LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Alltel today announced that it will spin off its wireline business and merge it with VALOR Communications Group Inc. in a transaction valued at about $9.1 billion, based on VALOR's closing stock price as of Dec. 8. The combination creates a major wireline competitor focused on the rural U.S. The transaction will be a tax-free separation of Alltel's wireline business and will reposition the remaining Alltel as a pure-play wireless service provider with roughly 11 million customers in 34 states.
The spin-off and merger with VALOR will create a new wireline company located in Central Arkansas, with Alltel shareholders owning 85 percent of the combined entity. VALOR Communications, based in Irving, Texas, will issue approximately 400 million shares of stock to the shareholders of Alltel in exchange for the Alltel wireline business. Current Alltel shareholders will continue to own 1 share of the remaining wireless entity and will receive 1.05 shares of VALOR stock for each share of Alltel they currently own.
In addition, VALOR Communications will assume approximately $4.2 billion in additional debt. The $9.1 billion transaction will be tax-free to Alltel, VALOR and each company's shareholders. With $5.4 billion in total net debt, the new merged company will be levered at approximately 3.2 times net debt to operating income before depreciation and amortization, substantially lower than VALOR's current leverage ratio of approximately 4 times debt to operating income before depreciation and amortization.
Alltel's and VALOR's wireline businesses have complementary geographic footprints with favorable rural characteristics, and their integration will benefit from Alltel's existing billing system outsourcing relationship with VALOR.
"This transaction creates new growth opportunities for both the wireless and wireline businesses as separate entities," said Scott Ford, Alltel president and chief executive officer. "Each business will have sufficient scale to compete on its own and will be appropriately capitalized to take advantage of strategic, operational and financial opportunities."
Management teams drawn from Alltel will lead the wireless and wireline businesses. "Both businesses will gain skilled management teams with a great breadth of experience in the communications industry, with the wireline business adding senior leadership from VALOR's current team," Ford said.
Francis X. "Skip" Frantz, currently executive vice president and secretary of Alltel who has been with Alltel for more than 15 years, will become chairman of the board of the combined wireline company. Jeffery Gardner, currently executive vice president and chief financial officer of Alltel, will become president and chief executive officer of the new company. He has been with Alltel since 1998 and has been in the industry since 1986.
"VALOR is a very good fit with the Alltel wireline business and the combined companies will add value for our shareholders and provide quality service for our customers," Gardner said. "I look forward to working with my colleagues at VALOR to run our new company."
Following are the highlights for the combined wireline business:
- Revenues and operating income before depreciation and amortization (pre-synergy) for the last 12 months ending Sept. 30, 2005, were $3.4 billion and $1.7 billion, respectively. The company will have about 3.4 million customers in 16 states.
- The company expects to gain $40 million in net annual synergies from the combination.
- The company expects to pay an annual dividend of $1 per share of common stock, which equals $1.05 per equivalent Alltel share.
- The combined company will have net debt of about $5.4 billion.
- Alltel's wireline business will keep the majority of communications support services, including publishing, IT outsourcing services, retail long distance and the wireline sales portion of communications products.
The wireline business will have nine total board members, including Frantz and Gardner, each serving a staggered three-year term. Dennis Foster, currently a member of Alltel's board, will join the board of the new wireline company as lead director. Alltel will name five other directors, and one director will be named by VALOR Communications. The company initially will locate its headquarters in facilities currently owned by Alltel and will seek a permanent location.
The wireline leadership team also will include:
John Koch, currently president of Alltel's wireline operations, will become chief operating officer. Koch has been with Alltel since 1998 and has been in the communications business since 1991.
Brent Whittington, currently senior vice president of operations support for Alltel, will become executive vice president and chief financial officer. Whittington joined Alltel in 2002 as vice president for finance and accounting.
Rob Clancy, currently vice president of investor relations for Alltel, will become senior vice president, treasurer and will lead investor relations efforts. Clancy joined Alltel in 1998 and has been in the communications industry since 1987.
The transaction is expected to close by mid-2006 and requires approval from VALOR shareholders, federal and state regulators and a letter ruling from the Internal Revenue Service approving the tax-free status.
The separation of the wireless and wireline businesses is part of Alltel's strategic push to grow its domestic wireless business. During the year, Alltel has purchased Western Wireless, certain assets of Cingular and Public Service Cellular. The company also has agreed to acquire Midwest Wireless.
Here are the highlights for the wireless business:
- Alltel will remain the nation's fifth-largest wireless carrier with about 11 million customers in 34 states. Revenue and operating income before depreciation and amortization for the last 12 months ending Sept. 30, 2005, were $7.5 billion and $2.6 billion, respectively, pro forma to include Western Wireless and Midwest Wireless.
- Alltel will own and operate the nation's largest wireless network covering a population of 75 million with its 850 MHz business. Alltel also will remain the largest independent roaming partner to the top four wireless carriers.
- Alltel expects to receive cash proceeds and debt reduction totaling about $4.2 billion resulting from the spin-off.
- Alltel plans an open market $3 billion share repurchase program for the two years following the spin-off. The company also plans to implement a $1 billion debt-reduction program.
- The wireless business expects to pay an annual dividend of 50 cents per share of common stock.
- After the spin-off, Alltel will have net debt of about $1.2 billion and be levered at about 0.5 times net debt to operating income before depreciation and amortization, prior to the planned repurchase program.
In the wireless business, Ford will continue in his current role as will Kevin Beebe, group president of operations; Jeff Fox, group president of shared services; and John Ebner, treasurer.
Sharilyn Gasaway, currently controller for Alltel, will become executive vice president and chief financial officer. Gasaway has been with Alltel since 1999 and has served in various management roles in accounting and finance.
Tony Thomas, currently vice president of wireless wholesale operations, will become vice president of investor relations.
Additionally, Alltel today announced it has signed an agreement to sell the Haitian and Bolivian wireless operations it acquired from Western Wireless earlier this year for an undisclosed cash price. The transaction, subject to regulatory and other approvals, is expected to close by mid-2006.
J.P. Morgan Securities Inc., Merrill Lynch & Co. and Stephens Inc. acted as financial advisers to Alltel. Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP served as counsel to Alltel.