WHEELING, W.Va., Oct. 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Wheeling-Pittsburgh
Corporation (Nasdaq: WPSC) ("Wheeling-Pittsburgh") and Esmark Incorporated
("Esmark") today announced that they have entered into an amendment to
their March 16, 2007 definitive merger agreement to adjust the timing of
the put and purchase rights to be granted to Wheeling-Pittsburgh
stockholders in connection with the combination. The agreement, as amended,
now provides that each Wheeling-Pittsburgh stockholder as of the election
deadline (which will be at least 5 business days before the special meeting
of Wheeling-Pittsburgh stockholders to vote on the combination) will have
the option to elect to receive one of the following for their shares of
Wheeling-Pittsburgh common stock: (1) the right to elect to receive $20.00
per share in cash; (2) a share for share exchange in the parent company of
Wheeling-Pittsburgh and Esmark after the combination ("New Esmark") plus a
right to purchase newly issued shares of New Esmark common stock at $19.00
per share; or (3) a share for share exchange for New Esmark common stock.
The "purchase rights" and "put rights" are now structured so that all
owners of record as of the election date can make the elections of such
rights. Further, the election of these rights now occurs prior to the date
of the special meeting of the Wheeling-Pittsburgh stockholders rather than
on the date of the meeting, and the exercise of these rights occurs prior
to the date of the meeting rather than for a period of 10 days after the
effective date of the combination. The purchase rights and put rights
remain subject to the same caps as previously announced.
The agreement was amended after discussions with the SEC staff, to
address concerns that the put rights may, in the staff's view, technically
constitute a tender offer under applicable SEC rules if they were
exercisable after the closing of the combination. The date of the special
meeting will be announced once the registration statement relating to the
proposed combination is declared effective by the SEC.
The proposed combination remains subject to stockholder approval of
both Wheeling-Pittsburgh and Esmark, certain regulatory approvals and other
customary conditions and is expected to close in the fourth quarter of
calendar 2007.
In addition, pending final closing of third-quarter financial results,
Wheeling-Pittsburgh anticipates a loss for the third quarter consistent
with those reported in prior quarters of 2007.
In connection with the proposed business combination of Wheeling-
Pittsburgh and Esmark, New Esmark has filed with the SEC a registration
statement on Form S-4 and related preliminary proxy statement with the SEC.
Stockholders of Wheeling-Pittsburgh and Esmark are urged to read the
registration statement, proxy statement/prospectus and any other relevant
documents, including the definitive proxy statement/prospectus, filed with
the SEC when they become available, as well as any amendments or
supplements to those documents, because they will contain important
information, including information on the proposed transaction as well as
participants and their interests in Wheeling-Pittsburgh, Esmark and New
Esmark. Stockholders will be able to obtain a free copy of the registration
statement and related proxy statement/prospectus, as well as other filings
containing information about Wheeling-Pittsburgh and Esmark, at the SEC's
website at http://www.sec.gov. New Esmark, Wheeling-Pittsburgh, Esmark and
their respective directors and executive officers may be deemed
participants in the solicitation of proxies from the stockholders of
Wheeling-Pittsburgh in connection with the proposed business combination
transaction. Information regarding the participants in the proxy
solicitation and their respective interests may be obtained by reading the
registration statement and related preliminary proxy statement. This
document shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an
offer to buy any securities, 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.
Forward-Looking Statements Cautionary Notice
This press release contains forward-looking statements, as defined in
the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, relating to the
proposed business combination of Esmark and Wheeling-Pittsburgh. These
forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and
assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause
actual results to differ materially. These risks and uncertainties include,
among others, factors relating to: (1) the risk that the businesses of
Esmark and Wheeling- Pittsburgh will not be integrated successfully or such
integration may be more difficult, time-consuming or costly than expected;
(2) the ability of New Esmark, Esmark and Wheeling-Pittsburgh to realize
the expected benefits from the proposed combination, including expected
operating efficiencies, synergies, cost savings and increased productivity,
and the timing of realization of any such expected benefits; (3) lower than
expected operating results for Wheeling-Pittsburgh or for New Esmark; (4)
the risk of unexpected consequences resulting from the combination; and (5)
certain other risks identified in the proxy statement /prospectus filed by
New Esmark and "Item 1A -Risk Factors" section of Wheeling-Pittsburgh's
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006 and other
reports and filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In
addition, any forward-looking statements represent Wheeling-Pittsburgh's
views only as of today and should not be relied upon as representing its
views as of any subsequent dates. While Wheeling-Pittsburgh may elect to
update forward-looking statements from time to time, it specifically
disclaims any obligation to do so.
About Wheeling-Pittsburgh
Wheeling-Pittsburgh is a steel company engaged in the making,
processing and fabrication of steel and steel products using both
integrated and electric arc furnace technology. The Company manufactures
and sells hot rolled, cold rolled, galvanized, pre-painted and tin mill
sheet products. The Company also produces a variety of steel products
including roll formed corrugated roofing, roof deck, floor deck, bridgeform
and other products used primarily by the construction, highway and
agricultural markets.
About Esmark Incorporated
Headquartered in Chicago and founded by the Bouchard Group, Esmark
Incorporated is a steel services family of companies. The mission of Esmark
is to establish the benchmark standards for strategic consolidation,
operating efficiency and management excellence in the steel services
sector. More information about Esmark can be found at http://www.esmark.com.
SOURCE Wheeling-Pittsburgh Corporation
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Related links:
http://www.wpsc.com
http://www.esmark.com
http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/967451.html /
CONTACT:
Bill Keegan, Edelman, for Esmark,
+1-312-240-2624, +1-312-927-8424, bill.keegan@edelman.com, or
Dennis Halpin for Wheeling- Pittsburgh Corporation,
+1-304-234-2421, halpindp@wpsc.com
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