UNITED STATES | |||
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION | |||
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SCHEDULE 14A | |||
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Jos. A. Bank Clothiers, Inc. | |||
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THE MENS WEARHOUSE, INC. | |||
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Mens Wearhouse Issues Statement
FREMONT, Calif., February 14, 2014 The Mens Wearhouse (NYSE: MW) today issued the following statement in response to the February 14, 2014 announcement that Jos. A. Bank Clothiers, Inc. (Nasdaq: JOSB) has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Eddie Bauer:
In light of Jos. A. Banks decision not to engage in discussions with Mens Wearhouse about a combination that would provide Jos. A. Bank shareholders with a substantial premium and immediate and certain value, the Board of Directors of Mens Wearhouse, together with its financial and legal advisors, will evaluate Mens Wearhouses options with respect to Jos. A. Bank.
As previously announced on January 6, 2014, Mens Wearhouse commenced a cash tender offer to acquire all outstanding shares of Jos. A. Bank Clothiers, Inc. (Nasdaq: JOSB) for $57.50 per share. The tender offer is scheduled to expire at 5:00 p.m., New York City time on Friday, March 28, 2014, unless the offer is extended. Consummation of the offer is not conditioned upon any financing arrangements or subject to a financing condition. The full terms, conditions and other details of the tender offer are set forth in the offering documents that Mens Wearhouse have been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Also as previously announced, Mens Wearhouse has formally submitted its notice to nominate two independent director candidates, John D. Bowlin and Arthur E. Reiner, for election to the Jos. A. Bank Board of Directors at its 2014 Annual Meeting.
BofA Merrill Lynch and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC are serving as financial advisors to Mens Wearhouse, Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP is serving as legal advisor and MacKenzie Partners, Inc., is serving as information agent.
Founded in 1973, Mens Wearhouse is one of North Americas largest specialty retailers of mens apparel with 1,133 stores. The Mens Wearhouse, Moores and K&G stores carry a full selection of suits, sport coats, furnishings and accessories in exclusive and non-exclusive merchandise brands and Mens Wearhouse and Tux stores carry a limited selection. Most K&G stores carry a full selection of womens apparel. Tuxedo rentals are available in the Mens Wearhouse, Moores and Mens Wearhouse and Tux stores. Additionally, Mens Wearhouse operates a global corporate apparel and workwear group consisting of Twin Hill in the United States and Dimensions, Alexandra and Yaffy in the United Kingdom. Investors can find additional information at http://ir.menswearhouse.com/.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
On January 6, 2014, Java Corp. (Purchaser), a wholly owned subsidiary of The Mens Wearhouse, Inc., commenced a cash tender offer for all outstanding shares of common stock of Jos. A. Bank Clothiers, Inc. not already owned by Mens Wearhouse or any of its subsidiaries, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Offer to Purchase dated as of January 6, 2014 (the Offer to Purchase). The purchase price to be paid upon the successful closing of the cash tender offer is $57.50 net per share in cash, without interest and less any required withholding tax, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Offer to Purchase and the related letter of transmittal that accompanies the Offer to Purchase. The offer is scheduled to expire at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on Friday, March 28, 2014, unless further extended in the manner set forth in the Offer to Purchase.
This communication does not constitute an offer to buy or solicitation of an offer to sell any securities. This communication is for informational purposes only. The tender offer is not being made to, nor will tenders be accepted from, or on behalf of, holders of shares in any jurisdiction in which the making of the tender offer or the acceptance thereof would not comply with the laws of that jurisdiction. The tender offer is being made pursuant to a tender offer statement on Schedule TO (including the Offer to Purchase, a related letter of transmittal and other offer materials) filed by Mens Wearhouse and the Purchaser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on January 6, 2014. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS OF JOS. A. BANK ARE URGED TO READ THESE AND OTHER DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC CAREFULLY IN THEIR ENTIRETY BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE TENDER OFFER. Investors and security holders can obtain free copies of these documents and other documents filed with the SEC by Mens Wearhouse through the web site maintained by the SEC at http://www.sec.gov. The Offer to Purchase Letter of Transmittal and other offering documents may also be obtained for free by contacting the Information Agent for the tender offer, MacKenzie Partners, Inc., at 212-929-5500 or toll-free at 800-322-2885.
