Leaf Group Ltd. (NYSE: LEAF) (“Leaf Group” or the “Company”), a
diversified consumer internet company, today announced that
Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. (“ISS”) has recommended
shareholders vote to approve its merger agreement with Graham
Holdings Company (NYSE: GHC) (“Graham Holdings”).
Deborah A. Benton, Leaf Group’s Chair of the Board,
commented:“Leaf Group is pleased that ISS has recognized the
significant immediate and certain value this transaction offers our
shareholders. Their analysis supports the Board of Directors’
conclusion that this merger agreement is a categorically better
outcome for Leaf Group’s shareholders than the potential value that
might be generated through continued standalone operation. The
Board continues to unanimously recommend that the company’s
shareholders vote to approve the merger agreement.”
In addition, ISS recommended in its report that
shareholders approve both of Leaf Group’s related
proposals, including the non-binding advisory proposal to
approve the compensation of the company’s executive officers in
connection with the merger with Graham Holdings and the adjournment
of Leaf Group’s special meeting of shareholders in the event there
are insufficient votes to approve the merger at the time of the
special meeting.
The Leaf Group Board reminds its shareholders that their
vote is essential and EVERY vote counts. The Board strongly
recommends that Leaf Group shareholders vote to approve the merger
agreement and all related proposals by following the instructions
on their proxy card.
REMEMBER: |
You can vote your shares by telephone, or
via the Internet. |
Please follow the easy instructions on your proxy
card. |
|
If you have any questions, or need assistance in voting |
your shares, please call our proxy solicitor, |
|
INNISFREE M&A INCORPORATED |
TOLL-FREE, at 1-877-717-3922. |
About Leaf Group
Leaf Group Ltd. (NYSE: LEAF) is a diversified consumer internet
company that builds enduring, creator-driven brands that reach
passionate audiences in large and growing lifestyle categories,
including fitness and wellness
(Well+Good, Livestrong.com and MyPlate App), and home,
art and design (Saatchi Art, Society6 and Hunker). For more
information about Leaf Group, visit www.leafgroup.com.
About Graham Holdings Company
Graham Holdings Company (NYSE: GHC) is a diversified education
and media company whose operations include educational services;
television broadcasting; online, podcast, print and local TV news
and other content; social-media advertising services;
manufacturing; automotive dealerships; restaurants and
entertainment venues; custom framing; and home health and hospice
care. Graham Holdings’ Kaplan, Inc. subsidiary provides a wide
variety of educational services, both domestically and outside the
United States. Graham Holdings’ media operations comprise the
ownership and operation of television broadcasting (through the
ownership and operation of seven television broadcast stations)
plus Slate and Foreign Policy magazines; and Pinna, an ad-free
audio streaming service for children. Graham Holdings’ home health
and hospice operations provide home health, hospice and palliative
services. Graham Holdings’ manufacturing companies comprise the
ownership of a supplier of pressure treated wood, an electrical
solutions company, a manufacturer of lifting solutions, and a
supplier of certain parts used in electric utilities and industrial
systems. Graham Holdings also owns automotive dealerships,
restaurants, a custom framing service company, a cybersecurity
training company, a marketing solutions provider, and a customer
data and analytics software company.
Additional Information and Where to Find It
This communication relates to the proposed merger (the “Merger”)
involving the Company pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger,
dated as of April 3, 2021, by and among the Company, Graham
Holdings and Pacifica Merger Sub, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary
of Graham Holdings (the “Merger Agreement”) and may be deemed to be
solicitation material in respect of the proposed Merger. In
connection with the proposed Merger, the Company filed relevant
materials with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the
“SEC”), including a proxy statement on Schedule 14A (the “Proxy
Statement”). The Proxy Statement was filed with the SEC and was
first mailed to stockholders of the Company on May 6, 2021. This
communication is not a substitute for the Proxy Statement or for
any other document that the Company may file with the SEC or send
to the Company’s stockholders in connection with the proposed
Merger. BEFORE MAKING ANY VOTING DECISION, STOCKHOLDERS OF THE
COMPANY ARE URGED TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT AND OTHER DOCUMENTS
(INCLUDING ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS THERETO) FILED WITH THE
SEC CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE
BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMPANY,
THE PROPOSED MERGER AND RELATED MATTERS. Stockholders will be able
to obtain free copies of the Proxy Statement and other documents
filed by the Company with the SEC through the website maintained by
the SEC at www.sec.gov. Copies of the documents filed by the
Company with the SEC will also be available free of charge on the
Company’s website at www.leafgroup.com or by contacting the
Company’s Investor Relations contact
at shawn.milne@leafgroup.com.
