Buenos
Aires, Argentina, 30 de septiembre de 2016 – Avast Software, creador líder en
productos digitales de seguridad para empresas y consumidores, anunció hoy que
ha adquirido una participación accionista mayoritaria en AVG Technologies
después de finalizar del período de oferta pública inicial, previamente
anunciada para todas las acciones ordinarias de AVG Technologies N. V. (NYSE:
AVG). Por lo tanto, a partir del lunes 3 de octubre de 2016, funcionarán como
una sola empresa.
Vince
Steckler, nombrado Chief Executive Officer de la nueva Avast, supervisa más de
$700 millones en ingresos para el 2016 de la nueva entidad combinada
recientemente. Avast se ha transformado
en una empresa de seguridad de servicio completo, con la mayor base de consumidores en el mundo
y con importantes negocios de Mobile para empresas y PyMEs. Luego de la
finalización de la oferta pública, Gary Kovacs, CEO de AVG, salió oficialmente
de la empresa pero estará disponible para consultoría durante la transición.
"La
empresa combinada supera los 400 millones de usuarios, más del 40% de los usuarios
de PCs fuera de China y cuenta con la mayor base instalada de los consumidores de
seguridad en el mundo. Si fuéramos un país, tendríamos la tercera población más
grande en el mundo", dijo Vince Steckler, Chief Executive Officer de Avast.
"Estados Unidos es ahora nuestro principal mercado con 58 millones de
usuarios. Tenemos un alcance realmente global y estamos orgullosos de ser la alternativa
de seguridad más popular en el mundo".
"Ahora
tenemos la amplitud técnica para proveer una protección superior a nuestros
clientes. Por ejemplo, nuestros laboratorios de amenazas tendrán equipos
dedicados a las amenazas emergentes que afecten a los consumidores. Éstas
incluyen amenazas de ingeniería social, las que son comúnmente para atacar dispositivos
conectados al Internet de las Cosas (IoT) y para ransomware, que combatimos con
en las cuales estamos combatiendo con tecnología de aprendizaje automático”.
Con la
adquisición de AVG, el nuevo Avast tiene una mayor protección para sus
clientes. Avast ahora:
- Tiene la
mayor red de detección de amenazas en el mundo, con más de 400 millones de
puntos finales que actúan como sensores, proporcionan información sobre malware
para ayudar a detectar y neutralizar las nuevas amenazas tan pronto como aparecen.
- Tiene lo
que es probablemente la mayor red de seguridad del mundo enfocada en la nube y
aprendizaje automático, que comprende más de 9.000 servidores y 50 millones de
conexiones simultáneas, para proporcionar protección instantánea a sus
usuarios.
- Previene
alrededor de mil millones de ataques de malware por mes.
- Bloquea más
de 500 millones de URLs maliciosas por mes.
- Bloquea
alrededor de 50 millones de ataques de phishing por mes.
- Procesa 9
millones de nuevos archivos ejecutables cada mes, el 25% de los cuales son
maliciosos, dando a Avast insights más rápidos y profundos en el panorama de
las amenazas.
Con la
adquisición, Avast amplía su negocio a las PyMEs y agrega una fuerte base de
revendedores de AVG, permitiendo a Avast brindar soporte a organizaciones más
grandes. Avast también obtiene la empresa Location Labs y sus operaciones, en
las cuales Avast planea invertir para expandir en el extranjero. Debido a la infraestructura
cerrada de los sistemas operativos móviles, la seguridad móvil y la tecnología
de protección de privacidad son más fuertes cuando están incrustadas en la
infraestructura del operador. La tecnología de Location Labs proporciona
esencialmente una solución basada en la nube a los clientes, sin pasar por las
ineficiencias e inseguridades del funcionamiento dentro de un sistema operativo
móvil.
Avast planea
crear más y mejores productos para defender a los usuarios del creciente número
de amenazas en el mercado. La compañía seguirá ofreciendo los productos de AVG
y Avast en el futuro cercano, y ofrecerá soporte a todos los clientes y socios de
ambas líneas de productos.
