| XO
Launches a Tender Offer for 'Any and All' of Global
Crossing's Bank Debt [24th June 2003]
RESTON,
Va., Jun 24, 2003 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- XO Communications,
Inc. ("XO") today announced that it has launched
an "any and all" tender offer for the $2,250,000
billion of Senior Secured Global Crossing LTD ("Global
Crossing") Bank Debt and has sent definitive tender
documents to the Administrative Agent and its counsel
for distribution to the Bank Debt holders.
The
tender offer is priced at $220 per $1,000 of Bank Debt,
or $495 million in the aggregate. XO's tender offer
is not subject to due diligence or financing. The only
condition to XO's tender offer is that the Administrative
Agent for the Senior Secured Lenders does not withdraw
or amend their objection by July 7, 2003. XO will close
the tender offer regardless of the US Bankruptcy Court's
ruling on the Administrative Agent's objection. Prior
to the expiration of the tender offer on June 27, 2003,
XO will have a minimum of $250 million in escrow at
a money center bank to guarantee payment for properly
tendered Bank Debt. If additional capital is required
to close the tender, XO will place such additional capital
into escrow on June 30, 2003.
The
Administrative Agent has objected to (i) the amendment
(including the extension) of the Purchase Agreement
between Singapore Technologies Telemedia PTE and Global
Crossing, (ii) the granting of certain releases to Hutchinson
Telecommunications and (iii) the extension of the exclusive
periods during which Debtors may file a Chapter 11 Plan
and solicit acceptances thereof.
Specifically,
the Administrative Agent highlighted the following items
in its objection: (i) the $600 million of cash losses
Global Crossing has incurred since filing for Bankruptcy
on January 28, 2002, (ii) the $50 million cash bonuses
Global Crossing paid to management and certain employees
in 2003, (iii) the inability to make progress with the
Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States
(CFIUS) approval process, (iv) that according to the
Company's statements to its Creditors, the Debtor will
run out of available unrestricted cash by the third
quarter of 2003 unless they obtain a $75 million DIP
facility and (v) the interest expressed by XO and other
US based telecom companies in acquiring Global Crossing
without financing or CFIUS contingencies.
"We
have continued to increase our purchase offer, which
is highly unusual in light of the fact that the Debtor
has refused to exercise its fiduciary duty to negotiate
a higher and better offer for the estate," stated
Brian Oliver, XO's Executive Vice President of Strategy
and Corporate Development. Mr. Oliver further stated,
"Even if and when the STT transaction is finally
approved, Bank Debt holders will ultimately receive
approximately 23 cents in cash and other securities
as opposed to the certainty of 22 cents cash today.
In light of the timing and uncertainties inherent in
the STT transaction, XO's offer is far superior."
About
XO Communications
XO
Communications is a leading broadband communications
service provider offering a complete set of communications
services, including: local and long distance voice,
Internet access, Virtual Private Networking (VPN), Ethernet,
Wavelength, Web Hosting and Integrated voice and data
services.
XO
has assembled an unrivaled set of facilities-based broadband
networks and Tier One Internet peering relationships
in the United States. XO currently offers facilities-based
broadband communications services in more than 60 markets
throughout the United States.
The
statements contained in this release that are not historical
facts are "forward-looking statements" (as
such term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995). These statements include those
describing the expected future operations and results
of operations of XO, and XO's estimate of the length
of time that its cash and marketable securities will
fund its operations. Management wishes to caution the
reader that these forward-looking statements are only
predictions and are subject to risks and uncertainties
and actual results may differ materially from those
indicated in the forward-looking statements as a result
of a number of factors. These factors include, but are
not limited to, those risks and uncertainties described
from time to time in the reports filed by XO Communications
with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including
its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December
31, 2002 and in its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for
the quarter ended March 31, 2003.
XO,
XO Not Just Talk and the XO design logo are trademarks
of XO Communications, Inc.
SOURCE
XO Communications, Inc.
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