Activision Stockholders Approve Combination with Vivendi Games has word that
Activision shareholders have expressed overwhelming enthusiasm for the proposed
merger with Vivendi Games, and that the parent of Blizzard and Sierra is set to
become a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision tomorrow, with the resulting
company to be known as
Activision
Blizzard:
Activision, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) today announced that, at a
special meeting of stockholders held earlier today, it received the stockholder
approval necessary to consummate the company's agreement with Vivendi, S.A. to
combine Vivendi Games, Vivendi's interactive entertainment business, with
Activision's businesses. All of the proposals required to effect the transaction
received more than 92 percent of the shares voted. The transaction is expected
to close on or around July 9, 2008.
Activision and Vivendi Games will combine their businesses through the merger of
a newly formed, wholly-owned subsidiary of Activision with and into Vivendi
Games. As a result of the merger, Vivendi Games, the parent company of Blizzard
Entertainment and Sierra, will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Activision.
Vivendi will receive approximately 295.3 million newly issued shares of
Activision common stock. Concurrently with the merger, Vivendi will purchase
approximately 62.9 million newly issued shares of Activision common stock at a
price of $27.50 per share for a total of approximately $1.7 billion in cash,
resulting in a total Vivendi ownership stake in Activision Blizzard of
approximately 52% on a fully diluted basis and approximately 54% of shares
outstanding. As of the closing of the transaction, Activision will be renamed
Activision Blizzard and will continue to operate as a public company traded on
NASDAQ under the ticker ATVI.