Participants in the Solicitation
The Company and its directors and certain of its executive
officers and employees may be deemed to be participants in the
solicitation of proxies from the Company’s stockholders with
respect to the proposed Merger under the rules of the SEC.
Information about the directors and executive officers of the
Company and their ownership of shares of the Company Common Stock
is set forth in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 2020, which was filed with the SEC on
February 25, 2021 (as amended by the Amendment No. 1 to Form
10-K filed with the SEC on April 30, 2021), its proxy statement for
its 2020 annual meeting of stockholders, which was filed with the
SEC on April 20, 2020, and in subsequent documents filed or to be
filed with the SEC, including the Proxy Statement. Information
regarding the persons who may be deemed participants in the proxy
solicitations and a description of their direct and indirect
interests in the Merger, by security holdings or otherwise, is
included in the Proxy Statement, and any such additional
information will be included in other relevant materials to be
filed with the SEC when they become available. You may obtain free
copies of these documents as described above.
Forward Looking Statements
This communication contains “forward-looking statements” within
the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995. The Company generally identifies forward-looking statements
by terminology such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expects,” “plans,”
“anticipates,” “could,” “intends,” “target,” “projects,”
“contemplates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “potential” or
“continue” or the negative of these terms or other similar words.
These statements are only predictions. The Company has based these
forward-looking statements largely on its then-current expectations
and projections about future events and financial trends as well as
the beliefs and assumptions of management. Forward-looking
statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many
of which involve factors or circumstances that are beyond the
Company’s control. The Company’s actual results could differ
materially from those stated or implied in forward-looking
statements due to a number of factors, including but not limited
to: (i) risks associated with the Company’s ability to obtain
the stockholder approval required to consummate the proposed Merger
and the timing of the closing of the proposed Merger, including the
risks that a condition to closing would not be satisfied within the
expected timeframe or at all or that the closing of the proposed
Merger will not occur; (ii) the outcome of any legal
proceedings that may be instituted against the parties and others
related to the Merger Agreement; (iii) the occurrence of any
event, change or other circumstance or condition that could give
rise to the termination of the Merger Agreement;
(iv) unanticipated difficulties or expenditures relating to
the proposed Merger, the response of business partners and
competitors to the announcement of the proposed Merger, and/or
potential difficulties in employee retention as a result of the
announcement and pendency of the proposed Merger; (v) the
response of Company stockholders to the Merger Agreement; and
(vi) those risks detailed in the Company’s most recent Annual
Report on Form 10-K (as amended by the Amendment No. 1 to
such Form 10-K) and subsequent reports filed with the SEC, as
well as other documents that may be filed by the Company from time
to time with the SEC. Accordingly, you should not rely upon
forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. The
Company cannot assure you that the events and circumstances
reflected in the forward-looking statements will be achieved or
occur, and actual results could differ materially from those
projected in the forward-looking statements. The forward-looking
statements made in this communication relate only to events as of
the date on which the statements are made. Except as required by
applicable law or regulation, the Company undertakes no obligation
to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or
circumstances after the date on which the statement is made or to
reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
Leaf Group Investor Contacts:Shawn
MilneInvestor Relations415-264-3419shawn.milne@leafgroup.com
Leaf Group Media Contacts:John
Christiansen/Nate JohnsonSard Verbinnen &
Co415-618-8750/310-201-2040LeafGroup-SVC@sardverb.com
Sharna DadukVP, CommunicationsSharna.daduk@leafgroup.com
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