spending. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to
update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise.
Catalina Marketing Contacts:
INVESTOR CONTACTS:
Christopher W. Wolf
Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
Catalina Marketing Corporation
(727) 579-5218
Joanne Freiberger
Vice President, Finance
Catalina Marketing Corporation
(727) 579-5116
MEDIA CONTACT:
Susan Gear
Executive Director, Corporate Marketing
Catalina Marketing Corporation
(727) 579-5452
Valassis Contact:
INVESTOR CONTACT:
Sherry Lauderback
Director of Investor Relations and Communications
Valassis
(734) 591-7374
lauderbacks@valassis.com
MEDIA CONTACT:
Tamara Oliverio
Public Relations
Valassis
(734) 591-4955
oliveriot@valassis.com
SOURCE Catalina Marketing Corporation; Valassis
 back to top
Related links:
http://www.catalinamarketing.com
http://www.valassis.com
CONTACT:
Investors, Christopher W. Wolf, Executive
Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, +1-727-579-5218, or
Joanne Freiberger, Vice President, Finance, +1-727-579-5116, both
of Catalina Marketing Corporation; or Sherry Lauderback, Director
of Investor Relations and Communications, +1-734-591-7374, or
lauderbacks@valassis.com , of Valassis; or media, Susan Gear,
Executive Director, Corporate Marketing, Catalina Marketing
Corporation, +1-727-579-5452; or Tamara Oliverio, Public
Relations, Valassis, +1-734-591-4955, or oliveriot@valassis.com
|
