BEIJING and SANTA CLARA, Calif., May 24, 2013 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --
AsiaInfo-Linkage, Inc. (NASDAQ: ASIA) ("AsiaInfo-Linkage" or the
"Company"), a leading provider of telecommunication software
solutions and services in China,
and the largest Business Support System ("BSS") supplier to the
telecommunications industry in Asia, today announced that it has sold
interests in two contractually controlled entities.
As previously announced, on May 12,
2013, the Company entered into an Agreement and Plan of
Merger (the "Merger Agreement") with Skipper Limited, a
Cayman Islands exempted company
with limited liability ("Parent") and Skipper Acquisition
Corporation, a Delaware
corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of Parent ("Merger Sub"),
pursuant to which Merger Sub will merge with and into the Company,
with the Company continuing as the surviving corporation (the
"Merger"). In connection with the Merger, certain subsidiaries and
employees of the Company entered into a number of agreements with
two unaffiliated individuals pursuant to which such individuals
purchased the Company's interests in Beijing Zhongxinjia Sci-Tech
Development Co., Ltd. ("ZXJ") and Beijing Star VATS Technologies
Co., Inc. ("Star VATS"). ZXJ and Star VATS were previously
controlled by the Company through a series of contractual
arrangements. The transfer of the Company's interests in ZXJ and
Star VATS has been completed and the Company no longer has any
legal right to control ZXJ and Star VATS. The consideration payable
to the Company for its interests in ZXJ and Star VATS is the fair
market value of such interests as determined on the basis of an
appraisal undertaken by an independent asset appraisal firm.
About AsiaInfo-Linkage, Inc.
AsiaInfo-Linkage, Inc. (NASDAQ: ASIA) is a leading provider of
high-quality software solutions and IT services to the
telecommunications industry. Headquartered in Beijing, AsiaInfo-Linkage employs more than
11,000 professionals worldwide. AsiaInfo-Linkage provides a full
suite of business and operational support solutions (BSS/OSS) and
associated professional services. AsiaInfo-Linkage's core Veris
product line includes billing and customer care systems that serve
nearly a billion subscribers globally – almost one seventh of the
world's population – plus business intelligence, network
management, and security solutions.
AsiaInfo-Linkage's customers work with it to converge large
scale pre- and post-paid mobile operations; improve time to market
for new products and services; and develop cost-effective new
business models. AsiaInfo-Linkage aims to be the leading IT
solutions provider to the global telecommunications industry,
enabling the Connected Digital Lifestyle, and helping its customers
build, maintain, operate and constantly improve their network
infrastructure and IT environment.
For more information about AsiaInfo-Linkage, please visit
www.asiainfo-linkage.com.
Additional Information about the Merger
The Company will file a proxy statement with the SEC in
connection with the Merger. In addition, certain participants in
the Merger will prepare and mail to the Company's stockholders a
Schedule 13E-3 transaction statement. These documents will be filed
with or furnished to the SEC as soon as practicable. Investors and
stockholders are urged to read carefully and in their entirety
these materials and other materials filed with or furnished to
the SEC when they become available, as they will contain
important information about the company, the merger, the persons
soliciting proxies in connection with the merger on behalf of the
company, and the interests of those persons in the merger and
related matters. In addition to receiving the proxy statement and
Schedule 13E-3 transaction statement by mail, stockholders also
will be able to obtain these documents, as well as other filings
containing information about the Company, the Merger and related
matters, without charge, from the SEC's website
(http://www.sec.gov) or at the SEC's public reference room at 100 F
Street, NE, Room 1580, Washington,
D.C. 20549. In addition, these documents can be obtained,
without charge, by contacting the Company at 4th Floor, Zhongdian
Information Tower, 6 Zhongguancun South Street, Haidian District,
Beijing 100086, China, telephone: +86-10-8216-6688.
The Company and certain of its directors, executive officers and
other members of management and employees may, under the SEC rules,
be deemed to be "participants" in the solicitation of proxies from
the Company's stockholders with respect to the Merger. Information
regarding the persons who may be considered "participants" in the
solicitation of proxies will be set forth in the proxy statement
and Schedule 13E-3 transaction statement relating to the Merger
when it is filed with the SEC. Additional information regarding the
interests of such potential participants will be included in the
proxy statement and Schedule 13E-3 transaction statement and the
other relevant documents filed with the SEC when they become
available.
This announcement is not a solicitation of a proxy, an offer to
purchase or a solicitation of an offer to sell any securities and
it is not a substitute for any proxy statement or other filings
that may be made with the SEC should the Merger go forward.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains "forward-looking" statements within
the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended, and as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995. These statements can be identified by the use
of forward-looking terminology such as "believe," "expect," "may,"
"will," "should," "project," "plan," "seek," "intend," or
"anticipate" or the negative thereof or comparable terminology.
Such forward-looking statements involve inherent risks,
uncertainties and assumptions. Further information regarding these
and other risks is included in the Company's filings with the SEC.
These forward-looking statements reflect the Company's expectations
as of the date of this press release. The Company does not
undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement,
except as required under applicable law.
For investor and media inquiries, please contact:
In China:
Mr. Jimmy Xia
AsiaInfo-Linkage, Inc.
Tel: +86-10-8216-6039
Email: ir@asiainfo-linkage.com
Mr. Justin Knapp
Ogilvy Financial, Beijing
Tel: +86-10-8520-6556
Email: asia@ogilvy.com
In the United
States:
Ms. Jessica Barist Cohen
Ogilvy Financial, New York
Tel: +1-646-460-9989
Email: asia@ogilvy.com
SOURCE AsiaInfo-Linkage, Inc.