Paris, October 16, 2013

 

(NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION IN CANADA or JAPAN)

Vivendi Announces Plan to Offer to Purchase or Redeem U.S. Dollar Denominated Debt Securities Following Activision Blizzard Closing

 

Vivendi announced today that as a result of its divestment of over 85% in Activision Blizzard and receipt of cash proceeds totaling $8.2 billion, the Company is taking steps to reduce the U.S. dollar-denominated debt issued in 2008 and 2012 to finance or refinance the creation of Activision Blizzard and to hedge the associated euro/dollar currency risk.

The Company is commencing today an offer to purchase (the “Offer”) any and all of its outstanding $650 million 3.450% Notes due 2018, $700 million 6.625% Notes due 2018 and $800 million 4.750% Notes due 2022. In addition, the Company also announced it will redeem all of its $550 million 2.40% Notes due 2015.

The Offer is being made pursuant to a separate Offer to Purchase and a related Letter of Transmittal, which set forth a more detailed description of the Offer. Vivendi has retained BofA Merrill Lynch and Deutsche Bank Securities to serve as dealer-managers for the Offer. D.F. King & Co., Inc. has been retained to serve as the Tender Agent and Information Agent. Copies of the tender offer materials are available from DF King, +1(800) 758-5378 (toll free), +1(212) 709-3328 (fax), or email: vivendi@dfking.com.

This press release does not constitute an offer to purchase securities or a solicitation of an offer to sell any securities, nor does it constitute an offer or solicitation in any jurisdiction in which such offer or solicitation is unlawful. The Offer has been made only by, and pursuant to the terms of, the tender offer materials. Holders of the notes are urged to carefully read the tender offer materials before making any decision with respect to the Offer.

United Kingdom. The Offer and any other documents or materials relating to the Offer is not being made, and such documents and/or materials have not been approved, by an authorised person for the purposes of section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (the “FSMA”). Accordingly, such documents and/or materials are not being distributed to, and must not be passed on to, the general public in the United Kingdom. The communication of such documents and/or materials is exempt from the restriction on financial promotions under section 21 of the FSMA on the basis that it is only directed at and may be communicated to (1) persons who have professional experience in matters relating to investments, being investment professionals as defined in Article 19 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the “FPO”); (2) persons who fall within Article 49 of the FPO (“high net worth companies, unincorporated associations etc.”); or (3) any other persons to whom these documents and/or materials may lawfully be communicated. Any investment or investment activity to which this Offer relates is available only to such persons or will be engaged only with such persons and other persons should not rely on it.

France. The Offer is not being made, directly or indirectly, to the public in France. Neither the Offer nor any other documents or offering materials relating to the Offer have been or shall be distributed to the public in France and only (i) providers of investment services relating to portfolio management for the account of third parties (personnes fournissant le service d’investissement de gestion de portefeuille pour compte de tiers) and/or (ii) qualified investors (investisseurs qualifiés), all as defined in, and in accordance with, Articles L.411-1, L.411-2 and D.411-1 of the French Code monétaire et financier, are eligible to participate in the Offer. The Offer has not been submitted to the clearance procedures (visa) of the Autorité des marchés financiers.

 

About Vivendi

Vivendi groups together leaders in content and media. Canal+ Group is the French leader in pay-TV, also operating in French-speaking Africa, Poland and Vietnam; its subsidiary StudioCanal is a leading European player in production, acquisition, distribution and international film sales. Universal Music Group is the world leader in music; it recently strengthened and diversified its position with the acquisition of EMI Recorded Music.

In telecommunications, Vivendi owns GVT, the leading alternative broadband operator in Brazil, and SFR, a French leader in telecoms.

www.vivendi.com

Important Disclaimers

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements. This press release contains forward-looking statements with respect to the financial condition, results of operations, business, strategy, plans and outlook of Vivendi, including the impact of certain transactions. Although Vivendi believes that such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance. Actual results may differ materially from the forward-looking statements as a result of a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are outside our control, including but not limited to the risks related to antitrust and other regulatory approvals as well as any other approvals which may be required in connection with certain transactions and the risks described in the documents Vivendi filed with the Autorité des Marchés Financiers (French securities regulator), which are also available in English on Vivendi’s website (www.vivendi.com). Investors and security holders may obtain a free copy of documents filed by Vivendi with the Autorité des Marchés Financiers at www.amf-france.org, or directly from Vivendi. Accordingly, we caution you against relying on forward looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release and Vivendi disclaims any intention or obligation to provide, update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Unsponsored ADRs. Vivendi does not sponsor an American Depositary Receipt (ADR) facility in respect of its shares. Any ADR facility currently in existence is “unsponsored” and has no ties whatsoever to Vivendi. Vivendi disclaims any liability in respect of any such facility. .