"Queremos
que nuestros clientes tengan la tranquilidad de que, sea que usen un producto
de AVG o de Avast, seguirán recibiendo soporte. No somos nada sin nuestros
clientes y socios que nos han traído hasta donde estamos hoy", dijo Vince
Steckler.
Como
resultado de la adquisición, Avast retiene aproximadamente 87,3% de las
acciones de AVG adquiridas luego del cierre del período de oferta inicial.
Avast también anunció que ha iniciado un período de oferta subsiguiente para
los accionistas de AVG que todavía no han aportado sus acciones, para que
tengan la oportunidad de hacerlo. Está previsto que el período de la oferta subsiguiente
se expire a las 23:59 horas de Nueva York, del 14 de octubre de 2016. Como se
describe abajo, Avast planea dejar de cotizar voluntariamente las acciones de
AVG´s de la Bolsa de Valores de Nueva York inmediatamente después del período
de oferta subsiguiente.
The
Transaction
On July 29,
2016, Avast Software B.V. and its parent company, Avast Holding B.V., commenced
a tender offer to acquire all of the outstanding ordinary shares of AVG
Technologies N.V. at a purchase price of $25.00 per share in cash, without
interest and less applicable withholding taxes or other taxes. The initial offering period for the tender
offer and withdrawal rights expired at 11:59 p.m., New York City time, on
September 29, 2016. Based on information provided by the depositary for the
offer, a total of 44,543,555 shares, representing approximately 87.3% of the
aggregate number of shares outstanding, had been validly tendered and had not
been properly withdrawn as of the initial expiration of the offer (excluding
2,809,498 shares, representing approximately 5.5% of the aggregate number of
shares outstanding, tendered pursuant to guaranteed delivery procedures that
have not yet been delivered in settlement or satisfaction of such
guarantee). Avast Software B.V. and
Avast Holding B.V. have accepted for payment all shares that were validly
tendered and were not properly withdrawn from the offer, and payment for such
shares will be made promptly in accordance with the terms of the offer.
Avast
Software B.V. and Avast Holding B.V. also announced today the commencement of a
subsequent offering period scheduled to expire at 11:59 p.m., New York City
time, on October 14, 2016. Avast may extend the subsequent offering period to
provide for a minority exit offering period of up to 10 business days to
provide AVG shareholders who have not yet tendered their shares the opportunity
to do so. All shares validly tendered during the subsequent offering period
will be immediately accepted for payment, and tendering holders will thereafter
promptly be paid the same form and amount of offer consideration as in the
initial offering period. The procedures
for tendering shares during the subsequent offering period are the same as
those applicable to the initial offering period, except that (i) the guaranteed
delivery procedures may not be used during the subsequent offering period and
(ii) no withdrawal rights will apply to shares tendered during the subsequent
offering period.
As more
fully described in the offer to purchase, if the number of shares purchased
during the subsequent offering period (including, if applicable, the minority
exit offering period), together with the shares purchased during the initial
offering period, is equal to at least 95% of the outstanding ordinary shares of
AVG, Avast expects to acquire the ordinary shares of AVG that were not tendered
into the tender offer through the compulsory share acquisition process under
Section 2:92a/2:201a of the Dutch Civil Code.
If the number of shares purchased during the subsequent offering period
(including, if applicable, the minority exit offering period), together with
the shares purchased during the initial offering period, is less than 95% of
the outstanding ordinary shares of AVG, Avast plans to effect an asset sale
pursuant to which Avast will acquire substantially all of the assets, and
assume substantially all of the liabilities, of AVG promptly following the
tender offer. Following the completion
of the asset sale, AVG will be liquidated and the remaining minority shareholders
of AVG will receive cash distributions with respect to each ordinary share
owned by them equal to the per share cash consideration paid in the tender
offer less any applicable dividend withholding tax or any other taxes.
As soon as
practicable following the completion of the subsequent offering period
(including, if applicable, the minority exit offering period), AVG intends to
voluntarily delist its shares from the New York Stock Exchange. AVG also intends to deregister its shares
under the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (as amended, the “Exchange Act”)
and to suspend its reporting obligations under the Exchange Act, but will only
be eligible to do so upon satisfaction
of the applicable requirements for deregistration.