Mens Wearhouse, Inc. intends to file a proxy statement on Schedule 14A and other relevant documents with the SEC in connection with its solicitation of proxies for the 2014 Annual Meeting of Jos. A. Bank Clothiers, Inc. (the Proxy Statement). MENS WEARHOUSE STRONGLY ADVISES ALL INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS OF JOS. A. BANK TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT WHEN IT BECOMES AVAILABLE AND ANY OTHER DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION, INCLUDING INFORMATION RELATING TO THE PARTICIPANTS IN ANY SUCH PROXY SOLICITATION. SUCH PROXY STATEMENT, WHEN FILED, AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS WILL BE AVAILABLE AT NO CHARGE ON THE SECS WEBSITE AT HTTP://WWW.SEC.GOV.
In accordance with Rule 14a-12(a)(1)(i) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the following persons are anticipated to be, or may be deemed to be, participants in any such proxy solicitation: Mens Wearhouse, Douglas S. Ewert, David H. Edwab, Jon W. Kimmins, John D. Bowlin and Arthur E. Reiner. Certain of these persons hold direct or indirect interests as follows: Mens Wearhouse is the record and beneficial holder of 100 shares of common stock of Jos. A. Bank and is seeking to enter into a business combination between it and Jos. A. Bank; and Messrs. Bowlin and Reiner each have an interest in being nominated and elected as a director of Jos. A. Bank. Other directors and executive officers of Mens Wearhouse who may in the future be participants in the solicitation of proxies have not been determined as of the date of this press release. No additional compensation will be paid to such directors and executive officers for such services. Investors and security holders of Jos. A. Bank can obtain additional information regarding the direct and indirect interests of the nominees and other participants by reading the Proxy Statement when it becomes available.
This press release contains forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and a variety of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the anticipated or expected results expressed in or suggested by these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements may be significantly impacted by various factors, including, but not limited to: actions by governmental entities, domestic and international economic activity and inflation, success, or lack thereof, in executing our internal operating plans and new store and new market expansion plans, including successful integration of acquisitions, performance issues with key suppliers, disruption in buying trends due to homeland security concerns, severe weather, foreign currency fluctuations, government export and import policies, aggressive advertising or marketing activities of competitors; and legal proceedings. Future
results will also be dependent upon our ability to continue to identify and complete successful expansions and penetrations into existing and new markets and our ability to integrate such expansions with our existing operations. These statements also include assumptions about our offer to acquire Jos. A. Bank (including its benefits, results, effects and timing) that may not be realized. Risks and uncertainties related to the proposed transaction include, among others: in the event a definitive transaction agreement is executed, the risk that Jos. A. Banks shareholders do not approve the transaction; uncertainties as to the timing of the transaction; the risk that regulatory or other approvals required for the transaction are not obtained, the risk that the other conditions to the closing of the transaction are not satisfied; and, in the event the transaction is consummated, risks related to the costs and difficulties related to the integration of Jos. A. Banks businesses and operations with Mens Wearhouses business and operations; the inability to obtain, or delays in obtaining, cost savings and synergies from the transaction; unexpected costs, charges or expenses resulting from the transaction; litigation relating to the transaction; and the inability to retain key personnel. The forward-looking statements in this press release speak only as of the date hereof. Mens Wearhouse undertakes no obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statement, except as required by law. Other factors that may impact the forward-looking statements are described in Mens Wearhouses annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended February 2, 2013 and Forms 10-Q. For additional information on Mens Wearhouse, please visit the Companys websites at www.menswearhouse.com, www.mooresclothing.com, www.kgstores.com, www.twinhill.com, www.dimensions.co.uk and www.alexandra.co.uk.
Contacts:
Ken Dennard
Dennard · Lascar Associates
(832) 594-4004
ken@dennardlascar.com
http://ir.menswearhouse.com/
Dan Katcher / Tim Lynch / Andrea Rose
Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher
(212) 355-4449