NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Moody’s Corporation (NYSE:MCO) (“Moody’s” or the “Company”) today
announced that it priced its previously announced private offering of
$1.0 billion aggregate principal amount of notes consisting of $500
million aggregate principal amount of 2.625% senior unsecured notes due
2023 and $500 million aggregate principal amount of 3.250% senior
unsecured notes due 2028 (collectively, the “Notes”). The offering is
expected to close on June 12, 2017, subject to customary closing
conditions.
Moody’s expects to use the net proceeds from this offering, together
with additional borrowings under a new term loan facility, cash from its
balance sheet and short term borrowings, to fund the acquisition
consideration and pay any fees and expenses associated with the
acquisition by Moody’s of Bureau van Dijk Electronic Publishing B.V., a
provider of business intelligence and company information products.
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and Merrill
Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated are the joint book-running
managers of the notes offering.
The Notes being offered have not been registered under the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), or any state securities
laws. As a result, they may not be offered or sold in the United States
or to any U.S. persons, except pursuant to an applicable exemption from,
or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the
Securities Act. Accordingly, the Notes are being offered only to
“qualified institutional buyers” under Rule 144A of the Securities Act
or, outside the United States, to persons other than “U.S. persons” in
compliance with Regulation S under the Securities Act. A confidential
offering memorandum for the offering of the Notes, dated today, will be
made available to such eligible persons. The offering is being conducted
in accordance with the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in
such confidential offering memorandum.
This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a
solicitation of an offer to buy the securities described herein, nor
shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or other
jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be
unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities
laws of any such jurisdiction.
ABOUT MOODY’S CORPORATION
Moody's is an essential component of the global capital markets,
providing credit ratings, research, tools and analysis that contribute
to transparent and integrated financial markets. Moody’s Corporation
(NYSE: MCO) is the parent company of Moody's Investors Service, which
provides credit ratings and research covering debt instruments and
securities, and Moody's Analytics, which offers leading-edge software,
advisory services and research for credit and economic analysis and
financial risk management. The corporation, which reported revenue of
$3.6 billion in 2016, employs approximately 10,700 people worldwide and
maintains a presence in 36 countries. Further information is available
at www.moodys.com.
“SAFE HARBOR” STATEMENT UNDER THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM
ACT OF 1995
Certain statements contained in this release are forward-looking
statements and are based on future expectations, plans and prospects for
Moody’s business and operations that involve a number of risks and
uncertainties. The forward-looking statements in this release are made
as of the date hereof, and the Company disclaims any duty to supplement,
update or revise such statements on a going-forward basis, whether as a
result of subsequent developments, changed expectations or otherwise. In
connection with the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995, the Company is identifying certain
factors that could cause actual results to differ, perhaps materially,
from those indicated by these forward-looking statements. Those factors,
risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, (i) as it
relates to the proposed acquisition of Bureau van Dijk Electronic
Publishing B.V.: the costs incurred in negotiating and consummating the
proposed transaction, including the diversion of management time and
attention; the ability of the parties to successfully complete the
proposed acquisition on anticipated terms and timing, including
obtaining regulatory approvals (without any significant conditions being
imposed); the possibility that the conditions to closing may not be
satisfied and the transaction will not be consummated; the fact that,
under the Securities Purchase Agreement entered into in connection with
the proposed acquisition, the risk of the business of Bureau van Dijk
shifts to Moody’s as of December 31, 2016; not incurring any unforeseen,
but significant liabilities; risks relating to the integration of Bureau
van Dijk’s operations, products and employees into Moody’s and the
possibility that anticipated synergies and other benefits of the
proposed acquisition will not be realized in the amounts anticipated or
will not be realized within the expected timeframe; risks that the
proposed acquisition could have an adverse effect on the business of
Bureau van Dijk or its prospects, including, without limitation, on
relationships with venders, suppliers or customers; claims made, from
time to time, by venders, suppliers or customers; changes in the
European or global marketplaces that have an adverse effect on the
business of Bureau van Dijk; the outcome of legal proceedings if any
which may arise following the announcement of the proposed acquisition;
any meaningful changes in the credit markets to the extent that they
increase the cost of financing for the transaction; and the ability of
Bureau van Dijk to comply successfully with the various governmental
regulations applicable to its business, as they exist from time to time,
and the risk of any failure relating thereto; and (ii) as it relates to
Moody’s generally, world-wide credit market disruptions or an economic
slowdown, which could affect the volume of debt and other securities
issued in domestic and/or global capital markets; other matters that
could affect the volume of debt and other securities issued in domestic
and/or global capital markets, including regulation, credit quality
concerns, changes in interest rates and other volatility in the
financial markets such as that due to the U.K.’s referendum vote whereby
the U.K. citizens voted to withdraw from the EU; the level of merger and
acquisition activity in the U.S. and abroad; the uncertain effectiveness
and possible collateral consequences of U.S. and foreign government
actions affecting world-wide credit markets, international trade and
economic policy; concerns in the marketplace affecting our credibility
or otherwise affecting market perceptions of the integrity or utility of
independent credit agency ratings; the introduction of competing
products or technologies by other companies; pricing pressure from
competitors and/or customers; the level of success of new product
development and global expansion; the impact of regulation as an NRSRO,
the potential for new U.S., state and local legislation and regulations,
including provisions in the Financial Reform Act and regulations
resulting from that Act; the potential for increased competition and
regulation in the EU and other foreign jurisdictions; exposure to
litigation related to our rating opinions, as well as any other
litigation, government and regulatory proceedings, investigations and
inquires to which the Company may be subject from time to time;
provisions in the Financial Reform Act legislation modifying the
pleading standards, and EU regulations modifying the liability
standards, applicable to credit rating agencies in a manner adverse to
credit rating agencies; provisions of EU regulations imposing additional
procedural and substantive requirements on the pricing of services; the
possible loss of key employees; failures or malfunctions of our
operations and infrastructure; any vulnerabilities to cyber threats or
other cybersecurity concerns; the outcome of any review by controlling
tax authorities of the Company’s global tax planning initiatives;
exposure to potential criminal sanctions or civil remedies if the
Company fails to comply with foreign and U.S. laws and regulations that
are applicable in the jurisdictions in which the Company operates,
including sanctions laws, anti-corruption laws, and local laws
prohibiting corrupt payments to government officials; the impact of
mergers, acquisitions or other business combinations and the ability of
the Company to successfully integrate acquired businesses; currency and
foreign exchange volatility; the level of future cash flows; the levels
of capital investments; and a decline in the demand for credit risk
management tools by financial institutions. These factors, risks and
uncertainties as well as other risks and uncertainties that could cause
the Company’s actual results to differ materially from those
contemplated, expressed, projected, anticipated or implied in the
forward-looking statements are described in greater detail under “Risk
Factors” in Part I, Item 1A of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K
for the year ended December 31, 2016, and in other filings made by the
Company from time to time with the SEC or in materials incorporated
therein. Stockholders and investors are cautioned that the occurrence of
any of these factors, risks and uncertainties may cause the Company’s
actual results to differ materially from those contemplated, expressed,
projected, anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements,
which could have a material and adverse effect on the Company’s
business, results of operations and financial condition. New factors may
emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for the Company to
predict new factors, nor can the Company assess the potential effect of
any new factors on it.

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Source: Moody’s Corporation Investor Relations