AVG has
submitted written notice to the New York Stock Exchange of its intent to
voluntarily delist its shares from the New York Stock Exchange in connection
with the tender offer. AVG intends to file a Form 25, Notification of Removal
from Listing and/or Registration under Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act, with
the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to delist its shares promptly
following the subsequent offering period. Delisting from the NYSE is expected
to become effective 10 days after the filing date of the Form 25.
The AVG
shares will not be listed or registered on another national securities
exchange. Delisting is likely to reduce
significantly the liquidity and marketability of any AVG shares that have not
been tendered pursuant to the tender offer.
Advisors
Jefferies International Limited is acting as
exclusive financial advisor, and White & Case LLP and De Brauw Blackstone
Westbroek N.V. are acting as legal advisors to Avast. Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC is acting as financial advisor to AVG,
Bridge Street Securities, LLC is acting as financial advisor to the supervisory
board of AVG, and Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP and Allen & Overy
LLP are acting as legal advisors to AVG.
About Avast
Avast
Software (www.avast.com), the global leader in digital security products for
consumers and businesses, protects over 400 million people online. Avast offers
products under the Avast and AVG brands, that protect people from threats on
the internet with one of the most advanced threat detection networks in the
world. Avast digital security products for Mobile, PC or Mac are top-ranked and
certified by VB100, AV-Comparatives, AV-Test, OPSWAT, ICSA Labs, West Coast
Labs and others. Avast is backed by leading global private equity firms CVC
Capital Partners and Summit Partners.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking
information that involves substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause
actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such
statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact are, or may
be deemed to be, forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal
securities laws, and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. In some
cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of
forward-looking terms such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “believe,” “continue,”
“could,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “should,” “will,”
“expect,” “are confident that,” “objective,” “projection,” “forecast,” “goal,” “guidance,”
“outlook,” “effort,” “target,” “would” or the negative of these terms or other
comparable terms. There are a number of important factors that could cause
actual events to differ materially from those suggested or indicated by such
forward-looking statements and you should not place undue reliance on any such
forward-looking statements. These factors include risks and uncertainties
related to, among other things: general economic conditions and conditions
affecting the industries in which Avast and AVG operate; the uncertainty of
regulatory approvals; AVG’s delisting from the New York Stock Exchange and
suspension of AVG‘s reporting obligations under the Exchange Act and to
consummate the transactions and their plans described in this press release;
and AVG’s performance and maintenance of important business relationships.
Additional information regarding the factors that may cause actual results to
differ materially from these forward-looking statements is available in AVG’s
filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including AVG’s
Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2015. These
forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this release and
neither Avast nor AVG assumes any obligation to update or revise any
forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future
events and developments or otherwise, except as required by law.
Additional
Information and Where to Find It
This
press release does not constitute an offer to purchase or a solicitation of an
offer to sell any securities of AVG. The
solicitation and offer to purchase ordinary shares of AVG is being made
pursuant to a tender offer statement on Schedule TO, including an Offer to
Purchase, a related letter of transmittal and certain other tender offer
documents, filed by Avast with the SEC on July 29, 2016 (as subsequently
amended, the “Tender Offer Statement”).
AVG filed a solicitation/recommendation statement on Schedule 14D-9 with
respect to the tender offer with the SEC on July 29, 2016 (as subsequently
amended, the “Solicitation/Recommendation Statement”). AVG shareholders are urged to read the Tender
Offer Statement and Solicitation/Recommendation Statement, as they may be
amended from time to time, as well as any other relevant documents filed with
the SEC, carefully and in their entirety because they will contain important
information that AVG shareholders should consider before making any decision
regarding tendering their securities. The Tender Offer Statement and the
Solicitation/Recommendation Statement are available for free at the SEC’s
website at www.sec.gov. Copies of the documents filed with the SEC by AVG will
be available free of charge on AVG’s website at investors.avg.com.
